Cycling Studio Getting in Right!

From time to time I visit cycling and Spin® studios around the country that I’ve done work for.  In October I had the pleasure of visiting and teaching at a great new studio in Westport, Connecticut called JoyRide.  Believe it or not, the owners of JoyRide invited me down to teach a Grateful Dead cycling class (Yes, you can teach to “the Dead”).  It’s a popular class in my Boston area studio (3 times a year)  but not something I expected to do elsewhere. No disrespect to any of the dozens of studios I have ridden in over the past two years (including the “Uber-Studios” of New York — Soul Cycle and Flywheel),  but this place was the absolute pinnacle of of what I believe makes a cycling studio great.

Not just because of the hi-end bikes and sound system (though they were great)
Not just because of the instructor and her music (though they were awesome)
Not just because of the studio design and lighting (though it was amazing)
Not just because of their website and booking system (though they were top notch)

All those thing are important, but there was something else going on at JoyRide (and at all the best studios)….something hard to define, something that occurs organically when ownership and execution are outstanding,  something that can’t be replicated by any corporate formula.

JoyRide is not just a really cool and profitable business…..it is a community.

Yes, they have great classes…..but what also develops fiercely loyal customers is the feeling of the place you get from intangibles:  owner’s kids running in to wipe off bikes between classes, old friends meeting serendipitously and hugging in the lobby,  instructors mingling easily with all sizes and shapes of customers and knowing their names, a JoyRide “wall” that you can sign with a Sharpie when you reach 100 classes, theme classes (including a crazy Grateful Dead class!),  a spacious and welcoming environment with attention to the little things.  THIS is what separates a studio and makes it special and makes it successful.  Kudos to JoyRide for getting it right!

Spynergy Consulting uses the practical operating experience of a successful studio to develop business plans, do website development, and create effective marketing plans for cycling and fitness studios looking to grow. Please call with any questions what-so-ever, always happy to spend a few minutes brainstorming (when we’re not cycling!)  Contact Bill to chat or email bill@spynergyconsulting.com