Off Road

Great gym. Most of the instructors are wonderful but my faves are Jillian and Andrew. They both use the music really well, which matters a lot for me in terms of motivation and making it through the tough climbs (I have more fun and get a much higher calorie burn from them than I do at other gyms, and I’ve tried a few).
I also appreciate that there isn’t a lot of «gym culture». You’re in, you sweat, you’re out. Noone cares what you wear or if you’re in the front row. It’s non threatening, which for me was important to keep me coming back.
The new points system (payment system) is helpful and better for me than an unlimited plan (though they have that as well). If you buy a block of credits, it takes the price of a 50 to 120 minute class down to 18 or 20 dollars (which is pretty cheap in comparison to some nearby gyms) and it’s nice to be able to take 30 minute classes for TRX or circuit training to supplement your cycling once in a while.
Also, you pay for what you use rather than feeling guilty about not going 6 times a week to justify your monthly subscription. I’ve been going on and off for two years. Even when I get lazy and don’t go for a while, Tali and Tammar (owners) have been really nice and flexible about extending the eligibility time for me to use up the last few classes if I’ve got a couple left.

First impressions: this place rocks! The staff and instructors are great; VERY patient and receptive of new riders. I’m a tough nut to crack and they worked with me, I’m grateful for that. The intro 50 minute class was one of the hardest, funnest things I’ve done in a while and I can’t wait to come back and do it all over again. Tali was pure dynamite leading the class and her music choices were RAD! Matisyahu? A bold choice and a very good one. Don’t let the haters talk you out of it, it’s a great place to sweat, I’d recommend it if you’re on the fence and if you’re not I suggest you check it out. Thanks to everybody for making my first experience great and I look forward to being back.

I am updating this because I ended up joining this studio for unlimited spinning — basically, I feel that the particular class that I took this summer wasn’t a good reflection of an average class at Off Road, and they should have scored more highly with me.
The staff here puts a TON of time into making variable classes, and often put a whole lot of effort into making «themed rides» to break up the monotony that can plague spinning — for example, music video rides (favorite was the Evolution of Janet Jackson), musician/​genre themes, road themes, metrics-​focused rides, etc. Plus they have random events every month, such as a 930 Club themed ride that features artists from that month (with ticket prizes donated by 930 Club) and video performance-​based ride Sufferfest.
Overall, I go 3−5x a week and am rarely bored, and am always the recipient of a well-​planned, intense ride. Standout classes I’ve found that classes with (female!) co-​owners Tali and Tammar to be the best, and also love classes with Artemis, Andrew, and Bridget (currently on maternity leave). Also, emailing the owners with suggestions or issues is always met with an immediate response, which is very refreshing.
Also, they recently installed fans and updated the building a bit, as well as changed the studio class structure around to incorporate more 30 minute classes (held sequentially, to allow for «buildable» workouts lasting more than 30 min) for core, boxing, TRX, and HIIT. (Note: I’ve never taken one of these classes, so I can’t vouch for them.) Spinning schedule remained the same, and offers a good variety of rides (usually at 6:30 am, 6/6:30pm, and 7/7:30pm).

I’ve come to Off Road several times through ClassPass, and I think I have a good feel for what it offers.
Spin classes (⁵⁄₅): Let me begin by saying that Off Road offers my favorite spin classes in DC. I don’t mean to offend, but I find the «core workout» and «arm workout» spin classes in DC useless, silly, and potentially injury-​inducing, so I was so excited to find spin classes that didn’t submit to the gimmickry. I feel spin classes are best treated like a cardio or moderate strengthening class, without all the extra flair. If you like to use weights with your spin workouts, this is not the studio for you. I loved it and would come back again if I was in the mood to spin.
Bootcamp classes (³⁄₅): This is where I have mixed feelings. I went to a Sunday bootcamp class with an instructor who was completely uninspired. He didn’t seem excited to be there, which in turn brought me down a few notches. He was good with giving corrections, but you could tell he just showed up because he had to. I actively avoided attending his classes again.
I went to a second bootcamp class offered by Coach G, and he was GREAT. He was super upbeat, inspiring, funny, and just a great guy to be around. I felt like he really pushed us to try different exercises, and feel good about it. He got to know his students, which I thought was great.
As for the exercises themselves, meh. It might be because I’m so obsessed with a different HIIT-​like studio in the area, but I found the exercises here to be a little boring. Jump rope, kettle bell swings, pushups, planks, etc. I would say the workouts here are moderately strengthening, but I didn’t leave class feeling completely winded (like I do at my preferred studio). I’d say this is a good start for somebody getting into HIIT exercises, but I feel like there wasn’t much room to either alleviate or intensify the offered exercises. I also felt that some of the routines were overly repetitive and a bit boring.
Overall, I think this is a gorgeous studio well worth attending for the spin classes. The bootcamp classes largely depend on your own personal workout preferences and the instructor.

Let me start off by saying that Off Road is not for the indoor cycler who enjoys spin classes that incorporate a «core» or «arm» workout, or do things like tapbacks and pushups on the bike. If that’s your kind of workout, you won’t like this place. But if you want a real, down and dirty ride experience with no gimmicks — just hard work — this is the place for you. I’m a huge traditionalist, and much prefer road-​based formats, and I LOVED Off Road. The studio was very nice, and it wasn’t too hot. Each bike has a monitor that tells you your heart rate, RPM, etc. and there is a projection screen for instructors who display the ride plan, or if you go to their Sufferfest ride, there is a video which is kind of cool.
As someone who goes to spin class to work REALLY hard and focus on intervals, hills, sprints ONLY this is one of my new favorites in the DC area — I got an amazing workout and left with those post-​ride jello legs I love so so so much. If you aren’t looking to mess around, check out Off Road!

Hands down one of the best cycling studios I have been to, and I have tried SoulCycle, Zengo and many others in DC and NY and find myself always coming back to Off Road. Part of it is a personal preference because I prefer to keep my «zen» workouts on the yoga mat and my «grit» on the bike. The prices are also pretty reasonable for a small, LOCAL gym in DC. I do wish they had a combined unlimited class pack though (spin & strength training).
The classes are focused on recreating the ride outside, inside, and emphasize building muscle, endurance and speed. I appreciate the fact that the ride is not «choreographed» to the music, especially as a cyclist on the road. That being said, the instructors do a great job synchronizing elements of the ride (climbing, sprints, accelerations) to the tempo and build of the music. The classes are challenging and entertaining — especially the Friday Night Party (music video) Ride! I also like that Off Road has a great variety of classes available both in the mornings and evenings to allow me to get a workout in no matter what the day brings.
I need to give a huge shout out to my favorite instructor, Artemis. She brings so much energy to the bike and I always leave feeling like I could take on the world. If you’re looking to try out the studio — take your first class with Artemis!

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to review Off Road because I’ve loved this place since the first class. I’ve been taking classes here for over 2 years now. Before coming to Off Road I’d only taken spin classes at my gym and I rarely broke a sweat. I learned how to spin at Off Road. I ALWAYS get an amazing workout — drenched in sweat, legs like jelly, mind cleared — after a class at Off Road. In addition to spin, they also offer TRX, bootcamp, boxing — all great classes as well. The owners (who are also amazing!!! instructors) are both super fun, professional, passionate, encouraging, innovative and down-​to-​earth. It’s great to support a woman owned & operated business! They’ve recently completely renovated the studio, so it’s even better with more changing rooms, cubbies for your stuff and seats for changing. I’m a class junkie so I’ve tried most of the cycling studios around DC via ClassPass. Off Road is the only place I buy actual packages because it’s a pure cycling studio — no push-​ups or weights. It’s also one of the few studios around that feels airy and bright, not claustrophobic like you’re cycling in a little sweaty black box. There’s also no drama or attitude here. They also recently upgraded their sound & light system, so they can lower the blinds and add disco lights, etc, but you always have enough light to be able to read the power monitor on each bike. Overall the classes are just FUN! Video music rides, themed party rides, bike & brunch, cycle/​core, 100 minute devil v. angel ride, sufferfest… the list goes on & on. After every class I always feel like I’ve had an intense, but fun workout and it puts me in the best mood! Exercise endorphins are real!

So I’m hesitant to write a good review because I love that Off Road doesn’t feel oversubscribed. Classes are popular, but not to the extent that you have to plan your workouts a week or more in advance, which is always a drag elsewhere.
That said, I’ve tried a lot of studios around town and Off Road is one of my favorites. The TRX and bootcamp classes with Devlin and Arnold kick my ass and I’ve really enjoyed the few spin classes I’ve taken with Tammar. The Madonna ride featuring all the classic music videos was so much fun! The staff are really welcoming and the studio has a much lower key vibe than a lot of places.

This place is fantastic– the instructors are friendly and knowledgeable, and the owners make everyone feel at home. The facility is very nice — airy and with enough room between the bikes so you don’t feel crowded. The music videos mixes with the rides make it go fast and fun. Love it.

Off Road is an amazing spin studio! As a cyclist, I can tell you that the trainers offer an exciting set of classes for people of all ages/​abilities to cycle, sweat, and spin to great music; it’s a killer workout!
Tali, Tammar, and their team are not only passionate about what they do but make people feel important, excited, and ready to kill it in the gym. This is a quality team and an amazing cycling experience. I HIGHLY recommend this studio.

Off Road is an incredible studio. They sure know how to spin it to win it! Every class I take, both spinning and boot-​camp, leaves me sweating and feeling like I just got a great workout. Tali, in particular, is a great spin instructor. She picks good music, keeps everyone positive, has a high energy level, and you can tell she came prepared! They deserve all the positive press they are getting.

I was pretty shocked to see that Off Road was rated the best indoor cycling studio in DC. I hate writing bad reviews but I couldn’t help this one. The cycling classes aren’t challenging and rather boring. The last class I attended was the «Friday Night Party Ride» and it was anything but a party. I found myself yawning and being distracted by the cars driving and not interested in the class itself. I thought maybe it was just me but my friends all agree. I will say the TRX classes are very popular and while I dont attend them myself, my friends love Delvin’s class. However, if you are going to market yourself as a cycling studio, time to step up your game in a major way. There are a lot of studios popping up with better classes. Also, dealing with Tali has been unpleasant. As an owner, her customer service could use some major work along with the spin classes.

This is by far my favorite spin studio and small gym in DC. The owners Tali and Tammar make the experience an overall fun time, their instructors are extremely well qualified. I participate in some of their fundraisers and they definitely make you feel like your part of a family. Downstairs classes are extremely beneficial-​boxing, yoga, and TRX, all close to home and a serious workout. I’m a fan of their music– they team up with the 9:30 Club to cross promote events and music. Extremely reasonable pricing and packages. Check this place out… sure to blow up with all of the surrounding development.

I’ve been to this place several times via the ClassPass membership, and tried their TRX, Boxing, Cycle Core Express, and Cycle 50 Class.
I was shocked at how awful their cycling classes are, especially considering how competitive the DC boutique cycling scene is (Soulcycle, Biker Barre, Ride DC, Sculpt DC, and Zengo are all within a few miles). They do not choreograph the routine to the music — so you might be sprinting during the slow part of a song, and cooling off during the chorus. The instructors seem to make it up as they go along, the music isn’t great, and none of the instructors are terribly motivational. There is no introduction to the workout, to the studio, or to the bike, even if they identify new members in the class. Ride DC a few blocks west is 10x better. I leave Off Road cycling classes feeling like I’ve burned half as many calories as I do when I leave the Ride DC classes. The Cycle Core Express classes are marginally better since they incorporate a short core sculpting component.
I was also unimpressed with the TRX class — very slow paced and not very difficult. To be fair, I had a sub for that class, so I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.
I will be back for the boxing class. It’s 90 minutes of bag-​punching ass-​kicking. The instructor sets up several stations around the room, and you spend 2 – 3 minutes at each. You might be doing wall sits, punching a bag, jumping rope, or a number of other things. Everyone goes through each component of the circuit, and then the instructor leads the class in abs and stretching. It is TOUGH, and I love it.
All in all, Off Road either needs to step up their cycling game by a lot, or just start offering way more boxing classes.

Note: I’ve only been to bootcamp, none of the other classes.
I did really enjoy the bootcamp (and I will certainly be back). And I was sore the next day. That being said, the instructor I had was not exactly motivating — he was extremely low energy (although the fact that it was Thanksgiving may have had something to do with it). In addition… the studio was filthy. Obviously when you’re having bootcamps, TRX classes, etc. people are going to track in dirt on their shoes. It’s just going to happen. But there were piles of dirt/​hair in corners. Plus the equipment was disgusting. I did a plank on a balance ball and when I came up my arms were black.
Again, I will be back, but I have to say as far as bootca

On a trip to DC a friend and I signed up for the intro beginner (FREE!) spin class. The staff is SUPER friendly and knowledgeable about all things fitness. She spent time setting us up on a bike and showing us everything we needed to know to have a comfortable ride. Since my friend and I had already spun before at other gyms, the instructor was nice enough to do a class for us that was more typical of classes offered there. I thought it was extremely nice that she decided to do this when we had signed up for only the free intro class. I was very impressed with the cleanliness of the studio, the knowledge of the staff and how new all of the equipment is. The class was fun and left with a good sweat. I will definitely check out another class on my next trip to DC!

I’ve been to a bunch of spin studios around town and Off Road is by far my new favorite. The space is great, classes are fun, and Tali, Tammar, and the rest of the team are fabulous. I haven’t tried any of the downstairs classes (bootcamp, boxing, trx, yoga), but here are some things I like about the spin classes:
— Just cycling. No pushups on the bike or other nonsense.
— Sense of community. They really want to learn your name and make you feel welcome.
— Fun themes. For example, last Sunday Tammar led a video ride of the last stage of the Tour de France. The whole class was sweating buckets and loving it.
— Cubbies in the spin area. No need to worry about your stuff
— Fair pricing with good promotions. The Tour de France special was 3 weeks unlimited cycling for $ 65.
— Great location and space. The two-​story space is small but functional. At 9^th and U, right near the metro, bus, bikeshare, etc.
Check them out!

I was a little skeptical after my first (spin) class because it was a little easy, but boot camp with Arnold is awesome. Really good mix of cardio and strength training and enough variety to keep it interesting. I’m shocked that more people don’t go to these classes — great workout.
My only criticism is that it’s a little easy to slack off. The energy is lacking a bit, and no one is really in your face about pushing yourself. Other than that, highly recommend.

I bought a 3 pack of classes as a special and I’ve been happy with the classes I’ve taken thus far! Spin with Tammar was a good class, although not as tough and physically demanding as other spin classes I’ve taken around DC. TRX was a great workout. I really liked how the class wasn’t over crowded and the instructor gave me helpful pointers (as a first time TRX-​er!)
My three stars review is more about customer service than the actual classes. After a class, I realized I had left a shirt at the studio. I left a voicemail asking them to look for it and emailed. I received a response to the email (but not the voicemail) saying they would ask the front desk to look for it and they were open mornings and evenings. I attempted to call multiple times to make sure they had looked, but it appears no one actually answers the phone. When I went by the studio, the person had no idea what I was talking about and basically said sorry probably not here. It actually was in the location where I had left it… no one had actually looked for it… maybe that means no one cleaned the cubbies.
So in summary, good classes but customer service lacking.

I’ve been to 2 classes so far (TRX and Boxing) and have had a great time. The instructors are top notch and the make the work outs fun.
At first the TRX was actually not a full class using the TRX but a circuit course of 30−45secs, with a few stations using the TRX. Now, it is a full TRX class with a full body workout. Excellent!
The Boxing class was also a circuit system — 3mins rounds. We were broken up in to groups of 3s and worked with the instructors and pads, did some bag work and other boxing training drills, calisthenics and core work. We ended with some floor/​ab work.
The location is easy to get to, the space has recently been renovated and although the workout area is not big they limit the classes to just enough people that we aren’t over crowded.
As another Unilocaler noted, there are no showers or large changing rooms so either come dresses and ready or you can change in one of the bathrooms.