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Peloton, maker of the popular Peloton bike, is suing competitor Icon Health & Fitness Inc, maker of NordicTrack, for patent infringement. Peloton alleges that Icon stole and integrated Peloton’s technology into its NordicTrack products and engaged in false advertising and unfair business practices.

Boutique fitness at home

According to their website, Peloton began developing their product in 2012 with the goal of creating a better at-home workout experience — one that would emulate boutique fitness by allowing users to access a fitness community without going to the gym.

To achieve this, they developed live ride features and on-demand classes for Peloton users. Peloton also integrated their leaderboards feature, which allows users to see where they rank in comparison to other users taking the same classes.

In Peloton’s complaint against Icon, Peloton claims it innovated in an otherwise stale market of the fitness industry and then secured patents for that revolutionary technology.

“Before Peloton invented and released the Peloton Bike, the fitness industry had struggled with an intractable divide: consumers could either (1) go to in-studio fitness classes to obtain the competitive thrill and engagement of working out with others, or (2) choose to use at home exercise equipment—which had seen virtually zero innovation in over a decade—to gain flexibility and time. They could never do both. Peloton solved that problem, and others, with its revolutionary new product and patented technology.”

Other companies enter market

In 2015, NordicTrack began offering iFit, which allowed users to access prerecorded fitness classes. It was largely unsuccessful and in September of 2015, the same month as Peloton’s IPO, they released iFit leaderboard. It’s the iFit leaderboard that Peloton alleges infringes on one of their patents.

Other brands also entered the market with their own versions of internet connected bikes and treadmills, including Echelon, Equinox, the parent of SoulCycle, and Flywheel. Flywheel went so far as to challenge one of Peloton’s patents, contending that sending a recorded cycling class to in-home stationary bikes did not contain any new ideas.

Peloton sues for IP infringement

NordicTrack. In it’s most recent litigious move against competitors, Peloton has filed suit against Icon Health & Fitness Inc., makers of NordicTrack. This suit accuses Icon of copying its interactive home-based fitness programs, including its leaderboard, and of engaging in false advertising and unfair business practices.