RIDE at R Fitness Jakarta
While indoor cycling is a booming business in Manila with the rise of several boutique studios such as Electric Studio, Saddle Row, Rave Studio and CycleHouse, I’ve found that in Jakarta there is still the only one of its kind: RIDE at R Fitness Jakarta.
Most similar experiences are just classes within traditional gyms such as Fit Cycle at FITSTOP Kuningan wherein they move the bikes in after other classes such as yoga or dance. While they still give you a good sweat, I’ve noticed that they’re taught very differently and wanted to see if it’s the same in a boutique studio that’s made for it.
What is R Fitness?
In 2019, Ride Jakarta which was known as a local pioneer in boutique indoor cycling rebranded to to what is now known to be R Fitness, a holistic health, fitness and wellness company. R Fitness offers three different experiences: RIDE, RAVE, REFLECT and the POD. While I’ll talk a little more about RIDE later, RAVE is the umbrella term for their cardio-focused fitness classes which include Barre, TRX and HIIT, while REFLECT is a mental health program and the Pod is a microgym format.
The direction that R Fitness takes is an interesting one for me, especially with the introduction of a mental health focused service and a microgym format, it heavily differentiates itself from how its peers across Southeast Asia are innovating. For example, Kuala Lumpur’s FlyProject has built a portfolio of several boutique fitness experiences under their own brand in one location while the closest comparison in Manila is the Upper Deck Lifestyle Center which houses a Spa Facility that integrates with its many fitness facilities.
What is RIDE Jakarta?
RIDE Jakarta is an indoor cycling, group workout that combines fun party music with a cycling workout. Indoor cycling is a low-impact, high-intensity cardio workout that burns 350- 600+ calories per session. It’s the first of its kind in Indonesia!
What are the RIDE Jakarta Facilities?
The interiors of RIDE Jakarta are a lot of green, black and white tiles. It’s a very comic book-like, fun feel and reminds me a lot of Rave Studio in Manila, except a little brighter.
When you register at the front desk, you will be given a bracelet with locker key and small towel to bring with you to class. The lockers are located in the co-ed shower area which has everything from toiletries to hair dryers. For those that don’t want to leave their bags in the lockers, you may also bring them to the cubby holes inside the studio area.
I was a bit surprised that unlike other indoor cycling studios that I’ve tried before, they don’t lend you cycling shoes. The good news is the bikes are compatible with cycling shoes should you want to bring your own.
The only other boutique studio I’ve tried with the same kind of dynamic lighting is probably FlyProject’s FlyCycle and Manila’s Rise Nation. I’m on the fence whether I prefer it over the more tamer lighting, partly because while I think it’s a super effective way to get me in the mood, I get a bit worried that someone will get a seizure.
My RIDE Jakarta Experience
When I told my friends Cath and Marco who were based in Jakarta about how I was craving the indoor cycling energy, they told me that RIDE Jakarta was the only place in the city to be. So when a tandem ride for Destiny’s Child vs Ariana Grande schedule got released, I just knew I had to try it.
If you’ve tried indoor cycling in other countries before, you’ll have to manage your expectations in terms of the class intensity. I’ll be honest and say that while RIDE Jakarta has very similar energy, music and facilities, their classes are taught very differently and lean more towards sprints than aerobics.
For the class that I attended, I was particularly surprised that there was almost no upper body movement that coordinated with the music for the whole session. I was a bit disappointed by this because it’s honestly my favorite part of every indoor cycling workout and is where I always feel I burn the most calories. However, I’ve been told that they do have classes which like Ride Revolution and CycleHouse have free weights.
That being said, I still sweat quite a lot, enjoyed the energy that the two instructors gave. It was a great playlist and made me want to do more.
Would I go again?
If you’re craving an indoor cycling experience with a fun environment, this is best place to go to in Jakarta. The others I’ve tried just don’t have the same mood and energy. While it’s not the most intense indoor cycling I’ve tried, it’s a fun experience that it’s perfect for first timers and people who want to get into the boutique cycling experience without getting them too intimidated!
Class Rates & Booking
They have an introductory offer of IDR 150,000 (~$10.80/ Php551) for 2 classes valid for a week and IDR 200,000 per class afterwards. There are also bulk classes for as low as IDR 108,333 (~$7.80/Php 398) per class.
You can check out their class schedules on their iOS and Android app.
Tip: You can also buy single sessions on Traveloka.
R Fitness
