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+4.2K avisYou run and cycle and wonder if these two activities are compatible? Are you a runner looking to enhance your training? Good idea! Running and Cycling are two endurance sports that complement each other wonderfully.
Whether you're looking to improve your endurance, recover intelligently, or simply vary your training, the cross-training bike x running is a practice already adopted by many athletes! In this article, we explain how to combine these two disciplines to make progress without getting injured.
Which athletes may benefit from combining cycling and running?
You can benefit from the running and cycling combo if you fit into these profiles:
You run (road, trail) and want to increase your training volume without too much impact.
You're a cyclist and want to integrate some running into your plan, especially during the off-season.
You practice triathlon or duathlon, and want to improve your cycling-running transition as well as your performance in these two disciplines.
You are recovering from an injury and you have the will to maintain your physical fitness through a low-impact sport.
Can I combine running and cycling? The question of the compatibility between these two sports
Running and cycling are two "cousin" disciplines: they utilize the same energy systems (with different dominant systems depending on the intensity and duration of the effort) and allow you to develop your cardiovascular capacities and your endurance. That's why many professional cyclists naturally turn to running in the off-season, and others switch to running once their careers are over (like Lilian Calmejane who achieved a solid 36th place in the SaintéLyon 2024, just a few weeks after announcing his retirement from the professional peloton).
But be careful: while these sports are perfectly compatible, they are not, however, interchangeable. Nothing replaces the specificity of running motion to prepare your muscles and tendons for running (the same for cycling). The ideal is to use cycling to supplement your running practice: thanks to the former, you can increase your training volume without generating joint stress.
Benefits arising from cycling practice alongside running
As we said, the practice of running and that of cycling are compatible... and even better than that, they are also complementary ! Here is an overview of the various benefits of cycling, in addition to running.
➡️ Engagement of the aerobic system (mostly)
When running in base endurance (BE for close ones), our heart beats at approximately 70% of our MHR (Maximum Heart Rate). By bike, it's exactly the same! And no matter the intensities at which you have to run or pedal, they are roughly equivalent in both sports in terms of heart rate and sensations.
Thanks to long, easy bike rides, you improve your aerobic capacity (the body's ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles and transform it into energy to maintain effort) and, moreover, your cardiovascular capacity, your fatigue resistance, and your energy efficiency, while varying your enjoyment and applying all these qualities to your running practice.
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+3.2K avis➡️ Improvement of VO2max
Doing cycling intervals (short and intense intervals) helps boost your VO2max (the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use to produce energy per minute of effort). It's a very clever way to train your cardio while avoiding the shocks of running. 😎
➡️ Training without impact, ideal for active recovery or post-injury convalescence
Cycling is a low-impact sport. In other words, there are no ground impacts, which is perfect for active recovery after a good week of training or after a heavy session, or to keep moving and training during a period of convalescence. Thanks to cycling, you maintain your endurance without traumatizing your joints.
➡️ Muscles Worked Differently
Biking strengthens your quadriceps, your hamstrings, your calves, helps to improve your core and allows for interesting musculo-tendinous adaptations that directly benefit running, especially uphills or over long distances.
➡️ A real boost to recover well (and to progress well and perform better)
When seated, the bike allows you to train longer in the low heart rate zones, ideal for building your base endurance. It is also an excellent way to accelerate the muscle recovery after an intense running workout. Indeed, cycling increases blood flow, which contributes to the elimination of metabolic waste, thereby helping to relieve muscle soreness.
➡️ Vary Your Training Circuits
Changing disciplines also helps avoid boredom. A long run on a bike on new routes can perfectly replace a workout. And we know it: staying motivated is the key to progress.
What is better between cycling and running?
It all depends on your goals:
If you wish to improve in running, keep running as your main sport and add cycling to build endurance or to replace an active recovery run.
If your goal is to improve your pedal stroke, incorporate some running to strengthen your cardio and musculature.
The secret is to prioritize your main sport and use the other as a bonus.
How to Combine Running and Cycling? Properly integrate cycling into your running/trail training plan
You're wondering what types of workouts cycling is particularly suited for? We're going to tell you all about it.
➡️ Volume without impact
Cycling helps you increase your training volume while limiting impacts. If you choose to integrate cycling into your training, you can thus perform long runs, a type of workout that is quite recommended for long-distance preparation (marathon, trail long, etc.).
➡️ Strength Workouts
Cycling is ideal for working on your muscle strength & conditioning. Riding uphill with gear and at a low cadence helps strengthen your leg muscles and improve your power in uphill running. So if you struggled to run uphill, get ready to see things change!
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+3.2K avis➡️ Intensity Sessions
Like in running, cycling interval workouts help develop VO2max, speed, and muscle power, without risking overtraining or potential injuries caused by the impacts in running.
➡️ Recovery
As we know, active recovery contributes to muscle regeneration and reduces muscle soreness or potential pain. Also, a low-intensity bike ride as recovery following a demanding running training session is a good habit to adopt!
Is it possible to run and bike on the same day?
Yes, it's entirely possible, especially during a back-to-back training (two days during which you try to approach the muscle fatigue you will experience in running through a good volume of training condensed into this short period).
It also sometimes happens that seasoned athletes do a bike ride in the morning, then a short and easy running workout in the evening; this is called twice-daily training, and the desired effect is an increase in training volume with lower impacts.
Finally, if you're a triathlete or duathlete, coupling running and cycling on the same day is a good way to work on the bike-run transition.
What about run and bike to optimize your potential in running and/or improve the bike-run transition in triathlon/duathlon?
The run and bike is an alternation between running and cycling to be practiced in pairs: while one person runs, the other pedals. Result: you are working on both your cardio while actively recovering and in a playful way when you are on your bike.
The run and bike breaks the routine thanks to sharing, encouragements, and varied terrains on which you can practice with your partner (on the road, in the forest, on gravel paths, in the city, etc.). Moreover, this cross sport combines the benefits of running (strengthening muscle-tendon, positive impact on bone density, etc.) and those of cycling (strength work, active recovery, endurance, etc.). Furthermore, run and bike is somewhat comparable to fartlek, as it's about playing with the terrain while listening to your sensations. Finally, if you're a triathlete or duathlete (in the making), run and bike helps you master the famous bike-run transition. In short, there are so many benefits to practicing this dual sport! 🤩
What type of bike to choose to complement your running practice?
You want to add cycling to your running training plan, but don't know which type of bike to choose? Good news: there are no wrong options, it all depends on your goal, your training terrain, and your wishes. The important thing is to pedal regularly and respect the intensity zones defined in your training plan. Here's an overview of the different options. 👇
🚴♂️ Road Bike: THE Reference for Building Your Endurance
If you want to improve your overall fitness, work on your VO2max, and perform long rides, the road bike is perfect to accompany you. It's the perfect tool to increase your training volume without trauma, while maintaining your aerobic pathway. Plus, you can easily manage the intensities, and alternate between endurance and strength sessions (climbs, high gear, low cadence).
👉 Ideal for: road runners, marathoners, and trail runners looking to develop their long-distance endurance.
🚴♂️ Mountain Bike: Muscle Strengthening and Nature Enjoyment
Mountain biking is more fun… and more technical too! Due to the technicality of the terrains on which it is intended to be practiced, it allows to work on balance, core strength and coordination, while strengthening the stabilizer muscles. On trails or single tracks, you're led to adjust your trajectory and refine your reflexes.
👉 Ideal for: trail runners and runners seeking overall strength & conditioning, eager to improve their technique and reflexes, or wishing to vary their training.
🚴♂️ Gravel Bike: The Middle Ground Between Road and Mountain Bike
The gravel bike allows you to combine the feel of a road bike and the freedom of a mountain bike. You can ride on roads, forest trails, or gravel paths without worrying about the surface. It's the perfect mount to work on your endurance while awakening your adventurous side. 🤠
👉 Ideal for: runners and trail runners who love exploring, varying routes, and who wish to avoid monotony.
🚴♂️ Home Trainer: Indoor Sport Without External Constraints
The home trainer (also known as connected bike) is your best ally for training when it is night, in case of rain or lack of time. It allows for precise work on cadence and power, and is therefore perfectly suited for interval training or active recovery after a demanding running workout. Finally, platforms like Zwift or Rouvy make sessions more motivating.
👉 Ideal for: busy runners or those in specific preparation.
🚴♂️ Elliptical Bike: Zero Impact, 100% Cardio
The elliptical bike is an excellent option if you want to work on your cardio without any impact: it replicates a movement similar to running, while completely sparing the joints. It's the perfect companion during recovery periods, post-injury rehabilitation, or for performing gentle fundamental endurance work (but you can also choose to do intensity work on this machine!).
👉 Ideal for: runners in convalescence, in gradual return, or seeking cardio work without mechanical stress.
Example of a typical weekly schedule based on each individual's level (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
Bike vs Running Comparison: equivalences between the two sports (duration of effort, distance, calories, heart rate, RPE)
In running, each stride involves a ground impact and significant concentric and eccentric work. In cycling, the movement is cyclic and impact-free, thus less traumatic, but often longer to achieve the same cardio effect.
After one hour of running, expect 24 to 48 hours of recovery, while one hour of cycling only requires approximately 12 to 24 hours to recover.
Cycling requires more time to produce an equivalent physiological effort, but it is gentler and more sustainable.
A man weighing 70 kilograms who performs one hour of jogging burns 800 calories, compared to about 400 calories for a bike ride at 25 km/h.
1 hour of running = approximately 1 hour 45 minutes of cycling at moderate intensity.
10 kilometers of running is equivalent to 30 kilometers of cycling for similar aerobic work.
Regarding RPE (perceived exertion), a run at 5/10 corresponds to a smooth cycling session with a bit of headwind.
At equal perceived intensity, your heart often beats slower while cycling than while running (10 to 15 bpm less on average). If you run at 70% MHR (Maximum Heart Rate), aim for 60% MHR while cycling for equivalent perceived effort.
Does cycling equate to a strength training workout?
While strength training allows for targeted and progressive work on each muscle group, cycling primarily engages the legs. Furthermore, while cycling promotes muscle endurance, strength training is ideal for gaining strength, mass, and muscular power. Finally, cycling remains more effective than strength training for working the cardio aspect. Cycling and strength training are therefore two complementary practices but do not substitute for one another.
Combining running and cycling means getting the best of both worlds: adding variety to your workouts, preventing injuries, and improving recovery. While running is a weight bearing exercise, cycling allows you to build strength and endurance without increasing your running volume or putting extra stress on your joints. Whether you're a runner, a cyclist, or both, incorporating cross-training into your training plan can help you improve your cardiovascular fitness, manage your heart rate, and get the most out of every session. From an easy spin on a rest day to a challenging long ride, cross-training helps you go further, last longer, and get stronger. So lace up your running shoes… or hop on your bike, and get moving!
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Trail runner and marathon runner, sport is my shared passion and inseparable from writing... because to run as to write, you need a bit of momentum and it brings us a lot of inspiration!
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