Studies have shown that athletes work out harder while listening to music with a faster tempo. No one knows this better than indoor cyclists, who flock to indoor cycling studios across the country for grueling workouts set to blood-pumping beats. In these classes, music isn’t merely background noise – it is a crucial part of the workout.
Cycling playlists aren’t one-size-fits-all. Each rider or instructor has their own style, so it’s important to find music that works for you. We asked five top indoor cycling instructors across the country to find out their favorite cycling songs right now. Here are their suggestions – use these as a base to create your own playlist. Plug in your earbuds, pull up DuVine Spinlist on Spotify, crank up the volume, and start pedaling!
Tolland Weems
Aura Cycle | Los Angeles, CA
- Jumpman – Future + Drake
GREAT SONG FOR warming up to a jog at the start of a workout. - Go Hard – Diskord
GREAT SONG FOR sprint repeats where you’re riding as fast as you can. - Check, Run It – T. I.
GREAT SONG FOR climbing a heavy hill with a slow tempo and high resistance. - The Power of Now- Steve Aoki & Headhunterz
GREAT SONG FOR sprint repeats where you’re riding as fast as you can. - Jersey – Future & Drake
GREAT SONG FOR warming up to a jog at the start of a workout.
Sal Salbella
SoulCycle Back Bay Studio | Boston, MA
- Hello – Adele (Anevo Remix)
GREAT SONG FOR setting the tone at the beginning of a workout. This song has a really nice vibe to get in the mood to sweat. - Kaiya Wolff x Styles &Complete – Projects ft. Doco
GREAT SONG FOR getting your heartrate up. This sing is upbeat- very fun and danceable. - The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix)
GREAT SONG FOR climbing a long, challenging hill. - Do Or Die (Afrojack vs. Thirty Seconds To Mars Remix)
GREAT SONG FOR motivating yourself to finish class stronger than when you started!
Spinlist Tip: What makes an awesome playlist for indoor cycling?
According to Sal Salbella from Soul Cycle in Boston, “a great spinning playlist is filled with recognizable songs, but also songs that have a good, strong beat that motivates you to keep your legs going, even when you’re tired.”
Jack McGowan
Equinox on 17th Street | New York, NY
- Resistance – Muse
GREAT SONG FOR getting your legs warmed up and gradually cranking up the intensity. - Night of your Life (feat Jennifer Hudson) – David Guetta
GREAT SONG FOR getting pumped up and pushing hard in sprint intervals. The song is upbeat and has a dance-y vibe. - Oh My – Gin Wigmore
GREAT SONG FOR getting up out of the saddle and running with medium resistance. - Chandelier – Sia (Jector Fonseca Remix)
GREAT SONG FOR climbing hills with bursts of higher intensity during the chorus. - Into the Night – Santana
GREAT SONG FOR running and sprint intervals paired with the awesome guitar solos.
Melinda Sarkis
Former Instructor at Flywheel | Back Bay, Boston, MA
- Hello – Paul Damixie remix
GREAT SONG FOR climbing. This song that has a great beat that inspires you to push hard. - Let yourself Skyfall Mashup – Adele vs Eminem
GREAT SONG FOR climbing. This songs screams “You can do anything you set your mind to!” - Waves – Robin Schulz Remix
GREAT SONG FOR endurance riding. - Right here Right Now – Neon Sander van Doorn
GREAT SONG FOR racing, climbing, and keeping yourself present. An awesome song to start or finish with. - Never Give Up (club mix) – ABT ft Ramona Nerra
GREAT SONG FOR minute-long accelerations to pump you up.
Jenna Ballard
Aura Cycle | Los Angeles, CA
- Beam Me Up – Cazzette
GREAT SONG FOR setting the tone at the beginning of the class. This one gets people in the mood as the song starts to rev up. The beat has a sweet build up, and then there’s a huge climax to get the riders into Beast Mode. - WTF (Where They From) – Missy Elliot feat. Pharrell Williams
GREAT SONG FOR incorporating upper body moves. It’s quick but has a variety of beats to play with. - DJ Turn It Up- Yellow Claw
GREAT SONG FOR getting the riders out of the saddle for sprints and tap backs. The bass hits hard, but it’s quick enough to keep them motivated to pedal that flywheel faster. - Elastic Heart – Sia
GREAT SONG FOR steady climbing in the saddle with a few quick runs up the hill. - Thundercat – Pyramid Scheme + Ying Yang Twins
GREAT SONG FOR explosive moves out of the saddle at the end of the class, when you want to give yourself oneself one last chance to push hard.
Spinlist Tip: What makes an awesome playlist for indoor cycling?
Jenna Ballard from Aura Cycle in Los Angeles says that “a variety of fresh dance beats and classic hip hop keeps the class interesting and on-point.” A great playlist is not just about the individual songs, but also about the overarching flow of the music. “Unless it’s a themed ride, I prefer playlists with a smorgasbord of genres,” Ballard says. “I create my playlists as if they’re stories so it all has to make sense and flow together. I take my riders on a journey, and the music carries them through their transformation.”
Lola Remy
BodyScapes Fitness | Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA
- American Boy – Estelle feat Kanye West
GREAT SONG FOR warming up at a medium cadence at the start of a ride. - Work B*tch – Britney Spears
GREAT SONG FOR high-intensity sprint repeats. This is a great song for pumping your legs fast. - Don’t Hate the 808 Ft. Lafa Taylor – Bassnectar
GREAT SONG FOR climbing hills with faster paced intervals out of the saddle. - Pompeii – Bastille
GREAT SONG FOR keeping a steady pace and moderate resistance as you ease into a workout. - Thank You – Dido
GREAT SONG FOR cooling down after a challenging workout. This song is ideal for releasing any lingering tension and stretching out
Rachele Pojednic
Former Instructor at Flywheel | Back Bay, Boston, MA
- Holding on For Life – Ellie Goulding
GREAT SONG FOR warming up. The words and the pace get you out of your day and into the saddle. For this song, I change around the pace of your pedal stroke, getting your heart rate up and muscles ready for a 45 minute set of challenging intervals. - Hello – Adele – Morton Remix
GREAT SONG FOR hill climbing. This song has a killer drop that you can crank up the torq (what we call “gear” at Flywheel), get up out of your saddle, and climb. - Vogue – Madonna
GREAT SONG FOR staying in the saddle and playing around with RPMs so you can just sweat and enjoy it, not even realizing how hard you’re working! This is a great throwback song. - All My Life – Foo Fighters
GREAT SONG FOR digging into a more intense zone. During this song, I like to surprise people with a set of tapbacks (usually reserved for more dance-y songs) followed by a seated push as hard as you can! - Pray to God – Calvin Harris/HAIM – R3hab Remix
GREAT SONG FOR sprinting. With a built in “3,2,1” countdown before the drop, you can just close your eyes, turn your brain off and ride!
Spinlist Tip: What makes an awesome playlist for indoor cycling?
Rachele Pojednic from Flywheel in Boston says there are two important parts to making a killer playlist. “The first is that you have to choose songs that make YOU want to ride hard. If you can’t connect with the songs, nobody else in the room will either. The second important element, while choosing songs that get you going, is to also include a song that every single person in the room can identify with and relate to. There should be that one song that each rider will remember and leave thinking, ‘That was amazing!'”
