How to Build Cycling Endurance When You Have Limited Time to Train

Let’s be honest.

Most of us aren’t professional cyclists. We’ve got full-time jobs, families, other responsibilities—and fitting in hours of training each week isn’t always realistic.

But the good news? You don’t need to be on the bike every day to build proper endurance.

I’ve worked with dozens of cyclists, mainly over 40, who’ve improved their fitness, dropped a bit of weight, and even smashed big events, all while training under six hours a week.

It’s not about riding more. It’s about making the time you do have actually count.

Here’s how you can build endurance—even with a packed schedule.

Step 1: Stick to Zone 2 (Even When It Feels Too Easy)

Zone 2 is the unsung hero of endurance training.

It helps you become more efficient, improves fat-burning, and builds your aerobic base—the kind of fitness that lets you ride for longer without fading.

But here’s where most people go wrong: they ride too hard on their easy days and too easy on their hard ones. That middle ground effort—what we call “grey zone”—feels productive, but it rarely delivers much in return.

What exactly is Zone 2?

Heart rate: roughly 60–75% of your max
Power: around 65–78% of your FTP
Effort: You should be able to chat without getting out of breath

If it feels too slow, you're probably doing it right.

Stick with it consistently, and you’ll be amazed at how much stronger you get.

Step 2: Use This Simple 3-Ride Routine

If you’ve only got a few hours a week, there’s no need to overcomplicate things. You can cover your bases with just three focused sessions.

1. The Long Ride (90 minutes or more)

This is your base-builder. Keep the effort mostly in Zone 2.
If you can’t manage a full block of time, try splitting it across the day—45 mins in the morning and another 45 later still adds up.

2. A Midweek Sweet Spot or Tempo Ride (40–60 minutes)

This one adds a bit more intensity without leaving you wiped. Aim for 84–95% of your FTP—hard enough that you’re working, but still under control.

You could do:

2x20 mins at sweet spot
Or a 40-minute steady tempo effort

Perfect for a turbo session before work.

3. A Short Strength or VO2 Session (30–45 minutes)

This could be either:

A proper gym session—think squats, lunges, Romanian deadlifts
Or a short interval session like 5x3 minutes at VO2Max

Both will build leg strength, boost your top-end power, and help you ride more efficiently.

Step 3: Don’t Forget the Recovery Bit

This one gets overlooked all the time.

When you’re training on limited hours, recovery isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. It’s when all the actual progress happens.

If you’re permanently tired, not sleeping well, or under-eating, no training plan in the world will help. You’ll just stagnate—or worse, go backwards.

One of my clients hit a new FTP and dropped 6kg in six weeks—not by riding more, but by sleeping better and fuelling his recovery properly.

Here’s what helps:

Prioritise 7–9 hours of sleep
Eat a decent meal after your rides, especially carbs and protein
Take at least one full rest day each week
Every 4–6 weeks, cut back a bit so your body can actually absorb the training

What to Do Next

If you want to start building endurance with limited time, here’s a really simple plan to follow:

Look at your week and block out three slots for training
Aim for something like this:
- Tuesday: 40-minute sweet spot ride
- Thursday: 30-minute strength or VO2 session
- Saturday: 90-minute steady ride

If you can stick to that for the next month, you’ll feel the difference.

No flashy tech. No complicated spreadsheets. Just consistent, focused work.

Whenever you're ready, here are the ways I can help you:

The Cycle Lean Blueprint: This comprehensive, all-in-one product is everything you need to shed kgs and ride faster.
The Cycle Lean Collective: Get ready to transform your fitness journey with our new and improved monthly membership program.
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