BC Business
The latest trend in exercise will leave you spinning
“It’s kind of like a cult,” says one spin class participant when asked why she shows up at a specific location to ride a stationary bike. She could be talking about any of the B.C.-based spin studios that have popped up in recent years, all of which revolve around a group of people cycling to exhaustion while music blasts and an incredibly fit instructor yells encouragement. Although they peddle similar services, each of these five businesses aims to create a vibe it can call its own.
Locations: 1 Vancouver
Founder: Jay Shapka
Origin story: Former bike courier Shapka wanted to start a climbing gym but kept injuring his ankles and knees. Now a competitive cyclist, he teaches customers best pedalling practices so they can get a safe workout
Instructors: 11
Drop-in class: $24
Differentiator: “Low-impact, high-intensity, with data and no BS,” Shapka says. “We won’t sell you a juice telling you how many calories you burned. We will celebrate your hard work and wise choices”
Mantra: “Don’t waste your time and money with fad fitness”
Locations: 2 Vancouver and North Vancouver
Founders: Craig and Jill Sheridan
Origin story: The Sheridans thought they could improve on Vancouver’s existing spin concepts. Both had full-time commitments, but the couple didn’t let that stop them. “I just said, We’re going to do this,'” recalls Craig, who was in the food business
Instructors: 14
Drop-in class: $19
Differentiator: At its Vancouver location, Eastwood also offers meditation and boxing
Mantra: “Eastwood is more than just a destination, it’s a journey”
Locations: 3 Vancouver, North Vancouver and Toronto
Founders: JJ Wilson, Ashley Ander and Moe Samieian Jr.
Origin story: Wilson, son of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, and Ander had been to a few spin classes offered by U.S. chain SoulCycle. Aiming to put their own, er, spin on the idea, they teamed up with furniture mogul Samieian
Instructors: 28
Drop-in class: $26 (Metro Vancouver)
Differentiator: “It’s the consistency of the intensity; there’s a certain channel we tap into so well,” studio manager Anna Thorsen says
Mantra: “Ride or die, we ride together”
Locations: 9 Victoria, Surrey, Kelowna, Oakville, Toronto (3), Ottawa and Halifax
Founder: Michelle August
Origin story: Kelowna native August missed the camaraderie of varsity basketball, so she opened a studio in her hometown that makes teamwork the top priority
Instructors: About 146 nationwide
Drop-in class: $20 (B.C.)
Differentiator: Each month, Spinco dedicates its 7 p.m. Saturday ride to a different local charity, notes Victoria studio manager Alyssa Halpenny: “We work with anyone from from the Humane Society to the Ride to Conquer Cancer”
Mantra: “One team, one bike”
Founder: Dominik Desbois
Origin story: Previously a consulting engineer, Desbois got hooked on spin after his wife took him to a class. “Wow, this is an experience I get,'” the ex-Montrealer remembers thinking. “The engineering side of me took over and went, I can do this'”
Instructors: 19
Drop-in class: $25
Differentiator: A unique customer experience, Desbois maintains: “If there’s a problem, we fix it”
Mantra: “No egos”