Coronavirus cycling: ride famous roads and climb virtually with friends and professionals – indoors
- Keen cyclists don’t need to give up their passion during the coronavirus lockdown; you just need a static bike and a blank wall to project onto
- Technology lets you take on famous routes indoors, with friends or professional riders, and gives you close to the physical experience of riding them for real
As a lifelong cyclist and bike traveller, the very essence of cycling for me has always been to get outside and to discover the world and its many great rides. While our future cycling trips and adventures may have been paused for the time being, it’s probably more important than ever to saddle up and go for a ride, and there are now many superb virtual cycling options available.
The idea of riding on a sweaty and static bike trainer while staring at a wall might sound like self-inflicted torture, but thankfully indoors cycling technology has moved on in leaps and bounds in recent years, and it’s no longer a thing to dread.
Fitness and training may well be their primary purpose, but the offshoot is you can still enjoy cycling and even discover new routes. The options differ in their offerings and requirements. To get started you will need a bike and an indoor trainer. For the best experience, consider investing in a “interactive smart trainer” (such as those offered by elite-it.com, if you can afford it – they can cost US$600 or more.
These trainers integrate with Ant + (Adaptive Network Topology – wireless connectivity) or/and Bluetooth via mobile and desktop apps, and are able to automatically make the trainer adjust resistance in sync with your chosen online ride. This effectively gives you as near as possible the true physical experience of riding a classic route or climb, such as the Stelvio Pass in Italy – one of the world’s greatest rides.