As indoor cycling season approaches, the PEZ crew has been putting ROUVY to the test — and it’s clear this platform offers a fresh alternative to enhance indoor cycling sessions letting you ride real routes from your own pain cave. ROUVY blends augmented reality with authentic road footage to make indoor training more engaging than you thought, and offers thousands of real-world routes filmed across iconic climbs, cityscapes, and even Grand Tour stages. From structured workouts and racing to epic challenges, ROUVY delivers variety, realism, and motivation to riders of all levels looking to stay fit through the winter.
I tapped PEZ-Man Leslie Reissner — our resident “Rouvy heavy user” — to share why it’s his go-to platform for indoor miles.
Leslie Sez: As one of only what is apparently a handful of Canadians who never learned to ice skate or downhill ski or even go curling, my outdoor winter sports activities have been limited to some inelegant Nordic skiing – and even those outings generally ended in some kind of injury. So I am a confirmed enthusiast for indoor training on the bike as a way to stay motivated during the long months when the roads are not suitable for riding in the Great Outdoors of the Great White North. For this my primary go-to application is Rouvy.
Life With ROUVY: 27,000km Indoors (and Counting)
I have been a full paid-up subscriber to Rouvy since 2018 and since then I have clocked some 1,051 hours on the app, which translates out to just under 27,000 virtual kilometres and just over 413,000 virtual metres of climbing. I have ridden along to scenery from at least 32 countries, with a particular fondness for Switzerland, Germany and Italy but also saw some unusual places, like Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. So, first and foremost Rouvy gives you a massive library of potential routes. (Rouvy claims over 1,500 real routes in their library.)
The quality of the videos can vary a bit as they come from different sources. Rouvy has, since I have joined, constantly found ways to improve, and most recently there has been the addition of Route Creator, which allows you to film, upload and ride your own Rouvy routes. They’ve created their own app to makes this a lot easier than you might think, and it requires a download to your computer to the going.
These appear as “community” efforts and the ones I have looked at are very well done. Other contributors have a big following for the videos they produce in their regions, which I will admit are far more attractive than where I live. But if I do want to ride in Gatineau Park (the best spot for road cycling in the National Capital) in the dead of winter, that route already exists on Rouvy.
Fancy a ride up Alpe d’Huez?
Augmented Reality vs. Straight Video
Rouvy routes come in two forms: straight videos, which provide you with all the useful stuff you need for training, such as power, heart rate, topography etc., and Augmented Reality (AR). In these you have an avatar and can pick your bicycle and kit and race with others or draft with “ghost riders.” This is the closest Rouvy comes to the video game environment but it is important to know that you can remove many of the AR features on the screen. I have found that drafting the ghost riders on big climbs is pointless and they are a distraction, so I just turn them off. Also, you have to choose whether to ride in “time trial” or “just ride” mode, with the latter having the drafting function.
Ride gravel in Colorado
Challenges, Levels, and Unlocks: Gamifying the Ride
Rouvy has regular Challenges, which often feature particularly nice scenery, and to win the points of a Challenge one must either do it in “time trial” mode or “just ride” at 100% level of realism. The points allow you to get a better bicycle or wheelset but otherwise are only good for bragging rights. There are 100 levels on Rouvy to work through and once I get past my current “Beyond Legend” and reach “Almost Mythical” at 100 I suspect they will add another 20 levels!
Ride Real Events: Ironman, Grand Tours & More
One element of Rouvy that I particularly like is the inclusion of routes used in real events. Rouvy has the rights to show Ironman cycling routes so if you are planning to do one—say, the 70.3 Ironman World Championships in Marbella—it is there for you to train with.
Doing a full-length Ironman route would be pretty epic as 180 kms on an indoor trainer is only for the hardiest. There are many of the Challenge series on Rouvy too, including the iconic Challenge Roth, plus events such as the Swiss Triathlon or the TorTour ultra rides. Rouvy has a partnership with the Tour of the Alps and as this is one of my favourite one week stage races it is fun to watch a stage, then do a shortened version of the same route myself on Rouvy later in the day.
Ride up Mt. Ventoux…
Similar routes can be found for all the Grand Tours and of course you can ride all of the iconic climbs in Europe. For example, you can reach the top of the Stelvio from three different directions on Rouvy. Searching for routes is straightforward; depending on your internet connection it is wise to download the videos before riding to avoid interruptions. This would be particularly wise for those doing an Everesting attempt, which you can actually do on Rouvy.
Ride down Mt. Ventoux…
Value for Money: Subscriptions, Discounts & Gear
Rouvy offers various subscription arrangements, which seem to be in line with the competition. As a longtime user, I receive a “Level 4 discount” of 24%. Considering all the features—and there are quite a few, such as a Companion App or Strava segments, I don’t bother with—and the amount of time I devote to riding on Rouvy I think it is good value. Rouvy has also been industriously adding training programs, supposedly endorsed by specific pro riders from Visma Lease A Bike and Lidl-Trek. The technical end is probably the same for all these cycling apps—a computer with internet connection, some kind of trainer (preferably a smart one), various sensors such as a heart rate monitor and an ANT pickup or Bluetooth compatability—, an optional rocker plate for the really long sessions, and a honking big screen. I have recently changed from a 45” screen to 55” and can honestly say that with the landscapes that you will be riding through on Rouvy, forget the cellphone, tablet or laptop but just go big.
Like to sample the UCI World Road Championship course in Rwanda? Become the King of the Grossglockner? Descend the Grand St-Bernard Pass at speed? You can do it all and still be within reach of a hot shower and a beer in the comfort of your home on Rouvy.
Key Takeways
As the indoor season kicks in, ROUVY proves that training indoors doesn’t have to feel like a chore. With its vast library of real-world routes, immersive augmented reality features, and steady stream of new challenges, it transforms winter miles into something to look forward to. Whether you’re chasing fitness goals, preparing for a big event, or simply looking to ride iconic climbs from the comfort of home, ROUVY delivers an engaging, motivating, and realistic cycling experience that keeps you turning the pedals all year long.
• See more at the Rouvy website
The post PEZ Rides ROUVY: Real Routes, AR Challenges, and Winter Training Motivation appeared first on PezCycling News.
