Sarah Levy never liked biking — until now.
On a recent morning, she mounted a high-tech stationary bicycle in a pitch-black room with heart-pumping music — and burned 600 calories.
It’s love at first ride.
“This really pushes me,” Levy gushed. “It’s cathartic. Inspiring.”
Levy, 41, tried the bikes at the new Flywheel Sports in Atlanta.
Inside the curved exercise room, the only light comes from a spotlight above the instructor; otherwise it’s completely dark. An in-house DJ selects the music. Each bike is equipped with a “tech-pack” — a small computer that displays resistance, speed and a “power” number (which can be multiplied by 2.5 to get a count on calories burned).
Silver and sleek and with exposed air ducts overhead, Flywheel has a spalike feel. It’s a pricey place to pedal.
Rides cost $25 per session, and includes the rental of cycling shoes and towels.
Flywheel is the latest iteration of the indoor cycling craze, which emerged about 20 years ago and instantly gained a strong following. It’s now a staple at many gyms.
J. Andrew Doyle, associate professor of exercise science at Georgia State University, said indoor cycling has a lot going for it: It’s virtually “no impact,” carries very low risk for muscle soreness and injury, and provides a good cardio workout.
While the number of calories burned depends on the size of the individual and intensity level, he believes the average person starting out could burn 300 to 400 calories during a 45-minute class. For a more experienced cyclist at high intensity, he said, it’s possible for someone to burn closer to 500 calories and maybe even burn up to 750 calories.
About 56 percent of gyms in the United States offer group cycling classes, according to a survey of gyms by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. That makes indoor cycling the third most common group exercise behind step aerobics (72 percent) and yoga (66 percent).
Stationary cycling was named a “tried and true” exercise choice, and one of the top 10 exercise activities at gyms for 2012, according to IHRSA.
Yvette Hassell, wellness director at the Carl E. Sanders YMCA in Buckhead, said indoor cycling classes fill up, and waiting lists are not uncommon.
Many of the YMCAs around metro Atlanta have been offering classes for at least a decade and have as many as five classes a day. Many also have dedicated cycling rooms.
Hassell said her Buckhead branch is considering offering visual components (such as streaming video of outdoor scenes) to mimic the feel of riding along the coast or rugged terrain during a weekend ride.
Group indoor cycling was created in the late 1980s by Jonathan “Johnny G” Goldberg after a near collision training outdoors at night. He trademarked the Spinning program. Many gyms nowadays use the generic term “indoor cycling” to describe the group exercise.
Indoor cycling offers a safe alternative to biking outdoors, particularly in Atlanta, which has a lot of traffic and few bike lanes, Doyle noted. It’s easy to control the intensity of the workout — no coasting down hills or stopping at red lights.
Interval training also allows people to exercise at various levels. It offers bursts of high intensity with built-in rest periods, he said.
Flywheel attracts fitness enthusiasts — not hard-core cyclists. It marks a contrast to ATS (short for Athletic Training Services), a no-frills, indoor cycling facility also in Buckhead designed for the competitive cyclist training for a triathlon.
On a recent day, a late-morning class was nearly full at Flywheel, even though it had been open only a week. Madonna’s music pounded the room like a nightclub.
The average age of cyclists was around 40, but the gym draws men and women well into their 60s. The amphitheater-style seating gives every rider a clear view of the instructor. Riders also reserve their seat ahead of time.
Levy reserves the No. 4 spot.
“It fits my personality,” said Levy, a life coach who helps clients navigate the divorce process. “I’m an Aries and I like to be front and center.”
Not everyone needs the costly frills of a cycling boutique such as Flywheel. Cara Barfield, a 34-year-old mom to two young children, loves indoor cycling classes at the Y — just the way they are. “The classes are really amazing because the trainers are well trained and motivating. They will get off the bike and talk to you about form and then they will push you. There is one teacher who will step on your wheel to motivate you and she’ll scream in your face, ‘Go! Go! Go!’
“I don’t need the best gym in the word and it doesn’t matter if it’s posh as long as you are getting a really good workout,” she said.
Barfield does one to two indoor cycling classes a week. She also works out on a treadmill and a Stairmaster. Nothing gets her heart rate up like an indoor ride.
“I know when I do a Spinning class, it’s the best workout of the week,” she said. “You sweat so much it’s like going through a rainstorm.”
A FEW INDOOR cycling places in metro Atlanta
Flywheel Sports
A new, upscale boutique offering $25 rides. Ten rides cost $225.
102 W. Paces Ferry Road N.W., Suite A, Atlanta. 678-702-5684, www.flywheelsports.com.
Athletic Training Services
Aimed at the serious, competitive cyclist. $12 walk-in sessions. A 12-pack costs $120. 3872 Roswell Road, Suite A-9, Atlanta. 770-598-3362, www .athletictrainingservices.com.
Carl E. Sanders YMCA at Buckhead
More basic but solid indoor cycling classes. Designed for cyclists of all levels; also caters to a mix of outdoor cyclists taking their workout indoors, and those who are simply seeking a good workout.
Monthly memberships cost $53 (and there is a one-time joining fee of $69). After that, all cycling classes are free for members. 1160 Moores Mill Road N.W., Atlanta. 404-350-9292, www.ymcaatlanta.org
Note: Indoor cycling classes are offered at all 17 YMCA of Greater Atlanta branches.
