By now everyone in Boston has heard of the big dogs: SoulCycle and FlyWheel. But you might not have heard of B/SPOKE, and we recommend getting to know them. Their space in downtown Boston is beautiful (read: small but beautiful). Goodbye stark white walls with mantras and hello wood paneling and sophisticated design. The attention to detail in the space makes you feel right at home from the moment you step in the door. But don’t get too comfortable: as soon as the lights go down and the music starts pumping, you’re going to start to sweat…a lot (or maybe that was just us).
If you are going to take a class at B/SPOKE, make sure to take advantage of the entire studio. Go before work or a big date. Take a shower, use the hair straighteners, spoil yourself with Aesop shampoo and conditioner. And also, make sure to pick up some gear. The merchandise is legit.
The ingredients for spin classes are generally the same. Hills + Sprints + Recovery + Push Ups + Bouncing + Tap Backs + Weights + Music. How you mix the special sauce varies from studio to studio. The special sauce at B/SPOKE was good and left us wanting more. Although it was a little heavy on the push ups and bouncing for our tastes (up and down, up and down), perhaps it’s just that we may have missed the cues to stop while the music was drowning out Katie’s voice.
We’re still not sure why there are computers attached to the bikes. No one spoke of them. We did receive an emailed report after class but we’re still not sure what the purpose is. Either take them off, or put them to use. We suggest putting them to use.
You know that feeling you get when you walk into a sold out spin class, you look around and know that every single person in the room is ready to work and work damn hard? That was exactly what went down late on Wednesday night with Aly Raymer and not just this time, but every damn time we ride with her. We’ll say it once and hopefully not have to repeat ourselves…Don’t f*ck with Aly. Don’t let the cute outfits and blonde hair fool you. Aly means business. She showed us why she is one of the best in Boston. Come ready to work, sweat and perhaps push yourself past where you thought you could go. Sign of a good teacher, right?
What we loved most about Aly, aside from her no bullshit attitude was that she put a major emphasis on actually having riders ride to the BEAT of the music…imagine that. Throughout the 60 minute ride she continually cued us, “right, left, right, left”. This made sure we all had the right resistance on the wheel and that we rode as one.
Five stars for the space. From the lobby to the locker rooms to the studio space itself, everything at B/Spoke in Downtown Boston is meticulously designed. If we were building a home we would start with the bathrooms for inspiration. (@B/SPOKE – where did you get those sink fixtures?)
There are amenities aplenty. Six showers, two bathrooms, Aesop Bath products, lockers, hairdryers, straighteners, towels and free shoe rental. All that for $27 dollars a ride? (Tip: it’s even less if you buy a package). We suggest getting to know B/SPOKE.
101 Federal Street, Boston, MA Financial District Spin $$$
B/SPOKE Studios Downtown
Financial District Spin $$$
101 Federal Street, Boston, MA
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B/SPOKE StudiosSpin
Victoria was our Commander in Chief for 45 minutes inside the walls of B/SPOKE. From the minute she walked into the room through the end of the last song, she ruled us as her pack. Every single cue was clear and communicated in a way that not only made it easy to follow her lead but also get motivated when she pushed us further–two great qualities in a spin instructor. Victoria reminded us time and time again which foot should be catching the beat to assure all riders were riding as one, and we love her for that. No off beat riders here! Between her riding like a boss (perfect form, flat back, chest up, never wavering) and her envy-worthy long ponytail, we were almost hypnotized. But we quickly snapped out of it when we caught our right foot to the beat on the first song and we were off sprinting.
B/SPOKE StudiosSpin
You know that feeling you get when you walk into a sold out spin class, you look around and know that every single person in the room is ready to work and work damn hard? That was exactly what went down late on Wednesday night with Aly Raymer at B/SPOKE and not just this time, but every damn time we ride with her. We’ll say it once and hopefully not have to repeat ourselves…Don’t f*ck with Aly. Don’t let the cute outfits and blonde hair fool you. Aly means business. She showed us why she is one of the best in Boston. Come ready to work, sweat and perhaps push yourself past where you thought you could go. Sign of a good teacher, right?
What we loved most about Aly, aside from her no bullshit attitude was that she put a major emphasis on actually having riders ride to the BEAT of the music…imagine that. Throughout the 60 minute ride she continually cued us, “right, left, right, left”. This made sure we all had the right resistance on the wheel and that we rode as one.
B/SPOKE StudiosSpin
You know those people that just have that “cool” vibe? The vibe you always wish you had but never did? Well, Kara has that vibe. From the moment she stepped onto the podium, rocking her snapback, a pair of trendy leggings, and sports bra fresh off the retail rack in the lobby, coolness seeped from her pores. It feels like every time we go back to B/SPOKE Studios, they are upping their game, and we love that about them. Kara delivered a class straight out of the B/SPOKE playbook. It was a perfect balance of hills, sprints and choreography that got us working hard. Her energy level was at a constant 10 and we’re pretty sure we heard her swear once or twice. No judgement here, we were swearing under our breath as she forced us to kick it into high gear out of the saddle. With sweat pouring off every inch of our body (ok, we sweat a lot but it was HOT in there) the final song started…was that Tiny Dancer? Wait, was that Notorious B.I.G? Yes. It. Was. Remember Girl Talk? The DJ from 10 years ago that mashed up every song you love. We’d forgotten about them too. Apparently they are cool again. Kara made them cool again.
B/SPOKE StudiosSpin
The best way to describe Deja’s class is spinning meets Miami night club, and we are into it! We may have even picked up a few dance moves to try out this weekend. This was a Hip-Hop style class so the music still had that great mix of fast and slow paced songs but with a hip-hop vibe. Deja not only brought the party to her class through her choreography (body rolls and booty bumps) but her energy was just as spicy. Deja provided options for riders of varying degrees of experience, there were definitely loyal followers in the crowd and we can understand why. Between the music, the dancing, and Deja firing us up, the 45 minute class flew by. We think we just found our new Friday night hot spot.
B/Spoke StudiosSpin
Becky is a Florida native who brings the Miami heat to the B/SPOKE bikes. We were jamming out from the warm up to our final sprint. If not for the workout, we would come back just to hear the playlist she put together. Oh, and she did the ENTIRE class along with us. This girl is in killer shape and totally motivated us to add one more turn of resistance when we thought we’d had enough. Becky is the perfect pick for a midday pick me up… no coffee necessary.
B/Spoke StudiosSpin
Christina, or “Mooch” as she’s sometimes known (can we call her that yet?) is a total powerhouse. Christina was recently named a finalist for America’s Most Inspiring Trainer, and for good reason. This lady is strong, motivating, and will make sure you’re not just coasting through spin class…we admit, it happens. She’s rhythmic, engaging, and had us wanting to dance right along with her. Do yourself a serious favor and catch a class with this gal.
