Concord native Meagan Ferns went from teaching first graders to read and write to inspiring adults to bike to a beat. In December 2018, she pursued her dream of opening an indoor beat-based cycling company. Strive, a place where people come to sweat and build strength while getting lost in the music, has thrived.
Ferns, 31, was working in the corporate education sector in Boston—after teaching first grade in Concord—when she fell in love with cycling. “I started working at a studio down there and eventually received my certification,” says Ferns, who began as an instructor at a gym after moving from Boston back to Concord. “That’s when the dream of opening a space started, and that led to Strive.”
The studio in Concord, which is set up for 22 people, uses resistance bikes that can be adjusted according to the rider’s strength or energy level as well as the beat of the music. When Strive opened just over four years ago, Ferns says she was the sole instructor. Today, the studio has 12 instructors. “When we opened in Concord, indoor beat-based cycling was not a thing in Concord,” she says, explaining other studios offering beat-based fitness were in the Seacoast.
The studio has colored lights that cut through the darkness and oscillate during songs depending on the type of music being played. “We have all sorts of different vibes,” Ferns says, adding that Strive also offers themed classes. “We just had a country ride yesterday. We try to touch all spectrums of music.” Riders wear volume-adjustable headphones to easily hear both the music and their instructor’s voice.
Ferns opened a “pop-up location” in Bedford in 2022 that ran from February to August. “I felt like we were ready for that at the time but not quite ready for a second location,” she says.
Asked if she has dreams of starting a second studio soon Ferns says, “Never say never. The stars will just have to align.”
For more information, visit striveindoorcycling.com.
Current Issue - May 2024