If it wasn’t for the music, it’s unlikely I’d ever go to spin. Seriously. I can’t imagine doing sprints to the sound of huffing and puffing. Nor would I ever entertain doing a heavy seven-minute climb without a rocking song to push me through it. Heck, let’s be honest, every time an instructor’s iPod cuts out, I’m literally ten seconds away from getting off my bike and heading home.

Each year is the same. On New Year’s Eve, bloated from the holidays and buzzed on cheap champagne, we make grand resolutions. This is the year we’re running the Boston Marathon. By Spring we’ll drop 30 pounds and have ripped abs. This summer we’ll go from struggling to keep up with the pack on muffin rides to dominating the race circuit.

Most runners know they should cross train. And yet it’s hard to break from the routine of lacing up day after day. We’re slaves to mileage and time, and we’re convinced that missing our target numbers will mean decreased results. But studies have shown that runners who replace 50% of their runs with cycling perform just as well as those who train by running alone...but they absorb far less wear and tear.

...and you shed pound after pound. You’ve thought about dropping in. You’ve even talked to a friend about doing a class together. But you’re not so sure that an activity you did as a six-year-old can benefit the grownup you. Maybe that’s because you didn’t know the many ways in which spinning can help your body, mind, and soul.

Is Cycle Life for you? The truth is Cycle Life offers something for everyone—from the average person taking that first step toward getting in shape, to the fit individual trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle; from the casual athlete interested in cross-training, to the competitive racer intent on nailing down a personal best.