The boutique fitness boom wasn’t all good vibes and motivational playlists.

SPIN WARS, a new documentary from director Philip Byron, digs into the messy, billion-dollar rise of indoor cycling studios like SoulCycle, Flywheel, and Peloton. The film premiered at Tribeca and pulls back the curtain on an industry built on ambition, betrayal, and what Byron calls “toxic sweat.”

It’s a high-energy look at how spinning went from niche workout to cultural phenomenon, and the ugly side of “mind, body, soul” branding that came with it. The doc features Katie Couric, comedians Heather McMahan and Mary Beth Barone, author Jill Kargman, and creators Brandon Kyle Goodman and Anna Roisman.

Byron co-wrote the film with James Thayer and produced it alongside Jillian A. Goldstein.

SPIN WARS releases this December. For an industry that sold empowerment and community, the real story behind the scenes is a lot sweatier than anyone let on. Independent filmmakers continue proving that the best stories aren’t always feel-good ones.