Essential Indoor Training Equipment for Cyclists to Improve Speed and Endurance

Even if you’re an avid cyclist, getting on your bike for a daily ride isn’t always an option. Sometimes there’s rain, snow, or a long day at work standing in your way. But having a well-rounded home gym ensures that you can continue to train even if a ride isn’t in the cards.

Furthermore, using non-cycling home gym equipment means you’re not just training the same muscles you do on the bike. And this makes you a stronger rider and improves your overall strength and cardiovascular fitness. The following is all you need for a world-class strength facility in your own home.

Indoor Turbo Trainer

Indoor cycling is an excellent way to target fitness improvements and concentrate on specific areas of fitness training. Sessions can be delivered very precisely with no external influences such as weather, gradient, road conditions, or traffic. Time spent on an indoor bike can also be tailored to specific areas of training, allowing for more practical, efficient, and worthwhile workouts while eliminating potential junk miles.

Indoor turbo trainers and bikes themselves have evolved to provide accurate wattage feedback as well. They can be connected with heart rate monitors to provide improved feedback and accuracy of training sessions that can then be downloaded, analyzed, tracked, and shared.

So, you may wonder: How do I choose a turbo trainer? When shopping for an indoor turbo trainer, you’ll see that models are classified into three types: rollers, stationary trainers, and stationary bikes.

Rollers are the most basic option. They are a set of cylindrical drums that spin in a frame that you lay on the floor and balance your bike on. Stationary trainers are upright frames that support your bike while you pedal. And stationary bikes are stand-alone units that allow you to pedal without the use of a bike.

Most indoor bike trainers are compatible with a variety of bike styles and tire sizes, but double-check. You’ll need to know whether you have a mountain or road bike, the size of the wheels and whether it has a thru-axle or a quick-release skewer. Some bikes aren’t designed to be used with an indoor bike trainer, but adapters or cassettes can be purchased to make them work.

In addition to setup, consider how simple the bike trainer is to use once it’s ready to go. Because they are secure and stable, direct-drive and flywheel trainers are relatively simple to use, even for a beginner.

Again, roller trainers provide no support; you must rely on your own movement to maintain balance. That doesn’t mean they’re out if you’re a beginner, but if you choose a roller trainer, expect to fall over a few times (and feel frustrated) before you can really get going.

Kettlebells

Performing a series of strength training exercises will help improve your strength for climbing hills, power for sprinting, and core for injury prevention. You will also feel more stable and in control on the bike, as well as relieve any back and neck fatigue.

Kettlebell weights are a low-cost, versatile, and portable way to add resistance to at-home core strength exercises. They are a very simple way to perform a workout at home and they allow you to do all of the important things for cycling strength-wise.

If you’re a beginner, buy kettlebell weights that are between 10 to 16 kgs. Begin with about eight reps and work your way up to 15-20. Increase the weight and decrease the reps once you’re comfortable with that. Kettlebell strength training exercises you should try include:

Kettlebell Slingshot

This exercise is a great way to get started with kettlebell training and also serves as a great warm-up and core exercise for cyclists. The slingshot will improve core stability as the hips work to keep the kettlebell in place as it is passed around the body. An increase in core stability will help you control the bike better.

Kettlebell Swing

This is a power-based movement that will produce powerful and explosive hips while also increasing endurance. The hamstring and buttock overuse during the kettlebell swing will also help to balance out the quad overuse on the bike. And kettlebell goblet squats are excellent for improving cycling climbing and sprinting. Squats for cyclists will strengthen the legs, hips, core, and buttocks.

Kettlebell Regular Row

This is an exercise that can help with neck fatigue and other issues caused by the hunching cycling posture by developing strength and stability in the scapula. With this exercise, you will also achieve excellent core activation for preventing lower back injuries as well as strengthening the hamstrings.

Resistance Bands

Get a simple resistance band kit that can be easily stored in a drawer when not in use. Resist bands are great for increasing strength and flexibility. One type of exercise you can try with a resistance band is wrapping the band around your ankles and taking big side steps to the left and right to work on your glutes.

Another one is to lie on your back with the band looped around one foot, then raise your leg towards the ceiling while pulling it (gently) towards you with your hands. Stop and hold for 30 seconds when you feel your hamstrings stretch. Squats split squats, and one-legged deadlifts are not only designed to make you stronger, but also to help you keep your pelvis stable while riding.

Lacrosse Ball

The lacrosse ball is all about soft tissue work – finding problematic points, most likely the glutes, quads, and lower back. Once you’ve identified the problems, work on one every day for 10-15 minutes while watching TV. Sit on the lacrosse ball, for example, and feel it work into your glutes. The muscle will relax as a result of this.