If you’ve driven across West 6th in the last few months, you may have noticed the snazzy sign reading “PureRyde” in the Pressler Gables building. If you (like me) wondered what a “PureRyde” was, let me enlighten you with a step-by-step tour through your first day at Austin’s newest spin studio, led by one of our own amazing trainers who also happens to be an instructor at PureRyde: Lauren George.
“Welcome to PureRyde, the only indoor cycling studio in Austin with RealRyder bikes. We are excited for you to experience a ride with us today! First of all, allow us to provide you with complimentary cycling shoes and a locker. Cycling shoes have a more rigid sole than other athletic shoes. This allows you to generate optimum power with every pedal stroke and get the most efficient and effective workout possible.
Photo by Al Argueta
Now that you have your shoes, allow me to help you set-up your bike. Each bike’s seat and handlebars move up, down, forward, and back to give you the perfect fit each time. Once you are on the bike, you will notice that it has an articulating bike frame which allows you to lean, turn, steer, and balance through all three planes of motion. The bike will move with your body to allow for the most engaging and dynamic cycling workout possible. In between your handle bars, you will see your bike console that gives you feedback as you ride. It will keep track of your time, distance, calorie expenditure, heart rate, and RPMs (revolutions per minute).
Now, it’s time to warm-up! As the music tempo starts to increase, so will our leg speed. We want to settle in between 90 and 100 RPMs at a moderate resistance level and prepare for the ride ahead. This next song is going to pick up the tempo a bit as we push our RPMs over 100. The road ahead begins to bend. The whole class leans in unison to the left to make our first turn. Notice how your oblique’s engage to help you make the turn smoothly. As quickly as the road took us left, it bends back to the right. We find our way down this winding road, only to find a hill waiting for us beyond the horizon. The road starts to tip up underneath our feet and we dig deeper to compensate for the added resistance. The bike moves with you as you push up the hill. When it becomes too hard to stay seated, we all stand together as a team to make it over the top of the hill. Our abdominals, arms, and glutes all have to engage as the bike sways with our movement. We make it over the top of the hill and are greeted with a cool breeze in our face as we coast down the other side. Our ride continues with more winding roads, rolling hills, and, as a team, we cross the finish line triumphantly!
After class, it’s time to hit the showers. Don’t worry; we have everything you need on hand to keep things simple. Feel free to take your time, browse our cycling merchandise, or just lounge in the lobby and soak in all the wonderful endorphins pulsing through your body. Great job today, and we hope you return to ride with us again in the future or join us for one of our many events!”
