Spinning® DVD - Rides: North Carolina

What an awesome spin DVD! I'm new to indoor riding so after purchasing my Sunny indoor cycle and getting accustomed to it I decided it was time to try out some spin DVDs. I purchased this one and "Short & Sweet" by Mindy Mylrea. Both are completely different but great in different ways. This North Carolina DVD replicates riding outside in a group ride and the other is more for a succession of 20 minute workouts on a spin bike. While I appreciate the simplicity of the Short & Sweet DVD, this N.C. one really makes me feel like I'm on the ride with the cyclists in the video, which pushed me that much more to complete the 1 hour ride. It's very well shot, excellently narrated by a knowledgeable woman guiding you through the ride and how you should be feeling during the various segments. The bonus fun facts and quotes in the video make a nice distraction during those longer segments. It's a great feeling at the end of the workout when you think you've actually done a group ride through the countryside. The bonus for me too is that the area in the video looks a lot like the roads I ride on here in Sumner Co, TN so it made it that much more comfortable. I highly recommend this DVD to any cyclist that chooses to ride indoors in the colder months!

I ordered this based on reviews of this video vs. reviews of other videos. Not worth the money. First, the video is too often from in front of the group looking back at them, and sometimes behind the group looking ahead at the group. Honestly, the entire video should've been shot from a camera on the handlebars of one of the riders. That would've made this video awesome! I like the ones on youtube that are shot with a GoPro from the handlebars of one of the riders. Make a video like that, and with a huge flat screen TV and my spinner, well that would be awesome!

So far really like this spinning DVD. I think the tourism of N. Carolina though teamed up with the makers of this DVD as in the spinning DVD you will see many "pop up" facts about N. Carolina's history, not a negative just interesting….. So the DVD has a instructor option and one without. I like this DVD because of the camera footage and an occasional head cam feed as well as the motivation instruction with music. On the screen you are given the time of the ride as well at the bottom the RPE, Speed, MHR and time in the current interval. Ride is an hour long and it gives a periodic completion map. The instructor is good and gives good motivational as well as cycling tips throughout the hour in a soft woman's voice. You don't hear the riders as that is dubbed out but just the trainer. The first 20 minutes are a warmup along with the rest of the 40 minutes of different intervals to include seated uphills, standing uphill and other intervals for a good sustained workout. Again highly recommended and is a well done video.. Much better in my opinion than the "Spinervals" (don't waste your time on that line)……,

The resolution isn't great and it appears pretty dated. It's better to use old Tour de France recordings when looking for something to watch when spinning. Just DVR the Tour de France episodes and watch an hour at a time when riding. This is free.

Pretty boring video, good quality though but I was looking for something a little more fast paced with an instructor who is more energetic.

My at home spinning workouts so far consist of seven dvd workouts, all by Mad Dogg. This has quickly become my favorite workout for many reasons. I love the format. You are riding with a group of about six riders on real North Carolina roads. The views are taken from fore and aft helmet cams, and you are riding the exact same terrain as the riders, which is nice. On the left will occasionally be a map of the full 25 mile circuit, colored in red as you complete the distance. On the bottom right is a countdown for each and every interval you are riding, which is an awesome way to break up the hour. That interval timing is probably my favorite feature, and makes the ride seem to go by very fast, as opposed to the Rides:Ireland video, which has a single countdown for the entire ride continually visible, and makes the ride seemingly last forever. Highly recommended.

The views are not as stunning as originally thought. I would have liked to see more countryside instead of the other riders.

This was a great ride. Loved being in the pack of the riders. Loved how the screen displays how long intervals are and having the clock tic away the time. It is very motivating and challenges one who is building endurance...