Originally Posted by
oldnslow2
Yesterday when i went to class it was the first time there since mid March. It was the same instructor, she welcomed me back and asked how many miles i rode. i told her 3800 and asked how many she did... she said she only rode a few times and then not very fast or far. it was only recreational riding.
So she's a spin instructor but doesn't really ride a bike.
Originally Posted by
DiabloScott
I think MAYBE 1/3 of the spin class participants I see are actual bike riders... so making the class more like real riding would probably reduce the size by 2/3s.
Originally Posted by
Viking55803
I was staying at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage in February. They have an amazing gym that includes a large room full of bikes for spinning classes. I went down one evening and the "spin class" was going - I was told I could just jump in. There was one instructor and one subject. The instructor was probably 80 pounds overweight and sweating like Muhammed Ali during the Rumble in the Jungle.
I think the issue or misunderstanding is all spinning classes aren't the same. As I mentioned earlier, many people consider it as a gym activity and never ride a bike on the roads.
All it takes to be a certified instructor is taking a one day training session and later pass a written test.
I know about the variations because I've been to quite a few sessions all over the place.
One clue that spinning isn't designed for serious road training is you can't get the bar lower than the saddle. In fact on many, the lowest bar is a couple inches over the saddle height.
I don't knock spinning because I do it. But as others have said, it's not going to get you in shape for a fast spring century