Spinning bikes can be a great way to get in a vigorous workout -- burning calories and keeping your muscles in shape. Spinning is satisfying alternative to the real thing, especially during the off-season.
Spinning is a relatively recent phenomenon, where a workout on exercise bike typically lasts anywhere from 30-75 minutes. The workout should be structured through a series of phases, from warm-up to more challenging phases, to a period of peak effort followed by a cool down.
The intensity of the workout is influenced by a couple of things:
Cadence, or pedal rate
Resistance of the bike's flywheel, which can be continually adjusted throughout the class to make pedaling easier or more difficult
The rider's body position, as they either pedal from a seated position or rise from the saddle.