Setting up an indoor cycling studio? One way to get the party started is not to invest in the newest kit, but to go secondhand if there's a local opportunity.

You'll need to weight up the opportunity on its own merit - you need to be thinking about more than just the price. There are two main things to consider:

1. If they’re in a decent condition for the price
2. If they’re going to last you.

 
Are the bikes in reasonable condition?
You really need to have a good look, and definitely do checks on all the ones you’re considering buying. The things you need to consider especially considering the price, are:

• Why the studio is considering selling them – are they upgrading? Or are they unreliable? If they're upgrading and they're local to you, well that means your competitor just got more competitive!
• How old are they?
• How much use have they had? Think of it in pedal hours – if it’s a multi-purpose gym which has run a handful of sessions each week, the bikes will have had fewer ‘pedal hours’ per year, than if they belong to a cycle specific studio where they’re being used for 4-5 hours every day. More pedal hours, more wear and tear.
• How well have they been maintained? A weekly check is best practice, and regular servicing on top of this. If they haven’t been looked at least weekly, they’re less likely to run smoothly, and you’re far more likely to get niggles with them – and far more likely to be dealing with someone who doesn’t really know much about the condition of the bikes, which I’d be wary of.
• Do a few checks on each bike you’re interested in buying:
  • Check there’s no rubbing with the flywheel (you’ll be able to hear it).
  • Check all the adjusters can be loosened and tightened and that all adjustments can be made smoothly (saddle fore and aft, up and down as well as handlebar fore and aft, and up and down).
  • Check integrity of pedals – make sure there’s no play in them, check that you can clip in and out easily with cycling shoes. Check the cages and straps.
  • Have they been moved a lot? A single use studio means bikes will only been moved for cleaning, so they’re less likely to encounter problems than those in a studio where they’re being moved daily for other types of classes etc.
  • Check for rust patches – for the most part these are cosmetic, and therefore a reasonable negotiating point, but check that the casters and especially the handlebar adjusters are not seized by rust.
  • Check that the bikes are stable – you can make adjustments by screwing in or out the little feet – make sure you can do this on all of them. They sometimes get seized by sweat and dirt if they’ve not been properly maintained.
  • Is the warranty still in place? (This is different to the maintenance warranty) If there is no maintenance warranty, you will be able to get one – we can recommend a company for you if required).
  • Is it a belt or a chain drive? Belt drives are more durable and encounter fewer problems.
  • Check pedals are dual function (have clips and cages).
  • Check the brakes work properly.

So that’s all stuff to work out if they’re reasonably priced. But you also need to consider how to future proof the investment you’ll be making in indoor cycling for your venue.

Future-proofing your venue

• What features do the the bikes have? Console? Power? How is it calculated?
• Dial or gear resistance? Dial resistance can be notoriously temperamental especially with bikes that have not had regular and frequent maintenance – it doesn’t take for long for each bike to take on a different personality, and then you get riders all wanting the same ‘nice’ bike and not wanting the ‘evil’ ones. Aside from this being a bit of unnecessary politics, actually it clarifies that riders really need a measurable workout – which they can’t have if all the bikes are different, or if there’s no tech on the bikes (no display for RPM, power, gearing, heartrate, etc)
• Best practice is to have a decent level of tech so riders can take better charge of their workouts, get better results, measure improvement – all of which has an effect on member retention, satisfaction and motivation. The way the industry is going, more and more studios are upgrading their bikes so they have at least RPM and power – we’ve certainly found that those who are wanting weight loss results and whoa re at the start of their fitness journey love the measurable aspect because it’s rewarding to know that what they’re doing is definitely bringing them results. They’re also more educated and knowledgeable about their bodies, and that translates to riders who stick with us for years rather than months.
• If there’s no tech on the bikes, that’s really not ideal, but all’s not lost, because there are options if your instructors really know what they’re doing, and also if you make a small investment (which provides a quick return) in heartrate training. We can talk about this – but this would have massive benefit for those members who do different types of classes with you – and it’s again great for building a supportive fitness community improving satisfaction (and therefore retention) and giving you a secondary income stream.

 
It might be that you’re thinking of just getting some bikes in just to get started, and with a view to upgrading them in the next year or so – that could be an idea.

It might be that you're considering secondhand bikes as a first step, to build your studio, and then to invest in better bikes further down the line. There’s usually a way round most things that are not ideal, we’ve found, and we’re happy to help you find the best approach for you. And also we’ve found that gimmicks definitely aren’t the way forward (there’s a reason why cycling studios don’t have bubble machines! We didn’t know this before we bought one when we first opened!)

If you'd like us to help or offer advice, get in touch. We are keen to improve the quality of indoor cycling everywhere. It's a tremendously effective activity that can benefit a great variety of people when done properly - and we want to help you make it a success where you are.

Of course the best investment you can make in your studio is ensuring your instructors are trained to a high enough standard that they are able to deliver safe, effective and effiicient classes that will boost rider motivation, results, and stickability. A good instructor will make the best of the bikes on offer - a poor instructor will struggle to create an effective class with even the best bikes on the market.

We partner with venues to constantly improve their offering - and we endorse those who meet our standards and who are providing reliably good service to their riders. Ask us for more information.

Position or interval: The bobble hat is an interval.
What it is: A series of stages of increasing intensity, before gradually decreasing the intensity.
Cadence: You select the cadence. You have a choice with cadence - you can either stick with the same cadence right the way through, and increase the challenge by increasing resistance, or you can keep the resistance the same, but try to increase the cadence as you go through the stages.
Intensity: The intensity increases as you head through the stages of the climb. you may start pretty easy, and end moderately challenging, or you may start at a harder intensity and end really hard. The 'bobble' of the hat is a high intensity interval - a standing attack or a sprint, and then the intensity decreases gradually, delaying the recovery.
Length: A bobble hat will last for minutes in total - it's up to you how long you make it; could just be 4-5 minutes, or you could make it longer, 10 minutes or more. You also get to decide how long each stage within the climb is. We recommend an absolute minimum of 30 seconds for each stage, with the high intensity interval at the top 15 seconds, although 1 minute works very well for the stages excluding the high intensity one. For very long climbs, spreading the stages out to 2 minutes each is incredibly challenging both mentally and physically. With each stage, you'll be adding challenge by either increasing resistance, or cadence, or both.
You can split the bobble hat - use it whole for maximum challenge, but you can use the principle of the progressive climb leading to a maximal interval or the other principle of maximal interval followed by delayed recovery and gradually decreasing steps of intensity towards recovery.
When to use: This is a very challenging interval, and therefore it's best used in the second half of a session - but due to the decreasing intensity towards recovery, it's best not to use it as the final challenge of the session as you'll want all riders to finish on a rather than a decrease.
What it does: Builds strength and endurance, at higher intensities.
Key teaching points:

• cueing: be clear about how long the climb is and how long the riders have left in each stage.
• give pointers in technique, particularly if the intensity is hard; you want to minimise swaying of the upper body as this creates momentum from bodyweight and reduces the training effect.
• be clear about what the next stage involves - is it an increase, a decrease, or a maximal interval? Make sure riders know exactly what to do next.
• be encouraging. As riders get tired, they'll want to hear encouragement more than anything else.
• this interval is great for strengthening muscles so they can go for longer, as well as improving aerobic fitness which enables fat burn at higher intensities.

If you want to be an excellent indoor cycling instructor, then we want to help ensure you get there. Click below to book your spot now, or to get further information.

ICI instructors offer best practice to their classes. The focus is on safe, effective and efficient classes that get their riders results. More info? Click below.

​Yes it's best not to let the weather sidetrack your riders from achieving their fitness goals. And yes, others may use the weather as an excuse. To keep maintain their progress, pass on these tips to get the most of working out in the summer heat. Click the link above for a pretty downloadable version.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. 
That means, pre-hydrate, hydrate, and post-hydrate. If you get hydration right, you'll avoid heat headaches. Get into the habit of being well hydrated every day. However it works for you - whether that's always having a bottle of water at your elbow, or having a drink with and between each meal, using a hydration app, however it works for you, build the habit. This is great for your brain, great for your skin, great for everything. And when the weather heats up, you're already on a roll. 

Over-hydration is a thing though. If you drink everything you can find, you'll be on the fast train to hyponatraemia, which happens when you pee out all that excess water (and sodium gets washed away with it). 
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Drink to thirst during your workout - or take the hint of sipping (and definitely sip, don't glug) with each recovery section. 

Afterwards, maintain your healthy hydration habits - at least for the 24 hours after your workout, but if it's worth doing, it's worth keeping, right? Build the habit!

Wear clothes!
Yeah, not just any clothes - wear clothes that wick the moisture away from your skin, clothes that are light and loose-ish (but not flappy). 

Change your timetable
Try earlier sessions before the day heats up. Early morning sessions enable you to get your stuff done before breakfast - in the coolest part of the day. 

Precooling
Yep, it's a thing. Have an iced drink or a cold shower just before your workout if it's a really hot, humid day. There's evidence to suggest that this will also improve your performance (and who doesn't want that?!) You'll start your workout feeling fresher and cooler, and that feeling will last you just that little bit longer. 

Don't ignore your warm up
"But I'm already warm!" Yes, you are, but one of the reasons we warm up is so that we're supplying more blood to muscles, which means they get more oxygen - and that means you can work harder and more intensely, giving you better results. You skip the warm up and you'll miss out. 

Fans are your friend
If you're going to be working out inside, make sure it's somewhere that has fans not just air conditioning. Air con is no help at all when you feel hot during a workout. It's cold when you first walk in, but as soon as you're into your workout, you lose the benefit, and then when you head for your cool down, that icy air con blast hits you right when you need it least! Head for the fans. It makes sense - they're on when you need them, and off when you don't. 

Listen carefully
Be body aware. Overheating can leave you dizzy, nauseous and clammy. It's unpleasant, and you can avoid it by turning down the intensity when your body feels like it's had enough. Sit out for a few minutes, or head for your aerobic heartrate zones - there's plenty of benefit to be had from working aerobically. Choose aerobic sessions when you're planning your week's workout. 

Cool down properly
Don't rush off immediately after the workout bit. Take the cool down leisurely. Take time to bring your heartrate down. Make sure you're recovering to your lower heartrate zones before you start stretching. If you don't, you could feel dizzy or faint when you start stretching. 

Eat!
Oh yes. Don't forget when you sweat, you loose electrolytes as well as water - and you'll need to replace these. If you don't have high blood pressure, then eating a portion of salted nuts, olives, crisps, or crackers will provide you with the sodium and carbs you body needs. 

Wee check!
Check the colour of your urine - darker urine means you're dehydrated (think 'lager'). If it looks lighter and more like sauvignon blanc, then you're probably well-hydrated. If it's super-pale , you're at risk of over-hydrating (but this isn't particularly usual). If it's got a pinkish, brownish or other unusual tinge (and you haven't been eating beetroots or vitamin tablets) you might like to go and get that checked. 
And there we are. You're equipped to smash your fitness goals even in a glorious British summer (you never know, this could be it!)

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And of course, at ICI we're here to help. It's our thing to keep you happy, healthy, and get you even fitter than ever. Here's to summer!

​If you're an instructor or a gym manager, we can help you to deliver quality classes that are safe, effective and efficient. That's what we do.
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Endorsed venues: contact us for your co-branded guide.