Community is still king.
What’s happening: Peloton launched public teams, letting up to 50K members track collective fitness goals. The feature expands on the platform’s existing social tools like themed challenges, leaderboards, and in-workout high-fives.
Made to stick. As Peloton’s turnaround continues, it’s rethinking user engagement.
A member survey showed 70% seek out online fitness communities, with many self-organizing on Facebook and Reddit. With 80K private teams already driving higher engagement, it’s tapping existing strengths for growth.
Friend zone. Digital fitness platforms are racing to crack the community code.
- Replicating offline meetups, 25% of Zwift users join group events.
- Meta’s Supernatural launched group VR workouts with voice chat.
- Apple Fitness+ accommodates up to 32 people in group workouts.
Changing gears, Strava pivoted away from social networking to focus on enhancing real-world connections. Doubling down, Peloton hopes investing in community will support its transformation from a hardware company into a comprehensive fitness ecosystem.
Punchline: Despite gamified social features, digital platforms have yet to match the sense of belonging found in IRL experiences — which could leave Peloton spinning its wheels.
