When I first clipped into a Peloton bike in November of 2019, I had no idea how deeply this platform would transform my fitness journey.

It was in a mall kiosk, and while I was hesitant at first, I was impressed by how well-built the bike was. The shoes and cleats were just like my racing ones. The drivetrain was whisper-quiet.

I’d done decades of indoor group rides, and this captured the vibe and energy surprisingly well. Plus, there were metrics and a leaderboard. Despite riding in the middle of a mall in a black metal cage, I liked it. A lot.

As I write about in my book, John Foley and his co-founders built something remarkable – a vertically integrated fitness ecosystem combining hardware, software, music and live instruction.

That is incredibly complicated — and nearly impossible for a startup to do successfully.

They revolutionized how millions of people think about home workouts.

But like any long-term relationship, you start noticing little things that could make it even better.

As someone who markets products for a living, I can’t help but think about ways to enhance user experiences.

And after 1,751 Peloton workouts, I’ve experienced both the platform’s magic and its occasional friction points.

Over the next few days, I’ll share some thoughts about how I think connected fitness platforms could better support users through life’s inevitable disruptions – injuries, moves, family commitments, and other speed bumps.

Of course, for non-Peloton readers, I’ll tie these things in with relatable points for your own product.

Let’s start with streaks.

You’ve probably felt that sense of achievement watching your streak number climb. Peloton does streaks very well, for as long as you’re able to stay on one. But what happens when life throws you a curveball?

During a recent home renovation, my family had to relocate for many months. During the moves in and out, my home was in chaos, my days gobbled up by frenzied packing and boxing. No time, energy or place to work out. My fanatically nurtured streak?

Pffffft.

I was back to zero. And getting back into the rhythm afterward? WAY harder than it should have been.

The current streak system, while motivating, doesn’t flex with how life actually works. What if instead of breaking streaks, the platform recognized different seasons of our fitness journey?

Imagine:

• “Maintenance modes” during major life events. (Or consider those 20,000 steps while moving boxes a workout equivalent …)
• “Recovery paths” after injuries or surgeries
• “Comeback celebrations” that are as motivating as streak milestones
• Family progress tracking that adapts to each household member’s goals

The best products do tons more than track our successes – they support us through our struggles and help us bounce back stronger.

And this challenge isn’t unique to Peloton. Any product that tracks user engagement faces similar questions: How do we maintain motivation without creating anxiety? How do we celebrate consistency while acknowledging life’s inevitable interruptions?

For product makers, it’s a reminder that our metrics should serve our users, never the other way around.

The most successful products adapt to human realities rather than demanding humans adapt to their systems.

Whether you’re building a fitness platform, a learning app, or a productivity tool, consider how your engagement metrics might actually be creating friction for your most loyal users.

The people who deserve your support and emotional gratification the most.

How about you?

Ever had a broken streak – on Peloton or any other platform – that felt more discouraging than it ought to have?

Laurier

P.S. This is the first in a short series about making connected fitness platforms more human-friendly. If you’ve got thoughts about Peloton’s streak system or others with similar functions, hit reply. I’d love to hear your experience.