I actually just looked at the plans and couldn’t figure out anything that compared to my current TR cycle. I guess if I wanted to become my own coach I’d be able to figure it out. Not worth my time really. I’m convinced that the best use of my 5-7 hours a week is sticking with the plan … TR plan.
To be totally honest I do my 2hr TR rides in Watopia for now. I can afford both but if I have to choose I’d dump Zwift as long as I’m still trying to get the most out of my time/effort.
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I think the other platforms and TR have enough difference that they can all coexist. Zwift might have a broader appeal at the moment (probably thanks to huge amounts of marketing) but they are unlikely to dominate the market in the same way as Windows.
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No doubt this is echoed by others:
Enter some bike races, or if you want to start your own TrainerRoad challenge: set up a forum post or a Facebook group and grow it that way. It’s been done before.
Or you could go and ride your bike with your mates.
How do you see that working? - I honestly couldn’t give a ____ about hearing or seeing my mates hyperventilating at the same time as me.
TrainerRoad isn’t that great as a coaching platform and I think this could be an area for expansion.
Personally I’d say no thanks.
Works for me - could do with a few tweaks here and there but, you know, it tells you what power you need to be at and for how long…
Start a Facebook group if you want - not everything needs to be provided by TrainerRoad. As it is they have this excellent forum.
Mike
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Correct, hence my use of the word existing 
but worth clarifying 
As per my previous post. I believe that there are a lot of initiatives in the pipeline. They may not fit in with what you think is the best strategic direction, but I’m willing to bet that for the vast majority of users they’ll be seen as a great benefit.
Calendar got a lot of love, but a small amount of very vocal flack. I’m glad that they didn’t rescind it based on that and I’m hopeful that you would agree it would have been a mistake to do so.
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Quite agree @Jonnyboy -
The forum: there is a lot of noise on the forum “What did you do today?, Show us your pain cave? , What beer are you enjoying?” (for goodness sake). Also posts disappear downwards quickly and it pays to search back for things, ignoring the noise. But hey, at least there is some real meat in here as well.
Its a shame people don’t do more of the “Summarise this thread”. Some are very long and it can be quite a challenge to pan out the nuggets from the grit.
“Disaster day”: Yes agreed. I was heading for Christmas, needed a challenge, and fitted it in when it suited me. An “unofficial, but fun(!) community event” was about right. Then back to real work…
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I came here because the Zwift plans were far too rigid and you couldn’t even choose workouts individually from one of the plans. Training isn’t their focus at the moment outside of a few occasional promotional activities, which is fine. Their platform is social and gaming, which is fair enough.
I’m not sure any of the OP’s wish list would improve what is a very comprehensive product and for those in the UK who know the Ronseal advert: “It does exactly what it says on the tin”.
UX changes are a minefield and something that I think TR has about right. If you want an example of how badly simple changes can work out, just look at Snapchat.
What I genuinely think could be revolutionary is having TR act as a virtual coach. You set broad goals and it adapts dynamically e.g. training for a century gran fondo in 10 months. Have an extra day to train? TR suggests a workout. Need some time off due to illness/work/life? The whole plan changes and adapts. Big data would be the big opportunity here but not something you can do overnight.
Otherwise TR is pretty comprehensive as far as I can see. If it ain’t broke…
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Ah, yes - is it still fairly active? Haven’t been there in a while.
Mike
‘Facebook’ was meant as metaphor for making some ‘marketing’ buzz on the web.
Keeping a fresh and exciting brand not necessarily as a forum.
(Begin rant)
I am sick of this “Marketing buzz” bolderdash. What really matters is not that.
What matters is the conversation. The conversation between people.
Marketing is supposed to be about creating a relationship, not bombarding them with crap.
Linkedin is ruined because there is no conversation there now - just a shed load of people dumping their promotional material on the forums. The conversation there has died - the dumping continues because no one notices or cares any more. They don’t even notice the conversaton has disappeared.
Marketing buzz is just noise and distraction. Real people recommend stuff to real people, and they accept the recommendation when they trust them. But only after the relationship is built.
Markets are conversations. Read ‘The Cluetrain Manifesto’ sometime. It is free. It is still inciteful and relevant, today. Just read the first set of theses… the cluetrain manifesto - 95 theses
(End rant) (sorry 
)
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My take on this is that @Nate_Pearson and the team are in the space of Substance not ‘buzz’ and that a great product and clear goal is the basis of building and maintaining an exciting brand.
The calendar, the Performance Analytics, the progressive plans and the Podcast are all examples where this is actually happening, beyond the iterative changes that make this a fantastic platform to be a better cyclist.
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Interesting that @Shay_Vansover views the primary threat to TrainerRoad as Zwift and Sufferfest. I think their primary threats are more likely to be Xert (or a xert-like piece of software) or Sufferfest - for completely different reasons.
TR (as you can hear them say repeatedly on the podcast) is interested in making you a faster cyclist. They want you to bring your own entertainment (music, Netflix, whatever that may be) and I think that does limit them somewhat, it also gives them a direct avenue to those who are put off by the Sufferfest videos or video game feel of Zwift. These programs are much more focused on the ‘fun’ and ‘engagement’ aspects and for people who want that they will always win out. For people who want the structure and performance benefits TrainerRoad (or similar) will always win out.
I think the 4DP concept in Sufferfest wasn’t a complete solution, and the folks at Xert aren’t really finished yet - but when someone (perhaps TR) figures out how to dynamically adjust workouts and plans based on performance - that will be the thing that targets their audience and could potentially relegate them from the front runner to an also ran.
I’m fairly certain this is what TR is working on right now - and because they are the large established player they don’t have to be first to market on it - but they do need a complete solution soon - maybe sometime before the next serious trainer season starts in the northern hemisphere. I assume we’ll see some releases around this late spring/early summer and then a big push on it for that season
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Yes, marketing buzz does absolutely nothing for me, the paying customer.
Mike
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This is also a great idea. Both useful and new. Exactly what TR needs.
I don’t fully understand your message yet: Are you saying (a) that TR is focusing on a too narrow niche? or (b) others are catching up and distance of the competitors for this niche is getting closer?
My feeling is that you are addressing both points. Your statement “I don’t know if you looked at Zwift lately - their structured workouts and training plans are growing rapidly and you don’t have to them socially” is targeting point (b) while the statement “I’m talking about adding some versatility and options - more choices to bring more new users and keep existing users.” is addressing point (a).
From the responses I sense that most people on this thread do not agree with point (a) - me neither. In regards to point (b) I am more with you and I feel that the whole TR team is actively thinking about how gain the competitive edge.
If you want to keep the discussion constructive I think it would help to steer the discussion in the direction of point (b) and come up with thoughts how can TR improve in making you a faster cyclist. You say that not everybody pursues this target but this is the core of TR.
I would go further, I think it detracts from me as the paying customer. As @Rich76 says. It is about substance. it is the content, not the fluff that matters.
DO I have a better solution to getting faster this year: No, no, no. Do I trust TR to give me the best chance. Yes, yes yes. Do I want crap music on when I can listen to a BBC Radio 4 podcast. No.
Am stopping here. we are just reinforcing our own views…
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I actually agree totally with the sentiment of your post, all companies need to change, improve or evolve or they’ll eventually die.
What I entirely disagree with is the movement of travel suggested. I think we know where TR is headed as a company (to which @trpnhntr has alluded) and where their future competition may lie. Moving forward should be in a very different direction to Zwift.
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Darn - history lesson
Oh good grief. You mean DEC and VMS, and distributed Vax11/720s. Back in 1982!! For goodness sake. vs IBM and their pretend virtual AS400s! (Yes I am that old). It was not that MS was childish. It was better at the front end. Do remember your history. I believe it was the DEC chief engineer who wandered off to (was recruited by) Microsoft and created the core of one of the c’90 versions of windows. Possibly W98. The one that made MS work properly at last, as it escaped the IBM clutches.
History ends - apologies to anyone under 40 for this
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There are plenty of hints in various forum threads if you read between the lines…
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