Back in the early days of ICA in 2012, I created a ride I called the Roller Coaster Ride. It quickly became one of my most popular profiles—so much so that I presented it as a master class at several clubs around the country during training workshops.
For years, I’d planned to revisit and update the ride—not to overhaul the structure, but to give it a fresh musical twist. I had been collecting songs that referenced roller coasters in the title or lyrics, and to my surprise, there are a lot of them (currently around 45!)—many packed with just the right kind of energy for a fast-paced, rolling ride.
This redux version keeps the original format and outdoor inspiration but builds in a fun thematic layer using those roller coaster–themed tracks. It’s still a challenging and realistic mountain bike simulation, but now it doubles as a creative theme ride—and honestly, what could be more fun than that?
Some of the original songs were just too perfect to leave out, especially the one used for the opening climb. In the original profile, it ran for a full 15 minutes—a deliberate nod to the long, steady grinds common on the mountain bike trails where I ride. It’s not just a physical challenge; it sets the tone for the ride, mimicking the effort it takes to leave the jeep road behind and reach the start of the flowing single track. In this redux version, I’ve used a shorter, 8-minute version of the same song—still perfect for that first big push, but a little more approachable for most riders.
I still use the original playlist regularly, especially with my group of dedicated outdoor cyclists who appreciate that long grind at the start. But I love having both options available—and you might find your riders enjoy switching it up as well. You’ll find a link to the updated original profile below if you’d like to compare or mix and match songs between versions.
About the Ride
The Roller Coaster Ride REDUX simulates a twisty, adrenaline-filled single-track mountain bike ride, complete with punchy climbs, sweeping descents, and quick transitions. The ride kicks off with an extended climb that mirrors what you’d experience on real trails in the Rockies: a jeep road grind that gets you to the fun, flowy terrain.
The structure is rooted in the reality of off-road riding near my home, where most trails start with a sustained climb out of the valley before you reach anything playful. And just like a roller coaster, the slow, steady ascent builds anticipation for the thrill ahead.
This profile uses a combination of aerobic and anaerobic intervals to reflect the demands of trail riding—long threshold pushes, shorter VO2 max intervals, and quick, high-intensity anaerobic bursts. It’s ideal for riders who want to build strength, stamina, and mental grit. As always, the effort can be scaled to suit your class, but for conditioned riders, this is an excellent opportunity to go all in.
And because this ride is as much mental as it is physical, you’ll find motivational cues woven throughout to help your riders stay focused and committed to the climbs.
Access the Profile
ICA members can download the full redux profile and themed playlist below. You’ll also find the Roller Coaster bucket playlist with 45 high-energy songs that reference roller coasters—perfect for building your own themed ride or customizing this one.
Want to check out the original version that inspired this ride? Click here to access the updated original 2012 Roller Coaster Ride profile. (Note: If you downloaded it before 2020, be sure to grab the revised version—it’s been updated with refreshed cues and edits.)
Below are two of my past Instagram promotions for this ride.
This is very true! Will consider this moving forward 🙂
“Like Whoa” by Aly and AJ is another great song that mentions roller coasters–and describes the ups and downs and side to sides! 🙂
Hi Jennifer! I’m excited for this profile! Thanks so much! I can’t seem to make the Spotify links work?! Usually I click on it and it asks me if I want to open in Spotify. I manually searched your Spotify profile and they don’t show up either. Maybe they are marked as private and inaccessible? (That’s my completely lay- person attempt at figuring out a tech problem) who knows? Just wanted you to be aware. Thanks again for all of your amazing content!
Hi Yesim, I just went in and tried and it worked fine for me, asking me if I wanted to open up in Spotify. Perhaps try a different browser and see if that works? If not, email me at jennifer@icafit.com and I’ll send the link to you that way.
Most of my ICA Spotify playlists are set to private and are only accessible to members when I post the links, so that’s why you won’t see them on my account.
You are very welcome, nothing makes me happier than helping instructors!
Jennifer – I use itunes rather than Spotify. When you post a Spotify list (i.e., the Spotify Playlist for Roller Coaster Theme) can you also provide a PDF? Or is there a way to print the list at Spotify without being a member. Duh here. Thanks.
Hi Elizabeth, my mistake. We usually do but I missed that. I’ve uploaded it now, thanks for the heads up.
In addition to that, may I suggest that you sign up for a free Spotify account? No need to pay for it just to listen or even create playlists. You can listen to the tracks and copy the ICA playlists, then refer back to them to see if you want to purchase the song for iTunes.