Meet Jo – she’s a hockey playing mum who’s discovered the perfect way to keep in shape during the close season.  It turns out that regular rides at your favourite cycling studio are a great way of keeping toned and ready for the season ahead.

Jo’s big thing is hockey.  She captains her side Cheshunt HC, and spends every Saturday from September to April pounding the astroturf with her girls.  But since having a son 4 years ago, Jo has found it harder to stay in shape, especially when the hockey season is over.

“I was moaning to a friend how unfit I felt in the hockey close season and she mentioned the 20 days intro offer that Cyclebeat had introduced. She egged me on until I booked my first session.”

Jo has found Cyclebeat to be transformational.  After completing her intro offer, she took out a monthly membership and now rides at least 3 lunchtimes a week.  She’s a particular fan of Paddy’s hill rides, and says,

“I love the fact that I can leave work, do a 35 minute intense work out (that works) and be back in the office within an hour. I have never been more enthusiastic about a gym. I always try to get a bike at the front so that I can see the determination in the instructors face and draw on it when I find myself flagging.”

Jo’s first target was to drop two dress sizes for a family wedding.  Having succeeded, and feeling amazing for it, she is now concentrating on reducing body fat, improving muscle definition, and maintaining her fitness.

Jo is an inspiring example of somebody who has set herself a goal, and Cyclebeaten it.  Nice work Jo, and good luck in the season ahead – you’ll be fighting fit, that’s for sure.

Tom is another of our early adopters – he has been with us since we first opened.

Tom is signed up to take part in two big cycling events in the next few months –  first, he’s going to ride l’Etape du Tour, an amazing cycling experience which recreates a stage of the Tour de France while the Tour is on.  It’s a monumental effort – 130km in the Alps, including two climbs of well over 1000m each.  And later this summer, Tom’s taking part in the inaugural Ride London 100 mile ride. 

These are big hard rides in anyone’s book, but the extraordinary part is that Tom only took up cycling a year ago.  He actually bought his first bike 18 months ago, but it was a truly stationary bike for the first 6 months, sitting neglected in his living room.  Since then, though, Tom has been catching up big time, starting off by commuting to work, and then turning his attention to increasingly ambitious cycling events.

Tom heard about Cyclebeat from a work colleague, and figured that riding at Cyclebeat would be a great way of preparing for all of his cycling events.  And sure enough, his cycling has been transformed.  As Tom explains, “Fitness has definitely improved as has the strength in my legs. I feel like I can push myself harder for longer.”

You’ll have to get up early to ride with Tom – he’s at it first thing, preferring to frequent morning rides with Andy, Paddy and Laura.  And he may be new to this cycling lark, but now he’s soaring, from the living room to the Alps in an amazing year.

That’s Tom’s Cyclebeat story – what’s yours?  It doesn’t need to be a big cycling event – whatever your goal is, we want to hear about how you’re going to Cyclebeat it.  Just email us and tell all.