SoulCycle – TriBeCa

I’ve done three classes here and had a great experience every time. I forgot my workout clothes one day and didn’t realize til I got there, and they were so nice and let me reschedule my booking. Only thing is shoe rental is $ 3, not bad, but if you plan on coming all the time maybe you should just invest in your own.

I want to preface this review by saying that the 3 star rating is not specific to the Tribeca location — it is for the whole Soul Cycle concept.
The staff and facilities are really nice in the Tribeca location and if I were only reviewing that component, I would give this place a 4.5; however, I am reviewing the entire experience and have to say that Soul Cycle is not for me.
My main complaints and explanations below:
1. No torque or RPM monitors on the bikes — I’m really competitive and need numbers to show me how hard I am working. I know that if I don’t have numbers and a teacher is telling me to turn it up «a turn or two», I will most likely end up slacking off.
2. Room is artificially hot — I’m pretty sure the studios at Soul Cycle are kept overly warm to make you feel like you are working harder than you are. I am always drenched in sweat after the workouts, but I think that even if I casually biked, I would be drenched as well.
3. Bikes are way too close together — The studios have so many bikes crammed into them that if your bike isn’t near the aisle and if someone is in a bike close to you, you probably won’t be able to get in or get out.
I love one of the instructors, Charlee, because her energy is out of this world and most of the instructors have great energy and great picks in music; however, I always leave the workouts not knowing if I worked hard enough and that kills me. Also, Soul Cycle charges for water and shoes while Flywheel doesn’t.

TriBeCa is the studio where I took my first SoulCycle class, and is still my favorite in the city. What makes this location extra special is that it offers free Community Rides during instructor training. These rides take place during the work day, which may be inconvenient, unless you work in the area. If I had a slow day that aligned with a Community Ride, you could be sure to find me on a bike at Soul. Note, you still have to pay for shoes, and these rides usually book up in 20 seconds #noononmonday. However, if you take note of when these rides are and sign up promptly at 12pm on Monday on the Soul Cycle website, you’ll have no trouble getting in, even if you end up on the waitlist.
Another perk of this studio compared to others is the locker room situation. I can only speak about the Men’s locker room, and I’ve only been here during lunch time. There are 4 showers and a few benches with plenty of changing room (compared to the chaos I’ve seen at other locations.) During the day, the locker room traffic is pretty light, so have no trouble getting in, showering, changing and heading back to work.
One last particularity is that there are two studios, A and B. Most classes are offered in the larger studio A. The community rides, plus a few other rides, are in B. This review isn’t for the Soul Cycle classes, but 5 stars for those as well.

What a fun experience! I loved the energy of the teacher and the class. Staffs were super friendly and helpful. This was my first time cycling and I didn’t know how to clip on and off the bike. lol staff stayed around to show me how to use the clip on shoes. I wish the price was a little less but overall pleasant experience:)

Since moving into the city, I have really gotten into cycling and spinning. So I decided to try out Soul Cycle when there was a deal through my work.
Staff:
The staff is very nice and always excited. I had a really horrible day and as soon as I walked in, I was greeted excitedly which brightened my mood. They showed me how to work the lockers and where the women’s restroom was and gave me the low down on how things work there. I also struggled with setting up my bike and clipping in and there was someone in the room to assist.
Restroom:
When classes have upwards of 50 people, it’s hard to imagine why there are so few showers and such a small bathroom. I have to sprint out of the class to get a shower.
Class:
I think everyone will have their own opinion, so take this with a grain of salt. I am very competitive. I like to see how many calories I am burning and for how much time. On these bikes, there is no monitor at all. So you just have to work and assume your energy exertion. I think it’s also skewed a bit because the studios are exceptionally warm so you are dripping from that even without exerting much energy. For me, the motivation to push wasn’t really there (in my first class). Later classes got better, but I still wasn’t sure about my energy exertion. I think Soul is the yoga of the cycling studios — very inspirational but you only do as much as you want. Additionally, the music at times was painfully loud, which is good because no one can hear me panting, but bad because it was ear piercing (but there are ear plugs if you need that!). After only 3 classes, I got over the unknown calories/​exertion somehow — I can see how people get addicted to this.
Price:
If it weren’t for the special through my work, I probably wouldn’t go just because it’s so expensive. It’s a great experience if you’re not doing it on the reg. Also great for corporate events/​bonding activities.
Instructors:
Awesome and motivational and so fit. They obviously love their job, and I would probably love it too!

What do you do when your Friday night to Saturday morning routine suddenly becomes the inverse of what it once was and you’re no longer staying awake long enough to go to some hip hop club? You book a Soul Cycle class for 8:30 am on a Saturday naturally!
Hearing that this Soul Cycle was big on the coasts (thanks, Mom) and figuring I’d be near one in Tribeca and Soho, I went online to book. They have a $ 20 first class and shoe rental (pretty much required if you don’t have them) special, which, especially considering the regular price, is a great deal. You can go online and check out whose teaching, see their full profile and general «philosophy» on life-​class, etc. and most importantly, examples of their music choices — even links to iTunes if you’d like to purchase the music. So important when taking a class — I love that they do that! I chose String’s class cuz it was early enough to leave the rest of the day open and most importantly, he played a bunch of hip hop music. (I remember «beez in the trap» and «back that azz up», 50 cent, etc).
I couldn’t imagine how it was going to be that hard (it’s a stationary bike, after all) but after the 10 min «warmup» I was sweating bullets and sheepishly glancing at the door. They don’t use the weights until the end, but the riding itself goes faaaast. There’s only a few second break between songs, its dark, and the music never stops. At some point, he went around and pointed to people (its a packed room) and said «on point.» Think he pointed to me at some point when he said that but I’m thinking the jury is still out as to whether that means I was on point or should «get» on point. Lol… anyhow…
If there was one of these studios in Wisconsin I can see how it would be good for my tummy but so dangerous for my wallet. It’s a very efficient workout, and afterwards I was already trying to think of when I could come back for another class — could totally be a (good) addiction.
There’s merchandise with their logo on it at the front. Weekend classes fill up so book early (you can for the whole coming week on mondays,) as sometimes there’s a waiting list.

This is a great location in and out and Soul Cycle anywhere makes my day!!! There are plenty of locations all over Manhattan so be sure to try it’s a blast!

It was my first soul cycle class. A lot of friends were telling me just good things about it. So my expectations were high and I was totally looking forward.
I liked it, but expected more for 34 $ a class!
The women changing room is absolutely too small.
After the class we had to wait in a long line to get a shower. 5 Showers for classes with over 20 women are just way too less.
There is absolutely NO space to change after showering or put your clothes somewhere.
We had to stand all in front of the mirrors and toilets to get dressed.
I had to leave my clothes and purse on the floor, where 5 wet women were walking around and stepping on it.
The whole location is just too small and tiny… The entrance/​Lobby is «large» though :-D
At the counter we got a bottle of water before class. I just checked my bank account. They charged for this water, which is not THAT bad. But at least inform that its not free.
I announced that it is my first time, when I arrived. She brought me into the class room, and just set up my bike, without any kind of explanation. I know the same than before my class. Next time I need to ask again for help.
The Instructor was OK. I just expected more. More Motivation-​, positive speaking, Something what differs it from other sport classes.
But I will give it a try again and test another location and another Instructor…

I am your typical non-​athletic, junk food eating, trying-​not-​fall-​on-​the-​train-​is-​my-​daily-​core-​workout type of New Yorker. Then I signed up for one soul cycle class, and I saw what the rest of New York was doing. Flashing lights, upbeat techno, and uncomfy shoes – all accompanied with your own candle-​wielding instructor. What has exercise become? How long have I been out of the gym game? Is this what 21^st century working out is like? This is the new world of hype workout folks – not for the weak-​willed and certainly not for me. I’ll stick to the good old-​fashioned treadmill.

One of the best locations for soul cycle, spacious shower rooms and plenty of lockers. I have been hooked on to SoulCycle for almost an year and tried out various locations. Tribeca stays on the top. Very friendly front desk staff, they even offered to attach the clip for my new shoes I bought elsewhere. Notable instructors Charlee, Janet, they are the best. Tried String and Jadius too, they are great, just did not work out for me to take more of their classes.

amazing staff like all soulcycles that i’ve been to. they also have a 2^nd studio (for the soul band).

I’ve heard endless awesome things about SoulCycle, so it was inevitable that I would try it and love it. My best friend who has gone numerous times is hooked and she has raved about it only since forever. Well, once a themed ride with music we both like popped up on schedule that we both could get to after work, she quickly reserved our spots.
I walked into SoulCycle not knowing what to expect. I was greeted by the friendly and helpful staff that quickly helped me get situated and ready for my first ride! I was so excited to finally try out the infamous SoulCycle. That being said, I know why so many people are addicted.
The facility is clean and has plenty of lockers for you to store your stuff. There are showers and sprays and hair ties if you need. Also, once inside– the bikes need to be reserved in advance. My instructor was fun and high energy. He kept the class going and explained the need to know for the few of us new comers who joined in for this ride.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I was sweating like crazy! I also thought I was in shape lol! This is truly a fun experience. It’s hard but the great music keeps you going. Seeing everyone else get into the ride also motivates you to keep pedaling. Great and exciting way to get in some much needed cardio. New rides are posted on Mondays. Also, firs timers get a discounted ride at $ 20. Totally worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for a high energy and fun work out!

This was my first time going to a spin class. I don’t think it’s really for me, but I did have fun.
The facilities are spotless. The staff is enthusiastic, helpful, and extremely friendly from the moment you walk through the door– and they explain everything.
Bikes are assigned (you can request certain bikes which is cool). Once you get into the room there are staff members to help show you how to lock your feet into your bike, and adjust the height of the seat.
The locker area is literally the hallway you take to get to the classes, and a little narrow. So at rush hours there really aren’t enough benches or space to get ready comfortably. I came in my workout clothes which I was thankful for. The shower and bathroom area is VERY small, I think I may have seen three stalls. When we had first come in a class was emptying out, and the line for the showers was down the hall. That’s not really practical and after class I made a mad dash in. The showers are lovely and absolutely spotless, inside is body and facial wash, shampoo and conditioner, and the towels are surprisingly soft.
The class I took was a band class, meaning that coming from the ceiling are four tension bands you use in place of weights that allow you to work your upper body while spinning. I found these incredibly awkward and painful to use. This is probably because I have tendonitis, but I did hear complaints from two other newbies who went with me about pain in their fingers, but you may get used to it if you keep going.
Also…I have no rhythm, and you kinda need to in order to get the most out of this class. There’s a lot of up and down motions, lots of coordinating your arm movements to the up and known of your cycling knees so you don’t bang into them, keeping your speed controlled so you don’t snag or drop suddenly, timing your body to the music. I think it can be an exciting alternative to more straightforward exercise programs but I struggled. I found most of the motions, especially the ones that incorporated the upper body without using the bands, really awkward (like «crunches»). My more experienced friends seemed to have no trouble, so again this is probably something that comes with practice.
The room itself remains almost completely dark, with some ambient lighting. The instructor is in the center of the room on a platform and speaks through a headset. You’re not allowed to talk during the class. They play loud music to get you pumped up, and there was a nice selection at varying speeds. Again, rhythm is very important here, and it seemed like a lot of attention was paid to the songs so that they really synced up to the movements you needed to be doing. The last two songs were Dream On and Rocket Man, which mixed with my endorphins and the heat of the room (they’re not cooled down) pretty much made the workout for me.
By far my biggest pet peeve had to be the bikes themselves. The seat are extremely uncomfortable and the bikes are jam packed into the rooms right on top of each other. I know they want to accommodate as many people as possible, but I was consistently banging into my neighbor during the band exercises. The bikes are so close together that the staff members actually had trouble squeeeeezing in-​between them to get to me when setting up. We stretched at the end, some of which was done on the bike which I also thought didn’t give me the best stretches possible, and when we did try to stretch on the floor a bit there was really no where to do it because of all the bikes. The only parts of my body that felt the «burn» the next day were the part of my butt that were touching the seat and my fingers.
In short, I think there are more efficient ways to burn more calories and build muscle, but Soul Cycle is a nice way to mix it up.

Eh it gets the job done and they have so many classes to chose from. I use this as my back up studio but theres a much better work out at Peloton Cycle and they don’t crank the heat like Soul Cycle. I will be back when absolutely necessary, prices are way too high to make this a habit.

I love Soul Cycle and have been doing it pretty regularly for two years now. I took a Soul bands class at this location for the first time a few months ago. I took Emily F. I must say that of the 20+ different teachers I have had at soul cycle, she was my least favorite. I found her to be very rude and abrasive. I know that other people felt the same way by the looks on their faces. The energy in the room was awful. I will definitely not be taking any more of her classes.

UPDATE: the locker room area was officially open for business, and fully stocked with hair ties, disposable razors, q-​tips, and basic shower needs! Very pleased with the completed renovations. The class was also great. Still a little thrown by the warmth of the studio (76 degrees), but it did add to the euphoria afterwards. String is a great instructor! He emphasizes a good workout, not as much spiritual stuff.

Its official, I’m addicted! A really expensive addiction (my ONLY complaint, well that and the female patrons are VERY unfriendly; Soul Cycle can’t cure rudeness) but I will definitely be back… weekly…twice weekly! Tomas was by far the best instructor ever. His energy was not only infections but contagious, something incredibly important for a newcomer. The front desk attendants were gracious, accommodating and very attentive. After «working through the resistance» I had a blast!

I returned to Soul TriBeCa today for the first time in 3 years (!) and had a really top notch experience. The facilities were very clean and accessible, the staff was friendly and helpful (especially the manager, Amanda) and most importantly Emma delivered a great workout in her 45m 5:30pm Monday class. It’s worth the hype!

This is, by far, my favorite SC layout. There are lockers surrounding the two studios, it’s wide enough that you’re not bumping into folks on your way out. Two exit doors instead of one for studios and THE widest selection of SC gear I’ve seen so far. Even the bikes in the studios feel less cramped.
I’d be perfectly content if all my fave instructors taught at this location…

[cue playing You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling]
I started SoulCycling earlier this year when they ran a corporate promo at the Tribeca location. I went to my first class and was hooked. I don’t mind paying $ 30+/class for a great workout, but this SC studio lost its charm on me after 3 months *sob sob*
1. The locker layout is terrible. If you’re going to the evening class, it’s nearly impossible to get a locker and there’s very little room to move to/​from class. As I came here more frequently, it actually annoyed me more and more.
2. The instructors are hit or miss. There are instructors I really love (much love to Kym and Emily F!), and then there are instructors that are repetitive and downright annoying.
3. Registration opens Monday at noon for the upcoming 7 days and popular classes sell out within 2 minutes (not kidding). I don’t think it should be this hard to give someone $ 34 to kick my butt.
4. Front desk has an ineffective process. On a number of occasions, I was waitlisted for a class. Then, upon calling to check where I was on the wait-​list, I found out that there were actually OPEN SPOTS in the class. Why not just move me into the class already and let me know?
5. My single biggest pain point: the class EXPIRES without advanced notice. If you pre-​purchase a single class or a series of classes, they will expire (single class expires within 30 days, series of 5 within 45 days). At $ 30+/class, I feel like there should be more of a notice before the classes expire since we’re all busy people who have to juggle various deadlines.
6. The workout becomes repetitive after a while, it feels very one-​dimensional. When I pay $ 34/​class (plus $ 3 for shoe rental), I expect to: (1) walk out barely alive, (2) walk funny for days after, or (3) burn at least 750 calories consistently.