{"id":45829,"date":"2023-01-20T20:00:08","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T19:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=713688"},"modified":"2023-01-20T21:34:24","modified_gmt":"2023-01-20T20:34:24","slug":"zwift-vs-wahoo-x-vs-trainerroad-the-three-leading-indoor-cycling-apps-tested-back-to-back","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/zwift-vs-wahoo-x-vs-trainerroad-the-three-leading-indoor-cycling-apps-tested-back-to-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Zwift vs Wahoo X vs TrainerRoad: the three leading indoor cycling apps tested back-to-back"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Charlie Allenby\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 20 January 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

There\u2019s never been a better time to train indoors. The arrival of smart and direct-drive turbo trainers in the last decade has helped to transform the realism of riding inside on a stationary bike. But it\u2019s the various training platforms on offer that have truly brought turbo training into the 21st century.<\/p>\n

Virtual worlds, e-racing and pro-level training plans that adapt after each session are now just a monthly subscription away, and the features on offer are being added to and improved all the time.<\/p>\n

While there are dozens of indoor cycling apps<\/a> to choose from, which is best for your virtual riding requirements?<\/p>\n

We put the three biggest \u2013 Zwift, Wahoo X and TrainerRoad \u2013 through their paces to dissect the pros and cons of each, spending two weeks on each platform to get to grips with their key features.<\/p>\n

All three have their own unique selling points but, in a crowded market, there is plenty of a crossover to make them ripe for comparison and, ultimately, help you decide which is worth your hard-earned money.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Our tester, Charlie Allenby, gets stuck in.<\/span><\/figcaption> Charlie Allenby \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

First, an overview<\/h2>\n

Before we get started on a comparison of Zwift vs Wahoo X vs TrainerRoad, let\u2019s start with an overview of each platform.<\/p>\n

Zwift<\/h3>\n

Even if you\u2019re completely new to indoor cycling<\/a>, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll have heard of Zwift<\/a>. The training platform goes big on its social side and has thousands of members all over the world, who you\u2019ll find riding around its 11 different virtual worlds at all hours of the day.<\/p>\n

If you have the right equipment (see \u2018Platforms\u2019 for the minimum requirements), you can use your efforts on a turbo trainer to pedal an avatar of yourself around Zwift\u2019s more than 1,000km of roads.<\/p>\n

Upgrade to one of the best smart trainers<\/a> on the market and Zwift will, in turn, up the immersion and be able to simulate climbs, descents and even the aerodynamic benefits of riding in a group, by automatically adjusting the trainer\u2019s resistance.<\/p>\n

This virtual recreation of in-real-life (IRL) riding has seen Zwift become the birthplace of virtual racing, while other notable features are more socially focused group rides and a wealth of training plans and workouts.<\/p>\n

Wahoo X<\/h3>\n

Zwift has some new competition in the form of Wahoo X.<\/p>\n

A major disruptor to the turbo trainer market with the launch of its original Kickr back in 2012<\/a>, Wahoo has made a serious attempt at dominating the whole indoor training market by acquiring two popular apps \u2013 The Sufferfest<\/a> and Road Grand Tours<\/a>, with the former originally aimed at training sessions and the latter at virtual riding.<\/p>\n

The two apps have been rebranded as Wahoo SYSTM<\/a> and Wahoo RGT<\/a> respectively and combine to create Wahoo X \u2013 a single, monthly subscription service that provides riders with a comprehensive suite of video-led training plans and workout sessions, as well as virtual recreations of real-world rides.<\/p>\n

TrainerRoad<\/h3>\n

And now for something slightly different.<\/p>\n

While it might not be as well known as Zwift or Wahoo\u2019s offerings, TrainerRoad<\/a> has been quietly doing its thing since 2011.<\/p>\n

A dedicated training platform, it doesn\u2019t get caught up in the bells and whistles of virtual worlds or videos, and leaves any required distractions to the rider.<\/p>\n

Instead, it creates a unique training plan focused on your goals, and will use AI after each session to adapt any future workouts depending on your performance, making it, on paper, the smartest training app around.<\/p>\n

Zwift vs Wahoo X vs TrainerRoad<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Charlie spent two weeks getting to grips with each app.<\/span><\/figcaption> Charlie Allenby \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Right, that\u2019s the basics covered, Now, without further ado, it\u2019s time to switch on a fan, saddle up and get ready to sweat as we put our three contenders to the test.<\/p>\n

Through the course of the test, we compared the three apps in nine key areas, delivering a verdict on the \u2018best\u2019 app in each area, before summing up where each app excels.<\/p>\n