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February 23, 2022 02:02 am

Inside 'Project Tinman': Peloton's Plan To Conceal Rust In Its Exercise Bikes

Dubbed internally as "Project Tinman," executives at Peloton worked to conceal a build-up of rust on some exercise machines (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternative source) that were sent to customers instead of returned to the manufacturer. "The project was first revealed in FT Magazine last week but eight current and former Peloton employees across four US states have provided further details on the operation," reports the Financial Times. Here's an excerpt from the report: They described the plan as a nationwide effort to avoid yet another costly recall just months after the company's most tragic episode -- the death of a child due to the design of its treadmill. Internal documents seen by the FT showed that Tinman's "standard operating procedures" were for corrosion to be dealt with using a chemical solution called "rust converter," which conceals corrosion by reacting "with the rust to form a black layer." Employees said the scheme was called Tinman to avoid terms such as "rust" that executives decided were out of step with Peloton's quality brand. Insiders were also angered about enacting a plan that they argued cut across Peloton's supposed focus on its users, who are called "members" to evoke a sense that buyers are more than customers and part of a broader community. Tinman also put a spotlight on the company's quality control process versus meeting aggressive sales targets in the search for growth. Peloton said the issue affected at least 6,000 bikes and that 120 staff had undertaken "rigorous testing" on the devices to conclude the rust -- which it described as "cosmetic oxidation" -- had "no impact on a bike's performance, quality, durability, reliability, or the overall member experience."

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