Why pay subscription when training SW is free?

Makes no sense. Why don't people just:
  1. Get the plan (either via trial period or pay for one month)
  2. Perform the workouts using free training SW
Why keep paying the subscription?
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Comments

  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,647
    What do YOU do?
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Because I like riding with other people and doing races etc (Zwift user).

    Plus the £13 a month isn't exactly breaking the bank. People spend more than that on coffee in a week.
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 1,001
    Makes no sense. Why don't people just:
    1. Get the plan (either via trial period or pay for one month)
    2. Perform the workouts using free training SW
    Why keep paying the subscription?
    It takes time and effort to duplicate the training sessions in the free software. There could be a lot of sessions to duplicate. I can't be bothered with all that.

    With the subscription software I can change things whenever I want to if I wish. I am not limited to what training sessions I have bothered to recreate or come up with myself (I have no experience with creating my own so I bet I couldn't make good ones with out a lot of trial and error)

    The free software (I am assuming you mean Golden Cheetah) isn't particularly user friendly and I can't be bothered to work out how to use it properly. The Trainerroad (what I use) interface is simple to understand and use for what I want to get out of it.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    Because TrainerRoad and Sufferfest are more fun.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    Because if everyone did it we wouldn't have that option. Same arguments against people who rip films, if everyone did it there wouldn't be an industry left.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    If you want a free basic data logger for Android etc . Elite MyTraining will log your ANT+ /BLE devices and also gives you precious makebelieve miles as well - run it against YT GCN videos or Bike Channel climbing vids from Italy.

    You can create Zwift accounts by the bike load and use them for 7 days - that's playing the system (ie they dont have 2 factor set up).
  • Gethinceri wrote:
    What do YOU do?

    Wahoo Fitness App that came with my trainer. Works with all smart trainers I think.
  • Dannbodge wrote:
    Because I like riding with other people and doing races etc (Zwift user).

    Plus the £13 a month isn't exactly breaking the bank. People spend more than that on coffee in a week.

    Good point. I was thinking more for interval training but yeah that's a different ball game altogether.
  • Makes no sense. Why don't people just:
    1. Get the plan (either via trial period or pay for one month)
    2. Perform the workouts using free training SW
    Why keep paying the subscription?

    If a company is providing a service that I value, I don't mind paying them money.
  • wongataa wrote:
    It takes time and effort to duplicate the training sessions in the free software. There could be a lot of sessions to duplicate. I can't be bothered with all that.

    With the subscription software I can change things whenever I want to if I wish. I am not limited to what training sessions I have bothered to recreate or come up with myself (I have no experience with creating my own so I bet I couldn't make good ones with out a lot of trial and error)

    The free software (I am assuming you mean Golden Cheetah) isn't particularly user friendly and I can't be bothered to work out how to use it properly. The Trainerroad (what I use) interface is simple to understand and use for what I want to get out of it.

    You must be talking about complex sessions. For intervals, I just use manual mode. Complex sessions can often be converted into or simply replaced by interval workouts, which almost always better for understanding and a more direct, transparent connection to overall training organization, i.e. time at intensity. I find many complex sessions contain arbitrary variation for variety/entertainment/self-expression purposes like a 3 x 12 sweet spot workout where the first interval is 89% FTP, the second interval is 93% and the third at 91% instead of just making all three 91% which gives you a simple 36 minutes at sweet spot, which is more than 30 minutes of SST and less than 40 minutes of SST. Simple.

    Arbitrary variability is always bad because it disables meaningful comparison between workouts. The fewer the workouts the better. When you boil down plans with arbitrarily complex workouts to their essentials, the patterns become simple and consistent mainly of progression on time up to a practical limit followed by increases in intensity. Understanding this can greatly help with any adjustments than can be made, etc.

    Arbitrary complexity also makes troubleshooting and zone validation harder because you have no idea what is wrong when you fail a workout or a workout is too easy. If could tell SW companies one thing it would be that "just because you can doesn't mean you should". Of course complexity is good for business and understanding is bad for business. But I digress...

    Anyway, regarding your last point, there's no simpler software than manually controlling ERG power, but again that takes us back to the complex workout problem...
  • joey54321 wrote:
    Because if everyone did it we wouldn't have that option. Same arguments against people who rip films, if everyone did it there wouldn't be an industry left.

    You could say the same thing about authors suffering from SW producers ripping their work.
  • JGSI wrote:
    If you want a free basic data logger for Android etc . Elite MyTraining will log your ANT+ /BLE devices and also gives you precious makebelieve miles as well - run it against YT GCN videos or Bike Channel climbing vids from Italy.

    That's pretty awesome. I'm going to try that sometime for something different.
  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    joey54321 wrote:
    Because if everyone did it we wouldn't have that option. Same arguments against people who rip films, if everyone did it there wouldn't be an industry left.

    You could say the same thing about authors suffering from SW producers ripping their work.

    What work are software produces ripping from authors? But either way, it doesn't change the fact it is wrong.
  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,523
    Why does anyone buy food that isn't the basic, cheapest version?
    Why do people buy bikes that are not the cheapest possible?
    Why does anyone buy an iPhone?
    Why do people pay for satellite TV when there's freeview?

    We could be here all day.....
    Answer - because they think it's worth paying the extra for something else.
  • joey54321 wrote:
    What work are software produces ripping from authors?

    Is Chris Carmichael getting royalty checks?
  • Singleton wrote:
    Why does anyone buy food that isn't the basic, cheapest version?
    Why do people buy bikes that are not the cheapest possible?
    Why does anyone buy an iPhone?
    Why do people pay for satellite TV when there's freeview?

    We could be here all day.....
    Answer - because they think it's worth paying the extra for something else.

    Totally agree although the only thing I'm really hearing is entertainment which is fine.
  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    joey54321 wrote:
    What work are software produces ripping from authors?

    Is Chris Carmichael getting royalty checks?

    Most probably, yes.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    Singleton wrote:
    Why does anyone buy food that isn't the basic, cheapest version?
    Why do people buy bikes that are not the cheapest possible?
    Why does anyone buy an iPhone?
    Why do people pay for satellite TV when there's freeview?

    We could be here all day.....
    Answer - because they think it's worth paying the extra for something else.

    Totally agree although the only thing I'm really hearing is entertainment which is fine.

    There’s also something about paying for something you value. I like strava being ad-free, I like using it, so on that basis I’m happy to pay for premium. I don’t really use any of the premium features.
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 1,001
    wongataa wrote:
    Anyway, regarding your last point, there's no simpler software than manually controlling ERG power, but again that takes us back to the complex workout problem...
    No doubt, but I prefer following a workout where I don't have to manually change anything so I can just concentrate on pedalling even if it is a simple workout. Personally I am willing to pay for that functionality. This is why I bought a smart trainer in the first place. If you re going to change everything manually you could just use a cheaper dumb trainer.
  • If you train solo, this winter turbo season has plenty of free betas to play with...
    Roadgrandtours
    Virtugo
    Onelap
    CVRcade

    But if you enjoy races and/or turbo ride socially, I can see why people might pay ~£13pcm for Zwift. However, as much as I would quite like to do races, I'm too concerned about the extra turbo noise that might be heard by our downstairs neighbours under our kitchen where i turbo, when I use the 50T chainring... So I'll be sticking to climbing virtual hills in the freebies, where I can use my 34T chainring and 16-32T sprockets, to put out up to ~350W in relative quiet!
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    the TACX app now has live virtual rides, found that today and rode the central park route, mind you i'm not 100% sure my Vortex gets the gradients right as slight downhills feel like up hill sometimes, that being said the free software is pretty good.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • wongataa wrote:
    If you re going to change everything manually you could just use a cheaper dumb trainer.

    You could, but you'd be missing out on fixed power and data logging.
  • itboffin wrote:
    the TACX app now has live virtual rides, found that today and rode the central park route, mind you i'm not 100% sure my Vortex gets the gradients right as slight downhills feel like up hill sometimes, that being said the free software is pretty good.

    Just watched a demo of this app. Looks nice! And works with all trainers.
  • itboffin wrote:
    the TACX app now has live virtual rides, found that today and rode the central park route, mind you i'm not 100% sure my Vortex gets the gradients right as slight downhills feel like up hill sometimes, that being said the free software is pretty good.

    Just watched a demo of this app. Looks nice! And works with all trainers.

    Where do I find this? Does it run on iPhone?
  • itboffin wrote:
    the TACX app now has live virtual rides, found that today and rode the central park route, mind you i'm not 100% sure my Vortex gets the gradients right as slight downhills feel like up hill sometimes, that being said the free software is pretty good.

    Just watched a demo of this app. Looks nice! And works with all trainers.

    Where do I find this? Does it run on iPhone?

    Use the magnifying glass on the app store app... (it's just like Google, but for apps! on your iPhone! ;) )
  • cld531c
    cld531c Posts: 517
    itboffin wrote:
    the TACX app now has live virtual rides, found that today and rode the central park route, mind you i'm not 100% sure my Vortex gets the gradients right as slight downhills feel like up hill sometimes, that being said the free software is pretty good.

    Just watched a demo of this app. Looks nice! And works with all trainers.

    Where do I find this? Does it run on iPhone?

    Cheers - will be trying this tonight!
  • itboffin wrote:
    the TACX app now has live virtual rides, found that today and rode the central park route, mind you i'm not 100% sure my Vortex gets the gradients right as slight downhills feel like up hill sometimes, that being said the free software is pretty good.

    Just watched a demo of this app. Looks nice! And works with all trainers.

    Where do I find this? Does it run on iPhone?

    Use the magnifying glass on the app store app... (it's just like Google, but for apps! on your iPhone! ;) )

    Well dome son, you probably win a prize for trying to be smart.

    Thing is when I do that on my iPhone the app isn't in the App Store. Could this be because the app only runs on iPad? Perhaps it only runs on SOME iPads? No, that can't possibly be the case because someone as smug as you would have mentioned it.
  • It's literally the first result when you type in Tacx after the ad for FulGaz.
  • It's literally the first result when you type in Tacx after the ad for FulGaz.

    Instead of being a condescending, smug, smartarse can I suggest you read and digest my original question and consider if you've answered it.

    Here's what I asked. Where do I find this? Does it run on iPhone?

    Now, I suggest you type in Tacx in the search in the App Store on an iPhone and see what you get.

    You'll quickly discover that the Tacx Cycling App isn't there. That is because it DOES NOT run on iPhone.
  • big_harv
    big_harv Posts: 512
    It's literally the first result when you type in Tacx after the ad for FulGaz.

    Instead of being a condescending, smug, smartarse can I suggest you read and digest my original question and consider if you've answered it.

    Here's what I asked. Where do I find this? Does it run on iPhone?

    Now, I suggest you type in Tacx in the search in the App Store on an iPhone and see what you get.

    You'll quickly discover that the Tacx Cycling App isn't there. That is because it DOES NOT run on iPhone.

    Except that it does. If your software is iOS 9 or later.