Beginners — setup, rhythm, confidence
First Ride
- Indoor cycling
- Beginner
- 30 min
- Works for 4–20
- Effort 2/5
- Cycle studio
- cycling
- beginner
- technique
- cadence
- express
Kit: Bikes, towels, water.
Warm-up6 min
Bike Fit, Together
RPE 1–2
Setup: Lights up, music low. New members standing beside their bikes, not on them.
How it works: Walk the whole room through setup as one group, step by step, checking each rider as you go. Nobody pedals until every bike fits. Then everyone on, feet strapped, one minute of gentle pedalling with almost no resistance to feel the flywheel.
The technique, step by step
- Saddle height: stand beside the bike — the saddle meets the top of your hip bone.
- Check: sit and pedal to the bottom of the stroke — knee softly bent, hips not rocking.
- Saddle fore-aft: hands off the bars, you can sit tall without tipping forward.
- Handlebars: start at saddle height or higher — comfort beats aero tonight.
- Feet: strap snug across the widest part of the foot; press through mid-foot.
- Find the resistance knob and the emergency stop — press it once so you know it.
What to say
- “There's no prize for suffering on a badly fitted bike — we set up first, every time.”
- “The flywheel keeps turning — slow your legs gently, never stop them dead.”
- “That red knob is your best friend: it always makes things easier as well as harder.”
Easier
Take longer — a relaxed setup is the whole point of this block.
Harder
Riders who've been before self-check while you focus on the brand-new.
The rest of this class plan is free — along with 3 more this week.
House plan.
Free on ClassPlans — new class plans weekly.