There’s been something of a craze among aquatic fitness equipment for spas of late, and while swim spa manufacturers have been touting rowing equipment and straps, the company Hydrorider has upped the offerings with bikes, treadmills and other equipment.
“The demand of the market has shifted over the years, but lately the shift is occurring at a faster rate due to health becoming more of a priority, and brands like Speedo promoting aquatic fitness for sports training and young people,” says Millie Gutierrez, owner of the Biscayne Park, Florida–based company. “We have sold all over the world, and the demand only increases as the concept of what can be done in water broadens.”
Hydrorider has been operating in the U.S. market for more than 17 years and started with the Professional Aquabike. With time and popular demand, it has expanded to three models of aqua bikes, two models of aquatic treadmills, an aquatic trampoline and three models of aquatic poles.
The genesis of Hydrorider derives from a family-owned company based in Italy that worked with sheet metal for more than 50 years.
“Manifesting the idea of aqua cycling and aquatic fitness equipment came in part from a love for road cycling, land-based fitness equipment and the convenience of access to high-quality marine stainless steel,” Gutierrez says. “Our aqua bikes and aqua treadmills are ideal for cardio, and any lower-body issues a person may have, whether years of injury or recovering from a recent surgery. However, our latest addition, the AquaJump, is a full body workout and ideal for cardio and plyometric training.”
That’s why Gutierrez believes it would make a great line for hot tub dealers to carry, as they have direct access to the client and are able to gauge their requests for the aquatic fitness, physical therapy and rehabilitation areas.
“With different ways to use them — for rehab, wellness or fitness — there are certainly enough ways to get customers interested in these products,” she says. “More and more people are discovering how this great equipment can be used in the water to fulfill their needs — and as the category grows, we expect even more interest.”
While aquatic fitness classes are typically conducted in commercial pools as they have more space inside the pool and deck space, the company targets pools and spas of any kind for its equipment.
“Our bikes are quite versatile for personal or commercial use,” Gutierrez says. “They’re easy to move around because they have wheels and simply tip to roll where needed. Getting them in and out of a swim spa would depend on the size of it and if there are any uneven surfaces on the inner siding of the spa.”
Typically, clients tip their bikes over the edge of a spa or pool and slowly lower them in, with the wheels rolling down the side until the bottom is reached. Another option is to carry the bike into the water; all three models weigh between 40 and 50 pounds.
Hydrorider has several distributors around the world, with a territory that includes North, Central and South America.
“We typically do not have sub-distributors unless they are able to execute an agreement with a minimum purchase per order and per year,” Gutierrez says. “With that being said, we do have a sub-distributor in Canada. In addition to these avenues, we do have e-commerce on our website to enable direct individual sales, but of course clients call us for multiple units. We view each of these avenues equally and see them each as a valuable asset that allows growth.”
