- Airflow comes first. There is no breeze indoors, so heat builds fast.
- Put water, a towel and your screen within reach before you start.
- A stable bike, a mat and a space you like make it easier to turn up.
Air first
Outside, moving air cools you. Indoors you stay put, sweat stays on your skin, and you overheat. For most riders a good fan does more than any other accessory.
Point a fan at your chest and head. If you can, add a second one lower down or from the side. Keep the room cool, and open a window if you can.
Stop riding if you feel dizzy, confused or unwell, and cool down. Confusion or collapse during or after a hot ride is a medical emergency: stop, cool the rider and call emergency services.
Within reach
| Have close | Why |
|---|---|
| A water bottle, or two for long rides | You lose more fluid than you notice |
| A towel | For your face, and to protect the bike from sweat |
| A snack for rides over an hour | So the last block does not fall apart |
| Your phone or tablet | At eye level, and on charge |
Bike and trainer
Put the trainer on a level, stable floor. A mat catches sweat and protects the floor. Before every ride, check that the bike is secured to the trainer as the trainer’s manual describes.
Sweat is hard on frames and bolts. A towel over the top tube and a quick wipe after the ride are worth the effort.
Screen and connections
Mount your phone where you can read it without bending your neck, and plug it in. A long ride with the screen on drains a battery.
Some trainers accept only one Bluetooth connection at a time. Close any other trainer app before you pair, or the trainer may not show up.
Make it a place you want to be
You are more likely to ride in a space you like. Good light, music or a show, a clear floor and everything within reach make starting easier.
Show sources (4)Hide sources
- Bongers CCWG, Hopman MTE, Eijsvogels TMH (2017). Cooling interventions for athletes: An overview of effectiveness, physiological mechanisms, and practical considerations. Temperature, 4(1), 60–78. doi:10.1080/23328940.2016.1277003
- Jeukendrup A (2014). A Step Towards Personalized Sports Nutrition: Carbohydrate Intake During Exercise. Sports Medicine, 44(Suppl 1), S25–S33. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0148-z
- Roberts WO, Armstrong LE, Sawka MN, et al. (2021). ACSM Expert Consensus Statement on Exertional Heat Illness: Recognition, Management, and Return to Activity. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 20(9), 470–484. doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000878
- Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, et al. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377–390. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597
