After Zwifting on 18 rides I decided to try Rouvy, another virtual riding app. While Zwift is a game virtual riding app Rouvy replicates the real world. A couple of years ago I uploaded 4 rides’ GPS files but I don’t remember using them and my free trial expired. Recently I looked at Rouvy again and uploaded two GPS files for rides that I rode. Today I subscribed to Rouvy on a monthly level for $8 to see what it is and how it differs from Zwift.

First off I use the term Zwifting when I ride there but I haven’t coined a term for when I use Rouvy; maybe Rouvying?

I chose one of the rides I previously uploaded which showed up in my “Created” ride folder, Atascocita-Walden-Huffman. The ride distance of 32.57 miles is the longest virtual ride I did, eclipsing yesterday’s 90 minute ride in Zwift on the German Social Ride. Today’s ride lasted those miles with a 2:09:36 riding time. One thing I found riding Rouvy: no stop signs or traffic light stops. That can be good or bad since those are mini rest stops.

Another difference in my use: no companion app needed for Rouvy. My desktop PC Bluetooth connected to the Wahoo Kickr Snap, Wahoo Tickr Fit, Wahoo cadence sensor directly. I could probably do this with Zwift but in Zwift I like the companion app map view to show where I am. Setup was easy but the profile options allow a number of things to customize.

Because I chose a route I uploaded I rode alone. I made the route open for other people to ride but so far no one has done that as far as I can tell. That means no virtual partner to accompany me. Maybe the next time I can select my self as the virtual partner?

Being familiar with the route and terrain I know when the inclines and descents take place and the Wahoo Kickr upped the resistance when those arrived. I also found that some of the route that I thought of as flat isn’t with the Kickr upped resistance going uphill or lowered resistance when I went downhill.

Not sure how the ride would look I decided to take screenshots rather than record it.

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There were places where the map did not load correctly or off to the side of the ride position a blank spot appeared in the map but since I knew the route it wasn’t a problem and when the route moved the blank spots disappeared. Later when the route returned to the same area the map filled in correctly. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Across the bottom of the screen is the route profile. the blue circle shows my location as I ride the route. In the upper left black box my heart rate, cadence and speed appear in the bottom row with watts and FTP in big numbers above. There is a small number to the right of the heart rate which I do not know what it is.

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Link to SportTracks Ride Summary

Next indoor session I may try Rouvy’s Augmented Reality ride. Sunday’s weather should warm up enough to ride outdoors. Today it was in the mid 50’s while I rode on Rouvy.