I Tried My First In-Person Cycle Class, Here’s How it Compares to Peloton
Like everyone else in 2020, I purchased a Peloton. I love group fitness classes, so the allure of having that experience in my own home was too good to pass up.
Fast forward a year and I’ve absolutely loved my bike, and I think it’s been a great investment for me. The instructors are AMAZING, and the variety of rides is perfect for someone like me that might need an intense 20 min or a 45 min low-impact ride in the same week at any given time. Not to mention, the subscription gives me access to tons of different class types, so there’s literally something for everyone!
But, I’ve been wondering what it would be like to ride live in a studio, so when I met with the owner of Ignite Cycle Studio in Birmingham, I was more than intriguied. She just opened her 2nd location this past month, and the introductory offer was too good to pass up. So, on a Saturday morning, I woke my happy ass up at 7:30am and made the 20-minute trek to Mountain Brook. I had zero expectations, and I was ready to accept whatever was about to happen.
Holy shit. I loved it.
Peloton cannot touch this experience, and in all honestly, I don’t think Ignite is even trying to compete with them. They are in two different leagues.
Everything in that room was perfection. From the space between each bike, the lighting, the mic volume, to the playlist, it was just a cut above.
The class was 45 minutes, and that’s a long time for me. I normally only do 30-minute rides, so I was definitely nervous going in, but the energy in the room pushed me so hard that I was more than capable of making it through the whole time. By the time I got done my abs, arms, shoulders, and legs were feeling it. My hair was soaking wet from root to tip, and sweat was absolutely dripping off of me, but damn I felt so good.
I felt ready to absolutely slay my Saturday, and I might have been drenched in sweat, but I know I was absolutely glowing, and overall, everything about me was on another level.
Ignite Cycle is doing something really special in that room, and if you’re local to Birmingham, I highly suggest giving it a shot. I won’t be able to go every day, but that’s not how I want to incorporate it anyways. I would love to add one or two rides a week to my current routine, and with 2 locations and tons of class times, I know that’s possible. I’m so excited to try all of the instructors, feel more confident on the bike, and just push myself a little farther each time.
I won’t be getting rid of my Peloton just yet, but I am conscious of the difference between those at-home rides and being somewhere in person. I won’t say that the ride was any harder or easier than what Cody or Kendall do, but the vibe was different. It was an experience, not just a workout. Plus, for someone like me that works from home, physical interaction is something I need a little more of.
I can’t wait for my next ride!
If you’re in the Birmingham area check out Ignite here. Their Pepper Place location is the perfect Saturday morning ritual with the Pepper Place market right outside their front door, and Mountain Brook is also in a great area for eating and shopping. Both would be a great girls’ day or date spot with your hunny!
I’m so glad group fitness made it through the pandemic, and if you have never taken a group class for any type of fitness I suggest it. Pure Barre was my home all across the country, Drew’s HIIT classes kept me focused in my late 20s, and maybe I’ll cycle through my 30s!
Have you ever taken an in-person cycle class? I would love to hear from you in the comments!
Love,
Lilly
