best indoor cycling studios

10 of the best indoor cycling studios in the UAE

Crazy playlists, competitive leader boards and heart-pumping workouts that can burn 600 calories in just 45 minutes. For sweaty, endorphin-inducing training that burns fat and makes you feel great, it’s hard to beat indoor cycling. Here are our votes for the 10 best indoor cycling studios in the UAE.

Motion – Dubai, Abu Dhabi

indoor cycling studios UAE
Photo credit: Motion

With dim lights, limited electronic equipment and a strict “no phone in the studio” policy, Motion has mastered the art of “me time.” The classes here are both meditative and intense.

Expect to cycle between music-led sessions of sweaty self-reflection and intense, cardio-blasting moments of dancing on the bike. You’ll move your feet quickly and let the sounds sooth your soul. During ride sessions, instructors have been known to hop off their bikes and roam the room, offering words of encouragement.

You’ll find the facilities to be a beautiful space. The main reception area has a boutique and airy feel, while the changing rooms come with toiletries. Now all the thrill of Motion’s classes is available in Abu Dhabi too. Their Reem Island studio has all of the trimmings of their Dubai location and more. We particularly enjoy their class plus coffee/smoothie combos — your preordered drink is ready and waiting after class. No need to lose time stopping for coffee or a smoothie on your way to work.

Crank – Dubai, Abu Dhabi

indoor cycling studios UAE
Crank is the first fitness studio in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue. Photo credit: Crank

Crank has set up shop in Alserkal Avenue. This spin studio is split over two floors. Downstairs there’s a juice bar and the backlit spin room. Upstairs there’s a space for strength and stretch classes. There are exposed brick walls, funky art from Drawdeck and industrial touches.

During the ride, you’ll spin through a mix of sprints, hill work, speed work and rhythmic moves — with a hand weights portion too. The vibe inside here is seriously good and if you aren’t one for competition, you’ll see that only the top 10 names make it to the leaderboard. There are loads of extras for the (slightly) steep Dh120 drop-in fee: free click-in shoes, towels, straighteners and toiletries for the ladies and filtered water, too. 

Crank was founded by Nuno Costa Fernandes, an ex-Flywheel pro who knows how to draw a crowd. Expect great playlists and packed classes — so book early.

The popular studio has expanded into Abu Dhabi, adding a Sheikha Fatima Park location

Frequency – Abu Dhabi

indoor cycling
Frequency’s Jubail Mangrove Park class.

Rhythmic, performance, spin cycling – Frequency, the new indoor cycling studio in Abu Dhabi, has a class for everyone. The airy space has seven Life Fitness bikes circled around the instructor’s, which is raised on a platform. Currently, the majority of Frequency’s schedule is dominated by rhythmic spin classes – a style known for its dance-like movements. Neon light strips decorate the ceiling and flash to the beat of the music adding to the party-like atmosphere to the classes.

Alongside the regular studio classes, Frequency has partnered with Jubail Mangrove Park to offer ‘silent’ rhythmic cycling overlooking the scenic mangroves. Don the Frequency provided headphones and spin along to the views.

Cobra Fitness – Abu Dhabi

cobra
Image courtesy Cobra Fitness

Famous for its Muay Thai, boxing, and Jiu Jitsu classes, Cobra Fitness also has some hard hitting spin classes. Described as “a freestyle indoor cycling class a various intensities to improve cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, and strength of the lower body’, these classes are meant to help you athletically perform. Whether you are a mixed martial artist or just looking to improve your overall performance, these classes are a great addition to a balanced fitness regime.

Primal Gym – Abu Dhabi

indoor cycling
Image courtesy Primal Gym

More of a mixed-gym space than a pure cycling studio, this Abu Dhabi based gym offers great spin and RPM classes at its Reem Island location. Classes are small and the workout standardized, so you can expect to cycle through a mix of intervals, hills, flats and sprints, all to intense beats.

The Bridge Hub – Abu Dhabi

cycling
Courtesy The Bridge Hub

There are an array of cycling classes at the new Al Qana lifestyle hub, The Bridge Hub. The new center emphasizes holistic wellness and all of its programs, including the cycling classes, have been developed by their in-house specialists with science-backed research. The cycling classes include:

• Function Cycle, a cycle-based circuit class which targets your cardiovascular conditioning using a combination of cycling and specific functional exercises.

• Spin Str, a cardio cycle group class focusing on cadence, terrains and intensity control.

• Endure Spin, a cardio cycle group class developed to target cardiovascular conditioning, and to develop your cycling endurance both indoors and outdoors.

• Meta-Spin, a high-intensity cardio cycle group class focused on interval training, hills and flat sections to improve your strength, stamina and your experience on the bike.

As a members-only experience, The Bridge Hub is serious about the whole in holistic wellness. The exclusivity is all about ensuring its members really engage with every part of their wellbeing. The staff builds a well-rounded personalized journey for each member with classes to boost fitness, physical and mental restoration, and relaxation.

Abu Dhabi Country Club – Abu Dhabi

Cycling
Courtesy The Abu Dhabi Country Club

Established in 1999 by the government of Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Country Club is a cornerstone of the wellness community. It may be the oldest fitness center in the city, but with classes ranging from mobility, Les Mills RPM, to animal flow, its offerings are very current.

The country club provides daily Les Mills RPM in a large cycling studio with over 20 bikes. Members have free access to these classes, if you’re not a country club member, you can pay per class. A cycling class costs Dh53. Find the schedule on the Abu Dhabi Country Club website and instagram.

The Platform – Dubai

Cycling
Courtesy The Platform

With a focus on rhythmic riding (so more dancing on the bike, fewer steep hill climbs), energetic jams, and some MC party instructors guiding you through, Dubai-based The Platform studio makes cycling feel like “a 45-minute dance party on the bike”. If you still have energy after your cycling class, join one of their yoga, pilates, or boxing sessions. Just want to recover? You can nip into Platform’s airy cafe for an epic iced coffee and protein ball.

Known for its fitness events partnered with the likes of Puma and Lululemon, try the popular studio at their DIFC or Marina locations. If you can’t make it to the studio, you can still join in on the fun. Workout at home or on the go, with their online studio Platform.fit.

The Room – Abu Dhabi

Mim Kleiberg, co-owner at The Room. Photo credit: The Room

This gym, originally launched in Brussels, also offers a host of other classes but is built around the core of Spinning. There are lots of bikes on offer and a full roster of classes, most 60 minutes, so getting a space is a relative breeze. That’s except for co-owner and co-founder Peter Pastijn’s packed out Friday morning rides. In the cooler weather they even take the bikes outside for a spin. Expect a warm, friendly welcome, motivating workout and great service — staff come around mid-class to refill water bottles.

1beat – Dubai

cycling
Courtesy 1Beat

The enthusiastic, but tough, coaches, and defined offerings set this Dubai studio apart. 1beat focuses on full body workouts with their 3 classes R1DE, CL1MB, and L1FT. Find their cycling classes under the R1DE program. The emphasis is on the music and party atmosphere at 1beat‘s rhythmic cycling classes with each instructor having their own signature playlists and genres. Beloved for their specific brand of personalized motivation at the sessions, the instructors don’t let you hide in the back here.

Cool down with an in-house made smoothie after the fun, but demanding 45 minutes of cycling. If you want another full body kick try one of their other programs. Notably, 1beat is one of the few studios that offers classes with the versaclimber, a machine that mimics vertical climbing without any of the impact to the joints. Check out this niche studio at Dubai’s World Trade Center.

How’d we do? Did we miss an amazing studio? Let us know by leaving a comment or writing to [email protected]

Livehealthymag.com is for every body and mind in the UAE. This magazine is all about moderation, making small changes, little additions and the odd subtraction.

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