Indoor Cycling In Greensboro North Carolina – The Cycle Loft

This month I had the opportunity to try a HIIT class (that’s high-intensity interval training) at The Cycle Loft here in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to the Chipotle right below it and didn’t even realize what was above me.  Serves as a good reminder to keep my eyes off my phone and on the world around me!

First impression:  I loved the calming and inviting interior.  The decor is perfect and made me want to stay and chill for a while after the class.  There are changing rooms, ample space to store your belongings and a nice seating area as well, as you can see below.  Water bottles are available for purchase, or there is a filtered water cooler upstairs as well.

When I came in, I headed upstairs and found my name on the computer screen, then clicked on it to check in.  So simple!  I love that registration can be done online and there aren’t 15-page contracts to sign!   I registered and selected my class time the night before, and it only took me about 10 minutes to get everything set up.  Efficiency makes me happy.

My instructor, G, was welcoming and helped me adjust my bike to the proper height while explaining the format of the class and what to expect.  I was a total newbie to the cycling world but she made me feel comfortable instead of intimidated, which I really appreciated.  The bike has plenty of room for a water bottle, towel, etc as you can see below.

As I got my feet strapped in and we started the warm-up, I was looking forward to the workout and wondering how my legs would hold up.  There was a wonderful fan keeping things cool as we rode, along with a large TV screen where we could all track our progress.   It showed everyone’s heart rate zone, along with our RPM and some other statistics for the group.  We did a few sprint contests during the class which really brought out my competitive side as we were able to see our real-time results (it reminded me of Mario Kart for some reason).

G let us know what RPM we should be aiming for during each interval (they were not all sprints) and when to increase or decrease the resistance on the bike.  There were a few intervals where we came “out of the saddle” which were killer, but a great workout for your quads.  Along with the upbeat music, G kept us motivated by giving us countdowns and encouragement as we went through each portion of the course.

I made it to the end of class, and though I was in last place as far as the class participants ranked, I was spent and felt great knowing I had pushed myself and not given up.   I came in worried it might be boring, but I felt engaged through the entire class – 30 minutes was a good length for me.   I loved that my results were emailed directly to me after class (see below), so I’d know what I had accomplished during the class and have a great way to track improvement day to day or week to week.

All in all, I found it to be a great stress-reliever and intense cardio/leg workout.  They have class times early in the morning as well as times after work, which is when I chose to go.   My rear end and my feet did feel somewhat sore the next day so I would suggest investing in some padded shorts and cycling shoes if you’re going to go more than once or twice a week and aren’t used to being on a bike regularly.

I definitely recommend giving cycling a try, especially during the hot summer months when you don’t want to be sweating your butt off outside!  You can find the complete pricing list here.  I can’t wait for you to try your first class and let me know what you think!  Full contact information can be found below.

If you don’t live in NC but love fitness, cycling, and/or laughing – check out their Etsy page for some sassy and hilariously awesome fitness apparel created by The Cycle Loft’s owner, Kati Donahue.

I’m grateful to Kati for inviting me to experience cycling and allowing me to expand my workout variety.  I’m looking forward to coming back for another class soon!

Thanks for reading,

Emily