Local cycling enthusiasts might remember late 2023 as a dark time.
“Cycling studios in Troy, Bloomfield Hills and Rochester Hills all closed unexpectedly,” Kendra McKenzie tells me. She’s one of the founders of Revolve Cycling in Troy, along with Jillian Kuras and Jillian’s father, Dennis Mitchell.
The abrupt closings left the cycling community in mourning and without options.
“There was this giant sense of loss in not having a place to see each other, let alone work out,” Kendra recalls.
“It was a really strong community,” Dennis agrees. He and his wife Mary were regular riders too.
Kendra remembers, “I said, 'It's not over. We're going to open our own studio.' I threw it out into the universe: we had to do it. There was a hole that needed to be filled.”
“And here we are,” Dennis finishes. He and Mary put up the capital to make Revolve a reality. “We feel so proud and fortunate to be able to make this new community happen."
Before they were cycling instructors, Jillian and Kendra started as riders.
“I took my first class in 2015,” Jillian tells me. “I had just gotten into fitness, but don't ask me to run on a treadmill. I tried this cycling class—and it was the most fun I had ever had working out. And then a local studio held open auditions. I fell into it.”
Kendra remembers turning 40 and thinking, "'Wouldn't that be cool if you got in shape?' Then COVID happened and I needed somewhere to go. I started cycling and fell in love. I was there all the time.”
Kendra says cycling wasn’t easy at first.
“I had never worked out in my life—never ever ever. It was so hard in the beginning. But the music was so fun and the people were so nice that I kept coming back. And every time I would leave that studio, I felt better about myself and my life. That's what I tell people when I’m teaching: you're going to walk out feeling better than when you walked in, every single time."
Traditional cycling can be very harsh and judgy, says Jillian—instructors yelling to motivate, people feeling unwelcome because of their body type or their age.
“That's not us. We greet every person with kindness. And our instructors teach all different fitness levels in our workouts. We have riders aged 11 to 70 in the same class, and everybody gets something out of it.”
“On a weekend,” Kendra adds, “we might have a coffee bar set up or a featured vendor. It's not just about riding. It's also about hanging out.”
What’s the process like for new Revolve riders?
“We provide the towels and the shoes that clip into the bikes,” Jillian informs me. “Your instructor knows you’re coming. When you arrive, you get a tour of the studio. We usually have your locker decorated, if it's your first ride.
“The next 45 minutes, the music is blaring, adrenaline starts pumping and we're going. But you're not left out if you’re not doing every single piece. You do what’s best for you and nobody is going to judge.”
Andrea Sandoval and Chelsea Rosenberg are longtime cyclists who joined Revolve when it opened. Andrea calls Revolve amazing: "They're always super-excited to see you walk through the door.”
What Chelsea loves most about Revolve is the community. “I’ve tried other places, but Revolve is the most inclusive and supportive. And they’re really intense workouts, but I brought my boyfriend and my mom, who is 61 years old. They had never done anything like this before, and they both love it now.”
“We're rhythm-based cycling,” Kendra answers. “Every class is a fresh playlist. You ride to the beat of the songs. You might find instructors where you just really vibe with their taste in music.”
What’s the most rewarding aspect of opening Revolve?
“The hugs from people that were just as excited for us to open as we were,” Jillian declares. For Kendra, it’s “all of those riders who missed this. They needed this community back."
I wonder what’s moved them the most since they’ve opened.
”We have a client,” Kendra says, “who’s not a workout enthusiast, with young kids at home—similar to my story. When she saw that first rider's name go up on our wall for making 100 rides, she was like, ‘I'm going to be right there.’ She was our third member to complete 100 rides.” As of Thanksgiving, four Revolve riders have hit the 100 mark.
Jillian recalls a rider at her previous cycling studio.
“After our last ride there, we were saying goodbye, and one member hugged me, sobbing. I felt the same way, but I told her, ‘It's going to be okay.’ She was one of the first people in the door when we reopened.”
The instructors are as grateful for Revolve as their members. Kendra recalls one instructor's husband observing, ‘The light was gone from you. And when this new studio became real, the light came back into you. Like you were back.’”
“I have tears remembering,” Jillian says quietly.
“It's a life-changing place, for us and for our members,” Kendra concludes. “Every day.”
Your first ride is free. To check out Revolve, visit revolvecyclingmi.com or call (248) 422-6323.
Revolve is changing the idea of what group fitness looks and feels like. Indoor cycling should be accessible, inclusive and, most of all, fun. Every class is not only an opportunity to grow mentally and physically, but to build relationships within a community that supports you and celebrates your accomplishments.