Elite Event: SparkCycle

Holy SparkCycling burn! I must say there were no feelings of gluttony or guilt after this Elite event. I have taken spin classes in the past, none of which could have prepared me for this SparkCycle class and I loved to hate every moment!
I was definitely impressed by the facilities. Lightening bolts adorn the walls, lockers are provided for personal effects, clean bathrooms, even a shower room. Upon check-​in we were each given a pair of clip in cycling shoes for use during our class. The gift bags were a sweet surprise. I use my SparkCycle water bottle daily.
Our sparkstructor Maya was absolutely impressive! She took time at the beginning of class to introduce the equipment, make sure everybody was properly secured to their bike and comfortable. Then the music came on and we were off on an hour long ride that pushed my body beyond what I thought it was capable of. Maya’s words of encouragement kept me pedaling and I was sure sparks were about to start flying from my feet. The music selections perfectly set the tone for the various cycling segments and even the lighting changes also worked to set my psyche up for victory! Weights on the back of every bike and a portion of class dedicated to arms; I certainly felt the total body workout.
My one and only complaint is that there is not a SparkCycle closer to my house.yet.
I must give thanks to SparkCycle, Maya and the rest of the super friendly and helpful staff, and Estefany for the fit and fabulous Friday evening!

I love to eat and workout so I especially love when Unilocal allows me to do both! I really enjoyed working out with fellow Unilocalers at the event. I spin a few times a week so the style of cycling at Sparkcycle is not new to me.
This is not a regular spin class. It is an experience. You are sweating and jamming to some awesome music as if you were at a club. Only in addition to sweat and good tunes, you’re out of breath and maybe on a bit of pain. No fear, the experience lasts 45 minutes and once you’re done you’ll have burned 500 or more calories! My only complaint is that the place could use a bit more ventilation as it was very hot in there.
The instructor at Sparkcycle was very very motivating and had high energy. I love when instructors are that way.
The post workout party was excellent. I liked the man candy that came to serve drinks immediately after class. If those guys don’t motivate anyone to workout then I don’t know what will.
I really liked the gummy bears. I’m going to admit I ate maybe like 10. The other candy and decoration were really cute! I loved how everything matched the Unilocal and Sparkcycle theme.
Thank you Sparkcycle for the workout, party, and foodie bags! I love my Sparkcycle water bottle! Also thank you Estefany! You did such a great job organizing this event!

Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat, don’t die, sweat, sweat, OMG I’m going to die, sweat, sweat, sweat, cool down, still sweating, OH MY who is that? Hello hotties with beer, I need some water, pizza, quesadillas, taquitos, No just water… who am I kidding get me a beer and pizza too! Unilocal you never cease to amaze me with the tricks you have under your sleeves!

Estafany was our fearless leader that night, armed with her spectacular smile she got all us rowdy elites checked in. After a quick tour of the facilities we chose our bikes. I strategically chose a bike in the back. No one was going to see me die! Sparkcycle let’s you borrow the proper shoes for the spin class on crack that we took. I held my own till the end of the class and damn it I’m proud of it. I celebrated with a gallon of water, a beer and a slice of pizza. Too good to pass up.

I really enjoyed the class and pushed myself to finish, I loved how I felt after. I was thinking it would be a great place for a date night. You sweat and get pumped, shower, then head out for dinner. Thank you Sparkcycle for inviting us, it won’t be the last you see of me. I will eventually get someone to go with me, date or not! Thank you Estafany for making it work out so smoothly, we missed you sweating with us.

I think I’ve finally recovered from this event, but not in the normal way! No hangover this time, but I still got my butt kicked!
Maya was an excellent leader through the class and I it was great to have help getting set up on my bike since I’d still call myself a new spinner– at least when it comes to indoor bikes.
I thought at one point I was going to fall off the bike due to my lack of coordination, but I was able to power through! And sure, I cheated a few times and didn’t do 100% of the moves, but I’d like to think that just leaves room for improvement!
The entire place was beautifully designed, clean and the staff was super friendly. I will be dragging friends here to check out the classes as well and there’s a good chance I will be a regular once I figure out how to coordinate my schedule with their class schedule better!
I’d recommend Spark Cycle to anyone looking for a change in routine, a challenge and a smile after a good sweat!

My delayed review is only because of a busy weekend!
WHAT AN AMAZING EVENT!!!
Not only is Sparkcycle an unbelievable «gym» but the Unilocal representative that made it all happen was fantastic.
I take spin anyway, so I knew what I was getting into, but the addition of the chilled eucalyptus towels, shirtless wine slingin’ men and yummy treats really made it a blast. I even made some new friends! I will be posting a review of the facility separately, but man, soooo much fun!!!

I’m an avid spinner and I loved this place so much, I signed up, I signed up!
Was so pleased to see the bikes, fruit basket, water station and friendly service.
Such a wonderful event, I have done five classes since Friday and all the instructors are incredibly sweet and positive.
My favorite so far is Beyoncé vs Rhianna, the best class ever.
Such a party, parking validation is provided and the studio is small but clean and organized. I loved Maya’s energy and her message, I don’t know what ill do after my one month membership ends!

After a summer of epic, indulgent Unilocal parties (Harrah’s, Unilocaliversary SF, Unilocal Rocks the Boat, etc…), it was nice to mix things up a little with a good ol’ fashioned sweat fest.
I was feeling a little worn out upon arrival, but as soon as I saw Estefany’s smiling face I was pumped and ready to go. My energy level was further elevated by the table full of red candies that Sparkcycle had set out near the entrance. I hear gummy bears are the best form of pre-​work out snack ;-).
You could tell that the owners took a lot of care in designing the interior of the studio. Everything was decorated tastefully in red and white ( Unilocal colors!), and the design was super clean and modern. The bikes themselves were really solid and the pedals had clip-​ins for two different styles of bike cleats. The only thing I didn’t like about the bikes was the lack of computer monitors, but with the way they set up their rides, I suppose you wouldn’t really use one anyways.
I used to cycle regularly when I lived in Seattle, but I have never done a cycling class quite like this one. They brand it as a «party on a bike», and it certainly felt like a club. The music was loud, the energy was high, and the lighting changed with the song. There is no way anyone left that room without being super sweaty.
Sparkcycle provided us with a lovely after-​party on their patio, and considering how sweaty everyone was, I was so glad the party was outdoors ;-). They had lots of food and alcohol options, but after the intense workout all I felt like eating was the Paleo Pops and strawberry water. Both tasted delicious post-​workout.
Thanks Estefany and Sparkcycle, this was a great way to kick off my weekend (the rest of which was not so health, ooops)!

my legs are finally starting to feel normal again. It was my first exercise elite event that didn’t involve noms and drinks (well, not until after we burned a few hundred calories!)
The shoes they had us change into were really cool, although I couldn’t get them latched onto the bike for at least 5 minutes. I would say I’m a pretty athletic person but I was completely drenched by the end of the class.
I really liked our instructor Maya, she kept getting us with «last set guys!»
There was also an incline moment where she had us close our eyes and said some motivational words. It truly was a blissful moment of relaxation and I could definitely see how one class a week would very de-​stressing!
After our class, two tan and chiseled guys wheeled out a bar/​wine cart. What a treat after getting our blood pumping + endorphins going on the bikes! Safe to say I didn’t hesitate to bring a margarita with me back to the girl’s shower room. It was stocked with girly bathroom essentials (hairties, shampoo and conditioner, lotion, shaving cream, etc.)
After a relaxing shower it was super nice to mingle with the rest of the elite members there and to munch on slices from Pizza on Pearl, chicken taquitos, and quesadillas w/​guac from rubio’s. There were cheese boards spread out and I think I mouse’d all the gorgonzola. (sshh)
All in all, that was a freaking fun elite event! A million thank yous to Estefany :) I will definitely be back to Sparkcycle

Elite events are always great, but when there’s fitness involved it’s ever BETTER. Love the idea of changing things up, especially on a Friday night — keeps that motivation going through the weekend.
Loved the facilities. They were clean, bright and smelled divine even after all of our sweaty bodies crammed in for a killer spin sesh. Maya was a great instructor. Full of energy and motivation. I knew they were serious when we got the clip in shoes, didn’t realize HOW serious they were until I was thanking my lucky stars for them. Push, push, push, push, pump, pump, pump, pump, sprint, sprint, sprint, sprint and we’re done.
45 minutes couldn’t have gone by any faster. Love the new Sparkcycle and even more love for the people runnin’ it. You guys done good.

«Right, Left… Right, Left» that’s what was in my head the rest of the night after class. What a workout!
This was my first ever spin class and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew it would be difficult, but I didn’t know that it would be this hard! I thought I was going to pass out after the first 2 songs. But, I kept pushing through with the encouragement of our instructor Maya and the music. The class started off quickly and we got our heart rates going right away. After a few upbeat songs, we did slow things down slightly and cycle to a slower tempo. I liked the fact that Maya turned the lights down and up throughout the class with the tempo of the music. We also worked out our arms with weights, so it was a total body workout. At the end, we were all handed cold Eucalyptus towels which were heavenly after a hard workout.
After the workout, we were served some drinks by a couple of scantily-​clad men, ate some tasty food, listened to some good music, and mingled with other Unilocal Elites and guests of SparkCycle for their Grand Opening event. Estefany did a fantastic job of coordinating this event! The staff at SparkCycle were very friendly as well.
I really enjoy going to the fitness Unilocal Elite events and this is another 5 star event. Getting the opportunity to try a class, get some swag, and mingle afterwards is always fun. Thanks Estefany for a successful and awesome event!

(Secret: when she said to turn the resistance up, I turned it down.)
Halfway through the first song, I thought, OH MY GOD THERE IS NO WAY I CAN DO THIS. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO QUIT AFTER ONE SONG! And I started to panic. But fortunately I was able to keep going.
The instructor, Maya, was great. The facility was really nice, with lockers and showers. The cold cucumber towel at the end was SOOOO perfect! And the swag bag was a nice touch!
I didn’t realize that being coordinated would be so difficult! Like if my legs were going slower than the instructor’s, it meant I couldn’t do the upper body stuff in time with the music either, and that was tough!
I loved being able to try spinning; I’ve always wanted to. It was a fantastic workout, and I was completely drenched in sweat at the end!
Anyway, this was an awesome event! thanks so much Estephany and Unilocal and Sparkcycle!

Exercise gives you endorphins, but exercising with Unilocalers gives you endorphins AND pizza (& alcohol) !
Loved this event! Friday nights are usually reserved for couchpotatoey goodness, so I was shocked to find myself in an intense cycling session complete with weights and some heart-​stopping beats from Flux Pavilion. My favorite types of exercise are the ones that make you feel like you’re dying, so this takes the cake!
I’m a multi-​tasker, so I love the fact that I can get my cardio, strength training, meditating/​yogi-​ness, dancing (in a club atmosphere), & socializing all into 45 minutes! Why didn’t I start doing this sooner?!
Beautiful, clean facilities, mood lighting, fruit bowls, sweet and helpful staff — everything about this place is top notch.
I work in La Jolla, so I will DEFINITELY be back soon! Sparkcycle is exciting enough to motivate me to get outta bed early & come in for a 6am class before work. Whaa?
Thank you Estefany for hosting this event, somehow looking flawless even after the 45 minutes class… hmmm suspicious ;) Even without Brad, she pulled it off like a pro! A huge thank you to our incredible instructor MAYA for having amazing energy and motivating us the entire way, and the rest of the SparkCycle team for hosting this awesome event! I will be back!

As I write this review I’m loosing feeling in my legs lol j/​k I had a great time working a sweat at SparkCycle.
I’d never done indoor cycling with lock cleats before so this was a new experience for me! Our instructor Maya was flat out amazing. Not only did her infectious energy keep us pumped but her words of inspiration to keep us going caused a zen moment for me. For spark cycle to be able to combine zen and cycling is super impressive lol. They have lots of great specials going on right now so the classes are not too expensive-I’ll definitely be back!
We each had fresh towels on our bikes which I definitely needed at several points throughout the high intensity workout. What kicked up the awesome another notch were the cold eucalyptus towels passed out at the end of class-​perfect! 2 guys rolling in with a mobile bar after class was a sweet treat too.
The shower room and restroom were stocked with everything one might need (fresh towels, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, hair toes, razors, etc!). Our goody bags were full of great treats. The pizza, charcuterie, quesadillas, etc totally hit the spot. It was also nice to mingle with the sparkcycle regulars at the after class party. I even ran into one of my coworkers there lol.
All in all a great experience. Fantastic job Estefany!

HOLY SMOKES! Spin class is the real deal, & I couldn’t get enough of it. I’m happy I was able to attend, Unilocal Elite Events need to incorporate more work out opportunities, especially with all the food we eat, haha. Rolled up solo, smooth check in, filling out the necessary paperwork. The SparkCycle team gave a tour of their studio. Awesome locker room w/​showers and bathroom stalls. Unhealthy snacks/​candy were provided in the beginning, haha, I think they wanted to incorporate the awesome Sparkcycle Red!
I did fear spin class, I haven’t taken it before. But I do cardio so I wasn’t too nervous. Instructor Maya was great, she set me up at my station, adjusting it to fit my height and size. Spin shoes and locking into the cycle itself is something that was new to me. Once we got started, the MUSIC, the LIGHTS, the ENCOURAGEMENT all help me get through this class. Playing Danity Kane’s Lemonade and ending with Britney’s Work Bitch, I was pedaling like a mad woman. You MUST have rhythm to get through this class, biking to the beat. Adjusting resistance is how I was able to get through it all. I also love how weights are incorporated into the workout, not forgetting to tone up.
Swag Bag was necessary, included good quality stuff. Once the class was over, we were offered Cold Wet Eucalyptus Towels — Ahhhh, perfect for the cool down. Class was over, lights turned out, then 2 hot guys with their shirts off come out with booze. Where am i!!! I didn’t get to stay after too long for all the snacks, the Paleo Pop Sample was delish. I had somewhere to be, but I heard there was pizza and Rubios.
Please do more workout events! So much fun! And I never regret workouts.

Couple of firsts, first Elite event and first spin class.
Everything was top notch, from the instructors, the complimentary toiletries in the locker room, to the Pearl Izumi cycling shoes. My only wish was that I was a tad more outgoing to make the first introduction to the fellow elites. To those I had the fortune of making acquaintance with, it was my pleasure.
To sign off, the evening got me hooked. I signed up for 10 more classes and I hope to meet each and everyone of you at future events.
Big thanks to Estefany for playing Circus Master :0)

Fun event! The class wasn’t really my bailiwick, though. Probably because I am too old. I only recognized one song and only vaguely. I couldn’t hear the instructor over the music. Most of the class I had no clue what I was doing and just faked it.
The scantily clad bartenders at the end were nice and fun! And more booze for the ladies because most of the guys I talked to were afraid to approach them. The facilities were super nice as were the staff. I liked the automated lockers a lot. It would help to post instructions how to use them, though. I’ve seen those types of lockers before so I was ok. But others were confused. The cold eucalyptus towels at the end of class were heavenly.
I don’t know if they’ve thought of this because I didn’t see a schedule and I don’t see one on the website, but changing up the music might be nice. I could do a classic rock class. And a disco ball. I expected a disco ball.
Thanks Estefany for a great event!

«Gonna make you sweat ’til you bleed
Is that dope enough? Indeed…»
— C+C Music Factory
Got my Unilocal sweatbands, towel, and water bottle with me… and as one of the few guys in attendance so far — lucky us! — there’s one thought going through my mind after signing all the waivers:
I am going to die.
More to come — hopefully!
5 hours later…
As this was my first spinning class (and after reading a few of the other reviews, I guess I’m not the only one), I didn’t know what to expect. Magnetic shoes, okay… so these clip on to the pedals, yes? Now I’m clipped in… wait, so we pedal the entire time? And we do crunches and leans? And weightlifting?!?
I am MOST DEFINITELY going to die.
The 45 minutes went by fast — my friend Ali L. was surprised at how I was able to keep up (though my legs weren’t coordinated) with all the crunches, weightlifting, and leaning in and out. Our instructor Maya sure kept the 40 or so of us motivated! If anything, I was more concerned for my friends who didn’t look like they were doing so well. But once that final song (appropriately, «Work Bitch» by Britney Spears) came on… the adrenaline kicked in.
And… WE SURVIVED.
And then — two staffers that looked like they came out of Chippendales entered after cool down with a cart full of adult beverages. (It’s La Jolla, go figure that SparkCycle knows how to market to their target audience.) So, while the ladies were getting pics and mixed drinks, it was off to the showers after grabbing a well deserved beer.
I will give credit to the SparkCycle folks — their facility is top notch in terms of a well-​stocked shower room (I even made use of the deodorant!)… but only two restrooms and none in the showers? Huh. Anyways, after cleaning up, we made our way to the main courtyard where there was a cocktail party going on to celebrate tonight’s soft opening/​grand opening. Got some pizza, taquitos, and quesadillas, grooved to the beat while chatting with friends old and new, and eventually had to take off as the parking garage nearby only was good for public parking until 8.
To the folks at SparkCycle: thanks for the great workout! You’ve made me feel like I want to hit the gym once more! To the friends I made tonight, glad to meet you! And to Estefany: thanks for this great event!
See you all at the next Elite Event! And now, I am gonna ice my knees and have another well-​deserved beer…

This was my first spin class ever and I’m glad I got to share it with fellow Unilocalers.
The following is my oh so ever detailed thought process throughout the entire event.
Oh, we need special shoes? Okay. This is intense. Sign me up.
Waiver? That doesn’t worry me one bit. Let’s sign away.
Where should I be? Everyone’s in the back hiding. Hmm, let’s do the front. Not dead center, but to the left should be good. It’ll keep me accountable. Can’t slack off in the front.
Swag? YES! I got a SPARK water bottle and this cool bracelet. Score!
How do I lock these shoes in? Oh, okay. Thanks Maya! Shoot. Crap, how do I get off this bicycle now? Act normal. Look around and see how other people are getting off. No one is getting off. This is not a good sign.
Class is starting. Hmm, okay. Let’s get started. Let’s play with the resistance. Let’s try turning to the right. Just kidding, let’s go back to the left. Crap, my shoe came off my foot. How does that even happen? Urgh, let’s get this shoe back on and act calm. Okay back to work. Oh my god, how is it that only two songs have passed? I have to keep going. I do kickboxing and run. I can do this. Do I have to turn the resistance to the right? Sigh, okay. Focus Mai! You can do this. My triceps hurt. Did I really PULL MY TRICEPS IN A CYCLING CLASS? What is this nonsense? Are we really incorporating weights into this? Really? Okay. Oh yay! I can punch with weights. I’m good at punching. Not so much at anything else, but punching I can do.
One more song and of course it’s Britney’s Work B*tch. This is super fitting. I feel like dying, but this song is actually kind of pumping me up. Keep going. You’re almost there! 30 more seconds? YOU GOT THIS MAI. Eucalyptus scented towel, a picture with the two shirtless bartenders, AND pizza? Yes! I earned this.
Job well done Sparkcycle staff. You kicked my butt and despite feeling all that pain, I really did enjoy the class. Must be all those endorphins that kicked in. Thank you to Maya for being such an amazing instructor. You were so enthusiastic and I needed that. I may consider taking up cycling after my kickboxing membership is up. This was such a different type of workout and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to Estefany and the rest of the Unilocal staff for helping organize this as well.
I am now going to ice my legs now.

As fit as I am, this was my first spin class. I have always wanted to try it since my dream is to do a tri and I’m glad I got a taste.
I come to realize that although I have the endurance of a marathon runner, I do not have the coordination to be a spinner. With the butt lifts and hands and arms switch-​a-​roos, I was totally uncoordinated. Wtf?!
We were greeted by signing our liabilities away and in return we were provided spin shoes. The room with 40 bikes was dark and cool. Then the instructor Maya started her routine. Love the energy, love the flow, love the music and lights and love the hard core sweat!!!
Half way thru I was already huffing and puffing and sweating my ass off. Really?! I just ran a half marathon last weekend and I’m already spent within 30 mins?! Lol
I enjoyed the weights the most. I crosstrain by lifting a couple times a week so I’m used to weightlifting. I really like the strength training during the spinning.
By the end of class, I just wanted something cool to drink and grub. I asked Maya how many calories are burned during the workout and she mentioned about 500 – 600. HOLLA! I totally deserved that slice of greasy pizza we all had post workout!!!
We were given some cool swag and yummy treats. Gummy bears tasted sooo good and I barely eat gummies! I must have been delusional post workout.
Although I LOVED the workout not sure if I can get coordinated enough to do the extras. Oh and my ass was hurting from the bike seat. I think I have a bruise down in my hoo-​haa!!!
Thanks Estefany for taking over for Brad tonight and thanks to SparkleCycle for such a fun and awesome grand opening event!!! Always love the workout events!!!

Beep, Beep, Beep, thing got foggy rather quickly, and the next thing I heard was «CLEAR,» «CLEAR» and then I awoken, starring down the the face of Maya, shouting orders, «MOVE IT,» «LET’S DO IT,» «DON’T GIVE IN TO THE PAIN.» and I was like, «say what,» I have to have more pain, but what about the fog?” Of course, I was ignored and the pain continued…
To make a long story short, that little (
), let’s say 5′ 5″ 100lbs or so kicked my 6′ 3″ 240lbs butt! But I thought, I am the Godfather, the Legendary one, you can’t do this to me, well she did and that Spin Cycle class kept going and going, song after song… The only end of the tunnel I saw, was the one through the misty haze right before I heard, «CLEAR!»
If you need to work on Cardio, COME here…
If you need to build your stamina, COME here…
If you need to tone up, COME here…
and, if you need to get some motivation, yes, COME here…
An amazing place to accomplish all of the above, with great amenities, such as showers with some very hot water that felt so good after such a crazy work out, some Toiletries to make you feel at home, and an amazing well to do and upbeat staff. So, thank you Spark Cycle for letting us use your excellent facilities, providing some beverages and eats, by the way, I loved the flavored water (
), Justin and I kept fighting over it, and for making us feel very welcomed.
Well done Estefany for putting on this event. It was a pleasant change up, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the pain I was put through. On the bright side, it gives me an excuse to get sensual massage tomorrow… I will send the bill to Brad B. ~Smiles!
Great seeing you all Great Elite Unilocalers… truly…