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Road to Indoor Cycling

How Do Indoor and Outdoor Cycling Compare? A Breakdown of the Benefits, Tips, and More

With the right approach, indoor workouts can provide a convenient, effective complement to your outdoor rides.

By Renee Cherry, Lauren MazzoUpdated 14 January 2025

Indoor and outdoor cycling technically belong to the same discipline but offer two completely different experiences. Inside, you might hone your focus on a Peloton instructor’s cues or a high-energy playlist. Take your workout outdoors, on the other hand, and you’ll contend with the elements, traffic laws, and very real hills—not the kind you can take a break from with the twist of a resistance knob.

One option isn’t inherently better, and most cyclists can benefit from having both training styles in their arsenal. “There are great benefits to riding both indoors and out,” confirms Peloton instructor and decorated track cyclist Christine D'Ercole

Wondering how they compare or which you should start with? We’re breaking down all the details on the unique benefits of indoor vs. outdoor cycling and the best approach to transitioning to indoor cycling if you’re already an outdoor cycling regular.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Cycling: How They Stack Up

Indoor vs outdoor cycling

The effects of indoor and outdoor cycling are similar, providing a solid cardio workout while working muscles in your lower body and core. Beyond that, though, the two styles have some key differences.

Indoor Cycling Benefits

The benefits of indoor cycling are unique compared to outdoor cycling, including distraction-free training and an easy time getting started.

Curated Environment

During an indoor session, you can take certain liberties—like closing your eyes or grabbing a set of dumbbells for some upper body exercises—that wouldn’t be safe on an outdoor bike. You also have the option to rely on music and its benefits, whereas listening to music on an outdoor bike isn’t safe since it can be distracting and prevent you from hearing the environment around you. “[Music] is a powerful motivator that can really help us push through challenging moments,” Christine says.

Less Equipment

Indoor cycling requires its fair share of equipment. You’ll need the bike itself, plus certain accessories like a bike mat (to protect your floor), a water bottle, a towel, and perhaps some hand weights. You'll also need compatible cycling shoes if your bike has clip-in pedals like the Peloton Bike and Bike+. Compared to outdoor cycling, though, this is nothing. To head out on a road ride, you’ll need (at the very least) a bike, helmet, cycling shoes, padded shorts or pants, gloves, sunglasses, layers (depending on the weather), a repair kit, a full water bottle, a cell phone or bike computer, and a pocket or pouch to hold everything. As a result, it may be cheaper to start with indoor cycling.

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Less Dangerous

Since indoor cycling takes place in a gym, studio, or home, you don’t have to concern yourself with potential hazards that can arise when biking outdoors, such as traffic, road debris, adverse weather, flat tires, or getting lost. That means you can focus all your attention on fitting in an effective workout with less safety risk.

More Convenient

“Having your Bike ready and waiting for you is a huge benefit to riding inside and requires fairly little prep,” Christine says. “Grab your shoes and water, and you can ride any time you like.” On the other hand, riding outdoors requires a bit more prep time and forethought. “Pumping tires, making sure electronic shifting batteries are charged, checking gears are running smoothly, potentially driving the bike to a location suitable for riding, packing toolkits and essentials for changing weather conditions and nutrition all require a little more time and planning,” she says. 

More Efficient

“Riding indoors allows you to work through a specific structure of efforts without concern for environmental factors such as traffic, terrain, surprises (like dogs chasing you), or weather, ” Christine says. “The ability to go through an entire workout structure without risk of interruption allows you to gain the benefits of the workout more efficiently.” Because you have complete control over your resistance and speed, you can drill hills, HIIT, or a long endurance ride, changing the intensity on a whim. In contrast, outdoors, you’re limited based on the terrain and the route you’ve picked.

Easier for Beginners

For beginners to cycling or exercise in general, indoor cycling can be much easier to get started with. As mentioned, less prep and gear are involved, plus fewer safety risks. Because the Bike is stationary, it’s also more forgiving of slip-ups; you won’t go tipping over or sliding out as you learn to stand up out of the saddle or pedal against resistance. Plus, you can follow a guided workout, like one from Peloton, with an instructor cueing your every stroke and coaching you through efforts—something you don’t get when you head out on an outdoor ride.

Outdoor Cycling Benefits

It may take more time and patience to master outdoor cycling, but it comes with its own distinct benefits, from the feeling of the wind in your helmet to leveling up the challenge on your body and brain.

More Immersive

Both forms of cycling can offer an opportunity to escape the demands of daily life, but outdoor workouts may have a slight edge there. “The environmental awareness required to ride outside is an exercise in mindfulness,” says Christine. “And riding outside offers the joy of fresh air and the sensation of speed which can’t be replicated inside.” Some research suggests that exercising outdoors may come with extra mental health benefits like reduced anxiety and improved energy and mood compared to indoor exercise (though it’s worth noting that high-quality long-term studies are lacking).

More Challenging

Generally speaking, outdoor cycling is tougher than indoor cycling for several reasons. Riding outside poses challenges like maintaining balance on potentially tricky terrain (think: off-road, gravel, rain, potholes, etc.), Christine says. There are benefits to using your body to maneuver a bike over all these hurdles. “Reaction time, understanding how to shift weight and off-load over bumps builds confidence in oneself and opens us up to greater challenges,” Christine explains. You’ll also encounter real hills that you can’t skip by turning down the resistance. While riding inside, you’re able (to a degree) to vary the intensity through cadence and resistance adjustments. Still, it’s impossible to replicate the shift in your center of gravity over the bike that happens when riding an actual incline or decline outdoors, Christine says. 

Feels Easier

Even though outdoor rides are generally more demanding, outdoor cycling may actually feel easier than pedaling indoors. In a small 2014 study, cyclists completed one indoor ride and one outdoor ride with similar environmental conditions. The researchers instructed them to ride at the same level of perceived effort during both sessions, but the cyclists ended up logging higher-intensity workouts outdoors. It’s unclear why—perhaps the fresh air, sweat-cooling breeze, and views helped. As a result, the researchers concluded that cyclists might want to consider riding at a higher perceived exertion when training indoors to receive the same benefit they’d get from an outdoor ride.

Doubles As Transportation

Outdoor cycling can also double as an eco-friendly mode of transportation. Commuting by bike is a win-win if you want to fit more movement into your day without carving out dedicated time for a workout—and research shows bike commuters have lower stress levels and enjoy commuting more than those who drive or take public transport.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Cycling: How to Choose Which Is Best for You

Cycling indoors and outdoors has pros and cons—which may help dictate which is a better fit based on your fitness goals.

If you’re a beginner looking to build up a fitness routine, it could make sense to start with indoor cycling, as it’s a safer environment to develop a fitness base and get a feel for the bike. You can also follow along with instructor-led workouts to learn how to handle resistance and maintain proper posture and good cycling form while riding.

Likewise, indoor cycling could be a better choice if you’re looking for a way to squeeze in a workout before or after work. Outdoor rides take significantly more prep and time away from the house, so they’re not as convenient for those with super busy schedules.

If you’re specifically looking for a way to get outside while being active, cycling outdoors could be the move. For example, many injured runners pick up outdoor cycling to help replace the experience of logging miles. If you like other low-impact outdoor endurance activities like hiking, outdoor cycling can help scratch the same itch. 

Triathletes or people planning to participate in outdoor cycling events can undoubtedly benefit from both indoor and outdoor riding. Indoor cycling can offer an easy way to fit in training rides and maintain your fitness when the weather’s gnarly, but you’ll need to train outdoors, too, so you’re ready for the real-world dynamics of being on a bike.

How to Start Cycling Indoors When You’re Used to Outdoor Biking

If you’re an outdoor cyclist, there are many reasons to add indoor training to the mix, whether it’s due to convenience, weather, or rehabbing an injury. There’s less of a learning curve to indoor cycling compared to riding outdoors, but there are still things you should know.

A smooth transition from outdoor to indoor cycling begins with the correct bike setup. “My first recommendation is to make sure your fit on the Peloton Bike is as close as possible to your fit on your outdoor bike,” says Christine. “While the angles of the Peloton Bike will be different, you can take your bottom bracket to seat height, tip of saddle to handlebars, and height of bars to a position that will allow you to ride comfortably and gain all the benefits of cycling indoors.”

No matter your experience level, Christine recommends starting your foray into indoor cycling with some of Peloton’s Power Zone classes. Peloton’s Power Zones measure your effort during a ride based on your speed and resistance, customized to your fitness level. Throughout Power Zone classes, your instructor will indicate which of the seven Power Zones you should aim to be in.

By taking these classes, you’ll gain an understanding of the relationship between cadence, resistance, output, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE, or how hard you feel like you’re exercising), and how they impact your workout, says Christine. Then, you’ll be better equipped to create a workout plan that balances high- and moderate-intensity days with recovery, she adds.

Takeaway

Cycling indoors and outdoors both have their magic. “Whether indoors or out, riding a bike offers the time and space to get away from everything else in the world and to take care to take time for yourself,” Christine says. Luckily, there’s no need to choose between the two—many cyclists train outdoors when the weather’s nice and they have the time and indoors when an outdoor ride isn’t in the cards. If you’re just getting started, though, it may make sense to pick one based on your goals. Outdoor cycling takes a bit more gear and prep, and has more of a learning curve compared to indoor cycling, which lets you hop on and pedal in a flash. The good news? You’ll get some serious benefits—stronger legs, a pumping cardiovascular system, a euphoric mood boost—no matter where or how you ride.

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This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.

Christine D'Ercole

Christine D'Ercole

Christine D'Ercole

Christine D’Ercole is a decorated track cyclist who brings this expertise to every Peloton class.

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