Peloton Doubles Down On Community Following Record 23K Class Participation

NEW YORK, United States — At-home cycling giant Peloton is doubling down on community as it leverages momentum brought on by enforced lockdowns around the world.

The tech-enabled fitness brand’s latest feature ‘profile tags’ will enable riders to add public hashtags to their profiles based on their interests and workout goals. Members will be able to browse trending tags and choose to connect with others who are sharing them on their profiles — the goal being to encourage users to form more intimate communities based on their shared interests or commonalities.

According to the formidable brand, the feature has been in development for months, with David Packles, Peloton’s Director of Product, telling The Independent that it was first thought up in response to a significant number of users forming their own communities on other social networks.

However, at a time when distancing and isolation means people are missing out on their usual social activities, the opportunity to help cultivate connections and further bridge the gap between the at-home experience and the wider world is a smart move.

For Peloton, the roll-out comes off the back of the brand hitting record-breaking class participation. Last week, 23 thousand members logged on to take part in a single virtual cycling class — filmed from its Head Instructor, Robin Arzón’s home.

“This is the first time that Peloton has filmed classes outside of its two studios after the temporary suspension of streaming live classes from its studios in New York and London,” revealed the company in a statement.

The brand also announced it had surpassed 2 million worldwide members, sending its shares jumping by approximately 9%.

According to analysts, Peloton could emerge ‘much stronger’ once coronavirus restrictions are lifted. “It’s going to emerge from this a much stronger company with greater demand,” Wedbush’s James Hardiman told CNBC.

The New York-based startup, which was valued at $4.15 billion last year, is poised to become one of the pandemic’s winners after enjoying a surge in sales.

However, with competition in the space continuing to intensify, the brand will need to continue innovating when it comes to new features like these if it’s to maintain a competitive edge.