All spinning instructors are not created equal, that's for sure. At my gym, they have two cycling classes. One is called Performance Cycling and you are guaranteed that the instructor is a cyclist -- most of them are triathletes. So, I make sure to go to those classes. The other is Studio Cycling and it's not geared towards training to ride a bike -- it's just an aerobic workout. But my DH goes to whatever class, puts his headset on and does his own thing.. go figure.