Is there anything more immersive that participating in a live class ( at home or in a gym ) from a studio on the other side of the planet being egged on by the instructor , knowing the names of your fellow riders and having real-time access to your ( and everyone elses ) effort ?
That disruptor comes in the shape of New York based Peloton .
Peloton has a single boutique cycle studio in the affluent Manhattan suburb of Chelsea that runs up to 14 classes per day .
This studio however , is unlike any other . Every scheduled class is filmed live and streamlined ( Ride Live ) to thousands of fellow riders worldwide in their own home , bringing a convenient and immersive indoor cycling experience with top New York instructor led classes and real-time metrics displayed on the intuitive , interactive touchscreen . Still can ’ t make that class ? No worries , you have 24-hour access ( Ride Anytime ) to over 5,000 ( and growing ) ‘ on-demand ’ classes to suit your personal timetable .
A private indoor cycling studio in your home . Yes it is . A cutting edge fitness experience that makes working out at home a viable , exciting option . Yes it does .
Such has been the popularity , there are now 29 Peloton retail showrooms across the U . S . allowing you to get hands-on and demo the sturdy carbon steel frame Peloton bike and it ’ s awesome 21.5 ” full HD multitouch console with bulit in camera and microphone . You ’ ll also find every cycling accessory you could ever want plus there is a whole wardrobe of men ’ s and women ’ s apparel to choose from .
The cost for the privilege of owning the bike is US $ 1995 ( AU $ 2621 ), which excludes delivery and is subject to a 12-month ( minimum ) subscription to pick up the content at US $ 39 ( AU $ 51 ) per month .
I ’ m sure this question has been asked before , but it makes me think nonetheless . For less than the cost of many commercial suppliers indoor bikes , why wouldn ’ t a gym or health club kit their studio out with the Peloton bikes , plug themselves into multi-use license agreement , and allow their members to access the live or on-demand class content whenever they wanted to ?
Is there anything more immersive that participating in a live class ( at home or in a gym ) from a studio on the other side of the planet being egged on by the instructor , knowing the names of your fellow riders and having real-time access to your ( and everyone elses ) effort ?
Hundreds of thousands of riders in 26 countries around the world are now connecting with Peloton . Although not yet available in Australia , Peloton have told us that Australia is on their radar .
Watch this space !
For those who have gotten this far into the article ... Peloton didn ’ t just happen . Founded in 2012 by John Foley , the Peloton journey is guaranteed to make you say WOW ! From its early Kickstarter campaign days , it was a rollercoaster for the startup and disruptor and it ’ s a fantastic example of sheer determination and teamwork to get the outcome they so much desired .
So are we likely to follow suit here in Australia and take boutique indoor cycling studios for a spin ?
We found around twenty boutique cycling studios around the country , three of which are actively looking to franchise : -
1 . Spin House – 1 site in Miami , QLD ( www . spin-house . com . au / get-intouch /)
2 . Inspire Cycle – 2 sites in Teneriffe & Southport , QLD ( www . inspirecycle . com . au / franchising /)
3 . Scenic Cycle – 2 sites in Sydney CBD & Manly , NSW ( www . sceniccycle . com / pages / franchising )
( if your looking to franchise your boutique cycling studio and are not on that list , drop us a line and we ’ ll promote you through the WNiF Weekly News Feed .)
Founder of Scenic Cycle , Tom Sproats , recognised the gap in the market as an opportunity to capitalise . He used his professional experience in fitness , media , and technology to create Scenic Cycle and cultivate it into the brand that is worth taking note of .
While this fitness movement may not grow as big as in America , Tom believes that there is a market for boutique indoor cycling studios .
The key to standing out from the crowd is to “ have your own point of difference .” With two sites currently operating and interest for franchising expansion in 2018 , Tom sees a positive future and a growing community for the physically and mentally stimulating riding experience Scenic Cycle offers .
We wish Tom the very best for Scenic Cycle and the other franchisors .
36 WHAT ’ S NEW IN FITNESS - SUMMER 2017