CycleBar West Chester Is Offering $99 Memberships for Unlimited Rides
The newest Philly-area location of the popular indoor cycling studio is set to open in late March. You can get an amazing deal on unlimited memberships if you sign up before then.
![CycleBar West Chester](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/02/cyclebar-west-chester.jpg)
CycleBar’s newest Philly-area location, CycleBar West Chester, is scheduled to open in late March. / Photograph courtesy CycleBar
Philadelphians are BIG on spin classes. Whether they’re duking it out at Flywheel Sports, vibing to candlelight at SoulCycle, or jiving and racing at Revel Ride, they’ve got a love for indoor cycling that knows no resistance. (We’re sorry, you’re allowed to facepalm.) CycleBar didn’t want to miss out on the action (read: money) and recently announced a massive Philly expansion; the indoor cycling franchise plans to open six studios in the area in the next few years. Now we’ve got details about the first of those new locations: CycleBar West Chester.
The suburban studio will open in late March at 1357 Dilworthtown Crossing. Owner Rob Friend will hold a full week of free rides to let folks check out the 50 Schwinn, red-LED-encrusted bikes; complimentary shoes; impressive sound system; and, of course, three types of classes — “Connect” for those who prefer riding to the rhythm, “Classic” for data lovers (although you can choose not to show your stats on the leaderboard), and “Performance” for the extra competitive. The absolute best part? CycleBar West Chester is offering founding memberships for pre-sale at an unbelievable rate: $99 per month for unlimited rides for life. To put that in perspective, unlimited Flywheel memberships in Philly are $320 a month. (Most of the smaller cycling studios are, to be fair, cheaper, and some offer deals comparable to CycleBar West Chester. But still: $99 for unlimited rides!)
Friend, a former Fortune 500 executive who grew up in Bala Cynwyd and graduated from Drexel, says he wants CycleBar West Chester to be relatively accessible. “SoulCycle and Flywheel can be intimidating to people who are new or people that aren’t necessarily in great shape or don’t have the money to afford that,” he says. “This was about bringing that experience to a location that was a lower price point and one that was much more inclusive.” That way, more people have the opportunity to see how group fitness can provide a sanctuary from the fast pace and overwhelm of the outside world — as it has for Friend himself. “I’d always been a fitness fanatic,” he says. “It was always something there for me that I turned to to reduce stress and anxiety. When I discovered indoor cycling, I thought it really checked all of those boxes because it’s not just exercise. It’s this religious experience that people go through where the doors close, the music comes on, and people turn their trust over to an instructor to take them on a journey and help them focus on being their best self.”
Like other CycleBar franchises, CycleBar West Chester is focused on community. Expect Sunday mimosa brunches, “Wine-Down Wednesdays,” guest nutritionists, etc. And Friend says he hopes to do everything from hosting fundraising rides for charity to working with corporations on their wellness programs.
CycleBar West Chester has already presented a few promo events, and more are coming. Here’s when and where you can try out a CycleBar bike and meet Friend and some of the instructors over the next few weeks.
- Thursday, February 21st, at West Chester University’s Sykes Student Union, 110 West Rosedale Avenue in West Chester, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Saturday, March 2nd, at the Vitamin Shoppe, 1731 Wilmington Pike in Glen Mills, from noon to 3 p.m.
- Sunday, March 10th, at the Athleta in the Glen Eagle Square shopping center, 501 Wilmington Pike in Glen Mills, with half-hour classes at 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. (A registration link’s not posted yet; we’ll update the story when it’s available.)