Equipment
A spin bike is an indoor bike with a heavy flywheel and adjustable resistance, built for standing climbs and interval sessions as well as steady riding.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
01
Unlike a stationary bike, a spin bike has a road-bike-style riding position and a flywheel that keeps turning, which gives a smooth feel at high cadence. Resistance is set with a knob or lever, so intensity is entirely in your control. It is low-impact on the knees and hips.
02
Set the saddle so your knee is slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke and the handlebars so you can reach them without straining. Always keep some resistance on the flywheel, and use the resistance knob or emergency brake to slow down. Mix steady rides with intervals, and use heart rate zones to judge effort.
03
Use steady rides for your aerobic base and short hard intervals once or twice a week. Indoor cycling counts toward the 150 minutes of moderate activity per week recommended by health guidelines.
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Free GymStreak calculators that go with spin bike training.
Guides from the GymStreak blog on this topic.
GymStreak's AI personal trainer builds a workout plan from your goal, schedule and equipment, shows every exercise with an animated demo and logs your sets.
