The group fitness class Evening Cycle with instructor Christine is for the regulars or people who want to become regulars, not for ones who don’t go on a weekly basis or don’t like to cycle in general.
Beginning on a stationary bike, Evening Cycle is in a well-equipped room to run a cycling class almost every day of the week. The bikes themselves are very customizable and are fairly easy to adjust to get comfortable. There are also participants all around the room who have been to the classes more times than not that can help situate a person into their machine.
Even with more than half the class being regulars, Christine does a good job explaining how to turn on the bike and reset the miles for people who have never even touched a stationary bike. She also makes sure to note the foot straps and seat are adjustable and participants should be comfortable.
Things get a little more complicated when “notches” are thrown into the mix. On the bikes there is a little adjustable hexagon knob that adjusts the resistance on the bike. Christine or the instructor running the class then tells participants when to add or subtract resistance through the notches.
Adding three notches, subtracting one notch and going up a notch was easy to understand, but going back to exactly five notches or eight notches was not so easy because the electronic pad doesn’t display what “notch” someone is currently on. There is not a lot of keeping track of what notch the class is on when there is heavy breathing, achy quads and confusion from being in the class for the first time going on, so there’s a lot of guessing happening.
As for the actual workout, it is a good cardio and strength training exercise to participate in. The heart rate goes up and all sections of the legs get worked, especially the quads. Christine’s workout consisted of some sprinting, uphill, high intensity intervals and breaks when they were needed and necessary. There’s a lot of thought that goes into her workouts and she keeps her them consistent with good, upbeat music to match.
Evening Cycle is not like going on a stationary bike at the gym or riding a bike outside, and if someone does not like those two things, they would not enjoy this class. The seat and movements take some getting used to and can cause a little pain and awkwardness and it’s a bit distracting when a good, sweaty workout is the goal.
This class is not fit for anyone, but people of all athletic levels can get a good workout from the class and can feel relatively comfortable if they bring a friend who has never gone as well. For regulars, it is a class the look forward to and enjoy, but for others, it can take some getting used to.
Evening Cycle with Christine takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and Evening Cycle with Bailie takes place Mondays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Morning Cycle is offered Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:30 a.m., Lunch Break Cycle takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:10 p.m. The Weekend Cycle class is on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.
