The VIBE Inside RIDE Cycle Club, a spin workout on Ossington

Checking out RIDE Cycle Club

I was on the tail end of my search for the best gym classes in Toronto and although I vowed never to do another spin class again (just not my thing), I had to test out at least a couple spin classes to be truly authentic to the gym search.  So yes, I sacrificed to bring YOU this content. And since so many of my peers live and die by spinning, I was curious to see if I can be swayed to enjoy it. There are a few popular ones, but a friend had recommended RIDE and swore by it. This Vancouver-based company recently made its way over to Toronto to see if they can create the same cult-like following they have back in B.C. So I grabbed my workout buddy, Jenan, and we booked ourselves as class at RIDE Cycle Club to show you the VIBE there.

The Prep

According to Jenan, RIDE Cycle Club was by far her most sweaty work out yet, as someone who doesn’t naturally sweat very much, she was SOAKED after this cycle session! Arriving late… as usual, we were ushered to our bikes after being given the proper foot gear by the lovely staff there. They were very accommodating. The whole room was waiting for us to get buckled in, I’m talking all eyeballs were laser focus on these newbies (don’t be late). Immediately there’s an energy in the room that cant quite be explained. They’re like a wolf pack, everyone works in unison and with the same amount of focus and enthusiasm. If you’re into community workouts, this could just be the one, but beware of the loud music.

Change Rooms + Amenities

The amenities were clean and sufficient, showers and vanities were available post work out, but space was limited in the women’s washroom. The men’s had enough showers and I didn’t find myself needing to wait for anything. 

They have an abundant amount of lockers to place your valuables and belongings.

The Workout

After we got buckled in, the instructor took us for a RIDE! No pun intended, and that’s when things got a little weird… the lights went low, I’m talking pitch black, not sure if you felt someone touch you, dark. Then the music got loud… I’m talking middle of a rave loud! These guys were not messing around the entire room moved in unison, and flashes of light would come on to show you exactly what was happening while you were slacking.

The unity and loud music really served as a motivator for me, everyone was on the same page and it was almost like a flash-mob, you wanted to be a part of it no matter how hard it was.

Instructor(s)

The instructor at Toronto’s RIDE Cycle Club was truly inspiring. It almost seemed as if he didn’t break a sweat, all while our heart rates skyrocketed as we dripped all over the bike. He was so in tune with the music and you could tell that a lot of thought was put into the set and music combination.

The Intensity, Quality + Difficulty

This work out is INTENSE, cardio is by far most peoples’ weak spot and this workout isn’t for beginners either. The great part about it is you can go at your own pace, no one is forcing you to cycle the entire 45 minutes, but the community there is definitely in shape. The entire session is high quality, but I found that my feet were in extreme pain from being buckled in to the bike. Before my muscles gave out, my feet started to cramp, the trainer did give some tips on how to avoid this, but it wasn’t working for me. We learnt that form is so important and how you cycle will definitely impact how long you can last and the muscle groups you workout.  You start to look forward to the pitch black breaks in between sets just to give your legs a little rest. 

The VIBE

There were some serious vibes here, everyone in the class with the exception of the newbies were shockingly in sync the entire time, the darkness and the loud music made it feel a bit cliquey, but you’re part of that clique when you’re riding and there’s no greater feeling.

The Aftermath

Get ready for an endorphin surge once you’ve done that much cardio, over all this cycling experience was a winner, but its not for everyone. Your legs burn during cycling but depending on how much you push your limits the soreness was to a minimum. This class is great to add in between body building sessions.

Location: 2 Humbert Street, Toronto, ON
Contact: 416.531.3100, Website
Neighbourhood: Ossington
Type of Workout: Spin
Booking: Website

Have you been? Let us know what you think below, and tag me in your photos. Use #TorontoVIBE or shoot me a DM.

Credits:

Contributing VIBE Reviewer: Jenan Nasser (IG: TheQueensQueries)