How to ride with Arcade Fitness indoor cycling app?

Virtual training compatible smart trainers and power meters


With many different apps such as Zwift, Trainerroad, Sufferfest or Road Grand Tour, fitness gaming and sport simulation is becoming a great trend. All these apps including our helps you train indoor, making time fly.


Arcade Fitness belongs to this trend. It is a new indoor cycling app very close to video game that can be used with your bike trainer.

While you are pedaling indoor, your character is riding in a virtual environment, for example road, trail, castle or space. Optionnally, you can make him jump over obstacles, make U-turns like in a platform video game. No matter if you are training as a road cyclist, preparing a triathlon or just taking care of your health, you will enjoy your workout and will be able to race with your friends online in real time.

Get Arcade Fitness for Windows Download Arcade Fitness for Android
Get Arcade Fitness for Linux Get Arcade Fitness beta for MacOS

Home Trainer Configuration

Indoor Cycling app connected to Smart Trainer or Power Meter

In order to pair with a new device, go to the 'Settings Menu', 'Sensor Tab' and click on the 'Search Button'.

Pick up your Bluetooth Smart or ANT+ device, save and... Ride! Your cycling power output will automatically be transformed into speed according to virtual slope and your character will go forward in the app. The higher your wattage is, the faster you will go virtually.

Arcade Fitness is now compatible with Bluetooth Smart FTMS and ANT+ FE-C communication protocols. The resistance unit will automatically vary its strength according to the slope of the road.

For ANT+ communication on Windows, Linux or MacOS, ANT+ USB stick is required. Be sure to use an USB extension cable to put the stick close to the trainer (1-2m) and not behind a screen or antoher object. This will the app find and connect to the indoor trainer.


You don't own a Smart Trainer ? Get Virtual Power from your Heart Rate Monitor

For people who don't have a smart trainer but still want to ride in virtual worlds, we developped an advanced matching algorithm that computes power directly from your heart rate monitor. In order to have a better accuracy, you need to enter your individual parameters in Settings Menu which are :

  • FTP (Functionnal Threshold Power) which is the best wattage you can hold for an hour
  • Rest and maximum Heart Rate in the Heart Rate tab

If you are using a Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate, you need to go to Settings Menu and Scan for a Bluetooth Sensor. Then select your heart rate monitor. If you previously used another ANT+ heart rate strap, be sure to set the previous monitor as not active in order to avoid conflicts with the BLE HR device.

If you are using an ANT+ Heart Rate Monitor, you need to go to Settings Menu and Select ANT+ HR sensor. Then you will be redirected to the HR tab where you have to scan for ANT+ HR monitors. Once found, set the strap as active and Save.

Both for ANT+ and BLE, don't forget to enter FTP, min and max HR values in Settings and Save.

Setting the resistance variation parameters

When you are in the 'Settings Menu' and you click on 'Save', you will get a popup asking you to setup the resistance variation parameters.

This parameters are important if you want a good feeling while cycling. If the resistance tends to be too high with high slopes, you can lower the 'Max resistance value'. If the resistance is too low during the whole exercise, you can choose a higher value for the default resistance.

If you want a constant resitance with no variation during the workout, select the same value for default and max resistance. It will be always the same: uphill as well as downhill.

You can use any ANT+ FE-C trainer such as Bkool Smart Go / Pro or TACX or Elite Cycling or 4iiii trainers.

Arcade Fitness Resistance Variations Settings




Other features and training advices

  • Your workout data and virtual rides can be uploaded to other apps such as Strava
  • You can try the app for free during 7 day. Afterwards, the price is at 2€ per month which is one the cheapest among all apps on the market
  • The PRO version of the app allows a cycling studio to organize challenges with online results in real time. This can be usefull for spin classes. It is possible to customize side banners too with your own logo
  • In order to get the best experience while training, don't forget to take a towel and put a big fan in front of you. For more convenience and if you have enough space, you can setup you own first class pain cave!
  • If you want longer workouts, you need to choose higher distances levels such as the 25k road. You will have the choice between different high intensity or active recovery intervals workouts
  • Choose a trainer with a heavier flywheel, this will generally give you a more realistic riding feeling
  • If you want live chat with other athletes during your workout, the best option is to join Arcade Fitness group on Discord


Compatible Indoor Trainers

Arcade Fitness supports all Bluetooth Smart trainers broadcasting power or using FTMS and all ANT+ FE-C bike trainers. Here are popular compatible trainers, rollers and stationnary bikes. Just put your bike on and have fun!

For a better user experience and in order to avoir tire sliding, we advise you to choose a direct drive trainer or stationnary bike in the list. Furthermore, this kind of devices usally have a more accurate power measurement on which Arcade Fitness is based.

Smart Trainers

Cycleops Elite Kurt Kinetic Tacx Wahoo Fitness 4iiii
Hammer Direct Drive Drivo Rock and Roll I Smart Control Bushido Smart Kickr Flight Smart
Magnus Qubo Digital Smart B+ Kinetic Road Machine I Smart Control Flux 1 & 2 Kickr Snap
PowerSync BLE Rampa Smart Control Power Unit Genuis Smart
PowerBeam PRO BLE RealAxiom B+ I-Genuis Multiplayer Smart
RealTour B+ Ironman Smart
RealTurbo Muin B+ Flow Smart
Direto Neo Smart
Suito Vortex Smart
Vortex Smart TDF Edition

Indoor Bikes

Stages Wattbike Body Bike
SC3 Indoor Bike WattBike Body Bike Smart+

Rollers

Elite Real E-motion B+


Have great wortkouts while pedaling indoor!