Amazon says it hasn't joined with Echelon to launch the "Prime Bike." Amazon denies the bike is a "Amazon product or related to Amazon Prime." Echelon has yet to respond but has scrubbed Amazon's name from its online posts and product pages.
It was reported earlier that e-commerce company Amazon had partnered with exercise-gear manufacturer Echelon to create a new smart exercise bike that directly competes with products offered by Peloton.
Unlike Peloton's smart stationary bikes, which cost nearly $2,000, Echelon said its product cost $500. However, the Prime Bike doesn't come with a built-in screen. Users will have to attach separate devices such as smartphones or tablets to get access to on-demand exercise classes.
Prime Bike looks like a low-cost version of Echelon's Connect Sport smart bike, which it currently sells from Walmart stores. According to Echelon, it and Amazon have been working on the new product for some time. It said it had sold the first batch of products over the past few weeks.
Echelon claimed Amazon approached it about a collaboration.
"We were built on the idea of attainable fitness for everyone. The Prime Bike was developed in collaboration with Amazon, aiming to create an amazing, connected bike for less than $500 and it's proven to be a phenomenal match," Echelon's chief executive officer Lou Lentine said in a statement.
Echelon said Amazon's decision to team up with the company was testament to its ability to develop and deliver quality products at competitive prices. Similar to Peloton, Echelon has seen growth in its business since the start of the year. With the pandemic forcing people to stay inside and with gyms nationwide being forced to shut, health and exercise enthusiasts had to find other ways to exercise and attend workout classes.
Industry experts said the collaboration doesn't really indicate a shift in direction for Amazon. The e-commerce company likely just wants to offer a product that will bring more consumers to it Prime memberships.
