How Long Does It Take To See Results From Indoor Cycling?

By Robbie Ferri CPT

CPT & Indoor Cycling Instructor

Riding a bike indoors is a lot of fun. The rush of the endorphins, the constant challenges, and the incredibly satisfying burn of the legs. There’s nothing that can offer the same experience, and it’s very exciting, especially when you first start your journey.

At Girl Bike Love, we get asked some interesting questions, but one we recently got was, “How long does it take to see results from riding a stationary bike?” This is what I’m going to be answering for you today. We will be discussing:

• How Long Does It Take To See Results?
• Top Tips For Quick Indoor Cycling Progression

How Long Does It Take To See Results Indoor Cycling?

When it comes to seeing results from indoor cycling, it doesn’t just reflect fitness and leg strength. It comes in many different forms. Here’s the journey I have seen many new indoor cyclists take and their results typical results. 

I am going on the assumption of someone training three times a week as an example. I feel a week is enough to notice a few differences, but four weeks will see a lot of changes.

Here’s what to expect.

1 Week

Your body adjusts to the nature of indoor cycling, and your heart rate starts to lower during training sessions. You feel much better on the bike and start getting used to the feeling of what it’s like to cycle indoors, which can be overwhelming. After a few sessions, you have probably started to master not just riding seated but standing too.

2 Weeks

After two weeks and 6 sessions now, you will start to get a much smoother pedaling motion, and you will have become much better at cycling purely just through efficiency. Your RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) will be higher seated, and standing climbs will produce a lot more power as you build confidence to lean in. You will also find yourself much more comfortable on the bike as you’re used to the seat now.

3 Weeks

After 9 sessions, your legs start to get stronger. The muscle is growing, and the body is getting more used to the pedaling motion. You may notice an improvement in power of around 5% to 10%. You may also notice through these extra calories you are burning might see a pound or two of weight loss.

4 Weeks

After four weeks and 12 completed sessions, you will now have made indoor cycling a habit. Your technique will be much better, the heart rate will be less erratic and easier to control, and you might see another 5% increase in your power. You will also, at this point, notice a huge improvement in technique and your pedaling. 

After A Month And Ongoing

After a month, you will notice that cycling has become a part of your weekly life. This is where you will start to sink into making constant but small improvements to power and weight loss if that’s the route you’re going down. You will also see an improvement in your resting heart rate and possibly blood pressure. 

I typically see my clients become 3%-5% stronger each month, and many end up losing around 2 pounds per month or more. The more you go through the process and keep training hard, the quicker improvements will come. Some people do up to 5 sessions a week to get stronger quicker and lose weight faster. 

Top Tips For Progression

When it comes to making improvements on the bike, it’s not just what happens on the bike. Here are our top tips to help you make progress.

Eat Well

Ensure you have the energy to train when you get on the bike. A good portion of carbohydrates really helps for that explosive energy. Afterward, we recommend a good dose of protein to aid recovery.

Sleep

Sleep is where you do most of your recovery. Getting 8 hours of sleep goes a long way to helping you progress as an indoor cyclist. Early nights give you proper recovery. 

Bike Fit

We highly recommend spending an hour or two getting your fit right. Checking your saddle is the correct height and that you are not sitting too far forward or back makes a big difference to comfort and power. 

Special Equipment

Adding a few accessories can greatly affect how quickly you progress. Clip-in cycling shoes, a powerful fan, and a good bike can give so much value to your body, making the correct adaptations quicker. 

A Final Note

Indoor cycling progression can be made much quicker than you might think. You can become a much stronger, more efficient stationary cyclist within a month.

Thanks for taking the time to read our article. Please enjoy the video too!