British fitness company wants you to work out while you commute by bus
But while 1Rebel aims to roll its fitness buses out after summer, safety concerns need to be addressed first
Why commute to work on a bike, fighting traffic and dodging potholes, when you could ride a stationary bike mounted inside a bus while you commute?
That's the question British fitness company 1Rebel aims to answer by transforming a bus into a mobile spinning studio.
"For those who want the components of a class, but perhaps don't have the time to commit during the day, this provides a great solution for them to maximize time they would otherwise be spending just travelling to work," said James Balfour, co-founder of 1Rebel, in a statement.
Riders can expect to pay between US$17 and US$21 for the 45-minute class if the program, dubbed "Ride2Rebel," launches as intended. The company aims to see its first Ride2Rebel bus roll out just after the summer, but government approval is still pending.
Some of the bus routes would end at 1Rebel fitness clubs, allowing riders to shower and change there before heading off to work.
1Rebel is currently gauging interest in the program based on how many people sign up for tickets online.
"This morning interest peaked so much that the registration website crashed and had to be moved to a separate server," Balfour said.
Safety concerns could be the biggest obstacle for 1Rebel's novel commuting plan. The bikes mounted in the buses are not currently slated to include seatbelts, and Balfour made no mention of helmets.
"We are working with bus companies and the government to establish all health and safety conditions," Balfour says. "As this is such an innovative idea there are no established norms but due to the high levels of interest this is something that all our partners are focused on."
