Joe Biden might not be able to use his Peloton in the White House

The bike could pose a possible security risk

Photo by: Peloton

Lily Hansen-Gillis January 17, 2021

Peloton’s at-home spin class experience has exploded in popularity during the pandemic. Many celebrities, high-profile athletes and even politicians, such as American president-elect Joe Biden, are known Peloton riders. Though the Peloton could be a great way for Biden to get in a quick spin during a busy transition period, there are concerns that the bike could also pose a security threat in the White House.

Biden bikes

The 78-year-old is a known cyclist—he often rides bike trails in his home state of Delaware.

There are reports that Biden also enjoy indoor training on his Peloton, but last week security experts told Popular Mechanics that the brand’s live streamed class experience and screen equipped with a camera and microphone could pose a possible security risk if brought in to the White House.

“Because you’re connected to the internet, even though there are firewalls and intrusion detection software … those things can be gotten around if you’re really good and skilled,” Max Kilger, the director of the Data Analytics program and associate professor in practice at the University of Texas at San Antonio, told Popular Mechanics.

Kilger says that the safest option would be to remove the Peloton from the localized Internet of Things.”If you really want that Peloton to be secure, you yank out the camera, you yank out the microphone, and you yank out the networking equipment … and you basically have a boring bike,” he says. “You lose the shiny object and the attractiveness.”

At that point, Biden would be able to use any bike on a trainer or spin bike to do his Peloton classes.

There is still hope that the future American president will be able to compete in live class rankings and challenge his friends. Michelle Obama allegedly had a special Peloton without a camera or microphone. Peloton has not yet confirmed whether these models exist or if Biden will bring one to the White House when he moves in next week.