CycleBar’s DNA

The popularity of indoor cycling only continues to rise. CycleBar, a premier indoor cycling franchise, serves as proof that the format is still one of the most sought-after workouts out there today.

The brand has signed more than 200 studios in 10 months and is on pace to reach its overarching goal of having 100 studios open to riders by Dec. 31, 2016. According to Heather Harris, the president of CycleBar, the rapid growth of the company can be attributed to a number of factors — most specifically the CycleBar’s sub-brands that include:

CycleBeats

“Part of our DNA is high connectivity to music and we have a sub-brand called CycleBeats. After each of the classes, the email that goes out to riders has enabled them to be able to download the music and we pay for the licensing fee, which is very unique in the space,” said Harris. “So whenever you are in the studio and wherever the music motivated you to drive faster and you want to use that in other facets of your life, whether you are going on a run or getting geared up for a presentation, you can just access that music.”

CycleStats

“We have a proprietary CycleStats platform, which provides stats to our riders as far as mileage, calories burned, assessments and things like that. The platform logs information for a period of time so riders can log in and see their performance, which is really important for the connectivity between the rider and their own personal goals.”

CycleTheater

“We have a state-of-the-art cycle theater. It really feels like you are in the middle of a rock concert. We have speakers on the back walls, it is a tiered theater, we have two big television screens and you really feel energized when you are in that environment. It is a totally different feeling. 25 minutes into the class you are not looking at your watch, you are really engaged with the instructor and the music.”

CycleStars

“We have our CycleStars, which is probably the most important piece. We really allow the instructors to be their own personalities; we don’t have them do a specific workout. They all have variety in how they teach and they all have their own music. We put pillars in the class that they have to meet, but everything else is at their own discretion, which is fun.”

CycleGiving

“Last, but not least, is our CycleGiving platform. It is really exciting to be able to impact both national and local charities. I think that is going to set us apart from other businesses.”

Beyond the experience provided to riders, CycleBar is also appealing from a franchising standpoint. “People love health, wellness and fitness,” explained Harris. “It is a great lifestyle for a franchise because you are constantly with people who are energetic, working out and goal oriented, so it is a great environment. But also there is a financial appeal. We have one instructor for 50 bikes, which is a nice profit margin model.”

While for some companies, growing rapidly can present challenges, according to Harris, the CycleBar company culture has allowed for a smooth transition. “I think the only challenge in expanding quickly is you want to make sure you have a culture that is focused on constant improvement and one that is never settling,” added Harris. “We are constantly opening new locations and improving our own procedures and processes, heightening our standards, so that the is culture we have here.”