What it trains
The stationary bike trains your fitness and leg endurance, seated. Most of the force comes from your quads, with your glutes as the closest helpers. The saddle carries your weight and there is no balancing and no landing to absorb. That makes the bike a good first piece of cardio kit if you are new or returning after a break.
Common mistakes
- Resistance and cadence out of balance. Too heavy and you grind the pedals round at a slow cadence, too light and you bounce on the saddle. Pick a resistance where your legs turn smoothly and under control.
- Pedalling on autopilot. With a screen in front of you, it is easy to pedal at a pace that barely raises your heart rate. Decide beforehand what to hold, such as a set level or an effort where you can talk but not sing.
- Knees drifting in or out. Your knee should travel straight up and down, in line with your foot and hip. If it falls inwards, lower the resistance and check that your feet sit straight on the pedals.
Variations and alternatives
- A spin bike when you want harder intervals, standing up or in a class with an instructor.
- The elliptical if you would rather stand but still avoid impact.
- Outdoor cycling turns the same training into a way of getting to work.
How to plan your sessions
Many people warm up for a leg session with five to ten easy minutes on the bike, see the warm-up guide. On its own, 30 to 60 minutes at a steady pace makes a good cardio session, sweaty but never gasping. The bike also suits longer intervals, for example 3 to 5 rounds of three minutes at a hard but even effort with two minutes of easy pedalling in between. You can ride often, and the guide on how often to train helps you judge how many sessions suit you.
Raise one thing at a time: a few more minutes, one level more resistance or one more interval. That kind of gradual increase is what the guide to progressive overload describes. If the bike shows watts, compare them between sessions on the same bike. If your knee hurts, not just feels heavy, stop and have a doctor or physiotherapist look at it.