Quad City Business Journal 10-10-2006
Sports Business
Cyclist builds training facility
Veteran competitor wanted place for others to stay fit
By Katie Vaughn
Donnie Miller found a niche in the local fitness industry by focusing on two facts.
First, he learned that about 3,700 people belong to cycling and running clubs in the Quad-Cities.
Second, he knew few of these people can be found running or biking during Midwestern winters. And he couldn’t help but wonder how much better these athletes could compete if they had a place to train during the cold months.
Miller, who has been a competitive cyclist since he was a 14-year-old Hampton, Ill., resident, is in the process of opening Donnie’s Indoor Cycling Experience at 1554 52nd Ave., Moline. The fitness studio will cater to competitive runners, cyclists and triathletes, as well as those who just want a difficult workout, Miller said.
“What I’m trying to do is create a workout facility for like-minded people — the runner, the cyclist and the multi-sport athlete,” he said.
Miller, now 42 and living in Moline, is leasing the former Harmon Glass building near SouthPark Mall and since August has been working to convert the space into a cycling-based fitness center with a lobby, small office, bathrooms, showers and a 2,000-square-foot exercise room. At first, Miller will run the business on his own, save for his Labrador puppy companion Luke, who will be a constant presence at the center.
The studio, which can accommodate up to 40 exercisers at a time and was slated to open Sept. 25, is equipped with an air conditioning system. But a unique feature is the south wall of the room, outfitted with three garage-style doors that open to offer fresh air and views of a wooded area outside.
In addition to music and televisions, Miller’s studio will take advantage of other technologies. Some of his bikes will track user’s data, which Miller can print out or e-mail to clients who want to track their progress in training journals. Other bikes, Miller said, allow cyclists to conduct virtual races with one another and watch their relative placements on a screen in video-game style.
While he will keep indoor-cycling bikes in his fitness center, Miller will allow customers to bring in their own bikes and set them up on trainers. He said this is a practice few clubs allow, and that he will do it because some people feel more comfortable training on the bike they use in competition.
Miller understands the needs of competitive athletes because he has been part of that community since his youth. He is coach and vice president of the Double I cycling team, which is the competitive daughter arm of the Quad-City Bike Club, he said. Additionally, in June he was named the new race director of the Quad-City Criterium.
However, Miller also hopes non-competitors will check out his studio. He said the stress that additional weight places on hips, knees and ankles can make running or walking uncomfortable for some people. Cycling is a great alternative, he said, because a bike supports a person’s arms, seat and legs.
As his business grows, Miller said he will add strength training and cardio components to the cycling base. He is planning to use medicine balls, sand bags and other props for core conditioning, as well as callisthenic-style exercises and aerobics, yoga, and Pilates classes, he said.
To make his cycling classes convenient for time-crunched customers, Miller will keep his studio open from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Prices will run upward from $10 a day, depending on the package one chooses, he said.
Katie Vaughn can be contacted at (563) 383-2282 or kvaughn@qctimes.com.
