If You Have…30 to 45 minutes

30-SECOND BLASTS Warm up for 10 minutes, sprint all out for 30 seconds, then spin easy for 21/2 minutes. Do this 12 times, then spin easy to cool down. Don’t perform this workout on back-to-back days or more than twice a week.
The Benefit: Research shows that all-out 30-second intervals can improve your VO2 max—the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during extreme exertion. One study found that seasoned cyclists improved VO2 max by 3 percent and 40k time-trial speed by more than 4 percent in four weeks thanks to sets of these intervals.

SPIN-UPS Warm up for five minutes, then shift into a small gear and spin up to as fast a cadence as possible while maintaining a quiet upper body and smooth pedal stroke for one minute. Recover for three minutes. Do six to eight intervals, then cool down. As the efforts become easier, increase the duration of the fast spins and decrease recovery.
The Benefit: You’ll improve your efficiency by shifting some effort from your easily fatigued legs to your more resilient cardiovascular system. If you typically push big gears, it will take some time before the higher cadence feels right.

THE MEANDER When is the last time you totally unplugged, tossed a leg over your bike and rode like a kid? Yeah, we thought so. Leave the bike computers and agendas behind, jump on a bike—any bike—and ride around. Enjoy the breeze, the lawn ornaments in your neighbourhood and the sights and sounds of your local rec path.
The Benefit: Easy movement will loosen your legs, help your body recover from previous hard efforts and make you feel happy and recharged.

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