There are a lot of books about cycling training, but I find most of them so complicated that I get tired just trying to read them. In this post I have simplified things, but retained the core elements you need to build cycling fitness quickly and efficiently. It is all about training smart, and getting the most bang for your buck out of your exertions. You will find this plan easy to follow – and along the way, you might just have some great experiences!

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Complete bike training plan – You will find this plan easy to follow – and along the way, you might just have some great experiences!

How often should you cycle in Phase 1 of your bike training plan?
-Cycle just three times per week!

Phase 1 of my Complete Bike Training Plan requires you to do just three days of bike training per week. Three rides a week will get you cycling fit, without exhausting you, so you are much more likely to keep it up. It’s much better to be looking forward to the next training ride, rather than dreading it. You can increase frequency later, once you are fitter.

In the beginning, listen to your body. If you feel exhausted the day after your second ride, rest up till the next week, then start again. In other words, omit the third ride of the week, to give your body time to recuperate.

How long should your cycling sessions be in Phase 1 of your bike training plan?

This depends completely on how fit you are when you start. For example, if you are completely unfit when you start, simply spend each of the three training sessions doing as much cycling as is comfortable for you. That might be as little as 5 minutes. There are thousands of success stories of people who started out only able to cycle around the block, and ended up as super-fit athletes. Many of them lost a couple of hundred pounds while they were doing it!

So start by doing 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes of cycling at a time, three times per week. If it is still hard to do on the third ride of the week, repeat the same amount of cycling three times during the next week. Once you can do your starting length of time easily, add on 5 to 10 minutes to each ride. If you listen to your body, you will know how many minutes you can add on.

Repeat that ride three times per week. Then do it again the next week. And so on! Until you reach  your Phase 1 goal of being able to cycle continuously for an hour.

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How should you schedule your cycling sessions in Phase 1 of your bike training plan?

You need to cycle three times a week, every week. So choose your training days to fit your own schedule, as long as vital rest days are built in. At least two of the three cycling days should have a non-cycling day in-between – do not do your rides on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday!

Sample Bike Training Schedule
For example, you could do:
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
or Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday

The first example is perfect for spacing out the days, but the second example may work better for you because it enables you to do most of your cycling on the weekend.

Extra cycling days
Add in extra days of cycling. You will probably find you want to do this anyway – cycling is notoriously addictive. Start with just one extra day. Make this a session of continuous cycling, not interval training. Interval training should be intense but not too frequent, otherwise you will over exhaust yourself, and risk injury.

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What you Need for Your Complete Bike Training Plan

Of course you need a bike, and preferably a road bike, or at least a hybrid. If you need to buy a bike to start this bike training plan, then just subscribe to our newsletter and get a free download of my Bike Buyer’s Guide PLUS a free download of How To Buy the Best Electric Bike. Sign up right here and get a weekly dose of inspiration on Monday mornings!

Cycling Shoes
Make sure you wear shoes that are designed for cycling, as this will decrease the chance of cycling knee pain and improve your cycling efficiency. These should be shoes with hard soles, not running shoes. Click here for a review of some very good cycling shoes – Five Ten cycling shoes. You may also choose to go with some good clipless cycling shoes. These make you a more efficient cyclist, so if you can master them, you will improve your cycling skills even faster!

Bike Trainer

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The right equipment and plenty of determination should set you up for success. Really, almost anyone can do Phase 1 of our Bike Training Plan. You will be amazed at how easy it is, and how quickly you become fitter. Once you can cycle for one continuous hour, you will be ready to take your fitness to new levels with Phase 2!

Good luck with your Bike Training Plan!