SoulCycle Review

In the last week of maternity leave I also have childcare, as I transition Paige into the daycare setting to get ready for my return to work. Anyway, that frees me up to do things like try out the new SoulCycle studio (MEMO) which opened yesterday right down the street from our house. I have never been to a SoulCycle class before, but I have done a whole lotta regular ole spin classes, so I felt the need to check it out. It's a cross between spin class and some of the spiritual aspects of yoga. I mean have you ever done crunches while riding a bike? They offer some different classes, but I opted for their regular signature class, also called "SoulCycle" versus "SoulSurvivor" etc. (45 minute class with lots of fans and the room is not heated in any way). Here's some of my initial impressions:

PROS
*MUSIC: An enviable, motivating playlist. I am a music person and I loved the music.
*ENVIRONMENT: The room is awesome, it's an experience in and of itself. There are candles going, and the teacher flicks accent lights on/off with the music. The locker room is amazing, with every amenity you could want. All white and very zen.
*WHOLE BODY WORKOUT: There are weights beneath the bike seat which you use while riding, towards the end of class. I traded out my 2 lb weights for 3 lb weights, which was perfect, but beware of the reps and don't go too heavy! You also do tricep/bicep push-ups while riding.
*CLEAN: They sanitize the bikes and shoes between each person.
*LOCATION: Like I mentioned, the MEMO location is so convenient for me. If there's one thing I've learned about making time to work out over the years, it's that convenience is clutch!

CONS
*COST: Who can afford to regularly pay $30 per class?! Seriously?! Oh, add $3 more if you need to "rent" shoes.
*LOUD: My ears are still ringing. I felt like an old lady at a rock concert. There is a speaker and subwoofer above every other bike. A girl near me was wearing earplugs; I didn't get that memo.
*CROWD: Maybe it was the time of day I went, but it wasn't a diverse group. From what I could surmise, the majority were very wealthy stay at home moms who are veterans of the River Oaks SOUL location. There was a clique already. There was only 1 guy and I think I was 1 of 3 "first timers" even though it just opened yesterday.
*CLASS TIMES: They only offer on average about 4 classes a day (maybe that's why they have to charge so much per class?), none of which line up with my work schedule, which essentially cancels out the convenience element

All in all, it was a great workout and I truly enjoyed it. Is is going to be added to my regular rotation? No, for the reasons above. However, I think I'll make it an occasional treat. Instead of going to get a pedicure with a friend, maybe we'll meet at SoulCycle. A workout date. I like the sound of that. Bye bye baby weight!