8 Endurance Bike Erg Workouts

The Bike Erg, the newest member of the Concept2 cardio machine family, is an exceptional tool for both competitive athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike. For the functional fitness competitor, the Bike Erg gives athletes the chance to test their work output. For the fitness enthusiast, the Bike Erg serves as an ideal tool to improve overall fitness—especially cardiovascular endurance. But no matter how you use the Bike Erg, it’s sure to get you fitter, to get your legs stronger, and to develop your cyclical power. 

In this article, we’ve outlined 8 effective Bike Erg workouts for you to consider adding to your training. However, it’s important to note that choosing workouts randomly isn’t the best approach. Instead, it’s more beneficial to follow a structured plan and progressively increase both volume and intensity.

Pacing Guidelines

There are generally two ways to determine the intensity of aerobic workouts: the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) method or the Pace method.

RPE, a 1-10 scale, is based on how you feel, considering factors like fatigue and terrain. The Pace method focuses on maintaining specific workout speeds, often determined by time trials. For example, Bike Erg uses a 4000m time trial to set your pace. However, if you’re not up for a trial, you can simply estimate your pace. It’s less precise but is more beginner-friendly.

Further details on these pacing methods can be found in our How to Pace Your Aerobic Workouts post.

Workout 1

4 Rounds

Bike 3 minutes at moderate pace (RPE 5-6)
Bike 90 seconds at recovery pace

No rest between rounds.

Workout 2

5 Rounds

Bike 2000m at slow pace (RPE 3-4)
Bike 2000m at moderate pace (RPE 5-6)
Bike 1000m at fast pace (RPE 7-8)

Rest 1 minute between rounds.

Workout 3

4 Rounds

Bike 4000m at slow pace (RPE 3-4)

Rest 1 minute between rounds.

Notes: Bike the last 500m of every round standing at damper 10.

Workout 4

Part 1: Sprint Intervals

Sprint 100m at damper 10
Rest 1 minute
Sprint 100m at damper 10
Rest 1 minute
Sprint 100m at damper 8
Rest 1 minute
Sprint 100m at damper 8
Rest 1 minute
Sprint 100m at damper 0 (free damper)
Rest 1 minute
Sprint 100m at damper 0 (free damper)

Part 2: For Time

Bike 7000m at slow pace (RPE 3-4)
Bike 5000m at moderate pace (RPE 5-6)
Bike 3000m at fast pace (RPE 7-8)

Workout 5

3 Rounds

Bike 10 minutes at slow pace (RPE 3-4)
Bike 5 minutes at recovery pace

No rest between rounds.

Workout 6

8 Rounds

Bike 3 minutes at fast pace (RPE 7-8)
Bike 2 minutes at slow pace (RPE 3-4)

No rest between rounds.

Workout 7

3 Rounds

Bike 12 minutes at slow pace (RPE 3-4)
Bike 3 minutes at recovery pace

No rest between rounds.

Workout 8

4 Rounds

Bike 3 minutes at moderate pace (RPE 5-6)
Bike 30 seconds at recovery pace
Bike 10 seconds at fast pace (RPE 7-8)
Bike 10 seconds at very fast pace (RPE 8-9)
Bike 10 seconds at maximum pace (RPE 9-10)

Rest 4 minutes between rounds.

These workouts are designed to highlight the power the BikeErg offers. When you add workouts like these into your programming, you’re sure to increase the most important aspect of your overall fitness: your cardiovascular endurance. So enjoy the ride to a fitter you. (And if you want a program that’ll kick your ass—in the best kind of way!—enroll in our top-rated BikeErg program.)