If you’re stuck inside or want to step up your intervals, doing a spin bike workout is a great way to get some solid work in in a short amount of time.
Bicycling Magazine posted a story about three good spin bike workouts if you are riding solo inside. They could also be used for a bike on a trainer.
The Indoor Spin Bike Workout for Speed
No hills here: This 30-minute workout was designed for high accelerations at low to moderate resistance.
- 3-minute warm-up at light to moderate pace in the saddle and third position
- 30-second sprint followed by 30-second easy cycle; alternate for 6 minutes
- 3 minutes at moderate pace in saddle or third position
- repeat previous 2 steps for a total of 3 rounds
- 3-minute cool down at an easy pace
The Tabata Indoor Spin Workout
In this type of HIIT workout, the intervals are intense and quick with a small recovery window. (This is the type of class I typically do when I’m teaching the Cycle class.)
- 5-minute warm-up at light to moderate pace
- 8 x 20-second push in third position with moderate resistance followed by 10-second recovery
- 1-minute recovery in saddle at low to moderate resistance and speed
- Repeat above intervals and recovery one more time
- 1-minute recovery in saddle at low to moderate resistance and speed
- 4 x 40-second push in saddle with light to moderate resistance, followed by 20-second recovery
- 1-minute recovery in saddle at low to moderate resistance and speed
- Repeat above intervals and recovery one more time
- 60-second push at maximum effort
- 5-minute cooldown

The Endurance Indoor Spin Workout
Having endurance is the ability to push forward even when fatigued?so this 45-minute ride is aerobic and designed to build stamina. This one?s a little tougher, and meant for more advanced riders. For beginner riders, use the two workouts above to build up to this one.
- 5-minute warm-up at low to moderate pace
- 60-second push in the saddle between 80-100 RPMs at moderate resistance (should feel like 60 percent of your max effort)
- 30-second recovery
- 90-second push in the saddle with a little more resistance than the previous interval; maintain 90 RPMs
- 30-second recovery
- 120-second push with a touch more on the resistance; maintain at least 80 RPMs
- 5-minute recovery
- repeat drill sequence and recovery 3 more times
- 5-minute cooldown