SoulCycle

My co-​worker discovered that SoulCycle — not this location, but the company — was offering free classes for people attending SoulCycle for the first time. She was playing with the idea of doing some team bonding and with many of us frequenting the gym, we all agreed that this could be a fun outing. To get the deal, we created a profile and picked a time for our class and our seats with our instructor, Roxie. Reserving seats to worked out may seem ridiculous but in fact I think it’s a great idea for people who genuinely like to be in the front, near the instructor or to hide in the back or sit with a group of friends. We were advised that seats run out quickly but we lucked out and managed to sit all together with the exception of our boss, who wanted to sit in front of us to «lead the pack». (He’s adorable!)
With meetings running over, the team sprinted over to Bryant Park from our office. I was running late as well, so I ran 8 blocks with three minutes to spare before the class started. With moments to spare, they let me in and asked me to fill out a form but since class was about to begin, advised that I could fill it out later. A nice guy asked me for my shoe size and gave me special spin shoes that connect to the pedals of the bike. He then walked me over to the lockers, which were placed on the side of this narrow hallway. The rest of the studio was like a railroad set-​up and there was not much room for space and despite this hallway being close to the entrance, the guy advised that people do change right here. Thank goodness I had already changed before I left!
Anxious on whether class had started, I saw two of my team members and we walked in together. The studio room itself was dark with red lights with music booming. It was like being in a club minus the alcohol, dresses and room to dance. Since we were assigned seats, I wasn’t sure how to find the number. My boss pointed out the team to me but I noticed each bike did have tiny numbers labeled on them. There were members of SoulCycle walking around checking to see who needed help getting on the bike. I asked one girl to help me get on but instead of helping me, she asked someone else to. He looked like it was the last thing he wanted to do but he quickly helped me get my shoes in and fix my seat to an appropriate height after I had already done so. (I know how to adjust the bikes from taking spin before at my gym but, the shoe situation is something else!)
After surviving class, I would not recommend anyone taking spin for the first time to take this class unless they already have a routine of going to the gym and have worked on building strength and endurance. The class is tough (but SOUL good!) and involves doing crunches, push-​ups while spinning and occasionally switching the position in the handles to do so to the beat of the music (which actually made the moves easier to do and surprisingly helped with breathing). At one point, the instructor had us do push-​ups while spinning with ONE HAND behind our back. Although she was pushing us she assured people that they did not have to do this if they were not ‘advanced’. Towards the end, we worked with 2.5lb weights which are located just behind/​beneath your seat. This allowed us to work on triceps, shoulders and biceps while spinning. I worked up an amazing sweat and the only terrifying thing to a spinner/​avid gym goer like me was dropping the towel since I had no idea to take the shoes off or on the pedal — it’s tricky! Throughout the workout, the instructor was loud when she needed to be in order to be clear on instructions, serve as inspiration and push us to trust ourselves to work at our best. Some instructors can be obnoxious but Roxie was amazing and very impressive working a room of about 50 – 60 people. (PS — she has amazing taste in music and used the lights in the room as a tool to allow us to cool down and keep motivated/​alert.)
I wish I could give SoulCycle and this location a full five stars. Knocked one star off as the studio is far too small and the location of the lockers isn’t appropriate since it created traffic in the hallway to get to the spinning studio and ladies/​mens shower/​bathrooms. Another star was knocked off for SoulCycle’s overall price range and the pack that you choose can actually expire. For example: 1 class is $ 34 and expires in 30 days, 10 classes are $ 320 and expire in 3 months while 50 SuperSoul classes cost $ 3,500 and expires in 12 months. This gives you an idea of what they offer but if prices and expiration days work for you whether financially or as a motivation that’s great because they have other packs of classes available as well. Also, if you ever come to the Bryant Park studio, they have a mini boutique to the side of the entrance as soon as you come in. PS — Every Monday at Noon you can book your classes for Tuesday through the following Monday (it’s like a mini bidding war). Hopefully my soul & I will be back one day.

I honestly came to my first Soul Cycle class for the free promotion. 24 hours later, I’m hooked and already signed up for several more classes this week. I live in Westchester, so hopefully the instructors are up to par with Bryant Park’s, Daniela… girl was ON POINT. Not only did she have the sickest body, but her vibe was awesome. You could tell this girl had serious dancing experience just from the way she rode the bike. While I’m flailing around, like some uncoordinated sea bass out of water, she kept an awesome high intensity tempo and never missed a beat. Did I mention her body was beyond sick? Much needed motivation and helped me have such an amazing ride. The entire staff was incredibly helpful/​friendly. The space was clean, quaint and neat. Really enjoyed my time at BP Soul Cycle :)

My first ever soulcycle or spinning class. It has been highly recommended by my friends and of course I know about soulcycle and its followers. It is free class from ¹⁄₁ to MLK day so I took advantage of it. I had to call them to reserve the spot but all seamless. When I got there, the receptionist was not very warm or friendly. It was my first time and I knew I had to sign the waiver. She gave me the whatever vibe when I asked if I need to sign it. The gentleman that set up my chair was super friendly. The lockers can be a little annoying bc if you accidentally switch the numbers, you have to ask them for the master key. Bathroom is generally clean. They have everything so you don’t need to worry about forgetting to bring something.
During class, if they were going twice the speed, I would just take the slower beat because I couldn’t spin as quickly. I can see why people love it because of the vibe and beats and music and the fact that alot of people are super into it. I honestly did not feel worked up but my legs are jello. I can see myself coming for a special playlist with another frd but it’s not my cup of tea.
I recommend people who want to try it out to look for special offers for free.

My coworker is a diehard SoulCycler and has been speaking the gospel. I went during the recent free promotion and tried it out. Staff was great and attentive. Justin was batshit crazy awesome instructor and if I was into cycling, I would go back to his class again. That’s right, SoulCycle is not for me, but the vibe of the room, music, energy is doooooope.
Before class starts, they ask if it’s your first time and will help you set up your bike. I raised my hand and the instructor Justin came over and explained the seats alignment to my hips and the distance of the bar and then helped me lock in my shoes. Basically I was a newborn baby and appreciated his guidance. I’m new at any type of cycling so I couldn’t do some of the movements, but I didn’t feel pressured to do so, so that was nice. Great work out!

It was my first time at Soul Cycle. My first class was free because they are offering a promotion now for first timers. It was an easy process to book the class as I had to go online to register myself and then call the location to book the class.
I arrived about 10 minutes early for an 8am class. I signed the waiver and got a pair of shoes. I then proceeded to the locker area, which is a narrow hallway of lockers. It’s a bit tricky to find an open locker because the locker doors aren’t open to indicate they are free. But it’s nice that the lockers have a key code, so you don’t have to bring your own lock.
I then proceeded into the spinning room. It was dark with strobe lights and music playing. It was as if I was in a club. It was a bit to find my seat because of the dark lightening. There was also a lack of staff helping. Being a first timer, I didn’t know how to lock my shoes onto the bike pedal nor know how to adjust my seat. So I just did what made sense to be and finally got my shoe to lock after many attempts. The whole class was a bit subpar. The instructor doesn’t make it clear what to do, so half the time I was not even sure I was doing the correct movements. I was following the people around me but was just guessing the areas of the body to work out and the movements I was supposed to be doing. The class is definitely not first time user friendly. How the heck am I supposed to know what to do if the instructor isn’t explaining it or checking on you?!! The class wasn’t too bad for a first timer like me. The body odor at the end is a little hard to handle especially while you are doing the closing stretches and less than inches away from another person’s behind.
If you want to shower, I suggest leaving before the stretching period. Otherwise, the shower area is so small and there are only a handful of showers. There was a long line of people waiting to use the shower. And people give you glares if you just chose to use the sink area which is also cramped.
If I had to pay, I definitely would not come back again. The group exercise is good to motivate you, but the instruction is lacking and price is steep.

I’m a regular at the SoulCycle studios at 27^th, 19^th and Union Square so I decided to try the Bryant Park Studio with my favorite instructor. While the class with Sydney was cardio intense and did not fail me the studio is way too small. The space is extremely tight, cramped, the lockers are located along the walkway and there is very little space to pass. With a number of clients standing in the walkway between classes, you will need GPS to locate an empty locker or find the bathroom. At the Bryant Park location there are limited new of bathroom stalls and no changing area. If coming to class after work, please change at another location because there is absolutely no room at Bryant Park to comfortably change in and out of your clothes. Also want to add the whole locker system is different from the other locations and extremely confusing.
Love spinning with Syndey but will try to catch her at another location. This was my first and last time at Bryant Park.

The SC studio in Soho is my home base but I decided to try a new location. I had Justin as an instructor and he killed it. He was so alive and really fun. His choreography was a bit more advanced so this wouldn’t be great for a newbie.
I had to knock off a point for the size of the women’s bathroom. It was pretty much the same as the Soho bathroom however the volume of people this studio attracts seems a bit more than soho. I feel as though being that this is in midtown and in a crazy busy area, some changes should be made to this. There was a line to even use a bathroom and even when we cleaned ourselves off, we still were all sweating because of the amount of commotion and movement in the bathroom. If I would’ve packed sneakers with me, I probably would’ve just left right after class and not changed back into my clothes. That’s how severely small/​crowded the bathroom got.
All in all, the service here was so great and I don’t have any qualms other than that!

I thought it was great. More intense than the spin classes I’m used to which means even more effective. I’ve only been there once so far but it’s a great class. Really convenient location.

After two friends both said Soulcycle didn’t live up to the hype, I came to an introductory class expecting the same result. And yes, I got exactly what I came for. It is a very pricey class for a studio that doesn’t provide free shoes or water — apologies for comparisons to Flywheel (my personal favorite), but Soulcycle doesn’t come close in class rigor or amenities. Not sure what the cult following is about, wasn’t a fan of riding in the dark, lack of metrics was deterrent to my motivation. and finally, the music didn’t live up to what I had heard was supposed to be the highlight of the experience. Sure, it’s a decent workout and the studio is clean, but there are a lot of other studios in the city that are on Classpass and offer much more than 2 lb weights for the strength portion.

The location is super convenient for the midtown workers. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and willing to help, especially if your a newbie like myself. I was a little deer-​in-​headlight-​esque coming in here since everyone seemed to be a pro.
The space is really clean and has a great vibe to it. They have decent size lockers for you to store your stuff and they do not allow cell phone use in the studio. The only complaint I had was the changing/​prep area is VERY tight and you can barely get by people without bumping into them.
Once you get into the studio, they have employees who can help you get your bike set up to your measurements. Then class begins promptly on time with an awesome playlist and instructor. I loved the ambiance with the lights off and candles glowing. It really gets you in the zone. For 45min you feel like its just you, your bike and the beats. Being a fan of spin, I did find the bouncing, and weight lifting a little odd, but it was a nice addition to a HIIT workout. If I wasnt part of a gym who offered spin and then some, I would definitely convert to soulcycling.
If you havent tried out soul cycle, I suggest you do, and they offer classes at perfect times after work!

The Bryant Park Soul studio is beautiful and spacious (relative to the other Soul locations). The classes are the same as at any other Soul studio, which means they are fantastic. My one consistent general complaint with SoulCycle is the scowling crowds that must be maneuvered through to get water, a locker, to the changing rooms, etc. But the clientele at this location was pleasant, as was the always pleasant and professional Soul staff. I will definitely head to this location again soon.

I’m a spin class /​Soul Cycle newbie. A fellow runner suggested I give them a try to help cross train during the week as we both prep for the NYC Marathon later this year.
Signing up was a breeze. First timers only pay $ 20 for their first class. You have to create an account online, and then call the studio you want in order for them to give you a verbal prep of what to expect and to get you into their system. You’re charged over the phone for that first class. Newbies also get the $ 3 cycling shoe rental for free.
They suggested getting to the studio half an hour early to fill out the waiver and explore the space a little. I wish I had. I got there 10 minutes before class, hurried through the waiver, declined the water they were selling (I brought my own), grabbed my free shoe rental, and rushed between the people leaving the prior class and the people getting ready for the next one in the cramped locker area, trying to find an open space to get these shoes on.
It’s a little daunting being new. But, they do highlight your reserved bike to specify that you’re new, and they try to look out for you in order to help you set the bike up and click your shoes into the pedals. What would have been awesome is a lesson on un-​clicking from the bike, which I learned (too late) is not as easy as everyone else makes it look.
For my first ever Soul Cycle class, I had Robert as our instructor and I was really happy with that 45 minutes of hell he put me through. It’s intense, and there is a degree of rhythm you need to have in order to do these moves properly in beat to the music, which paces the workout. The burning I felt in my legs during the warm-​up was quickly replaced by the scream from my upper body muscles that I have not engaged in a very, very long time. Above the thrum of the music, Robert’s voice boomed over the mic as his eyes scanned the class to make sure everyone was keeping up. He paid special attention me and the other newb in the class to ensure we were doing the moves right, that our hands were in the right positions on the handles, and to say it was okay not the crank the resistance all the way up if we weren’t quite there yet. (Afterall, you want to be able to DO the workout, not just barely eek by.) By the end of the class, my resistance knob was cranked up just as high as everyone else’s once my body adjusted. It was an incredibly challenging, sweat-​inducing workout. And even though it was my first time, it felt really inclusive and positive due to Robert.
Afterwards, while Robert went into the cool down and stretching routine, I noticed the stampede of people rushing out. I take it they were all heading towards the showers. I would have followed along, but I couldn’t un-​click from the bike, and I didn’t get any help. Someone said I could just un-​velcro. Meaning, leave the shoes attached and walk back to the lockers in my socks. So, that’s what I did.
The line for the showers was 6 women deep when I poked my head in the change area. I didn’t have time for that, so I just grabbed my stuff and opted to shower at my gym not too far away. The dressing room/​shower area was also really tight and hard to move around, and I didn’t see how so many women would be able to dress in that tight space all at the same time.
It’s about $ 34 per class plus that mandatory $ 3 shoe rental. So, you’re looking at nearly $ 40 for one class. They also sell water if you need it, but their free water fountain is filtered, so you can bring you own bottle and fill up there. It’s a little cost-​prohibitive for me to do multiple times a week, but I can see how addicting Soul Cycle can be. It’s fun. It’s a GREAT workout. The studios are immaculately clean and modern. It’s eye-​candy.
For the curious, that $ 20 introductory class is more than worth it. Be prepared to start budgeting it into your gym expenses if you find yourself hooked! It ain’t cheap, but you’ll have to decide for yourself if it’s worth it.
Tip: Friday morning at 7am with Robert was not an insanely crowded class so I had room to move. I hear that the packed classes can be hard to maneuver in, and I can only imagine what the locker area is like with a full class letting out. Overall, I can definitely say I’d be back!