Hailee Steinfeld & Anderson .Paak’s recent track COAST, is the inspiration for this ride post and tribute to former favorite boutique cycle studio FLYWHEEL.
Co-founded by boutique cycling “powerhouse” Ruth Zukerman, Flywheel “obtained a cultlike status among riders for its competitive leaderboard system, had 42 indoor cycling and barre studios around the United States, including locations in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington state, and Washington, DC.” Flywheel was Ruth’s second venture with a multi-studio cycling program (founded in 2010)…she also co-founded SoulCycle in 2006: “Five years into teaching at Reebok, I built a following. I learned a lot about what people did and didn’t like and I honed my own method within this genre of exercise. I was approached about opening a dedicated boutique spin business by a rider fan of mine who had come to my class and she was willing to put up the money, something I didn’t have. She asked me, and in two minutes I said yes. It was literally my dream to do this. That was the start of SoulCycle…I was there until 2009.” Today, SoulCycle continues to operate (and evolve) with studios around the world as part of the Equinox Group, known for the high-end fitness clubs in major international markets like New York City, London, Los Angeles, Toronto, and most recently metro Detroit (Bloomfield Hills).
After a few pre-pandemic set-backs, Flywheel was already struggling. SoulCycle was dominating in studio setting, Peloton was driving tremendous growth in the in-home fitness segment (and dealing with it’s own issues this past year!). When COVID-19 hit hard in the US by March 2020…it was the beginning of the end for Flywheel. Legal battles contributed to the eventual bankruptcy…“…in one notable case two years ago, Peloton allegedly cut a secret agreement with its smaller, struggling rival Flywheel Sports in which it paid the now-bankrupt company $24.5 million to falsely claim it had infringed on Peloton’s patents.”
As the pandemic lingers on and fitness-minded people get their fix at home and in studios…entrepreneurs continue to emerge. International franchise CYCLEBAR offers a program that is most like the Flywheel experience I remember from the mid-2010’s. In 2022, it appears that maybe CYCLEBAR has set the new BAR for studio cycling fitness!
No doubt, there is more change to come…and along the way, on this bumpy ride, I continue to love my local YMCA association with 5 dedicated cycle studios through out greater Grand Rapids. And speaking of that, here’s my next ride inside (tonight!)…
Spinlist and Summary Ride Profile:
WARM-UP: Colors / Gryffin, Blanke, Eyelar
ALT SEATED / STANDING FLAT: Easy / Nickly Romero, NIIKO X SWAE
ALT SEATED / STANDING CLIMB: Coast / Hailee Steinfeld, Anderson .Paak
SPRINTS: The Whistle / Steve Aoki, Timmy Trumpet, DJ Aligator
QUICK SEATED FLAT: Lucky / Two Door Cinema Club
ATTACKS ON A HILL: Whole Again / Steve Aoki, KAAZE, John Martin
PROGRESSIVE CLIMB: Brave / Ella Henderson, Luca Schreiner
SPEED WORK / SPRINTS: The Emperor / YUNGBLUD
ALT SEATED / STANDING HILL: There It Is (Whoomp) / The Vega Brothers, Navos
FREE TRACK / RIDERS’ CHOICE: Paradise / Marc Benjamin, Chemical Neon, Polina Vita
QUICK SEATED FLAT: boy / The Killers
THREE-PART HILL…PART I: Clarity (Remix) / Vance Joy, Shallou
THREE-PART HILL…PART II: WKND / MOTi, Louis III
THREE-PART HILL…PART III: Beach House / Carly Rae Jepsen
FINAL SPRINTS: Moon / The Cab
COOL DOWN & STRETCH: Ferris Wheel / Imagine Dragons
On Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2rIW6AzkftjoIYo8mnxxaf?utm_source=generator
On YouTube:
spIN THE NEWS: Xponential Fitness Signs Master Franchise Agreement in Japan for CycleBar
Thanks for continuing to follow, share, like, and comment! ENJOY THE RIDE!
for the ride inside...Music playlists, Ride profiles, Guest posts, Studio reviews, and more... 