RIDE Indoor Cycling, the Austin-based fitness boutique that's started a cycling craze in the state capital and counts celebrities like Zooey Deschanel and Brooklyn Decker amongst its fans, has made its way to the Houston Heights.
Taryn Woods Burt, who heads up the new Houston studio, says, “Houston is a great market and a great fit for it. There’s nothing like it here. And I like the sense of community in The Heights.”
Fitness buffs can reserve their preferred seat online before they go. Just remember to bring your cycling shoes (with SPD or LOOK cleats) with you. Or rent a pair at the front desk for a buck. They’re mandatory since there are no straps for regular tennis shoes.
The workout targets your legs, core and upper-body with the incorporation of eight minutes of arm weights while you spin.
If you’re not sure how to clip in or set up your station, a staff member will assist in fitting you to your bike — from adjusting the height of the handlebars and seat to modifying the distance of the seat from the handlebars.
The 45-minute high-intensity cycling class burns lots of calories (between 600 and 800), takes little more coordination than being able to stand on your pedals and thrives on the group energy of up to 41 students on Schwinn AC performance bikes, all spinning in unison to cranked up, up-tempo beats ranging from a procured list of British pop songs to a mashup of tunes from Jay-Z and Beyonce.
As the lights go dim with only rays of blue LED lights to illuminate the room, the electricity in the classroom heightens. Now you’re ready to roll. The workout targets your legs, core and upper-body with the incorporation of eight minutes of arm weights while you spin (one pound for beginners and up to three pounds for the ultra fit).
Sweat it out, and then stick around for cold juice and a snack. At least once a week the studio offers a social after class so that people can mingle and have fun.
For now, there are three classes per day — morning, mid-morning and evening — and the space at 548 W 19th Street is temporarily without signage. Look for the bright orange building shared with YogaOne.
There are options to pay by the class ($22 each) or in packages of five ($105), 10 ($195) or 20 ($360) classes. The first class is free.
The only illumination provided by the rays of LED lights, typically set to blue.
