Credit: Shutterstock photoA favorite among celebrities like Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, SoulCycle proclaims itself to be much more than just exercise. It's a journey towards a better, more empowered life, all done while moving up and down on a stationary bike. Now, I don't know about you, but a spin class that promises to help riders break through spiritual and metaphysical boundaries seems to be overreaching. What makes SoulCycle so different from other indoor cycling experiences? I decided to find out.
To prepare for my SoulCycle experience, I spent some time reading and clicking through the company's website. It's become quite the phenomenon since its 2006 launch, when co-founders Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice opened the doors to their first studio in New York City's Upper West Side. From there, the company has expanded to 41 locations throughout New York, the Hamptons, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C., Florida, Chicago, IL, and California, with a goal to open 50-60 studios worldwide by 2016. SoulCycle even has its own indoor cycling bike, designed specifically for the brand, which was unveiled in 2012.
Class prices, to be frank, are outrageous. In Chicago, Massachusetts, Florida, Maryland, and California, one class costs $30-your first SOUL ride, though, is at a reduced rate of $20-and the prices skyrocket from there, with 50 classes costing customers $3,500. Classes in NYC, New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester cost just slightly more; one class is $34, but the price for 50 classes is the same. SoulCycle's studios in the Hamptons are the most expensive; one class is $40, and the special Hamptons SuperSoul package, which includes 50 classes and advance sign-ups, costs $4,000. In comparison, the most you'll pay per month at Plant Fitness ( PLNT ) is $19.99.
SoulCycle offers various types of indoor riding classes. There is the original, a 45-minute ride that incorporates inspirational coaching, "rockstar" music, and hand weights for a total body workout. The Soul Survivor (60 minutes) and Soul Challenge (90 minutes) classes expand on the SoulCycle original. Soul Bands classes utilize resistance bands that hang from the ceiling. Soul Warrior classes allow riders to get picked to "lead the pack" for a portion of the class. Soul Teen classes are tailored for kids 12 years of age and at least 4'11''. The company offers free community rides for customers more conscious of the high price, and a SOUL 101 introductory class for beginners.
These "cardio parties," as SoulCycle calls its classes, attract nearly 50,000 people a week. The company has its own retail line; both men and women can treat themselves to t-shirts, tanks, pants, and accessories all emblazoned with the SoulCycle lifestyle. For $46-the cheapest price for a women's shirt-you can purchase the Gold Wheel Meegs Tank , but if you really want to go all out, there is the $144 Skull Wheel SOUL Tie Bottom Pullover . While the prices seem ridiculous for clothes you will ruin with sweat, it keeps in line with the cost of attending a SoulCycle class, as well as the rising popularity of boutique fitness companies like Lululemon Athletica Inc ( LULU ), FitBit Inc ( FIT ), and Gap Inc's ( GPS ) Athleta.
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In SoulCycle's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission for their upcoming IPO , the fitness company proclaims their mission as so:
"Our mission is to bring Soul to the people. SoulCycle instructors guide riders through an inspirational, meditative fitness experience designed to benefit the body, mind and soul. Set in a dark, candlelit room to high-energy music, our riders move in unison as a pack to the beat, and follow the cues and choreography of the instructor. The experience is tribal. It is primal. And it is fun."
SoulCycle has lived up to their mission in every word. When I walked into one of Chicago's two studios, it was indeed a dark, candlelit room (if interested, you can buy a SoulCycle-branded, grapefruit-scented candle for $42), packed with 51 bikes. A staff member helped me get settled on a bike, informing me that the seat had to be level with my hip bone, and the handle bar set low so that I utilize my core muscles. After clipping my spin shoes (these cost an additional $3 to rent) into the bike, I patiently waited for the class to begin.
The instructor, Jaclyn, is floating about, helping other riders get positioned on their bike. Once everyone is settled-there may be one or two of the 51 bikes not taken-she begins a monologue filled with more cliché anecdotes than I thought possible, and peppered with a resounding "f@#!" every so often. This, combined with the candlelit setting and bold words of encouragement like "Athlete" and "Warrior" painted on the walls, made it easy for me to mock SoulCycle. In no way did I take it seriously during the first 15-or-so minutes of the class; I smirked at almost every "empowered" phrase that came out of Jaclyn's mouth. This mocking, however, did not hinder the amount of fun I was having. Jaclyn's music selection was an equal mix between rock and dance, and her instruction allowed for the entire class to fall in-sync with each other, all of our movements riding to the beat of the music; even the lights dimmed and brightened with each song.
It did not take long for my body to start feeling each push-up we did on the handle bars and every hill we climbed and raced down. Suddenly, any desire to scoff at SoulCycle disappeared. Sweat was constantly dripping into my eyes, at once blinding me while also making me push myself harder. I was mimicking Jaclyn's slightly awkward dance moves, which is a combination of hip-swivel and head-bang. Just like in her sermon, I began not to care about what anyone else thought of me; my only voice of judgment was the one inside my head. I was starting to feel like the warrior Pastor Jaclyn preached about. Am I now a loyal servant to the Church of SoulCycle?
After the class was over, I slowly made my way back to the locker room, thinking about what I would have to sacrifice to go to a SoulCycle class every week (too much, it turns out: I would be left eating Ramen noodles and watching a basic cable subscription). So for me, SoulCycle won't happen every week, but I look forward to going to a class when I need a mood boost. The way I felt leaving that studio had never happened before with previous fitness classes or trips to the gym. SoulCycle is more than indoor cycling, it's a lifestyle. It's a modern spiritual experience that, while absurdly expensive, lives up to its fundamental mission of engaging the body as well as the soul.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
