Fair weather cyclists, rejoice. You no longer need to face cold, dark wintry mornings alone. Now you can enjoy an indoor cycle through the cliffs of Southern France or the harsh terrains of Arizona, all without leaving the CBD. Scenic Cycle, founded by 29-year-old entrepreneur and fitness instructor Tom Sproats, is a new fitness idea that’s far more appealing than a cheek-numbing ride down George Street.
When Time Out visits, we’re off to France to cycle through snow-capped mountains, passing rolling fields, quaint cottages and winding roads. The concept is simple – riders mount stationary bikes in a dark fitness studio and watch a pre-filmed route as they pedal. Like spin classes, the bike’s resistance and cadence is controlled by the rider, meaning you amp up the challenge for fat-burning climbs and turn it down for high-speed cardio sprints.
We kick off our ride with Sproats coaching us through each section of the ride. While the scenery is serene, the pumping soundtrack is high-energy, featuring pop tunes from The Naked and Famous and big-room EDM from the likes of Avicii. The tracks are perfectly matched to the pace of the ride. So when that bassline drops, get ready to crank those pedals hard and fast. Much like the soundtrack, the visuals speed up and slow down for the pace of the ride, too. We switch from seated positions to hovering over the bike’s seat.
In the latter half of the class, it’s time to make use of your arms (which have had a pretty cruisy ride so far). There are small pink and yellow weights ready and waiting on the bikes, so it’s an easy transition to incorporating weights into the workout while still pedalling. The beautiful scenery really is a distraction – in a good way. It’s no ride in the park, but the 45-minute class goes by in a flash.
While riders will never feel the wind in their hair at a Scenic Cycle class, there are a number of perks, from the full-body workout to being able to preselect your bike when you book. There are no membership fees, and classes range from $20 for a walk-in class to $300 for 20 classes.