The rest of the outdoors is provided by the instructor, who paints a visual picture of an outdoor ride. The lights are dimmed during the ride. Jacobi said many class members close their eyes. Then the instructor sets the scene. I might tell them to visualize the white line on a hill.
Music is coordinated with the ride.
The class may start off with instrumental music while riding with little tension like flat terrain. As pedaling speed increases so does the beat of the music. There's times when you'll be standing up and pedaling like you're on a steep hill, and then you take the tension off and coast down the other side. Jacobi said it also helps for riders to focus on the beat of the music and not how tired their legs are. And most class members are tired.