Class review: Ride at 1Rebel

A 45-minute class in the world’s first spin “amphitheatre”
1rebel
13 May 2019

When and where

1Rebel’s Victoria studio, Thursdays at 7.30pm.

What’s the drill?

A 45-minute class in the world’s first spin “amphitheatre”: a 7,000 sq ft, three-tiered studio where you can cycle together with 85 other riders. Don’t expect to sit back and coast — this workout is all about the drama. The futuristic space houses a £600,000 3D sound system that premiered at Glastonbury and a laser system never seen before outside a live event space, while the instructor, Dom, rises and descends on a platform like a rock star. Cycling is done both in the saddle and standing up, and Dom mixes up sprints, hill climbs and hand-weight exercises to push you until the final minute. Just wait until the screen and smoke machines start up.

The skinny

Push hard enough and you can burn up to 800 calories in a class.

The social network

Millie Mackintosh and Oliver Proudlock like it here, but the after-work crowd is mostly young professionals straight from the office. Gather a group of friends or colleagues and book in — men make up about half the class.

Instructor appeal

Dom usually does the Thursday class and he owns the stage. His glowing figure at the front will have you transfixed and his energy is infectious. Even when you know you’ve got three hills left to climb, his natural sass and banging playlists will keep you pushing through the pain.

1Rebel

What to pack

Bring a water bottle — there are fountains outside the studio and reception will give you a reusable stainless steel bottle if you forget your own (the gym launched its #RebelAgainstPlastic campaign last year). Shoes and towels are provided too.

The sounds

Dom’s playlist is 100 per centsass. Expect Britney classics and old- school Bon Jovi — you’ll catch yourself singing along.

Locker-room chat

There are several vast shower cubicles with 1Rebel signature shampoo and conditioner, and GHD hairdryers and straighteners for afterwards. Lockers are smart so you don’t need a padlock, just tap in your chosen code — reception has a key if you forget it.

Tips for first-timers

Arrive early — the changing rooms are up three flights of stairs and the doors are strictly closed once the class has started — and go a size up when you’re picking your shoes. Get yourself a bike on the balcony if you fancy a view, but the studio floor is where the real action happens.

The after burn

You’ll leave energised and ready for a night out — perfect for those Thursday night drinks (after a shower).

From £22/class, 1rebel.co.uk

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in