Indoor cycling studios such as SoulCycle and Flywheel have amassed a cult-like following for many of the same reasons cycling itself has one. Riding a bike can feel downright therapeutic sometimes—and just as SoulCycle intends to foster a “mind-body experience” through the power of indoor spinning, we know from experience that a long outdoor hill climb can lead to some serious mental breakthroughs. After all, it feels pretty good to push ourselves on pedals and sweat out the stresses of life with our tribe.
Of course, there are also some huge differences between riding outside and taking a class with SoulCycle or Flywheel—and some pretty great reasons dedicated Tap-Backers might want to consider buying their own bike.
Benefits of Riding Outside
Combining pulsating music with a mantra-heavy spiritual vibe, SoulCycle and Flywheel have a reputation for bringing its fans to an almost religious level of sweat worship. We get it—our bike rides can feel pretty transcendent sometimes, too. But here’s where riding outside has the advantage. Studies have shown that spending time in nature sharpens focus and improves attention span, while helping to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the bloodstream. Sure, riding in city traffic might not exactly help you achieve that zen state you’re looking for, but moving your workout to a quiet country road, protected bike path, or rail trail certainly will. And riding outside isn’t just good for your brain and your fitness—it’s also a win for your vitamin D levels and boosts your energy and immunity.
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Ride Anytime for Less
One of the most obvious drawbacks to boutique studio classes is the cost: $36 per class for SoulCycle and Flywheel in New York City, and upward of $28 to $30 per class nationwide. Sure, cycling can get pretty expensive, too, but it doesn’t have to. You can snag a used bike or a new, entry-level hybrid for the cost of a couple months of regular SoulCycle or Flywheel classes. Once you have the bike, you can ride it any time and every day if you’d like—no need to wait until class hours, or pony up money for each sweat session after your initial investment. Plus, if you really want to save money, you can start commuting by bike and watch the gas or public transportation savings pile up.
How to Make the Jump
First, there’s no reason to make it all or nothing—you don’t need to abandon your playlist-powered indoor sessions once you’ve got a bike. There are fitness advantages to both. SoulCycle and Flywheel make it easy to get in a quick HIIT workout on a rainy day, but riding outside helps you go longer and build endurance. And you engage more muscle groups through the balance and coordination of steering. Beginners to riding outside might want to start with a more upright-positioned fitness bike with flat bars, such as the Raleigh Alysa 3 or Cannondale Quick. Both bikes can be used for a social cruise or a killer workout depending on how hard you want to push yourself and how many hills you want to tackle. More experienced riders might look for a versatile drop-bar road bike that can also handle some gravel, like the Jamis Renegade Explore or Diamondback Haanjo 3, for long, social rides away from city static.
Here are some of the best bikes for people who love SoulCycle and Flywheel looking to move their ride outside.
Marin San Rafael DS1
The suspension fork helps iron out off-road ruts
$450 Buy Now
If you’re used to riding in a fitness studio, you’ll likely feel more at home on off-road trails, where you can fully appreciate the perks of riding outside without having to worry about car traffic. The aluminum San Rafael DS1 is designed for mixed terrain and doubletrack gravel, and to make a smooth transition between pavement and dirt so you can take it anywhere. The bike’s 63-mm-travel SR Suntour suspension fork helps soak up the pounding of gravel beneath 40-millimeter-wide Kenda Kahn tires. A triple crank paired with a seven-speed cassette makes it fun to tackle steeper dirt climbs, and Tektro mechanical disc brakes make stopping easy, while keeping the overall price of the bike more affordable. Rack and fender mounts add even more versatility to this on- and off-road fitness bike.
Bianchi Strada
A classic city bike with the chops to go long
$800 Buy Now
Who doesn’t feel instantly classy on a Bianchi? No amount of post-workout exhaustion can offset the vintage-inspired cool of this sleek, steel commuter. If you like to sweat in style, the flat-bar Strada has everything you need—a Shimano Claris drivetrain with double crank and eight-speed cassette, clearance for up to 38-millimeter-wide tires, and easy-to-maintain Tektro cantilever brakes. The bike also includes fender and rack mounts so you can use it as your primary commuter, as well as a peg to mount a classic frame pump.
Giant FastRoad SLR Disc
This solid commuter has road-smoothing superpowers
$1,175 Buy Now
This versatile, flat-bar bike strikes a nice balance between being nimble on the road without compromising its burly, four-season resilience on a long city commute. With a Shimano Tiagra drivetrain featuring double crank and 10-speed cassette, you have all the gears you need to veer off a rail trail and start tackling hills. An aluminum frame with composite fork keeps the bike light enough to make those out-of-the-saddle rises feel manageable; hydraulic disc brakes give you efficient stopping power on the way down. Giant’s D-Fuse seatpost is designed to flex and smooth the ride on rough roads, so you can take the bike anywhere. Plus, the frame includes rack mounts so you can add panniers and roll a few errands into the end of every workout.
Specialized Women’s Sirrus V-Brake
Get out there for less
$450 Buy Now
Proof you don’t have to spend a ton to get out on the road, the Sirrus is an entry-level ticket to falling in love with outdoor riding. With Shimano Tourney components featuring a triple crank and seven-speed cassette on a hardy aluminum frame with a steel fork, you’ve got everything you need to start pedaling to work or banging-out intervals on the bike path. Rack and fender mounts add to the bike’s commuting potential. Rim brakes keep the price lower compared to disc brakes. The bike is available in three colors and four sizes from extra-small to large.
Cannondale Quick 1 Disc
Lightweight and ready to climb it all
$1,300 Buy Now
The Quick line is one of my go-tos for recommending to new riders. If you haven’t been on a non-stationary bike in awhile, you’ll marvel at how light and efficient this alloy-frame Quick feels—and how comfortable it is to ride, thanks to flat bars and geometry that puts you in an upright position. A carbon-bladed fork shaves weight, while a Shimano 105 drivetrain with double crank and 11-speed cassette delivers smooth shifting to tackle any terrain. Hydraulic disc brakes give you added stopping power, and puncture-resistant 30-millimeter-wide tires and reduce the chance of a flat interrupting your workout. The bike also includes extra reflective graphics to keep you as visible as possible on the streets at night.
Raleigh Alysa 3
Versatility and value in an aluminum women's bike
$740 Buy Now
A women’s-specific bike built to cruise or hammer, depending on your mood, the Alysa 3 is as fun to ride as it is stylish. It’s also just a top-notch value for a bike this cute and versatile. With an aluminum frame and carbon fork, the Alysa 3 won’t weigh you down or feel sluggish on hills, and a Shimano Claris drivetrain with double crank and eight-speed cassette has you covered for most climbs. Flat bars and upright positioning, plus 35-millimeter-wide tires, make the bike a great one for comfort throughout your workout. Plus, mechanical disc brakes and fender and rack mounts make it a solid choice for year-round commutes that can double as base training.
Jamis Renegade Explore
Drop bars make it easier to go long on all terrain
$1,000 Buy Now
If you’re ready to surrender to the siren song of dirt towpaths and gravel trails, the Renegade Explore is the drop-bar adventure machine for you. With a double-butted aluminum frame, a carbon fork, and comfortable endurance geometry, the bike offers a versatile entryway into long rides that take you past the city limits to where the pavement ends. Great for both hammering and commuting in all weather, the Renegade Explore has a double crank with nine-speed cassette, Tektro mechanical disc brakes, rack and fender mounts, tubeless-ready rims, and clearance for up to 42mm-wide tires on 700c rims, or 47mm-wide tires on 650b rims. The bike also features size-specific frame design, so the smallest size should offer the same comfort and performance as the largest.
Diamondback Haanjo 3
Ready for rough roads and long days in the saddle
$950 Buy Now
The Haanjo 3 is the kind of bicycle that’s designed to cover all your ride needs so you don’t need separate bikes for city commutes, gravel grinding, cyclocross races, and fitness rides. (Cyclists jokingly call this the “n+1 mentality”—that the number of bikes you need is always one more than the number you have.) With an aluminum frame and fork designed to be tough yet comfortable for long rides—and Tektro mechanical disc brakes and a Shimano Sora drivetrain with double crank and nine-speed cassette to keep the price affordable—the super-versatile Haanjo 3 is a great entryway into riding off-road.
Kona Big Dew
Add more dirt to your workout
$799 Buy Now
The “big” in Big Dew could stand for a lot of things: Big performance, big fun, and big 47-millimeter-wide tires. Built with a sturdy-feeling aluminum-butted frame and fork and Shimano Alivio/Acera drivetrain with double crank and nine-speed cassette, the Big Dew is designed to tackle the potholes and road noise of a city commute as capably as a wooded trail. Shimano mechanical disc brakes give you added stopping power in year-round ride conditions.
Salsa Journeyman
Start planning your next big weekend adventure
$899 Buy Now
Built for cruising, racing, and even light bikepacking, the Journeyman is a do-it-all adventurer available in drop-bar and flat-bar setups. With Shimano Claris components featuring double crank and eight-speed cassette, Salsa brings affordability to the gravel-touring scene without sacrificing versatility and performance. It's also a capable, stylish bike for riding to work or putting in long hours on the pavement. Wheel size is up to you: The Journeyman can take either a 700c or 650b, and comes in builds for both. Lots of mounts for fenders, racks, and cages make it easy to find new uses for this bike. There's even a fork-crown mount for attaching a headlight for commuting or exploring trails at night.
