The Flywheel class failed to use this data and technology appropriately. They displayed the classes divided by gender, usernames, seating locale, and order of highest power.Īssuming the bikes have the technology available, why not briefly explain all the ways riders might measure their workout? If people realized their watt output was too low because they didn’t have enough torque, they’d have the ability to adjust rather than over-pedal. They end up spending their time over-spinning.Įlsewhere in the room hung two large screen monitors which only went live for several seconds three times during the class. Riders often resorted to bouncing and bobbing to hit that mark, rather than focusing on their individual torque. The class gave riders the discretion to adjust the torque depending on their fitness, but it is required participants hit the desired RPM level. Ultimately, the metric doesn’t do much to fulfill Flywheel’s goals of implementing real-time performance.ĭuring class, an instructor guided riders through a workout by shouting various torque levels and RPM numbers at different points, creating an interval workout. Despite the display showing a rider’s speed and power, the trainers failed to explain either metric or its importance to the rider in the session we attended. The bikes themselves don’t come equipped with a traditional resistance knob but instead a dial that digitally increases the torque level displayed on the bike’s data screen. Right away, it became apparent a Flywheel bike looks and feels different than a typical spin cycle. Typically a class focuses on a rider’s torque and revolutions per minute (RPMs), though one of the Chicago locations we visited also incorporated upper body weight training exercises using a bar in conjunction with spinning.ĭisappointingly, the Flywheel class fails to use its data and technology appropriately. Though it’s high on fun, Flywheel seems like a missed opportunityĪ national spin boutique chain which specializes in targeting millennials, Flywheel offers an intense and pulsating hour of cardio and calorie blasting while giving riders access to real-time feedback and data. To get a true sense of which class offers the best chance at retaining cycling shape, we took to the task of attending each and assessing its viability as a cardio substitute during the winter. After all, nothing beats actually cycling outside. Enter the world of indoor spin classes, and their ability to keep cyclists in tip-top shape, no matter the elements.Ĭurrently, there exist two indoor options - Flywheel and CompuTrainer - which not only offer a setting void of snow, rain, and whipping wind, but also promise to keep cycling intensity high despite its environmental restrictions. Of course, with the right kind of gear and a proper approach to layering, a simple downpour or snow storm won’t completely derail a cycling session in December - but it’s certainly not ideal. Fitbit Versa 3įlyWheelAs any avid cycler might attest, keeping a consistent and rigid cycling schedule during the winter months is much easier said than done.