This is my review of a free indoor cycling app CycleGo. I tested it and compared it with other (mostly paid) alternatives.
The results are surprising. CycleGo offers a lot considering it’s a free app with a possible premium subscription.
You should try it if you have a wheel-on ‘dumb’ trainer and just want to maintain or improve your fitness.
Let’s dive in.
CycleGo Summary
Pros
- The free plan offers plenty of workouts
- The paid plan includes structured training plans
Cons
- Can’t adjust the resistance of the smart trainers
- No sophisticated motivational system
- No drafting, power-ups, etc.
- Not socially-oriented
- Only available for iOS and Android
What is CycleGo?
CycleGo is a mobile, free indoor cycling and running app where you ride (or run) with an avatar through a virtual world. It allows you to follow structured workouts and maintain your fitness.
Its graphic is made from the ground up and is similar to Wahoo RGT or BKOOL.
Who is it for?
CycleGo is suitable for beginners and undemanding riders (runners). In addition, it’s ideal for people with a ‘dumb’ wheel-on trainer (or a treadmill) to maintain or improve their fitness from the comfort of their homes.
Who is it not for?
CycleGo is not for demanding cyclists and athletes who want an indoor cycling app that can adjust the resistance of their smart trainer.
My Experience with CycleGo
Here is my experience with the initial setup, routes, user experience, and more you can find in CycleGo. I focus mainly on the cycling aspect.
Initial Setup
CycleGo is not compatible with smart trainers, so it’s best to use it with just budget wheel-on trainers.
To start riding, you just have to input basic information like weight and age, customize your avatar, select workout and start riding.
Before every ride, you can also set the desired music type.
Engagement
CycleGo doesn’t include any sophisticated motivation system, as we know from Zwift, for example.
This means you have to be internally motivated to continue using it. In Zwift, peer pressure will encourage you to ride harder and return to improve yourself.
With CycleGo, I didn’t experience similar pressure.
However, they are currently working on an achievement section so that they will have at least some kind of motivation.
Routes
CycleGo offers four virtual routes (worlds) you can choose from:
- Mountains
- Lake Sihlsee
- City
- Island
Unfortunately, only one is free (Mountains). You have to pay for the subscription to get access to the other three.
Honestly, the graphic looks fine, and I didn’t expect anything sophisticated. It’s just a shame they don’t offer more free routes.
The screen shows some basic information. The most important being the length of the interval and recommended cadence.
It also includes ride controls and the structure of the workout. You can skip individual sections as needed.
Training
CycleGo has a workout library comprising dozens of workouts suitable for beginners and advanced riders.
Again, it’s nothing for pro athletes (those should try TrainerRoad or Wahoo SYSTM, which can create structured plans based on your goals).
The workouts are divided based on your fitness level (L0 – L3), from easy to harder ones. Unfortunately, the training plans are paid.
I am also not sure who designed them. Most premium apps hire certified coaches to design effective workouts/plans.
The CycleGo workouts seem random and include no explanation of what they are good for.
User Friendliness
CycleGo has a nice clean user interface, making it easy to use. Thanks to just a few features, I had no issues finding what I needed to find.
The app is responsive and loads quickly. It is also clear that the developers invested a lot of time into making it easy to use for inexperienced tech users.
Platforms Availability
CycleGo is only available for iOS and Android. Windows, macOS, and Apple TV users are unfortunate.
CycleGo Alternatives
There are a few free indoor cycling apps worth trying. The closest alternatives to CycleGo are:
- Wahoo RGT (formerly known as RGT Cycling) – features a virtual world inspired by real-world roads. Its graphics are more realistic, and it can adjust the resistance of your trainer.
- Trainer Day is like TrainerRoad, but with limited functionality in the free plan. It only shows you your ride data. It’s perfect for structured training. Their premium subscription is affordable and unlocks more features like personalized cycling plans.
- Veloreality is similar to FulGaz or ROUVY. Their free plan allows you to play videos in 720p definition. Unfortunately, it’s only available for Windows.
The paid alternatives include:
- TrainerRoad – is a fully performance-oriented cycling app with a comprehensive workout library. It only shows you your ride data, no virtual world or video footage.
- Zwift – utilizes a virtual world built from scratch. It doesn’t have as wide a route library as ROUVY. It is much closer to being a game.
- ROUVY – is the closest alternative to CycleGo. It also uses real-world footage, but ROUVY augments it with avatars and other objects. It has a huge route library and allows you to explore beautiful places from the comfort of your home.
- Wahoo SYSTM – includes traditional cycling training, yoga for cyclists, strength and mental training to make you a better, faster, and more resilient cyclist.
- And many more.
| App | Price | Free Trial | World | Multiplayer | Connectivity | Platform Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zwift | 14.99 USD / month | 7 days | Virtual | Yes | ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth, BLE FTMS | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Apple TV |
| ROUVY | 15 USD / month 144 USD / year | 14 days | Real | Yes | ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Apple TV |
| TrainerRoad | 19.95 USD / month 189 USD / year | n/a² | n/a | No | ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth, BLE FTMS | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS |
| Wahoo SYSTM (formerly The Sufferfest)¹ | 14.99 USD / month 149 USD / year | 14 days | Real | No | ANT+ FE-C, BLE FTMS | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS |
| Wahoo RGT (formerly RGT Cycling)¹ | Free or 14.99 USD / month 149 USD / year | 14 days | Virtual | Yes | ANT+ FE-C, BLE FTMS | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Apple TV Android, iOS (remote) |
| Kinomap | 11.99 EUR / month 89.99 EUR / year 429 EUR / lifetime | 14 days | Real | No | ANT+ FE-C, BLE FTMS | Android, iOS (screen mirroring available) |
| FulGaz | 12.99 USD / month 108.99 USD / year | 14 days | Real | Yes | ANT+ FE-C, BLE FTMS | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Apple TV |
Updated on the 12th of September, 2023.
¹You can only subscribe to the Wahoo X subscription and get access to Wahoo SYSTM and Wahoo RGT.
²30-day money-back guarantee
I created a rating system for evaluating the following features. It helps to keep the comparison between training apps consistent.
- Price – how expensive is the app relative to other indoor cycling apps?
- Ease of setup – is the app easy to set up with a smart trainer? Can it be used without it?
- Engagement – does the app keep you engaged and motivated?
- Routes – does the app offer a wide route library?
- Training – does the app include prebuilt workout plans? Do they help you get faster?
- User-friendliness and intuitiveness (UX) – is the app easy to navigate, easy to use, clear, and intuitive?
- Platform availability – is the app available for multiple platforms like iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, AppleTV, etc.?
The following table shows my ratings of specific areas on a scale of 1–5 (5 is the best).
| App | Price | Ease of Setup | Engage- ment | Routes | Training | UX | Platforms Availability | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zwift | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| ROUVY | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| TrainerRoad | 2 | 5 | 3 | n/a¹ | 5 | 5 | 4 | 24 |
| Wahoo SYSTM² | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 30 |
| Wahoo RGT (RGT Cycling)² | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 23 |
| Kinomap | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 26 |
| FulGaz | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 26 |
| BKOOL | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 25 |
| Tacx Training App | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 26 |
¹TrainerRoad is different from other apps and doesn't offer any routes.
²You can only subscribe to the Wahoo X subscription and get access to Wahoo SYSTM and Wahoo RGT.
CycleGo FAQ
My Verdict
Do I recommend CycleGo?
Yes. CycleGo is a good app for beginners and undemanding people who just want to spin their legs from time to time without spending money on app subscriptions.
Do I recommend it to everybody?
No. CycleGo App is not for demanding athletes with smart trainers. The app can’t adjust the resistance and offers limited functionality for performance-oriented riders.
