Is Biking Aerobic or Anaerobic?

Key Takeaway: Biking engages both your aerobic and anaerobic systems—steady rides build endurance, while sprints and hills boost power.

Is biking aerobic or anaerobic when you hit the trails?

If you’ve ever wondered whether your weekend spin is building endurance or firing up your sprint muscles, you’re in the right place.

The answer is both! In fact, biking can provide a great workout for both your aerobic and anaerobic systems, depending on how you ride.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the differences between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, how they relate to biking, and how you can tailor your biking workouts to achieve the best results.

We’ll also discuss the benefits of training on actual biking trails and utilizing tools such as Functional Threshold Power (FTP) to track your progress and set specific training goals. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just starting out, this guide will provide you with the information you need to take your biking to the next level.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic simply means- with oxygen. This is any type of exercise where the muscles of our body use oxygen as their main fuel source when exercising. Walking, jogging, and low-intensity cycling are examples of aerobic exercises. So whether you are mountain biking, training with a stationary bike, or road cycling, it’s classified as aerobic exercise.

The aerobic system is commonly called the cardiovascular or respiratory system. It includes the heart, lungs, blood stream/vessels, and other organs and tissues involved in the transport of oxygen to the muscles and removal of carbon dioxide from the body.

To better understand the aerobic system- imagine you’re talking to your friend while exercising, and both of you aren’t gasping for air- that means you’re in the aerobic activity zone.

Anaerobic Exercise

Anaerobic means our normal breathing and oxygen intake is not enough to fuel the exercise, so our body has to rely on different kinds of fuel sources. Examples of anaerobic exercise are lifting, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and circuit training.

Remember the last time you felt so out of breath after running as fast as you could within 30 seconds? That’s anaerobic exercise.

The anaerobic system is also called the lactic acid system. This is because lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, which occurs when the body is unable to produce enough energy through aerobic metabolism (which uses oxygen) to meet the demands of the muscles.

During intense exercise, such as HIIT, the body may switch to anaerobic metabolism to produce energy quickly, which produces lactic acid as a byproduct. This can build up in the muscles and cause fatigue and discomfort.

However, the body can also break down lactic acid and use it as a fuel source during exercise. With regular training, the body can become more efficient at clearing lactic acid and using it as a fuel source, which improves endurance and delays the onset of fatigue.

Is Biking Aerobic or Anaerobic? Research-Based Statistics and Facts

Research consistently shows that cycling can be both an aerobic and anaerobic activity, depending on intensity and duration.

Key Research Findings:

• Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Power in Cyclists: Off-road cyclists demonstrated a higher ratio of aerobic to anaerobic power (38% vs. 32%), and peak anaerobic power during a 10-second sprint averaged 14.9 ± 1.1 W/kg, compared to 13.3 ± 1.4 W/kg for non-cyclists.
• Competitive Cyclists: Category II riders showed a VO₂ max of 4.98 ± 0.14 L/min and peak anaerobic power of 13.86 ± 0.23 W/kg, outperforming lower-category cyclists—demonstrating that both systems develop independently.
• Training Effects: Engaging in 40–60 minutes of cycling at 60–80% maximal heart rate 3×/week over 8 weeks improved VO₂ max by 12% and anaerobic peak power by 10% in moderately active men, with no significant weight change.

Physiological Insights:
During the initial minutes of a ride, muscles rely more on anaerobic pathways—producing lactic acid—before shifting to aerobic metabolism for longer efforts.

If you’re into track cycling, you might want to focus training on the anaerobic side, but if your main priority is riding for an extended period, then aerobic exercises should be your priority. 

Aerobic training is all about longer duration rides with continuous effort, while anaerobic exercise revolves around the principles of HIIT but with longer periods of work and recovery. We suggest that you train both to increase your overall fitness and performance. 

HIIT has been shown to improve aerobic and anaerobic fitness, burn calories in a shorter time, and increase metabolism, which makes it good for losing weight (fat loss). HIIT can be done with a variety of exercises, including running, biking, swimming, and bodyweight exercise routine.

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic

Cycling is founded on good aerobic exercise performance. Anaerobic capacity is greatly dependent on aerobic fitness, but anaerobic activity also plays a huge part in an athlete’s success. 

Time

The aerobic system is slower in producing energy, but it enables a limitless capacity to push energy production during biking. The system for anaerobic exercises rapidly gives out huge amounts of energy (like a booster) but it only has the capacity to power cycling for a few seconds. 

Fuel and Source 

These two energy systems provide the energy that our body requires when biking. The system for aerobic exercises utilizes oxygen, fats, and glucose for energy production, while the anaerobic generates energy from glucose.

The truth is, the elements of aerobic and anaerobic exercises in cycling are inseparable. There’s always gonna be a cross-over between the two systems one way or another. So to answer the question- “is biking aerobic or anaerobic”, the answer is both. 

The Benefits of Biking

Aerobic Benefits of Biking

Biking is an effective way to improve cardiovascular health and endurance. When you bike, your heart rate increases, and your breathing rate becomes faster, which means your body is working harder to provide the necessary oxygen to your muscles. This exercise strengthens your heart, lungs, and circulatory system, and helps you maintain a healthy weight and even lose weight.

Anaerobic Benefits of Biking

When you bike uphill or increase your speed, your body transitions to anaerobic exercise, which means your muscles rely on stored energy rather than oxygen to function. This exercise helps build muscle mass, increase power and speed, and improve overall endurance.

Mental Health Benefits of Biking

Biking can help reduce stress, improve mood, and increase overall happiness. Aerobic exercise has been shown to release endorphins, which are natural mood-boosters. While anaerobic exercise helps improve cognitive function and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Low-Impact Benefits of Biking

Biking is also a low-impact exercise. This means it’s easier on your joints than high-impact activities such as running. This makes it an ideal form of exercise for people with joint pain or arthritis (or for those who are recovering from an injury).

Training for Biking: Improving Aerobic and Anaerobic Fitness

Biking is a great way to improve both your aerobic and anaerobic fitness, but it’s important to train effectively to get the most out of your workouts

Aerobic Training for Biking

Aerobic training helps your body deliver oxygen to your muscles more efficiently – increasing your endurance and allowing you go on long rides without fatigue. It is crucial for increasing your aerobic capacity or VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise. This type of training involves sustained exercise at moderate to high intensity intervals (e.g., biking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes or more). 

When biking for aerobic benefits:

1. Start Slowly: Especially if you’re a beginner, start with a moderate pace. This allows your body to adjust and reduces the risk of injury.
2. Maintain a Steady Pace: Aim for a consistent speed that raises your heart rate but still allows you to hold a conversation.
3. Incorporate Long Rides: Longer rides at a moderate pace can help improve your aerobic capacity.
4. Use Flat Terrains: Riding on flat roads or paths can help you maintain a consistent heart rate.

Recommended Frequency and Duration:

• Frequency: 3-5 times a week.
• Duration: Start with 20-30 minutes and gradually increase to 60 minutes or more as your stamina improves.

Anaerobic Training for Biking

Anaerobic training help your body produce energy quickly – improving your power and allowing you to tackle steep inclines or challenging terrain. It is essential for improving your anaerobic capacity, which is your body’s ability to perform high-intensity exercise without oxygen. Anaerobic workouts involve short bursts of high-intensity exercise, e.g., sprinting up hills or doing interval training, followed by rest periods. 

When biking for anaerobic benefits:

1. Integrate Intervals: Incorporate short bursts of high-intensity riding followed by rest or low-intensity periods. This can be a sprint for 30 seconds followed by a 1-minute rest.
2. Tackle Hills: Riding uphill requires more power, making it a great anaerobic workout.
3. Increase Resistance: If you’re using a stationary bike, up the resistance to challenge your muscles.
4. Focus on Form: Ensure you have the correct biking posture to maximize muscle engagement and reduce the risk of injury.

Recommended Frequency and Intensity:

• Frequency: 2-3 times a week to allow muscles to recover.
• Intensity: Aim for high-intensity intervals that push your limits, but always listen to your body and rest as needed.

Combining Aerobic and Anaerobic Training

Combining these two types of training can help make you a more well-rounded biker. Consider doing interval training, hill sprints, or other types of high-intensity workouts to improve both your aerobic and anaerobic capacity.

Training on Biking Trails

Biking trails offer a variety of terrain and challenges that can help you improve your balance, coordination, and technique. When training on biking trails, start with easier trails and gradually work your way up to more challenging ones to avoid injury or burnout.

Aerobic Capacity (VO2 Max)

VO2 max is also known as the maximal aerobic capacity. V stands for volume and O2 for oxygen. It measures how much oxygen your body can utilize while cycling. 

Having a high VO2 max has been linked to good athletic performance. Your VO2 max determines your endurance in cycling. In short, you have to train your VO2 max to be able to build your biking endurance. 

Improving your V02 Max

Prepare

To improve your biking endurance, you have to be well-rested. Rest a good couple of days before partaking in any endurance training, so that you can push as hard as possible!

Micro-Interval

Micro Interval Training is a great way to increase your VO2 max. Before starting any training session remember to warm up your body because micro-interval training can be quite intense. Have at least 20-30 minutes of steady riding before doing the intervals. 

After which, you’ll do a series of 40-20s, which means 40 seconds of hard riding followed by 20 seconds of easy riding. How hard should you pedal? Hard is equivalent to the effort you can sustain for 5 minutes. Repeat the 40-20 interval for 10 minutes and have at least 10 minutes of gentle riding in between as a way to recover.

Steady State

In the second session, you’ll be doing a 4-minute ride at max. That means you’ll be riding at your maximum effort for 4-straight minutes. You can have 4-6 intervals for this session. Make sure you get a full recovery of 4 minutes in between intervals before starting with the next one and cool down when you’re done.  

Over On Session

This may be the least painful among the 3 interval training session, but this session has the longest interval at 10 minutes apart. For this session, you should ride at 120% of FTP for 2 minutes, and then after that pedal with the sort of effort, you could hold for one hour. Have 10 minutes of easy pedaling in between and then do the session again. 

How Long Does It Take To Improve VO2 Capacity?

According to statistical data, 15% gain in VO2 capacity has been observed in as little as 4-6 weeks. Experts also say that with steady training, you can have as high as a 25% increase in V02 capacity. 

Anaerobic Capacity

While the aerobic energy system is measured in terms of V02 max, anaerobic capacity on the other hand is measured based on power output. One way to test your anaerobic capacity is through the CP3 Test where you’ll be sprinting as hard as you could for 3 minutes.

How To Improve Your Anaerobic Capacity

A 30-second sprint is a great way to do anaerobic training. Feel like you’ve emptied the tank after the last few seconds of the sprint? That means you’ve completely emptied your anaerobic capacity. 

In between intervals, allow yourself to recover and recharge your anaerobic capacity. It’s almost similar to when how Black Panther gathers all the energy being thrown at him and then bursting it all out to the enemy once his tank is full. 

Functional Threshold Power

FTP or Functional Threshold Power is the maximum average power that a person can sustain for an hour. FTP is useful in predicting cycling performance. 

A common workout for improving FTP is a sustained effort at or near FTP for a specified duration, followed by a period of recovery. By regularly training at or near FTP, cyclists can gradually increase their power output and sustain it for longer periods of time, leading to improved performance on the bike.

FTP can also be used to establish power-based training zones, which can help cyclists to more accurately and effectively target their training efforts. Knowing their FTP, cyclists can set specific training targets for different types of workouts, such as endurance rides, interval training, or threshold workouts, based on a percentage of their FTP.

Functional Threshold Power Test (FTP)

Knowing your FTP is crucial in knowing your training program. Knowing this piece of information will enable you to train the most efficiently and productively possible. You can test your FTP in different ways. You can use an indoor cycling app like TrainerRoad.

Conclusion: Is Biking Aerobic or Anaerobic?

Biking can be both an aerobic and anaerobic exercise – depending on the intensity and duration of the ride. Understanding the differences between these two types of exercise is important for individuals looking to improve their fitness level through biking. Aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular health, endurance, and overall fitness. On the one hand, anaerobic exercise improves power, speed, and muscle strength.
By incorporating both types of exercise into their biking routine, individuals can improve their overall fitness and reap the many benefits of biking. Additionally, training on actual biking trails and utilizing tools such as Functional Threshold Power (FTP) can help individuals track their progress and set specific training goals.