Explore the world from your indoor trainer

Yesterday morning, I revisited Sa Calobra, my favourite Mallorcan climb by far. I found the iconic serpentine route just as challenging, but equally as enjoyable, as when I last rode it in the summer of 2023. This afternoon, I’ll be riding through mist-veiled Sri Lankan tea plantations as I slowly zigzag up Sri Pada, aka Adam’s Peak. Tomorrow? Well, East Africa calls. I fancy immersing myself in the lush volcanic Rwandan landscape of Lake Ruhondo, or racing along the red clay roads that make the Kigali World Championship such a spectacle.

You know what? Yesterday’s weather was abysmal; it’s still raining today, and the outlook for tomorrow would be gloomy if it weren't for my indoor trainer setup. You see, paired with Rouvy, it whisks me away to a different world, far removed from the dimly lit spare room in which it sits. A world where the Spanish Med forever shimmers a turquoise hue, the emerald green Sri Lankan plantations are teeming with life, and Rwanda fulfils its promise as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’.

Augmented Reality routes

Rouvy’s comprehensive library of Augmented Reality (AR) routes is built on high-definition footage captured from across the globe. When I fire up my smart trainer and stamp on the pedals, I’m not riding through a contrived landscape; I’m rolling through real video of the world’s most desirable routes, with new destinations being added all the time. My 3D avatar, along with those of the riders around me, is superimposed onto the actual road, trail or gravel track I’ve chosen to ride.

Imagine conquering the most legendary climbs in cycling: the switchbacks of Italy’s Stelvio Pass, the relentless slopes of Alpe d’Huez in France, or the brutal Belgian cobbles of the Mur de Huy. With a smart trainer connected to an interactive indoor cycling platform, you can. Apps such as Rouvy calculate the real-world gradient and automatically adjust your trainer's resistance, giving you the genuine sensation of ascending these double-digit pitches.

It’s not all blood, sweat, and virtual gears. Rouvy also enables you to coast through the Cotswolds, spin among the cherry blossoms around Lake Biwa in Japan, and pedal along the majestic fjords of Norway. Whether you’re nostalgic for a route you’ve cycled in the past or curious about a route you’d love to ride in the future, it can accurately simulate the experience.

Structured Reality

If you have a competitive streak or are striving to improve your fitness levels, Rouvy is an appealing option too. It offers hundreds of pre-made structured workouts and comprehensive training plans, all designed by professional coaches. You can join official real-world races, compete against thousands of riders worldwide, or simply set up a private group ride with friends, even if they live on different continents. Want to hammer it in a pace line? Rouvy enables you to select a ‘ghost rider’ based on a previous ride (either your own best time or someone with a similar pace) to test the limits of your cycling prowess.

So, if the weather outside is cold, wet and miserable, or your winter schedule only allows for a 45-minute session, a platform like Rouvy can make it count. It transforms the potentially monotonous task of indoor cycling into an exciting, vividly spectacular form of globetrotting on two wheels. Forget waiting for a tolerable day to ride outdoors; now every day becomes a perfect day - all you need to do is choose your next epic destination.

Specs

Rouvy is compatible with smart trainers from Wattbike, Elite, Saris, Wahoo, Tacx, Zycle and more. The Rouvy app runs on iOS and Android and integrates with Strava, Wahoo, Garmin Connect, Training Peaks, Coachcat, Coros, Final Surge, Humango, Map my Fitness, Ride with GPS, Relive, Suunto, Tridot, Wahoo, Xhale, Xert, Intervals.ICU and more. Rouvy also supports Zwift virtual shifting.