Set against a picturesque backdrop of the Petronas Twin Towers, the classes are held in the mornings and evenings (All photos: Oxygen Cycle)
Since the reopening of fitness facilities, gyms are filling up quicker than it used to. It comes as no surprise, especially after months of at-home workouts that don’t quite seem to cut it anymore. It feels good to go out for a change, albeit the extra health precautions one needs to take during a pandemic.
However, the thought of proximity can still be quite unsettling for some. Gyms have many high-touch points, including shared equipment that should be cleaned after each use. But it leaves one to wonder if gymgoers are actually doing so, since the measures are done in good faith. After all, if people don’t have the habit of wiping down the machines in the first place, will they take the extra step to sanitise?
Consequently, a controlled environment with limited participants, such as group classes, are favourable for conscious fitness enthusiasts. Oxygen Cycle — Kuala Lumpur’s latest variation of the fitness-junkie-favourite spinning regimen — was established for that purpose. Perched on the rooftop of co-working space Colony in Star Boulevard KLCC, the spin studio conducts its classes in the open air and caters to only nine riders at one time.
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Its founder, fitness and martial arts practitioner Aiman Asmawar envisioned a space where riders could exercise without worries.
“The idea came together during the first amendment of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) where we were allowed to practise fitness outdoors but at a head count of only 10 people,” said the former Flyproject instructor. “Oxygen Cycle was born to focus on an exclusive number of spinning bikes and clientele for a more focused, functional and fun programmed class.”
The bikes are stationed one-metre apart and come equipped with bike cleaning kits, with full wipe-downs carried out after each class in adherence to the government’s recommended standard operating procedures.
Set against a picturesque backdrop of the Petronas Twin Towers, the classes are held in the mornings and evenings. The Sunrise class is suitable for early risers who prefer to complete their workouts in the morning and the Starlight class offers glittering views of the city’s nightscape. The real treat, however, is the Sunset class. On good days, riders can perform their 45-minute circuits against a pink-orange sky.
Malaysia’s unpredictable weather may come as a worry to many, but riders are encouraged to take it as a challenge. “The bikes are weather-proof,” assures Aiman. “But we are looking forward to spinning under the rain as that’s one of our intentions when building an outdoor spin class.”
Nonetheless, parasols are strategically situated to protect riders from unexpected showers. And if there are heavy rains and thunderstorms, refunds are credited to customers to attend another session. Shareable credit packages are also available via their website.
It’s been less than a month since the studio went up and running but classes have been consistently full. There are also plans for expansion. “It is our goal to build several outdoor spinning classes on rooftops or in gardens and parks around the city hub and then around Malaysia,” Aiman shares. “Colony at Star Boulevard is our first home, but not our last.”
Class starts from RM60 per session. Book your first outdoor spin class with Oxygen Cycle here.
