The holy trinity of friends, fun and fitness doesn't usually happen in the same place at the same time.
You have fun at a gig on a Saturday night. You connect with friends over brunch or dinner. You get fit at the gym…sometimes. These things live in separate boxes, and that’s just how life works, right?
Wrong. There’s a whole movement happening where people are throwing all three into a dark room with 30 stationary bikes and club-grade sound systems. The music’s pumping, you’re moving in rhythm with everyone around you, and you’re getting a workout that feels like a celebration. It’s fitness that delivers the energy of a night out, the endorphin rush of live music, and the connection of being part of something collective. All without the hangovers, next-day regret and questionable HSPs at 3am.
Welcome to the world of rhythm cycling, the boutique fitness trend that’s been taking over Melbourne faster than you can say SoulCycle. Over 30 rhythm ride studios have popped up across Australian cities in recent years, each one promising to transform your workout into a dance party on wheels. The formula’s pretty simple: dark room, loud music, choreographed moves, and instructors who are somewhere between DJs and personal trainers.
Joyride Studios
- Collingwood’s new gym with club-grade sound, 30 bikes, and music-first approach to rhythm cycling
- It’s now open at 123 Johnston Street, Collingwood
- Check it out here
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
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Here’s a gym where music isn’t an afterthought
Joyride Studios just opened on Johnston Street, and it’s joining Melbourne’s booming rhythm cycling scene with a clear mission: prioritise the music above everything else.
Founded by local rider and coach Sarah Camm, Joyride Studios positions itself as the opposite of cookie-cutter gym chains, building what it calls a third space for people who care as much about connection and good music as they do about movement.
The studio’s approach centres on music-led classes rather than metrics-focused workouts. Coaches mix their own soundtracks using DJ software and complete over 90 hours of theoretical training and physical practice before teaching. The ride room features club-grade sound systems, instructor-controlled immersive lighting, 30 bikes, and what the studio describes as a no-compete atmosphere.
It’s highly accessible – earplugs are offered on arrival and there’s a sensory-friendly ride class currently in development for those who prefer gentler soundscapes.
Joyride Studios can also switch gears
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Beyond the ride classes, Joyride Studios offers Release, a stretch and mobility class taught by coaches with anatomical training. The focus here is straightforward exercise without chanting or wellness clichés, designed specifically for desk workers and daily riders who need proper recovery work.
“Joyride Studios aims to bridge the gap between Melbourne’s music culture and wellness culture,” Camm says. “Currently, if you want to see a gig or partake in music culture, it’s often late at night and booze-filled, meaning people like me who have a 9pm bedtime and drink twice a year miss out on engaging with the scene. We aim to be a space where people can move and enjoy blasting music but at 6am after a big sleep, not at 6am when you haven’t slept.”
The studio welcomes first-time rhythm riders and experienced cyclists alike, emphasising a judgment-free environment focused on movement, music, and genuine connection. Classes can be booked through the Joyride Studios website or app, with the studio operating as a purpose-built space for Melbourne’s northside to clip in, turn up the volume, and ride to the rhythm.
It’s exercise disguised as entertainment, or maybe entertainment disguised as exercise.
Either way, you end up sweaty, endorphin-filled, and exactly where you started, which in Collingwood, is a pretty good place to be.
For more information, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Joyride Studios.
