Hot on the heels of Los Angeles and New York, London has been through a veritable revolution in Spin and indoor cycling in the last five years, and now offers some of the best spin classes in the world, and I'm here to tell you all about this fitness-phenomenon described by the New York Times as “part dance party, part therapy, part communal high”.
I spent an extremely sweaty few weeks furiously pedalling my way through the best studios London has to offer to try and come up with a top 7. But before diving into the top classes in London, it is worth setting the scene on ‘Spin’ and ‘Indoor Cycling’, as they mean very different things to different people. Get your kit ready for your next spin > Women's Spinning Clothes
Spin vs. Indoor Cycling
‘Spin’ or ‘Spinning’ is actually a trademarked activity registered to Mad Dogg Athletics in the US, which was founded in 1991 by two endurance road cyclists.
This is focused on workouts that replicate what you might do on a road bike, with an emphasis on heart rate zones and different training types, with variety being key.
‘Indoor cycling’ is where you pedal to the beat in a dark, steamy studio, dancing around on your bike with music blaring and doing push ups on the handle bars.
It is a more recent phenomenon, inspired mainly by Soul Cycle, which launched in 2006 and saw significant growth in 2010.
London has studios that sit firmly in one camp or the other, and some that lie in between. The biggest, most popular group is the Soul Cycle inspired classes, at studios like Psycle, Boom Cycle, 1Rebel & KXU.
Studios like Digme are focused more on the cycling element, whilst Ride Republic sits somewhere in between.
From Boutique Rides to Cycle Focused Sessions
So which studio ranks best? It is not an easy call, especially as the quality of studios has risen exponentially over the last 5 years and there are several outstanding classes on offer.
A race amongst boutique gym chains to be the best has set the bar competitively high, with consumers expecting nothing less than stunning studios, showers filled with Cowshed products, and details such as eucalyptus-infused refreshment towels.
Any of the studios listed in our top 10 are likely to give you a rewarding, worthwhile class experience. But for me, Psycle ranks as the best overall studio, with a truly immersive exercise experience, in beautiful studios with really attentive staff.
Ride Republic also deserves a special mention. Nothing gets near it for sheer intensity. If you’re a competitive soul, want results fast and you like a serious challenge, I would strongly recommend it, the class leaderboard really made me go for it.
1. PSYCLE
Against a backdrop of many outstanding studios, Psycle still stands out as London’s best. It boasts slick, modern studios and is in no way intimidating to new riders, as the staff are highly attentive and make sure first timers are well looked after and get their bikes properly set up. My instructor was almost supernaturally energetic, focussed on rider form, and the class was well orchestrated to stop you depleting at any point. Psycle really is an “experience”. You are completely immersed in a challenging class with cracking music (they take playlists very seriously), and with a pretty tribal bunch of riders who give a lot of energy back to the instructor and each other (the closest I’ve had to Soul Cycle in that respect). I left the room completely invigorated, surrounded by exhausted yet ecstatic looking faces dripping in sweat. Classes are normally 45 minutes, with the occasional 60 minute class normally scheduled at weekend. There are no gears or means of measurement, but the bikes are easy to calibrate with each turn to increase resistance. The only downer is that it’s so popular the changing rooms get pretty busy post class, especially if you’re having to rush to work Locations: Oxford Circus, Shoreditch, Clapham, Notting Hill
Cost: £25/class, with a sliding scale for bundles. Intro off available
On Classpass: Yes!
2. RIDE REPUBLIC
Ride Republic embraces the power of a bit of healthy competition, through its infamous BURN Board. Riders ‘BURN’ is measured and your position in the ranking, whether your real name, or your moniker, is there on the board for all to see. If you take a ‘go hard or go home’ approach to exercise, then this is your studio. That element of healthy competition makes you work harder than you ever have before on a bike. It is the only studio I’ve been to where I physically cannot maintain the levels the instructor is asking for. And just when you think you might pass out from exhaustion, they bring an ice-cold, eucalyptus oil infused refreshment towel. This class isn’t for the faint-hearted, and there may be moments when you ask yourself what the hell you’re doing here as the instructor asks you to maintain 150 RPM But this is an outstanding studio that will leave you feeling challenged, with a real sense of accomplishment, and get you fitter than anywhere else. On Classpass: Yes!
Cost: £22/class, with a sliding scale for bundles. Intro offer available
3. KXU