Question 1

Q1. What is Challenger Indoor?

Accepted Answer

A1. Challenger Indoor is an app for indoor cycling that will syncronize your performance with the 4K videos with real audio filmed in the most beautisul and famous routes rode also by professional cyclists during world competitions.Challenger Indoor will remote via bluetooth your smart trainer telling it to resist your pedaling motion according to the real slope collected while filming the 4K videos.
 
Challenger Indoor can be mirrored on smart TV or in a Laptop or desktop computer in order to get the best experience with a monitor bigger than your smartphone's.

Question 2

Q2. How much does Challenger Indoor cost?

Accepted Answer

A2. Challenger Indoor is a monthly subscription app (9.99€/month for the months you are going to use it) currently with a 7 days period free trial.

Question 3

Q3. Where can I download Challenger Indoor from?

Accepted Answer

A3. On the
App Store
, and on
Google Play

Question 4

Q4. What Should I do after downloading Challenger Indoor?

Accepted Answer

A4. You need to register as Challenger Indoor user filling in: username (you'll choose your), password (you can choose your), email, date of birth (needed for max bpm calculation), weight (needed for cycling power calculation), nationality, etc

Question 5

Q5. Ok, I downloaded Challenger Indoor ad registered myself as a new user. Now what?"

Accepted Answer

A5. Easy, you just have to select your activity:
1) activity type: you can choose within "challenge other users" (you will see the fastest that so far has rode Challenger Indoor routes and the peloton) and "no challenge" (if you want to practice alone)
2) level: you can choose within "fully realistic" (yourt smart trainer will resist your pedaling motion accordind to the real slope collected while filming the 4K video, for example 9%), "intermediate" (two third of the real slope, thus in this example 6%), and "begineer" (one third of the real slope, thus if the recorded slope was 9% your smart trainer will simualte a 3%)3) route: please note that without subscribing monthly to Challenger Indoor you can access just one route (the Garda Lake)

Question 6

Q6. Why does Challenger Indoor asks me to access my location, bluetooth, my images, to send me notifications and on IOS to access my "Health" data?"

Accepted Answer

A6. Accessing these data is just needed for using Challenger Indoor, and for NO marketing reason. Spefically:
- accessing the bluetooth is obviously neede to connect your smart trainer and your bpm sensor
- accessing your location (for some weird reason, as for other apps) is needed in order to access bluetooth data, and allowing Challenger to access "always" your location is needed in order to keep on using it even when it's in the background
- accessing the images is needed in order to render and save the image of the route you did (and share it on social media or via whatsapp if you want)
- accessing notifications is needed in order to send you critical messages shall any problem arise during Challenger Indoor usage
- accessing IOS Health is needed in order to read your BPM (bom are read from IOS via Health, and apps can read then BPM accessing IOS Health)

Question 7

Q7. I can't connect my smart trainer and/or my bpm sensor. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

A7. Challenger Indoor has been tested with the following interactive trainers:
 
7.1 Technogym      7.1.1 Rullo MyCycling7.1.2 Skillbike
7.2 Elite      7.2.1 Direto XR, Direto X, Direto II, Direto7.2.2 Suito7.2.3 Drivo II, Drivo7.2.4 Rampa (in some cases with very old Elite Rampa the firmware update is not
                            possibile and then it cannot be connected to Challenger Indoor)7.2.5 Nero7.2.6 Turno7.2.7 Qubo7.2.8 Tuo
7.3 Wahoo      7.3.1 KickR Bike7.3.2 KickR7.3.3 Core7.3.4 Snap
7.4 TacX      7.4.1 Smart Bike7.4.2 Neo 2T, Neo 2, Neo7.4.3 Flux 2, Flux7.4.4 Flow7.4.5 Bushido7.4.6 Genius7.4.7 Vortex (in some cases with very old TacX Vortex the firmware update is not                                    possibile and then it cannot be connected to Challenger Indoor)
7.5 Bkool      7.5.1 Smart Pro 2
7.6 WattBike      7.6.1 Atom
7.7 Magnetic Days      7.7.1 Jarvis
7.8 ZCycle      7.8.1 ZPro
 
7.9 Santa Fixie
7.9.1 ThinkRider X7 Smart R
 
If you own one of the interactive trainers listed above and you can't connect to Challenger Indoor
A make sure your smartphone bluetooth is on (go to your smartphone settings page)
B) make sure that your smart trainer is connected to AC and turned on shall it has any power button (usually they don't have any)
C) start pedaling
D) if none of the tested listed above made your smart trainer connect to Challenger Indoor try to connect your smart trainer to your smart trainer native app
 
Shall you be able to connect to the smart trainer native app and not to Challenger do not hesitate to contac us at info@challengerapp.it listing your smartphone brand and model, your operative sistem version, your interactive trainer brand and model, and possibly a screenshot of your smartphone bluetooth page, especially if you can connect your smart trainers to other apps.
 
For heart rate sensors
i. make sure your is a bluetooth bpm sensor (or ant+ and bluetooth)
ii. make sure your bpm sensor battery is still charged
iii. make sure your heart rate is pretty high (some sensors start sending data only above certain values)
iv. make sure you wore correctly your bpm sensor, with sensors area just below your chest and possibly making thos surface wete) try to connect your heart rate sensor to other apps (e.g IOS Health)
 
Shall you be able to connect your heart rate sensor to other apps but not to Challenger do not hesitate to contac us at info@challengerapp.it listing your smartphone brand and model, your operative sistem version, your bpm sensor brand and model, and possibly a screenshot of your smartphone bluetooth page, especially if you can connect your bom sensor to other apps.
 
If you own another interactive trainer brand or model please try to connect Challenger Indoor to your smart trainer and let us know how did it go writing to us at info@challengerapp.it

Question 8

Q8. How do I mirror Challenger Indoor on my smart TV, PC, Mac or monitor?"

Accepted Answer

A8. You can mirror Challenger Indoor from your smartphone (iPhone or Android) to several monitors and in several ways:See some examples below:
 
1) iPhone to Smart TV via HDMI cable
(most stable solution, no lags, iphone recharged while mirroring):
1.1 connect your iPhone to your smart TV or monitor with a cable like this one(the secondary USB cable will recharge your iPhone while mirroring)
1.2 select the HMDI port you conneted your cable to from your smart TV (e.g. HDMI in 1) 1.3 you should start seeing Challenger Indoor on your smart TV
 
2) iPhone to Smart TV via WiFi
(Nesting: wireless solution with 1-2 sec lag depending on your WiFi signal):
2.1 connect your iPhone and Smart TV to the same WiFi network
2.2 swipe up your iPhone monitor
2.3 select "Screen mirroring"
 
3) iPhone to PC or Mac via WiFi
3.1 Download and install for free this software on your PC or Mac:
3.2 Connect your PC or Mac and your iPhone to the same WiFi network
3.3 Swipe up your iPhone monitor and select "aPowerSoft"
 
4) Android Smartphone to Smart TV via HDMI cable
4.1 Unfortunately while all iPhone have the same feeder port, android smartphone might have different charger port; thus the first step is finding online an appropriate cable like this one for Samsung smartphones
4.2 You need then to download and install on your android smartphone a software that will allow your smartphone to mirror its monitor to your smart TV; unfortunately the appropriate app varies depending on your Smart TV brand.
Please find here an example of app for Smart TV Samsung
 
5) Android Smartphone to Smart TV via Wi Fi
5.1 Download and install for free on your smartphone android an app that will allow your smartphone to mirror its monitor to your smart TV Please find here an example for Samsung Smart TV
5.2 Follow instructions on the app just dowloaded to mirror your smartphone to your smart TV
 
6) iPhone to Smart TV via Apple TV
6.1 Connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV
6.2 Open Control Center: ...
6.3 Tap Screen Mirroring
6.4 Select your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV from the list.

Question 9

Q9. Will I be alone on the ruote or will Challenger Indoor allow me to compete with other users?

Accepted Answer

A9. Challenger Indoor works in 2 modes:
1) No Challenge: in this case you'll be alone
2) Challenge: in this case you'll see on the altitude chart all the users that did this route so far represented as:
2.1 LEADER (red dot) = the fastest (so far)
2.2 PELOTON (black dot) = the average position of all others

Question 10

Q10. Does Challenger Indoor organize also live group competition events?

Accepted Answer

A10. Yes! Our first live event will take place in November 2020, with users limited to 200 partecipants per time!
 
Thus stay tuned!
 
Subscribe in our website! We'll email you as soon as the date will be out!

Question 11

Q11. Compatible Smart trainers?

Accepted Answer

A11. Challenger Indoor has been tested with the following smart trainers (last update Oct 2020):
 
11.1 Technogym        11.1.1 Rullo MyCycling11.1.2 Skillbike
11.2 Elite        11.2.1 Direto XR, Direto X, Direto II, Direto11.2.2 Suito11.2.3 Drivo II, Drivo11.2.4 Rampa (in some cases with very old Elite Rampa the firmware update is not                                    possibile and then it cannot be connected to Challenger Indoor)11.2.5 Nero11.2.6 Turno11.2.7 Qubo11.2.8 Tuo
11.3 Wahoo        11.3.1 KickR Bike11.3.2 KickR11.3.3 Core11.3.4 Snap
11.4 TacX        11.4.1 Smart Bike11.4.2 Neo 2T, Neo 2, Neo11.4.3 Flux 2, Flux11.4.4 Flow11.4.5 Bushido11.4.6 Genius11.4.7 Vortex (in some cases with very old TacX Vortex the firmware update is not                                     possibile and then it cannot be connected to Challenger Indoor)
11.5 Bkool        11.5.1 Smart Pro 2
11.6 WattBike        11.6.1 Atom
11.7 Magnetic Days        11.7.1 Jarvis
11.8 ZCycle11.8.1 ZPro
 
11.9 Santa Fixie11.9.1 ThinkRider X7 Smart R
 
The list above represent just 31 different models of interactive, smart trainers and skillbikes we have have the chance so far to test directly, but any interactive or smart trainer using the standard FMTS or BLE protocol to communicate via bluetooth with smartphones and tablets is of course compatible as well.
 
Besides, starting on the second half January 2021 Challenger Indoor can be used also with only a cadence sensor!

Question 12

Q12. What happens if I stop pedaling or if I click the "pause" button on the bottom bar?"

Accepted Answer

A12. Two different things:
1) if you stop pedaling the video will stop (become black) but your opponents will keep on pedaling
2) if you click "pause" than also your opponents will pause with you, thus you will restart with them as soon as you'll click "resume activity"

Question 13

Q13. What's the purpose of the button on bottom left (triangle with vertical bar)?

Accepted Answer

A13. Challenger Indoor routes were divided into chapters in order to give the user the chance to ride just part of them.When you'll click the "next" button you'll jump ahead of some kilometers, reducing the total lenght of the route

Question 14

Q14. How many MB will Challenger Indoor occupy on my smartphone?

Accepted Answer

A14. 85MB on android smartphone, 185MB on iPhones and iPad

Question 15

Q15. How long does usually last Challenger Indoor routes?

Accepted Answer

A15. It varies a lot depending on:
1) the route you choose
2) your skillsFor instance: the Garda lake route is 15.62km long (9.7 miles), slope close to 0%, and it was filmed in almost 28 minutes at an average speed of 33.8kmh (21mph)Thus:
- if you can hold an average speed of 33.8kmh (21mph) this route will take you 28 minutes
- if you can hold an average speed of 20kmh (12.4mph) this route will take you 47 minutes

Question 16

Q16. How much does it cost and where can I buy a smart trainer?

Accepted Answer

A16. You can buy Wahoo smart trainer on our shop on line web page.It usually take a month for the delivery.

Question 17

Q17. I can read very well data (speed, cycling power, bpm, slope, etc)… Can I see the exact values?"

Accepted Answer

A17. Yes: you just have to click the square icon on the top right and you'll switch to the "Maps & Charts" view

Question 18

Q18. I don't care about values: can I just enjoy the panorama with no number?

Accepted Answer

A18. Yes: just click the seond last button on the bottom left and you'll progressively get rid of all indicators

Question 19

Q19. What is Challenger Outdoor?

Accepted Answer

A19. Challenger Outdoor is an app for cyclists and runners that can be installed for free both on iPhones and Android smartphones (minimum requirement Android 7.0 as operative system).
 
In cycling Challenger Outdoor replaces both
- $150-$900 cycling computers and
- $500-$5000 power meters, showing to cyclists their speed, distance, duration, altitude, slope, calories burned and cycling power.
 
If heartbeat and cadence bluetooth sensors are connected Challenger shows also heart rate, cadence and suggests the user to shift gears up and down basing on the customizable minimum and maximum cadences.A user can challenge his/herself or another user (this option is suggested only when the two users have done the same path due to altitude of course).
 
In running Challenger Outdoor allow users to compete even they are far away from each other, putting both running paths on the same map.
The astonishing effect is that, for example, a runner in New York City can be challenged by a runner in Paris. The American runner would see himself/herself on his challenger's French map (and viceversa).In September 2019 Challenger accounts users from more than 85 different countries around the globe, challenging each other even living 10 thousand miles away.Challenges can be performed:
1) challenging ourselves
2) challenging another user (example above) and
3) challenging one of the virtual users we created (they run in Paris, London and New York at different paces).As in app purchase as user can also decide to buy NYC Marathon real performances to challenge. The result is virtually running NYC marathon, seeing ourself on the map of the most famous marathon!

Question 20

Q20. How accurate Challenger Oudoor's cycling power is?

Accepted Answer

A20. The difference within the best regular power meters and Challenger Outdoor's average cycling power is 2.8%!It is important though to underline that different regular power meters give different cycling power values! This might look weird at first but it's easy to be understood if you consider that they are not just manufactured from different companies, but that they are also based on different sensors (for instance some are based on giroscopes, while others on torque meter plus angular speed)

Question 21

Q21. Where can I download Challenger Outdoor from?

Accepted Answer

A21. Both on
- App Store
or
- Google Play (for android smartphones the minimum requirement is having installed android 7.0)

Question 22

Q22. How does Challenger Outdoor calculate cycling power with no sensor?

Accepted Answer

A22. The cycling power describes how strong and fast we are at pedaling.
 
Regular power meters use giroscopes or torque meters to calculate the "force"(power = torque * speed) that will generate the effect (how fast we will be climbing an hill for instance)
 
Challenger Outdoor, viceversa, calculate the "force"(power) that is necessary in order to produce that effect, basing on GPS speed, slope and cyclist + bicycle weight (set during registration).

Question 23

Q23. Can Challenger Outdoor connect to other sensors?

Accepted Answer

A23. Challenger Outdoor can be connected to heart rate and cadence bluetooth sensors.Unfortunately Ant+ sensors cannot be connected as they would require a special antenna to be added to the smartphone.
The good news though is that all last generation sensors are both bluetooth and Ant+.

Question 24

Q24. Can Challenger Outdoor be installed in any smartphone?

Accepted Answer

A24. Challenger Outdoor can be installed in any iPhone, but only on android 7.0 (and more recent) android smartphones.

Question 25

Q25. Can I take my smartphone on the pocket while I use Challenger Outdoor?

Accepted Answer

A25. Yes of course; we suggest though to buy a smartphone support for handlebars in order to see constantly all values mentioned on answer A1.

Question 26

Q26. Where can I buy support for my smartphone in order to mount Challenger Outdoor on my handlebar?

Accepted Answer

A26. Challenger doesn't sell any smarphone support.We suggest you to look in the internet for the most appropriated solution depending on the robustness, price and style you prefer.
 
For information purpose only please find below some support examples:
- SUPPORTS FOR IPHONES
- SUPPORTS FOR SAMSUNG GALAXY SERIE S
- GENERIC SUPPORT
- OTHER SUPPORTS

Question 27

Q27. What is the difference within Challenger Outdoor and Challenger Outdoor PRO?

Accepted Answer

A27. While Challenger Outdoor has just some values (speed, distance, duration, altitude),Challenger Outdoor Pro shows also slope, CYCLING POWER, calories bruned and being compatible with bluetooth cadence and heartrate sensors shows also cadence, bpm and has a shiftgear indicator

Question 28

Q28. Can I connect Challenger Outdoor to Strava?

Accepted Answer

A28. Yes, it will be possible soon!

Question 29

Q29. Can I download my Challenger Outdoor's performances on my PC?

Accepted Answer

A29. Soon it will be possible to analyze your performances on our website privately (logging in)

Question 30

Q30. Isn't Challenger Outdoor doing the same cycling power analysis Strava does?

Accepted Answer

Q30. No. Strava only provides an after performance analysis. Challenger Outdoor Pro provides a REAL TIME cycling power value to the cyclist.

Question 31

Q31. Where can I find my performances?

Accepted Answer

A31. On the first Challenger "page" (where you can select the activity type) just click "My trainings" button on the bottom/left.

Question 32

Q32. Why Challenger Outdoor doesn't connect to my heartbeat and/or cadence sensors?

Accepted Answer

A32. Please consider that some sensors start sending out data only when activated (for instance when the heart rate is higher thatn 60-70bpm or when you start pedaling for the cadence sensor).
 
First check: make sure your heartrate and/or cadence sensor are bluetooth (or Ant + and bluetooth) sensors.
Second, go to your smartphone settings and make sure that bluetooth is activated.
Third: check your sensors batteries are charged.If none of checks above worked try to connect your sensors to others apps (e.g. IOS Health).

Question 33

Q33. What is the average batteries consumption during Challenger Outdoor's activities?

Accepted Answer

A33. 10% per hour with the screen always on and brightness around 50-60% (for a smarphone on older than 3 years).

Question 34

Q34. If Challenger Outdoor offers all these advantages in comparison to regular cycling computers and power meters why a lot of cyclists still buy them?

Accepted Answer

A34. For 3 reasons:
 
1) Technological changes take time.
Some examples?
Google Maps was first released on App Store and Google Play in 2005, but is has just recently replaced a lot of "regular" expensive car navigators
Electric cars: on the first electric car was created in 1980. Tesla became a "to have" car in 2018.
 
2) Fear of damaging our costy smartphone
If mounted on handlebars with robust solutions (e.g. www.quadlockcase.eu) a smartphone will never disconnect from the braket even during an hard fall and will never be damaged
 
3) Fear of adding weight
A lot of cyclists think that mounting a smartphone on their handlebars will add considerable weight to their bicycles, while the weight difference within an average cycling computer and an average smartphone is 50 grams. Besides all cyclists (but PROs during official competitions) bring with them their smartphones during their workouts, thus, getting rid of a regular cycling computer will actually DECREASE their bicycle weight.

Question 35

Q35. Why is Challenger asking me to grant always access to my location?

Accepted Answer

A35. Challenger Outdoor is a GPS based app.
Apps can be used fullscreen or in background (when for instance you lauch a music app while Challenger is running, even though Challenger is still running in background the operative system gives precedence to the app that is in the foreground.For this reason (as Challenger Outdoor cannot deny the user to launch another up while Challenger is running) we need to ask always access to your location.
 
Apple is currently changing their policy on location access: currently in fact a misleading message is shown every once in a while to the users (e.g. "Challenger Outdoor has been using your location in the background") even if the app is closed or the activity is not on going.

Question 36

Q36. Why is Challenger Outddor asking me to allow notifications?

Accepted Answer

A36. Challenger includes a motivational message that every Monday report to the user the total amount of activity he/she has performed during the previus week.

Question 37

Q37. Something weird happened during the ending phase of my training and I can't find my training on "my trainings" on Challenger Outdoor. What should I do?"

Accepted Answer

A37. Challenger Outdoor saves your performances on our central database at the end of them.Shall anything go wrong during the last phase (for instance you might have closed accidentally Challenger or the internet connection had problems) you can easily retrieve it selecting "Resume activity" on Challenger Outdoor's initial page on the "Activity Type" drop down menu'. Once the activity has been resumed you can just click on pause/complete in order to normally save it uploading it into our central database. Please make sure that you are connected to the internet when you resume the activity.

Question 38

Q38. Does Challenger need constantly the internet connection? I train quite often on mountains with coming and going internet signal…

Accepted Answer

A38. No. Challenger needs internet connection only at the beginning and at the end of your performances.