If you ever participated in the Presidential Fitness Test, you probably remember the concept of sprinting from the shuttle run. Love it or hate it, that quick assessment taught many of us from a young age what it meant to sprint while running. 

But what about bike sprints? Peloton instructors cue sprinting on the bike all the time during cycling classes. But what, exactly, does that mean, and why bother? Here, we’ll coach you through everything you need to know about bike sprints, including their benefits, mistakes to avoid, how to add them to your workouts, and the sneaky strength training exercises that can help you push your pace even more confidently.

What Are Bike Sprints, Exactly?

Ready, set, go! A true “sprint” is a short, all-out burst of effort that any biker can arrive at by finding a cadence and resistance combination that produces the highest output possible for 10 to 30 seconds, says Peloton instructor Christine D’Ercole. For most athletes, a bike sprint is around the 90 to 105 revolutions per minute (RPM) cadence range.

“It takes some practice—and plenty of warm-up—to discover what resistance will support the highest output at different durations. The shorter the effort, the higher resistance, and the higher the output,” Christine says. 

Bike sprints may require getting out of the saddle to use your whole body. It will definitely require engaging your core and arms to allow you to pedal as hard and fast as you can, explains Colin Izzard, a premier cycling coach with CTS. 

Often, this explosive power is something a rider might activate to edge out a competitor in a race, take the lead around a turn, or simply edge up the Leaderboard during a Peloton class. 

How Are Bike Sprints Different from Other Intense Pushes?

Imagine a bike sprint like lighting a match. Both are fast, intense, and burn out quickly. 

“Bike sprints are different from other intensity pushes because it involves all-out power—10 out of 10—for a short duration, about 5 to 20 seconds. Since you’re often out of the saddle to max out your power, your full body is required, including your legs, arms, and core,” Izzard says. “The purpose of bike sprints is building explosive speed, finishing power, and peak output.”

Other pushes might last longer or ask you to work at a challenging or very hard effort level—but not your maximum. Here’s how bike sprints differ from other pushes you might try, according to Christine:

Climbs

Spin-Ups

Threshold Efforts

The Benefits of Doing Bike Sprints

After seeing that “all-out” part, you might be thinking that sounds like a lot. We won’t pretend that bike sprints aren’t a challenge. So why bother? Here are some of the reasons why you might want to consider incorporating bike sprints into your next ride.

Increased Efficiency

Bike sprints are an effective option for those who are crunched for time: “Sprinting is incredibly efficient,” says Heather Baker, a physical therapist at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital. 

If you’re really pushing the pace, you can achieve a great workout in a short period of time—say, 20 to 30 minutes with a few 10- to 15-second sprints sprinkled in, Izzard adds.

Higher Power Output

Sprints activate fast-twitch muscle fibers, which we don’t use much during slow and steady rides. “Bike sprints train your body to generate more wattage [power], which is important in our ability to do things like run upstairs and improves your ability to respond quickly to stimulus,” Christine says. Plus, fast-twitch fibers are the first type of muscle fibers to disappear as we age, according to research—so counteracting that natural age-related muscle loss with bike sprints is beneficial.

More Speed

Even a few short bike sprints per ride can make you feel stronger and snappier as an athlete, Izzard says. That’s because “sprinting trains your muscles and nervous system to produce maximum force quickly,” he says. “This allows you to pedal faster in short bursts and helps improve your maximum speed and acceleration.”

Boosted Metabolism

Due to the amount of effort required, “sprinting stimulates our metabolism and creates an ‘afterburn’ effect,” Christine says. You’ll burn more calories post-workout, which may translate into a change in body composition, she notes.

Improved Cardiovascular Fitness and Anaerobic Capacity

Max-effort sprints stress your heart and lungs in a different way than endurance rides. As a result, “you’ll feel more in control during tough sections of a ride, even if you’re not sprinting,” Izzard says. And the gains don’t stop there. Over time, your body learns to recover faster between hard efforts, handle short and intense bursts with less fatigue, and tolerate activity near the lactate threshold better (while feeling less of a “burn”), he adds.

Types of Bike Sprint Workouts

Now that we’ve covered what and why, let’s dive into how to incorporate bike sprints into your routine. Here are a few of Christine’s favorite specific—and super-effective—bike sprint workouts. (You can find many of these types of workouts on the Peloton App.)

8 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Bike Sprints

No matter what style of bike sprint you try, keep these overall best practices in mind, Izzard suggests.

Start with a Warm-up

Before you do any sprint work, spend 10 to 15 minutes cycling easily to warm up your legs and get your heart rate up. Include a few short pushes to prime your body for the challenge ahead.

Pick a Safe Spot 

If you’re riding outdoors, seek out a quiet road or bike path with plenty of room, no traffic, and a flat or slightly uphill section. “You want to focus on sprinting, not dodging cars,” Izzard says. Or clip in on your Peloton Bike so you don’t have to fuss about the elements and X factors like potentially distracted drivers.

Don’t Be Shy with the Resistance

Sprinting with resistance too low can lead to bouncing in the saddle and/or pedaling out of control, Christine says. In this way, it’s possible for a bike sprint to cause an injury since the body may move erratically, Baker warns. 

The best resistance will vary per rider, so Christine recommends experimenting with adding enough resistance to “create the feeling of the wheel being connected to the ground.” Think of it this way: If you can sprint for 10 seconds and feel like you could have gone for 60, then add resistance. If you’re burning out after 10 seconds, dial it back.

Check Your Cadence 

Just like there isn’t one universally accepted resistance level, there’s no overall prescription for bike sprint speed. For most riders, though, 95 to 105 RPM is the sweet spot, Christine says. 

“Try to find a cadence that you can maintain for up to 30 seconds without losing form,” Baker adds. “Focus on turning the feet over quickly and smoothly, but make sure you’re actually fatigued by the end of the push.”

Use Your Whole Body 

Sprinting isn’t just about pedaling fast. “Focus on gripping the handlebars firmly along the drops, or the lower curved part of the handlebars. Drive power from your legs, core, and arms,” Izzard says. “A strong core helps you stay stable and transmit more power through your legs. Think of your body as a strong frame, transferring every bit of force into forward motion.”

Mind Your Form 

Izzard notes that it’s tempting to “yank back and up on the bars, trying to muscle your way through. This often leads to wasted energy, loss of traction or balance, and poor power transfer from your legs to the pedals.” Instead, focus on pushing the bike forward and down, holding the drops firmly with your elbows slightly bent and shoulders relaxed. “This lowers your center of gravity and gives you better control,” he says.

Track Your Progress

Don’t just improvise. On a Peloton Bike, keep an eye on your instant output (power, measured in watts) displayed on your screen during your workout; it’s calculated using your cadence and resistance combined. (After you're done, you can see your best output during that workout in your History tab.)

Use Strength Training for More Powerful Bike Sprints

“Strength is a big part of what supports a good sprint,” Christine says, and a strong body reduces the risk that you’ll fall victim to a bike sprint-related injury, Izzard adds.

Check out the Strength for Cyclists program on the Peloton App, or consider incorporating some of the following exercises into your routine. The following are among the best strength moves for cyclists on a mission to become a superior bike sprinter:

Make Sprints Part of a Balanced Routine

Keep in mind that practice makes progress and bike sprint training will certainly make you a stronger sprinter. That said, it’s wise to incorporate bike sprint workouts into your agenda just once per week if you’re new to the training style, working up to a two to three sessions per week max. There are certainly benefits to other formats (we’re looking at you, climbs, endurance, and recovery rides!) too.