After years of taking indoor cycling classes before commuting to his job on Wall Street, Lee Williams opened New York’s first CycleBar, a 45-minute indoor cycling franchise.
Now, seven years after opening the Garden City location, Williams has expanded to the Woodbury Commons, taking over a former SoulCycle location.
“We hit the ground running,” he said.
Williams said many of the staff members at the new location were trained at the Garden City location for almost a year before opening.
Williams, who owns and operates both locations, is originally from England. He moved to New York in 1984 and stayed there once he met his now-wife. The two currently live in Garden City with their children.
Williams said the cycle franchise, which has approximately 200 locations nationwide, offers low-impact cardio and strength training.
“We had the opportunity to take over what was a former Soul Cycle space,” said Lee Williams, the studio’s owner and operator.
He said the space, about 3,000 square feet, is comparable to Garden City’s location; however, there will be fewer bikes. The Garden City location has 51 bikes, but the Woodbury location currently has 35.
The Woodbury location offers four to six classes a day, depending on the day of the week. Williams said each location hopes to cater to local residents, changing class times to meet resident needs, such as school bus pick-ups and drop-offs.
Williams said his two locations try to serve their communities through more than just fitness. The Garden City location has hosted fundraisers to support organizations nearby, like The Safe Center LI and Cohen’s Children Medical Center.
“We engrain ourselves in the local community,” he said.
He said within the first year of opening in Garden City, the location raised over $150,000 for local charities.
Williams said members at the locations also feel a sense of community on a day-to-day basis.
“We know almost everyone’s name who walks through our doors,” he said.
Williams said the locations are currently offering a 2-week free trial for anyone interested. For more information, visit the Instagram profile @cyclebarwdby.
