TrainingPeaks Virtual has just taken a giant leap forward with its new GPXplore feature, allowing users to import and ride virtually any route, road, or path on the planet. This feature is a game-changer for athletes and coaches, offering an immersive indoor training experience that connects with smart trainers to simulate real-world riding conditions. But here's where it gets controversial: while the core goal is achieved, the implementation could be smoother, and the feature's potential is not fully realized. Let's dive into the details and explore the pros and cons of this exciting new development.
Importing a Route
The process of importing a route is straightforward, but it's a bit messy at scale. You'll need to create the route on another platform (e.g., Strava, Komoot, or Garmin Connect) and then import it into your TrainingPeaks account. This requires a GPX file, which can be from an existing route you've ridden or a new route you've created. While this is a necessary step, it's a bit cumbersome, especially considering TrainingPeaks could potentially be a destination for routes from these platforms, but business complexities make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Once you have the file, you'll need to import it into the TrainingPeaks website, not the app. This step is a bit clunky, but it's a small price to pay. After logging in, you'll see a 'Routes' option on the left side, where you can choose the file you want to import. It would be a nice touch if the title auto-filled based on the GPX file name, but for now, you'll need to manually title it.
Creating an Event
Next, you'll open up TrainingPeaks Virtual and navigate to 'Events'. Here, you'll see an option to 'Add New'. While this should ideally be on the main home dashboard, it's currently hidden away in the 'Events' section. This is a missed opportunity for deeper integration, as the entire point of TrainingPeaks acquiring IndieVelo was for individual athletes. I just want to ride the route right now, not schedule it for the future with extra clicks.
Riding the Route
Once you've created an event, you can copy the link to share with friends. But here's where it gets interesting: the route that TrainingPeaks Virtual creates is an identical route to your GPX file, from an elevation/gradient/road turn standpoint. However, the surrounding terrain and road surface are not accurate, which is a significant limitation. For example, on a quiet street around my home, the game doesn't match the real-life scenery.
Despite this, the ups and downs of the road are captured well, making it fun to fly down a hill at 75KPH. However, there are bugs to work out, particularly with overlapping routes, which result in fences for riders to navigate. Additionally, there are moments when cyclists appear to be using non-UCI-compliant bikes, pushing so hard that they simply melt into the pavement.
The Big Picture
In many ways, this is akin to RGT's Magic Roads concept, where you can generate a route based on a GPX file. Tacx has had this concept for over 15 years, and there are countless other small apps that do the same. While TrainingPeaks Virtual's implementation has its limitations, it's still a valuable addition to the indoor training landscape, especially for athletes who want to understand the general ups and downs of a race route without the scenery.
Looking Ahead
The TrainingPeaks Virtual team has a lot of work to do to streamline the process and improve the accuracy of the routes. With their history of making such tweaks, I suspect it'll be done by tomorrow at lunch. Maybe even breakfast. In the meantime, this feature is a step in the right direction, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here.
Controversy & Comment Hooks
While the core goal of GPXplore is achieved, the implementation could be smoother, and the feature's potential is not fully realized. The process of importing a route is a bit messy at scale, and the feature's potential for individual athletes is not fully realized. I encourage readers to share their thoughts and experiences with this feature in the comments, and to voice their agreement or disagreement with my points. Let's keep the conversation going and explore the future of indoor training together!
