Michael Hosking put a lot of thought into his new indoor cycling studio. As he stood amongst his 25 high-end bikes, the room lit mostly by tea candles, listening to his stereo system, he looked satisfied.
Michael gave me a tour of his lovely new business last week, and explained the philosophy behind this venture. In designing Revocycle, Michael strove to overcome what he saw as the shortcomings of the typical Spinning room: cramped, too hot, terrible speakers. “I wanted to create a beautiful, calming space with outrageously good sound,” he said.
Revocycle’s beautiful new CycleOps 300 Pro Indoor cycles
And he has. His first Revocycle location on NW Marshall in the Pearl(with more locations to follow?) features 25 CycleOps 300 Pro Indoor cycles. After thoroughly researching all the bikes on the market, Michael chose these for the fully adjustable settings that give students the best fit. Instead of the fixed-gear system of most indoor cycles, the CycleOps features a freewheel, which is akin to riding a road bike. “It forces students to pedal in full circles,” Michael said. The freewheel design makes them avoid the stomping pedaling in squares that happens at many gyms. Another benefit, says Michael, is the bikes make riders engage more muscles, thus toning more, and easily raising the heart rate.
The CycleOps 300 Pro Indoor Cycle is a beauty!
Revocycle has some lovely touches, including the Brita water filtering system that lights up blue when you refill your water bottle, the Allen and Heath mixer that ensures the teacher’s voice mixes perfectly with the music and the giant ceiling fan that came all the way from Kentucky. “I love my big fan,” Michael said, gazing up to admire it.
I love how the Brita water filter machine lights up when you refill your water bottle. Okay, I admit it. I’ve always had a weakness for colored lights.
Michael is both an athlete and a scientist. His past includes college track and field, bike racing (road and mountain), a PhD in biology and a career as a professor. In the last couple of years, Michael has become fascinated with the mind-body connection, especially how aerobic exercise impacts mental health and the brain.
Revocycle is a lovely, friendly space and Michael is committed to making indoor cycling non-intimidating even to the newest students. He’s offering a free class at 9:00 AM on Thanksgiving Day. But sign up early, as it will probably fill up.
If I can drag myself out of bed early enough, I’m going to take a class at Revocycle tomorrow morning.
