President-elect Joe Biden reportedly owns a Peloton – but he may not be able to bring it to the White House for security reasons. "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," said an expert.
Popular Mechanics reports that Peloton is aware its bikes aren’t necessarily secure. On a page on its website, the firm says, "no matter how much effort we put into system security, there can still be vulnerabilities present."
According to Max Kilger, the director of the Data Analytics Program and Associate Professor in Practice at the University of Texas at San Antonio: "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."
Kilger says there are hacking communities geared towards various devices, including the Peloton.
"For example, they've hacked it to be able to show Netflix shows on the screen – which you really aren't supposed to be able to do, but they've managed it. So someone could actually attack that Peloton bike, install malware, and reach out to other places in the White House."
Michelle Obama is said to have a modified Peloton without a camera or microphone, but Kilger suggests other measures could be taken.
He says the bike could simply be set up in an area where classified discussions would not take place or a hardwired connection separate from the rest of the White House network could be used.
You’d imagine that some solution will be found. The Washington Post has previously reported that Donald Trump had a $50,000, internet-connected, room-sized golf simulator installed in the White House.
Emails from the US Secret Service show that personnel exchanged "notes" and "tech info" about the TrackMan golf simulator in the months prior to its installation.
Failing that, Biden could just get himself an old school ‘dumb’ turbo trainer that isn’t connected to the internet.
We’d recommend the Tacx Booster, or Minoura’s hybrid roller, which is also very light if he fancied hoicking it aboard Air Force One.
Alternatively, he could put a bit of emphasis on improving his skills as well and go for a set of rollers.