RGT Cycling (which stands for Road Grand Tours Cycling) is a competitor to Zwift, except it offers virtual riding on real roads. RGT Cycling offers virtual recreations of iconic real-life roads such as the Passo dello Stelvio.
You can drop in and do workouts a la carte, subscribe to a training plan tailored to your target event, or, if you’re already plugged into a plan on TrainingPeaks or Today’s Plan, it will import those workouts and keep you right on track. In short, TrainerRoad is streamlined fitness on your mobile phone, tablet or computer. In testing, TrainerRoad claims the technology halved the number of aborted workouts and increased the likelihood of users improving their FTP by 20 per cent. TrainerRoad’s adaptive training feature is an AI coach that analyses your data to tweak upcoming sessions.
The software interprets your data and makes the training schedule easier if you’re fatigued or harder if you’re getting stronger. The app’s new adaptive training feature acts like an AI coach by tailoring sessions to your current condition. But if a coach or an app is there walking you through that sweetspot or VO2 max session and all you have to do is pedal? That, we can do. While some folks may have the discipline to guide themselves through workouts in their basements, most people (including the majority of the BikeRadar staff) aren’t that mentally tough. The aim is to make you fitter and faster without the bells and whistles other apps may offer. TrainerRoad takes a less is more approach to the indoor training app, focusing heavily on relatively short, measured interval training sessions. On top of that, riding aimlessly with little regard for your goals and training zones isn’t really doing anything for your fitness, if you really want to make the most of your time on the turbo. Riding a trainer aimlessly, staring at the wall is about as much fun as a waiting room at the dentist’s office with no WiFi. TrainerRoad is completely focused on training. Just be warned that finding your FTP generally involves a 20-minute all-out effort or a ramp test, so it’s no walk in the park.
The most significant launch this year was Wahoo’s SYSTM training app, while RGT Cycling is also a relative newcomer on the scene.įor most of these apps, you’re going to want to know your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) to get the most from the workouts.ĭon’t worry if you don’t know it because the apps will all be able to help you determine what your FTP is – and, in turn, establish your training zones. TrainerRoad is another app we have gravitated towards in the pain cave and is great for structured workouts and training plans. Zwift has established itself as the go-to training app but there are plenty of alternatives if you want to mix-up your indoor cycling experience. Are you laser-focussed on interval sessions and personalised training plans or do you want an app that incorporates training features in an experience similar to a video game? The best indoor cycling apps The best app for you depends on what you want to do and, ultimately, what you want to achieve. Others, such as Rouvy, use on-bike video from around the world, with your pedal power driving the scenic view – and, if you have a smart trainer or smart bike, the route driving the resistance.Īnd then there is Zwift, where you can do interactive rides, workouts and races on gamified virtual courses, with your speed based on your power-to-weight ratio in real-time.
The newly-released Wahoo SYSTM allows you to build and follow a dedicated training plan from a large workout catalogue, and also incorporates many of the features previously found on The Sufferfest, including pro race footage to train alongside. Some apps, such as TrainerRoad, are straight-up training tools – think personalised workouts based on power output with a specific training goal in mind. While most indoor cycling apps serve a similar purpose – to make indoor training more enjoyable and effective – they can broadly be split into a few categories depending on what you want from the experience, including intervals, racing and interactive tourism.