Is TrainerRoad integration finally coming to Zwift?

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While there’s been rumblings for months, maybe even years, it looks like TrainerRoad coming to Zwift is imminent and very close. Just under 24-hours ago TrainerRoad communications director Jonathan Lee posted an instagram story showing his Zwift account loading a TrainerRoad workout then riding it in game.

I’ve reached out to both TrainerRoad and Zwift to get more info on this but as of posting, neither company has responded. That means we don’t have a ton to go on but it’s worth understanding the gravity of this for dedicated indoor training.

It wasn’t easy to get data in and out of Zwift

Previously Zwift had a very limited system that allowed a small group of companies to access Zwift rides. Garmin was a good example of this and all it meant was that Zwift rides would load into Garmin Connect and provide metrics similar to a ride recorded on a Garmin computer. Before that integration you’d need to dual record a ride if you wanted to take advantage of Garmin training advice.

In April Zwift announced an update to the game that included an actual API system. Not only could other companies easily use the data generated in Zwift, there was an opportunity to bring in workouts. Zwift described that functionality saying “Functionally, this new API will behave much like existing third-party connections on Zwift. Once the API Connection is set up and approved, workouts built outside of Zwift will pull directly into the Zwift platform and show in the Custom Workouts folder. The training API will launch later this spring with a few launch partners. Other providers will be able to sign up for this open-API later in the summer.”

The update solved a problem for power users. Zwift workouts existed but weren’t widely regarded as high quality. Companies like TrainerRoad built whole platforms around the quality of the structured training plans offered. TrainerRoad in particular has always protected that data.

If you wanted to have the best of both worlds it required workarounds. Some companies, like Xert, offered an export system where you’d drop a file into a folder on your computer where Zwift was running. It worked well enough for computer users but not other platforms and TrainerRoad didn’t allow that. You could also recreate the workout step by step in the Zwift workout builder but that was a lot of work. What TrainerRoad recommended was a hybrid system of running the TrainerRoad workout player over the top of your Zwift screen. None of these systems were ideal.

TrainerRoad isn’t the first

The first big update post API introduction came from Triathlon training company TriDot at the end of September. After that both Xert, FasCat, and JOIN came online about a month later. In each case the integration meant that users, in the case of Xert specifically, were able to push cycling workouts to Zwift and, “once the workout is completed, the activity will automatically sync back to Xert. Cycling workouts pushed over for the current day will show up in the ‘For You’ carousel on your Zwift home screen as well as in the Custom Workouts folder.

According to a statement from Jim van den Berg, CEO of JOIN, “This integration with Zwift represents a major milestone in our mission to make adaptive training more accessible and effective. By bridging the gap between these platforms, especially as we turn towards the colder, darker winter months, we’re enabling cyclists to get the most out of their indoor training while maintaining the comprehensive tracking and analysis they expect from JOIN.”

Zwift added to that statement saying ”by seamlessly connecting JOIN’s training plans with Zwift, riders will now always have their daily JOIN workout easily available, making it easier than ever to execute their workout and fully realize their fitness goals.”

Why is TrainerRoad a big deal?

Zwift might be the largest indoor riding platform but Zwift is not the largest training platform. In the world of structured training options, TrainerRoad has a large user base. That ends up being a competitive advantage because it provides a lot of data. Leveraging that data allows TrainerRoad to understand what works and what doesn’t from the perspective of completion rates and perceived effort.

Previously to use those workouts you’d need to look at a gray screen with a timer and information about upcoming intervals. As already mentioned you could use a smaller version and also look at Zwift, or Netflix, but it lacked the interactivity users have come to appreciate from Zwift workouts.

With this integration TrainerRoad would marry the workouts subscribers appreciate to the visuals Zwift subscribers prefer.

If you are interested in more information, keep an eye on the TrainerRoad website.