Over winter break, Im going to be taking a spinning class at the local health pavilion. (Tri-Health if anyone is from Cincinnati) and would like some tips from people who have been down this road before. I already searched, and just found people stating their opinion of classes and not so much as to what to wear (gym shorts or cycling shorts, tennis shoes or road shoes), or if you bring your own pedals. I dont want to be "that guy" that shows up looking all hardcore in his cycling giddup and quickly get my butt kicked by some instructor but I also want to be well prepared for the class. Ive been trying to get ahold of the place so I can ask some questions, but theyve turned out to be harder to get ahold of than Drew Carey at a Doughnut Convention. So with that being said...

Tennis shoes or Road Shoes?
Bring pedals or not?
Cycling shorts or gym shorts?
iPod or nothing?
water bottle or nothing?
Anything else?

Thanks so much,
Matt

where i've done it spd shoes was the way to go, but there were a few bikes with look/spd setups.

they already have them.

cycling shorts of course.

nothing, that's what the classes are for.

most definitely.

towel and HRM if you've got one.

Never been to Tri-health , but I spin just down the Road at the Blue Ash Y. All their bikes have SPD on 1 side and toe cage on the other. Definitely bring water. Most people wear bike shorts, it's more comfortable. Don't bring music, your instructor will play loud music designed to motivate you. Prepare to get your butt kicked ! Start with a beginners class just to get the feel of it. I spin with a friend who just rode the Paris Brest Paris 1200k and he gets a good workout from a 45 minute class.

The thing I've always wanted to bring to Spinning class was a new saddle. The wide-ass cushy things they have on most spin class bikes are truly awful. Unfortunately you probably won't be able to do that. As such: spend some time getting the saddle height + fore/aft adjusted as best you can.

Oh, also: if you are not familiar with riding a fixed-gear bike...resist the temptation to "coast"...though you usually learn this lesson pretty quickly

How do you like the Y? If its a good deal I might spin there. Although its a little farther from me. I live in Montgomery off of Pfeiffer Rd. How do you like one cleat and one cage for the feet? Thanks for the input thus far guys.

-Matt

Tips for first timer at a spinning class...

Pick a bike in back of a hottie.

I'm pretty sure he meant that each pedal (both left and right) has spd's on one side and cages on the other. This gives you the option of either using cycling shoes or regular shoes. That is how it is at the spin class I go to. Once you clip in you never even notice the cages on the opposite side of the pedal.

I just grabbed an old pair of road shoes I had laying around and put some spd cleats on them. Should be able to pick up the cleats for pretty cheap at a local shop.

Ohh, gotcha. Reading comprehension is > me. I was thinking that sounded like a dumb idea, haha...

-Matt

The pedals are OK, I ride with SPD pedals so I did not have to change anything. If you have double sided pedals just make sure to pull the cage straps tight so they don't flap. I like the instructors at the Y, they have a good schedule, At least a few classes every day. Don't know how the cost compares, we had a membership already and everything is included at the Y, and it is very close to my home.

Hmm, alright. Next time you're there, would you mind checking out the price for a non-Y member to take the classes. Ill be looking at 3 classes a week for 1 month. Thanks!

-Matt

At the Y I go to for a non-member you get seven classes for $20.

Pace yourself. My wife and I took a class for the first time this weekend at the local rec, my wife kept on turning the knob everytime the instructor told us to, I believe in ten minutes she had efffectively locked up the wheel.

Bring both road and athletic shoes, or road and your pedals. At same class I was very surprised to find that they had not thought to purchase the spd or look on one side/cage on the others, I am sure some budget minded administrator saved a couple hundy on this choice. Luckily the shoes I wore to the gym were some old ratty tennis shoes that did ok in the cages. If we ever do the class again, I will bring my own pedals.

Oh, and that advice about where to set yourself up is spot on, right behind the hottie

Can't really happen. Only you can kick your own butt. No one but you knows how much resistence is on the wheel.

Blue Ash YMCA Spinning is members only. A standard single membership is $54 month, there may be other cheaper memberships

Oh ok, thats not too bad then. Thanks for the info.

-Matt

don't forget to bring your helmet.

lolz, what a comedian...

-Matt

But you didn't ask about jersey or workout top?

I'm all about wearing a jersey, I just don't wear a matching team kit. That's a little over the top. My jerseys of choice for spin class are Spongebob and my Corona jersey. Now if I could get a jersey with Spongebob drinking a Corona I would have it made!

On a slight aside. I got the climbing Carmichael DVD and did the trainer last night. It's actually a pretty good workout. My wife and I have a used spinning bike from a health club that we picked up cheap. She bought a couple 'aerobic' DVD's where they were on bikes. Not so good. The deal with the CTS thing is that he's a bike guy doing bike training. It makes a difference and I recommend it. *If* you actually use the bike, it's a lot better deal than a club membership. In 10 years I'll probably be able to sell it for the $200 I paid for it.

The product placement deal with Powerbar is kinda lame, but it's funny at the same time because it's so blatant.

I bring my bike, trainer, bibs, jersey, 2 water bottles, HRM/Garmin, road shoes to spin class. The times that I couldn't bring my bike because the place didn't allow it or didn't have room I brought my MTB shoes since the spin bikes almost always have spd pedals. Just did a 90 minute "power spin" yesterday morning and will be taking 1 or 2 spin classes a week throughout the winter. A nice benefit to bringing your own bike aside from the comfort factor is they don't charge you since you're not taking up a spin bike from someone else.

Personally I can't stand spin bikes because they are very uncomfortable and if you have you you're not able to coast since they are basically "fixed gear" and don't coast.

Bring the iPod, just in case. Sometimes the music is....well..... not music. Unless you like endless loops of electronically generated noise.

After most of a year putting up with that crap, I now just plug in to my own tunes and watch the instructor (or hottie in front of me) for visual cues so I stay with the class.

god save you if the teacher is one of those over energetic overly perky and happy types.......

Spinning can be intense for the 45 minutes that most of them last. You sweat buckets. Nothing else to add here. But at my gym (the local Y), you don't need cycling shorts. Some do it, but if you have calloused nether regions, you should be fine sans.

There is no back of no hottie here. They may actually stink too, but that could be appealing?

I say all this to say that I'd much rather ride my own bike on rollers .. but spinning ain't bad at all.

I have a friend who brings his rollers to spin classes. A lot of setup there though.