Amazon disavows $500 ‘Prime Bike,’ says it has no formal connection to the product

Yesterday, train firm Echelon Health introduced the “EX-Prime Good Join Bike,” or “Prime Bike” — a $500 train bike developed “in collaboration with Amazon.” Information of the bike’s launch despatched the share worth of good bike maker Peloton tumbling, as merchants anticipated Amazon’s entry into the rising residence train market.

However on Tuesday night Amazon denied it had any formal connection to the so-called Prime Bike. The bike’s itemizing on Amazon’s web site was eliminated and a press release for the product from Echelon Health touting its work with Amazon was deleted.

“This bike isn’t an Amazon product or associated to Amazon Prime,” an Amazon spokeswoman told Bloomberg. “Echelon doesn’t have a proper partnership with Amazon. We’re working with Echelon to make clear this in its communications, cease the sale of the product, and alter the product branding.”

The Echelon Health bike definitely regarded like a finances various to good bikes made by Peloton, and the information of the collaboration with Amazon made its launch significantly thrilling. CyclingWeekly reported that solely Amazon Prime members might buy the $500 bike and mentioned the product was “seen as a critical contender to Peloton’s crown.”

Regardless of this, it was additionally clear that the Prime Bike was a finances various to Peloton’s high-end merchandise. As a substitute of an built-in display it supplied a stand for a pill. As a substitute of pedal clips it had easy toe straps. And whereas the $1,895 Peloton Bike weighs 135 kilos, suggesting a stable building, the Prime Bike clocked in at a skimpier 80 kilos.

Precisely what occurred with the Prime Bike’s launch is unclear. It appears weird that an organization might by chance fabricate a collaboration with a retailing large like Amazon, but clearly there have been crossed wires someplace. Mirrors of the now-deleted press launch for the Prime Bike clearly state that the product is “Amazon’s first-ever linked health product.” The discharge additionally quotes president and CEO of Echelon Health, Lou Lentine, boasting concerning the corporations’ work collectively.

“We have been constructed on the thought of attainable health for everybody. The Prime Bike was developed in collaboration with Amazon, aiming to create a tremendous, linked bike for lower than $500 and it’s confirmed to be an outstanding match,” mentioned Lentine. “Amazon seeking to us to companion on their first-ever linked health product is recognition of our dedication to ship high quality at an inexpensive price-point as mirrored in our explosive development over the past yr.”

On Wednesday, Echelon’s CEO claimed in an interview that his firm had “began working” with Amazon again in January, however didn’t explicitly verify that the product was developed with or for Amazon — solely that Amazon had requested for a motorcycle at a $500 worth level.

Moreover, it’s price noting that the Prime Bike itself appears nearly an identical to a $500 train bike Echelon sells on Walmart. The launch of that product, although, doesn’t appear to have moved markets in the way in which the Prime Bike did. We’ve reached out to Echelon Health for remark and can replace this story if we hear extra.

Replace September twenty third, 2:34PM ET: Added Echelon CEO’s renewed declare that his firm had been working with Amazon.