Looking for a Cycling Studio: What’s Important to You?

You haven’t exercised much since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Now you are feeling it. You have decided it’s time to get up off the couch and get back at it. So off you go to your local cycling studio to sign up for your first round of classes. Good for you.

Here’s a question to consider: why did you choose that studio? What was it that made you decide it was right for you? While you are working to get yourself back in the game, others are looking for cycling studios for the first time. What is important to them might not be important to you. In fact, some beginners might not even know what is important to them.

Class Prices

For many consumers, cost is the first thing that comes to mind. No surprises there. We all have budgets. If you can only afford to spend so much on spinning classes, there is no point in even considering studios with prices outside your budget.

If pricing is important to you, is it the most important factor? Would you be willing to pay a little bit more to take a class with an instructor who really gets you? Maybe you don’t mind a less-than-ideal atmosphere if it saves you a few bucks. There is no right or wrong. We all have to work with the budgets we have.

Facility Condition

There are some among us who consider facility condition a top priority. Perhaps that describes you. When you go into the locker rooms, you expect to see a secure, clean, well-kept, area with adequate space to accommodate guests comfortably. Out on the floor, you expect a well-maintained space with enough room to move around.

The last thing some consumers want to see is a cycling studio that isn’t kept up. They do not want to see blown out light bulbs and torn carpets. They don’t want to see mirrors that look like they haven’t been cleaned in weeks.

Class Atmosphere

Perhaps you are the kind of person who puts a greater emphasis on class atmosphere. There are studios, like Salt Lake City’s Mcycle, that believe the right kind of class with a good instructor is highly motivating. If that sounds like what you are looking for, it pays to spend some time getting to know staff and instructors before you commit. You want atmosphere that lifts you up and encourages you to keep at it, not one that drags you down.

Staff Congeniality

An extension of a studio’s atmosphere is the congeniality of its staff. You may have your own level of tolerance for congeniality, and that’s okay. But staff should at least be friendly and attentive to your needs. They should treat you as a valued guest rather than just someone who provides a credit card number and shows up five minutes before class begins.

Note that many studios hire their instructors as independent contractors. As such, instructors are technically self-employed individuals providing a service. Some may not reflect the overall atmosphere the studio works hard to create. If that’s the case, you might be able to solve any personality conflicts simply by signing up with a different instructor. You may not have to leave the studio.

We all have our preferences. For some, the most important priority is finding a studio close to home. Others feel it is important for cycling studios to offer the latest equipment and just the right music. It’s all good. As long as you can find the studio that offers what you feel is important, you will be good to go.