Peloton hit a million subscribers in June of 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic both boosted Peloton's business and shook it up completely

While demand for Peloton's at-home fitness equipment soared during the pandemic, the company didn't necessarily have the infrastructure to support the breakthrough sales. In 2021, Peloton bought Precor—a fitness equipment manufacturing company—to help boost domestic production and decrease a backlog of orders.

The fitness industry has seen a lot of fads—and Peloton might be one of them

Like SoulCycle and Tae Bo, Peloton has struggled to stay at the forefront of the fitness industry. Despite periods of incredibly high interest and high-profile users (like the Obamas), Peloton has lost many users since the pandemic ended—and has struggled to add more. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Peloton makes most of its money via monthly subscriptions

Peloton has two core revenue streams: the exercise equipment it sells and the company's monthly subscription that gives users access to its class library. More than half of Peloton's revenue comes from the company's core product, the monthly subscription. Its "Peloton App+" membership tier is $28.99 per month.

How Peloton got moms hooked

Peloton's at-home workout classes were a game-changer for parents, giving them a chance to squeeze a workout in without leaving the house. The community group feature on Peloton created a sense of community that made users incredibly loyal to the brand.

Peloton raised more than $300K in 30 days during its Kickstarter campaign

Peloton ran a Kickstarter campaign in 2013, hoping to raise $250K and ended the campaign with $307K. Peloton sold its first bikes during that campaign for $1.5K. Foley later said that most of the bike purchases came from investors, not necessarily new customers.

Owning a Peloton has become a status symbol

Given the relatively high financial barriers to entry—with its cheapest bikes selling on its website for almost $2K—owning a Peloton has become a status symbol for some, representing the disparity between access to fitness between the upper and lower classes in the US (especially during COVID).

Raising the price of a Peloton bike increased the company's early sales—and that's part of why the bikes are so expensive

The original Peloton stationary bikes sold for about $1.2K, but Peloton founder John Foley said that price point made consumers skeptical of the product's quality. After increasing the price of a bike to $2K, Foley said people started to believe it was a quality product, and sales soon increased.

Peloton's founder once said the company 'sells happiness' before a disappointing initial public offering

Ahead of the company's IPO, Peloton founder John Foley told investors that "on the most basic level, Peloton sells happiness." However, the inspirational sentiment didn't stick with investors—the company closed the day of its IPO with stocks trading down 11% from the IPO price. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

The controversial 'Peloton Wife' ad from 2019 cost the company more than $1B in market value

The 2019 ad of a man gifting his wife a Peloton exercise bike sparked a wave of controversy, with some calling the ad sexist and fatphobic. The ad's backlash decreased the company's market value by $1.6B.

In November 2025, Peloton issued a recall on more than 800,000 bike seats

Years after high-profile recalls on the treadmill due to reported injuries and even a death, Peloton issued another recall on the Peloton Plus bike seat. The company said it received three reports of the seatpost breaking.

Peloton instructors have built expansive personal brands

Outside of teaching Peloton classes, many instructors have amassed large social media followings and brand deals—ranging from modeling for Puma and Adidas to "Dancing With The Stars" appearances. On top of their influencer work, leading instructors at Peloton—like Cody Rigsby, Emma Lovewell, and Robin Arzón—reportedly earn salaries of more than $500K.

The word 'Peloton' comes from the word for the main group of riders in a cycling race

The word itself is French for "ball," but became the inspiration for the word "platoon" in the 17th century to describe a group of soldiers. Now, it's a common cycling term and the main focal point in cycling races.

TikTok boasts nearly 1.8B monthly users

The app has surged in popularity recently, with usage surging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those users have generated high revenues, too, with over $23B in 2024.

BNPL has 19th-century roots, but the pandemic made it mainstream

The modern BNPL model didn't take off until the COVID-19 pandemic, when consumers were stuck at home and lockdowns forced them to shop online rather than in person. The number of US BNPL loans grew more than tenfold from 2019 (16.8 million) to 2021 (180 million), according to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report.

How Netflix changed TV

In April 2017, Netflix reached 100 million subscribers worldwide—a figure that hit 300 million by 2025. With 50 million in the US alone, it has revolutionized the way people consume entertainment. Newsweek takes a look into the company's history and how it became the dominant force in entertainment.

Pickleball's popularity has exploded in recent years

Pickleball has seen rapid growth in the US, with around 50 million Americans playing in 2022. It doesn't appear to be slowing any time soon.

The pandemic forged new FIRE followers

The FIRE movement gained steam during the pandemic, when some were inspired to clean financial house amid an environment of global economic uncertainty.

Rent the Runway recently lost over 90% of its value

The COVID-19 pandemic and increased competition post-2020 are just two factors plaguing the designer clothing rental company.

The federal government pumped $70 billion into transit amidst reduced ridership during the COVID pandemic

When ridership collapsed by 75% in the spring of 2020, Congress sent transit agencies nearly $70B to help them survive. But that money has largely run out, and ridership remains 14-28% below prepandemic levels, leaving many transit systems with large budget deficits.

Many retail investors exited the stock market after 2008, leading to a drop in individual market participation

That changed thanks to GameStop, federal stimulus checks, and strong corporate results in the first quarter of 2021. This chart plots how much retail investors poured into the market each day, reaching records in early 2023.

Homeschooling doubled during the Coronavirus pandemic

After explosive growth, the trend continued. During the 2024-2025 school year, it increased at an average rate of 4.9%, nearly three times the pre-pandemic rate of around 2%.

Indoor rock climbing gyms have doubled in a decade in the US

The business saw a jump in growth amid low real estate costs after the 2008 Great Recession. The sport's culture has shifted from serving misfit loners to more family-friendly spots.

At its peak in 2001, the Toyota Prius made up 77% of the US hybrid vehicle market

Celebrities and early adopters popularized the model, making it a cultural symbol for eco-conscious driving and fuel efficiency. The rise of fully electric vehicles, like Tesla's Model 3, caused the Prius to lose the spotlight.

Roller coasters can cost millions of dollars to make, but they often offer a substantial payoff

Over 6,000 roller coasters are in operation around the world as of 2025, with ongoing demand to build more each year. Despite being costly (some theme parks pay upwards of $50M for these rides), their financiers are able to justify the investment when considering the long-term value of a ride that sticks around for decades with daily streams of visitors.

Gen Z is increasingly interested in running marathons

The race has become a popular event for young people. Over 12,000 20-somethings signed up for the New York Marathon in 2024. That's a significant increase from 2023 (9.987) and 2022 (8,039).

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

How Amazon operates a 'flywheel' business model, a self-reinforcing cycle that drives continuous growth

SpaceX's S-1 or 'prospectus' revealed many previously unknown details about the company, including its unprofitability despite doing $18.7B in revenue in 2025, exactly how many voting shares Elon Musk will have in the company (roughly 85%), and more.

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

The 1987 Nintendo video game 'Stadium Events' isn't known for being particularly fun, but its scarcity has made it a highly sought-after item that has sold for up to $35K at auction.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

Children are now three times more likely to say they want to be a YouTuber when they grow up than an astronaut, with some even attending 'YouTube camps' that teach kids how to create content for the platform.

While the first exchange-traded fund (a 'basket' of different assets that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange) in the US only launched in 1993, the global ETF market has grown to more than $10T in the short time since.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

A pickleball's loud 'pop' sound can reach 120 decibels, which is equivalent to a hammer hitting a nail

A 2019 Facebook event called on attendees to "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," resulting in countless memes, the creation of a music festival, and eventually the arrests of those who did try to approach the area.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

Hear about the 250-year history of the United States Postal Service, complete with some of its strangest deliveries, important innovations, and the figures that made it an American institution.

How the most famous Ebola book, The Hot Zone, which sold 3.5 million copies and was translated into 30 languages, got aspects of the disease so wrong.

Massive 3D printers have been used to build homes by stacking layers of 'concrete toothpaste,' a fire-resistant material that effectively insulates against outside noise.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

Some researchers have labeled nomophobia, the fear of being without your phone, as 'the phobia of the 21st century.'

Neutron stars, the remains of some massive stars after they explode in a supernova, are the densest directly observable objects in the universe.

The Beatles' US label rejected the band's first two singles, 'Please Please Me' and 'From Me to You,' with one executive calling the band 'dead in the water.'

Take a 3D tour of the Hajj, Islam's annual pilgrimage to Mecca, undertaken by more than 1.5 million Muslims each year.