Peloton are going after GPLama

I think this is a real shame. I like the videos Shane puts out, they are very helpful. I can’t believe Peloton can really think viewers will be confused. Also, better not use the word Peloton on the forum. Don’t want to get @Nate_Pearson in trouble!

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I mentioned in a tweet reply that he should get Peloton Magazine involved and see what they have to say about the fitness company taking their name, see how it makes them feel lol

Also, there’s another indoor bike company call Echelon, clearly trying make people think of Peloton!

Echelon is a distinct term that’s also used in a cycling context so it would be difficult to argue a case from Peloton’s POV. I agree though that it’s close enough to get you to think about it.

EDIT: just checking through the actual tweet and they seem to have trademarked ‘Peloton Digital membership’ which is where the use of ‘Digital Peloton’ may have riled them. IMHO they don’t have a leg to stand on as the context is very different and peloton is also a generic term in cycling. However, they have the money to make these threats and one guy on YouTube probably doesn’t have the resources to fight them.

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Oh, I wasn’t implying any infringement, just make me laugh when I saw it because they are clearly trying to make people think of the boutique brand https://echelonfit.com/

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Next weeks edition of the Dig It All Pelican News will be interesting.

Seriously sad company. I could kind of understand it if they said they had trademarked “digital peleton” or “peloton digital”. But to claim rights of a common cycling term and every use of it.:face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

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Three words to Peloton: go. pound. sand.

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Remember when Specialized tried to take Cafe Roubaix to court? That didn’t go too well.

Mike

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@GPLama just tweeted this out, couldn’t be better timing!

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Yeah… sheesh. 2018 can take a f’king hike… YouTube taking me down (then restoring me), now Peloton think I’m infringing their trademark with my ‘Digital Peloton News’ segment. Over 18 million views, 51,000 comments. Not a SINGLE person has mentioned they’ve mistaken my content for anything to do with Peloton Interactive Inc. They claim this could be the case, it’s not. They also claim the prominent word in the ‘Digital Peloton News’ title is the word Peloton. I’ve pointed out to their lawyers it’s the word NEWS… as it’s a news segment.

I don’t set out to create drama for clicks/hits/views. My intention is to help people with bike tech. It’s pretty f’king simple. Plain. Vanilla. Informative. Sometimes with a few laughs thrown in.

I keep clear of clickbait and bullshit. I want my content to be a resource people can reference now and into the future. It has worked very well to date. And the feedback I get from the people I create content for is 99.99% positive. Having said that, my reply to their lawyers did mention I will use their actions against them for the promotion of what I do. Because f’k them.

I have a few cameras, an Internet connection, and motivation to help others. That’s it. They have a metric fkckton of cash, resources, and NY lawyers. And they target me? Not Peloton Magazine, or the 100s of other companies using that term. They also don’t own peloton dot com, or even the @ peloton Twitter account. Yet… they go after the fcking little guy. Bullies.

Why a $4 billion company wants to take aim at me is laughable. I’m not a threat to them in any way. It’s their lawyers who have done the damage here.

I’ve praised their service offering in the past. I’m still a huge fan of their model and success. I even walked into their Santa Monica store to buy a t-shirt… and borked at the US$45 price tag. Thankfully I did, because in a twisted way I’d have been funding the very thing I’m fighting against here.

Anyhow. Thanks again to everyone for your support. It’s the people who have my back here that I create content for.

If my ship goes down - and it’d only take a few submissions from Peloton Interactive Inc to wipe my YouTube channel out - so be it. If this isn’t my place to be and mega $ corps have that kind of power, I can’t fight that. Time better spent riding.

Happy Holidays.

Shane

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Keep doing what you do, Shane. Your videos are always informative, entertaining, and it’s one of the first places I go to for indoor trainer tips and instructional vids.

Have a great Christmas, you deserve it.

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Personally, my biggest issue with this whole thing is that Peloton has sold 4 Billion dollars worth stationary bikes.

W-T-F??

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@GPLama - keep up the good work you’re doing. The only folks who can possibly gain from this PR ‘stunt’ would be their lawyers. As I said earlier in this thread, kindly (or not) tell them to: GO. POUND. SAND.

F-them, and their stupid bike.

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Oh, and I hear Quaker Oats is going to sue GCN because Emma Pooley has “Oat Cuisine”.

And did you hear? The Department of Transportation is going to sue TrainerRoad because of the word “Road”.

2018 - good f’ing riddance.

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And any attempt by anyone ever in the cycling industry whom has used the term “epic” in product.

Went to the mall today and experienced the ONE TRUE PELOTON

:man_shrugging:t3:

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“Three Peloton for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Peloton to rule them all, One Peloton to find them,
One Peloton to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”

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Hi Shane,

Greatly appreciate everything you do for the cycling community. Have not only made multiple buys (and not) on your recommendations, but whenever ask my thoughts on cycling I point them in your direction.

Have a great Christmas, and a better 2019.

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Shane - things like this are determined by precedent law. What Peloton seems to be trying is very questionable based on the term peloton being in common vernacular many years before they started their company. And to be honest, most of their customers probably don’t even know what a peloton is (not that this matters, but it heightens the irony here).

A reputable trademark lawyer will be able to help you navigate through this, and I’d bet on this forum there might be someone who knows a thing or two about this.

Best of luck. This is major BS.

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@GPLama I didn’t realise you would see this thread. I wanted others to know what was going on and show some support if possible. I’m glad you saw it. I hope this ruining your Christmas too much,

Thanks for all you do. I really liked the round tables you did while in Amsterdam with Ray and Des.

Good luck

Michael

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