Indoor route simulation in the Wahoo app

For Wahoo X subscribers, Wahoo now offers the ability to simulate outdoor cycling or running routes with your KICKR trainers, KICKR BIKEs, or KICKR RUN treadmill in the Wahoo app.  This includes routes synced from a third party app/service, imported as a file, or created from your Wahoo activity history.  When loaded into the Wahoo app, the KICKR, BIKE, or RUN can simulate the resistance (and incline if using a CLIMB, BIKE, or RUN) of any elevation changes along the route.  New elevation profile and map screens allow you to anticipate the upcoming climb or descent and visualize your location along the route.

Requirements

To simulate a route

In order to simulate a route in the Wahoo app, you must

  1. Have an active trial or subscription to Wahoo X. 
    • Indoor route simulation in the Wahoo app* is a paid feature.
  2. Have a resistance-controllable KICKR trainer, BIKE, or RUN treadmill actively connected to the Wahoo app.
  3. Have the route loaded in the Wahoo app (present in the Plan tab > My Routes list).

*ELEMNT computer owners can also use their computer to simulate a route with a KICKR trainer or BIKE.  For more details, see Control a smart trainer (KICKR, CORE, SNAP, ROLLR, or BIKE) with ELEMNT, BOLT, or ROAM.

To sync / import / create a route for simulation

If a route does not already appear in the My Routes list on the Plan tab, you will need to sync it from a third party app/service, import it into the Wahoo app as a FIT, GPX, or TCX Route file exported from another source, or create it from an activity from your Wahoo app History. In order to do any of these things, you must

  1. Have a viable internet data connection on the device running the Wahoo app. 
    • Syncing a route from a third party service, importing from a file, or creating from your completed activity history requires a connection to the Wahoo Cloud server.

Set up the route

  1. Sync a route from a third party app/service, import a route from a file, or create a route from a completed activity in your activity history.
  2. Select a route from the Plan tab > My Routes list.
    1. Select the route image or panel to see route details, and reverse the route if desired.
  3. Select Select route.
  4. Select Launch indoors.
  5. Confirm that your KICKR trainer, BIKE, or RUN is paired/actively connected.
  6. Ensure that your CLIMB or KICKR BIKE is unlocked, if you wish the app to control your grade live.
  7. Confirm that the correct workout profile is selected (Indoor Cycling for use with KICKR / BIKE, Treadmill for RUN).
  8. Confirm your preferred mode is selected / select Incline control. 
    • Select Control in the bottom right corner then confirm the appropriate mode is selected. 
      • With KICKR trainers or BIKEs -- While passive and target power modes can be used, in order to enable grade control, you must select Sim or Route Simulation mode.
      • With KICKR RUN, to enable grade control by the app, Incline must be selected.
  9. Select Start to start the activity recording.
wa-planstab-routesselected-300.png wa-plan-myroutes-300.png wa-myroutes-launchoptions.png

Indoor Cycling (for use with a KICKR trainer, or BIKE)

wa-routesim-cycling-datasources.png wa-routesim-cycling-control-300.png wa-routesim-indoorcycling-300.png

Treadmill (for use with RUN)

wa-routesim-run-datasources-300.png wa-routesim-run-controls-300.png wa-routesim-treadmill-300.png

Simulate the route

New activity pages

In addition to the pages normally available for those Indoor Cycling and Treadmill workout profiles, route simulation mode provides two new pages for a new experience:

an Elevation Profile page

    • A 2 mile / 3 kilometer elevation profile at the top of the page shows the immediate upcoming topography.
    • A second route elevation profile shows the route's complete topography.
      • The profile can be tapped to toggle between two other options: 20 mi / 30 km or the remainder of the route.
    • The profile is colored with the nominal grade of the route, (not the realized grades of the CLIMB, BIKE, or RUN).
wa-routesim-cycling-elevation-300.png grade-categorization-chart.png

a Map page [open Beta]

      • A route line will appear on a map panel, with key values (duration, distance, speed/pace, and grade)
      • There are button options to toggle map layers between standard and satellite view, and between 2 and 3 D.
      • A green and red pin icon indicate the start and end of the route, while a black pin icon identifies your current location on the route.
      • The map can be manipulated like most mobile map apps:
        • pinched to zoom
        • panned with 2 fingers oriented vertically
        • rotated with 2 fingers
        • 2D/3D angle adjusted with 2 fingers oriented horizontally
      • A target button will return your view to your current location on the map and default zoom level if you navigate away from your location.
wa-routesim-cycling-map-300.png wa-routesim-run-map-300.png wa-routesim-pinsbuttons-300.png

Teleporting around the route

You can skip to a different section of a route by

  1. Navigating to the Map page,
  2. Pausing the recording,
  3. Moving the map to a different location on the route, and
  4. Tapping once on the location on the route to select your target.
  5. Select Resume.
    • You will be asked if you would like to teleport to the new location.
      • If you select Cancel, you will be returned to the route in your current location.
      • If you select Teleport, you will be relocated to the new location on the route and the recording will continue from that point.
        • This action cannot be undone, but you could immediately pause and attempt to re-select your previous location on the route.
wa-routesim-selectteleporttarget-300.png wa-routesim-teleportconfirm.png blank300x200.png

Scaling intensity / grade targets

You can choose your level of intensity (trainer / BIKE resistance) / grade expression of your CLIMB / BIKE / RUN by adjusting the grade scaling value accessed from the Control button in the bottom right corner of a page to better align with your training goals/ride experience.

If the grade of an incline is currently 10%, scaling the grade to 75% would reduce the incline to 7.5%.

wa-routesim-cycling-control-300.png wa-routesim-run-controls-300.png blank300x200.png

Review your data

Elevation data

Elevation profile data, gain, and loss will now be recorded based on simulated gradient data (resistance from the trainer / incline from the treadmill).  It will then be visible in your Wahoo app and third party app/service activity summaries.  KICKR trainers/BIKEs will not require a gradient simulator be enabled to record this. RUN will only record elevation gain if grade control is turned on.

Recorded elevation gain and loss data will not match those of the route if the route exceeds the incline/decline range of the KICKR trainer, BIKE, or RUN.  

The starting elevation for a simulated route will be based on the route's data.

Map data

GPS location data will be recorded and reported into the FIT files, showing as a simulated ride in Wahoo app history and third party app/service activity summaries.

 

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