My email inbox contained an email from Wahoo announcing the Wahoo RGT update/upgrade starting today. After reading the email I went to the link to read more. Outside the temperature was below 60 and the wind gusts over 30 mph. Wahoo RGT offered a free 14 day trial and I signed up. I browsed the Wahoo RGT website and downloaded the desktop program. Looking around I saw a number of events and places to just ride. What interested me the most was the “Magic Roads’ where I could upload a GPX file from one of my rides (or someone else’s) and ride. I decided to give that a try, signed up for the 14 day trial and proceeded to get lost in figuring out how to create my Magic Road event.

The instructions were sparse to say the least. I sent an email to the address listed with the GPX file from my Forest Cove – Oakhurst – Kingwood ride last Sunday. From there I didn’t understand what would happen next. I didn’t know but I received and email from Wahoo RGT saying they “Our team will now start building all the details to make sure you have the best experience. Once we’re done you will receive a confirmation email. This usually takes us 5 minutes so check back here soon.” The problem I had was the Wahoo RGT desktop program took over my monitor screen and I couldn’t get to any other programs except by using the Alt-Tab keys. I had no idea they sent an email.

To create an event you click on a link in the desktop program which takes you to the RGTcycling.com website where you sign in again using my Wahoofitness.com username and password. I created the event using the route name I uploaded, not my name. Then I went back to the desktop program to try and find it. That was frustrating but finally it appeared in the upcoming events list. I selected the event and it opened but when I started pedaling nothing happened. I had not selected my sensors. I found that option in the menu but didn’t realize I needed to slide the white area to the right to connect the sensor. Once I figured that out after going back to the ride several times I finally saw numbers in the event and I moved on the road. Another email I received told me “The server for the event “Headwind_Time_Changed_My_Route_200_Mile_Week_Barel Quick Ride” is up and the users can join.” I probably should’ve waited for that email but I didn’t know that it would happen. I also got another email telling me “You signed up for the Headwind_Time_Changed_My_Route_200_Mile_Week_Barel Quick Ride event on Wahoo RGT.”

Now I rode the route. The scenery was not too different over the 20.4 miles, trees along the road, asphalt surface, white center line, and an occasional billboard about training. I left the resistance setting for my Kickr Core at 100% and it responded over the flat route I uploaded getting harder and easier reflecting the incline % and decline %. After all of the learning and lack of detailed instructions the ride went smoothly. I’m not overly impressed with Magic Roads but it does add variety. I will try one of the included routes before my 14 day trail ends to see how it works. There are not many people online, especially compared to Zwift. I didn’t know how to connect Wahoo GRT to Strava (I later found how) but I found a link to email me the GPX and FIT files to upload. The upload to Strava does not appear to include the map while SportTracks does show the map.

At this point Zwift will be my virtual riding platform. I edited the video cutting out the middle of the ride showing the start and finish.