Ride North End

BostonSpin, HIIT

Review:

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byMel Klein, September 26, 2016

Having already tried the signature 45-minute “Ride” in the quaint North End studio, we were excited to come back for more and check out their “Iron Ride.” As we made our way down Hanover Street, we were already dreaming about getting a cannoli after class, but Mike’s or Modern? While this is a tough decision, one decision we didn’t have to make that night was between strength or cardio; Iron Ride indulged us with a little bit of both.

RUNDOWN

WORKOUT

The 60-minute hybrid class entailed 30 minutes of spin and 30 minutes of strength and ab work off of the bike–the best of both worlds. For those that weren’t interested in the hybrid format, the class served as an “Express Ride” at which point riders could depart before the floor section began.

For reasons unknown, Iron Ride is only offered one or two times each week, which is surprising because we found it to be a great option, especially for a boutique studio. That being said, we signed up for the only time slot of the week: Friday post-work. Expecting the turnout to be lackluster given that it’s still technically summer, we were surprised to find plenty of people in attendance. Our hunch is that Owner and Instructor Melina DiPaola’s motivating persona and kickass attitude has people coming back for more.

With at least 50 percent retention for the Iron portion of class, we spread out around the room, each with a kettlebell and a 10- to 30-pound free weight. Burpees, kettlebell swings, sumo squats, planks and mountain climbers ensued, only to be capped off by one more minute of burpees to see if we could improve upon our first round. While it wasn’t the hardest strength session, Melina kept up motivated and focused the whole way through. It made for a fun, post-spin push that kept our muscles guessing.

The North End is lucky to have this gem–particularly DiPaola! In terms of a good sweat and challenge, Iron Ride hit the mark. So much so, in fact, that we decided to forgo the after-class cannoli…at least just this once.

INSTRUCTOR

Melina was very welcoming–eager to meet and help new riders get set up. As soon as the structure of class was explained and the playlist was queued, it became quite clear that Melina doesn’t mess around. We cranked the resistance up, took off up hill, and never turned (the resistance knob) back. With the majority of the ride being out of the saddle, our legs were actually relieved for the Tabata-style sprint finale.

 

SPACE

What we loved most about Ride North End was the space. It literally felt like someone had gutted out their garage, rolled in 25 spin bikes, and set up shop. We dig intimacy in times of corporate IPOs. The studio isn’t rough or dirty so don’t think you are walking into a beat-up gym. This“garage” spin studio has nice detailing, a quality sound system, large bathrooms, and a yummy juice shop. Sorry though, no shower.

Ride North End

420 Commercial Street, Boston, MA 02109
North End Spin $$

Ride North End

North End Spin, HIIT $$

420 Commercial Street, Boston, MA 02109




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