CycleBar: Aspen’s Newest Addiction

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Jordan Fox

Alex Hazen and Sydney Forster getting ready for the 6:30am CycleBar class

“The bike wheel is heavy but our spirits are light.” The music blares as Darryl dances through the room yelling mantras, that inspire even those who don’t usually work out. To most people, this may seems like a rave, but to CycleBar regulars this is just the 6:30 am class.

CycleBar is a 50 minute indoor cycling class that arrived in Aspen in early June and combines stationary bikes with music, lights, and tv screens. Exercise classes like Soulcycle and Purre Barre have swept the nation gaining massive amounts of followers and CycleBar is no different. They currently offer a range of classes including Connect, Performance, and Classic classes. The Performance and Classic classes utilize monitors that track your performance and allow you to compete against other riders, whereas the connect classes do not use the video monitors.

Veteran CycleBar student and AHS senior, Sydney Forster, goes to classes every day, except for Sundays, and consistently gets first place in the rankings. Despite never liking indoor cycling classes, she was immediately hooked by the music, choreography, and natural high she reached after each class. She now regularly goes to the 6:30 am classes before school.

“The vibes, the playlists, and the teacher’s personalities [are my favorite part] because you become friends with them, and they are super fun to talk to and they really pump you up,” Forster said.

Also many students love that they play songs by popular artists like Lil Wayne and Future. While some students like Forster love the competitive aspect of the performance classes, others, like AHS senior, Alex Hazen, prefer to work out at their own pace and de-stress in the connect classes.

“There’s a lot of mind body sort of connection stuff involved,” Hazen said. “Especially in connect classes, it’s a lot about connecting with yourself and using exercise as like an outlet. It’s also extremely fun when your friends are there.”

With all the rave reviews of the class, the only complaint I have heard is that the class times are inconvenient. Despite that, other students like AHS senior, Kim Nunes, have still managed to incorporate CycleBar into their daily routines.

“I have never worked out before and enjoyed it, but CycleBar actually somehow is a miracle worker that makes you enjoy working out,” Nunes said. “I just really like to ride to the beat and grind.”