CDF Business spotlight: Pedal Life puts a modern spin on popular exercise

TUPELO – Blanca Miranda, owner of Pedal Life in Tupelo, is no stranger to spinning. She's taken part of the popular style of exercise, which uses specialized bikes to simulate different terrains and intensities, for more than two decades.

But her trek into the entrepreneurship side of spinning only began recently.

She moved from Tijuana, Mexico, to Tupelo in 2019 with her husband and two kids, but wasn't able to work right away. She was looking for something to do while she waited for her green card and work permit.

"I saw Pedal Life had just opened, and I went to (then owner) Vence (McNairy) and said, 'Hey, I want to do something fun and need something to do,' because I had been doing spinning since 2001," she said.

McNairy thought it was a good idea, but then came the pandemic.

"So it was well, never mind, I'll just stay at home and wait," she said. "Then when all my papers came, I was doing something else."

She was a customer retention specialist at Waste Management when McNairy contacted her last June. He wanted to know if she might be interested in buying Pedal Life from the owners who had purchased the franchise from him. After giving it some thought, she did.

"We didn't reopen until August because we moved to a new place and had to do a lot of repairs, redo the floors ... it was hard," she said.

Pedal Life moved from its former spot in the Market Center near The Mall at Barnes Crossing to its current location at 850 North Gloster Street, Suite 5, next to Bogart's Liquor and Wine.

Approaching a year in the new spot, Miranda said she still has plenty of room and classes available for more people.

"Honestly, I thought there would be a few more people because in Tijuana and San Diego you see spinning everywhere, and they're packed and full all the time," she said. "When I used to teach there, there was always a waiting list. So when I moved here, I was expecting the same. But the culture is different, I know.

The culture shock caught her off-guard, but she said the business is growing.

"It's picking up, and it's getting better," she said. "My customers are very supportive big time, and I appreciate them very much."

Pedal Life currently has five instructors, and their schedules may vary. Miranda posts times daily via Pedal Life's Facebook page. That's where potential customers can also browse the different packages and classes Pedal Life offers and book their next class.

Miranda said spinning is an easy way to stay in shape.

"You just jump on a bike and follow the instructor," she said. "You listen to good music, and then in 45 minutes, you're done."

She said beginners shouldn't feel intimidated, and they can go at their own pace.

"You're following the beat of the music," she said. "If the beat is slow, you pretend like you're going up a hill and increase the resistance; and if it goes faster, you reduce the resistance and go a little faster. It's fun and easy, and you're inside. It's also low impact exercise and your joints will stay intact."

For people unsure if Pedal Life is for them, the first week of classes are free, Miranda said.

Visit the Pedal Life Tupelo Facebook page, as well as the link at plctheclub.myshopify.com for more information.