The New World of Indoor Cycling Training

 

Bikes and the outdoors go together like peanut butter and jelly, but all riders, at some point, are forced to contemplate the unthinkable: Riding their bikes inside.

That’s just what happened to Dave Ambrose, a New York City venture capitalist whose friends suggested he try indoor training when his busy work schedule kept him away from his long rides. He quickly said no. “I thought it was boring,” Ambrose says. “I wanted to meet people and be outdoors.” The problem was that Ambrose didn’t realize he could create an indoor cycling training routine that would perfectly mimic his ideal outdoor cycling scenario.

Fortunately, his friends persisted, and Ambrose tried out Zwift (a cycling app) on a Wahoo Kickr (an indoor trainer). “I did 45 minutes for the first ride and thought, ‘This is amazing.’ You actually feel like you’re riding outside,” Ambrose says. “The resistance is changing with the terrain. There are other riders everywhere. It’s competitive. It changed everything I thought about indoor cycling.”

Ambrose trains indoors with TrainerRoad, competes in Zwift races, and does core workouts via Peloton. The subscriptions (sans equipment) add up to about $55 a month, which is more affordable than the average gym membership in New York City. Ambrose says they are totally worth it. “I feel like a new person," he says. “It’s an incredible time for a cyclist to get fit and stay fit no matter the season or how busy they are.”

So, whatever your outdoor cycling habits and goals, here are the gear and apps you can choose from to help create your indoor cycling set-up.