TrainingPeaks Virtual Launches My Routes
TrainingPeaks today officially launched its much-anticipated My Routes feature for the Virtual platform. Users now can create rideable routes out of any GPX file upload, meaning that you can bring your favorite roads (or ones you’re yet to explore in-person) onto the platform.
TrainingPeaks had announced My Routes as part of its launch of World Routes, where four of the great climbs across the globe were brought onto the system. Now it has expanded that access to all users, being able to upload any GPX file, whether from an export of data that you have ridden, or from mapping software like GPXplore.
The process to create one of the Routes is relatively straight forward. You first have to be a subscriber to TrainingPeaks Premium accounts; Virtual is free open up your TrainingPeaks account. Once on the calendar, you’ll now find the Routes Library icon on the right hand side underneath Workout Library and Training Plans.
When you click on the Routes Library, there’s an option to add a route. You’ll need to add a title for it, and then you can upload. For those looking to upload extremely long routes, just be aware: there’s a maximum file size of 10 megabytes. That being said, I exported my GPX file from the “new” IRONMAN Lake Placid bike course from 2024. The 111.7 mile ride was a 3 MB file.
Once you have saved your workout, it’ll now appear in your Routes Library. You’re now ready to open up TrainingPeaks Virtual to ride it.
Once you’ve hopped into TrainingPeaks Virtual, you have to schedule an event in order to actually ride the route. Note that the event has to be at least five minutes in the future from when you’re creating that event, so it’s not quite as simple as immediately uploading a file and starting a ride; you’ll have to plan ahead a little bit (or create the event and then finish getting your bottles / gear together). You also have the option for the event to be open to the public, or for users to require an access code. You can also have bots join to fill the start pen out, if you prefer not riding alone.
TrainingPeaks has also put together a video showing you how to upload a file and create your rideable event, which you can watch here.
Then, once done, simply join your event. TrainingPeaks winds up rendering some virtual scenery around your ride. For my Lake Placid route, it started us off in the mountains, before descending into greenery for the bulk of the ride, then climbing back up. It’s not a rendering of the actual course, per se, but it at least gives you the general sensation of what the trip out of town and the descent might feel like visually. Occasionally we wound up on snow early on, but otherwise, we kept to the tarmac.
Riding is, well, just like any other virtual platform. In other words, it does a good job mimicking resistance aligned with specific terrain. The one thing TP Virtual has on some of the other indoor cycling platforms is that the standard descending logic is better than some of the other ones; you’re not taking hairpin turns at 50+ MPH. Your avatar will actually slow down a bit before trying to make the corner.
Once you’re done riding, you save and exit, and it automatically syncs back over to your TrainingPeaks account for you (or your coach) to be able to analyze.
Overall, it’s a unique feature to be able to create and ride your own routes. Compared to the other major players in the space, there are limited real-world simulations out there, and they’re limited to the selections that are pre-built within the platform. Zwift, for instance, is fully plugged into its unique ride ecosystem, save the few monument climbs in the game. Rouvy, on the other hand, has hundreds of pre-built courses from around the world, including much of the IRONMAN brand portfolio. But to be able to take any route, and have it then build out some scenery for you to ride on a modern platform, is a great option.
It’s also the budget option, if you’re already paying for TrainingPeaks Premium, as it’s included with that level of subscription. That alone makes TP Virtual a compelling option for the upcoming indoor season.
Will definitely try it!
Please don’t take this the wrong way it’s a genuine question: is Slowtwitch sponsored by training peaks?
This looks terrible.
I’ve done the same thing myself, in 3D, creating routes from GPS and I’m no designer (or developer) and it looks far better than this.
This looks totally half baked. And you need a premium subscription to use it! Bonkers
Is TP a partner? Yes.
Do I think this is still a cool feature? Yep.
Would we have written about this if they weren’t a partner? Yeah, as it’s a definite shot across the bow of the other indoor platforms – if you’re a coached athlete who already has TP Premium, and you want to always just ride the course of your upcoming race…why you would you pay for a different one?
Are the graphics perfect? No. Does that matter? Depends. For me, having grown up with plenty of 8 and 16 bit game time? Nope.
Is there a way to make routes public? E.g. now that you’ve uploaded the GPX of Lake Placid would I be able to search in Routes and find it? Would be nice to be able to crowd source some of these routes right in Training Peaks rather than having to go find the GPX somewhere else (especially if I’m dropping Strava if they lose Garmin support)
Jesus, dare someone criticize.
“Would we have written about this if they weren’t a partner? Yeah”
This is what everyone who is sponsored says.
Fact is they are charging premium for a poor looking product that can be done in a weekend.
“Would we have written about this if they weren’t a partner? Yeah, as it’s a definite shot across the bow of the other indoor platforms – if you’re a coached athlete who already has TP Premium, and you want to always just ride the course of your upcoming race…why you would you pay for a different one?
Are the graphics perfect? No. Does that matter? Depends. For me, having grown up with plenty of 8 and 16 bit game time? Nope.”
Five rhetorical questions. Nice going.
i use tp virtual back when it was still indie velo and i found the braking/descending logic incosistent. sometimes it seemed to overbrake (which was super annoying) on slight curves and other times not at all. Was no where near Rouvy?
Can you tell if they have made significant improvements
Ironman now publishes GPX files for all bike courses I believe. The first thing I did when I read this article was upload the Marbella course to my TrainingPeaks and I can now see it in TPVirtual when I go to create a group ride. So, they don’t really have to be public because they’re pretty easy to get from Ironman. That is, if you’re mainly interested in Ironman courses.
Is there a plain monitor in VirtualTrainingPeaks ie just your number, watts Hr cadence… a like TR. All these fake landscape and gaming stuff are just annoying.
There is a focus mode you can select before you start your workout where it’s just data.
Yes, it has “Focus Mode” where it turns off the graphics. I haven’t used it yet, so can’t really compare it to TR.
I don’t see an option to share one—but wonder if that’s something that will come in the future.
I think this is a game changer. I cancelled Wahoo subscription when they stopped magic roads. I’ve already set a 4 lap time trial of the Dorney Lakes bike route. If I can update WestFriesland then, it will be bye bye Rouvy. Let’s hope it works.
I’ll make last contribution, but here’s a screenshot from my own ride on my own app today.
The bike is a placeholder, as I cannot model anything like that (for now) and yes there are two hearts top left for some reason.
Otherwise what you see is completely procedurally generated from a GPS. Elevation, distance all accurate.
I don’t see how a professional company like TP can call what they have “premium” in any way.
I’m not a developer by any stretch, and this has taken me at most 6 hours in my free time, it’s a shame to end up shouted at for it. I thought there would be motivation here to colaborate.
It looks absolutely hideous. I used my ipad that I usually use with zwift. It’s not comparable at all. however, I’ll likely cancel Zwift and use this instead. I couldn’t care less about the “game” aspect of it. This seems like all I need, plus in works seamlessly with trainingpeaks.
You are not a developer but managed to put together your own version of trainingpeaks virtual routes in 6 hours? Hmm…