Admittedly a tongue in cheek title. The vibe on any online forum, especially one surrounding a product, definitely skews negative as we tend to hear about issues and problems the most.
I wanted to share a positive review of TrainerRoad from an average guy wanting to get faster. I’ve used it on and off for a few years, but really started using it consistently in 2022 to train for triathlons. This last fall I pivoted and am preparing for a road race at sea otter in a weeks.
I find massive value in TrainerRoad. Being able to stay consistent over winter is a huge advantage. I come out in the spring stronger than I was before winter while a lot of my friends have regressed due to not riding as consistently. One of my complaints with TrainerRoad is that my z2 is moving beyond where my friends are at, especially early in the year, and it can make riding together more challenging as our fitness levels diverge.
On top of that, having a plan that hits most of the right beats and schedules in races, tapers, and recovery reduces my mental load so that I can focus on my job, family, and nailing the workout of the day. I probably ride more inside than I would choose to on my own, but the benefit of nailing the workouts consistently is tremendous. When I do go out and do the fun rides with friends my enjoyment level is so much higher as my ability to perform is greater. Is the plan perfectly optimal? Maybe, maybe not, but I’m not going to let perfect get in the way of excellent.
TR is working for me. I am 54 years old with an insane work schedule and significant constraints on my time and energy. TR allows me to train for my biking vacations/trips without burning me out , especially since the masters programs and RLGL have launched.
There are times where I don’t appreciate being put into “time out” by RLGL but I’m learning that it works better in the long run to respect my capacity where I’m at, and not insist that just because I wanted to do the end of the week long workout that I will benefit from it. I’m preparing for a bicycling vacation in the Basque Country this June and I’m super excited that I’ll arrive there in my best shape for some great rides, even if I don’t impress anyone with my FTP!
Working great for me as well. This year I am back at doing 2 blocks of Base and now Sustained Power Build. With 8 hours + - 2h a week, this is where I have seen the best results with TR. Last year I did a Polarized plan but with the hours I have that did not really do anything. My current FTP is the best since Oct. 2021 (on old-school TR plans)
2024 progress
2023 on POL plan
That is the great thing about TR. You can test different plans and see what works for you. Is TR the best value in the market. No idea but for my needs and with the constant updates of the platform I find the value (less then a pair of bibs a year) great.
My partner wants to get fitter for a big trip, 6 days riding in Kyrgyzstan with a group, some long days and days at extreme altitiude and doesn’t want to be that person holding up the group and more importantly, be fit enough to actually enjoy it.
I tried to be cheap as I could get 6 weeks free on Zwift, but what a nightmare that platform is for picking workouts, having a plan, etc. Lasted 2 weeks before cancelling.
She signed up to TR and it has all just clicked, the on-boarding workflow was great, I just sat and watched. That was maybe 6 weeks ago, and since then she has just got on with it, 2-3 sessions a week (alongside commuting) with AT, RLGL and AI FTP all making life easy.
24 watts and was flying on our last multi-day bikepacking trip.
Totally agree that TR often doesn’t get the love it deserves. The internet seems to float around the idea that if a product isn’t the best for everyone, it’s not good for anyone.
TR has been great for me as well. My favorite thing is the flexibility of the training platform/system. If you are a beginner, you can let the system guide you through everything. As you gain experience, you can gradually take more control over your training while still using TR as the platform/framework to serve up workouts and track progress. I feel I have enough experience now that I could plan all my progressions and construct my own appropriate workouts, but TR just makes that process so much easier. While there are some things in the platform that don’t align with my personal training philosophy/approach, those things are very easy to work around due to the platform’s flexibility.
Convenience. Weather bad? Late getting home from work? Your significant other is out and you are at home with the kids? Fire up TR, put on a show or music and get your workout done.
The calendar. It is nice having everything in one place without having to import files and pushing data other places. It is drag, drop and play. When a workout is completed it pushes all my data to where it needs to go. It is nice not having to spend time trying to figure out work around or copy files. (I am sure it is not that hard but I just don’t have the mental bandwidth to dive into it).
It has made me faster. I know the vast number of workouts in the catalog is a contentious point around here but being able to choose a workout that you want is nice. Yeah it could be trimmed down a bit but you got the workout there when you need it. The workout creator is old and would be nice to see a refresh but I appreciate the ability to make your own custom workouts as well.
Training programs. Philosophies will always be debated, no matter where they come from or who makes them. Whether a human coach, AI or plug and play template. Personally, I prefer to pick my own workouts but respect others who prefer to follow a plan made for them. For those just getting started it is great to have this as a place to start.
Customer Service. I appreciate that TR is willing to have criticisms voiced and are willing to try to figure out what’s not working for the user via customer support, forum posts and apparently even personal phone calls. While a company is there to make money, it does seem they stand behind the premise of trying to make you faster. I appreciate that.
Same here! 55 non racing MTB rider. From 190 to 270 FTP and 2w/kg to 3.25 over 3 years with TR in the off season mixed in with fat biking in snow and pure outdoor riding in the summer. Has made a tremendous difference for me given the variability of weather in the off season and shoulder seasons and work schedules etc.
24 watts and was flying on our last multi-day bikepacking trip.
It’s great to hear how TR has impacted lives/training positively!