Name: Purvelo
Location: 143 Franklin Street, suite 90
Price: $20 per class, first class free
Rating: four out of five stars
Hello! We’re Caroline Straubel and Greta Timmins and we’re trying unique workout classes around the town of Chapel Hill. On October 6 we went to Purvelo, a pseudo-cycling class that combines the rhythm of music with more traditional cycling.
When we entered Purvelo, located on Franklin Street, we encountered a modern-themed room filled with plants, concrete floors and leather recliners. After checking in, our instructor gave us each a pair of bike shoes. We quickly realized that walking in them on the concrete floors was its own workout.
The class is taught in a dark room lit by three large candles, with speakers blasting up-beat pop music.
Greta: I spent the first five minutes of the class convinced I was about to die. When the instructor entered, we immediately started the workout.
Caroline: I think the girl sitting next to me was another instructor because she started cycling and using the weights before class officially started. She really jumped right into it, so I thought I had to do the same and, man, I felt regret throughout my whole body.
Greta: There was a lot of bending your arms up and down while biking. The moment of elation when I finally managed to sync the bending of my arms to the beat of the music made up for how terrified I was that I was about to fall off the bike.
Caroline: The instructor was really energetic. She would hop off her bike and move up and down the aisle to motivate us. I think I was too motivated, though, seeing as I ripped the knee of my leggings.
Greta: Towards the end, she would tell us to go into another push. I confess that I did not. The low lighting of the classroom and everyone’s focus on themselves made it easy for me to adjust the class to my exhaustion at the end. Don’t be afraid to take a break.
Caroline: In the days since the class, I have been getting emails from them about their student-friendly packages, and they even sent a postcard thanking me for coming to the class. I would go again, with a different pair of leggings and the same friend.
Greta: I would probably go again. The exercise was still hard, but the music made it better than if I were simply running alone. The workout is also short (just a little under 45 minutes), so it feels manageable.
