We had the good fortune of connecting with Tammeca Rochester and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tammeca, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, a small non tourist town that is known for farming. In fact, when I mention to another Jamaican that I’m from St. Elizabeth, they immediately say “oh you a country gal”. Then at the age of 4 my family and I migrated to Atlanta, Georgia where I was no longer the country gal but the “weird Jamaican”. I learned early on that being different was my special power. We were the only Jamaican family in school all the way up to high school, and the only family that was led by my mother, a force all by herself, who strongly believed our differences made us special. We were the kids that brought jerk chicken to school for lunch instead of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, we dressed in our Sunday best every time we went to the mall, and when we got to middle school my dad who was a truck driver would routinely drive his 18 wheeler through the parent pickup line, totally embarrassing me and my sister and totally affirming that there is something very different about our family. At the time my goal was to blend in but my family just wouldn’t allow it. And now at 40 years old I am truly grateful for those moments that used to embarrass me, but totally shaped who I am today. Those moments helped me recognize that sometimes you have to be who you are and do things a little differently. This lesson has followed me through life and helped shape Harlem Cycle. When I opened our doors, my goal was to not be like the other studios. There was so much missing in those spaces and I wanted to be the one that provided something different for my community. So we did things differently, opening in central Harlem, with no mirrors, no expansive marketing budget and no celebrity instructors. We encouraged people to go at their own pace, have fun and don’t worry about things like weight loss or competition.  We created a safe space filled with art, music and culture with a team that represented the community and wanted to make an impact.

What should our readers know about your business?
Harlem Cycle is Harlem’s 1st and only boutique fitness studio that focuses on indoor cycling, strength, and cardio training. We are a community focused fitness studio teaching more than 3000+ Cardio focused classes a year. Annually we host the one and only Cardio Glamping Retreat, an Upstate Hiking experience, outdoor community bike rides, and the Harlem Cycle “Good to Great” instructor training program focused on turning more members of the community into fitness professionals. Our services have expanded to include a on demand wellness platform that includes our signature fitness classes and also nutrition including recipes, meal plans and challenges and recovery and stretching. We operate in a community with a high rate of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes and recognize that it is our job to change this plight for future generations. When it comes to health and wellness, we believe residents of “uptown” neighborhoods deserve better options that serve the needs of the people without having to compromise on customer service, facilities and programming. We stand by our mission to provide premium wellness options all communities that embodied the passion, the soul, and the hustle that defines Harlem.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would eat at Melbas Grab desert from Sugarhill Cremery
Take a class at Harlem Cycle
Shop at Nilu Gift Store
See a Show at the Apollo
Ride bikes through Central Park

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my fellow Harlem Business owners who welcomed me into the community with open arms, Melba Wilson (Melbas), Melissa Mitchner (The Bark Shoppe), Petrushka Larsen (Sugarhill Cremery), Jahkeen Washington (JTW Fit) and Shay Woods (Harlem Haberdashery)

Website: https://harlem-cycle.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/harlemcycle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/harlemcycle

Facebook: https://facebook.com/harlemcycle

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