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Non-Authentic Indoor Cycling

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Update from John: This post was originally published in June of last year, shortly before we lost Jim. I thought Jim's wisdom could add to our current conversation about SoulCycle, so I'm re-publishing this today.

By Team ICG® Master Trainer Jim Karanasauthentic-logo

Why would anyone want to do it?  It’s crazy.  What about the bike?  Connecting with it.  Feeling the road.  How can anyone NOT want to feel the road?  Rhythm, timing, breathing.  It’s in our DNA.

It won’t last.  Silly trend.  Dance parties on bikes with music videos can’t last.  You can’t even call it training.  It’s just physical movement, not sure it’s even considered exercise.  It’s totally without direction.

There are some heavy hitters out there who will slam Non-Authentic Indoor Cycling and talk about it with contempt.  Read the blogs and forums.  It’s important to have beliefs — something you stand for that defines you as a professional.

Am I sure?  Absolutely not.  Is Non-Authentic Indoor Cycling bad for Indoor Cycling?  That’s a good question and the topic of this post.

I teach Authentic Indoor Cycling.  I ride bikes outdoors and always seek to bring to my students what the road and trail teach me.  The bike has taught me many lessons that I’ll share with anyone who wants to attend my classes and has the patience to listen to my rhetoric.

Fitness reached a pinnacle with indoor cycling.  Finally, we had a way to communicate fitness concepts that were not based on hype or adrenalin.  Eclectic music.  Quality training.  Depth.  Achievement.  Millions of dollars in revenue!

It wasn’t only about the money, but do you really believe that indoor cycling would be here today if it didn’t make money?  Fitness is a $12.5-billion industry, and indoor cycling helped it get there.  Whatever makes money will drive fitness.

Zumba is a classic example and should be a lesson to everyone.  It’s simple choreography, not unlike what I used to teach as an aerobics instructor back in the ‘80s, with the addition of a little Latin dance and hip-hop.  The instructors don’t even cue.  Yet Zumba is a half-billion-dollar-a-year company.   Which shows you what dazzling branding, marketing, and a single-minded focus on building a culture can do for a fitness program.

Do you think Zumba is a fad?  Not with those revenues.

What about non-authentic indoor cycling?  How about SoulCycle?  It hurts; it really does.  But if you believe that SoulCycle is going to fade away because it’s not authentic, then I believe you’re misguided.  The SoulCycle brand is strong, their marketing is incredibly strong, AND they now have strong financial support after having been purchased by Equinox.

Something else:  they’re building one hell of a culture.  Friends of mine who have never taken my class come up and say with wide-eyed enthusiasm, “Do you know that SoulCycle is coming to San Francisco?”  I ask, “Why would you take a class there when you haven’t yet come to mine?”  No response.

I believe that non-authentic indoor cycling will become a significant trend in the Fitness Industry.  ICG® is an authentic indoor cycling company.  We believe in proper training principles and we all ride bikes, yet we’re not blind.

If non-authentic IC is going to make a mark, why not embrace it for what it is — a way to train on the bike that makes (some) people fit and happy?  Assuming it’s validated as safe and effective (ICG has already contacted the American Council on Exercise and proposed a study), then shouldn't every indoor cycling education body offer a program on how to teach non-authentic indoor cycling?  Why shouldn’t any and every indoor cycling program be taught by those who are truly qualified to teach indoor cycling?  That would be the likes of us.  We know indoor cycling best.  We could create a program — inauthentic fluff, if you will — that’s still authentic in its safety, structure and cardiovascular benefit.  Why not?

It need not (and would not) diminish our authentic style of teaching, and it just might make all of us some money.

 

Originally posted 2014-10-23 04:51:49.

Do you deserve a raise?

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Indoor Cycling Instructors get a raise

What I've described as the “SoulCycle Effect” appears to have caused a nice jump in the starting rate for IC Instructors. At many new boutique studios, the $50 – $75 per class rate advertised is the starting base pay rate. Consistently fill the room and the added $'s per-head incentives you'll receive could push your pay to $125.00 or more per class. Teach just six classes a week and you'll be making $15,000 to $37,500 a year… for a part-time job.

I don't know about you, but that's real money to me!

Big Box Clubs are feeling the labor pinch

Large health clubs are sensing competitive pressure from small/boutique fitness studios and it scares them. Not only are they losing customers, they're also watching their best Instructors walk out the door to join a startup down the street.

How do I know this? Because it was a common theme voiced by multiple club owners and equipment distributors I spoke with last month at IHRSA.

Which is a 180° flip from six or so years ago. That's when the small/boutique studio boom was ramping up. Then a fitness entrepreneur's primary strategy was differenciation. What can I do to be different from the local Big Box? Now it's the owner's and managers of these same large fitness clubs asking the same thing – LOL!

If it's been awhile, you're probably due a raise 

If it's been a few years since your last review, now is probably as good a time as any to ask for an increase in your per-class rate.

Do a little research to learn what other studios near you are offering. It wouldn't hurt to graph out your class attendance and possibly list all of the times you agreed to sub other Instructors classes – so you can demonstrate your value to the business. Then be brave, schedule an appointment and politely ask for a raise. Unless you're a real flub, or there's no other option where you can teach, your current employer will want to retain your services = will want to keep you satisfied and offer you some additional $$$.

If that doesn't work – you can always check indoorcyclinginstructorjobs.com to find a studio who would love to have you on their team 🙂

Originally posted 2016-04-12 13:52:10.

Shiny (sweaty) Happy People

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Soulcycle good moring america

Five million viewers of ABC's “Good Morning America” TV program were treated to a wonderful promotion for Indoor Cycling this past week. As I watched I just couldn't help myself and began humming REM's Shiny Happy People. That was exactly what I was seeing > hundreds of shiny, happy people enjoying riding inside. I can't think of a better way to kick off 2015!

I'm of course describing the nationwide 2015 SoulCycle resolution ride that aired Jan 7th live on “Good Morning America.

What a way to jumpstart January! SoulCycle joined Good Morning America today for its Resolution Revolution. We tapped it back on SoulCycle bikes in their dressing rooms and hallways as well as in Times Square – while GMA showed live feeds from Soul classes happening in Bethesda, Chestnut Hill, Coral Gables, Short Hills and West Hollywood! Check out this video clip of all the action, including an interview with instructor ANGELA DAVIS on how to stay motivated as well as an update on our SoulScholarships Program. It was a good morning, indeed!

Here's the video of the event if you haven't seen it.

 

Originally posted 2015-01-11 13:54:43.

Pulling back the curtain on SoulCycle – Part 2 The Class

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I get a lot of "Dear John" letters.

I get a lot of “Dear John” letters.

SoulCycle doesn't offer Indoor Cycling “classes” so much as they offer Indoor Cycling “productions” where the participants (if they choose) are part of the show. Not just as “extras” playing bit parts, but critically important actors and actresses in each SoulCycle performance.

During these 45 minute scripted fitness events, the Instructor's role is split between; Performer, Cheerleader, Coach and lastly as the Director – directing the participants in their parts of the production.

If you missed any of my earlier articles about SoulCycle, you'll find them all here.

Any great musical or theatrical production begins with building anticipation in the audience. The SoulCycle location we visited has what can best be described as a waiting area. A room with multiple benches that's midway between the hall with the lockers and the primary entrance to the studio.

After I got dressed in a very nice locker room, I met Amy in the waiting area. The previous class was just ending and a stream of sweaty, smiling faces flowed out and past us, on their way to shower and change. (Yes they have showers) We chatted with a couple of women regulars (I never miss this class for anything) one told us, while waiting for an indication it was time to go into the studio. My typical experience has been when one class leaves, the next files in right behind. Not here. You could feel and hear the excitement of the 30 or so of us waiting, when a man wearing a SoulCycle shirt walked out of the studio with a handful of rags. He didn't say anything and didn't appear to need to. The group knew it was time for us to go in.

As I described in part #1, SoulCycle understands that details matter. Between classes they have a crew (it looked like three people) go in and clean everything before the next class. Every bike appeared spotless and functioned properly. Each had a clean towel across the handlebars and two clean hand weights in the little holders under the seat.

When we walked in it was obvious that the studio is a very special place. They had the lights were very low, primarily lit by the faux candles on the four corners of the Instructor platform. What was a noisy/chatty group became much quieter as everyone filed in and found their reserved bike, got set up, and climbed aboard. With 60 people in that small space and so much activity going on, I didn't see when Instructor Heather P (Peggs) walked in – but it was obvious once she cued up her music and turned on her mic.

Among friends

Amy and I were two of the three new folks in that class. Heather seemed to know most everyone else in the room, greeting what seemed like dozens by name as she bounced around the room before the start. She must have reviewed her attendance list because she walked over and welcomed us both by first name.

Heather explained that this was her third class of the day and that two of her favorites would be up front demonstrating, while she conducted the entire class off the bike. The cleaning/setup crew had already prepared for this. Before we walked in there were two bikes on the Instructor platform – in my second class there was only one.

Heather

Heather P

Intros

In both classes the Instructors introduced themselves and explained a little bit about the ride to come. I was surprised how both Heather and Lindsay B (who taught the second class I took) offered modifications; the need to keep enough resistance on the wheel and suggestions for taking it easy if today wasn't your day. Lindsay made the point several times; “turn it down until you can't feel anything… then add back a half turn. We never ride in here without resistance“.

Note about form. I can't remember when I saw so many people who looked so good on their bikes. And no it wasn't that they are all young females. Nice flat backs, relaxed upper bodies, very smooth pedalling techniques and I didn't see any of the wild, out-of-control crazy stuff I expected to see. Yes there is a lot of 110+ RPM in these classes – and it looked very controlled.

My idea, and it's only based on observing two classes, is that there's a lot of peer pressure between riders to look good on the bike. They know they're part of the “show” and do their best to look the part.

If you ride in a group outdoors, you've probably experienced the same peer pressure to look good – that's why many men shave their legs 🙂 

I've taken this class before

Both classes I rode started exactly on time and followed the same basic profile. I wasn't keeping track of time so I don't have any specific segment lengths. Actually I didn't watch the time on purpose. I wanted to know; how long did the class feel?  It felt like it zipped by very quickly. Amy felt it was short – she normally teaches 60 minute classes.

The class profile was something like this:

  1. Standing warm up, with cues to add load over ~ 10 minutes
  2. Transition to a climb with a lot of push ups and jumps
  3. Lather, rinse, repeat
  4. Weight segment
  5. Inspiration/reflection time
  6. Big finish
  7. Stretch and transition

Key Detail: These Instructors know their music exactly and teach to it very effectively. Both exhibited Group Fitness backgrounds, giving us helpful 8 count – countdowns, that always ended right with the phrasing of the music.    

I was very impressed by both Heather's and Lindsay's professionalism in the way they conducted their classes. NOTE: with the one exception that Lindsay used music (hip hop) that had a lot of profanity in it and swore herself on occasion. It's not for me, but the guy with the gauges and sleeves riding next to me said he never misses her class. Throughout class they both discussed and encouraged proper form. During the weight segments we were instructed to add a bunch of load and sit up straight and tall. It was also suggested that we stop pedalling. Most slowly rolled their legs during this part.

Is there purpose to all of these extraneous movements?

Critics of SoulCycle (and similar) classes point to how non-cycling specific movements; jumps, push ups/rhythm presses, “tap-backs”, figure eights, etc… have no proven training value and/or diminish the potential training value of riding an Indoor Cycle… like an Outdoor Cyclist would. For those reasons, along with perceptions the some of these movements may be potentially dangerous, we're told we should not include these movements in our classes as they're “Contraindicated”.

Based on what I saw at SoulCycle (and other similar classes I've taken) my feeling is that critics are completely missing the point. IMO these movements are a critical part to the appeal of these classes. It is a thing of beauty, watching a room full of people exactly on the beat and rising and falling in unison. I've heard this described as “tribal” behaviour, similar to fans doing the ‘wave' at a sporting event. It's a very powerful way to connect a group of people together. And at the same time, these jumps are very challenging to perform correctly – which I feel is another reason for the success of SoulCycle that I explained in this post.

Soultime 

I found this element of each class interesting. After the weight segment, both Heather and Lindsay turned down the lights and described overcoming a challenge in their personal lives. Playing some trance like music, Heather explained how this week marked the five year anniversary of her sobriety and how appreciative she was of the support she'd received from SoulCycle and all of her regulars.

Lindsay did something a little different. She invited a man to ride her Instructor bike. Then described how she had lost her voice for 10 days and couldn't teach. She then put her arm around the man and explaining how he was the doctor who helped cure her vocal paralysis.

Both short speeches ended with loud applause.

This then segued into a time where we were all asked to reflect on some personal challenge of our own. We rode in near total darkness for a few minutes with just the music. From here the intensity built in a way to communicate how we could overcome whatever it was – leading into a final big effort to finish the class.

Closing time

Each class includes a three minute stretch/cooldown. How do I know it was three minutes? They both said so in their closing. With everything else tightly scripted, I'm guessing the class ended exactly on time. Here's where these Instructors diverged a little; after each did hamstring and lower back stretches while on the bike, Heather did most of her stretches off the bike. Lindsay did all of her's on the bike.

After we were told their upcoming class times and locations (there are 6 SoulCycles around the LA area and they both teach at multiple locations) we were thanked and encouraged to leave quickly. This may explain what didn't happen. I've been in classes like these where the “groupies” flock to the Instructors after class. I observed both pretty much alone after the immediate end of class. This gave me and Amy a chance to say hello to Heather and tell her that we were visiting instructors. She said she appreciated us being there and asked if we would be attending other classes while we were in town.

Overall impression of SoulCycle 

In case I haven't effectively communicated it here, Amy and I were very impressed by our experiences at SoulCycle. I participated in two classes, led by true professional Indoor Cycling Instructors who understand what their participants want from a class and they both delivered it.

With the exception of the horrible music (I hate Hip Hop) Lindsay played in the beginning of her class (she did win me over during her weight segment as she went around cuing proper form to multiple individuals), I didn't see anything that wasn't near perfect in the delivery of this experience.

Final note: I appreciate the 20 or so emails and Facebook PM's I received about part #1 – my preference would be that you leave your remarks as comments to this post. But if you're concerned about publicly expressing your views, your email or PM is still appreciated. 

John

Originally posted 2014-10-18 11:12:52.

I Love Taking Classes

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I lead a fairly busy life. Amy and I own both Cycling Fusion and ICI/Pro which keeps us pretty busy and I am on staff at Carnegie Mellon University in the Athletics Department and their Triathlon Coach. Add to that teaching a few classes a week to keep my edge and I do not find myself with a lot of free time. Then came Spring Break…..

At CMU our schedule generally follows that of the students, so once in a while I am presented with a lull in the excitement of college athletics and I have a few moments to myself. What do I do with some of these moments? I had the opportunity to take an indoor cycling class at one of our Pittsburgh LA Fitness locations.

I always find it a bit odd being on the other side of the bike so to speak, but at the same time fun. While my natural tendency is to look at the class as a master instructor, I work hard to not evaluate the instructor and just enjoy the ride. And enjoy the ride I did.

The young lady that was leading the class was energetic and the music was good. I knew a few others in the class, but was conscious not to talk during the class or become a distraction. At one point we did a few jumps, which I always wonder about (they are just not something I do in my classes) but I went with the program and enjoyed myself.

That is the message today; if you have the chance (and you should make the time), please take a few moments and attend another instructor's class. We got into the indoor cycling profession because we love the exercise, the music and the bike. Sometimes I can get caught up in building this week's class, or trying to find the right song, but in the end, it should all be fun!

Please….Ride Well, Ride Hard and Ride Often

Did an overemphasis on “contraindications” > give rise to SoulCycle?

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No stunt is too dangerous for extreme motocross competitions.

No stunt is too dangerous for extreme motocross competitions.

What caused the SoulCycle phenomenon? Why are their riders so passionate, loyal and willing to spend $34 dollars a class, when clubs and studios had been offering Indoor Cycling classes for 10 or more years – long before SoulCycle's launch in 2007? The research done (and reported here) by future studio owner Callie Bowling finds Cycling Studios that are offering class formats similar SoulCycle's appear to be doing well, but studio startups following traditional / cycling specific formats are struggling. Sadly many have already closed. Why?

One plausible explanation is that for a long time now, Indoor Cycling has been too focused on the negatives, “don't do this [contraindicated] … and don't do that [contraindicated]” while at the same time asserting rules and restrictions on the sport, [if you don't do it outside…].  Now I get that the intent here has been to try and ensure our rider's safety, but could all of these rules/limitations/contraindications be causing unintended consequences?

My theory

So let me throw out a possible theory for you to consider. NOTE: my intent here at ICI/PRO is never to tell you what to think… you're too smart for that. Rather, my hope is that you thoughtfully consider what's written and come to your own conclusions. 

Is it possible that people are turning to SoulCycle classes, for reasons similar to the rise in popularity of Extreme Sports? 

Growing up in the late 60's and 70's there were no “Extreme Sports” – although I should probably be dead based on how much danger I was exposed to daily. That is, I enjoyed a lot of freedom as a kid – if you're of a similar age, I'll bet this was the same for you. We spent summer days in the suburbs pretty much unsupervised. Neither my mom, summer sitter, or my neighborhood friend's moms, knew where we were most of the day. We did pretty much whatever we wanted and created our own play. We got everyone together for pickup games of all types daily. Yes we got in trouble on occasion. Yes we got hurt a few times, doing dumb things like falling out of trees we shouldn't have climbed, crashing our mini-bikes without wearing a helmet, etc. We survived. Sure we had youth sports (little league baseball and football) but there was very little parental involvement. I rode my bike to practices/games and, with the exception of my grandmother who seemed to attend every game, my parents were rarely involved in my play while I was growing up.

Everything was different for my two daughters and kids across America, growing up in the 1990's. Amy and I parented like every other parent our age. We knew where our kids were pretty much every minute of the day. “Play time” was often initiated, structured and supervised by us. Why? Because we wanted to ensure our kids safety, based on concerns that I now see were really overblown.

Organised youth sports (soccer and later softball) started at age 5. Games and practices were religiously attended by both parents. I coached both my girls until they were teenagers. As a youth sports coach, I had first hand knowledge (very intense phone calls and on-field conversations) of how incredibly involved and controlling some parents were in their daughters lives.

Thankfully, Amy and I recognised the negative impact our actions were/or could have on our girls and we backed way off. For many who didn't, all of that parental supervision and control didn't end well. Multiple friends of my daughters quit sports completely, having been burnt out by excessive amounts of structured practice. These kids just wanted to play and have fun. But their parents never gave them the chance.

What should have been enjoyable, playtime activities with friends, became joyless, purposeful, objective driven work. And a lot of kids grew to hated it.  

The problem isn't limited to moms and dads. Schools, for a multitude of reasons*, have imposed restrictions and limitations on “play time” during recess to the point where it's hard to believe you actually could have fun. Don't believe me? Try teaching your five year old to follow all these playground rules I found for an elementary school in California. After reading through the very detailed list of playground rules, I'm thinking I would give up and just instruct my child to sit quietly on his hands 🙁 Here's how the list of rules begins:

Playground Rules

Play Structure

Play with SAFETY in mind at all times.  Students are always to walk in the playground equipment area.  Those running will be removed from the area.  No tag games are allowed in the playground area.

Swings:
* Students sit on swings facing the field area
* Students can swing to a count of 50
(1 swing consists of a forward and backward motion)
* Students wait behind the green pole to take turns on the swing
* Students should never be allowed to jump over the swing seats, twist swings, or
stand on swings
* Students must swing independently. No pushing from a friend!

Enter Extreme Sports

It no secrete that youth have a tendency to rebel against authority. Sociologists have figured out that many young adults are acting out their rebellion at the parental and societal intrusion on their play, by participating in Extreme Sports. Now, instead of climbing trees, doing an oly-under while pushing your friend on a swing and occasionally sneaking out at night as kids, we have people jumping off buildings and doing flips with motocross bikes 🙂

I did some research and I found a book that you can read at this link; The Sociology of Sports: An Introduction. The author makes a compelling argument > Extreme Sports are in fact a response to the excessive structure imposed on children's play.

Did a focus on contraindications cause SoulCycle

Excerpt from The Sociology of Sports: An Introduction – page 53

 

Many sports have become so rule-oriented that people have sought alternatives to “traditional” sports. 

So, are people flocking to SoulCycle because it's the alternative to rule intensive Indoor Cycling programs? I believe in part they are. After taking a few SoulCycle classes last fall, I wrote a series of reviews that you can find here, here and here > opens in new tabs. I came away thinking that part of the appeal of SoulCycle is that the class is very challenging physically – and I don't mean just cardiovascularly…

Is there purpose to all of these extraneous movements?

Critics of SoulCycle (and similar) classes point to how non-cycling specific movements; jumps, push ups/rhythm presses, “tap-backs”, figure eights, etc… have no proven training value and/or diminish the potential training value of riding an Indoor Cycle… like an Outdoor Cyclist would. For those reasons, along with perceptions the some of these movements may be potentially dangerous, we’re told we should not include these movements in our classes as they’re “Contraindicated”.

Based on what I saw at SoulCycle (and other similar classes I’ve taken) my feeling is that critics are completely missing the point. IMO these movements are a critical part to the appeal of these classes. It is a thing of beauty, watching a room full of people exactly on the beat and rising and falling in unison. I’ve heard this described as “tribal” behaviour, similar to fans doing the ‘wave’ at a sporting event. It’s a very powerful way to connect a group of people together. And at the same time, these jumps are very challenging to perform correctly — which I feel is another reason for the success of SoulCycle that I explained in this post.

 

In case you're wondering, what started my thought process here was a provocative post from CB Cycle Barn's Owner Karen Casler. She made a statement, by way of the below image, in this post at the Indoor Cycling Instructors Facebook group. You might be interested in reading the 100+ comments, including mine near the end where this theory first popped into my head.

Is the word CONTRAINDICATED over used in Indoor Cycling

 

Are you an independent thinker when it comes to conducting a fun, effective, entertaining and motivating Indoor Cycling class? If so please consider joining us here as an ICI/PRO member where everyone is welcome — no matter where, our how, you choose to teach!

*Yes, I agree that there are a lot of legal liability issues that drive institutional decisions. It's just that I've talked to too many school administrators, who's personal interest in “protecting the children” seemed more important than whether or not the kids will actually have any fun.  

 

SoulCycle may be to women – what golf is to men

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bicycle golf

I woke up one morning thinking; the appeal of SoulCycle to women is eerily similar to golf's appeal to men.

Amy and I rode a class at SoulCycle in Santa Monica, CA. I was working on a few posts about our experiences that I hope to have finished by tomorrow. But this observation needed to be in a post all its own… and begins with this question?

Why is SoulCycle so appealing to women? 

badgeThe complete article is available to ICI/PRO Members  Join ICI/PRO to unlock this today.

Amy and I met Shirley (a former homecoming queen) after class. She told us how she had lost 65 lbs in advance of her reunion by taking 5 -6 SoulCycle classes each week. I didn't ask, but got the sense that she was a professional of some type and wasn't financially challenged by the cost of classes there. Shirley said she will normally do a triple on Sundays and based on how hard I saw her work in class – the girl could be an animal on the road.

So now let me know your thoughts.

A few additional thoughts and observations on SoulCycle

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hand weights

Over the last couple of days I've remembered a few points that didn't make it into either part 1 or part 2 of my SoulCycle articles that I wanted to share today.

3 pound hand weights can get really heavy

badgeThe complete article is available to ICI/PRO Members  Join ICI/PRO to unlock this today.

This was surprising to me John!

I received a bunch of emails and read multiple Facebook comments, all expressing the same basic sentiments; your observations are the exact opposite from what I've heard others say about SoulCycle. Why haven't I heard this perspective before?

Good question!

Why do you think much of what you've read/heard about SoulCycle is negative? I have my ideas, but I prefer to hear yours below >

Are you an independent thinker when it comes to conducting an effective, entertaining and motivating Indoor Cycling class? If so please consider joining us here as an ICI/PRO member where everyone is welcome – no matter where, our how, you choose to teach!

Originally posted 2014-10-25 14:17:30.

Interesting Marketing Info – Why Women Prefer To Ride Indoors

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CITIBIKEweb1-master675

Image from www.nytimes.com/

Understanding WHY something “is” the way it “is” is fascinating to me. Outdoor road riders tend to be predominantly men… and Indoor Cycling participants are far and away women. So why is that?

OK, I already know why – outdoor cycling has an element of risk that's more acceptable to men, than women. My wife Amy is much more comfortable at speed on the back of our tandem, than she would be piloting her own bike. And it's not just me who's figured this out. Citi Bike has too.

A Mission for Citi Bike: Recruiting More Female Cyclists  

When Citi Bike arrived here, it promised to spread the benefits of biking to the masses, an uphill push in a city where large potholes, heedless yellow cabs and darting pedestrians can make riding on busy streets seem like an activity best left for daring messengers.

But two years in, Citi Bike’s inroads have been decidedly uneven, with men far outnumbering women in using the bike-sharing system. A little time on Eighth Avenue on a recent morning, watching the stream of Citi Bike riders heading north past Pennsylvania Station and toward Times Square, was instructive. Man after man pedaled by, some in suits, others in jeans. From time to time, a woman on a Citi Bike rode by.

Reasonable (and observant) people already understood this, so I'm not sure why this is even a question. Men are by nature more reckless and more tolerant/accepting of risk than women.

“Women are early indicators of a successful bike system,” said Sarah M. Kaufman, the assistant director for technology programming at the Rudin Center for Transportation at New York University and an author of a new report on Citi Bike. “If you have more women riders, that means it’s convenient and safe.”

Officials at Citi Bike say they are attracting a greater share of women than the citywide rate of female cyclists – about 21 percent, according to a study from Hunter College. The bike-sharing service is looking at more than just the safety concerns that seem to nag more at women than men, who insurance actuaries long ago concluded are more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as not wearing a bike helmet.

Anyone who's insured young drivers (like me), are thankful they had daughters – not sons – when they get their insurance bill. Young women are less likely to do stupid/risky stuff in a car = they crash less often = they're less of an insurance risk.

This isn't rocket science here people. And yet I'm continuously seeing instructors and studios focusing their marketing at men… who ride outside… and will probably never set foot in your class. While successful (read profitable) fitness businesses like SoulCycle cater almost exclusively to women.

My advice to Citi Bike is to accept the reality here (women don't feel safe riding in traffic) and quit coming up with stupid non issues like not having a place for their kids.

And there are other perceived obstacles, not unique to women but more commonly cited by them: They cannot ride with small children. They think the cost – $149 for an annual membership or $9.95 for a day pass – is too steep, especially on top of a subway pass. And they worry about arriving at work sweaty.

“I wouldn’t want to be gross the whole day,” said Maeve McCarthy, 21, an intern at an interior design firm in Manhattan, who has not tried Citi Bike but said she would consider taking a nice ride through Central Park, if not commuting to work from Brooklyn.

Ms. McCarthy just doesn't want to smell sweaty the rest of the day… and I don't want to sit next to her if she does 🙁

There's an old saying; “you can't fight city hall”. It points to the futility of trying to change something that just ain't going to change… no matter how hard you wish it to change.

Would You Invest In SoulCycle?

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SoulCycle is preparing to go public with an IPO later this year.

Indoor cycling fitness chain SoulCycle Holdings LLC has hired investment banks for a U.S. initial public offering expected to come later this year, according to people familiar with the matter.

SoulCycle's IPO preparations underscore the growing popularity of boutique chains that cater to specific workout methods such as spinning, yoga and barre. The chains, which often charge per class rather than a monthly membership fee, have been taking market share from traditional big-box gyms.

SoulCycle has more than 42 U.S. locations, and plans to open 50 to 60 studios worldwide by next year, according to its website.

So would you purchase shares in SoulCycle?

SoulCycle IPO Stock Offering

After watching SoulCycle for years and seeing what a money machine they've become, I'm thinking I will. In fact I'm going to compare them to Starbucks and predict that SoulCycle will make investors a lot of money for the same reason Starbucks has been such a solid investment* > both their customers admit to being addicted to their products.

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE $16,000-A-YEAR ADDICTED TO BOUTIQUE FITNESS

A few weeks ago, while mindlessly trolling Instagram, something stopped me in my tracks: My friend from high school, Michaela Miller, who is currently working on a master's degree in public administration from NYU, had screenshot her upcoming SoulCycle schedule. “475 rides in 365,” she boasted of her “SOULiversary,” the birthday of her inaugural class. “Stepping it up with an even STRONGER starting lineup.” After gawking at the fact that she was planning a Wednesday triple–as in three, 45-minute classes in a single day–I shamelessly pulled up my calculator app. Some quick math revealed that my friend's dedication to cult-loved $34 spin sessions (before the price of shoe rentals and water) could easily run her $16,000 in a single year.

Despite all the negativeness directed at SoulCycle, they have shown the rest of the Indoor Cycling industry how to be successful. Not to mention positively changing the lives of thousands of participants…

For Miller, the benefits of being die-hard include daily clear-headedness, a built-in support system, and being held accountable. “I'm definitely less flaky as a person,” she says of committing to ten or more classes a week all over Manhattan, New Jersey, and Brooklyn. “I used to be notorious for missing trains, planes, parties, dinners, but since I started doing Soul, I'm early to things. I show up on time. It sounds silly, because we all should do that, but I was late a lot.” To minimize the financial impact (she says she's only on the hook for half of the classes she takes), Miller buys packages and nabs free rides via a group of instructors who now make up her inner circle. She even gave up a pack-a-day habit. “I would never have quit smoking if it wasn't for Soul,” she says with a laugh. “It was between SoulCycle and the cigarettes.”

NOTE: This is not intended as financial advice, only to alert you to this future opportunity.

The new SoulCycle iPhone App – It’s all about the Instructors and their music

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Soulcycle iPhone App reservation

Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em, there's no denying that SoulCycle is enormously successful and a driving force that's responsible for much of the excitement our industry. I visited SoulCycle last fall and participated in a few classes. The purpose was to accurately report on this juggernaut of Indoor Cycling.

The bottom line IMO, SoulCycle get's it. They understand their target market precisely – everything they do is directed at female non-cyclists who ride at SoulCycle multiple times a week.

More importantly, these non-cyclist ride year-round!

SoulCycle also understands that their Instructors are what make them so successful. Now that I was able to find and then download, the new SoulCycle iPhone App, it's abundantly clear that promoting each Instructor is the main focus of the App. Not only are they featuring Instructors, they've also added links to the favorite music each Instructor plays in class. Check out the bio page for “Stacey” who I just choose at random >

Soulcycle iPhone App song list

Each of those album thumbnails link to a sample in iTunes. Why not Spotify? Good question. My guess: everyone with an iPhone can play those tracks. Not everyone (yet) has Spotify. I also wouldn't be surprised if SoulCycle has an advertising agreement with Apple = they might be generating some ad $$$ every time a customer views an Instructor bio.

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