If you’ve followed along on Instagram recently, you’ll know I’ve been on a journey to find a new indoor cycling studio now that FlyWheel has closed in Dallas. I decided to take this opportunity to try them all, and figured sharing a review of each class might be helpful for those of you in the same position! Before I review each, I wanted to share why I loved FlyWheel and also the reasons I am not interested in getting a Peloton.
There are two major differences I’ve found between FlyWheel and other cycling studios now that I’ve tried several:
- FlyWheel is performance-based and shows you metrics – both in class on the bike and afterwards on the app, you can track your performance and work towards a specific goal. As a numbers-focused and competitive person, I really enjoyed this aspect! You also know exactly what number your resistance should be set for each song, unlike other classes where they say a vague “half turn to the right!” – takes the guesswork out of it. The only other class I found to also feature the performance metrics is at CycleBar.
- Flywheel classes were a great balance of high resistance and light resistance rides in each class, meaning there was a good mix of slow and fast songs. Some songs you’re out of the saddle, some you’re sitting down. I enjoyed the variety! Most other indoor cycling classes are almost entirely out of the saddle – while a great workout, it is EXHAUSTING and difficult to keep up. It also can get boring.
I had a bunch of you suggest I get a Peloton, but the reason I enjoyed FlyWheel was the group aspect. I realize you can take “real” classes on Peloton, but I’m totally that person who will half-ass a cardio workout if I’m doing it on my own. I’m great in a class environment with other people around me, shaming me to work hard! I can do BBG, but for some reason I just can’t do cardio workouts on my own. Maybe one of these days I’ll get a Peloton, but I’m just not interested at the moment! Read on to check out my reviews and suggestions for the best indoor cycling classes in Dallas – note I only tried studios with locations relatively close to me! Finally, I was able to use the indoor cycling shoes I got at FlyWheel at all of these studios. So nice that I don’t have to buy a new pair!
CLASS STUDIOS
Class Studios was a suggestion from my friend Mallory who absolutely loves this studio! I took Paige’s Hip Hop Friday class, it was completely full – the energy in the room was great, and Paige was very motivating. I enjoyed the setup of the bikes, the music and the instructor! What I didn’t love was the actual ride… almost the entire class was done out of the saddle and nearly every song was at a pace so fast I couldn’t keep up!
What I loved about FlyWheel was the balance of fast songs with light resistance and slower songs with heavy resistance, as well as work in and out of the saddle. Class Studios (or at least this particular class) was all fast and all out of the saddle! I feel like I’m in pretty good shape, but I honestly felt like I had to give up in the middle of each song just to catch my breath. My workouts give me a sense of accomplishment in my day, and for some reason this one didn’t – likely because I couldn’t keep up! Verdict: this class was very much like SoulCycle and not for me… but I have friends who LOVE this studio/these indoor cycling classes! If you’re looking for high energy, fast paced and fun this is one you should check out.
CYCLEBAR
CycleBar was definitely the closest one I could find to FlyWheel! Again, I went to a hip-hop class – the music and instructor were both great! The studio itself is very clean and nice, with a spacious locker area and helpful employees. The class was a better balance of slow and fast, heavy and light resistance, but it was mostly out of the saddle as well. The main difference between CycleBar and Flywheel is the choreography – there is definitely more of it at CycleBar! Like Class Studios, this class was almost at full capacity, as was the 5:30am class before it. It’s definitely a popular spot! The other important thing to note is CycleBar also measures performance. You can watch your performance on the bike (how fast you’re going, see the number you’re at for resistance, etc), which is very similar to how FlyWheel does it.
My biggest complaint is the location! I went to the 6:30am class and had zero trouble getting to the studio (took 7 minutes!), but leaving was a different story. There was already so much traffic at 7:15 that it took me 20 minutes to get home! Not a big deal, but just not something I think I’d want to do every other day if I don’t have to. Verdict: if I lived in Uptown I would TOTALLY go to this one! Such a great class and studio, but the location just isn’t ideal for me right now.
LYNC CYCLING
Lync is the last studio I tried (yesterday)! It’s located in Snider Plaza, which is obviously great for SMU students and people living in University Park! It’s about a 15 minute drive from my house, so not the closest option, but still reasonably close. Parking at Snider Plaza can be very frustrating during busier hours, so I definitely will keep that in mind for future class times. To be perfectly honest, I went into this last class with low expectations… I assumed I wasn’t going to like it. When I arrived and saw the bikes looked really different to others I’d been on, that also made me skeptical. But it might be my very favorite of all the classes!
Like FlyWheel, it shows performance metrics like speed and resistance on the bike, and it also had a better balance of slow and fast songs. It had a couple of songs in the saddle like FlyWheel did (as opposed to almost entirely out of the saddle at SoulCycle and Class Studios), which made the class go by so much faster (to me)! The arms section was really long, which I liked too! I took Zeke’s class, and he was awesome – I’ll definitely ride with him again. Verdict: Definitely going to more classes here! Considering the location and traffic/parking at certain times, it’s not entirely ideal... but if Terlingo doesn’t have a time that works for my schedule on any given week this will be my go-to! Such a great class.
SOULCYCLE
I’ve tried SoulCycle a number of times over the years, so I figured I’d include it in this list (people always ask about it)! While the classes I’ve taken are always fun, it’s just not my favorite. They keep the temperature in the studio pretty warm, which I am not a fan of… and the bikes are set up right on top of each other. Don’t love that either! The music is always great and the instructors are incredibly motivating – it’s basically just a dance party on a bike. I feel like you are either a SoulCycle person or a FlyWheel person, and I’m definitely more of a FlyWheel person! Verdict: While it is a fun class, it’s just not for me! I’d align it with the Class Studios vibes – fun, great music, great instructors… just not my vibe!
THE RIDE HOUSE
The Ride House was the first class I took post-FlyWheel! I really love the location in Inwood Village (a short 7 minute drive from my house), and the studio is clean/nice. I took two classes here, and both instructors were great! With that said, I went to two different class times (6:30am and 9:30am), and both only had a few people in them which was worrisome. The actual class itself was more like Class Studios – mostly out of the saddle, but with a better balance of fast paced/light resistance and slow/heavy resistance. Quite a bit of choreography too! Verdict: The location is great (for me), but it wasn’t my favorite class of all the ones I took! I will definitely take classes here if they have a time that works better for me that week than Terlingo!
TERLINGO
I first heard about Terlingo from friends several years back, and was reminded of it when I polled you guys on Instagram for suggestions! The location is actually really great for me, as it’s easy access from Lemmon Avenue. I also love the variety of class times – they have a 6:00am every weekday, as well as 8:30 or 9:30am depending on the day (both of which I can do thanks to working from home!), and 6:30pm for those of you who prefer working out in the afternoon. The bike setup reminded me of Define in Austin/Houston, with the instructor at the front center, and bikes around the stand all on one level.
While the class had more choreography than I’m used to with FlyWheel, I actually liked it! I also really enjoyed the arm segment, which is something I usually dread in an indoor cycling class. The music was great, instruction was great, and while it was really challenging, I still felt like I could keep up. The work was mostly out of the saddle and fast-paced/light resistance like the other classes, but the beat of the music wasn’t so fast I couldn’t keep up. Instead of feeling kind of defeated like I did at Class Studios, I left Terlingo feeling accomplished and like I’d conquered something new. Verdict: In addition to the convenient location, I really enjoyed the format of this class! I felt challenged, but still had fun and wasn’t checking my Apple watch every few minutes. Definitely going to continue with classes here! I have yet to try John’s (the founder) class, but I’ve heard they are AMAZING! Can’t wait to see what other instructors I like!
Anyway, I hope these reviews are helpful for those of you looking for an indoor cycling studio in the Dallas area! I also wanted to give a shoutout to my friend Emily who launched her activewear brand, IVL Collective, this year! Her team recently sent me some pieces to try and I LOVE THEM. They are seriously giving Lululemon a run for their money. I have two pairs of the leggings now (in navy and chi chi), the chi chi sports bra, this cropped sweatshirt and this fleece. All are so comfortable, flattering and the fabric is so high quality! Love the high-rise style of these leggings, and the fact that you couldn’t see any sweat on them post-cycling class. Wore them to Class Studios last week and was shocked my sweatiness didn’t seep through! Check out more of my IVL picks below, and be sure to follow them on Insta – I’ll be doing an InstaStories takeover next Tuesday!