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
Did an overemphasis on “contraindications” > give rise to SoulCycle?
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
SoulCycle may be to women – what golf is to men
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
A few additional thoughts and observations on SoulCycle
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 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
Do you deserve 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
Interesting Marketing Info – Why Women Prefer To Ride Indoors
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
Would You Invest In SoulCycle?
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
The new SoulCycle iPhone App – It’s all about the Instructors and their music
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
Where’s the new SoulCycle iPhone App?
I’ll bet somebody at Apple/iTunes is getting an ear-full this morning… SoulCycle sent out an email this morning, announcing their new iPhone App. The email included this link to their App in the iTunes store… which of course opens in iTunes so you can download the software. Except most people (like me) don’t use iTunes to install an App. We download and install Apps directly from our phones. Which is
I say stick with your teammates
I got this email last week – but I can’t divulge who it’s from for reasons you’ll understand. Here’s one for you, John: We’ve got a new instructor here who has been teaching for decades elsewhere, but is now only at our club. I get complaint after complaint about her from participants the days I teach. I have encouraged members to share their feedback with management, submit comment cards, etc.
Product advertising to women through Indoor Cycling
Totally random observation… You know we’ve gone mainstream when a large advertiser like Gillette, begins connecting their products to Indoor Cycling. I ran across this article today in the online version of Shape Magazine. Seems like a typical bit of content designed to attract readers who have an interest in SoulCycle / Indoor Cycling. Sure, sitting on the stationary bike and powering through a brutal “hill” climb in an indoor