Over the past month or so we're published multiple posts related to the accuracy and consistency of the indoor cycles in our studios. Gene Nacey chronicled his experiments toward finding a method of handicapping his cycles, in the hope of addressing the differences in wattage he is seeing between bikes and my series on the results from our survey both pointed to the same conclusion; Indoor Cycle manufactures have work to do to ensure a level of consistency that will give both Instructors and participants the confidence we need to really use power as a training tool in our classes.
Last week at IHRSA, Amy and I had the chance to sit down with Keiser founder Dennis Keiser, before he formally announced that his engineering team had secured the first European EN-ISO 20957-1 accreditation for an Indoor Cycle that displays power – the new Keiser M3i.
The Keiser M3 group fitness cycle has been the first product of its kind to receive prestigious EN-ISO 20957-1 recognition for the accuracy of its power display.
“This is a big step. Our industry needs to validate the numbers that our users are seeing,” said Keiser founder and President Dennis Keiser. “This gives our customers a level of comfort at what they are seeing in our display.” The accuracy certification represents the first time that TUV Product Services, a European safety organization, has tested for accuracy in a data reporting system on an indoor group exercise cycle. To achieve EN-ISO 20957-1 recognition, TUV requires a group fitness cycle consistently perform within plus or minus 10% of accuracy. “To be the first in our industry to receive this is a great achievement and an honor,” expressed Keiser Vice President-Europe Alastair Watson. “It is important to everyone at Keiser that our customers know they are getting the best bike in the industry and the most accurate reporting system as this designation confirms.” Keiser has been the undisputed industry leader, the first to employ magnetic resistance, introduce power, and now the first to receive accuracy certification. “It’s very easy for someone to talk about the accuracy of power but this test is very difficult. To achieve what we have is significant,” explained Dennis Keiser. “We have been the leader and intend to remain the leader in indoor group cycling.”
Dennis explained to us that the primary focus of EN-ISO 20957-1 (ISO is the International Organization for Standardization) is safety. Passing is required to sell new fitness equipment in many European countries. The certification of any power displayed is a sub-category of EN-ISO 20957-1 that's been initiated to bring more consistency to our industry – something Dennis expressed is long overdue and I completely agree.
Now while a +-10% accuracy may not sound all that impressive in these days of super accurate (and expensive) bicycle power meters, that's the maximum allowable variation from any randomly sampled production M3i. To achieve that level of accuracy, while making allowances for production tolerances, Keiser's engineers designed the M3i to have single digit accuracy.
Upgrade for older Keiser M3s
So why would this be important to a club or studio who own the older versions of the Keiser M3? My understanding is that Keiser will be offering retrofit kits for older M3's. By replacing the console, a small circuit board near the magnet carrier and the magnet carrier you'll be able to bring your M3s up to this new certification's level of accuracy. Included with the kit will be the new power console that incorporates BLE Bluetooth Low Energy which will easily pair with an iPhone/Android phone + work with the new Keiser GX group exercise projection system for on-screen power and heart rate display in class. More about that soon.
Both are supposed to be available later this summer – I'll be posting the details on cost and how to order once it's been finalized.
That's Coach Robin Robinson in the pink jersey at IHRSA
“I think she's talking to you John” was the response from Mad Dogg's Tony Berlant, as we both watched a very excite women running toward us. Tony and I were enjoying an adult beverage during the reception at last fall's MindBodyFitPro convention in LA when the women confirmed who exactly she was addressing:
YOU (she's now pointing at me) John Macgowan… YOU TAUGHT ME TO USE SPOTIFY!
A big hug completed my formal introduction to ICI/PRO member Charla Goodnight. What followed was an hour long conversion with one of the most passionate Indoor Cycling Instructors I've ever met. Charla explained to me how she had benefited from the information she had received here and how she was at the conference to finalize her equipment and studio management software decisions for her new Indoor Cycling studio – Time Trial Cycle in Naples, FL.
Well the big day is this Friday, March 21st and I'm very excited for both Charla and her business partner Carter Wheeler.
Here's how they describe their new studio
When you enter the friendly doors of Time Trial Cycle, judgment and fear are left behind. Offering expert coaching and a variety of classes for all ages and fitness levels, the only person you have to be better than is who you were yesterday.
As the premier indoor cycling studio in Naples, we offer:
Stadium seating with plenty of elbow room to grind up the hills
Audacious sound system and LED lighting
Top of the line Star Trac Blade Ion bikes that provide constant display of RPM’s, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Speed/Distance and Power.
Two massive flat screen TV’s to track your performance on the Performance IQ board
Post-workout reports emailed to measure your progress
Changing rooms, shower, spa quality amenities and alkaline water tap
Charla and Carter appear to have done a good job promoting their launch – today they were featured on the local Fox morning show and this Naples newspaper ran a great story about the new studio.
It’s “Time” for Naples to pedal its way to an unrivaled indoor cycling experience as Time Trial Cycle, Naples’ premier dedicated indoor cycling studio, celebrates its Grand Opening on March 21. Taking place from 5:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m., the event will celebrate “Fitness, Food & Fun” and will be co-hosted by Fit Nation Magazine. The stunning high-tech studio, located at 3080 Tamiami Trail N, offers indoor cycling classes for all ages and fitness levels.
Guests at the Grand Opening event will enjoy complimentary food, beer and wine as well as door prizes for the first arrivals along with a raffle. In addition, the event will feature two competitions: one for athletes to compete to win the “Time Trial Cycle Most Power” Award as well as a “Self-Proclaimed ‘Couch Potato’ Competition” in which participants challenge each other for 10 minutes. Participating event vendors include Collier Family Farms, Helen Jon Swimwear, Megan Rose Boutique, Femme Couture, Blue Martini, Naples Pathway Coalition, Endurance Sisterhood, Pizza Fusion, and Organically Twisted Food Truck. RSVPs are requested to info@TimeTrialCycle.com.
With regular classes kicking off on March 22, Time Trial Cycle will continue its celebration with a special offer of participants’ first class free, as well as a special price of $99 for a month of unlimited cycling.
I met up with Charla and Carter at the ECA conference in Fort Lauderdale and had lunch with them both. I see them as having very complimentary personalities and feel they're going to have a very successful fitness business.
Bill Pryor has an interesting article in the latest addition of Club Industry's online magazine.
Indoor cycling isn't what it used to be, and for traditional health clubs, as well as the hundreds of brand new dedicated cycling studios popping up around the world, this is turning out to be a good thing. Technology and innovation, especially in electronics and fabrication, are revitalizing the venerable indoor cycling workout in dramatic ways while reducing the headaches and costs that club and studio owners dread.
Using Technology to Measure Performance and Motivate
Outdoor cyclists have long had access to tools such as Computrainers that allow them to measure and analyze their efforts. For indoor cyclists, these kinds of tools are a recent addition, and club and studio owners are finding them to be an effective way to build and grow attendance. Dozens of studios are using performance metrics technology in their group exercise cycling programs, and many more are coming online soon.
Performance Metrics for Cycling Classes
In just the past few years, most major bike manufacturers have started offering metrics capabilities or consoles as a built-in feature or as an add-on option in their top bikes. These systems provide the rider with some combination of performance-related metrics: pedal cadence, heart rate, power (watt) output, calories burned and estimated mileage. In some cases, this information also can be automatically transmitted and stored for later viewing. Several third-party suppliers and web developers have built systems to measure, present, store and track performance data. In essence, this information can now be viewed in several important ways:
On each bike. With this, individual class visitors can view real-time data, and class instructors can coach to that data.
In front of the class on a monitor. Classmates can see their own performance data as well as data on fellow class participants.
After the class on the web (data tracking). Performance data can now be stored online so riders can view and compare historic performances.
In some cycling studios, the instructor uses this data as a primary tool for coaching and motivation. In others, the data is there purely for the user to review, and they often can choose the metric of their choice–heart rate, watts, calories burned, etc. In any case, just having this information available is a far cry from the traditional cycling class. Music and cult instructors remain the primary draw for most classes, but performance technology has added an appealing new dimension to the mix.
IHRSA is the big fitness equipment show held each year in the USA. Last year the show was in Las Vegas and I spent a bunch of time riding and comparing a number of new-for-2013 Indoor Cycles with power, including the Spinner® Blade Ion and Freemotion's belt driven Carbon Drive S11.9.
There's more cool stuff coming out this year. I'm excited to see the new power bike from ICG pictured above:
The IC7 Indoor Cycle and its Coach By Color® Power Program brings optimal performance and opportunity to group exercise, team coaching, personal training and even individual use. World-class technology and member-centric coaching will make your program more colorful, more powerful and definitely more original. That means better experiences and better results for your customers to keep them coming back.
Displaying colors connected to zones (Heart Rate or Power) isn't new – but having the console glow where everyone in class and you (the Instructor) can see what zone they're in is very interesting. Zone based colors brings accountability, without the judgement of actual wattage amounts that some riders and Instructors dislike in other group display systems. My hope is that there is a very quick and easy setup process to input the rider's personal zones or thresholds that are tied to the different color zones. If you're concerned that all those lights = frequent battery replacements, you needn't be. The IC7 includes it's own charging system. Oh, and they're promising power accuracy of +- 1% and similar consistency between bikes. I'll know much more by next Thursday.
A little bird told me that Keiser will be showing their new M3 power meter console that now features Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) While everyone else is using ANT+ to broadcast rider data, Keiser's engineers have leapfrogged to the new BLE which consumes less battery power and it will connect with your portable device without a ANT+ dongle.
This year the Senior Group Fitness Instructor Amy is joining me and together we're excited to see all of our IC friends that we typically only get to talk to on the phone or Skype 🙂
Please let us know if you're going to be there and feel free to text me to meetup 612-868-0064
This is just a quick note because some of you asked about this….but my companyZONING Fitness was selected by QVC home shopping network appearance in Philadelphia as a hot new item…they booked me today and I’ll be appearing in 48 hours live from Philadelphia.
The appearance is this Thursday, March 6th at 7:00 am (or latter) eastern standard timelive from Philadelphia. Here's a chance to get the QVC price on our patented ZONING program and the heart rate monitor that I invented and the book ZONING for only $50. Watch it. Tell your friends. Forward this to your friends. Buy when you see that I am on – during the time – if you do, QVC, one of the largest retailers in America will invite me to return – and we can get America fit!
With heart,
SALLY
I'm sure this is very exciting (and a little scary) for Sally and I wish her well with this. She's been a tireless champion for improving the health and fitness of thousands – she deserves this national exposure 🙂
It appears that Sally will be part of the Mornings Made Easysegment Thursday, March 06, 2014 07:00 – 09:00 AM EST.
Cyclebeat is a beautiful Indoor Cycle Studio located in what was an old English pub in the commercial district of London. I couldn't decide which of these pictures to use, so here's the view as you walk in – fantastic… unless you're actually after a pint 🙂
Cyclebeat studio owner Greg Allon joins me to celebrate their first completed year in business! During the interview we discuss their “mixed membership model” (combination of monthly and per-ride payments) and the problems that occur when monthly members book a bike, but then don't show for the scheduled class – which prevents them from selling the reserved seat to someone else.
There's typically a “surprise” in every interview – something that catches me and gets my fully attention. When Greg describes the age demographic he sees in his classes (21 to 30), it's easy to understand why Performance IQ has been so helpful to making his studio a success. So successful that they're planning a Cyclebeat #2 for the near future!
Greg is also having success promoting a corporate discount rate… not by soliciting local business directly, but by encouraging the employees of those businesses to bring the information back to where they work. Effectively creating a little army of sales people to promote his studio – very clever!
Listen to the interview below – or you'll find this episode in our.
