Peloton raises $550 million to be “the Netflix of fitness.”

This just in: Peloton, maker of high end, fully networked stationary bikes, has raised, um, lot’s of money. Back in 2012 when the company launched, it seemed its high tech stationary bikes might destined only for the living rooms of the rich and well-toned in Los Angeles or the Hamptons, but a valuation of $4.15 billion suggests something bigger: Peloton bikes (and now treadmills) and accompanying virtual “classes” in every gym, living room, and garage across the land! It’s a big vision, and investors seem to be buying.

When we launched SocialWorkout.com, the precursor to Count.It, long ago, the initial epiphany was this: With the arrival of the Internet, and online community, gyms would be transformed into something closer to video arcades. That is, fully interactive spaces, with virtual races starting all the time, and lot’s of online community happening, “in the cloud.” The gym, we thought, is a space where IRL fitness, community and competitions would merge with virtual games and online community. Seems like that future is closer than ever.