When I think back at my first hours of indoor biking (a.k.a starring at a wall), I am pleased that companies created indoor apps. It makes indoor biking much more enjoyable.

As probably every cyclist or triathlete, I struggled for a while to find the right indoor app for me. With this blog post, I want to give you a first glance at the main indoor apps which feature real-world roads so you can decide which one you want to test first.

ROUVY

Rouvy avatar

link to their website

WHAT IS ROUVY?

Rouvy combines videos of real roads and avatars. I find the result quite impressive. You can choose to either ride a route on your own, train with other persons, perform a workout or participate in a race.

FREE TRIAL

Rouvy is offering a free trial. You will get access to the entire platform for 14 days.

HOW MUCH DOES ROUVY COST?

Cycling in Rouvy currently costs $15 per month for three family members (up to 5 devices) or $144 for an annual subscription.

WHAT YOU NEED TO RUN ROUVY

Have a look at their support page, which lists all the requirements

MY PERSONAL OPINION

I like their concept with the avatars showing up on the real roads videos. I think it is well made and quite immersive. I took part in some of the races, and I have to say my competitive side was definitely activated 🙂

Apart from those races, I like to ride Rouvy during my endurance rides. It made those less monotonous.

FULGAZ

Fulgaz avatar

link to their website

WHAT IS FULGAZ?

Fulgaz gives you high-definition videos (up to 4K resolution) where you can ride. They kept the number of roads high (+1,200 claimed) but not unmanageable, so the quality of all the videos I tested was excellent. There are workouts and training plans you can follow as well.

FREE TRIAL

FulGaz has a 14 days trial where you can access the entire platform.

HOW MUCH DOES FULGAZ COST?

FulGaz costs €10.99 per month per profile and €97.99 if you choose their 12 months subscription plan.

CAN YOU SHARE A FULGAZ ACCOUNT?

Picking their annual plan will give you the possibility to add a family member for free.

WHAT YOU NEED TO RUN FULGAZ

Have a look at their support page, which lists all the requirements

MY PERSONAL OPINION

I had a really good experience with FulGaz, the entire installation was smooth, and it just worked out of the box. The quality of their videos is the highest I have seen. No freezing screen, just a good experience. I enjoyed it the most on Apple TV (bigger screen, better experience).

BKOOL

Bkool avatar

link to their website

WHAT IS BKOOL?

BKOOL lets you ride real-world roads. The most interesting part of their app is the routes where you can switch at any point of time between a 3D representation, a real video of the route, or a map view. Using the second app, BKOOL fitness, gives you access to fitness classes from instructors.

FREE TRIAL

BKOOL has a one-month free trial where you get access to the entire platform.

HOW MUCH DOES BKOOL COST?

BKOOL costs €9.99 per month per profile and €96 if you choose their 12 months subscription plan.

CAN YOU SHARE A BKOOL ACCOUNT?

Each profile has its own subscription, and there is currently no family discount available.

WHAT YOU NEED TO RUN BKOOL

Have a look at their support page, which lists all the requirements

MY PERSONAL OPINION

I was not especially impressed by the platform, not because I think it is a bad app, but because of its position against its competitors. I enjoyed the switch between 3D view map and video, it is a nice feature, but their iPad interface really frustrated me. I seriously had issues finding what I was looking for. I will keep an eye on BKOOL for sure and update my personal view if it changes.

KINOMAP

Kinomap

link to their website

WHAT IS KINOMAP?

Kinomap is a platform where the community uploads videos of real routes for biking, running, rowing, and recorded videos of their community coaches for a gym class experience. They have as well a couple of workouts in their library.

FREE TRIAL

Kinomap has a 7 days free trial where you get access to the entire platform.

HOW MUCH DOES KINOMAP COST?

Kinomap costs 11.99€ per month per profile, 89.99€ if you choose their 12 months subscription plan, or 269.99€ one-time payment.

CAN YOU SHARE A KINOMAP ACCOUNT?

There is a family option for 14.99€/month for up to 5 accounts.

WHAT YOU NEED TO RUN KINOMAP

Have a look at their support page, which lists all the requirements

MY PERSONAL OPINION

Keeping it simple, Kinomap combines the video experience, the structured training, and the coaching classes in one app. My problem is that I don’t use all three, and if I want to have high-quality videos, I will lean more towards Fulgaz. If I want a high-quality structured workout, I will go to Trainerroad or SYSTM. If I want classes, I will go to Peloton. I’m not personally looking for those three, but if you are, give it a try.

RGT

RGT

link to their website

WHAT IS RGT?

RGT lets you ride your own avatar on 12 real-world roads. The roads look more realistic than the ones in Zwift. You can join group rides or races on those as well.

FREE TRIAL

As with every other indoor app, RGT is offering a free trial. You will get access to the entire platform for 14 days.

HOW MUCH DOES RGT COST?

RGT has a free version and a premium one selling for $9.99 per month per user. The free version gives you access to some roads, a partial workout library, and the ability to join races.

You can find all differences on their pricing page.

WHAT YOU NEED TO RUN RGT

Have a look at their get started page and compatibility page for your specific set-up.

MY PERSONAL OPINION

It is pretty hard to be on RGT without thinking and comparing it with Zwift. Even though the roads are pretty realistic, it is still a gamified version of those. I like the concept of their magic roads where you email them a GPX file of a course, and they create it for you. I didn’t feel the need to use it until now, but I keep it in mind.

OTHER CYCLING APPS

FOR RACING AND/OR SOCIAL INTERACTION

In this category, Zwift is, for me, the clear winner. You will find thousands of cyclists connected simultaneously and can take part in races pretty much at any point in time. Some people love the gamification UI of Zwift. Some people hate it. After trying it for a couple of minutes, you will know on which side you are 🙂

FOR STRUCTURED TRAINING

Even though a lot of the previously mentioned apps have some structured training, they don’t come close to what those three can offer:

  • Trainerroad (which is my favorite) has a clean UI. The software will plan your entire season based on your volume and race dates. In addition, their system will regularly analyze your performance and will propose some adaptations for future workouts. I really like their forum and weekly podcast (both free). I have never personally met the owner, but I can see how much he care about his product.
  • Xert has some similarities with Trainerroad. It will also adapt your training based on your past workouts and the level of fatigue you have. There is definitely a steep learning curve to understand how to use Xert initially. Fortunately, they release a couple of really good videos guiding you through their interface.
  • SYSTM (previously known as The Sufferfest). It has hundreds of workouts and some training plans. I find the library’s depth to be less impressive than Trainerroad, but way more than most other indoor cycling apps. Their unique selling point is their immersive video race footage to motivate you to go through those hard intervals. You will either love it or hate it.