Indoor Cycling Studio Review: Stride Sea Isle!

📍 Indoor cycling studio in Sea Isle City, NJ

Visited: 5/29/22 & 5/30/22

Over Memorial Day Weekend, I packed up for a quick weekend getaway to Sea Isle City so Tom and I could spend a couple of days on the beach…but mostly so I could scope out a Stride class in-person! After watching on social media/virtually for so long I knew Tori DeSimone’s beachside studio was #1 on my list of indoor cycling studios to visit and I wasn’t going to let a long weekend (also their 3rd season opening weekend!!) pass by. A quick drive (~4 hours from Upstate NY) and we were off!

Music

We were lucky enough to take a few different classes with different instructors, and all the instructors had a wide variety of music. We heard everything from oldies to hip-hop, pop and “knives in a blender drop” EDM all in one weekend (just the way I like it 😂). But truly, there is a bike here for every musical preference.

5/5 stars

Choreography

Fun fact: I didn’t tell Tom what kind of cycling studio we were going to. So when the instructors whipped out “four pulses into two pushups, double left-center-right-center-taps-with-the-X rinse and repeat” he was taken for a bit of a surprise and looked at me like WTF😂. As a newbie to choreo, it could feel really challenging at times. I personally would have liked to see some more modifications. Nonetheless, it was still fun to try and keep up with the instructor!

Stride has also started incorporating some traditional style cycling classes with no or minimal choreography. We got to take one of those classes as well and enjoyed it! I’m happy to see some more beginner-friendly rides being added.

3.5/5 stars

Class LEngth & Difficulty

Each class ended right around 45 minutes, which was the perfect length for a vacay sweat (and a good switch up from the 60 minute classes I’m used to at home). The classes are scheduled back-to-back with a 15 minute break between, so it can feel a bit chaotic during the switch. The front desk staff is awesome and does their best to help make it a seamless transition!

Sometimes the last thing you want to do while on vacay is workout, but Stride makes it fun to get movement in so that you feel energized for the rest of your day. Idk about you, but for me being lazy on the beach all day feels better when I know I got some progress on my apple watch rings done that morning. The classes didn’t leave me feeling exhausted/drained for the rest of the day (despite some of the crazy choreo!!!).

4/5 stars

Atmosphere

I was so impressed by the staff who remembered me and Tom each day we checked in. (They even remembered Tom’s rental shoe size!) Our first class there was a surprise bachelorette ride, and I was lucky enough to get to meet the co-owner Jess as well who greeted me with a huge hug 🥺. The whole Stride fam is so welcoming!!

Something different about Stride Sea Isle was their use of headphones instead of a traditional PA system. This allowed each rider to customize their experience and volume. To be honest, I thought I wasn’t going to like them, but once class got started I pretty much forgot they were on.

Also the studio is literal steps away from the ocean. It doesn’t get any better. Perfection. Chefs Kiss. Love it. 5/5 stars

Know before you go

Parking: The classes we went to were early enough in the day that there was plenty of parking in the city center area. There were QR codes to scan and pay for parking on an app, we used it all day and found it super convenient. There was a bit of a walk, so plan to get there early if you’re driving in.

Clips: I have Tiem’s with SPD clips and couldn’t get them to work with the bike, so I ended up renting studio shoes (Delta clips). The bikes require clip-in shoes, no toe cages.

Bikes: Stride branded bikes. Sturdy, I personally found it hard to get the resistance heavy enough at times, sometimes turning 8-10 times before feeling the pedals finally push back.

Other Offerings: Stride also offers beach mat pilates (yes…ON the beach!). Oceanside views and the warm morning summer sun?? Sign me up! I’ll definitely be taking a Pilates class when I go back. Also budget some extra spending money for their cute AF merch.

How to Book: Download the Stride Spin & Fitness app. Always check to see if there are any new rider specials 🥳. The studio is only open each summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day, so get in while you can!