In these times of pandemic, especially when we were in full confinement, the roller became the best friend of cycling lovers. It is a great alternative to be able to ride without having to leave home with our own bicycle, and doing the same as if we were on the street. To use it, it is enough to have a space in our home to place both elements, and we can start rolling and get in shape easily. Through these Applications on Android, We can do it in a much more entertaining way and thus avoid falling into monotony.
Special features of these apps for cycling at home
Through these applications we can easily cycle at home. They must meet minimum requirements for us to be able to meet our objectives effectively. For this, most offer personalized training plans, we can meet people from all over the world who share our love for cycling and if we can also establish some atmospheric conditions to achieve an experience as close to reality as possible, better than better.
From there, they must have an intuitive interface to make this task easier for us. It is also important that they have technologies to connect us comfortably, such as functionality Bluetooth or have access to the location to position ourselves at all times, as well as ANT + to connect the roller sensors with the application, although most apps do not require it. Finally, the ideal is that they are compatible with the largest possible number of roller brands and of course, that they guarantee fun and entertainment.
Do you need special accessories for your bike?
First of all, the only thing we need to do virtual cycling is the roller and the bike, in addition to a telephone. The ideal is to connect the mobile to the television to better view these apps. The simplest way to achieve this is by connecting an HDMI cable to the screen, although doing this from the mobile is impossible for now. Therefore, we can send the image to a device Chromecast that you have connected to your television, although this option is not included in all. What you do need for sure is money, since we must subscribe in the majority to be able to enjoy the service.
List of apps to make a bike with a roller
BKOOL Cycling
An application designed by and for cyclists. It is one of the best options we can find, and we can to compete with its hundreds of thousands of users around the world. You may set up the slope, take advantage of the other competitors’ slipstream and choose a terrain to develop your activity. In addition, you can also choose if you want to have a headwind or rain, to offer you an experience as close to reality as possible. On the other hand, you can see the routes to do in real time and your location at all times. They also include personalized classes prepared by world renowned monitors. It is compatible with practically all manufacturers.
Zwift
If you are a lover of cycling and fitness in general, this application will surely be familiar to you. On Zwift you can customize your training to the maximum. Through his video games of different intensities and his more than 1,000 training plans, prepared by great experts in the field, you can easily achieve your goals. You can shoot in London, New York, Paris … or wherever you want thanks to its virtual system. You can also review your performance and your daily progress to get to the next level. It works great with all types of rollers and manufacturers, and you can ride and compete with riders from your great community.
CycleGo
With this application you can lose weight and improve your physical shape very easily. It includes workouts for everyone, and you can customize them to your liking. Their virtual trainers they will help you achieve your goals, and you don’t need additional sensors for this. It does not matter if you are just starting out or you are an expert, since there are a lot of levels available for all users. You can also set the duration of the class. You too informs in real time on the pedaling frequency, the level of effort or the sprints you do throughout each session. The best thing about the app is that you don’t need internet access.
Tacx Training
An alternative similar to the previous app. It has a multiplayer interface with videos of great realism in 4K of routes around the world. You can compete in real time with cyclists from all places, with a detailed visualization of all the data and characteristics of your training. Its premium version allows you to access all the functions to offer you an unparalleled experience. Its main feature is that you can to interact directly with the trainers to offer you a customization to your measurements. You can sync your plans with all your devices and export and import them to Strava.
iGrupetto
Don’t be fooled by its simple interface, as we can have a very interesting training experience. First of all, you must register in their official link to be able to use it. It is ideal for rollers, but can also be used on the exercise bike and indoor cycling. You have access to peaks as epic as Alpe d’Huez or tourist marches from all the places in the world. In this app you do need ANT + and Bluettoth Smart to send the data to the app and follow your workouts at all times. Within each route you can consult news, blogs and points of interest to obtain all the information on each one.
TrainerRoad
This app has all the necessary features for cyclists to achieve their goals in an easy and comfortable way. You can check your physical activity and its statistics in real time, such as speed or heart rate. Its simple but detailed interface will allow us to establish very effective workouts. One of the novelties it offers is that it can also be used in the Exterior. You can share your progress through video or voice with up four users at the same time, and get a feedback very useful to improve. Their subscription plans, which can be monthly or yearly, offer you more than 1,000 workouts with exercises of all kinds.
ROUVY Workouts
Rouvy is a very complete app that combines images and animated videos of a lot of high-quality GPS-synchronized routes. You can share the subscription with 5 different devices, you have access to guides from all over the world, although it includes one Free trial of 14 days. You have the possibility to improve your technique pedaling, since its main objective is for you to become an expert. Includes a daily so you can keep track of your workouts that you can share with other users. Some functions, of course, are not included for Android phones.
RGT Cycling
This application does not have a multiplayer system like the previous ones, and you also need another application that acts as a screen to show the routes and virtual trainings. Despite these two drawbacks, it offers a very realistic. You can easily measure all parameters of your training and improve them, like sprints or cornering. Its free service offers many more options than the previous apps, and its subscription plans will allow you to get the most out of it. Finally, it is not necessary to connect sensors, you just have to install a screen application on your computer to follow the training.
Kinomap
In this application we have access to more than 50,000 km of routes recorded on video with real images of the roads that are updated regularly. You must register on the page official Web of the app to be able to use it on your devices. It is designed for all types of rollers, and once we connect we can participate with up to 10 players at the same time. It includes a very detailed interface with all kinds of parameters. The stage is move to along the route, and includes a Map with the location of each rider. It includes different subscription plans, being able to acquire the service for life for € 229.
Wattbike hub
And we finish the list with an app that allows us to test and analyze training performance with a simple and comfortable interface. Its intuitive color-coded display guides you through each session, providing a wide range of performance data. Wattbike measures equally the Balance of the right and left leg and pedaling technique to improve it. Workouts are automatically stored on your service in the cloud in detail. You may share them through your social networks or by email.
