Indoor cycling is a great way to improve your fitness level and it has its own benefits. Even if you have the best bike that you ride on to your college campus, you won’t be able to take it out in harsh weather conditions. But you can still get the health benefits of cycling with an indoor cycling bike or exercise bike without having to go outside.
So, if you have recently purchased your indoor bike and are planning to peddle on your own, you need the right app to get started with. Here we will introduce you to the best free indoor cycling apps for beginners available today.
1. Road Grand Tours (RGT Cycling)
Currently, on the Free Beta test, Road Grand Tours offers 3D simulation of real-life cycling sessions. This app nicely simulates real climbs and gives you amazing details with clear and crisp realistic graphics that can be tailored by your needs.
With RGT Cycling, you will enjoy the exact recreations of some of the world’s most famous climbs. The realistic experience of cycling up those iconic climbs from the comfort of your home is so appealing!
There is also a social platform for multiplayer rides and races and it allows you to communicate with other users.
The simulator takes the drafting dynamics and the peloton into account to improve the accuracy of your race. That’s why when you hit the front of the peloton you have to put out more power than when you are in the pack.
What’s more, you get to take part in a variety of structured workout plans created by experts. You can even develop your own courses based on the uploaded route file.
There are both forward-facing and rear-facing cameras while the forward one gives a standard view. The screen gives you all the data you need based on your performance.
You also have the option to customize your appearance with a variety of bikes and kits, including Ridley and BMC machines.
2. Kinetic Fit
Kinetic Fit is an excellent combination of interval training and video integration. It features blocky and bright bar graphs and allows you to see pre-selected playlists on YouTube as you ride. You can even download movies without requiring another screen or postponing your workout.
The free “core” membership gives you access to an introductory training session and a variety of workout sessions (62 to be exact). This nicely structured training app has several plans that you can easily choose from, right from MTB to road riding to general fitness to triathletes and cross-training.
Kinetic Fit works on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
Tacx also comes with structured training plans with a calendar function and high-quality films. It has both free and premium versions.
The library keeps adding more videos every passing day. You can add your preferred routes by uploading GPS data or linking your other accounts and follow the 3D map.
You can ride with enlisted virtual training mates or live opponents. There is also the option to generate custom workouts, analyze training data, and ride to two demo films.
Unfortunately, this app is only compatible with Tacx smart trainers. In case you do not have one, look for another option.
4. iGrupetto
iGrupetto is another free app offering virtual rides throughout the world. It may not have the biggest catalog out there but you won’t have to miss out on the required data, such as power, speed, time, and distance while riding your bike.
This app supports ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart bike sensors – speed and cadence- and sends data to iGrupetto’s official website. So, you do not really need to write periodically at the speed you are training.
There’s a cons though – you will need a sensor to enjoy all of its features.
5. Kinomap
Kinomap has video courses that cover more than 200,000 km of biking roads from all corners of the world. It has added a new functionality that alters the resistance on the smart trainer depending on the area in the videos.
This app also facilitates interval training in two modes – Fixed Resistance and Power Targets. You will have access to well-planned workouts, interval programs, and interactive instructional videos for running, indoor cycling, and rowing.
Around a thousand videos are there that give you unlimited access to the most-favorite routes of famous cyclists, historic climbs, and simple sightseeing tours.
You can optimize the app on your Android device and perform a mirroring to the external screen with a ChromeCast key or with an HDMI adapter. There is a Remote Display feature with which you can display the videos on different web browsers by flashing a QR code given on http://remote.kinomap.com.
Try any of these free apps and take your indoor cycling venture to a whole ‘nother level! Don’t forget to share your experience with us.
