What training programme?

[markstev27]

Hi

What training software product do everyone recommend?

I'm currently trialling the Tacx Premium but wondered which ones are the best for training and realistic views too

 

[CXRAndy]

Zwift or trainer road

 

[Dogtrousers]

I use Tacx premium because I really like the films. I looked around a while ago and I decided that Tacx were the best for this. RGT does simulations (computer animation not films) which are pretty good but not the choice that Tacx has, and I trialled another one that did films but I can't remember which (Rouvy or BigRingVR I forget which) which was pretty good.

Tacx it has all the necessary features for designing and doing workouts of different kinds (slope or FTP etc). I guess they are all much of a muchness in that respect - the limiting factor is you pushing the pedals and actually executing the workouts.

I'd guess Zwift is probably tops for the social/ interactive / group ride aspect, although I think RGT may be up there too. That's not my thing so I don't know.

 

[Red17]

I've recently switched to Wahoo Systm and really enjoying using it.
Includes yoga and strength workouts in the training plans or as stand alone workouts

Currently also includes RGT in the price, although I'm not really using that option.

 

[YellowV2]

Purely for training either Trainer road or Wahoo System. If you want an interactive element/racing then Zwift.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What do you mean by realistic views? Are you after some real scenery to look at on your screen as you pedal or something else? Trainer road has been mentioned but I don’t think it has any scenery you cycle through on the screen.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I use https://athletica.ai/ which schedules my workouts / training and works whether you do it indoors or out. I combine that with TACX free, creating the required workouts in Tacx cloud. I tend to do two workouts indoors each week and I do the rest outdoors.

To start you tell it the range of how many hours a week you can train, plus any other data you know such as ftp, and events you have coming up. Then it does the rest. As you enter any new events you can add them with their priority and dates and it will adjust the plan.

It can push workouts to a suitable Garmin Edge unit (plus you can export ZWO, MRC, ERG workout files for trainer software that can import them. It can import activities from either Garmin Connect or Strava or both. It adapts the plan using AI based on what you actually did, rather than what was originally scheduled.

It also has a train to maintain mode which you can use if you don’t have any events coming up. The resulting plan being one to maintain but not increase you current fitness.

Sample screen grab for a couple of weeks time for me.

 

[Winnershsaint]

What do you mean by realistic views? Are you after some real scenery to look at on your screen as you pedal or something else? Trainer road has been mentioned but I don’t think it has any scenery you cycle through on the screen.

I've been using Rouvy since it was Virtual Training bundled with a then CycleOps trainer (now Saris). Then it was more novelty value than anything else until I got a smart trainer. If you want filmed scenery you are riding through then it is probably the best. There are others, Fulgaz, Kinomap that offer the same. Rouvy used to allow subscribers to video their own rides, for example my 2019 ride up and over the Lacets de Montvernier was on there. In the last year they have very much tightened the parameters for user content so that element is no longer an attraction, but overall I'd say it was worth a look.