Triathletes in Orange County, CA, have few excuses for not riding outdoors all year round. However, there are situations like rainy days, early morning or evening training sessions, or scorching summer afternoons when temperatures hit 100+ degrees Fahrenheit.
Luckily, indoor riding has come a long way over the past decade. Gone are the days of using a resistance knob on the back of a trainer and staring at a blank wall.
Now, with Smart trainers and virtual indoor cycling platforms, riders can cruise through a virtual land with the resistance automatically adjusted by the software. A hot topic for Orange County Endurance athletes is what is the best app for indoor cycling. While Zwift is one of the most popular virtual cycling platforms, plenty of other options are available for those looking to switch up their scenery from the fictional world of Watopia to a real-world video of famous bike routes worldwide.
Here are five of the top indoor cycling apps used by our members:
Fulgaz
Fulgaz and Rouvy have established themselves as the leading providers of high-quality, real-world videos showcasing iconic cycling routes worldwide, including Ironman courses and Haute Route tours. Fulgaz allows users to film and submit their favorite rides, providing a personalized experience. Fulgaz caters to all levels of indoor riding, from leisurely indoor recovery rides to private coaching sessions for individuals or teams. Currently, Fulgaz is the official indoor cycling partner of Ironman.
Users can upload their workouts directly from TrainingPeaks or select from Fulgaz’s program offerings, such as the “12-Week FTP Improvement” series. Alternatively, they can choose a ride that piques their interest and start cycling. Group rides can also be created on any route Fulgaz offers, and the leaderboard on the screen enables users to track the progress of their training partners on the course.
- Free Trial: Yes
- Price: $13/month
- https://fulgaz.com/
Rouvy
Rouvy is an indoor cycling platform that differentiates itself from Zwift by providing augmented reality courses. Triathletes will appreciate that Rouvy offers a virtual tour of the Ironman World Championship bike course in Kona, Hawaii. Rouvy’s new OmniMode allows riders to view specific courses from a 360-degree perspective for a more immersive experience. You can also filter by Ironman-branded race courses from across the globe. With 15,500 miles of virtual road to explore, Rouvy offers thousands of augmented reality courses for riders to discover. Group rides are also available, with over 100 per week, and riders can even create their group rides.
- Free Trial: Yes
- Price: $12/month
- https://rouvy.com/
TrainerRoad
TrainerRoad claims to be the top cycling app for improving performance. It has a vast library of more than 100 million workouts that focus on individual training rather than socializing like on other apps such as Zwift.
Workouts on TrainerRoad can also be adapted for outdoor riding through Garmin or Wahoo bike computers. Although pricier than other apps, TrainerRoad is a complete coaching and workout platform with an extensive library. Furthermore, TrainerRoad’s AI-based Adaptive Training offers intelligent, personalized coaching that calculates fitness metrics from your past workouts, so you do not need to take any fitness-based tests. This customized training prescribes specific sessions and goals based on the data collected via Adaptive Training.
- Free Trial: Yes
- Price: $19.95/month
- https://www.trainerroad.com/
WAHOO X
Wahoo has launched Wahoo X, their enhanced subscription-based cycling platform that merges Wahoo SYSTM, formerly known as Sufferfest, with Wahoo RGT, formerly RGT. The platform combines the AI-powered SYSTM indoor cycling software that uses real coaches to tailor a progressive training plan with workouts that can be replicated outside and the RGT that offers virtual access to real routes and weekly group rides, like Zwift. The Wahoo X membership offers the best of both worlds and costs only $15 per month, making it a great deal for athletes looking to enhance their training.
- Free Trial: Yes
- Price: $15/month
- https://www.wahoofitness.com/wahoo-x-membership
Zwift
You’ve probably heard of Zwift, the virtual world app that offers a variety of routes and locations, including its own world, Watopia, which is frequently updated with new scenery and challenges. Whether you want to ride in Innsbruck or climb Mount Everest, Zwift has a ride for you, with the option to choose between structured workouts or free rides. Top-tier athletes like Daniela Ryf and Jan Frodeno frequently host virtual group rides on the platform, and Zwift even offers a Holoreplay feature to replay your rides. The user-friendly interface displays your watt output, mileage, and riding partners. Recently, Zwift has made efforts to be more inclusive, adding a range of new skin colors, body types, and hand cycle options. While Zwift’s worlds and metrics are available to runners, you need a Zwift-compatible foot pod or treadmill to connect.
- Free Trial: Yes
- Price: $15/month
- https://www.wahoofitness.com/wahoo-x-membership
The Choice is Yours!
Indoor cycling apps have revolutionized how we train indoors, providing a virtual world of cycling routes, structured workouts, and community engagement. With these indoor cycling apps, we can train and stay motivated year-round, rain or shine. You can’t make a wrong choice with any of the five apps listed above. Each has unique features and depends on your preference for virtual vs. real-world, socializing with training partners, or even the app your coach may prefer to share workouts with you. Each offers a free trial, so we recommend trying out a few for a few weeks each to see what you like best.
