A lawsuit has been filed in New York state court alleging that a Peloton exercise bike was the cause of a man’s death. Ryan Furtado, 32, was using the high-end fitness equipment for a workout in January 2022 when he dismounted to perform floor exercises. The lawsuit alleges that Furtado used the bike for support as he was getting up, causing the bike to spin around and strike his neck and face, severing his carotid artery and resulting in his immediate death.
When the New York Police Department arrived at Furtado’s residence, they found the bike resting on his neck and face. The bike had been purchased just six months earlier, in July 2021. The lawsuit was filed in Brooklyn civil Supreme Court by Furtado’s mother, Johanna Furtado, in March 2023. The case has since gained public attention.
This incident is the first known fatality linked to Peloton’s popular exercise bike. Previously, a child’s death was associated with the company’s treadmill in March 2021. Following the news of Furtado’s death, Peloton’s shares fell by approximately 3% in intraday trading.
Peloton expressed its condolences to the Furtado family, emphasizing that the health and safety of its members are of utmost importance. However, the company maintains that it is not liable for the incident, attributing it to negligence or culpable conduct by one or more parties for which Peloton is not responsible.
Johanna Furtado argues that her son’s bike was defective and unreasonably dangerous in design, instruction, and warning. She is seeking unspecified damages. Peloton has faced several recalls of its exercise equipment in recent years. In May, its Bike was recalled due to a faulty seat post that could detach and break during use, following 12 reported injuries.
The company also recalled its Tread+ after a child’s death and 90 reported injuries related to the machine, as stated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. During Peloton’s most recent earnings report for the quarter ending June 30, the company acknowledged that the recall of its Bike seat post was costing more than anticipated and potentially leading to membership cancellations.