In a marked departure from its once very exclusive image, SoulCycle will now offer classes through the ClassPass subscription app to drive attendance.
The multi-year partnership, announced Tuesday, means ClassPass credits can now be used to gain access to SoulCycle spinning classes, a move that once would have been “absolutely unthinkable,” according to Well+Good.
SoulCycle, once notorious for its sold-out sessions with top instructors booked well in advance, suffered backlash from members in 2019 over its owner’s fundraising for Donald Trump and then was hammered during the pandemic shutdowns.
After reopening its studios last year, SoulCycle has struggled to return to its former glory, and in August the company closed about 25 percent of its locations.
In a marked departure from its once very exclusive image, SoulCycle will now offer classes through the ClassPass subscription app to drum up membership
SoulCycle CEO Evelyn Webster said the ClassPass partnership is “an incredible opportunity to bring our legendary instructors, welcoming community, and the thrill of the original Cardio Dance Party to a wider audience.”
SoulCycle CEO Evelyn Webster said the ClassPass partnership is “an incredible opportunity to bring our legendary instructors, welcoming community, and the thrill of the original Cardio Dance Party to a wider audience.”
Well+Good reports that SoulCycle classes are now available in the ClassPass app for SoulCycle rides for between 10 and 15 credits.
Each credit costs about $2-$3 depending on your ClassPass subscription, and SoulCycle’s price isn’t much higher than other, lesser-known spinning classes.
Prior to its struggles in recent years, SoulCycle regularly charged fees of $30 or more per class and forgone membership platforms like ClassPass.
“It’s no understatement to say that SoulCycle was really notorious for not being on ClassPass,” reported Well+Good. “If it were still 2015, hell could literally freeze over.”
In 2019, Equinox and SoulCycle sought to distance themselves from billionaire Stephen Ross, whose affiliates they own, after he held a Trump fundraiser
Owned by privately held Equinox Group, SoulCycle’s struggles somewhat mirror the demise of another prestigious stationary bike competitor, Peloton.
While Peloton’s exercise bike has grown in popularity during the pandemic lockdowns, SoulCycle studios have been closed due to restrictions on public gatherings.
SoulCycle responded by launching some outdoor classes and launching its own $2,300 home bike to compete with Peloton.
The lifting of pandemic restrictions hit Peloton, whose share price has fallen 65 percent year-to-date.
But SoulCycle hasn’t seen the hoped-for return to growth, due in part to a consumer shift toward more budget-friendly fitness memberships.
Prior to its struggles in recent years, SoulCycle regularly charged fees of $30 or more per class and forgone membership platforms like ClassPass
According to CNN, SoulCycle closed around 20 of its 83 studios in August.
The closures affected six locations in the New York City area, five in California and others in Washington, DC, Massachusetts, Illinois, Florida and Georgia.
SoulCycle’s Toronto location has also closed, marking a complete exit from Canada.
In 2019, Equinox and SoulCycle sought to distance themselves from billionaire Stephen Ross, a real estate developer whose affiliates they own, after he held a Trump fundraiser in the Hamptons.
A report by Earnest Research claimed that SoulCycle sales fell nearly 30 percent after the 2019 holiday season controversy. SoulCycle disputed the dates as inaccurate.