Megan Hanson: Building a Fitness Community That Feels Like Home with High Ride Cycle
Denver is known for its fast-paced life, and people often find it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But there is a place, in this city, where the lights go dim, the music rises, and strangers become a community in just forty-five minutes. That place is named ‘High Ride Cycle.’
At first, High Ride Cycle may appear to be just another boutique fitness studio. But when one steps inside, it becomes clear that it is a space built on energy, human connection, resilience, and belonging.
Megan Hanson is the visionary entrepreneur behind High Ride Cycle, a rhythm-based indoor cycling brand that transformed the boutique fitness landscape in Denver. It began as a passion project focused on music, movement, and community, but now has evolved into one of Denver’s most-loved fitness communities. For Megan, it was always about providing a space where people step in with the burden of their day and leave feeling lighter, stronger, and rejuvenated.
Megan Hanson, Co-Founder | High Ride Cycle
Fitness Meets Emotions
Eight years ago, the fitness industry in Denver was expanding rapidly. Numerous studios were opening in the city, promising better workouts or the latest trends. But no one was talking about the biggest piece of the puzzle: the human connection that extends beyond calories burned.
Megan had a deep understanding of how movement can heal and empower humans. Guided by her instinct, she co-founded High Ride Cycle. She wanted to create an immersive fitness experience that allows people to disconnect from the outside stressful world and reconnect with themselves.
“We wanted fitness to feel exciting, emotional, welcoming, and empowering all at once,” Megan shares.
High Ride Cycle is known for rhythm-based cycling where music is not just the background noise; it becomes energy, therapy, and the shared heartbeat of the room. It doesn’t feel like a traditional workout; on the contrary, it feels like a dance party with the energy of a concert and a cathartic release.
“Every ride is choreographed to the beat of the music, combining athletic performance with upper body movement, resistance focus, and those high-energy moments that bring the whole room together,” Megan explains.
More Than Just A Business
Because of the unusual idea, High Ride Cycle has grown tremendously. They started with one, but now they have three studios. They have the support of 50 instructors and staff members, and they have conducted thousands of classes. As a result, the brand has become an important part of Denver’s boutique wellness culture.
According to Megan, High Ride Cycle’s actual achievement can’t only be measured by the number of studios or the number of people attending. “The real success is in the stories and relationships created within those walls.”
While riding in group fitness classes, people become good friends. Riders have regained confidence, and instructors have become leaders. It started as a cycling studio, but slowly evolved into a community built on belonging.
“People come for the workout, but they stay because of the connection,” Megan explains.
The fitness industry is becoming increasingly competitive; to stand out from the crowd, every fitness studio should have something unique. The sense of belonging has become High Ride Cycle’s USP. Many national franchises operate through standardized corporate systems, whereas High Ride Cycle maintains a local and deeply personal atmosphere.
The brand’s authenticity is its biggest differentiator. The perfect example of being a community is that the instructors know riders by name. They recognize each of them distinctly. And also, staff members celebrate milestones with their community.
“Every class has its own vibe with the High Ride Method in mind, driven by the music, the energy in the room, and the way everyone feeds off each other,” Megan says.
Leading Through Challenges
Most women entrepreneurs face obstacles in their journey, and so did Megan. The fitness industry has always been highly competitive, and surviving as a woman entrepreneur requires resilience, adaptability, and an unshakable belief in one’s vision.
“There were moments where I was underestimated,” she recalls. “As a young woman building a business, people sometimes questioned whether I could scale or lead effectively.” Yet Megan used those moments as a catalyst for growth rather than an obstacle.
Megan managed her business and learned different aspects of leadership on her own. She negotiated leases, expanded studio operations, and survived the uncertainty of the pandemic. She learned that leadership is less about having every answer and more about remaining grounded during uncertainty. Megan ran this community-centered business by balancing operational decisions with the emotional responsibility of supporting riders and employees.
Usually, pressure hardens a person. But under pressure, Megan found some of her greatest leadership strengths: empathy, intuition, collaboration, and authenticity. She has proved that vulnerability and emotional intelligence are not weaknesses but powerful assets.
The “Dance Party on a Bike”
The reason behind High Ride Cycle’s popularity is an entirely different cycling experience. Here, beats drive the ride. The energy of the room is on another level; it is a mix of athletic performance, nightclub atmosphere, and emotional release. The intentions behind this experience make High Ride Cycle a hit.
Pic Credit : High Ride Cycle
Here, instructors create connections in addition to coaching movements. Every class’s ambience is shaped by music, energy, and the riders present in the room that day. At times, the rides may feel celebratory and explosive, while other times feel reflective and healing. The riders are encouraged to show up the way they are.
The Art of Staying Authentic
When businesses are growing, sometimes they have to choose between expansion and authenticity. But High Ride Cycle deliberately maintained its “scrappy local feel.” Megan always made sure that the company never lost its essence. The leadership team invested in instructor development, mentorship, and internal growth opportunities, allowing the company’s culture to evolve organically.
“We’ve never tried to become a copy of anyone else,” Megan says. “High Ride has its own identity, personality, and culture.” Patrons of the fitness industry seek meaningful experiences; hence, authenticity resonates strongly now.
High Ride Cycle’s success clearly indicates that people want connection, emotional wellness, and community-driven experiences, and not just a gym membership.
Advice for Women Entrepreneurs
Megan shares an honest and empowering piece of advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs who are hesitant to take the first step. “You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.”
She understands that many women wait for complete certainty before pursuing their ideas. But this is the only thing that entrepreneurship rarely offers because confidence comes only through action. Her own journey is the perfect example of the same.
Megan trusted her instincts and remained connected to the purpose behind her business even through uncertainty, expansion, setbacks, and growth. She encourages women to stay adaptable and embrace vulnerability. “Surround yourself with people who genuinely believe in your vision,” Megan motivates.
The Road Ahead
While reflecting on the future, Megan envisions High Ride Cycle to deepen its impact. For her, expansion, just for the sake of scale, is not the goal. Her focus is to elevate the rider experience, strengthening instructor leadership, and creating more meaningful connections both inside and outside the studio.
High Ride Cycle is continuously evolving, keeping the heartbeat of the brand intact with new programs and events.
In this fast-paced world, High Ride Cycle reminds people to pause, breathe, move, and feel because healing begins with a single ride.
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