RIDE Indoor Cycling has been reinvigorating exercise across Texas with group stationary bike workouts that help patrons work harder than they ever imagined possible, helping them achieve and exceed their fitness goals.
To achieve the power and clarity required to get the blood pumping, RIDE co-owner Timothy Dowling turned to BASSBOSS to design systems for their three newest locations, one in Austin and two in Houston.
“Our concept is to hold group exercise classes in a room that replicates a club-like experience through a combination of lighting and sound,” says Dowling. “We combine these elements with power and charisma of our instructors to get people working harder than they would ever work on their own, while making it enjoyable enough that they want to come back.”
“I had first heard about BASSBOSS through some of the Austin nightclubs that use their gear,” Dowling says. He reached out to BASSBOSS president David Lee about designing a BASSBOSS system that would fit RIDE’s needs.
“We needed something that not only sounded great but was 100% reliable even under heavy everyday use, and came to realize that BASSBOSS was the perfect solution,” Dowling explains. He also wanted to make sure that cyclists would hear the same audio wherever their bikes were placed. “Coverage is really key because people are stationary on the bikes, so we need to make sure both the music and voice of the instructor could be heard loud and clear at any point in the room.”
For the first of the three locations, Lee selected four BASSBOSS DV8 powered MicroMain loudspeakers for their wide horizontal coverage and broad frequency range to accommodate an area without subwoofer due to the proximity of the neighbors.
“With a 1500W Class D Powersoft amplifier built into each speaker and a unique design that maximizes low frequency response, I knew the DV8 could deliver the club sound RIDE was after, even without a sub,” Lee says.
For the other two locations, Lee designed a system that featured six BASSBOSS SV8 powered MicroMain loudspeakers and one custom powered subwoofer with two 12-inch drivers.
“Though the SV8 features an 8-inch speaker, it delivers the response and output of other manufacturer’s 12-inch speakers,” Lee says. “This allowed us to achieve crisp and authoritative top end while working within the space constraints of a group exercise room.”
Lee rounded out the system with an active, custom-designed dual 12-inch subwoofer for full-spectrum sound. “The subwoofer is incorporated within an enclosure that also serves as the instructor podium, as well as housing the wireless microphone receivers and lighting control electronics, making for a very clean and elegant installation.”
Lee also specified a Symetrix Prism 8×8 controller in each of the 3 locations and programmed it for easy plug-and-play operation by RIDE’s staff and instructors. “Finding a straightforward solution for managing live mics at club volumes was critical, so we were glad that David could solve that problem for us as well,” Dowling says.
Since the installs, RIDE’s BASSBOSS sound systems have been making an immediate impact on everyone who steps into one of their group exercise classes. “We consistently get feedback from our members that it’s the best sound they ever heard in an exercise environment,” Dowling says.
The systems have also proven as reliable as Dowling had hoped. “The BASSBOSS speakers are incredibly reliable—they never miss a beat, so we never miss a class.” As RIDE has put a great deal of thought and effort into the design aesthetic of their studios—down to the Dan Flavin-inspired lighting — Dowling also appreciates how the pristine sound of their BASSBOSS speakers complements RIDE’s vision. “We needed sound that would fit right in with our vibe, and BASSBOSS was absolutely the right choice,” Dowling says. “Even the physical appearance of the speakers works perfectly in the space. We love their sleek industrial aesthetic.”
For RIDE, the true measure of success lies in their ability to provide invigorating workouts to their members, and by working with Lee and BASSBOSS they are now able to do that better than ever before. “The sign of a good workout is one that makes you want to come back,” Dowling says. “They’re sticking with it, coming back again and again, and that says it all.”