For every fitness enthusiast who blasts the effectiveness (and cost!) of spin studios that incorporate arm weights while on the bikes, there are the cycle-class cultists willing to pony up $25 or so for these premium burns. At least with Flywheel, one of the popular East Coast fitness fetishes to hit Los Angeles recently, there's some stability in those routines. Arm toning and balancing are done with weight bars and at slow speeds near the end of the 45-minute class. Then there's the studio's climate. Instructors are more “inner strength” than “feel the pain,” while the clientele isn't all 22-year-old waif divas who eschew carbs. The classroom's optional-to-enroll Torq board promotes friendly competition by periodically broadcasting riders' stats, while an online system records your personal achievements. 8599 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd. (310) 360-7200; 147 N. Larchmont Blvd., Larchmont. (323) 446-2425, los-angeles.flywheelsports.com. —Whitney Friedlander

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