Details about the free indoor cycling app that boasts unmatched physics models and real-life courses
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(Image credit: RGT Cycling)
RGT Cycling has been gathering steam ever since its launch a few years ago. The indoor cycling app is designed to make indoor cycling more accessible and realistic, giving cyclists, clubs, and coaches the freedom to create the indoor cycling experiences they really want. The free RGT subscription includes event entries into races, time trials, and group rides, access to ultra-realistic real roads including the Leuven World Championships Circuit in Belgium, and access to structured workouts.
The Premium subscription to RGT costs less than other indoor training apps at £6.99 / $9.99 per month, and offers even more features including training plans, an enhanced workout library, access to all real roads and routes, and the ability to organise your own events such as road races, time trials, group rides, and even elimination races.
These are just a few of the features that separate RGT from the rest of the field, and we haven’t even touched on the ever-improving ride physics, Magic Roads, and newly streamlined app that gets rid of the old two devices approach.
Compatibility and convenience
On November 15th, RGT launched a new app that changed the way that users connected with it. The old and clumsy two-device approach has been replaced with the new app that is free on iPad, iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Mac, and Windows.
Now it only takes one app to ride, and you can even control the RGT App from your smartphone using the RGT Remote App. The single app system was one of the biggest things that RGT users were asking for, and RGT has delivered.
RGT works with ANT+ and BLE Smart training equipment, supporting big-name trainers from Wahoo, Wattbike, Tacx, Saris, Elite, Kurt Kinetic, and more. The App also works with ANT+ speed and cadence sensors, so you don’t need a smart bike to enjoy all of RGT’s features.
(Image credit: RGT Cycling)
Real ride physics
Unlike other popular racing platforms, the rider position on RGT is decided by the server rather than the computer used by the rider. On other platforms, what one rider sees does not match what another rider sees – you could see yourself in first position, while another rider’s screen shows you in third. This makes team tactics almost impossible to execute, and Team Time Trials chaotic at best. It also means that although you think you have finished first, you might actually get demoted to 10th.
In addition to fixing the server issue, RGT has modeled its physics simulation on Real World data, wind tunnel research, and feedback from professionals and enthusiasts. All this goes to say that RGT has realistic braking for collision avoidance and braking for corners – so no hairpins at 80km/h.
Race efforts on RGT are much more realistic than on other platforms because of their natural physics model. On other platforms, riders may be faced with a threshold effort with a sprint at the race’s beginning and end; but not on RGT. Races often play out with tactical attacks and breakaways, much like in real-life racing.
(Image credit: RGT Cycling)
Real Roads, training, and events
If you haven’t been able to tell, RGT prides itself on real-world look, feel, and physics. In addition to the real-life riding and racing physics, RGT has 12 hyper-realistic roads modelled after locations around the world. Perhaps you want to ride up Mont Ventoux, or tackle the Borrego Springs World Time Trial Championships course. You can ride the white roads of Pienza, Italy, or the gravel routes of Dirty Reiver – Kielder Forest. You can even ride up the Passo Dello Stelvio, or test yourself on some of the toughest roads in Belgium on De Ronde – produced in partnership with Flanders Classics and the Tour of Flanders, or on the infamous cobbles of the Paterberg.
You’ll have access to all these Real Roads and more on the RGT app, plus access to a wide selection of high-quality workouts. With the RGT Premium subscription, you’ll be able to find training plans tailored for almost every kind of event planning using RGT’s partnership with TrainingPeaks.
RGT is much more than just a training app, and that’s why you’ll find Real Events happening every day. Clubs, teams, and individual riders can organize their own events (TT, Elimination, Races, and Group rides) on any RGT Real Road or Magic Road, and share them with whoever they want.
Magic Roads
One of the most impressive features of the RGT App is its ability to turn a GPX file into a virtual ride – this is what they call Magic Roads. Take any GPX file from a real world ride, Strava Route Builder, Komoot, etc, and you can create a virtual ride, race, or group ride on it. That means that you can download a ride file from a place that you’ve never been, and ride a virtual recreation of the exact route, distance, turns, and elevation included.
This is one of the most popular features on the RGT App, and one that is used by professional teams to perform course reconnaissance and more. Using Magic Roads, you can face the physical and psychological challenges of a particular route, climb, or section of a route. RGT users have used this feature to experience climbs all over the world – all it takes is a ride file, and your Magic Road can be set up and ready to ride in minutes.
(Image credit: RGT Cycling)
Support for clubs
To support the adoption of virtual cycling, RGT provides cycling clubs with free organizer accounts so that they can encourage more people to enjoy the sport and stay active when weather, time, and shorter days impact your chance to ride.
You can get started on RGT by downloading the new single-device app for free, and start experiencing the unmatched ride physics on RGT’s Real and Magic Roads for yourself.
Zach is a freelance writer, the head of ZNehr Coaching, and an elite-level rider in road, track, and e-racing. He writes about everything cycling-related, from buyer's guides to product reviews and feature articles to power analyses. After earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science at Marian University-Indianapolis, Zach discovered a passion for writing that soon turned into a full-fledged career. In between articles, Zach spends his time working with endurance athletes of all abilities and ages at ZNehr Coaching. After entering the sport at age 17, Zach went on to have a wonderful road racing career that included winning the 2017 Collegiate National Time Trial Championships and a 9th place finish at the 2019 US Pro National Time Trial Championships. Nowadays, Zach spends most of his ride time indoors with NeXT eSport.
