Marek Matyska, Product Director at ROUVY commented,
the overall focus for this off-season has been improving the riding experience, creating account options which make it easier for riders to get more of the content they want, when they want it, and less of what they don’t.
We highly value rider feedback and what our users have been telling us is that they would like the option to continue riding throughout the year but don’t necessarily want to be tied to a full subscription when the weather is good and they’re riding outside.
Alongside some breathtaking and iconic new routes and some sweet new virtual garage additions, we’ve amped up the realism of our group riding dynamics, specifically drafting, as we felt we could do better there. We’re really happy with the result of this and it feels much more realistic!"
Take a break - New Pausing Option & Loyalty Program
The longer you ride with ROUVY, the bigger the benefits!
With four distinct levels of benefits, based on how long you have been a subscriber, spanning your first couple of months on ROUVY, up to more than 3 years of riding, you can now pause your subscription for up to a specific number of days throughout the year, whilst still retaining the option to ride a number of km should the weather turn. [Note: As of June 1, 2024, all ROUVY subscribers have the option to pause their account for 180 days. More information about pausing)
This is ideal for all riders who want to ride outside for the majority of the indoor off-season, or who simply want to take a break.
Loyalty Program conditions are subject to change, please visit ROUVY Loyalty Program for the current list of benefits.
Working out Workouts
Cadence workouts. Love them or hate them - ROUVY now has them! Riders have been asking for this option to be added for some time so the team is pleased to finally announce that cadence workouts have been added to our Workouts dashboard.
Speaking of which, the dashboard itself has had a revamp, presenting a look more in-keeping with the rest of ROUVY and a more user-friendly layout. What’s more, you can now receive virtual coins for completing workouts!
New Routes
Watch out for new real routes arriving soon on ROUVY and transport your riding around the world to some truly epic locations.
With the dramatic story already being written for the upcoming 2024 Grand Tours, ROUVY has added sections of stages likely to play a major role in the overall result. Challenge yourself on the Monte Grappa and Prati di Tivo climbs in Italy, with gradients reaching more than 17 percent. Likewise, in France, the long and grinding Galibier (from South) and winding switchbacks of Col du Grand Colombier (up and down) are sure to be a test for any rider. Other routes inspired by this year’s racing include Cime de la Bonette, Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol and Isola 2000.
Heading to the USA, ROUVY has also added a section of one of the most iconic and romanticised roads in the world in Route 66. A symbolic highway, representing freedom, escape and exploration, riders can ride to Oatman, Arizona, traversing Sitgreaves Pass in the Black Mountains along the way. Over in Oregon, a new route through the evergreen forests of Crater Lake National Park wind upwards to a breathtaking view over the lake itself.
Virtual Garage - New (and old!) Bikes
Throughout the past month, several new bike models have been added to the Virtual Garage. Thanks to partnerships with some of the world’s best loved brands, you can now ride the ever-classy Trek Domane, the mind bogglingly fast Cadex Tri and the highly regarded Giant TCR Advanced SL 2024. Leaping back in time, you can also equip the stunning Team ONCE 1998 Giant TCR - for those who prefer the old-school look.
Drafting, remodelled
Until now, every time a rider overtook another, once they pulled up alongside, they lost almost all drafting benefit. This meant the overtaking rider had to work significantly harder to pass than they should have to. Also, when riding in a tight group, since it’s ROUVY’s algorithm which determines where in the group users riding at the same pace are positioned, you could easily lose drafting benefit through no fault of your own, being pushed towards the edge of the group.
ROUVY’s developers felt this could be improved upon, so, after lots of experimentation, have updated the ideal drafting distance from a set 3 metres behind another rider, to a zone between 1-3 metres.
A rider in an adjacent ‘lane’ now gets around 90% of the aero benefit, creating a larger drafting footprint which allows a group of riders to work together more effectively. This solution is much more representative of real world group aerodynamics.
For more on ROUVY’s improved drafting, watch How to Use Drafting on ROUVY on YouTube.
Challenge Yourself
Users may have noticed the completely new Challenge dashboard. Challenges are one of the most popular features on ROUVY, providing an easy and regularly refreshed way to find and explore routes, push yourself and stay motivated.
The main reasoning behind this development was to simplify navigation, and make sure there’s no challenge in finding your next Challenge!
Explore ROUVY’s new Off-Season updates at www.rouvy.com
–ENDS–
Images are available here.
An embeddable video about ROUVY’s drafting updates is available here.
About ROUVY
ROUVY is the indoor cycling app that lets you ride real routes around the world. Combining sport and technology, ROUVY is the #1 platform for a realistic and immersive video experience with over 1300 routes around the world to choose from. It enables cyclists to train, have fun and explore the world from the comfort of their own home. ROUVY offers a wide variety of real routes, terrains and gradients filmed on high-quality video. There are challenges, special events, group rides, customized avatars and training plans to suit all levels and keep riders motivated to get fitter. With its focus on realism, ROUVY is a partner of organizations like Lidl-Trek, La Vuelta, Challenge Family and Strava. www.rouvy.com