'Cycle For Survival' Riders Aim To Sweat For A Good Cause

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- While it may look like your everyday spin class, some people are helping to fight cancer one pedal at a time.

"Cycle for Survival" is an indoor cycling movement that's riding in New York City this weekend.

CBS2's Ali Bauman joined riders at the Equinox gym at Bryant Park, who proudly wore colorful wigs as a symbol of victory in the fight against cancer for Meredith Ascari.

"Almost three years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, and I was at work one day talking about how I wanted to give back," she said.

Ascari gave back with "Cycle for Survival."

Each year, hundreds of New Yorkers put the pedal to the metal, raising money for cancer research.

"There are so many similar stories here, so you feel like, again, we're all in this together," Ascari said.

Kristen Leone first got on the bike four years ago when her best friend was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer. The disease took her life later that year, but Leone has been riding ever since.

"Just knowing what it meant to her makes us come back year after year," she said.

Every dollar raised goes to rare cancer research and clinical trials.

"Cancer is something that you have no control over I feel like, and this is one place where everybody lets go, lets loose, laughs, cries, dances, rides, sweats, enjoys, high fives, everybody is so positive with one another that it's something you can't get enough of," Leone said.

"We're going to fight this battle, and one day no one will have to go through this," Ascari said.

That battle cry keeps the wheels spinning year after year.

The event has raised more than $135 million for research at Memorial Sloan Kettering since it started in 2007.

For more information on the movement, CLICK HERE.