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SoulCycle trolls Peloton by offering users free classes – provided they trade in their bikes

Spin studio’s SoulCycle Reunited campaign urges fitness fans: “F*ck It, Let’s Ride Together”

Spin studio brand SoulCycle is trolling Peloton by offering users of the at-home fitness brand free classes – provided they trade in their bikes.

After the pandemic hit key markets including the US and UK, Peloton thrived as gyms and fitness studios were forced to close and lockdown led people to exercise at home.

Since then, however, its sales and share price have plummeted due to a number of factors including greater competition in the connected fitness market and a fall away in demand as gyms reopened that has left it with excess stock of its bikes.

Downturn in sales also forced it to scrap plans to manufacture its bikes and treadmills in the US, with all prodiuction now offshored to a long-standing partner in Taiwan.

> Peloton stops making bikes in US as shares hit all-time low

In its new SoulCycle Reunited campaign, the spin studio chain emphasises the group riding rather than solo session aspect of its classes – accompanied by an Instagram post declaring “F*ck It, Let’s Ride Together.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by SoulCycle (@soulcycle)

On its campaign page, SoulCycle says: “We’re dead set on seeing you back with your pack, so we’re giving you the opportunity to trade in your bike for the equivalent value of in-studio classes at SoulCycle. That’s a package of 47 classes added directly to your account.

“We’ll pick up your bike so you can get back to the joy of riding with your pack.”

The offer is open to “the first 100 people who sign up to trade in their Peloton bikes,” and SoulCycle says that “all participants must reside within the contiguous United States.”

Other conditions include that they must be over 18, live within 20 minutes of a SoulCycle studio, be a first-time SoulCycle user or not have attended a class since 16 March 2020, and be the owner of a Peloton Bike or Peloton Bike Plus.

Outside of North America, SoulCycle has two studios in London – one in Soho, the other in Notting Hill, although given that stipulation of residence in the lower 48 states, ie excluding Alaska and Hawaii, Peloton users here who might be tempted by the offer will be unable to avail themselves of it.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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6 comments

Avatar
PRSboy | 2 years ago
4 likes

Waiting for a bike company to offer a lifetime of free rides outdoors to anyone who cancels their Soul Cycle membership and buys a bike.

Avatar
Oldfatgit | 2 years ago
0 likes

*offer open to first 100 customers*
*Really restricted T&C's apply*

Peloton have sold over 2 million units world wide ... I'm sure that they are cacking themselves.

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Oldfatgit | 2 years ago
0 likes

I doubt SC give much of a stuff what Peloton think of it - only that it's generated a decent amount of media coverage for them at little cost.

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timmyotool | 2 years ago
0 likes

Good to see them being ripped apart in the Instagram comments for this.
Marketing like this makes me cringe - focus on delivering a good product yourself rather than calling out your competition.

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
3 likes

AKA "Fuck it let's drive to a gym and lock ourselves in a windowless room with some bellend screaming at us over thumping techno music and preen ourselves on this somehow being a more 'real' experience than doing much the same thing at home just with the bellend on a screen."

P.S. Is that Gareth Bale and his man bun on the right?

Avatar
srchar replied to Rendel Harris | 2 years ago
1 like

I never understood the being screamed at thing - I don't see how it's at all motivational. If I'm suffering, I'm doing it because I want to do it, on my terms. My instinctive response to external "encouragement" is to tell them to fuck off and leave me to it.

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