Local business takes a new ‘spin’

Spinning — or stationary cycling — might not get someone anywhere quickly, but the owner of a new Bloomington business hopes residents will come along for the ride anyway.

The city’s first and only spin studio is seeking all types of people to break in its new bikes.

Urban Cycle Studio opened its doors Oct. 3 to encourage individuals to try spinning at least twice.

“Your butt will hurt the first time, so try it again,” studio owner Allison Chopra said.

Chopra opened her first business, Urban Fitness Studio, three years ago and offered private personal training.

When the space next to Urban Fitness became available in Graham Plaza, she said she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to further her passion for fitness.

Chopra said her love for Bloomington and its biking community served as extra motivation to open an indoor spin studio.

Chopra said there was no “real, true spinning-licensed facility” in Bloomington. She said a “niche was open” and grabbed the chance to bring a new concept to Bloomington.

“I love Bloomington. It’s such a biking community,” Chopra said. “I wanted to be a part of it.”

The studio consists of 10 bikes facing one instructor. Chopra said she received positive feedback after the first week of classes and “people liked the music and energy” in the studio.

Classes Monday through Saturday range from endurance to strength to interval spinning workouts. Chopra said she wanted to make student-friendly times and hopes to form a relationship with students and the Little 500 community.

Chopra said some students who move downtown or close to campus are used to having a spinning studio at home.

Urban Cycle Studio is distinctive from other workout facilities because of its non-membership program, Chopra said. Each session is purchased individually and requires no extra commitments.

“The cool thing about spinning is that anyone can ride in a class,” she said.