Elite Event: Flywheel

Traveled to Walnut Creek for the class and I’m happy I did! I go to the gym regularly but this was actually my first spin class! Cycling is on the bottom of my list of cardio methods but Flywheel totally changed that for me!
Its located conveniently on main street, around Broadway plaza, very nice/​upscale area. They have a big sign so you won’t miss it. Its new, so when I went inside, I was already impressed. Before taking the class, I had to sign up on their website to obtain a username/​account and once you’re registered for a class, they will email you a confirmation a long with instructions on what you need to do when you arrive. I had to check in on their little laptops that you’ll see right when you walk in, then it’ll let you know what number station bike you’ll be on and which cubby your complimentary shoes are placed. The cubbies are located right below the check in computers so you grab them and head into the lock room area. If you need of assistance, their front desk is beside the check in area as well as their little merchandise store, which I, unfortunately, did not get a chance to look at as I was running a little late.
The locker area, and i say ‘area’ because it isn’t a closed room. Its open to everyone, men and women, but if you go all the way further back, there are changing rooms and the restroom. You don’t need a lock for the lockers and they’re free! All you need to do is find an empty one and enter a 4 digit code, super convenient. A nice, well designed, clean, and modern looking area with benches and chairs. The only downside is that, it gets crowded in there as it is not a huge area.
Before walking into the cycling room, there is a map layout with the number stations beside the door way, that way you can located your bike prior to walking in. That was very helpful since it was already dark in there and it’s a big room with numerous bikes. It would have been very difficult to locate your bike had they not have that map there.
When I got to my bike, I had no idea how to clip in my shoes to the peddles but luckily, there were employees who were going around helping out. They helped me lock into the peddles and adjust my seat. As I mentioned, I was running a little late, so i guess I skipped the part where they were giving instructions on how to adjust the level of resistance on the bike so I had to figure it out on my own, which took a little while. Not too sure when they started giving instructions but I knew I was at least in the room 5 minutes prior to starting. I thought they would have instructed us right before but nope, So heads up! Get there at least 15 minutes ahead of time.
The class itself was great! It was challenging but you can go at your own speed. Our instructor was Karen M, she really pushes you but she was a lot of fun! She had great energy that motivated you to paddle harder and faster. Her music playlist along with the moves she had us do on the bike made it really fun! She set the bar high that I almost don’t want to go to a different spin class because I’ll be disappointed.
One thing i can say about the class, on the negative side, was that it was super hot in there and i do agree that the room should have better ventilation, it was hard enough trying to breath lol
Thanks so much Karen M. and Flywheel for kicking our butts!

No one told me this Flywheel spin event would be a dance party! Loved it. I am a big spinner and this was probably one of the best classes I have taken. I think it helps that it was a full house and the instructor, Karen was awesome! I love how they gamify it have the leaderboard based on RPMs and how hard your a** is working. I am competitive so I definitely sweat more than I used to. Overall very fun class and a great workout! I am definitely in favor of more Unilocal Elite events that involve burning calories rather than consuming.

So reading some of the other Unilocalers’ reviews made me feel a lot better that I wasn’t the only one who had never attended a spin class before! But that’s what I love about these Unilocal Events is that we get to try things we have never tried before! SO big thanks to Steph for making this event a great success :)
I loved how clean and pristine the facility is and how easy it is to login or sign up online. They had my bike reserved and my shoes saved for me in a cubby (they ask you shoe size ahead of time). How thoughtful and organized! I ran in, put my stuff in a locker, and dashed into the studio to find my bike. The lockers are just like the ones at Clubsport Fremont – select a code, lock your locker, you don’t even need to keep track of a key, just your locker number! And if you are afraid of forgetting that, write it down on the whiteboard they conveniently set up in the locker rooms for that very purpose! Note, no distinguishing males or females in this locker room and lockers are small cubbies, so they don’t really fit large gym bags.
I had no idea how to adjust my bike seat, but someone came around to help me out and lock my shoes into the bike pedals! I think this was a good idea for me because I’m pretty sure I would have slipped otherwise. There’s a spot for your waterbottle in the front. The blue knob directly in front of you controls the torque (resistance) and you can see your stats on a little screen to the left. The studio feels like a club and Karen, our instructor, really pumped us up and had a good playlist going! She’s super energetic and motivating and it helps that the studio is tiered so people in the back and look down to see her in the front! We totally steamed up that room! So dress cool.
After class, I decided to use one of their changing rooms/​showers because it looked nice and clean and they provided nice shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. They even had plastic bags to put your dirty clothes in! I’d still recommend bringing shower shoes though, which I had in my gym bag. They also provide hair dryers and other hair products on a small countertop/​mirror area.
5 stars for a great facility and class! They definitely streamlined the process and I went online afterwards to check out my stats. I couldn’t believe I had biked over 17 miles! That being said, I had a hard time sitting down for the following 2 days. I learned that I am just so not cut out for spin, but Karen somehow got me to push my ass through 17 miles! If you like spin, this place is great for you!

As a light mist fell on this early Sunday morning, my brain said: Stay in bed, eat a bunch of hashbrowns, and then go back to bed. Don’t exercise, don’t leave the house, and especially don’t put on spandex bike shorts.
Flash-​forward two hours later and I’m beet-​red, covered in sweat, crazy in pain (my arms?! Who knew those tiny pushups would do anything) and feeling pretty damn good about me.
This was my first time ever on a stationary bike, and more obviously, my first time where my cycling vista was a dark room, tons of undulating people I didn’t know, and a screaming instructor telling me to «push up my Torq» every 15 seconds. Holy crap! What a crazy morning, and it was something I never would have done without Unilocal!
I wasn’t a huge fan of having my feet strapped to the bike, but I loved the high-​intensity and the music. HUGE thanks to Steph and Sierra for making this happen, and to Flywheel and Karen for kicking our butts, and for the towels and help clipping into the bikes!
Fantastic locker areas (not needing to bring a lock was great) and fresh fruit were fantastic perks. I’m already evangelizing to my skepic bf, but even if this motivates us to bike up the Iron Horse Trail more often I confider it time very well spent. :-)
THANK YOU FLYWHEEL!

Loved this! I have never been to an Elite event before (so sad!), but I am happy that FitClub’s FlyWheel event was my first. I am really down for a good workout and love the atmosphere of a workout class where people can be themselves. The stadium style cycling class was a lot of fun. you felt a part of the group without that «gym-​timidation.» Karen was a great instructor and kept the energy going through the full 45 minute workout. Looking forward to more FitClub events in the near future!

Got my butt whooped at this Unilocal event! Really great to see so many Unilocal elites prove that they can workout just as well as they can eat. Tons of energy in that room thanks to our pumped instructor Karen. The only song that I could sort of keep up on with was the slow Adele song at the end, but I hear your body gets used to the suffering after awhile… no pain no gain.
Easy registration process, and Stephanie was able to help me assigned a bike and ensure I still got to keep my free credit for next time. Really clean facilities and with shoe/​towel/​fruit for free, Flywheel is on its way to being the next workout favorite in WC.
PS its also really cool that you can track your progress and performance online afterwards. My first time cycling but won’t be my last.

My two biggest hobbies are eating and working out. I need to make working out more of a priority (to combat the eating!). Luckily, Unilocal to the rescue with offering this amazing event opportunity (Thanks to our beloved CM, Stephanie).
Flywheel in Walnut Creek is brand spanking new. It has that new car smell! I entered their entry area and was warmly greeted by the front desk area. I had registered online for my bike and checked in with the front desk but you can check in through these various tablet areas instead.
When you register online you also tell them your shoe size. Low and behold, my shoes were waiting for me in my assigned cubby. You don’t have to deal with the bowling shoe rental nonsense which means no waiting in line! And my shoes were fresh and crisp!
I entered the spin room to the sounds of Dr. Dre welcoming me into the room. The music was bumpin’ and I loved the instructor’s taste in music.
«If it isn’t challenging you, it’s not changing you.» was my favorite quote from our instructor, Karen M, at the event. I let that quote inspire me when I thought the ride was getting too hard.
I absolutely loved the facility! Even purchased the introductory package which gives you an additional free class. Yep, gonna play offensive to the holiday munchies.

This was such a great workout! I have been wanting to attend a cycling class and thanks to our bomb CM Stephanie I was able to. This was my second fitness related YEE and while my legs are killing me today I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the workout.
The studio was very nice and well set up. Once I arrived I checked-​in on the computers, picked up my shoes and grabbed a bottle of water. I wasn’t aware that special shoes were required and I just wore my tennis shoes with no socks but thank goodness Steph had those stylish Unilocal socks on deck! The workout room itself was nice, it wasn’t too crammed in there and it was just the right temperature. Our instructor Karen was a beast! She really made us work hard and push through even if it was difficult and we wanted to give up, which I wanted to a few times lol. I liked that she had the music blasting and it just made you want to go hard. I really feel like I pushed through a lot of pain and although I got hot, sweaty and tired I kept ob going and I loved it. This was a true workout and I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard in my life but it was all worth it. And this just let me know how out of shape I am and I really need to start doing this more often.
I loved that the studio had just about everything you needed, workout clothes, towels, lockers, socks and everything just to make your experience comfortable and enjoyable. Also everyone was nice and welcoming. This is definitely a place I would come back to, I would much rather do cycling than any other workout lol.
Thank you again Stephanie for putting together this awesome event and helping myself get motivated and want to workout and try new things, also a thank you to Karen for being such a great instructor and Sierra for assisting with the event and bringing everyone together for a group picture at the end. Oh and can’t forget to shout out Karmen D. and Melanie B., I’m glad to have finally met you ladies and hope to see you two again soon. Go Unilocal

So we got pretty dirty in there! Our Flywheel instructor Karen made me feel like I was in a club and I learned that I need to really work on my coordination. The music selection kept me pumped up and Karen’s lively energy made it an enjoyable workout. The dirtier the music, the harder I went, but you should really see my personal gym playlist, it gets hood.
If you’re unfamiliar with setting up your bike or understanding the settings, flag down the instructor or other team member to help you before class. The bikes are really close together, which usually bothers me, but wasn’t an issue once we started rolling. I get grossed out when I see people’s sweat puddles on the floor during a spin class, but being in the dark helps with that. If I can’t see it, it makes it a little better…
I feel like a good spin class incorporates more than just pedaling and those lame «half turns» you do at other gyms. Here, you will workout your legs, core, and complete some upper body exercises while on your bike. My triceps are sore from all of the dipping that we did!
The only thing that I didn’t like were the shoes. Ok, I loved being clipped in, BUT for someone that has flat feet, my feet were killing me towards the end of the workout. If I continue to take classes at Flywheel I will either bring my own shoes or custom insoles. If you bring your own shoes they must be either Look Delta or SPD clips.
I logged on to check my stats online and I completed 19.2 miles and an estimated 504 – 579 calories in 45 minutes. Pretty damn good considering I had a company holiday party the night before, oof.
I’m coming back for another cycle class this week and checking out FlyBarre! You can’t go wrong with local food events, but since I’ve been trying to get in shape, I’m really looking forward to more Unilocal Fit Club Events!

Awesome workout!
I’ve never been to a spin class before and this definitely won’t be my last. I love to workout… yoga classes, hiking, running, Insanity… you name it but this took me to another level of sweating and pushing my limits.
The music was upbeat and invigorating. The instructor was really good at keeping the group motivated. And it was nice that all of the equipment was new.
The folks working there are super nice and helpful. They took the time to help each of the newbies (raises hands) get set up.
It was definitely an awesome experience!

Thanks Stephanie for coordinating this YEE! That was a refreshing change to my usual 24 hr fitness spin class. It was a awesome workout! Karen had good music playing and pushed everyon to their max. Bikes are a bit crowded but to accommodate more people I guess.
Facility is clean and towels are plentiful. Staff are very helpful and nice to assist with any issues. I’ll definitely be looking into joining!

Yet another Elite event in the books! I have personally never attended a spinning class before, nor have I attended an event that didn’t involve eating, so this was a first.
Karen is a great instructor if you’re just starting out. No matter how intense the session got, she was very clear from the beginning in letting us go at our own pace and strength. Music selection was bumpin’, and mixed with her instruction, the session had me working up a sweat! Definitely felt great afterwards!
I am pretty sure I burned enough calories today to re-​commence my foodie ways with significantly less guilt than before! Thanks Steph, Sierra, Karen, and everyone else for yet another great event! I’ll be looking forward to more of these fitness-​esque Elite events in the future!

What a good way to start off December. Karen, our Flywheel instructor worked us hard. We totally earned our brunches this morning. She chose some «dirty» song selections for us to get our sweat on.
The facility is only two months old and there’s quite a bit of space. I preferred this facility over Soul Cycle. All you do is sign up and login when you arrive. They provide shoes and a towel. Bring your own water bottle so you can fill up with their ultra cool filtered water machine.
Lockers are also provided so you can leave your stuff without worrying about it get it stolen.
They also offer Barre classes if you’re not into Spin class. This event was just what I needed to get my December started off right. Thanks Steph for setting this up! The only thing that was missing were treats so we could mingle with fellow Unilocalers but it was still fun… we didn’t really need them.

Great workout! This was my first elite event and I am so glad I was able to join. We all had a great workout. I never sweated this much in my entire life!
Looking forward to more east bay Unilocal elite events.
Great stuff!

Coming from a chick that despises the idea of cycling, Karen freaking rocked it! The music was on point. Loved the torque on the bikes — never had that bike before. The ride or die shirt was cool! Out of my budget at the moment due to the holidays but cool.
I had such a wonderful time seeing some old and new faces from around the East Bay. I kind of wish they would have had the display running for us to compete but I’m just a competitive person and this was supposed to be fun — and it was.
Not docking a star for parking because that has nothing to do with the event itself. But…
4 stars because it was just so toasty in that room. I know it’s cold outside baby but wheeeeewy, mama needed some air blowing on her face. Lol.
Otherwise, I have to say, it’s a cool place. I really want to check out their barre class now because I love me some barre.

Ok SO disclaimer … My usual idea of a workout is picking up a fork and lifting food into my mouth, so I don’t really have anything to compare this to. I mean, my shirt even says I’LL WORK OUT TOMORROW. I am waaaay out of shape so this Unilocal event was a great way for me to force myself out and just exercise. I usually fear «exercise classes» too. This was my first spin class, and it was such a workout! But I really liked the instructor and her music track. She was motivating, entertaining, but not forceful, so I felt the need to push myself but not so much that I passed out. Thanks Steph and Unilocal!for hosting another fantastic event!
Edit: Just got home and looked up my stats online. In 45 minutes, I cycled over 17 miles… not too shabby for someone who requires a lot of motivation to exercise. Feeling great, and will probably come back and try spinning again!

So bomb to incorporate fitness in a Unilocal Elite event. This just goes to show we do more than eat and drink LOL!
LOVE THE STUDIO! Roomy, well ventilated and ample space for changing, grabbing a quick sit ir using a locker. They provide towels and shoes which is definitely a plus. Smart Water is only $ 2 for a tall and the bikes jols it perfectly.
This Sunday was a full house and minus the few hiccups I enjoyed myself. The trainee Karen was exciting and keep our blood pumping. Spin is the only time I workout and sweat a river!
Perfect way to end the weekend and start the week.

So… I found out today that I’m not as fit as I would have hoped LOL. Wii told me that I have the body of a 67 year old, when I was 17, I’m now 23 and Wii would probably tell me that I’ve aged. (Not saying all 67+ year olds have low stamina because I know a few who actually ride their bikes up mountains.) I thought that that was rubbish, but I guess Wii is right. Because let’s just say my RPM level didn’t make it passed… a very low number…
But besides the fact that I’m not there yet, Flywheel made me realize that I CAN get there. Thank you to Karen for keeping the environment pumped and motivated. The music selection was thoughtfully chosen, and adding a little bit of Nick Jonas in there made me ride a little bit faster, na’m sayin? ;)
I am also not a big fan of cycling, I can’t even ride a real bike, but my legs are telling me that I should probably start doing this on the regular. And I have such a greater respect for those who push themselves to do a workout like this.
The facilities are clean and organized. Love the way the shoes and towels are set up, and the locker system is one that I’ve never seen before. I also appreciate that we did this in the dark. Because if anyone could see how badly I was working out, I would be so embarrassed (sorry to those around me). I probably won’t be taking anymore classes until I can afford to, but it was such a great experience nonetheless.
Shoutout to our CM Stephanie for organizing the event and letting me takeover her bike. Reserving your bike beforehand is very important!** ~ something I will keep in mind for the future. I am so so so grateful! And shout out to Tiffany D!!! Loved meeting you.
Definitely not excited for what my body will feel like tomorrow. But also so happy to try new ways of working out. Ahh, thanks Unilocal for opportunities such as these!