However, you won’t get the benefits if you don’t get the technique right - learn more here. You can also, however, adjust the difficulty of your spin in a more controlled way than simply picking a different hill up which to cycle when outdoors. The extra weight makes it a little easier than pushing your own body weight on a flat road or up a hill. While most stationary bikes have a weighted flywheel on the front (usually weighing around 40 pounds) to mimic what you’d feel outdoors, this weight builds momentum as you cycle. Indoor cycling “is the closest I can get to meditating,” says Emily Southworth, lead instructor at Recycle Studio in Boston. (Seriously, don’t cycle outdoors with your eyes shut - here’s our guide to bike safety.)

It’s also pretty liberating to shut your eyes (a big no-no while cycling on roads), zone out, and let your legs do the work.

If you’re short on time and gear, indoor cycling is an easy go-to, and you’ll never have to worry about changing a flat tire or following traffic laws.

From the indoor cycling side of the story, there are some major benefits that you can’t get from riding outside: An ultra-fast, intense, stress-free workout, for one.

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