Still, turbo trainers can be fun. Or, at least, they are beneficial, so you should find a way to make them fun. Sure, you can’t get stranded 30 kilometres from home with frozen fingers and a flat tyre, but you can always reach your goals, train efficiently, and avoid turning your bike into ice skates on black ice. So, how do we make turbo training fun? Here are a few hacks.
Don’t approach it like an outdoor ride
Indoor cycling is not outdoor cycling. Shocker, I know. So why would you approach it the same way? It’s like going to the gym and acting as if you’re actually moving heavy rocks on the mountain. It’s an entirely different thing. Therefore, when using your turbo trainer, you must approach it as the indoor cycling experience it is. There will be no wind, no traffic lights, and no brakes. Just relentless, never-ending pedalling.
Outdoor rides come with built-in distractions: corners, changing gradients, and occasional sheep blocking the road. Indoors, you’re on a direct path to existential crisis unless you shake things up. Keep your sessions structured. Plan intervals, mix up the intensity, and give yourself short breaks to stand up and stretch. Treating it like an outdoor cruise will only leave you counting down the seconds until freedom.
Enter virtual races or worlds
Not too long ago, indoor cycling meant staring at a blank wall, desperately trying to entertain your brain to stay sane. Now, technology has given us virtual worlds where you can race strangers, climb digital mountains, and pretend you’re training in some exotic European locale instead of your basement.
Apps like Zwift, Rouvy, and TrainerRoad make indoor riding interactive, competitive, and – if you suspend disbelief – almost fun. Zwift drops you into a world where cyclists zip past in neon jerseys, and everything looks vaguely like a video game from the early 2000s. It’s not real, but it’s enough of a distraction to keep you from spiralling into boredom.
Virtual races add an extra layer of motivation. They take away the temptation to ease up and replace it with the sheer terror of getting dropped by someone named “Jeff_48” who is either a very fit middle-aged man or a 12-year-old with a disturbingly high VO2max.
Watch a film
You can always watch a film or your favourite series if you’re not into reading while training. Be honest, since when are you putting off Arcane? Now you have the time. You actually have more than enough time, considering you’ll probably be riding an hour or more.
Choose wisely. Fast-paced action movies, cycling documentaries or even questionable reality TV will keep you engaged without requiring deep concentration. Anything with long, slow dialogue scenes will make your session feel twice as long.
I’m watching From at the moment. When the demons attack, I crank up the pace. It’s like I’m running away from them. When there is a boring conversation, it’s time to settle back and relax.
Watching a cycling race also helps. You can even join the breakaways and sprints. Just don’t be disappointed when Vingegaard has 5 times higher w/kg. That’s just how it is.
Just don’t put on food shows. Nothing makes a turbo trainer session more miserable than pedalling your way through an intense interval set while watching a slow-motion shot of someone making the perfect carbonara.
Dress for the ride, though it’s inside
You’re at home. You can dress as you like (if you decide to dress at all). Still, going for an indoor ride in your jammies might not be the best idea. Even regular gym shorts won’t do. Dress as if you’re going outside. Sure, you can skip on the helmet, sunglasses, and gloves if you want to. Hell, you can even go shirtless. That’s up to you. But do your butt a favour and put on some cycling bibs. And for heaven’s sake, never put on a cotton T-shirt for a training session. In about 20 minutes, you will have nothing but a soaked cloth.
Set up a powerful fan or three
While we’re talking about sweating (a favourite topic, I’m sure), we can’t ignore that riding outside comes with a built-in cooling system. It’s called the wind. Indoors, the only breeze you’ll feel is the one created by your own suffering. Without a fan, you’ll be drenched within minutes, wondering if it’s possible to drown in your own sweat.
One fan is good. Two is better. Three, positioned strategically like a NASA-engineered airflow system, is ideal. A proper cooling setup will make you feel like an athlete instead of a damp sponge. And yes, fans are loud. But a bit of noise is a small price to pay for not overheating like an old laptop running too many tabs.
Have a goal and a training plan
One of the biggest pitfalls of turbo training is riding without a purpose. “Just pedalling” will get boring fast, and soon, you’ll find yourself making unnecessary stops to adjust your towel or stare at your water bottle as if it holds the meaning of life.
Having a structured training plan keeps you engaged. Whether it’s improving endurance, building strength or surviving a local race without collapsing, a goal directs your session.
Most training apps offer structured plans tailored to different fitness levels. Even if you’re just riding for fun, setting a target – like improving your FTP or surviving a long session without crying – adds an element of progress that makes indoor cycling feel less like a chore.
Turbo training can’t be fun, but it can be OK
Turbo training will never fully replace the joy of riding outdoors. There are no scenic views, no mid-ride coffee stops, and no chance encounters with fellow cyclists who nod at you in silent camaraderie. But with the right setup and a few clever tricks, you can turn an otherwise gruelling experience into something not just bearable but genuinely effective.
