What is Classpass?
First off, if you don’t already know the background, ClassPass was born in 2013 after Payal Kadakia struggled to find a high quality dance class to take after work in New York City. Frustrated, she decided to build her own solution, giving people access to the best classes across the city with first-class booking systems.
With 70,000,000+ classes booked since its inception and 244,400 classes to try globally from HIIT to Pilates, Boxing to Yin Yoga, Spin to Barre and so many more, chances are there’s something for you. In the UK classes are available in London, Manchester and Bristol. Membership starts from £35 a month for 25 credits.
Is Spinning Good For You?
Thanks to the rise in obsession with indoor spinning, somewhat led by the U.S, boutique spin studios are popping up everywhere in London. But is spinning actually good for you?
Spinning is sometimes referred to as the ‘optimal cardio workout’ because of its high-intensity nature without any of the impact that comes from running. With some of the largest muscle groups - the glutes and quads - doing the lionshare of the work, you expend a lot of energy meaning you can often burn up to 600 calories per hour and sometimes more. The high-intensity nature has also been proven to increase heart and lung capacity which improves overall fitness.
However, it is warned that spinning shouldn’t be your everyday training activity due to its vigorous nature as it can lead to muscle fatigue and performance declines rather than fitness improvements. Spinning can also put extra pressure on your back and hip flexors so make sure to listen to the technique prompts in classes. To get the most out of your classes and avoid injury:
- Set up your bike correctly
A great tip is to set the seat height to your hip level so that you have a slight bend in your knee while riding. If in doubt, ask the instructor
- Focus on technique
Be aware of your posture especially as you get tired and listen to the instructor's technique prompts during class
- Mix up your training
Avoid spinning everyday. It's most effective to add spinning in alongside other training to minimise injuries and maximise your potential
- Active recovery is key
Make sure to take care of your muscles in between sessions with plenty of foam rolling and yoga
I personally got into spinning while training for a half marathon as a way to mix up my training. I found it really effective for pushing my endurance and increasing my cardio fitness while taking some pressure off my knees; I credit it with helping me get a half marathon PB at the Royal Parks Half last year.
What Do You Wear To Spin Classes?
Before we get into the studio reviews, we need to talk about your kit as let’s face it, looking good helps you to feel good.
As some studios can get really hot, especially when surrounded by a lot of other people pushing themselves to the limit, some choose to just go with a sports bra and leggings or shorts. I personally prefer a great pair of moisture-wicking high waisted leggings (my go-to are Varley or LNDR) paired with a supportive medium impact bra (try Adidas or Reebok) and a loose tank that you can throw to the side half way through if needed.
For men's spinning clothes, you’re going to need a pair of breathable shorts (try Under Armour or Rhone) and a vest top or sporty t-shirt that is sweat-wicking (Adidas or Under Armour has great options).
Discover our dedicated spin collections: Women's Spinning Clothes | Men's Spinning Clothes
Which are the best Classpass spin studios in London?
If you’re new to Classpass or looking for a new challenge and spinning is your thing, I’ve done the sweaty work for you and tested out the best classes available in London.
1Rebel
In the words of 1Rebel - ‘We don’t spin. We Ride.’
As one of London’s most notorious studios, the focus in the ‘Ride’ classes at 1Rebel is a serious full body workout in a seriously stylish environment with banging playlists lead by the trainers themselves.
With 4 of their 6 locations across London offering Ride classes, there’s plenty of classes to choose from. However, for the full immersive experience like no other, I recommend heading to the recently opened Victoria studio which is London’s biggest spin studio holding 80 people and boasts the best sound system outside of a nightclub. Split over two levels, expect high-energy, a lot of sweat and an epic lightshow. The sessions are based on sequences of sprints, jumps, dips, hill climbs and rock backs with one arm track with free weights in the middle to break up the class. You’ll leave feeling accomplished and maybe find the stairs up to the changing rooms a little challenging!
As facilities go, the changing rooms are the some of the best I’ve experienced; spacious with luxurious Gazelli products in the showers and vanity area, they also have GHD hairdryers. Although with 80 people in a class and about a 80/20 female to male ratio, there’s often a big shower queue in the morning, a good tip is to skip the cool down and get ahead of the queue if you’re in a rush for that 9am meeting.
With each trainer putting their own ‘spin’ on the class and such a heavy focus on music, I recommend trying a few to find your best fit, I personally never miss Jono’s Wednesday 7.30am class as a mid-week energy boost - uplifting and perfectly timed playlists, technique tips and just the right amount of inspirational words to get you feeling energised and motivated for the rest of the day. I also recommend Sarah S’s Saturday morning class.
If it’s your first time, why not rope in a friend and check out their Friday evening Prosecco rides to get your weekend started off right, it’s all about balance after all.
Amenities: Cleats, Towels, Lockers, Showers, Shakes
Locations: Victoria, St Marys Axe, Southbank, Bayswater
Number of credits per class: 11
Boom Cycle
Boom Cycle was the first boutique spinning studio in London, now with 4 studios around the city they are well established on the scene. Boom prides itself on giving a ‘party on a bike’ experience with a ride to the beat full body workout that includes two arms tracks.
With the lights down low, you’re taken through sequences of sprints and hill climbs set to great music and motivation from the instructor. At the Holborn branch class I tried, I struggled with the bikes - I found it hard to find the optimum resistance for each sequence, either it was super light or I couldn’t pedal which left me feeling quite frustrated at first, but I got there in the end. The mirrored wall is also really useful for checking form.
A top tip is to choose your bike position carefully, with Classpass you can’t control this and at one class I was stuck in a corner and being quite tall, couldn’t full extend during the arm tracks which can be a bit frustrating. It’s always worth asking at the reception when checking in if there’s any other bikes available if you’re not happy with your allocated position.
The changing rooms can get a little over crowded and hot after a class, especially in the mornings but the Ren products, towels and Dyson hair dryers mean you don’t have to lug around loads of extra accessories in your gym bag. Plus there’s some delicious smoothies made to order as a post-workout treat or breakfast on the go.
Amenities: Cleats, Towels, Lockers, Showers, Shakes
Locations: Holborn, Battersea, Hammersmith, Monument
Number of credits per class: 5
Ride Republic
Ride Republic is a boutique spin studio in Parson’s Green, West London.
The signature Burn 45 is Ride Republic’s 45-minute high intensity spin class, focusing on cardio only (no arms track here), this is a straight up HIIT workout to push your fitness to the limit and deliver results. Their ‘Burn Board’ tracking app shows your live position in the class to encourage you to keep it up or perhaps push a little harder - this appealed to my competitive side but don’t worry, you can opt out if it’s not your thing.
Also try the bespoke Core & Restore class which is a perfect compliment to heavy cardio training. Designed by Fitness Director Rachel Rivers, the 50-minute class focuses on foam rolling, intense core work and restorative yoga. With only 8 people on the class, you get a lot of attention to help you work the right muscles and get the most out of the session. And trust me, you will feel the burn for days afterwards.
If you live in West London and want to focus on performance and getting results this is definitely a studio to check out, the smaller classes mean you don’t get lost in the crowd and your form is always in check. Rachel’s classes in particular are a lesson in how to get the most out of a spin workout.
Amenities: Cleats, Towels, Lockers, Showers
Location: Parsons Green
Number of credits per class: 8
Digme
Loved by competitive cyclists and amateur spinners alike, Digme offers classes for every level.
Ride is their signature 45 minute spin class, indoor cycling with a competitive edge, the top of the range Keiser M3i bikes ‘the Porsche of the spin bike world’ track your progress and show your position on screen, which if you have a competitive side like me, really helps to motivate and push your performance to the next level. The studio or ‘arena’ as it’s called is designed in a semi circle around the instructor so you have a great view wherever you are in the room and the bikes are really different from other spin bikes and help you sit more upright which is great for your posture. At the start of each track, the instructor gives a resistance range so you can choose how far to push yourself which increases in rounds before group sprints and endurance pushes. This is a great class if you want to work on improving your cycling fitness in the long term without the HIIT-style jumping or arms tracks.
I tried this class at the newest location in Rathbone Square, just off from Oxford Street. An impressive location with state-of-the-art facilities, smoothie bar and spacious studios. The only slight criticism here was that they’ve chosen to forego traditional changing rooms and instead have large individual shower rooms and a separate vanity room which I can imagine could get stressful in the morning if in a rush to get ready for work.
Beat is Digme’s rhythm based class which is most similar to other studios standard ‘Ride’ classes. With no data being tracked, this class is all about the movement and the music. It’s a mixture of HIIT sequences combined with endurance pushes, there’s no weights track but never fear, this is still a full body workout with a range of movements that make sure you’ve worked out every muscle. I tried this class at the Moorgate location which has a smaller studio but does have huge changing rooms with This Works products, big towels and hair styling tools so it’s a great class to do in the morning before work and know you’ve got space to get ready.
If you’re a serious cyclist you could also check out their more technical Perform class - specifically designed for people who are training for events or want to improve their cycling strength, this class uses their sophisticated data system to focus on specific targets for ultimate endurance gains. You can also link the data to your Strava profile to track your progress and include it in your weekly training.
Amenities: Cleats, Towels, Lockers, Showers, Shakes
Locations: Moorgate, Rathbone Square, Blackfriars, Richmond
Number of credits per class: 8-9
Another Space
The sister brand to the London gym giant Third Space, Another Space offers a more simple format, no contracts and just three classes: Yoga, HIIT and Cycle.
I headed to the Covent Garden studio for my first taste of the AS Cycle class and wasn’t disappointed. Firstly the studio is what you’d expect from this brand; modern, airy with spacious changing rooms and friendly staff on reception to introduce you to the studio. The class itself was fast paced with lots of jumps and sprints, the instructor Alison guided us through technique corrections and jumped on and off the bike to check form and motivate. An all round seriously good sweat and cardio workout with a killer arms track in the middle to make sure you’ve hit every muscle. My only tip with this studio is if you can choose your bike, try to get one in the rows in front of the instructor rather than to the side, it gives you a much better view and allows you to get engrossed in the vibe of the class.
Similar to 1Rebel, Another Space is a great option to guarantee a high-energy class that leaves you that post-amazing-workout satisfaction.
Amenities: Cleats, Towels, Lockers, Showers, Shakes
Location: Covent Garden, Bank
Number of credits per class: 9
Doghouse Fitness
A unique offering new to South London, Doghouse is a dog-friendly fitness studio with a cafe setup on the ground floor and fitness studio upstairs offering Spin, Boxing, Barre and Stretch classes.
The 45-minute spin classes follow a similar format to other studios which means blasting music, a dark room and lots of energy! It’s a full body workout although there are no free weights on the bikes so the arm workout comes from lots of dips, boxing jabs and presses. I tried Adam's class on a Saturday morning which was ideal as a weekend shake out - think pop music, infectious energy and he even came out into the 'crowd' to keep everyone pumped up and turn up resistance if he thought anyone was taking the easy way out!
A warning: there is no air con and it gets seriously hot and sweaty in there so make sure you’ve got plenty of water!
Amenities: Cleats, Towels, Lockers, Showers, Shakes & Cafe
Location: Balham
Number of credits per class: 5-8
Other London spin studios worth checking out on Classpass: KXU, BOXR, Core Collective
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