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Is it too cold or rainy to ride your ZiZZO? Getting home from work and it’s too dark to go for a spin? It is a common problem for all of us who love riding. No matter if you are just the casual around the block rider or someone who races and performs at a high level it can be a real bummer trying to get in a spin during winter. Indoor trainers/Indoor Bikes have been around for quite some time. I can remember in the 70’s as a kid my parents buying this big clunky thing. I think I saw them use it for a week and next summer it was a part of our annual garage sale. Those bikes could really be boring no matter what you did. Sweating in the living room watching tv just wasn’t very pleasant for anyone.
Fast forward to modern day and a whole new world of fun has opened up like never before. With a few affordable additions to your ZiZZO folding bicycle you can be riding in real time with others from around the world. Platforms like Zwift, Wahoo RGT, Rouvy and BKool are taking the ride inside for all and making it almost as fun riding outdoors. These virtual cycling programs let you create your own rider and choose either structured workouts or free ride on multiple courses. Some of the courses are based on real world roads in places like France, Italy, and Spain and some are just their own virtual world. Sound fun?
You only need a few things to give it a try on your ZIZZO. You will need an indoor trainer that would work with your ZiZZO’s 20-inch wheels which we have at www.zizzo.bike. Next you would need speed and cadence sensors so the platform you choose can link up thru Bluetooth. (If you already have an indoor trainer that registers speed and works with your ZiZZO you don’t need the sensors) Then you would need a smartphone or pc/mac to download the app and subscription to the service of your choice. Most platforms offer free trials so we suggest looking into it. Currently Zwift is the dominant platform and most established. If you like it the monthly fee is around $15. You can use most the platforms just from the app on your phone but I personally like using a big monitor to see everything. Within each platform you will see so many intriguing stats, workouts, races and events that area scheduled through the day. If it seems a bit overwhelming just know that you can simply “just ride” any course they offer. You will also see people ahead and behind you with flags next to their names showing you where they are from.When you create your character it will ask your weight, height, age, etc. As far as I know the only one of those features that actually matters on how fast your avatar is going is weight. You can experiment with that detail if you like. I like to be as honest as possible to keep track of my progress because once you have done the same course a few times your personal records will be kept track and you can use it as motivation to beat your best times. Want to take it another step? Within the platforms settings you can authorize an upload of your virtual rides once you're done to an app like Strava. Am I getting too techy? If that all sounds like too much you can use the speed and cadence sensors with the XOSS app we have on our website and keep track of your speed, cadence, and distance without all the virtual world stuff.
A few last suggestions. Place the trainer in a spot that is o.k to sweat. A garage, basement, backroom with a few fans pointed at you is always a good start. Have some towels ready along with water or sports drink. You may start off cold but before you know it you will be heating up so wearing layers is a good idea. We hope you may research this ever-expanding world of indoor riding. It is amazing how fast the ride goes by when having fun.
