Indoor cycling is a great way to stay in shape and has many benefits. In recent years, it has become one of the most popular ways to exercise, and people are training not only in studios but also virtually online.
Many people don’t speak about the challenges that many indoor cyclists face, not just when they start training but also throughout their journeys. In this article, I will discuss some of these challenges and their solutions.
My Experience As An Indoor Cycling Instructor
I have been an indoor cycling instructor for many years. Along the way, I have guided many people through their journeys and taught many people how to train effectively at home. I am also a fully qualified personal trainer, bike fitter, and sports instructor.
Indoor cycling is as easy as riding a bike, but for the best experience and to take it to another level where you can continue to do it, there’s a lot more to think about. This article will make you question whether you are making any of these mistakes.
1. Not Setting The Bike Up Correctly
This is the most common mistake I see with so many indoor cyclists. When the bike isn’t set up correctly, you get injured easily, riding can cause pain, and you can’t produce the power you typically would if you were in the correct position.
Solution
Well, there’s a simple solution to this problem, and you can find it here on the Indoor Cycling Love YouTube channel. This video will tell you how to properly set up your indoor bike in less than seven minutes.
2. Wearing The Wrong Clothing
You would be surprised at how many people train without wearing suitable gear. I can understand that it might be a little more relaxed at home, but even in the studio, we have seen riders wearing jumpers, baggy trousers, and even completely wrong footwear.
Solution
Well, it’s always going to be up to you what you wear when indoor cycling, but for the best experience, padded shorts, lightweight tops, and proper cycling shoes help a lot. You can find out more from this YouTube Video I made on what to wear when indoor cycling.
3. Not Setting Up Cleats Correctly
If you are lucky enough to own a pair of indoor cycling shoes that clip in, you will notice the huge difference they make. They need to be set up correctly, and surprisingly, many people just don’t get it right, leading to knee pain, aching legs, and sometimes even injury.
Solution
They can be tricky to set up. The best place to go is a bike fitter or indoor cycling instructor. The at home way I recommend is sit on the edge of a table straight forward with your legs dangling in front of you. Their direction will tell you which way to start adjusting your cleats. Then it’s a little adjustment after that.
4. Not Adding Enough Resistance
It’s easy to fall into the trap when you start training a lot by not adding enough resistance and working hard enough. It’s not that people get lazy, your body just wants to be in a more comfortable place and subconsciously we let this happen.
Solution
I recommend wearing a heart rate monitor when training to ensure that you keep the effort level high and challenge yourself to different types of workouts such as HIIT training or even ramp sessions.
5. Adding Too Much Resistance
On the other hand, we have people who put in too much resistance and end up heavily fatiguing themselves each session. This means they need more rest, often feel uncomfortable when returning to the bike, and are at higher risk of injuries.
Solution
I would avoid this situation by using a heart rate monitor, as I mentioned above, to keep an eye on how hard you are working. Also, include recovery sessions, add some stretching, or even rest more.
6. Letting It Get Boring
So many indoor cyclists make this error and lose motivation because of it. If you do the same sessions all the time and don’t mix it up much, it’s easy for it to get boring, and you stop doing it all together.
Solution
The best way to avoid this is to plan your week beforehand and pick different types of sessions ready for the week ahead. Commit to the sessions and always mix it up with new instructors and training types.
7. Saddle Discomfort
It takes time for a beginner to adjust to the saddle, but sometimes, no matter how much you try, it just becomes uncomfortable. There’s not really a saddle for everyone, and because we are all made differently, it’s challenging to find the right one for you.
Solution
The first way of solving this is to swap the saddle out for a different one. You might want to see a bike fitter to get their expertise, or maybe you want to go down the route of padded shorts, which will provide a lot of extra cushioning. You can also see a few things I follow to make my seat more comfortable.
8. Not Eating And Drinking Enough
You need to be properly fueled when it comes to getting the best out of your workout. Energy is important to ensure you can power those muscles and properly train them. Working out when you’re tired and hungry is next to pointless.
Solution
The key is to start eating better. Have a balanced diet, and also ensure you eat the correct food types. If you want to learn more about foods, I have an amazing article on Eating For Spinning.
9. Not Warming Up And Cooling Down
Finally, no warming up and cooling down. This is a vital part of the process when it comes to indoor cycling and for many it just gets forgotten about. I think the reason comes down to wanting a high average power or the Peloton leaderboard ranking.
Solution
Allow time to warm up and cool down. Not only will it help your performance, but it will also help you stay injury-free. There will be much less of a shock on the body when you get on the bike. It can also greatly help with comfort.
Questioning Everything
Now that I have discussed some of the common challenges cyclists face, it’s good to discuss questioning yourself. I highly recommend that when you start indoor cycling, you always question ways you can improve.
Could your bike be set up better? Are you eating enough for a workout? Are you doing the right type of sessions? Have you considered using an application? It’s important to keep asking these to make sure you continually improve and become better.
A Final Note
Indoor cycling is a huge amount of fun, and although many people see it as just riding a bike, there’s a lot more you can do to improve the experience that you are having.
As someone who has seen many people go from beginner to experienced indoor cyclists, I can tell you there are so many challenges they face that some riders just think are normal when they can easily be avoided.
