1Rebel has grabbed the headlines once again with plans for a series of group cycling buses designed to help fitness fans make the most of their commute.

The media-friendly boutique studio is in talks with Transport for London (TfL) and coach companies over the plans, which would see specially-adapted buses offer 45-minute group cycling classes as they ferry commuters into London.

Initial interest in the scheme has been “phenomenal” said 1Rebel co-founder James Balfour, who hopes to soon name a bus company partner, with a view to launching the concept by the end of summer.

“Time is precious in London and for the many people who want to workout before work, they often face a three hour door-to-door commute each morning,” Balfour told Health Club Management.

“We want to break the monotony of the soulless commute and offer people a more fulfilling experience by adding our popular Ride class into their morning routine.”

Balfour hopes that by securing an agreement whereby the vehicles can use bus lanes, the service will be a no-brainer for commuters, both in terms of grabbing a morning workout and cutting travel time.

1Rebel is currently calling for registrations of interest on its website and will collate the data to help decide how many bus services it should run and from which locations around London. The operator plans to end journeys at its St Mary Axe 1Rebel studio in the City, where participants will be able to have a shower and a pre-work smoothie.

“We still have a few hurdles to clear in terms of health and safety and permits, but we’ve had incredible enthusiasm for the concept so far and we’re convinced it will be a hit,” added Balfour.

“We received more than 300+ registrations in the first couple of hours and so much interest that our website crashed. The demand is definitely there.”

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