Trainers

Which trainers work with longvoie

If your smart trainer speaks FTMS over Bluetooth, and most made in the last few years do, it works with longvoie. So does a Bluetooth power meter. The app is free and runs in your browser.

Smart trainers

longvoie talks to trainers over FTMS, the Bluetooth standard for fitness machines. Current trainers from Wahoo (the KICKR and KICKR CORE), Tacx, Elite, Saris and JetBlack have it, and so does the Zwift Hub.

Some older trainers only got FTMS in a firmware update. If yours doesn't show up, update it in the maker's app and try again. You can also check the manual or the maker's website for "FTMS".

Power meters

A Bluetooth power meter works too, whether it's in your pedals, your crank or a basic trainer. Your power and cadence move you along the road. The difference is that nothing adds resistance on the climbs: you see the gradient on screen and ride it by feel, or by shifting.

Heart-rate straps

Any Bluetooth chest strap or armband works. Your heart rate shows during the ride and goes into the file you download afterwards.

Browsers

longvoie finds your trainer through a browser feature called Web Bluetooth. Chrome and Edge have it on Windows and macOS. Safari and Firefox don't, so they can't see your trainer. There's no ANT+ support, since browsers can't use ANT+ dongles.

When the trainer doesn't show up

Pedal a few strokes to wake it up. Then check that no other app is connected to it, on your laptop, phone or tablet, because most trainers only take orders from one app at a time. Make sure Bluetooth is on and that Chrome or Edge is allowed to use it. If it still doesn't appear, update its firmware.

Questions

Is there a free FTMS app?

longvoie is one. It works with any FTMS smart trainer, Bluetooth power meter or heart-rate strap, and it costs nothing.

Does it work with a Wahoo KICKR?

Yes. Current KICKR and KICKR CORE trainers speak FTMS over Bluetooth.

Does longvoie support ANT+?

No, only Bluetooth. Browsers can't use ANT+.

Does it use ERG mode?

No. longvoie sends the road's gradient (simulation mode), so the trainer pushes back as the road climbs and you decide how hard to ride.