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A Zwift alternative for riding real roads
Zwift puts you in a 3D game world with a fixed set of courses. Rouvy plays video filmed along a library of real routes. Pedalsim lets you draw any road on the map and ride it, with the road's real gradient and the live wind.
| Pedalsim | Zwift | Rouvy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you ride | Any road you draw on the map, anywhere on earth | A fixed set of virtual courses | A library of filmed real routes |
| What you see | A 2D map with the route, gradient and wind | A 3D world with avatars | Video of the road |
| Group rides and racing | No | Yes | Yes |
| Native Linux app | Yes | No | No |
| Runs in a browser | Yes, in Chrome or Edge | No | No |
| Free tier | 20 km in any 7 days, no expiry | See their own pricing | |
Why riders pick Pedalsim
Your own roads. Ride the loop from your front door, next summer's holiday climbs, or a route you imported as a GPX file. Nothing has to be filmed or modelled first.
Real conditions. Resistance follows the real gradient of the road, and the wind is the live weather where the route is. A headwind on an exposed pass feels like one.
Long journeys in stages. Ride across a country over weeks. Pedalsim saves your position when you stop, and the next session picks up exactly there.
Training that adapts. Structured workouts in ERG mode, Zwift .zwo import, an adaptive mode driven by your heart rate, and training plans that adjust when you miss a session.
When Zwift or Rouvy suits you better
If you want to ride with other people, race, or look at a 3D world or video while you ride, Pedalsim is not that. It has no multiplayer, no avatars and no leaderboards. It is built for riding real roads alone, with the numbers that matter in front of you.
What you need
A smart trainer that supports Bluetooth FTMS, which covers current trainers from Wahoo, Tacx, Elite, Saris and most other brands. Power meters, heart rate straps and speed and cadence sensors pair over Bluetooth too. ANT+ is not supported. More in the FAQ.
Ride a real road today
Free for 20 km in any 7 days, on Windows, Android, Linux or the web.