How to Ride Any GPX Route on Your Smart Trainer
To ride a GPX route on your smart trainer with Cycloscape, upload the GPX file (exported from Strava, Garmin, Komoot or Wahoo), let Cycloscape build a 3D world from its distance, climbs, grade and surface, then pair your trainer over Bluetooth or ANT+ and ride. It runs entirely in your browser — Chrome or Edge, desktop or Android — with no app to install. Your speed comes from your own watts, your weight and the gradient, so the simulation feels like the real climb. Unlimited solo rides from any GPX are free, forever.
What a GPX file is and where to get one
A GPX file (GPS Exchange Format) is a small open-standard file that records the exact track of a ride: a sequence of latitude, longitude and elevation points along the route. That is all Cycloscape needs to reconstruct the road — every kilometre, every climb, every descent, and the steepness of each section.
You almost certainly already have GPX files, or can export them in a few clicks. Most cycling platforms let you download any route or activity as GPX, though a few now gate the export behind a subscription.
- Strava — open a route or activity, then Export GPX (Cycloscape also supports direct Strava activity import and upload).
- Garmin Connect — open a course or activity and export it as a GPX file.
- Komoot — open a planned tour and download the GPX (Komoot now requires Premium, or a previously purchased map region, for GPX export).
- Wahoo — export routes or completed rides as GPX from the app or companion site.
- RideWithGPS, plotaroute and most route planners — export GPX as standard.
Cycloscape turns the GPX into a rideable 3D world
Most indoor apps give you a fixed set of built-in worlds, or import your GPX into a flat map view. Cycloscape does something different: it reads your GPX and procedurally generates a full 3D world from it — the road shape, the gradient profile, the climbs and the surrounding terrain — so any route you own becomes its own immersive course you can actually ride.
You choose how it looks and feels. Gravity worlds let you ride the same route under Earth, Moon or Jupiter gravity for a completely different sensation on the climbs, and there are three built-in worlds — a velodrome, an international airport circuit and an alpine col — alongside your own routes. All of it happens in the browser, with nothing to download or install.
What hardware you need
You can ride with as little as a laptop and a browser, or add a smart trainer and a heart-rate strap for the full experience. Cycloscape talks to your devices directly through the browser using Web Bluetooth and WebUSB, so Chrome or Edge on desktop or Android is all the software you need.
There are three ways to ride, depending on your setup:
- No trainer — ride free, auto-paced. Any GPX plays back at a realistic pace so you can preview or enjoy the world without hardware.
- FTMS smart trainer over Bluetooth — the standard for modern trainers. Cycloscape reads your power and matches resistance to the gradient automatically over Web Bluetooth.
- ANT+-only trainer over a USB stick — some trainers (for example certain Bkool models) only broadcast power over Bluetooth and need ANT+ for control. Plug in a USB ANT+ stick and Cycloscape controls them with browser-native ANT+ FE-C over WebUSB. On Windows the stick may need the WinUSB driver installed once via Zadig.
- Heart-rate strap (optional) — pair any Bluetooth HR strap to see live heart-rate zones while you ride.
Step by step: upload, generate, pair, ride
The whole flow takes a couple of minutes and runs in a single browser tab.
- 1. Upload — open Cycloscape in Chrome or Edge and drop in your GPX file (or import a Strava activity). The demo ride and the built-in worlds need no account; riding your own GPX needs a free one.
- 2. Generate — Cycloscape analyses the distance, elevation, grade and surface and builds your 3D world. Pick a visual mode and, if you like, a gravity world.
- 3. Pair your trainer — click to connect. For a Bluetooth FTMS trainer or HR strap, approve it in the browser's device chooser. For an ANT+ trainer, plug in your USB stick and connect. You can also skip this and ride free, auto-paced.
- 4. Ride — start pedalling. Resistance tracks the gradient, your speed responds to your effort, and the route loops as an endless circuit so there is no dead end.
Why your power and weight set the pace — fair physics
Cycloscape's physics are deliberately simple and fair: your speed is a function of the watts you push, your body weight and the gradient of the road. Climb a 10% ramp and it gets genuinely hard; crest the top and you fly down the other side. The number on the screen reflects the effort in your legs.
Cosmetics never affect speed. Kits, colours and other unlocks are purely visual — your watts decide the race, never your gear choice. This is a real point of difference from some other platforms: in Zwift, for example, each bike frame and wheelset carries its own weight and aerodynamic values that measurably change your in-game speed. On Cycloscape, two riders putting out the same watts at the same weight go the same speed, full stop.
It's free — and what Pro adds
Unlimited solo rides from any GPX are free, forever — auto-paced, or with your own power on a smart trainer. There is no ride limit and no paywall on importing your own routes.
Group rides, every gravity world, every official world, full sensor support, leaderboards, achievements and public profiles are all free. Cycloscape Pro (EUR 9.99/month or EUR 89/year, with a 7-day trial) adds Ghosts (line up against your own past rides, your best ever, and the fastest rider on that road, with Strava import so your history is there from day one), a line of avatars earned by riding, premium kit finishes and colours, golden-hour and sunset lighting, and an unlimited saved-route library. Every public route also gets its own page and leaderboard.
Frequently asked
Do I need to install an app to ride my GPX?
No. Cycloscape runs entirely in your web browser — Chrome or Edge on desktop or Android. You upload a GPX, the 3D world is built in the browser, and your trainer connects through Web Bluetooth or WebUSB. There is nothing to download or install.
Is riding GPX routes on Cycloscape really free?
Yes. Unlimited rides from any GPX are free forever, whether you ride auto-paced or with your own power on a smart trainer, and so are group rides, every world, sensors and leaderboards. Cycloscape Pro (EUR 9.99/month or EUR 89/year, 7-day trial) adds Ghosts (line up against your own past rides, your best ever, and the fastest rider on that road, with Strava import so your history is there from day one), a line of avatars earned by riding, premium kit finishes and colours, golden-hour and sunset lighting, and an unlimited saved-route library — but the core upload-and-ride experience costs nothing.
My trainer only works with ANT+, not Bluetooth control. Can I still use it?
Yes. Plug a USB ANT+ stick into your computer and Cycloscape controls the trainer using browser-native ANT+ FE-C over WebUSB. On Windows you may need to install the WinUSB driver for the stick once, using the free Zadig tool. After that it pairs and controls resistance like any other smart trainer.
Does my equipment or kit affect how fast I go?
No. Your speed depends only on your power output, your weight and the gradient. Cosmetics like kits and colours are purely visual and never change your speed. This differs from platforms such as Zwift, where bike frame and wheel choices carry weight and aerodynamic values that affect in-game speed.
Where do I export a GPX file from?
From almost any cycling platform: Strava, Garmin Connect, Komoot, Wahoo, RideWithGPS and most route planners let you download routes or activities as GPX. Open the route or ride, choose the export or download option, and select GPX. Some platforms, such as Komoot, now require a subscription to export. Cycloscape also supports direct Strava activity import.