ROUVY is an indoor cycling platform which uses immersive HD video and augmented reality technology to allow users to ride real routes from around the world, complete with responsive gradient changes to create an authentic riding experience that’s almost as good as riding in real life.
The platform currently has over 1,500 routes (and counting) – from famous world Tour routes to some of triathlon’s most iconic race courses. And soon users will be able to upload their own routes and ride them with the same immersive, authentic experience as you’ll get on ROUVY’s own carefully created routes. An update announced in the autumn of 2024 will see the indoor cycling platform roll out new functionality which uses AI technology to create a 3D world around routes recorded and uploaded by users.
So how will this new route creator work, and what could the benefits be for triathletes?
What is the ROUVY route creator?
The ROUVY route creator is an extension of existing functionality on ROUVY, which previously allowed users to upload a video of their favourite route and ride it on the platform with a first person view. However, the new route creator will bring in a whole new level of immersion and augmented reality to these user-created routes.
ROUVY riders can record their favourite routes in real life, using a GPS-enabled recording device (e.g. a GoPro) and upload the video to the platform. ROUVY’s AI system then gets to work, creating a 3D world with shade, depth and accurate gradients along with reactivity to other riders/traffic. In a nut shell, the route creator turns your own personal favourite routes into a smooth and immersive ROUVY route – without the need for any technical knowledge from the user.
When will the route creator be available?
Currently the new route creator on ROUVY is still in the Beta-testing phase – it’s being rolled out to subscribers on the waiting list gradually. They plan to showcase it at Rouleur Live in London this November, so while the full roll out to all users is yet to be announced – we can probably keep our eyes peeled for this to happen some time early in 2025. The good news is you can still register your interest to join the wait list if you’re keen to get playing with the route creator ASAP while it’s still in Beta.
What are the benefits of being able to upload my own routes?
First up, the new route creator means there’s going to be a whole load of new routes on ROUVY for you to explore – created by the community, for the community. That brings even more variety to your indoor training. And it could also be useful for getting local knowledge for routes to check out if you’re planning to head to a location in real life.
The route creator could also come in handy if you’ve got a specific event or ride you’re training for and you’ve got the opportunity to recce it once in real life. Record it while you’re there, and then you can train on the route as much as you like once you get back home.
It could also be a game changer for small, grassroots triathlon event organisers to share route details – could this be the end of downloading random bike route GPX files every time you enter a race?
How to create your own route on ROUVY
For Beta-testers who have access already, the process to create a personalised route on ROUVY is pretty straight forward.
Step 1: Record your route in real life. Currently a GoPro with GPS is the only compatible device for this, but ROUVY say compatibility with other devices is in the works. You do just have to make sure that you record within a few defined parameters such as camera height, positioning, speed etc.
Step 2: Upload your recording to the Route Creator portal. This is currently separate from the ROUVY app. Once your recording has uploaded, you’ll just need to smooth out any stops at traffic lights or junctions – a traffic light system will let you know once your route is ready for augmented reality processing.
Step 3: Customise your route. Once the route has been processed, you’ll be presented with a 3D augmented reality version of the route which you can then customise. You can set up the shadow positioning so it makes sense with the light conditions, choose your lane positioning and set up the range of visibility ahead once other users are riding on the route.
You can also have fun dropping in route banners, roadside fans to cheer you on every time you ride and all sorts of other fun elements. If you played the video game Rollercoaster Tycoon as a kid, you’re going to have a lot of fun with the new route creator.
Another cool feature here is the ability to set up time splits and segments within the route for training. So if there’s a hill you want to practice blasting up, or a fast, flat sprint section you want to PR on – you can track your progress.
Step 4: Save your creation. The route will be saved to ROUVY’s servers (which your hard drive storage will probably appreciate), but you have the option to keep it private so you can ride solo. Or save it as public so others from all over the globe can join you on your favourite local loop.
As we’ve mentioned, the ROUVY route creator is still in the Beta-testing phase. But in the meantime, you can find some of our top picks for the best routes to ride on ROUVY in our dedicated ROUVY section. From the best routes to dial your aero position, to the hilly rides to help you find your climbing legs and the real-life race routes you can recce from home. There’s plenty to keep you busy while you wait for the wider roll out of the route creator!
Racing to keep up: Is social media making us train harder?
