Indoor Bike Workouts to Help with Speed
Can an indoor bike help with my outdoor cycling?
The sensation of smooth tarmac or uneven gravel under your tyres is incomparable. However, there are days when the weather won’t allow you to ride outside. When that happens, these cycle workouts can help you get fitter in as little as 30 minutes.
Whether you want to maintain your cycling fitness for when you get back on the Irish roads or if you prefer exercise bikes and indoor workouts, these sessions can yield great results. The controlled constancy of indoor cycling helps build muscle fibres and overall fitness, which translates to higher success rates on the road.
Before you start cycling, make sure you’re prepared for success.
Three tips for an effective exercise bike workout
1. Pick a quality bike
Although home indoor cycling bikes can be expensive, they can be a wise purchase if you ride all year long or live in an area where it’s not always convenient to ride outside. Our full range of InTheMarket.ie exercise bikes are designed for home use, with a selection and budget to suit everyone.
2. Adjust the bike to fit your body
Allow enough time before your ride to ensure that your bike is correctly set up for your body. Stand next to the bike and adjust the seat so that it is hip height. When you’re saddled up and clipped in, your kneecap should be squarely over the ball of your foot or just below the toe line when your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Elbows should bend softly when touching the handlebar, and there should be a gentle bend in the knee when the legs are fully extended. Adjust the handlebar height based on personal preference, especially if you have lower back issues.
3. Learn the terminology
Many online cycling classes reference various positions on the bike. The first position is typically sitting in the saddle and holding the handlebars. The second position, also known as “running,” involves standing tall and straight with your hands lightly resting on the bar closest to you. The third position is similar to a standing sprint, with your hands on the ends of the bar furthest away from you.
Example workouts
The Speed Workout
This 30-minute workout focuses on high accelerations at low to moderate resistance, perfect for burning calories.
- 3-minute warm-up in the saddle or third position at a light to moderate speed
- 3 minutes at a moderate speed followed by a 30-second sprint, alternating for six minutes. Repeat for three cycles.
- 3-minute cooldown
The Cardio Endurance Workout
This 45-minute aerobic workout is designed to increase stamina, focusing on maintaining a certain RPM despite discomfort.
- 5-minute warm-up at a slow to medium tempo
- 60-second push with moderate resistance between 80 and 100 RPMs in the saddle (60% effort), followed by a 30-second break
- 90-second push at 90 RPMs with slightly more resistance, followed by a 30-second break
- Maintain at least 80 RPMs throughout.
- 5-minute break
- Repeat the drill pattern and recovery three more times.
- 5-minute cooldown
Tabata Bike Exercise
This 30-minute HIIT workout features short, intense intervals with minimal recovery, aiming for maximum fat loss and calorie burn.
- 5-minute warm-up at a slow to medium tempo
- 8 × 20-second pushes against moderate resistance in third position, followed by 10-second recoveries
- 1 minute seated rest with light to medium resistance and speed
- Repeat the intervals and recovery.
- 1 minute seated rest
- 4 × 40-second pushes in the saddle, followed by a 20-second recovery
- 1 minute seated rest
- Repeat the intervals and recovery.
- 60-second maximum exertion, followed by a 5-minute cooldown
Muscular Endurance Workout
This challenging workout by Riley Missel involves high-cadence intervals that increase either cadence or resistance.
- 8-minute warm-up at a light to moderate tempo
- Start at 90 RPMs and increase cadence by 5 RPMs every 20 seconds, aiming for 120 RPMs.
- Increase resistance by one level every 30 seconds while maintaining 90 RPMs for six minutes.
- 3-minute break
- Repeat the drills and recovery.
- 2 × 5-minute cooldown periods
These workouts will keep you in top shape and ready to hit the road again once the weather improves. Happy cycling!
Check out our top 3 indoors exercise bikes!
Commercial Exercise Bike B-55
- Resistance: magnetic
- Flywheel: 20kg
- Console functions: time, speed, distance, calories, RPM, recovery, pulse, body fat
- Maximum user height: 6.4ft
- Maximum user weight: 150kg / 330.7lbs
- System: belt drive
B-44 Exercise Bike
- Resistance: magnetic
- Flywheel: 6kg
- Console functions: time, speed, distance, calories
- Maximum user height: 6ft
- Maximum user weight: 120kg / 264.5 lbs
- System: belt drive
Commercial Exercise Bike S-5000
- Resistance: friction
- Flywheel: 18kg
- Console functions: time, speed, distance, calories
- Maximum user height: 6.4ft
- Maximum user weight: 120kg / 264.5 lbs
- System: belt drive
