On a refreshingly mild January morning, only a few rubber boots slosh through the shallow puddles of Liberty Village's sidewalks. Though the neighbourhood seems vacant and sleepy, Spinout Cycle is open for business, and its instructors are all smiles.
A few surprisingly alert participants gear up for a 45-minute stationary cycling class, each sporting a unique pair of rental shoes which snap into the pedals, not unlike ski boots. The class is "Off Beat Roads," featuring hill and sprint intervals. Other styles include the "Training Wheels" program for beginners, the standard "Spinout" classes, "Bicyclette," a Spinout class taught in French for aspiring bilinguals, and a few others. "Off Beat Roads" demands a pretty in-shape rider, but never has you gasping for air.
Here's what makes Spinout Cycle different: the workout is digitized and displayed at the front of the studio, and participants are "ranked" based on performance. While the rankings offered a competitive edge, they also seemed to be based off of energy output (read: calories burnt) and not speed or watts generated, which could risk promoting problematic over-exertion for the sake of competition. The workout is undoubtedly demanding — "Off-Beat Roads" could see somewhere around 500 calories burnt in one 45-minute session.
On the plus side, this does help with personal goal setting and helps to add a fun sense of camaraderie with fellow participants. If you bring a USB key, you can save your results and keep track of them yourself as time goes on.
Despite the emphasis on goal-setting and improvement, Spinout Cycle is refreshingly free of the typical "rah-rah, we're-all-in-this-together" group fitness mentality. Instructor Phil Torres' intensity never felt put on or too much to handle for an early morning class, and the quintessential techno pop music in the background was never overwhelmingly loud. In the end, you walk away with your legs bearing the brunt of the workout.
Boutique fitness locations are springing up throughout Toronto at overwhelming speeds. Each of these uber-specialized exercise spots has to prove that they can withstand the true test: is a single style of workout enough to tempt Torontonians away from one-stop super-gyms like GoodLife and LA Fitness?
Spinout Cycle just might have the wherewithal to do that. At the very least, the experience is intriguing enough to keep you coming back, so it's good that Spinout Cycle sells its packages based entirely on number of rides, not per month. A single ride costs a pretty steep $25, with price breaks at five, 10, and 20 rides (20 rides ring in at $380).
Spinout Cycle's grand opening takes place on Feb. 4.
Spinout Cycle, 171 East Liberty St., Unit 124, 416-539-8778
