What training app?

[Redmax]

I think Santa may be bringing me a Kickr Bike for Christmas and I'm wondering what training app may be best for my needs.

Ideally, I'd like a combination of structured training with the addition of nice visual rides up famous cols for example.

I'm not currently interested in racing or group rides.

I would want to sync data to Strava, at least the rides if not the structured training sessions.

I'm planning on using a decent size Smart TV with various apps including Apple TV, which I know works with Zwift.

Any thoughts as to what app is most suited to my purposes please? Is there any ny interesting functionality I haven't mentioned that I'm likely to value please?

Cheers

Jason

[Ares]

You can't really beat Zwift. What is slightly loses out in visuals (video footage Vs CGI), it makes up 10-fold in social and interest.

I've tried just about all of them and always come back to Zwift within a week.

[CooperS]

As someone who found non smart training hard to stick with (albeit I loved spin classes) I've found Zwift great tool for keeping those legs turning on wet, cold and dark days.

I'm in no way a hardcore roadie so social and immersion keeps me on my bike which works for me.

Do I use it to hammer out structured training..... no not really

[_Hoppers]

Sufferfest for me, mainly because it’s only about £11.50 a month compared to the 30 or so for Zwift. It has structured workouts and can be linked to Strava. For most of the workouts it plays bike races from around the world so keeps you occupied. It also has Yoga workouts if you’re into all that. I might give them a go so see if it helps my dodgy back!

Edited by _Hoppers on Tuesday 15th December 17:32

Edited by _Hoppers on Tuesday 15th December 17:34

[Jacobyte]

Try RGT: https://www.rgtcycling.com/

I swap between RGT for "virtual riding" and Sufferfest for "training".

I've also given Zwift a go, Bkool, Rouvy and Fulgaz, but didn't really gel with them. Give them all a go, and others that you come across, and see what works best for you.

Note: with RGT a power meter is mandatory, so if you decide to enter a race you won't be up against as many potential "cheats" who fiddle with their data to make themselves seemingly faster. It also requires 2 devices (the app on your phone plus your large monitor), which can be a faff for some.

Edited by Jacobyte on Tuesday 15th December 17:37

[anonymous-user]

Be careful how you google it, but have a look at

big ring vr

As well

[Le Chauffeur]

I also got a Wahoo Kickr for Xmas and was allowed it early as the other half couldn’t lift it out of the front room after delivery.

Tried a few on free trials - so you could do the same and see which you prefer?

Zwift- thought it was good but a bit video game like but very good for the social side of things. Loads of people
To interact with and you can type messages to other riders or give them a thumbs up. Downside / you only get 25k to trial it. Most of the others do a week or 2 weeks trial. And it’s a bit gamey.

Fulgaz - riding along to a video - didn’t like it as you are just pedalling with a video on - the ‘action’ didn’t speed up if you pedalled faster. So if you select a ride that is 20 mins long, you will finish it in 20 mins wether your dawdling along or giving it big licks.

Sufferfest - I couldn’t get into it - just looked like page after page after page of data screens and couldn’t work out how to get a ride started. - not very user friendly.

Rouvy - liked this one a lot as it had different ‘real’ rides from all over the world. You can set up your own races against other people online, or join races that someone has set up. Or you can train on any route you like. They even have many local routes and climbs on there. The only downside I have found is most of the courses start on a hill so better to warm up first with a gentle spin ( the app allows you to do this ).

I chose Rouvy.

As said - get a few free trials going and see what you think.

(Would also recommend a fan if your indoors ).

LeChauffeur.

[benny.c]

Le Chauffeur said:

Fulgaz - riding along to a video - didn’t like it as you are just pedalling with a video on - the ‘action’ didn’t speed up if you pedalled faster. So if you select a ride that is 20 mins long, you will finish it in 20 mins wether your dawdling along or giving it big licks.

I think you must have been using it in “steady” rather than “reactive” mode as the video speed definitely does vary depending on the effort you put in. There’s also a challenge mode where you can try to beat your best time or another rider.

Edited by benny.c on Tuesday 15th December 20:02

[Le Chauffeur]

You are probably right - I gotta admit I didn’t play with it too much as I thought you just rode along to a set timed video.

[_Hoppers]

Le Chauffeur said:

Sufferfest - I couldn’t get into it - just looked like page after page after page of data screens and couldn’t work out how to get a ride started. - not very user friendly.

Select one of the workouts, press play, start pedalling (although downloading it first is better as streaming lags behind somewhat!)

[IrateNinja]

I think the Sufferfest is a bit of an acquired taste with the humour in the videos, and certainly in comparison to Trainerroad the app is nowhere near as polished. That being said, the humour works for me, and they seems to be moving away from the need to smash yourself to bits on every session, and have recently introduced a bunch of videos tailored towards z2 / aerobic threshold development which was a real weakness in their library. A couple of the videos with on board footage from various races are tip top, and I've got zero desire to watch pixels crawling across a screen for trainerroad.

Worth noting that the Zwift training plans / workouts are mostly guff. Fine if you just want a reason to get on the bike, but they're really overcomplicated.

[gallopingclothespeg]

Zwift is good if you want the whole gaming type app but I’ve found the training plans and sessions lacking.
If you want to improve fitness I’d go for Trainer Road every time.

One advantage of Zwift is the racing. You can really beast yourself in the races if that’s your thing.

[Redmax]

Thanks everyone, so much choice! I think I get a few weeks of trial periods for most of the apps free with the Kickr, so suspect the best thing is to try them all and see what I get on with.

Cheers

Jason

[mikecassie]

Try free trials to get a taste of each one and take it from there. I personally use TrainerRoad, Zwift is good but for workouts to pick and mix TrainerRoad is better. Also my job takes me away from home and Zwift is of no use for me then, TrainerRoad is still useable as there's no need to be connected all the time.

[lufbramatt]

PM me your email address if you want a free month of Trainerroad

No fancy graphics or social stuff (although you can do group workouts if you run it on a PC) just the essentials of what you need for training, so you need your own music, Netflix, iplayer etc. on another screen. Thousands of sessions (probably too many tbh) and the training plans are really good. Used together with the forum and podcast its a decent app.

Main reason I use it is that it works without an internet connection, and is compatible with older tablets. Not sure how it stacks up price wise as I got quite a good deal on it 3 years ago (£75/year) and they keep the price you signed on at if you keep a subscription going.

[Ares]

_Hoppers said:

Sufferfest for me, mainly because it’s only about £11.50 a month compared to the 30 or so for Zwift. It has structured workouts and can be linked to Strava. For most of the workouts it plays bike races from around the world so keeps you occupied. It also has Yoga workouts if you’re into all that. I might give them a go so see if it helps my dodgy back!

Edited by _Hoppers on Tuesday 15th December 17:32

Edited by _Hoppers on Tuesday 15th December 17:34

£30 for Zwift?? I pay £10.99?

[MarcelM6]

That's a nice Christmas present.

I've used Trainerroad for about 5 years and Zwift for 1.

Trainerroad - excellent for structured training. Does what it says on the tin - makes you a faster cyclists, no frills.
Zwift - when I'm bored with TR I use Zwift and ride one of the mountain courses for 1-2hours. Never got into the whole social side.

With either app I still have Netflix or Youtube on to help with the boredom.

Have used BKool before (before TR), nice graphics, glitchy software.

[_Hoppers]

Ares said:

£30 for Zwift?? I pay £10.99?

Where did I get £30 from?!!

[sociopath]

Fulgaz for me.

I like riding iconic climbs and riding all around the world, and I'm personally not interested in computer gaming and racing so didnt find zwift appealing.

Looked at Rouvy too, but a lot of the videos aren't filmed on bikes, so I didnt find them as natural as fulgaz

[MrBarry123]

I’m a big Sufferfest fan since getting my Kickr in August.

I’ve previously struggled to structure my training properly and Sufferfest really helps in this regard. I also like (prefer) riding on my own so the lack of group activities doesn’t bother me.