The latest indieVelo update V0.2.41 released March 18, 2024, includes in-game chat enhancements, immediate custom event results, and more.
Good communication is critical to improving most things, whether in cycling or elsewhere. Therefore, this week’s release (see below for full details) focuses on getting the correct information to the right places at the right time.
Key headlines include:
Event Organizers: indieVelo now allows you to choose to receive the full results of your fully customizable events by email. It is sent to you immediately after the last rider crosses the finish line and is in spreadsheet CSV format for ease of reading and/or converting into other formats (such as your own organization’s web page for your event) and/or merging with other results when running a league, etc.
Riders: indieVelo now allows you to send multiple chat messages: Local, Group, Team, and Global. Local messages go to only those within 10 meters of you, Group go to just those in the same group on the road as you, Team go to everyone in your team, and Global go to everyone.
The upgrade is perfect for tactical discussion to create, sustain, and win from a breakaway by keeping your messages away from prying eyes! Team Managers can also spectate events and participate in the Team chat, sending and receiving messages only within their own team.
Computers: This release also contains several improvements and fixes to ensure the stability of communications between clients and servers and reduce the number of dropouts. indieVelo now also has experimental support for Android x86-64 devices – this includes ChromeOS as well as Linux / SteamDeck via Waydroid (although these won’t support Bluetooth or ANT+ -they can only be used for account / team management, event creation, and spectating).
As always, the release includes a huge number of other additions, improvements, and fixes to keep improving your quality of life when riding and making indieVelo as easy as possible to use and configure to be just as you like it—all based on your feedback.
Note for Mac Bluetooth users: If you find that the Bluetooth icon on the pairing screen has turned red, please follow the instructions linked from https://wiki.indievelo.com/docs/apple-mac-ble-permissions/ to first completely remove, and then re-add, permission for indieVelo to use the Mac Bluetooth connection.
Do you want to steepen your indieVelo learning curve? Check out our How-to-Guides page for details!
If all has gone well, you shouldn’t have to do anything to get the new version, as indieVelo will self-update the next time you start it up. If you find any problems, however, instructions on how to manually update are on the website: https://wiki.indievelo.com/docs/updates
Please note that, depending on when you installed indieVelo, you may see a warning message recommending that you update the installer/launcher to the latest version. If you see this, download it again from https://indievelo.com/downloads, and the update will automatically apply. The entire process typically takes a minute or two, often much less.
The full patch notes are below!
“Please do keep your suggestions and further thoughts coming. In particular, now indieVelo’s servers have live email capabilities, which opens up all sorts of interesting possibilities for the future…sign-up reminders, weekly activity summaries, individual event results etc – the limit is your imagination, so what would you like to see implemented next?”
George Gilbert
Patch Notes – V0.2.41 – Key changes from the last version:
- Added ability to email event results to organizers automatically.
- Added local, group, team, and global chat options.
- Added experimental support for Android x86-64 devices (ChromeOS, etc).
- Added the ability to add arbitrary lap markers into FIT files (hotkey: L).
- Added an option always to display the virtual gear setting, even if it is not being used.
- Added support for HRM bridging through FTMS trainers.
- A separate event filter for group rides / group workouts was added to the main menu.
- Custom event branding was added to event descriptions in the menu.
- Added lots more teams and event brandings.
- Removed the “T” hotkey for Team Chat (just use “M” for (M)essage instead).
- Improved bot W’/CP data to use the Omni-Duration Power Model for long events.
- Improved menu & font size on mobile platforms to make them easier to read.
- Improved compatibility with third-party controller devices.
- Improved performance when using routes with custom finishes.
- Improved behavior of custom events finishing on a split road.
- Improved in-game documentation of hotkeys.
- Improved forward/backward compatibility infrastructure for upgrades.
- Improved common menu items infrastructure.
- Improved cross-platform infrastructure.
- Improved socket layer handling of clashes.
- Improved socket layer diagnostics.
- Improved server memory usage.
- Improved menu alignment.
- Improved API.
- Fixed bug with data sometimes being written to FIT files after ride ending.
- Fixed bug with events with custom finishes at ends of long roads.
- Fixed bug with UDP port synchronization.
- Fixed a bug with the build pipeline.
- Fixed bug with render pipeline.
- Fixed bug with Android manifest file.
- Fixed bug with slow memory leak on server.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
