Exercise bike company Peloton has cancelled its live classes, days after one of its employees tested positive for coronavirus. It sells exercise bikes, the cheapest of which costs nearly £2,000, for use with its online classes.
Users must purchase a subscription for £39 a month to access both live-streamed and recorded classes, reports BBC.
Peloton emailed members to announce it had suspended production in its New York and London studios until 30 April.
Until May, members can only access pre-recorded classes.
“We had continued to operate both our New York and London Peloton studios in adherence with guidance provided by the local governments and public health authorities in both regions,” Peloton told the BBC.
“That said, we have decided to pause production of all live classes… in the interim, we will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves.”
The company said it “firmly believes” its fitness content, sent to two million members worldwide, “is essential to supporting the wellbeing of our communities through this time of social distancing and isolation”.
On Friday, the company said an employee at its New York premises had tested positive for coronavirus, and that it would be deep-cleaning the studio.
It was criticised online by some members for not putting its instructors’ safety first and for not abandoning live classes when both New York and London went into lockdown.
In December, the company was widely ridiculed on social media for its “sexist” Christmas advert.
But its stocks have spiked in recent weeks following the Covid-19 outbreak, as people search for ways to work out at home.
