Peloton is in something of a financial rut lately, and we all know what companies do when that happens. They take it out on consumers. To that end, the exercise machine maker just announced it will be charging a $95 “used equipment activation fee” to anyone who buys one of its machines on the secondhand market, according to a report by CNBC.

The company made this announcement in its Q4 2024 shareholder letter. The fairly exorbitant fee will apply to any machine bought directly from a previous owner, meaning anything purchased via Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or, heck, even a neighbor down the street. Without tithing $95 to the church of Peloton, the machine won’t have access to any of the classes or features the company has become known for.

The company says this activation fee is just to ensure that new members “receive the same high-quality onboarding experience Peloton is known for.” In a recent earnings call, however, a company representative was more transparent, calling the fee a “source of incremental revenue and gross profit,” according to The Verge.

The standard Bike, for instance, sells new for nearly $1,500, but you can pick up a used one online for $300 to $500. Now, that price goes up to $400 to $600. Peloton also requires a monthly membership fee to access content, which is around $44.

  • @NOT_RICK
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    -1120 days ago

    Does your gym have live guided classes for under 40 a month?

    • @ilinamorato
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      1320 days ago

      Most YMCA locations have cycle classes included with the membership.

      • @NOT_RICK
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        320 days ago

        Forgot about the Y honestly, but my local one is $60+

        • @ilinamorato
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          320 days ago

          Yeah, that’s pretty standard for the Y, but that’s the cost for everything–weights, track, courts, swimming pools, most classes, personal training, childcare. As opposed to Peloton, which is $50 for just the spinning class.

          • @NOT_RICK
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            120 days ago

            Yeah I don’t trust any kind or vender lock-in. I still get why people like peloton but its still not worth it simply because they have you buy the balls because of the hardware in my mind. I bought an ifit treadmill secondhand and it demands I make an account every time I hop on to do a run, drives me up a wall.

      • @NOT_RICK
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        120 days ago

        Cheapest one with classes I know near me is $85 a month

    • @[email protected]
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      20 days ago

      Mine does. They’re group classes, but it’s included with the standard $40/month plan (or $5/day), less if you buy a family plan. There are cheaper gyms around, so a single person could probably get a better deal if they only need spinning classes.

      • @NOT_RICK
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        120 days ago

        Damn that’s a good deal