Indoor cycling has long been a staple of the class schedules of large gyms. Today, it makes the list of current fitness crazes, with specialized indoor cycling studios popping up in major cities and local suburbs. Indoor cycling devotees are fanatics...there's the gear ($200 shoes and similarly priced heart-rate monitors)...there's the bike in class you must always have...and there are the instructors that you will wake up at the crack of dawn for just to reserve your spot in class. I would count myself among the fanatics.
Last Monday, my dear friend, trainer and indoor cycling guru, Daniela and I headed into the big city for back-to-back sessions at the NYC studios getting lots of press. First stop, Flywheel Sports in the Flatiron, recently opened by Ruth Zukerman and Tiki Barber. Then, a quick cab ride to Tribeca for a Bands class with Clare at Soul-Cycle's newest location.
Flywheel Sports wins raves for amenities (including free shoes and bottled water), stadium-tiered bikes (not a bad seat in the house), and state-of-the-art equipment that lets you monitor both your torque and RPMs. Downside, the studio's much-touted TorqBoard that lets riders compete against each other was not functioning. The studio was a bit too dark and the soundtrack was quite uninspired.
Soul-Cycle Tribeca gets kudos for its bright and airy design, warm staff, and the welcoming candle scents that waft through the open door. The SoulLab Bands class was intense, with interval cycling and upper body workout with rubber bands suspended from the ceiling...the heat we generated made the session a bit like Bikram-on-a-bike. Clare was crazy-fun, but the bands hang in your face while cycling...an unfortunate distraction. Both studios are pricey for a single class at $30 and $38, respectively.
Would certainly recommend both NYC studios for different experiences...and will likely return. But, at the risk of embarrassing my indoor cycling guru, I choose to "spin local." Finding the instructor for you far outweighs the bells-and-whistles of a press-darling studio.
Daniela Costanzo is just that good. She may not be for everyone...her 60-minute class means 65 minutes of serious cycling...and her followers get a bit aggressive over bike posturing and waiting lists. But, her sprinting speeds and powering hills build endurance quickly...her class soundtracks are incredible (available to all at SpinWithD). At a fraction of the price at the local New York Sports Club and the very popular 3Sixty Cycling Studio, Montclair's indoor cycling scene is just as press-worthy and, more importantly, body-transforming.
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