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It\u2019s hard to watch cyclists zoom through stages of the Tour de France without imagining yourself\u2014even for just a second\u2014on a sleek road bike, pedaling through the European countryside, wind on your skin and wheels turning underneath you. If you\u2019ve already dabbled in indoor cycling, whether in a Soul Cycle class or on a Peloton bike, it may also have you wondering how indoor and outdoor cycling compare. Is it just as hard, physically? Is one a better workout?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never looked at indoor and outdoor cycling as competitors. I think they\u2019re better together,\u201d says Reagan Carter<\/a>, a certified cycling instructor, lifelong outdoor cyclist, and cycle brand specialist at Life Time Rancho San Clemente<\/a>. That said, yes, there are some pretty significant differences between the two.<\/p>\n Keep reading to understand the differences between indoor vs. outdoor cycling, including the powerful mind-body benefits you stand to gain from hopping in the saddle.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Reagan Carter<\/a>, is an AFAA certified group fitness instructor, certified cycling instructor and cycle brand specialist at Life Time Rancho San Clemente<\/a>. Renee Eastman<\/a>, MS, CSCS, is a cycling coach with CTS<\/a>.<\/p>\n What are the benefits of cycling, in general?<\/p>\n While indoor and outdoor cycling have their differences, there are some overarching benefits you\u2019ll get from both workouts.<\/p>\n \u201cThe number one benefit of cycling<\/a> would probably be cardiovascular fitness,\u201d says Renee Eastman<\/a>, MS, CSCS, a cycling coach with CTS<\/a>. The cardiovascular fitness you build on a bike benefits your longevity<\/a> by improving heart and lung health, reducing disease risk, and enhancing your functionality, Eastman says. Cycling can make it easier to truck heavy groceries to your car or make it so you don\u2019t get as winded from chasing after your dog or kid.<\/p>\n And because cycling is low-impact, many people can stick with it through injuries or the aches and pains that come with aging. \u201cUnlike activities with repetitive impact, like running, cycling allows you to challenge your heart, lungs, and muscles without placing as much stress on your joints,\u201d Carter says.<\/p>\n Cycling generally isn\u2019t enough to build maximal strength in most people (you\u2019ll want to look to strength training<\/a> for that), though it does help \u201cdevelop muscular endurance throughout the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors,\u201d Carter says, which can carry over to improved stamina for your other workouts or everyday life.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd, as with just about any mode of exercise, it\u2019s good stress relief<\/a>,\u201d Eastman adds. Research<\/a> shows that any physical activity can benefit mental health, but cycling, in particular, seems to<\/a> improve mood and well-being and reduce stress and depressive symptoms.<\/p>\n Indoor vs Outdoor Cycling for Cardiovascular Health<\/p>\n Expert verdict: Indoor<\/p>\n Because cycling in all its forms is a rhythmic, heart-pumping activity, you\u2019re bound to get a good cardio workout whether you\u2019re inside or outside. However, there\u2019s one way in which indoor cycling pulls ahead: \u201cIndoor cycling tends to create a more continuous workload,\u201d Carter explains. \u201cThere are no stoplights, no coasting downhill, and no interruptions unless the workout is intentionally programmed that way. Because of that, riders can often maintain a higher average training intensity and spend more sustained time producing power, making indoor cycling an incredibly efficient cardiovascular workout.\u201d<\/p>\n In that vein, indoor cycling can also be a bit more time-efficient, especially if you have a stationary bike readily available. \u201cWith indoor cycling, you just get on the bike and go,\u201d Eastman says. No need to pump up your tires, worry about the weather forecast, or plan a route. This might allow you to squeeze in a workout even when you don\u2019t have much time, or help you stay on the bike longer, getting you closer to the 150+ minutes of moderate-intensity cardio<\/a> per week recommended for overall health.<\/p>\n Indoor vs Outdoor Cycling for Muscle Engagement and Strength<\/p>\n Expert verdict: Outdoor<\/p>\n From a physiological standpoint, both indoor and outdoor cycling challenge the cardiovascular system and recruit many of the same major muscle groups: namely, your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest difference isn\u2019t necessarily which muscles you\u2019re using, but how they\u2019re being challenged,\u201d Carter says. \u201cOutdoor cycling is naturally more variable: Hills, weather, traffic, and road conditions constantly change the demands on your body.\u201d Your muscles are being worked from different angles as you stand to power up a steep climb or lean to zoom around a corner, while testing your balance and proprioception<\/a> (your body\u2019s ability to perceive its movement and position in space).<\/p>\n \u201cOutdoor riding also places greater demands on your stabilizing muscles throughout the core and upper body because you\u2019re balancing, steering, braking, cornering, and continuously reacting to changing terrain and conditions,\u201d Carter says. This is especially true if you\u2019re mountain biking or riding on trails that require even more body positions and varied skills, Eastman adds\u2014from jumping a log to hopping off your bike and wheeling it up a hill that\u2019s too steep.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, on an indoor bike, you can get sort of lazy with your form, Eastman continues. Most stationary bikes position you relatively upright, allowing you to place more body weight in the saddle. \u201cIf you’re sitting more upright, you’re probably using your upper body and core less, whereas there\u2019s a certain amount of strength that you need on a regular bike,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n Indoor vs Outdoor Cycling for Power<\/p>\n Expert verdict: Outdoor<\/p>\n Though cycling outside comes with additional environmental challenges, cycling indoors can often feel harder for people<\/a>, Eastman says. In fact, some research suggests that cyclists perform better outside. A few small<\/a> studies<\/a> have found that professional male cyclists generate higher power outdoors than they do indoors, even when instructed to ride at a similar perceived effort level.<\/p>\n Eastman has seen this firsthand in the athletes she coaches. \u201cFor people paying attention to watts, output, or power, they might notice they can’t put out as much power indoors as outdoors,\u201d she says. Why? This could come down to the mechanical differences between how you create torque and power a stationary bike versus a moving bike, she says, but it\u2019s likely also environmental. When you\u2019re riding outside, there\u2019s a cooling effect from the air flow that you just can\u2019t get inside, even if you have a fan\u2014and this temperature difference is likely one of the reasons people’s perception of their effort is a little bit higher indoors, she says.<\/p>\n On the flip side, if you\u2019re doing a workout with a specific goal\u2014think: high-intensity intervals or hitting a specific pace\u2014an indoor setting makes it easier to really dial in your efforts. \u201cYou can control your program very well if you’re indoors,\u201d Eastman says.<\/p>\n Indoor vs Outdoor Cycling for Accessibility and Safety<\/p>\n Expert verdict: Indoor<\/p>\n Indoor cycling isn\u2019t only more time-efficient, it also surpasses outdoor riding from an accessibility perspective in many other ways. \u201cIndoor cycling has made the sport accessible and open to people who might not otherwise get on a bike,\u201d Carter says.<\/p>\n First, there are the logistics of it all. Gear-wise, riding outside requires a bike and helmet (at the very least), and you also need to know how to handle a flat. You\u2019ll want to bring water and any necessary nutrition, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and plan bike-safe routes. Even then, road safety is always a concern. \u201cCycling outside requires a lot of awareness because you\u2019re sharing the road with vehicles, pedestrians, and other cyclists,\u201d Carter says. \u201cUnfortunately, not everyone shares the road as well as they should.\u201d<\/p>\n Indoor cycling offers the benefit of constant safety and ultimate control. \u201cYou can adjust the bike to fit your body, making it a great option for beginners, someone returning from injury, or anyone looking for a structured workout,\u201d Carter says. You can listen to music (which isn\u2019t safe on the road) and get real-time coaching with virtual classes or an instructor, helping ensure you get a lot out of your workout even if you\u2019re new to the modality. And if you need a bathroom, snack, or water break, it\u2019s as easy as slowing the flywheel and hopping off the bike.<\/p>\n Indoor vs Outdoor Cycling for Mental Well-Being<\/p>\n Expert verdict: It depends on personal preference<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond the physical benefits, cycling has always been just as good for my mind as it is for my body,\u201d Carter says. Luckily, when it comes to mental benefits, both indoor and outdoor rides have something special to offer.<\/p>\n Riding outside can be a sort of balm\u2014you get to enjoy the passing scenery, soak up some vitamin D, and breathe in fresh air. \u201cFor some people, cycling outdoors can be like a meditative kind of exercise, because it’s very rhythmic and you can get into a flow,\u201d Eastman says. Some research even suggests<\/a> that outdoor workouts may offer more powerful mental-health benefits (including reduced anxiety, improved mood, and resistance to fatigue) than indoor workouts. Because you have to maintain situational awareness and contend with obstacles on outdoor rides, your brain is also forced to work a little harder. One PLoS One<\/a> study on older adults found that eight weeks of outdoor cycling improved executive functioning, and this was true even among those who rode e-bikes\u2014suggesting that it was the act of cycling, not just the physical exercise, that had an impact.<\/p>\n Riding indoors, on the other hand, \u201ccreates a completely different mental space,\u201d Carter says. \u201cYou get to leave the outside world at the door and simply focus on moving. For many people, that combination of movement, music, and coaching is one of the best forms of stress relief they\u2019ll experience all week.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, comparing indoor vs outdoor cycling isn\u2019t about which is better, but about what makes sense for you. They both offer powerful benefits for your body and mind, and will complement each other as well as your other workouts. \u201cTo me, indoor cycling builds the engine, and outdoor cycling teaches you how to use it,\u201d Carter says. \u201cThe strongest riders I know usually incorporate both because each one brings something valuable to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n Find the Perfect Women’s Health Training Program for You