The Brutal SoulCycle Ouster Finally Exposed: The ‘Spin Wars’ Doc Leaves Nothing Out!

October 27, 2026

Why “Founder Drama” is Still Boutique Fitness’s Biggest Shadow

The “original sin” of SoulCycle’s partner split isn’t just ancient history—it’s a cautionary tale that continues to repeat itself across the boutique fitness landscape today.

As reported by Athletech News:

Corporate Ousters Remain Common: Similar struggles are currently playing out in the wellness space. Sarah Larson Levey, founder of yoga brand Y7, recently revealed she was stripped of operational control of her brand after its acquisition by FitLab. Y7 ultimately closed all of its studios in September.

The High Cost of Chaos: Anne Mahlum, the founder of Solidcore, has reportedly spent $123,000 of her own money to cover eight weeks of unpaid wages for the impacted Y7 workers, highlighting the messy aftermath of corporate takeovers.

A Different Era for Indoor Cycling

The release of Spin Wars comes at a transitional time for SoulCycle. The brand, now owned by Equinox, bears little resemblance to its peak-popularity era. CEO Evelyn Webster departed in June to lead podcast company Audiochuck, and a successor has not yet been named.

After losing an estimated $350 million during the 2020 pandemic and closing nearly 25% of its locations in 2022, the brand now operates just 52 studios in the U.S. and one in London.

Spin Wars will be available to rent or buy on Amazon and Apple TV on Dec. 22.

What do you think of Zukerman’s story? Will you be watching when it drops? Let us know in the comments!

Sources & Further Reading:

Athletech News: New SoulCycle Doc Puts Co-Founder’s Ouster Back in the Spotlight

The Clip Out: Spin Wars Distribution Deal Sets December 22 Release

Page Six: SoulCycle co-founder Ruth Zukerman claims she was forced out of brand in new doc

Spin Wars: New SoulCycle Documentary Puts Iconic Ouster Back in the Spotlight

The boutique fitness boom of the 2010s was more than just high-energy playlists, candlelight, and sweat—it was a battleground of intense competition, corporate betrayal, and high-stakes drama.

Now, a new documentary is pulling back the curtain on the industry’s most infamous power struggles. Spin Wars, a feature-length documentary directed by Philip Byron, has been acquired by Greenwich Entertainment for North American distribution and is set to premiere on streaming platforms on December 22.

The film, which previously debuted at the Tribeca Festival and screened at the Hamptons International Film Festival, revisits the cutthroat “mind, body, soul” culture that defined the rise of indoor cycling giants SoulCycle, Flywheel, and Peloton.

Ruth Zukerman Breaks Her Silence

At the heart of Spin Wars is Ruth Zukerman, the co-founder of SoulCycle who was famously ousted from the brand she helped create, only to go on and build rival giant Flywheel Sports.

While Zukerman touched on her abrupt exit in her 2018 memoir, the documentary features her most candid and detailed account yet of the betrayal. She claims she was blindsided in a meeting with fellow co-founders Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice, who informed her she was no longer a partner.

“I kept it close to the vest, and as time went on, you know, we get older, and we start to look at life a little differently,” Zukerman, now 68, shared at a Hamptons screening, as reported by Page Six. “I literally had a thought at one point two years ago… ‘Why am I not talking about this?’ I would regret keeping this story secret. It’s been very cathartic.”

The documentary also features Marion Roaman, a Peloton co-founder, highlighting what Director Philip Byron describes as the “spin-cestuously linked” nature of the New York indoor cycling scene.