9 Popular Cycling Apps
Cycling apps really do make the sport a whole lot more interesting and provide you with a wealth of knowledge that would otherwise go missed. This information is absolutely crucial if you want to take your cycling more seriously and and want to get the most out of your time on the bike. We pulled together our list of favourite apps which span from ride logging, route planning, indoor training and even an app which lets you know how to get the biggest tailwind. These are: Golden Cheetah, MyWindSock, Strava, Training Peaks, Komoot, Zwift, Wahoo Systm, RGT, Trainer Road and Veloviewer.
Transcript
00:00 One of the reasons we all love bikes is because of how simple they are.
00:03 However, there are some cycling apps out there which help enhance that simplicity
00:06 if you want to take your riding to the next level.
00:09 So, we've put together our list of our favourite cycling apps,
00:13 which we think do exactly that.
00:14 Now, this isn't an exhaustive list, so if you've got your favourites,
00:18 do drop them down in the comments because I think we'd all love to see them.
00:21 First up though, well, it could only be one, couldn't it?
00:29 Well, we couldn't start a cycling apps video without mentioning the biggest one of them all,
00:33 obviously Strava.
00:35 Now, there's many, many features about Strava,
00:38 but I'm just going to go over the key headlines for those of you
00:40 who might not be aware of its existence.
00:43 First up, we've got segments.
00:44 Segments are parts of the road or trail which have been chopped up
00:48 and it allows you to then go and post a time.
00:52 All of the segments have their own leaderboards attached to them,
00:54 so you can go find your local climb, give it a ride,
00:57 and then see where you match compared to all your other fellow riders.
01:01 Next up, we've got the social aspects of Strava,
01:02 meaning you can follow your friends and see what rides they're up to.
01:05 And if you've been out riding with them, then it will group them together
01:08 and you can have a nice memory of your day out.
01:11 Next up, we've got their mapping functionality,
01:13 which allows you to build routes within the platform
01:16 and also overlay a heat map,
01:18 so you can find where all the popular roads are and trails in a local area,
01:22 which is super handy.
01:24 Lastly, we've got all the training analytics.
01:26 So once you've uploaded your ride to the platform,
01:28 you can then go in and look at all the numbers.
01:30 Now, depending on how many sensors you have on your bike,
01:33 such as maybe a heart rate monitor or a cadence sensor or a power meter,
01:37 you're going to be able to look at all those different numbers
01:38 and see how taxing a session was.
01:41 Now, that really is just scratching the surface of what Strava is capable of.
01:45 So I've linked an article below which goes into a bit more detail.
01:48 Alternatively, head on over to the platform,
01:50 set up an account and get going because it is very simple to use.
01:53 (MUSIC)
01:58 OK, so this one isn't quite as big as its big orange brother,
02:01 but it does offer a lot of very cool, unique features.
02:05 And this is obviously VeloViewer.
02:06 Now, what VeloViewer does is it works on the masses of data
02:09 that Strava has in its API and then pulls it into its own platform
02:13 and then displays it in a multitude of fascinating ways,
02:16 some of which being the following.
02:18 Firstly, you can look at segments in a very different way
02:20 and it will create these really nice 3D graphs to show you elevation data, for example.
02:25 The elevation data from segments can be shown in a 3D graph,
02:28 but also showing the twists and turns,
02:30 giving you a really realistic image of what you're going to be up against.
02:33 It's really no wonder that pro tour teams use it so often.
02:37 Next up, a feature that is unique to VeloViewer
02:39 and something that has got a lot of riders hooked is this process of tile bagging.
02:44 Now, tile bagging might sound a little bit strange,
02:46 but it does make a little bit more sense when you know how it works.
02:50 What you're going to be doing is when you do a ride,
02:52 it breaks the world down into square miles.
02:55 Now, when you pass through a square mile, it ticks off that box
02:59 and essentially people are going out and trying to collect them all.
03:02 I think the record stands somewhere around 49,000 tiles bagged,
03:07 which is pretty impressive,
03:09 but I know that that was done by an ultra-endurance cyclist,
03:11 so I would be amazed if you get that far.
03:15 So, that's VeloViewer.
03:16 I think it works really well as it piggybacks off Strava
03:19 and uses all that data,
03:20 but it does have some key features of its own,
03:22 so definitely one to check out.
03:24 Next up, we're going to talk route planning.
03:31 And for us, here at Cycling Weekly, we're really big fans of Komoot.
03:35 Now, no doubt a lot of you have heard of it already
03:37 because we have talked about it on the channel in the past.
03:40 So, if you want to look into it in a bit more detail,
03:42 I'll drop a link to that video below.
03:44 Now, as a bit of a serial route planner myself,
03:46 I end up having absolutely loads of them,
03:48 but with the organizational tools you've got within Komoot,
03:51 it does make it really easy to navigate.
03:54 The amount of information that's on the base maps is really helpful,
03:56 especially when it comes down to looking at the terrain.
03:59 It's going to let you know whether it's going to be smooth enough
04:02 to get a road bike over,
04:03 or actually, if you end up hiking your gravel bike over some rocky cracks.
04:08 Now, with Komoot, you've got the ability to see
04:10 other people's collections of routes that they've planned as well.
04:13 So, if you're looking for a bit of inspiration
04:15 about where to head to next,
04:17 then take a little look around on the platform
04:19 and you might just find your next adventure.
04:21 One of the things that can often play havoc with our rides is the weather.
04:31 Now, there is a tool out there which can help you mitigate some of those risks,
04:34 and this is MyWindSock.
04:37 Now, what MyWindSock does is,
04:38 is that it gives you a visual representation of the weather
04:41 that you're going to be up against, namely the wind.
04:45 Now, what you can do with MyWindSock is upload your ride to the platform,
04:49 and then it will show you your route on the map,
04:52 and then it will colour-code different parts of the route
04:54 depending on how windy or how much of a tailwind
04:57 you'll have on those particular sections.
05:00 Now, an extra little feature that MyWindSock includes
05:03 is that it has all of the UK time trials uploaded to the platform,
05:07 so you can really work out when it's going to be fast
05:10 and when you're going to have to dig a little bit deeper.
05:12 Now, one really interesting thing about how MyWindSock provides this data
05:17 is that it works out the anticipated progress of the rider around the route
05:21 and then uses hyper-local weather information
05:24 to work out what the conditions will be at that certain point of the ride.
05:28 So, it's not giving you a blanket coverage of,
05:32 "This is what it's like at the very start."
05:33 It's going to work it out as you go around.
05:37 So, if you really want to utilise the tailwinds that are out there,
05:39 then MyWindSock is the one for you.
05:41 (MUSIC)
05:47 TrainingPeace is the platform of choice for so many athletes,
05:50 and that is because it is most geared towards training.
05:54 Now, while some apps are really good at looking at your previous sessions,
05:58 TrainingPeace is great for planning out your future ones
06:00 and working out exactly how hard you're going to be able to work
06:03 for future training sessions.
06:05 It's going to allow you to make sure you're doing enough
06:07 to make sure you're progressing,
06:08 but not do so much that you then burn yourself out.
06:12 Now, TrainingPeace will also show you all your previous ride data,
06:15 and it really allows you to drill into your historical data,
06:18 so you can really see what you were doing
06:21 and really go into some granular detail.
06:24 Although those training templates can be effective,
06:26 it's by no means as effective as having a human tell you what to do
06:30 and hold you accountable to them.
06:32 So, TrainingPeace really is for those athletes
06:34 that want to take their riding to the next level and use a coach.
06:38 We're going to continue on the vein of training
06:46 and looking at historical granular data.
06:48 So, next up, we have got Golden Cheetah.
06:51 Golden Cheetah is free to use, and it's incredibly customizable.
06:54 It allows you to analyze your data in nearly any way you could imagine.
06:58 I know it was great for Stefan's Everest Thing prep,
07:00 as he was able to look at elevation, time, heart rate, and power,
07:05 meaning he could see that a sub-12 hour was a feasible goal.
07:09 You can see your overall training load,
07:11 such as seeing your peak power for set periods.
07:13 You can see how much power you're pushing out on the hills
07:16 and other sections really clearly.
07:18 Heart rate distribution and power distribution over long rides
07:21 is very interesting too, as is speed distribution.
07:24 So, this is what Golden Cheetah is great at.
07:27 It's that granular detail.
07:28 It's the stuff that otherwise you might not have been able to look at
07:31 on other platforms.
07:32 So, if you're really taking your riding seriously
07:35 and you want to know what you're actually capable of,
07:37 then Golden Cheetah, that's going to be the one for you.
07:40 Next up, we've got an app that saw a meteoric rise in 2020 for obvious reasons,
07:49 and that app is Zwift.
07:51 And that's because Zwift allows you to ride on virtual roads on an indoor trainer.
07:55 What Zwift have created is a semi-open world
07:58 with hundreds of kilometres to ride on.
08:00 There's also a fantastic community aspect to Zwift,
08:03 because when you head out onto those virtual roads,
08:05 you will be able to see riders around you
08:06 who all represent real people training at home themselves.
08:10 You can also go on some group rides with your friends
08:12 and also try your hand at some Zwift racing.
08:15 Now, Zwift also incorporates Zwift Power,
08:18 which allows you to really delve deep into the data numbers
08:20 after you've finished a ride.
08:22 However, I would say, if you're in a Zwift race,
08:24 I would rather not look at the Zwift numbers,
08:26 but recommend riding off instinct instead,
08:29 because it makes it hurt a little bit less.
08:32 Zwift also incorporates training sessions and training plans,
08:35 so you can ensure that you keep progressing through those winter months.
08:38 Now, staying on that indoor training theme,
08:45 next up we've got what I would say is best of the rest compared to Zwift,
08:49 and that is RGT.
08:51 Now, RGT has some incredible features,
08:54 one of which being incredibly unique to them,
08:56 which is called Magic Roads.
08:57 Now, Magic Roads are where you can build a GPX file
09:01 on any of your favourite route builders,
09:02 send it across to RGT,
09:04 and then they'll turn it into one of their Magic Roads,
09:06 meaning that you can plot a route anywhere in the world
09:09 and then go and ride it on their platform.
09:11 Now, one thing that people really love about RGT
09:14 is the engine that drives the platform.
09:16 They've got some incredibly sophisticated algorithms,
09:19 meaning that the drafting is a lot more realistic
09:22 and people do enjoy it a lot more.
09:24 And also, cornering speeds, again, also feel a lot more realistic.
09:28 So that is something that people do tend to favour over and above Zwift.
09:32 Now, with RGT, there is less of a network effect
09:35 than there is compared to Zwift because of those lower numbers,
09:38 but we are seeing more people moving over to the platform,
09:41 and that is for a whole number of reasons.
09:43 First up being the customisation of the data fields,
09:45 which people do really appreciate.
09:47 You've got the more realistic speed that I just mentioned.
09:50 You've got the Magic Roads function, again, one that I just mentioned.
09:53 You've also got that lower price,
09:55 which comes in slightly cheaper than Zwift.
09:58 Of the competitors to Zwift,
09:59 RGT deserves the most honourable of mentions,
10:02 and that's because they're not trying to compete on the same terms,
10:05 but rather do something quite different.
10:07 For our next indoor training platform, we've got TrainerRoad.
10:15 Now, TrainerRoad is something for those who just want to get on
10:17 and execute their training sessions.
10:20 It's very pared back and it's a very simple tool,
10:22 but it is effective.
10:23 It is quite expensive at $19.95 US, though,
10:26 so compared to the others, it is fairly punchy in terms of price.
10:30 However, it will let you see your fitness, your freshness,
10:33 your fatigue and your power curve
10:35 on some really nicely displayed graphics.
10:38 What's particularly nice is the calendar.
10:39 There you can see the sessions that you have coming up
10:42 and are all plain to see, with the stats on the far side
10:44 totalling the relevant metrics you'll want to be keeping a track of.
10:47 But in addition to that, it pulls through your rides from Strava or Garmin Connect,
10:51 so the work you're doing outdoors is fully taken into account
10:54 for a full picture of your fitness progress.
10:58 TrainerRoad is also particularly good for its curated range of training sessions
11:02 made by professional coaches.
11:03 Now, these are there to help you achieve your goals,
11:05 no matter what your discipline,
11:07 be that off-road riding, triathlon, road racing or time trialling.
11:11 I think TrainerRoad is going to be for those who just want to get on
11:13 and execute their training sessions
11:15 without the sensory overload of a virtual training world.
11:18 So there we have it, that's our list of cycling apps
11:20 which we think make cycling a little bit better
11:22 if you want to take your riding a bit more seriously.
11:25 Do let us know down in the comments what apps you're using
11:28 and if you think we missed any of our lists.
11:30 If you enjoyed the video, drop it a like,
11:32 subscribe to the channel for more content
11:33 and I'll see you again very soon.
11:35 (Cycling App)
11:38 (TrainerRoad.com)
11:42 (TrainerRoad.com)
11:45 [MUSIC PLAYING]