Classic Spin at Cyclebar Westgate West (San Jose)

inside the cyclebar studio. Multiple white spin bikes and a red neon cyclebar sign

This class is perfect for anyone who wants to increase their endurance. Even those who aren’t big fans of spin will find that Cycle Bar’s format gives enough variety and motivation to survive the workout and feel good about it.

CLASS: Classic

TRAINER: Chandler

Chandler was peppy and inspiring. Not only did she lead a challenging class, but she also provided words of wisdom throughout the ride.

SWEAT: 9/10

LEVEL: All levels

TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS:

Bike Party — The first thing to know about CycleBar is that you’re not going to a spin class. You’re going to a dance party on a bike, complete with LED lights, loud music, and tons of sweat.
Pace yoself — The instructor will give suggestions for resistance and speed. Challenge yourself where needed, but take it at your own speed — especially if this is your first spin class.
Spin meets metrics — The bikes are fully equipped to tell you how fast you’re pedaling, how many calories you’re burning, etc. Plus, you’ll there’s a board at the front where your performance metrics (if you opt-in) are shown. You can see how you’re stacking up against the rest of the class.

MUSIC: The music was an eclectic blend of alternative, pop, hip hop, EDM, and hardcore rock. Tracks included beats that made you want to push yourself while singing (or rapping) along.

BRING: A water bottle. Riding shoes and a towel are provided.

CLASSPASS: Yes

Pro tip: The settings on the bike vary per person, so it’s important to know how the bikes fit your body before hopping on to prevent injury. If you’re not sure what to do, just wave down an instructor & they’ll take care of you.

THE WORKOUT

At the beginning of the class, Chandler explained the bike and the ride. She went through the buttons and nobs on the bike, the positions we’d use throughout the ride, and how to read the information on the bike’s tech pack that told us all our stats. Then, we jumped into our first set.

We started off at a high tempo with low resistance to warm up our legs. The workout got more challenging from there. The slow songs were focused on the climb (read: heavy resistance so it felt like we were cycling up steep hills). Hello thighs. The mid-tempo songs focused on keeping pace to the beat with enough resistance to make you work for it.

Some sequences featured added challenges, such as bike pushups, intervals of alternating between saddled (seated) riding and standing, and even an entire set dedicated to working your arms with a resistance bar. Yes, you had to peddle at the same time.

At the end, we stretched and Chandler congratulated us on a job well done.

Cycle Bar Westgate West | 5293 A Prospect Rd, San Jose | 408.513.6685 | westgatewest.cyclebar.com