4-week beginner cycling training plan

Four weeks. Three rides a week. One number at the end.

Most beginner cycling plans fail for the same reason: they ask for more time than a new rider has, and they never tell you whether it worked. This one asks for three rides a week, none longer than 75 minutes, and it finishes with a ramp test so the last session tells you exactly what the first three weeks bought you.

4
weeks: 3
rides a week: 2.7 h
typical week: 3.1 h
biggest week

Start this plan See every week Test your FTP first

Free, with no trial Scheduled on your own calendar Switch or stop at any point

Everything here is ridden in ERG mode. The trainer holds the target watts and you hold the cadence, which removes the hardest part of early structured training — pacing an interval you have never done before.

You do not need an FTP number to start. Ride the first week at the default targets, and the ramp test in week four sets your real zones for whatever you do next.

How the plan is built

Weeks 1–2 are pure aerobic riding, so the habit lands before the intensity does.
Week 3 adds short sweet spot intervals — 8 minutes at a time, not 20.
Week 4 ends with a ramp test, the shortest honest way to find your FTP.

Ride this plan if

You have a smart trainer and have never followed a structured plan.
You can commit three sessions a week, around 45–75 minutes each.
You are coming back to cycling after time off the bike.

What you get out of it

A measured FTP you can build every later plan on.
A comfortable hour of Zone 2 riding without watching the clock.
A first taste of sweet spot work, at a length you can finish.

Week by week

Every session below is a real workout you can open and ride right now, with or without the plan. Applying the plan puts them on your calendar on the days you choose.

4-week schedule for the Beginner Cyclist Kickstart cycling training plan
Week	Focus and sessions	Load
1 week	Find the rhythm Week 1: pure aerobic. Ride at a pace where you could hold a conversation. If in doubt, go easier. Endurance Base 1 – 60m60 min Recovery Spin 2 – 30m30 min Zone 2 Endurance (1h)60 min	2.5 hours
2 week	Add a little length Week 2: same intensity, slightly more time. The spin-ups teach your legs to turn over smoothly. Endurance Base 1 – 60m60 min Z2 + Spin-Ups (1h)53 min Endurance Base 2 – 75m75 min	3.1 hours
3 week	First intervals Week 3: your first sweet spot work — 8 minutes at a time. Hard but finishable. Sit up and breathe between efforts. Sweet Spot Builder 1 – 3×8m57 min Recovery Spin 3 – 40m40 min Endurance Base 2 – 75m75 min	2.9 hours
4 week	Test week Week 4: one slightly longer interval session, then the ramp test. Sleep well the night before and eat properly beforehand. Sweet Spot Builder 2 – 3×10m63 min Recovery Spin 3 – 40m40 min Ramp Test – Short32 min	2.3 hours

Applying the plan schedules all 12 sessions from your chosen start date. You pick which days of the week you ride.

Start Beginner Cyclist Kickstart

Beginner Cyclist Kickstart: common questions

How many hours a week is this beginner cycling plan?

Between two and three hours across three rides. The longest single session is 75 minutes, in weeks two and three.

Do I need to know my FTP before I start?

No. Ride the first weeks at the default targets and take the ramp test in week four. That number then sets your zones for every plan after this one.

What should I do after four weeks?

Move to a base plan. The 12-week winter indoor base plan is the natural next step if you are training indoors, or sweet spot base if you already have a few months of riding behind you.