Paceline Indoor Cycling

This is a new indoor cycling business in Madison, conveniently located at the intersections of University Ave, Whitney Way and Old Middleton Rd. The space is newly renovated, with 20 Saris CycleOps 300pro indoor cycles with Powertaps. I’ve visited several times and purchased a 30-​pack of punches for cycling indoors through the winter.
The website lists the class schedule, which is updated as the business grows and customers provide feedback on their schedule preferences. So far, I’ve had classes with Laurie, Jen and Mia (all female!!) and they are all great. They each have their own style, so I get something new out of each of their classes.
Indoor cycling is different from spinning. It’s meant to simulate riding on the road. The bikes at Paceline are the best stationary bikes I’ve ever ridden (and I’ve ridden a LOT). Becky (the owner) helps you with your fit and keeps a card with your seat height and other fit details at the front desk so you can quickly adjust your bike during every visit. Because the classes simulate road riding, I’ll stay in shape through the winter and be ready for road riding in the spring, without feeling like I’m way behind from the end of last year’s cycling season.
If you’ve never tried indoor cycling, I’ll provide a couple of tips:
1) The instructor leads the class, but you are in charge of your own pace and how much resistance you want. If you want to take it easy, dial back. If you want more challenge, turn the dial to the right and go for it!
2) The bikes come equipped with Garmin devices that track your time, pace, cadence and watts. You can wear a heart rate monitor to track that as well. If you have your own Garmin device, you can sync it to theirs. At the end of the workout, Becky will email you your stats or you can upload them to Strava. The technology is amazing for those interested in tracking improvement.
3) Perhaps the best thing about indoor cycling is that it’s all about YOU, so you can make it as easy or as challenging as you like, and if you’re not in great shape when you start, it’s not embarrassing because no one else in the studio has any idea how much you are working.
Now for a few other details I really appreciate:
1) Becky is a GREAT business owner, and very accommodating. She’ll help you get started and encourage you to reach your goals, whatever they may be. She even fills empty water bottles during class!
2) The space is very nice and clean. There’s filtered water in the restroom sink and a tall faucet for filling water bottles.
3) Men’s and women’s locker rooms include showers with soap and shampoo and towels. There is nice space for dressing and even a hairdryer and a few other supplies you may need if you haven’t brought your own.
4) Sweat towels are provided in the studio, so you do not need to bring your own. I really appreciate this feature.
5) Bikes have foot cages if you do not have SPD cleats on your shoes.
6) Bikes also have two water bottle holders. I push myself pretty hard in class, so I drink nearly two bottles of water during a 1-​hour class.
Bottom line: check out a free first class to see if you like it (I think you will) and look into a punch card purchase, sold in packs of 10, to take away your winter blahs!

Paceline is a great new indoor cycling studio in Madison, and my first line of defense against my typical Wisconsin winter weight gain this season.
Facility: The foundation of an indoor cycling facility is the bikes. Paceline has brand new bikes from local Madison company Saris. They’re easy to dial in for a perfect fit, and use the PowerTap power meter to measure watts, along with the typical speed, distance, and cadence. If you have a heart rate strap, it will pair with the bike computer as well. Becky will email you the file if you want to upload it to your favorite fitness tracking site. Or, if you’ve got your own device, as long as it’s ANT+ compatible, just arrive a little early to pair it with a bike, and you’ll have all your workout data on your own device.
The sound system is excellent, and there’s filtered water to keep you hydrated. Sweat towels are provided too! Their showers which are very nice — think hotel, versus locker room.
Classes & instructors: I’ve had the chance to ride with three instructors, Laurie, Mia, and Jen, all of whom are great. They offer classes of various levels, but one nice thing about this type of workout is that you can tailor it to be as challenging as you want — you control the resistance of the bike, and the pace is up to you. Yeah, I admit I sat out a few of the sprints in Mia’s class…
Whether you’re a racer looking to stay in shape in the off season, a recreational rider, or if you’re not a two-​wheel fanatic and you just want some exercise, this is a great place to get your non-​moving miles in this winter.