In the 1980’s avid cyclist and bike enthusiast Jonathan Goldberg (Johhny G) found himself riding and training indoors, he had a crazy thought that he would like to develop a stationary bike that felt similar to riding on the road. After numerous versions and adjustments to the prototype he had finally created a fixed gear stationary bike with a weighted fly wheel and adjustable tension knob that made riding indoors feels similar to riding on the road. He opened up an old garage and created the first indoor cycling studio in California. By 1991 Johnny G teamed up with good friend John Baudhuin to refine the design and create the first ever “Spinner Bike” also coining the term that so many are familiar with… “Spinning.” This new craze of cycling indoors officially launched in Crunch gyms all over New York by 1993, thus beginning a revolution of “Spinning” classes offered in the gym. In 1994 Spinning is taken on by Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc. By 1999 the World Spinning and Sports Conference (WSSC) was hosted in Los Angeles, CA. An annual event that continues today! Johnny G’s original Spinner and a Spinning program continues to run under Mad Dogg Athletics.
A traditional “Spinning” class is meant to simulate road riding and a training schedule similar to that of something you would do outdoors. You have hill climbs, interval training, race days, mountain climbs all made possible with imagination, control over your cadence and your tension control. Today there are many different styles of indoor cycling that do their own take on “Spinning” such as Cycle Reebok, SoulCycle in NYC, or Les Mills. Now you walk into any gym and you can pretty much guarantee they will be offering some type of cycling class whether it is certified Spinning or some other style. However, the majority of these styles of cycling are still focused on simulating road riding with training schedules and ride plans.
SYNCCYCLING is unique in the sense that we are not focused on simulating road riding, we want to let the beat of the music drive us to work harder, have fun and move! By incorporating upper body movements coordinated to the beat of the music we are breaking from the tradition of a quiet and still upper body like you would have on a road bike. We like to consider our style more of dancing on a bike an expression of freedom, movement and cycling all in one. SYNCCYCLING classes are driven by the playlist, not a training schedule. Let the music guide you and move you on the bike.