Orlando cycling studio coming to Sparkman Wharf
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Apr 26, 2022

An Orlando cycling studio will debut in the Tampa Bay market at Sparkman Wharf.

Strategic Property Partners, the developer of Sparkman Wharf and Water Street Tampa, has signed a lease with Rukus Cycling Studios for a 2,588-square-foot storefront along Channelside Drive. It will offer in-person classes as well as pre-recorded classes from an on-demand library.

Rukus CEO Joe Wheeler said in a statement that the company "sought out the most prestigious location to make our entry into the Tampa market." Rukus said it has corporate relationships with Lululemon, Peloton and fitness drink manufacturer Celsius.

Indoor cycling is a crowded market in Tampa. Union Three, a boutique cycling and yoga studio, is one block from Rukus. SoulCycle has a location in Hyde Park Village; Camp Tampa offers indoor cycling classes, and Ryde It recently opened in Midtown Tampa. SoHo Cycling has had a spot on West Kennedy Boulevard since 2009. CycleBar, a national chain, has locations in South Tampa and Brandon.

Rukus joins F45, a functional fitness studio, and Bodyrok, a "high-intensity Pilates studio," as fitness concepts at Sparkman Wharf. Wellness is a key theme for the Water Street district; SPP had the entire neighborhood WELL Certified. WELL Certification, like LEED Certification, measures certain benchmarks for wellness.

“Water Street Tampa has continued to attract innovative retailers that see Tampa’s promise and want to establish roots in the city’s most forward-thinking new neighborhood,” Lee Schaffler, chief portfolio officer for SPP, said in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with a national brand like Rukus Cycling Studios that serves our growing community and promotes our wellness-focused values.”

Rukus has locations throughout Florida, Atlanta, Nashville and Charleston. It offers heart rate-based classes and says cyclists can measure their performance through multiple metrics, including power, mileage, rank and leaderboard points.