Indoor cycling is now more popular than ever. Completing a structured indoor cycling workout is often a lot more appealing than braving the elements when the weather isn't nice. Instead of suffering whilst freezing on the bike, you can ride in the relative comfort and safety of your own home.
Cycling indoors is hot work, even if your indoor set-up includes a high output fan. It's not that different to a ride outdoors on a hot day though, so many riders just repurpose one of the best summer jerseys and a pair of summer bib shorts. Don't forget socks and shoes, although the best indoor cycling shoes are also an option.
If you still need some help on what to look for, head to the bottom of the page for advice on how to choose the best indoor kit.
Best indoor cycling jerseys
+ Low price
+ Washable at 60C
- Limited sizes now available
The Madison Turbo jersey is an indoor-specific jersey made from a light mesh and stripped of all unnecessary extras like pockets to aid airflow and cooling. It's washable at 60C to help keep it pong-free.
+ No sleeves or pockets
+ Looser fit than a base layer top
- Limited sizes and colours
The indoor T-shirt from Rapha is sleeveless and cut from a lightweight absorbent fabric to keep you comfy indoors. Men's and women's versions are available, with a cut that's looser than a base layer for extra air circulation.
+ Ultra-lightweight
+ Pockets for outdoor use
- Women's option is sleeveless
At 99g, Castelli says that the Insider 2 is its lightest ever jersey. It's made from an open mesh and although designed for indoors, the full zip and three pockets allow it to serve double-duty outdoors on hot days.
Best indoor cycling shorts
+ Lighter weight pad
+ Mesh side panels
- See-through thigh panels
The clue is in the name with these shorts. The Insider bibs are designed to be worn inside and feature the Italian brand's Kiss Air2 chamois pad, as well as mesh side panels, leg grippers, gusset and straps.
+ Top quality pad
+ Anti-rub inner thighs
- Expensive
If you're spending hours on the turbo, a quality pad is essential and Assos's are among the best. The RSR shorts are Assos's lightest summer offering, with great fit and, we found, a lack of chafing on the inner thighs.
+ Very lightweight
+ Quality pad
- Revealing if you're not riding alone
Mountain bike kit is a good option for riding indoors, as liners to be worn under baggy shorts are usually very lightweight. As they're designed to be worn under something, they can be a bit too revealing though.
Best indoor cycling socks
+ Many colour choices
+ Good value
- No mid-foot band
The DeFeet Aerator socks are made from breathable mesh with recycled polyester and are really comfy. Defeet makes them in a huge array of designs and multiple lengths, so you could choose a short sock for extra cooling.
+ Side-specific fit
+ Non-slip heel
- Extra padding over top of foot
The S-Phyre socks are left and right foot specific and are soft and comfy. There's an anti-slip heel to keep your feet locked in and a ribbed top surface to avoid pressure points. They're good outdoors on warm days too.
+ Very breathable
+ Modern height
- Few colour choices
The Pro socks from Sportful have a cuff that's almost all mesh and even the instep is mesh, so they're very breathable and should stay comfortable on the trainer. Use with indoor cycling shoes for ultimate ventilation.
Best indoor cycling extras
+ Lightweight mesh
+ Comfortable fit
- Peak is unnecessary
A cap can be really useful when riding indoors to keep sweat out of your eyes. The AC cap from Castelli is super lightweight for good air circulation, so your head won't get hotter, adding even more sweat.
+ Low bulk
+ Moves sweat away from eyes
- Cold or hand wash only
A headband is another great option if you want to keep sweat out of your eyes; useful if you're bald like me. The Halo headband is designed to wick sweat away from your eyes towards the sides of your face.
+ Highly absorbent
+ Quick drying
- Some are a bit large for turbo use
Microfibre towels are hugely absorbent and light and also pack down small. Perfect for a turbo session. Make sure you choose a small one though, so it doesn't get in the way if you want to use it while riding.
How to choose
What should I wear for indoor cycling?
When you cycle outside, you have to contend with the elements: wind, rain, scorching heat, and whatever else the world throws at you. When you're cycling indoors, however, you don't need to worry about these things, which in theory simplifies your cycling wardrobe.
What you do need to be aware of is that you won't benefit from the natural breeze that comes with cycling outside, where you're propelling yourself forward and being cooled by air around you. Indoors, you're stationary, and so rather than evaporating and cooling you down, your sweat is more likely to build up quickly and linger for a long time as your core temperature rises.
So, when you're cycling indoors, it's important to opt for clothing that wicks away moisture from the skin and dries quickly. This will help you to feel fresh and cool for the duration of your workout. We also highly recommend using at least one fan to help mimic the airflow you'd otherwise encounter outdoors.
When choosing your indoor cycling kit, look for garments that are thin and lightweight, ideally made from mesh, with lots of ventilation points, that stretch enough to feel comfortable and move freely in, but hug your body enough to wick sweat (which baggy clothing isn't able to do).
Do I really need indoor-specific cycling clothing?
While indoor-specific kit is nice to have if you're doing a lot of turbo sessions, you don't necessarily have to invest in it.
As we explained in our previous answer, it is important to manage your body temperature while training indoors, but if you already own lightweight summer kit that's designed to be used on hot days, then you can certainly make do with that.
As long as your clothing can quickly wick away moisture and dry afterwards, and allows a decent amount of airflow you should be fine. They're all features of summer cycling clothing.
Swapping from a jersey to a summer base layer will provide many of the benefits of a turbo-specific top. Lightweight summer cycling shorts and summer socks will also help to keep you comfortable.
However, if you're serious about your indoor cycling training, and plan to race online, we would definitely recommend you consider investing in some dedicated kit to make your endeavours more comfortable.
You could even consider the Nopinz Subzero onesie if you really want to look the part as an indoor racer.
How do we test?
The Cyclingnews team spends our fair share of time training indoors and testing smart trainers. We put a lot of kit to the test, including indoor-specific clothing to ensure it is up to the job.