6 Little Known Facts About Indoor Cycling

If you’ve read Top 5 Bike Workouts for the Time Crunched Triathlete or Top 10 Indoor Trainer Bike Workouts you understand the benefits that gained from indoor cycling. But did you know these 6 little known facts about indoor cycling?

1. Convenient- Compared to getting all geared up, pumping your tires, filling your water bottles, and making sure you look good before you head outside for a ride, training on and indoor trainer inside is much easier to prepare for. Not to mention you can easily hop on a spin bike at your local gym before or after another training session. If I’m coaching a triathlete who is short on time I will combine a short swim with a short but intense bike workout then can do at the gym.

2. Effective- Training on either a indoor trainer or stationary bike has many benefits that go beyond what can be achieved outside. Most notably is the fact that there is no reason to stop pedaling! Indoor cycling has no downhills, stop lights, crazy hills, or other factors that affect outdoor cycling.

3. Safe- I understand that most triathletes and cyclists are tough individuals that let little stop them from a training session. But when traffic is heavy or the weather outside is bad, biking inside is a much better option. I’ve personally had over a half dozen crashes on wet or icy roads and like most all cyclists have had more close calls with cars than I would like to admit. If you’re questioning weather to venture outside for a ride, play it safe and hop the trainer.

4. Efficient- As far as total workout time, training inside will win almost every time. Many coaches (including myself) believe that training inside counts as time in a half. For example a 60 minute indoor bike session is equal to 90 minute ride outside. Talk about an efficient use of training time, you can use the extra time you save to get in a strength workout.

5. Fun- Besides an elite few, most cyclist and triathletes would agree that cycling outside is much more enjoyable than spinning on the bike hamster wheel as some call it. However, if you can get a few friends together or join an indoor cycling class, indoor cycling can be really fun.

6. Different- One of the most appealing aspects of endurance sports (cycling and triathlon in particular) is the diversity of training. If you get tired of training outside, hop on the trainer. If you’re tired of the trainer and can’t train outside join a spin class at your local gym. If you don’t want to do any of the above check out some other cross training options. As you can see, there are many options to get in a cycling workout.