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Status: ICI best-practice guidance 
Applies to: ICI members, ICI-recognised instructors, ICI tutors, and instructors working towards ICI recognition 
Also suitable for: indoor cycling instructors, studios, training providers, and operators seeking best-practice guidance 
Purpose: To define the professional role, responsibilities, and boundaries of an indoor cycling instructor 

This document sets out the Indoor Cycling Institute’s recommended scope of practice for indoor cycling instructors. It also describes the standard of practice expected of ICI-recognised instructors. It is intended to support safe, effective, and consistent practice across the sector. 
It does not replace formal qualifications, insurance requirements, employer procedures, venue policies, or legal responsibilities. It is intended to clarify what good indoor cycling instruction should include, where the instructor’s responsibilities begin and end, and what riders should reasonably be able to expect from a professionally trained instructor. 

1. Purpose of the Scope of Practice

The purpose of this scope of practice is to define the role of an indoor cycling instructor in a clear and practical way. 
Indoor cycling instructors work in a specialist environment. They are not simply leading exercise to music. They are responsible for managing a group of riders using fixed indoor cycles, where intensity, cadence, resistance, rider position, bike set-up, and rider control all affect safety and effectiveness. 
A clear scope of practice helps to: 

• support rider safety; 

• define professional expectations; 

• promote consistent standards across the sector; 

• help instructors understand the limits of their role; 

• help studios and operators understand what good instruction requires; 

• support better onboarding of new riders; 

• reduce avoidable risks, including loss of control of the pedals; 

• distinguish indoor cycling instruction from personal training, physiotherapy, medical advice, clinical exercise prescription, and general gym supervision, while recognising that some instructors may hold additional qualifications in these areas. 

Indoor cycling instructors should work within their qualification, experience, insurance, competence, and role. Where a matter sits outside the instructor’s competence, they should refer the rider to an appropriate professional or to the venue’s management process. 

2. Definition of the Indoor Cycling Instructor Role

An indoor cycling instructor is responsible for planning, delivering, and managing safe, effective, and purposeful indoor cycling sessions. 
This includes coaching riders to use the bike correctly, guiding appropriate cadence and resistance, managing intensity, observing rider technique and control, giving clear instructions, adapting the session where needed, and creating a class environment in which riders can take part safely. 
The instructor is responsible for the structure and delivery of the session. Riders may choose how hard they work within appropriate guidance, but the instructor should not transfer core safety decisions entirely to the rider. In particular, the instructor remains responsible for giving safe and effective guidance on cadence, resistance, bike use, riding position, and session intensity. 
Position statement: Indoor cycling as a specialist discipline

3. Core Responsibilities

An indoor cycling instructor should be able to plan and deliver a session that is safe, structured, and suitable for the riders in front of them. 
This includes selecting appropriate session aims, class structure, warm-up, main work phase, recovery periods, and cool-down. The instructor should understand how the session is intended to affect the rider and should be able to explain the purpose of the work being done. 
The instructor is responsible for giving clear guidance on: 

• bike set-up; 
  

• safe use of the bike; 
  

• braking or stopping; 
  

• cadence or foot speed; 
  

• resistance; 
  

• riding position; 
  

• intensity; 
  

• warm-up and cool-down; 
  

• recovery; 
  

• safe progression; 
  

• what riders should do if they feel unwell, unsafe, or unable to continue. 
  

Indoor cycling instructors should actively monitor the class. They should observe whether riders appear to be in control, whether they are using appropriate resistance, whether they are maintaining safe cadence, whether they understand the instructions, and whether any rider appears to need additional support. 
Where a rider is riding unsafely, appears out of control, is using insufficient resistance, is unable to follow the session safely, or appears unwell, the instructor should intervene appropriately. This may include giving a clear cue to the whole class, speaking directly to the rider where possible, reducing the intensity of the session, advising the rider to slow down, increasing resistance where appropriate, or advising the rider to stop. 

4. Required Competence

An indoor cycling instructor should be competent in the technical, coaching, safety, and communication skills needed to lead an indoor cycling session. 
They should be able to: 

• set up an indoor cycle correctly and explain the set-up process to riders; 

• instruct and verify safe bike set-up as far as is realistic in the class environment; 

• explain the brake or emergency stop mechanism; 

• explain how to increase and decrease resistance; 

• coach appropriate cadence; 

• coach appropriate use of resistance; 

• match cadence, resistance, and riding position safely; 

• lead a suitable warm-up and cool-down; 

• structure effort and recovery appropriately; 

• observe riders during the session; 

• recognise obvious signs of unsafe riding or loss of control; 

• intervene where a rider is riding unsafely; 

• manage new riders appropriately; 

• adapt instruction for mixed ability groups; 

• communicate clearly and respectfully; 

• respond appropriately to incidents, concerns, or riders who need to stop. 

The instructor should understand that indoor cycling is not made safe by enthusiasm, music, motivation, or rider effort alone. It requires active technical instruction, appropriate intensity management, and ongoing observation. 

5. Cadence Control

Indoor cycling instructors should provide clear guidance on cadence or foot speed throughout the session. 
ICI recommends the following cadence ranges as best practice: 
Seated riding: 60–110 RPM 
Standing or out-of-saddle riding: 60–85 RPM 
These ranges are intended to support safe, controlled, and effective riding. Instructors should not encourage riders to pedal at cadences that compromise control, stability, technique, or safe use of the bike. 
Cadences outside these ranges should not be used as routine class programming. Where an instructor chooses to work outside these ranges, there should be a clear, defensible reason, and rider control must remain the priority. 
Where bikes do not display cadence, instructors should still coach foot speed. This may be supported by music tempo, verbal rhythm cues, visual demonstration, rider education, and the instructor’s own cadence awareness. Ideally, instructors should use a cadence meter themselves where this helps them maintain accurate and effective guidance. 
Riders should not be left to guess foot speed without meaningful instruction. They should be coached to ride with control, not simply to pedal as fast as possible or to match an unsuitable beat. 
Cadence, Resistance and Rider Control

6. Resistance Control

Indoor cycling instructors should provide clear guidance on resistance and intensity. 
Resistance is not optional decoration. It is a central safety and training variable in indoor cycling. Appropriate resistance helps riders maintain control, produce effective force, avoid excessive bouncing, and reduce the risk of losing control of the pedals. 
Instructors should not encourage riders to ride with insufficient resistance, especially at higher cadences or when riding out of the saddle. They should explain that resistance should be enough to keep the rider stable, controlled, and connected to the movement of the pedals. 
Instructors should avoid vague or purely motivational resistance cues where these leave riders unsure what is required. Riders should understand whether they are being asked to ride lightly, moderately, heavily, or at a specific perceived effort level, and how that should feel. 
Resistance should be appropriate to the purpose of the session, the rider’s position, the cadence being used, and the ability of the group. 

7. Onboarding New Riders

New riders should not be assumed to understand indoor cycling, even if they have attended classes elsewhere. 
Previous attendance is not proof of competence. It is common for riders to have taken part in indoor cycling classes for some time without understanding correct bike set-up, effective resistance use, cadence control, or how to stop safely. 
Every new rider should be treated as needing appropriate induction unless the instructor has personally verified their competence. 
At minimum, new rider onboarding should include: 

• checking whether the rider considers themselves fit and ready to take part, and whether they have any immediate concerns the instructor or venue should know about; 

• asking whether the rider is new to indoor cycling or new to that studio/bike type; 

• explaining or checking bike set-up; 

• checking that the rider understands how to adjust the bike; 

• explaining the brake or emergency stop mechanism; 

• explaining how to increase and decrease resistance; 

• explaining that they should remain in control at all times; 

• explaining that they should not try to keep up at the expense of safety; 

• explaining what to do if they feel unwell, unsafe, or unable to continue. 

In a busy class, the instructor may not be able to personally adjust every setting for every rider. However, they should provide clear instruction, check understanding where possible, and verify safe set-up as far as is realistic. 
New Rider Safety in Indoor Cycling

8. Late Arrivals

Studios and operators may have different policies on late arrivals. Some may prevent riders from joining after the session has started. Others may allow riders to join late. 
A late-arrival policy should be agreed by the studio or operator and understood by instructors before the session begins. 
Where late arrivals are allowed, they must still receive proper service and appropriate safety guidance. A rider arriving late should not simply be waved onto a bike and expected to join the class at the current intensity. 
If a late rider is permitted to join, the instructor or venue process should ensure that the rider can: 

• set up the bike safely; 

• understand the brake and resistance control; 

• warm up appropriately; 

• join the session at a suitable intensity; 

• avoid jumping straight into high-intensity work without preparation. 

If this cannot be done safely, the rider should not join that session. 

9. Preventing Loss of Control

Preventing loss of control is a core part of the indoor cycling instructor’s role. 
Loss of control may include the rider bouncing excessively, being pulled by the pedals, being unable to slow down, riding with too little resistance, losing contact with the pedals, appearing unstable out of the saddle, or being unable to follow instructions safely. 
Instructors should programme and coach sessions in a way that reduces avoidable risk. This includes using appropriate cadence ranges, matching resistance to cadence and position, avoiding unsafe high-speed work, monitoring rider technique, and intervening when riders appear out of control. 
Riders should not be encouraged to value speed, choreography, intensity, or keeping up with the group above control of the bike. 
Where an instructor sees signs of loss of control, they should act. This may include instructing the rider to slow down, increase resistance, sit down, stop, or take recovery. 
Loss of control should not be treated as normal, amusing, inevitable, or the rider’s problem alone. 

10. Riding Practices and Movement Choices

Indoor cycling instructors should only programme, demonstrate, or encourage movements that allow riders to remain stable, controlled, and properly connected to the bike. 
Instructors should avoid practices that compromise control, stability, effective resistance, safe cadence, or the rider’s ability to maintain appropriate contact with the bike. 
This includes avoiding or carefully scrutinising any movement that requires riders to remove control points unnecessarily, ride at excessive cadence, ride out of the saddle without adequate resistance, perform upper-body movements that interfere with cycling control, or prioritise choreography over safe and effective riding. 
Detailed guidance on specific practices, including choreography, rhythm riding, tap-backs, press-ups on the bike, isolations, high-speed standing work, and riding with reduced hand contact, should sit within ICI’s separate Safety Standards for Indoor Cycling Sessions. 

11. Boundaries and Exclusions

Indoor cycling instructors should work within the limits of their role, qualification, insurance, and competence. 
Unless separately qualified and insured to do so, an indoor cycling instructor should not: 

• diagnose medical conditions; 

• treat injuries or medical conditions; 

• prescribe or adapt exercise for clinical conditions unless they are appropriately qualified, insured, and working within that role; 
  

• provide physiotherapy, rehabilitation, or clinical exercise advice unless they are appropriately qualified, insured, and working within that role; 
  

• give nutritional, psychological, or medical advice outside their competence; 

• override medical advice given to a rider; 

• promise specific health, fitness, weight-loss, or rehabilitation outcomes; 

• encourage riders to ignore pain, dizziness, breathlessness, chest pain, faintness, or other concerning symptoms; 

• teach practices they do not understand or cannot justify safely; 
  

• allow unsafe riding to continue without appropriate intervention. 

An instructor may provide general exercise guidance within the scope of their training. They may also encourage riders to work at an appropriate level, reduce intensity, take recovery, stop, or seek advice where needed. 

12. Professional Conduct

Indoor cycling instructors should act professionally, honestly, and responsibly. 
They should: 

• keep their knowledge and skills up to date; 

• work within their qualification, competence, and insurance; 

• treat riders respectfully; 

• give clear and accurate instruction; 

• avoid humiliating or pressuring riders; 

• respect individual limits; 

• follow appropriate venue policies; 

• raise concerns where venue practice compromises rider safety; 

• maintain appropriate professional boundaries; 

• respond constructively to feedback and incidents. 

Where a venue policy conflicts with safe practice, the instructor should not ignore the issue. They should raise the concern through the appropriate management route and avoid delivering instruction in a way they believe to be unsafe. 

13. When to Refer, Reduce Intensity, or Stop

An instructor should advise a rider to reduce intensity, stop, or seek further advice when this appears appropriate. 
This may include situations where the rider: 

• feels faint, dizzy, unwell, or unusually breathless; 

• experiences chest pain, severe pain, or concerning symptoms; 

• cannot maintain control of the pedals; 

• cannot follow the session safely; 

• appears confused or distressed; 

• has a bike set-up issue that cannot be resolved safely during the class; 

• discloses a medical issue outside the instructor’s competence; 

• is returning from injury, surgery, illness, childbirth, or a period of medical restriction and needs advice beyond general class guidance. 

The instructor is not expected to diagnose the problem. Their role is to respond sensibly, reduce immediate risk, and refer the rider to an appropriate professional, venue procedure, or medical advice where needed. 

14. Relationship to Other ICI Standards

This Scope of Practice is part of the wider ICI Professional Standards Framework. 
It should be read alongside: 
ICI Code of Professional Conduct 
ICI Safety Standards for Indoor Cycling Sessions 
ICI Cadence and Intensity Guidance 
ICI New Rider Onboarding Standard 
ICI Incident and Near-Miss Reporting Guidance 
ICI Studio and Management Guidance 
What Riders Should Expect from an Indoor Cycling Instructor 
Professional Standards, Certification and Recognition
Experience, Reflection and Ongoing Development

Next in the framework:
ICI Cadence and Resistance Guidance
ICI New Rider Onboarding Standard
ICI Safety Standards for Indoor Cycling Sessions