"Excellence is never an accident -- it is the result of hard work," states a sign in the new home of the Indoor Cycling Studio in the White Building.

The Penn State Indoor Cycling Studio is a new addition to the fitness program offered at the White Building.

The cycling program occupies its new home in 48 White with 26 new Schwinn Evolution bikes.

The cycles were added earlier this semester, Erica Harper, cycling class instructor, said.

Previously, the program had no permanent home within the White Building, Jill Garrigan, fitness coordinator, said.

Though the additions were in place in late January, the program is just now seeing increases in attendance, Garrigan said.

"The new setup is really accommodating to new riders," said Lauren Davison, assistant fitness coordinator.

The class has been held all over campus, but this semester is the first time in seven years it has a permanent home, she said.

Penn State is one of the first universities to use this type of stationary cycle, Garrigan said.

"The new bikes are great; they're silent and tight," Harper said. In addition, the rider can control the level of difficulty him or herself, she said.

Any student who possesses a fitness membership can go to any of the 45-minute- long cycling classes, which are offered seven days a week, she said.

"The best part about the class is that the instructor pushes you," Eric Greene (junior-economics) said after completing one of the workout sessions. "Even though the instructor pushes you to pedal harder, you can still control the tension and resistance yourself."

The participants demonstrate that they are ready for a workout; they come prepared with a towel and a water bottle, Garrigan said.

The cycle sessions vary from an aerobics class in that the rider gets an intense, focused workout, she added.

The squash-court-turned-cycle-studio can potentially accommodate 325 people per week, she said.

The instructors use a method called "coached cycling," where the leader encourages the riders to employ physical and mental toughness, Garrigan said.

The trainers enjoy the collaborative role they play in guiding the cyclists.

"I like best that I can motivate people to workout, but at the same time people can set their own workout," Harper said.