TrainingPeaks Virtual (formerly IndieVelo) Review: Does It Even Stand a Chance?

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NOTE: IndieVelo was an app launched by Dr. George Gilbert, the former chairman of the Zwift Esports Commission. However, it was acquired by TrainingPeaks and rebranded to TrainingPeaks Virtual on October 29, 2024. I updated my original IndieVelo review to reflect these changes.

I’ve already tested many indoor cycling apps, both free and paid. So, how does TrainingPeaks Virtual compare to them? Does it have a chance to succeed against Zwift, MyWhoosh, ROUVY, and others?

My TrainingPeaks Virtual rating at a glance:
Ease of Setup 5/5 | Engagement 3/5 | Community 3/5 | Routes 2/5 | Training 4/5 | UX 2/5 | Platforms Availability 5/5 | Price 3/5 | OVERALL 3.4/5
More about this indoor cycling apps scoring.

NOTE: I tested TrainingPeaks Virtual 0.4.33 on a MacBook Pro with macOS Sonoma 14.5.

TrainingPeaks Virtual Summary

What is TrainingPeaks Virtual?
TrainingPeaks Virtual is an indoor cycling app that features a virtual world with more realistic graphics and physics than Zwift. It allows you to communicate with others, race, ride in groups, or do structured training. It offers seamless integration with TrainingPeaks.

Who is TrainingPeaks Virtual for?
TrainingPeaks Virtual is ideal for people who want more realistic avatar behavior and the possibility to tweak the app settings. It’s also good for racing because realistic physics demand creating and following a racing strategy.

Who is TrainingPeaks Virtual not for?
TrainingPeaks Virtual is not for people looking for an easy-to-use and simple app. Because it is less popular, it offers fewer opportunities to socialize. You probably won’t like it if you prefer real-world footage.

My Experience with TrainingPeaks Virtual

Here is my experience with the initial setup, routes, user experience, and more in TrainingPeaks Virtual.

Initial Setup

Pairing devices before the first ride went smoothly:

However, my initial experience with the setup was not good. I understand the app is still in development, but customizing the avatar was tedious and unintuitive. I’m referring, for example, to the fact that you can’t rotate the avatar by dragging the mouse, so you can’t see what changes you’ve made until the avatar rotates by itself.

The color selection is also odd. I wanted to set the colors I use here on Cyclists Hub. However, the editor only allows RGB code (not HEX), allowing you to type 3 digits. It would be nice if the app saved the custom colors directly so the user doesn’t have to type them repeatedly.

In-App Experience: Focus on Realism

Before my first ride, I explored all the possible settings. There are plenty of them, and this is an area where TrainingPeaks Virtual excels. For example, you can also adjust the graphical elements (HUD). Then I browsed the other options, such as events, workouts, and plans, but more on them later.

The graphics are frankly outdated. You can set a higher resolution, but it will become choppy unless you have a powerful computer. I have a MacBook Pro M1 Max with 64GB RAM, which can handle 4K, but my older (Intel MBP 2020) couldn’t. Overall, TrainingPeaks Virtual feels like a slightly worse version of Wahoo RGT. The graphics remind me of games from 10-15 years ago.

However, it deserves credit for its focus on realism. It can simulate weather (e.g., wind), drafting, braking, and cornering. I haven’t encountered anything like this in other apps yet. Wahoo RGT probably had the most realistic physics to date, but it was shut down.

TrainingPeaks Virtual takes the physics to a new level. You can actually feel that you’re riding into the headwind, which can significantly affect your strategy in a race. It’s a shame it can’t adjust rolling resistance based on whether it’s raining or snowing. These only have an aesthetic effect.

Another unique feature is cornering. If you take a corner too fast, the app penalizes you. Riders behind you who adjust their speed in advance will gain an advantage. By default, the app will also slow you down before corners, so it won’t help if you are pushing high watts. This feature requires you to pay more attention and think more about how you approach pedaling.

Lastly, I want to mention the pacebots. As in Zwift, you can join them and ride at a given power range.

Racing: Meet the ELO Rating System

Thanks to this system, it should not happen, for example, that you ride against riders who are orders of magnitude stronger.

As described earlier, you also need to be much more focused and consider your strategy. Riding into a breakaway may not pay off when there is a strong headwind. The opposite can happen if nobody in the bunch decides to ride; it can be your advantage. So it always depends.

Additionally, various formats of races are available in TrainingPeaks Virtual, so you can ride time trials, points races, elimination races, etc. You will also encounter AI-driven bots, who serve as filler but also as motivation. Unlike regular bots that always run at the same wattage, these change their performance and even experience fatigue.

TrainingPeaks Virtual also stands out for clubs and coaches with tools that go beyond basic racing platforms. You can create custom teams complete with unique in-game kits (designed via templates and approved by TP in about five days), manage membership, and invite athletes to join so everyone rides in matching colours.

Organizers get custom event branding, such as banners and jerseys, plus an in-world “hall of fame” display to showcase top performers, while coaches benefit from spectator chat to communicate with athletes in real time during rides or races. These features make it particularly appealing for structured club training, coached squads, or branded events, helping build community.

Routes: Diverse but Limited

However, the number of routes is still pretty low, and they will get repetitive. This has its advantages, though. Users are not so fragmented, and the routes will feel more alive (unlike in ROUVY).

Training: Big Step Up after Acquisition

In IndieVelo, the structured workout database was pretty limited. And it still is compared to Zwift, ROUVY, TrainerRoad, and similar apps. However, after the acquisition, TrainingPeaks Virtual is now more competitive, and I think the developers also assume most users will do sessions prescribed by their coaches.

This is one of TrainingPeaks Virtual’s real strengths. It seamlessly syncs the planned workouts from TrainingPeaks. Once you complete them, they are fed back for analysis.

It’s a shame TrainingPeaks Virtual doesn’t have any structured training plans. But this is most likely because they assume professional coaches will create the plans for you via TrainingPeaks.

User Friendliness and Connectivity

The most annoying thing about indieVelo was the UI. The TrainingPeaks Virtual took it to another level. While it’s still not perfect, it’s much better than the previous one. Luckily, the app functionality is comprehensive. For example, it lets you adjust many settings, offering flexibility like no other app.

I didn’t experience any app crashes or dropouts, so I rate it highly for reliability.

Platforms Availability

TrainingPeaks Virtual is available on all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Apple TV.

TrainingPeaks Virtual extends beyond the in-app experience with its TP Virtual Hub. It’s a web and mobile control center where you can now browse upcoming events with clearer listings, workout details right on event pages, and indicators for popular or high-signup rides. It makes it easier to find group rides, races, or structured sessions without digging. It works similarly to Zwift Companion.

Pricing

TrainingPeaks Virtual is included with the TrainingPeaks Premium subscription and costs $19.95/month (or $134.99/year).

You can take advantage of the 14-day free trial available through TrainingPeaks, which gives you full access to Virtual, your workout calendar, and coaching tools.​

Updated on 17th of February, 2026

TrainingPeaks Virtual Alternatives

There are plenty of indoor cycling apps out there. The closest TrainingPeaks Virtual alternatives are MyWhoosh and Zwift.

The following table shows my ratings of specific areas on a scale of 1–5 (5 is the best).

My Verdict

Do I recommend TrainingPeaks Virtual?
I recommend TrainingPeaks Virtual to those who appreciate realistic physics and enjoy racing, strategizing, or training, and to those who already pay for the TrainingPeaks subscription.

Do I recommend it to everybody?
I don’t, because TrainingPeaks Virtual isn’t very engaging for casual riding because of its small user base and lack of a sophisticated motivation system. You also won’t like it if you want to visit beautiful places around the world.

TrainingPeaks Virtual (IndieVelo) FAQ