The benefits of cycling indoors

Indoor cycling is a trend that has been increasing in popularity ever since David Kau told us to “try spinning!”. The COVID pandemic has fueled rapid growth to the point that the Zwift platform sometimes sees over 40 000 global cyclists pedalling away simultaneously on their servers.

Gone are the days of terrible exercise bikes that felt like medieval torture devices with only the sounds of a Justin Timberlake album to keep you motivated. Technology has revolutionised indoor cycling and even made it, dare I say it, fun. 

The undisputed leader in this revolution is Zwift, a massive multiplayer cycling experience where you can’t crash off your bike, have it stolen, or get hit by a car. Power data from the athlete is represented in-game by a customisable avatar who pedals hard when you do. The in-game terrain is transmitted back to your hardware so that uphills feel like uphills and downhills feel like downhills. With certain (expensive) equipment, you can even feel the vibrations when riding over rough terrain or have the front of the bike lift up to simulate climbing. Aside from Zwift, other equally excellent offerings are available, like TrainerRoad, The Sufferfest, and Peloton.

In terms of the exercise benefits, there isn’t much to beat it. Indoor cycling is an excellent, low-impact form of cardiovascular exercise with a long list of health benefits minus the risk of injuries from crashing. Because of the relative lack of free-wheeling when cycling indoors, indoor sessions can be more time-efficient than cycling outdoors. Especially if racing in one of the notoriously competitive races on Zwift or performing structured interval training. You can tick off a really effective workout in as little as 20 minutes. Just be sure to bring a sweat towel! In fact, the risk of overheating during indoor cycling is real due to the lack of cooling airflow over your body. A hefty fan is your best friend.

Just be sure to incorporate some strength training into your week, too. Indoor cycling won’t give you the bone health benefits nor the strength gains made by regularly lifting heavy things.

Unfortunately, the experience doesn’t come cheap. The equipment needed even for a relatively basic setup would make most spit out their coffee. Then there is the monthly subscription fee for the software service of choice. But for me and many others, the investment is worth it to have a fun and motivating exercise option at home, no matter the weather.

See you in Watopia!