Melanie

Yeah, so the riders are either going to want to be you or fuck you was essentially the message that we got in training. What we do on the bikes is very sexual.

Yeah, so the riders are either going to want to be you or fuck you was essentially the message that we got in training. What we do on the bikes is very sexual.

What we now know as a parasocial relationship that we're having with all of these people on the internet, it wasn't like, make sure you're seducing your riders. It wasn't coming across that way. It was more about understand your position in this room.

What we now know as a parasocial relationship that we're having with all of these people on the internet, it wasn't like, make sure you're seducing your riders. It wasn't coming across that way. It was more about understand your position in this room.

And there was really this expectation that we were, you know, turning ourselves into these like athletes who could do this job. And it was a very, it's a very demanding job. I think that, you know, the breaking down just kind of happened as a result of the schedule that we were keeping. I never really found that they were in our faces trying to like... break us?

And there was really this expectation that we were, you know, turning ourselves into these like athletes who could do this job. And it was a very, it's a very demanding job. I think that, you know, the breaking down just kind of happened as a result of the schedule that we were keeping. I never really found that they were in our faces trying to like... break us?

They wanted us to like kind of cut the bullshit. Like they would call it like dipped in soul. Like someone who had just been like such a fanatic and like had found their person and like was sort of like a carbon copy of the person that they aspired to be. And so I think there is a level that like we needed to be broken of habit. We needed to be broken of life.

They wanted us to like kind of cut the bullshit. Like they would call it like dipped in soul. Like someone who had just been like such a fanatic and like had found their person and like was sort of like a carbon copy of the person that they aspired to be. And so I think there is a level that like we needed to be broken of habit. We needed to be broken of life.

our idea of what we thought this thing was so that we could actually do what it really is. And it's not this frivolous thing that we're doing that we can just like look cute on the bike.

our idea of what we thought this thing was so that we could actually do what it really is. And it's not this frivolous thing that we're doing that we can just like look cute on the bike.

There wasn't a lot of talk about how to deal with that kind of attention. There was a professionalism that was pushed on us about our role in the room and how to be in control of the room and command the room.

There wasn't a lot of talk about how to deal with that kind of attention. There was a professionalism that was pushed on us about our role in the room and how to be in control of the room and command the room.

We have a very specific role that wasn't necessarily about seducing the rider so much as it was creating an atmosphere and an environment for them to feel really comfortable and relaxed and engaged in what we were doing and with us.

We have a very specific role that wasn't necessarily about seducing the rider so much as it was creating an atmosphere and an environment for them to feel really comfortable and relaxed and engaged in what we were doing and with us.

In the beginning, they're very much like, just stay on the bike. Don't try to get on and off the bike. Just stay on the bike. Teach from the bike. But as we start to get more comfortable with ourselves and with being in the space, there definitely is that encouragement to start connecting more. There's a lot of ways to connect with the riders that you can't really do from on that podium.

In the beginning, they're very much like, just stay on the bike. Don't try to get on and off the bike. Just stay on the bike. Teach from the bike. But as we start to get more comfortable with ourselves and with being in the space, there definitely is that encouragement to start connecting more. There's a lot of ways to connect with the riders that you can't really do from on that podium.

You want to get on the level with them. You want to look them in the eyes. You want to seek people out.

You want to get on the level with them. You want to look them in the eyes. You want to seek people out.

So my very first class on the schedule was December 31st of 2013, New Year's Eve. I got the assignment that my first class was gonna be a New Year's Eve class. And watching that class fill up on the back end to the point where it was a completely sold out class was kind of mind blowing for me that like my first class on the schedule was going to be like a completely packed room.

So my very first class on the schedule was December 31st of 2013, New Year's Eve. I got the assignment that my first class was gonna be a New Year's Eve class. And watching that class fill up on the back end to the point where it was a completely sold out class was kind of mind blowing for me that like my first class on the schedule was going to be like a completely packed room.