For the Chinese, the number two is considered harmonious and lucky. The superstitious among us might therefore have hoped for better things in 2022, but in the end, it proved to be another hugely challenging year.

As Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine rumbles on – see our interview with Mariia Brezytska, general manager of Formula Wellness & Spa in Odessa – our continued reliance on fossil fuels leaves us vulnerable, exposed to astronomical price hikes for the electricity, gas and oil we need to power our businesses and our lives. 

Indoor cycling may not be power-consuming; it can even be energy-generating, as we discover in this issue’s must-read supplement, A Global Crisis? But beyond the bikes, ours is an energy-hungry sector. 

So, what do we do? From smart facility management to embracing renewables, our experts share their short- and long-term advice in A Global Crisis? This is compulsory reading for us all.

One thing is for sure: we must not give up. What our sector brings to society – each and every club, gym and studio – is an essential health service. This is just one more crisis we must navigate, and navigate it we will.

In the meantime, I’d like to see us focus on providing fun in a world where there’s currently little fun to be had. After all, this crisis isn’t only affecting businesses. Individuals and families are overwhelmed by their own financial worries, and they are looking for release.

We can provide it. During the pandemic, we spoke to operators who had asked their trainers to recognise the stress everyone was feeling and not push too hard – to focus on making every workout fun and social. Let’s do similar now. Let’s put ourselves out there as places where people can escape and forget their worries for a while. This would be my vision now and, indeed, moving forward. We need to make fitness more fun.

That’s why I’m delighted that BODY BIKE is partnering with House of Workouts, as preferred supplier for its wonderful new SclptCycle programme. Targeting women in particular, SclptCycle is about happiness, and it has all the ingredients to be the next global fitness phenomenon. I hope it heralds a new era of working out for fun – one in which indoor cycling leads the way.

My very best wishes for the festive season and a prosperous 2023.

Uffe A. Olsesen

CEO, BODY BIKE® International

Many clubs talk about building a community. Few are built for – and by – a community. Fuel Cycling co-founders Molly Kennedy and Margarett Gabrielson share their inspirational story with Kate Cracknell.

Every year, Denmark’s televised fundraiser – Knæk Cancer – raises funds for cancer research. And every year since 2014, cycling4cancer’s 24-hour event has been part of it, raising almost €1.5m to date. Creator and organiser Kim Guhle speaks to RIDE HIGH.

How can we attract new audiences to indoor cycling, broadening its appeal and boosting the usage of cycling studios? A new programme, SclptCycle, has been created with this exact goal in mind. We get the low-down.

In the Ukrainian city of Odessa, Formula Wellness & Spa has re-opened its doors to offer members and employees a sense of normality in the face of the ongoing war. General manager Mariia Brezytska speaks to Kate Cracknell.

What’s hot in the world of indoor cycling? RIDE HIGH shares its top 10 trends for 2023

The cost of living crisis is never far from the headlines these days. So, how is our sector faring in different parts of the world? We report on the challenges being faced and the strategies being deployed.