After visiting SoulCycle Chestnut Hill during its opening weekend, I left unsatisfied. I wanted the NYC SC intensity and got a “meh” mediocre workout. I wrote about it and SC insisted I give the studio another try. I think everyone deserves second and even third chance so I took them up on their offer for a Saturday morning class with Erin T.
I showed up ten minutes late! I never do this and felt so embarrassed. I did not check the schedule and just went going off memory which is a bad idea when you’ve flown across country 4 times in the past month. I hopped on my reserved bike, front and center, and jumped right in. I quickly realized I was in for a sweat filled workout in the best way possible.
Erin called me out at the start of my second song to turn up my resistance for being late. I did and it made me like her immediately for some reason. Her music was kick ass and her choreography was difficult, yet fun. I was constantly chasing the beat, barely keeping up. I did not realize it prior to class but this was SC’s “survivor” hour long workout so really I got in a 50 minute workout, 5 more minutes than my usual spin class and I could tell. It was probably one of my favorite spin classes.
Things I liked:
- Music was upbeat and had me pushing outside my comfort zone
- Choreography was fun, never boring and her attitude made you want to try harder. She danced around the room a bit which kept me on the beat at times. The girl taught a 45 minute class before the hour long session so she gets the much needed break.
- Level of difficulty was as hard as it gets when it comes to spin in my opinion without feeling defeated and turned off from returning.
- Instructor corrected form during class and gave periodic check ins for positioning. Why don’t more spin teachers do this?
- Their apparel in the lobby area is awesome and cute enough to sell in stores on Newbury.
Disliked:
- The SC locker area is very cramped. The space is beautiful really, but the class sizes are so big, it’s hard to access a locker right before and after class.
- Pricey. I was comped the class but first timers ride for $20 otherwise it is $30 per class. Buy their largest package of 50 for $3500 for the steepest discount. This is standard for NYC cycling classes but high for Boston and its suburbs without including daycare. Given its location, the local clients can afford it but to compare it to a city studio, you can take unlimited classes at Recycle Studio for a YEAR at just $1650. At a level playing field, 20 rides is $360 at Recycle, $430 at FlyWheel and $540 at SoulCycle. When (this is not an ‘if’, it is a WHEN) SC expands to Boston proper, I’m curious what they will do to compete.
I really didn’t have any dislikes regarding the class. I did realize that SoulCycle must instruct their teachers to do the “hair whip” on the saddle that I found distracting in my first CNHL class. Luckily, Erin T has short hair so it wasn’t distracting.
Erin T however is heading back to NYC. This makes me sad but another veteran instructor is coming in to replace her spot from LA named Molly who has awesome RateYourBurn reviews. I was also told to try Todd’s class for a good ass kicking.
Erin is also a great example of how cycling DOES NOT MAKE YOUR LEGS BULK UP (see picture above which does not do her body justice). Did you see I wrote that in caps, Traci Anderson? Seriously. It’s all about body type. Erin has an amazing body because she has a certain body type thanks to genetics but she obviously works for it, teaching two hard classes a day. She taught ours in just a sports bra so I could see her enviable abs and lack of any body fat. Her attitude was uplifting, warm and welcoming all while pushing me to my limit.
Wegman’s opens up April 27th which will make a weekend class worth the drive to the suburbs for this city gal once in a while, depending on the instructor 😉
