Ten Years of Inspire: Candlelight, Community & the Beat That Changed Everything

Ten years ago, we lit a candle, turned the music up loud, and asked people to trust us.

Back in 2016, rhythm riding was not a thing in Australia. SoulCycle had been igniting studios across America  the idea of a dark room, pounding music, and an instructor who performed as much as they taught  but here in Brisbane, nobody had seen anything quite like it. We were the first rhythm riding studio in the country, and honestly, most people had no idea what we were asking them to walk into.

What they did walk into was a room lit almost entirely by candlelight. No crazy lighting rigs, no flashy production just the glow of candles, music that moved through you, and an invitation to leave whatever was weighing on you at the door. That was always the heart of the idea. The room is dark. The instructor is more performer than teacher. And for that 45 minutes, whatever is happening outside those walls simply does not exist.

Where It All Began

My husband Mark and I spent years travelling the world in search of something. At the time, if you wanted a mind-body experience, you went to yoga. That was it. We wanted something different something that could reach people who would never roll out a mat, something with energy and sweat and music. But the mindfulness piece was never an afterthought. It was the ribbon that ran through everything. The dark room, the candles, the music, the instructor who draws you inward even while pushing you harder it was all designed to create a space where you could truly arrive in your body and leave your mind's noise at the door. More than anything, we wanted something that could genuinely help people struggling with depression and anxiety, especially teenagers, through that powerful combination of movement and mindfulness working together as one.

We found pieces of the concept everywhere we went. We brought those pieces home. Before we even had a studio, we had our home in Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast, where our instructors-in-training would make the trip up from Brisbane to learn what rhythm riding was  before most of them had ever even taken a class. It was a bit chaotic, a lot of fun, and full of the kind of energy that only comes when people believe in something before they can fully explain it.

The First Weekend

When the studio finally opened, by that first weekend we had filled the room with 50 people. Fifty. I remember standing there thinking what do we do now? It was surreal. Everyone was buzzing. We were buzzing. Nobody quite knew what they had just experienced, but they knew they wanted more of it. Of course, not every day looked like that. There were mornings we'd set up the room, turn on the music, and have exactly one person clip in. One. You learn a lot about yourself on those mornings. You learn why you're doing it. And we kept going.

A Community That Grew Into Something Beautiful

Ten years on, those early quiet days feel very far away. What we have now is something we couldn't have fully imagined back in those early days  a genuine, deeply connected community of people aged 14 to 80, many of whom have been with us since the very beginning. That range says everything. This was never meant to be a studio for a certain type of person. It was meant to be a space for anyone who needed to move, to breathe, to feel better. And that's exactly what it became. The friendships formed inside these walls are real and lasting. Members who met clipping into bikes beside each other years ago are now close friends. Families train together. People have shown up for each other through life's hardest moments  because a community built around showing up for yourself naturally becomes one where people show up for each other.

The Team That Makes It All Happen

None of this happens without the team. Ed, our longest-standing instructor, is coming up on eight years with Inspire  and the depth of trust our members have in him is something that can't be manufactured. Scott, our master trainer, is close behind at six years, bringing an incredible level of expertise and dedication to everything he does. Most of our other instructors have been with us between four and six years, as have many of our front-of-house team. And then there's Holly, who is in her ninth year at Inspire  a journey that is a story in itself. She came to us as club support, stayed long enough to finish her marketing degree, became our marketing manager, and then our studio manager. Although she now only works with us on the odd occasion, her contribution to building what Inspire is today has been immeasurable. That kind of loyalty, on both sides, is rare. We don't take it for granted for a single day.

A special mention too for Annabel, who first walked into Inspire in 2017 as a 14-year-old student  one of our youngest ever riders. She went on to join our front-of-house team, completed her degree, and still comes back to work with us on weekends. Annabel's journey is such a beautiful reflection of what this community can be a place that grows with you.

Growing, Evolving, and What Comes Next

In 2020, we introduced boxing and bootcamp to the Inspire family. It felt like a natural expansion  the same philosophy of hard work, community, and leaving it all on the floor, just expressed differently. It's been a wonderful addition, and our members have embraced it completely. We've just refreshed our cycle fleet, and we're already looking at what new concepts we can bring into the Inspire format. The mission hasn't changed — we still want to move people, in every sense of the word but we're always looking for new ways to do it better.

For Judy

No milestone like this one passes without grief alongside the gratitude. We recently lost one of our original members, Judy O"Dea  known and loved by so many as part of the Went family. Judy was 70, vibrant, bright, and one of the warmest souls to ever walk through our doors. She was with us from the very beginning. Right up until the end, she made sure Patrick was brought to the studio so he could still be part of the community he loved. Their children Harriet and Dean are part of our community too Inspire truly was a family affair for the Wents, and it always will be. We will miss Judy's warmth, her smile, and her fabulous style because to Judy, everything was fabulous. We carry her with us.

Thank You

I started this with a candle and a belief that movement could change lives. Ten years later, I know it can  because I've watched it happen, again and again, in this room. To every member who has ever walked through our doors: thank you. To those who've been here since 2016 you are the reason we are still here. To our incredible team you are the heartbeat of this place.

Here's to ten years. And to everything still to come. 🕯️

With much love, light and gratitude

Kate x

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