The catch? You can book four classes at any given studio from the 1st to the 31st.  So, if you’re a die-hard cyclist and prefer Peloton, once you’ve redeemed four classes there, you’ll have to spin elsewhere.  But, for those of us who seek out something new, it’s an effective way to sample a range of activities at in-demand studios like Mile High Run Club, Nalini Method, The P.E. Club and Xtend Barre.

I used FitReserve to try a range of classes that were new to me, like cycling at CLAY in Union Square and Core Fusion at Exhale Gansevoort. I tend to work out in the morning vs. evening, so, I had little trouble booking at my ideal start time, another common gripe among passport holders. My take? Try it. You might like it. Log on here to learn more.

And, because we New Yorkers are always up for a collective community-based challenge, it should come as no surprise that 100 tickets to Union Square’s Sweat Fest sold out in just nine minutes! The neighborhood’s first annual celebration of fitness kicked off with a party at JackRabbit Sports and featured classes led by instructors like Andia Winslow at Athleta and KGBody’s Katherine Greiner at Bandier.  

Here, a few photos from the fun and stay tuned for more spring festival updates: Sweaty Saturday on Saturday, March 21 and NYC Fit Week from May 11-16.

First, there’s the bike. In my opinion, it’s the most superior indoor cycling bike out there. Highly connected, it offers up each rider’s personal cadence, resistance and output along with a real-time leaderboard, so that we can see how we measure up against the rest of the class and others tuning in from home.  It rides like a dream.

For virtual cyclists, Peloton is the first experience to provide streaming of live and on-demand classes, right from their home gyms, libraries or living rooms.  So, if you skipped Lisa Niren‘s 10:30am class last Sunday because you slept in, were on a plane or simply live in Detroit, don’t worry, because it’s available…24/7. (And, trust me, if you want to be in amazing shape, you don’t want to miss Lisa’s Endurance ride–check out her way enviable abs.)

For New Yorkers, Peloton’s 23rd Street studio is the brand’s home base. With a spacious lobby lounge that’s like a comfy-meets-chic living room and a Jack’s outpost with freshly-brewed coffee and fruit-infused water, the pre-and post-ride experience is made to feel equally important.

And, as always, there’s a full collection of branded tees, tanks and crop capris on your way in and out. (If you don’t have your own cycling shoes, they’re complimentary with the ride, along with water.)

In New York, we often grumble that everyone is always looking for the next best thing in lunch spots, labels and even love. But, after having taken three Peloton classes with another scheduled for tomorrow morning, I gotta admit: my present is pretty perfect.

In between outdoor training runs, I’ve been mixing things up with charity workouts, like last week’s Body Space Fitness “Sweat for Yellow” bootcamp to benefit LIVESTRONG.

Exciting out-of-studio classes also abound from Manhattan and Brooklyn to the FITiST Collective in East Hampton.  I just got sweaty with Cyc at a sunset ride.

Hosted on the terrace of the always-chic Gramercy Park Hotel as part of their #cycsummershare series, we enjoyed watermelon shots before class and Juice Press shooters afterward.

How’s that for happy hour?!

I was styled in Nike, Under Armour and Adidas by SIX:02. There’s nothing like some hot fitness fashion to really crank up the heat.

Today, I fly out to the west coast for the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. I’m so excited for our trip, which has been in the works for a year. My friends and I will be hanging out with the crew from Clif/LUNA Bar at the company’s San Francisco HQ, touring and tasting at some of the most beautiful vineyards in Napa and Sonoma and snapping a few photos along the way.

Stay tuned for more from the race: #willrunforwine

Remember my ride at T2?  That sweaty, endorphin-fueled experience can be yours too!

Five readers will have the chance to learn the ABCs of outdoor cycling from T2’s team of expert coaches indoors at the UES studio—and, all before spring really hits.

Enter to win a class at T2 in one of these EASY ways:
Here, on my site: Leave a comment on this post, so that I know where to find you.
On Twitter: Follow @FitGirlRachel and RE-TWEET my @T2MultiSportNYC post with tags #ride #win #giveaway.
On Instagram: Follow @FitGirlRachel, “like” & comment on my T2 Win It! photo and I’ll see that you entered there.

Winners will be notified by April 7.

Class passes and image above provided by T2.

In place of promotional signage and a wall of merchandise, you’ll find a projector screen with riders’ names and performance numbers, the weekly schedule on a gigantic chalk board and stacks of magazines like Competitor and Women’s Running. No frills, but, totally authentic.

The technology behind T2 is the CompuTrainer, which delivers real-time results as you ride. Whether you bring your own bike or use one from the studio, everyone is plugged into the system, showing the “road” and our individual numbers (watts, distance, calories burned, etc.) on flatscreens.

After inputting my height, weight & age and selecting my virtual outfit colors, my bike was waiting for me, so, I hopped on and started getting familiar.  While I’m a huge indoor cyclist, I’m less experienced with riding outdoors on anything more complicated than a Citi Bike, so, my only challenge was shifting gears.  Otherwise, it was very simple–each rider followed his/her personal pane, showing our course and metrics (I was bottom left).

My neighbor, whom I jokingly nicknamed “the guy,” was a tall, hardcore triathlete and international finance type whose output was consistently through the roof: he hit 375 watts vs. mine, which ranged between 100-140 during the 90-minute class.  I was more than happy to follow his tips and tricks, which he happily offered throughout our ride.

Meanwhile, all around us, there was a lot of sweating going on.

Things to know before you go:

• Bring a slim water bottle that will fit into your bike (mine’s Klean Kanteen); refills provided.
• As with any cycling class, if you have shoes, wear those, otherwise, baskets are available so that you can rock your sneakers, too.
• Eat something light but substantial before you ride: a banana with peanut butter or small bowl of high protein cereal with almond milk.
• And, there are showers, if you’re headed to brunch with friends afterward.

It’s always easy to zone out on an elliptical and call that a workout. So, one of the things that I’ve loved about writing STRENGTH+Sole is pushing myself far from what was once my usual routine.

Next week, I’m back at T2 for another class and my FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test, which will give me an accurate sense of where I am now, performance-wise, and help set my training goals.

And, ya never know, you just might see me this spring in Central Park, dressed in head-to-toe spandex and riding alongside “the guy.”

Are you with me?  Try T2!  Log on to T2NYC.com and use promo code STRENGTH for 25% off a single class or any class package through February 28, 2014.

Stay tuned for more from my FTP test and a special giveaway, coming soon.

Photos by Jeanne Meyer.
This post is in partnership with T2; all thoughts/assessments are my own.