# TR pricing based on hours of Training?

**URL:** <https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304>\
**Category:** TrainerRoad Software\
**Tags:** feature-request\
**Created:** [June 7, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304 "2020-06-07T17:06:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![altaf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/altaf/32/41954_2.png) [@altaf](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/altaf)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/47 "2020-06-08T13:31:09Z")

</div>

Strava has already shown us what NOT to do. Simple plans with predictable costs are what most people want. And from a business perspective, a stable revenue stream is much easier to forecast and manage.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JT\_34](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jt_34/32/123966_2.png) [@JT\_34](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/JT_34)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/48 "2020-06-08T13:33:19Z")

</div>

I cannot believe how many people complain all the time about the price on this forum. It seems like every few days another thread is popping up complaining about the price. If you think its too expensive DON’T PAY FOR IT. It takes $0 for (insert your name here) to do a 2x20, 6x10 min, 4x5, etc workout.  
You can find plenty of basic workouts that cyclists have been using forever, and just do that on a Garmin. Costs you nothing, just need to have the motivation to do the workout and push yourself through it.  
The cost of a new TR subscription is basically one month of coaching from an individual coach. So many in these threads feel that they deserve so much but it shouldn’t cost them. It’s annoying to see so many complain about the cost to a company that offers a lot for free.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mwglow15](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mwglow15/32/28576_2.png) [@mwglow15](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mwglow15)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 1:39pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/49 "2020-06-08T13:39:03Z")

</div>

> [@Levinsonl](#):
>
> The current pricing model doesn’t make sense for MTBers who want to do structured training, but still prioritize their outside riding over that training.

This assumes that TR and it’s users see the only valuable part of their service to be the time that you spend looking at the blue bars. The calendar, ride analysis, TSS charts, etc. can (and should) be utilized to track both indoor and outdoor training. If you don’t use all of that together then maybe the service is less valuable to you but TR see’s it all as a complete training package.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AJS914](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@AJS914](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AJS914)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/51 "2020-06-08T14:10:17Z")

</div>

> [@Levinsonl](#):
>
> As a more than casual MTBer who is trying to increase FTP to get less fatigued on big rides, but not race, I have been trying to do the LV plans, but it’s too much volume to do all 3 low volume rides and then do 2-3 outdoor rides.

The fact is that TR is not designed for everyone.

For you just ride. Forget TR or maybe just do it solidly for 3 months every winter if you live in a place with weather.

BTW, you don’t need to increase FTP in order to be less fatigued on big rides. You need base miles, better fat burning ability, and to shift your lactate curve. You might look into a big base block of MAF or polarized training. It’s really not hard to design a basic training plan where you do a lot of endurance riding and then once or twice a week do an interval session on one of your rides.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OreoCookie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/oreocookie/32/8298_2.png) [@OreoCookie](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/OreoCookie)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 2:43pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/52 "2020-06-08T14:43:27Z")

</div>

> [@Levinsonl](#):
>
> A fitness studio is taught by a person who needs to be paid! And they are paying rent for the studio, and it needs to be cleaned, maintained, etc. There is NO comparison between a fitness studio and TR where SSBLV has been built already and I have to pay for it year after year. No comparison.

And TR has fitness experts, programmers, support staff, they have to pay rent for office space and cloud servers, they produce podcasts and videos, etc. I don’t think the two are so different. I realize that the cost _structures_ of a gym and TR are different. My point was to put TR’s membership fee in perspective with something that I think is comparable in functionality.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Levinsonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/levinsonl/32/28253_2.png) [@Levinsonl](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Levinsonl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 3:15pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/53 "2020-06-08T15:15:50Z")

</div>

Thank you! I’ll look into this 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Levinsonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/levinsonl/32/28253_2.png) [@Levinsonl](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Levinsonl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/54 "2020-06-08T15:18:57Z")

</div>

Thank you, appreciate the recommendations on increasing my base. It would still be nice to do training during the week when I have enough time to get on the trainer, but not enough to get to the mountain. So whether its TR or something else I will be on the lookout.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Levinsonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/levinsonl/32/28253_2.png) [@Levinsonl](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Levinsonl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/55 "2020-06-08T15:22:52Z")

</div>

TR is lucky to have you to support them in these discussions so that they don’t have to.

The podcast and this forum are free. So I’m paying my subscription to pay for the podcast so freeloaders can listen to it? Same with the forum? Hosting this forum and the podcast probably cost TR as much or more money than hosting my data from rides. Really how much cloud storage are we talking? That stuff is VERY scalable. Adding another TR user probably costs them next to nothing. Still not comparable to a studio.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Un-QuittingBikes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bb73d2/32.png) [@Un-QuittingBikes](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Un-QuittingBikes)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/56 "2020-06-08T15:26:58Z")

</div>

> [@fl33tStA](#):
>
> I think it could be a WIN WIN situation

I don’t.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rocourteau](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rocourteau/32/7746_2.png) [@rocourteau](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/rocourteau)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 3:58pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/57 "2020-06-08T15:58:11Z")

</div>

> [@Levinsonl](#):
>
> Adding another TR user probably costs them next to nothing. Still not comparable to a studio.

Pricing and marginal costs have no logical relationship. To take your gym/studio example, there is zero marginal cost for one more member to show up in a gym spinning class. The instructor is already there, the cleaning is already done, the building costs don’t go up. And yet they charge you the same as the first member, the one for which they had to engage all those costs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Levinsonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/levinsonl/32/28253_2.png) [@Levinsonl](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Levinsonl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/58 "2020-06-08T18:11:42Z")

</div>

But a gym is limited in it’s membership before it gets crowded, whereas hosting cloud storage is cheap and scalable.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rocourteau](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rocourteau/32/7746_2.png) [@rocourteau](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/rocourteau)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/59 "2020-06-08T18:38:55Z")

</div>

Again, value and pricing is not related to marginal cost. Otherwise Microsoft licenses would be free. In other words: cloud storage is _not_ what you’re paying for. Otherwise you could get a Dropbox account instead.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Levinsonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/levinsonl/32/28253_2.png) [@Levinsonl](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Levinsonl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/60 "2020-06-08T19:10:43Z")

</div>

Well, thanks, but dropping economics class on me does not make me feel any better about the value I get from TR.

I’d love to see a sampling of the TR usage of the staunch defenders of this pricing model. Probable does not reflect the average user who signs up.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rocourteau](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rocourteau/32/7746_2.png) [@rocourteau](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/rocourteau)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/61 "2020-06-08T19:29:04Z")

</div>

Well then, I assume you have an alternative at a price point that you find acceptable. I’m not a “staunch defender of this pricing model”, I’m someone who has evaluated a number of alternatives, and found this one to be the best fit for me; the alternatives included multiple apps, a gym membership that included spinning classes, and two studios offering spinning classes only. I’m certain that different needs and priorities would have made another alternative more attractive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![User67890](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@User67890](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/User67890)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/63 "2020-06-08T19:41:31Z")

</div>

> [@Levinsonl](#):
>
> The podcast and this forum are free. So I’m paying my subscription to pay for the podcast so freeloaders can listen to it? Same with the forum?

I sort of understand your point here, but I choose to see that a different way. The only reason I’m a Trainerroad subscriber now is because I was one of those freeloaders. I browsed the forums and listened to the podcasts, and I learned a lot being completely new to cycling. So when it came to deciding on a training platform, I went to Trainerroad specifically because I felt like thanking them for that information. And if my money now helps fund those resources for other new cyclists, perhaps they’ll want to join Trainerroad and grow the community in the forum, etc.

So yea, you kind of are paying for those freeloaders, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I think it just comes down to what exactly you value. Strictly using a product vs. the community of the product vs. supporting a company whose values you share. Each of those adds different amounts of value (or none) to each individual. At the end of the day, maybe that value just isn’t there for you, and that’s fine as well.

As far as your plan, I’m starting to focus on XC and have had to change my plan as to not burn myself out as well. I went from a MV plan to a LV plan then adding rides. I’ll normally do the 3 planned TR rides, add a pump track or other technical skill type ride with low TSS during the week, and a longer more taxing ride on the weekend. Takes some tinkering, but it can certainly be done.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Levinsonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/levinsonl/32/28253_2.png) [@Levinsonl](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Levinsonl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/64 "2020-06-08T19:52:50Z")

</div>

Kind of rude to assert that I’m not putting the effort in. My bike and my trainer aren’t exactly sitting around unused, I’m doing 3-4 rides per week.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Levinsonl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/levinsonl/32/28253_2.png) [@Levinsonl](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Levinsonl)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/65 "2020-06-08T19:54:54Z")

</div>

Thanks, really appreciate your anecdote as a similar type of rider.

I’m going to stop posting here, thanks everyone. I’ll check out xert and some other options and see if they work better for me.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![russell.r.sage](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/russell.r.sage/32/36157_2.png) [@russell.r.sage](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/russell.r.sage)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/67 "2020-06-08T19:59:24Z")

</div>

You still haven’t answered the question, what competitive alternative would you choose for less? If Trainerroad is already one of the most cost-effective solutions and best value for the money, why would they undercut themselves?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tfilteau](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tfilteau/32/7746_2.png) [@tfilteau](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tfilteau)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/68 "2020-06-08T20:24:16Z")

</div>

Peleton?  
 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/8/d/8d510cd880fd345777b20eda0101628d64994210.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Un-QuittingBikes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bb73d2/32.png) [@Un-QuittingBikes](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Un-QuittingBikes)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304/69 "2020-06-08T20:25:52Z")

</div>

> [@AJS914](#):
>
> The fact is that TR is not designed for everyone.
> 
> For you just ride. Forget TR or maybe just do it solidly for 3 months every winter if you live in a place with weather.

This. 👆

TR is great because it caters to its core demographic of people who treat indoor structured training as a year-round lifestyle.

The product is what it is today - a very refined platform that continues to improve - thanks to constant feedback and nearly a decade of real data and subscription fees from serious cyclists of all fitness levels.

The casual rider can’t suddenly hop on and say, “I like what I’m seeing, but since I’m not a serious cyclist, I should be able to pay less money for the same product.”

[Previous page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304.md?page=2)

[Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tr-pricing-based-on-hours-of-training/37304.md?page=4)
