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Nov 4, 2009 10:01 AM by
Brad DuPree 
Indoor cycling is a blast and a great cardio workout. You're right, you do want to arrive early and introduce yourself to the instructor. He or she will help get you set up correctly on your bike and give you the basics so you know what to expect. If you have a heart rate monitor, be sure to wear it (but feel absolutely comfortable attending without one if you don't!). The instructor will go over the heart rate chart at the start of class and then, throughout the class, give you cues about heart rate zones and about how you should be feeling in those zones. You can determine how much speed/resistance you need to add or take off to make it work for you... just listen to your body! The instructor will basically be simulating an outdoor ride so you will encounter things like hill climbs, speed or tempo work, or endurance training. Instructors follow a schedule of periodization that is posted under the Studio Ride Calendar for each club and lets you know what the profile for each day is (hills and strength, speedplay, anaerobic threshold intervals or aerobic endurance). Take it at your own pace and use the first class as an opportunity to get to know the format. The lights are off and you are in control of your bike so make it work for you! Bring plenty of water and be sure to grab a towel on your way in... be ready to sweat!
Happy pedaling 
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Thanks for the insights!
Someone else advised me to go into the spinning studio on a quiet day (like today, Sunday) and just try out the bikes. That way I can figure out my settings etc. Does everyone wear cycling shoes? I have some, so I'll bring mine in today when I try out the bikes on my own. I just dont remember ever seeing anyone walking through the gym in cycling shoes (or in socks carrying them )
The pedals are both SPD and Look compatible, so if your shoes have either of those types of cleats, you're good to go. If not, no worries, just choose a bike with toe cages on it & wear a good pair of athletic shoes. If you have Looks, you will need to be on a bike that doesn't have cages (or else remove the cages). There are lots of folks that do ride in cycle shoes but plenty that don't, so you'll be in good company either way. For those that do wear cycling shoes, they often wear a pair of flip flops or other slip on shoes up to the studio and put on their shoes up there.
Even if you take the time to check out the bikes ahead of time, I'd still encourage you to ask the instructor to double check at your first class as the bikes in the cycle studio do have a slightly different geometry than a road or mtn bike and may feel different to you. You want to ensure that you've got the proper set-up so that you are set up for success!
So I took my first class today! Overall it went really well. It was such a nice day here, the instructor had us all drag our bikes out by the pool. There were about 8 or 9 of us. By accident, I ended up in the back, but I'm glad ... I am so slow!! I could not keep up the same cadence as everyone else. I still really enjoyed it though and cant wait til I can keep up better with the class.
Due to several injuries over the summer, I have really let my cardio levels slide and boy did I feel it! (first I pulled hamstring in April, then fractured a finger/had surgery in May in a bike crash, then got a stress fracture in left shin mid summer) Just a few months ago it took major efforts to get me huffing and puffing, and I used to have pretty decent VO2 for someone my age (41), but I have definitely slid. I think between keeping up my spinning classes, the stair climber and swimming, I should get back to a decent level in a few weeks. I still cant run ... dr's orders for no hard impact exercise on my shin 
Thanks again for all the helpful insights and advice. It definitely made going to my first class easier.
