Newbie

[Miranda]

Lucky you on the freebie stuff! Yes, group IDC is way more fun-better than riding your trainer alone at home lol. I have a trainer, it's waiting for me to mount the trainer tire on my bike to be ridden atm, not happening fast.

Besides road riding, and mtb, I'm certified as a Spinning intructor & currently teach 6 classes a week at a couple gyms. You've received good advice already. You might also want to bring tennis shoes, plus your spd equiped mtb shoes. Some of our bikes also have the older style road Look Deltas. I say this because not all of our bikes have the ability to clip in. Some are platforms with toe cages only. While you could ride with your mtb shoes strapped in, it's just kinda weird if your cleat grinds the metal at all imo.

Besides setting your bike up, your instructor will hopefully give you some general guidelines about class. My basic heart rate / heat safety tip is any dizzy, sick, light-headed feeling... back it off, take it to the saddle, lighten up, grip your handelbars if necessary... signs your HR is too high, or you've gotten too hot. My guide for resistance adding is that things should always feel like "muscles working" never "knee joint grinding". Unlike our mtb and road bikes, the spin bikes are like a fixie and with about 40lbs on the fly wheel weight without resistance added. So, no coasting or gears to click.

There is usually some type of resistance knob/button you turn to add onto the challenge of the fly wheel. Plus, something red, button or lever, that is your brake to stop the bike (typically press downward = stop). Remember, fixie, no coasting plus 40#fw rocking = red buttton/lever STOP. Sounds simple, but always scares me with newbies I have who never got the info on how to safely stop their bikes from others classes, ugh lol.

The cardio w/o is always riding the bike. Each teacher has a diff style and music etc. If one teacher's class is not your thing, try another. I tell that to newbies even about me. It's all good.

While a lot outdoor riders comment how much they hate riding inside, it's actually a great op for some things. No cars, stray dogs, trees to bite it on, fun music, you can close your eyes and focus just on your pedal stroke etc. Plus, people like me love seeing your smiling sweating face for 60mins lol.

Hope class is fun... good luck.