Remote controllers let you control selected ROUVY actions directly from a connected device, such as a gamepad, smart handlebars, or a supported Bluetooth remote controller.
You can shift gears, pause a ride, send kudos, take a screenshot, or move through menus without reaching for the keyboard. Each controller keeps its own button layout, so you can set up every device the way that suits you.
Supported remote controllers
You can manage remote controllers from the Sensors screen under Cycling devices›Remote controllers. The following devices are currently supported:
- Zwift Click V1 and V2 (V1 has shift buttons only; V2 adds a D-pad and action buttons)
- Zwift Play (Zwift Play requires firmware version 2.0.1 or later. Remotes running an older firmware version are not recognized, so update the remote in the Zwift Companion app first if it does not appear.)
- Zwift Ride
- Wahoo KICKR BIKE handlebars (versions 1, 2, and 3)
- CYCPLUS BC2
- Keyboard (desktop only, and set up automatically)
- Gamepad controllers
- Other game controllers (generic HID)
| Note: Generic gamepads, joysticks, and similar game controllers vary between systems, so some may not be fully supported. We cannot guarantee that every gamepad will work. |
Connecting a remote controller
How a controller connects depends on its type.
- Bluetooth remotes (Zwift Click, Zwift Play, Zwift Ride, CYCPLUS BC2, and supported smart handlebars) connect directly in the ROUVY app.
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System input devices (keyboard, gamepad, and other generic HID controllers) connect through your operating system, not in the ROUVY app.
ROUVY lists them only so you can see what is connected and change their action mapping. You cannot connect or disconnect them from within the app.
To connect a Bluetooth remote (Zwift Click, Zwift Play, Zwift Ride, CYCPLUS BC2, and supported smart handlebars):
- Open the Sensors screen and go to Cycling devices›Remote controllers.
- Select your device from the list of available controllers.
- Confirm the connection. The controller is ready to use as soon as it appears as connected.
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Note: Bluetooth remotes such as Zwift Click, Zwift Play, Zwift Ride, and CYCPLUS BC2 connect over Bluetooth on every platform, including desktop, mobile, and Apple TV. A keyboard does not need to be connected: on desktop it is set up as a remote automatically and works right away. |
When a compatible device is detected, it appears in the list of available remote controllers. From there, you can connect the device and open its control mapping settings.
You may also see other Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Human Interface Devices (HID) that are available for connection.
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The Remote Controllers screen provides quick access to both button configuration and your system's Bluetooth settings.
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For more information about customizing button assignments, continue to the next section.
Customizing controls
Control mapping is available in the Control settings tab in your ROUVY app's Settings.
You can access those through a shortcut in Sensors described above, or by clicking on your Profile icon in the top-left corner of the app and then choosing Settings in the drop-down menu.
Each connected device has its own set of controls, so you first choose which device you want to edit, then assign a button to each action you want to use.
The tab shows the current button for every action on the selected device, so you can always see how a controller is set up before you change anything.
To reassign a control:
- Select the device you want to edit, then choose the action you want to change.
- Press the button, key, or lever you want to use for that action.
- Confirm the assignment.
Once confirmed, the newly assigned button appears in the action's button set. If needed, select Reset to default at the bottom of the Menu to restore the default control mapping.
| Note: The control settings are available only while a remote is connected. If no device is connected, the controls stay disabled. |
What you can control
Controls fall into three groups:
- Ride controls affect the ride itself.
- Menu controls move through the interface.
- Ride features trigger extra actions during a ride.
| Group | Actions |
|---|---|
| Ride controls | Shift up, shift down, pause and resume |
| Menu controls | Navigate up, down, left, and right, select, and back |
| Ride features | Screenshot, kudos, create lap, hide interface, skip workout segment, toggle ERG mode, and chat |
Some ride features apply only in certain situations.
Hide interface and create lap work on a route, skip workout segment and toggle ERG mode work in a workout, and an action that does not apply to your current ride simply does nothing until you are in a mode where it applies.
The shift buttons do more than change gears.
On a route they shift your virtual gears, and in slope or free-ride workout intervals they shift gears the same way. During a workout in ERG mode the same buttons adjust your effort by 2% per press for the current interval and the intervals that follow. FTP and ramp-test segments are protected, so their target does not change.
Default keyboard controls
On desktop the keyboard is the primary remote and works without any setup.
You can reassign these keys in the same way as any other controller.
Show keyboard shortcuts ▶
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| .period | Shift up |
| ,comma | Shift down |
| ↑ ↓ ← → | Navigate up, down, left, and right |
| Enter | Select |
| Esc | Back |
| Space | Pause and resume |
| S | Screenshot |
| K | Kudos |
| L | Create lap |
| H | Hide interface |
| W | Skip workout segment |
| E | Toggle ERG mode |
| T | Chat |
Gamepads come with navigation, select, back, screenshot, kudos, and gear shifting mapped out of the box, and the remaining actions are left open for you to assign.
Other game controllers (generic HID) start with no actions assigned, so you set up each one you want to use.
Reassigning, unbinding, and resetting
If you assign a button that is already in use on the same device, ROUVY warns you, names the action that currently uses it, and asks you to confirm before it makes the change.
On confirmation, the button moves to the new action and the previous action is left without a button.
You can also remove a button from an action entirely, which leaves that action unassigned until you set it again.
If you want to start over, use the reset option to return the selected device to its default layout. Resetting affects only the device you are editing, so your other controllers keep their settings.
Using multiple input devices
ROUVY supports multiple input sources at the same time. For example, you can use a gamepad for menus and a Bluetooth remote for shifting, and both stay active together.
| Selecting a device in the dropdown does not turn the other devices off. |
Button configurations are saved per device and do not transfer between devices or platforms, so each controller keeps its own layout. You can connect one Bluetooth remote at a time, alongside other input types such as a keyboard or a gamepad, which your operating system manages separately.
Smart handlebars and virtual shifting
| Supported smart handlebars connect through the Remote controllers section in the same way as any other remote. |
Wahoo KICKR BIKE handlebars and Zwift Ride use their shift buttons or levers for virtual shifting, so you can change gears from the bars during a ride. For more about how virtual shifting works and which trainers and bikes support it, see the Virtual shifting article.
On Zwift Ride, both buttons on the left lever shift down and both buttons on the right lever shift up. The analog paddles and the orange button on each lever are not used by ROUVY. On Zwift Play, the plus and minus buttons handle shifting, while the analog paddles are not used.
Using ROUVY on Apple TV
On Apple TV the Siri Remote is the only supported controller.
It handles navigation, select, and back: swipe the touch surface to move through menus, click it to select, and press the Menu button to go back.
To avoid accidental input, light or unintended touches are ignored, and the touch surface is not used as a pointer.
| The Siri Remote does not include shift buttons or feature buttons, so shifting, kudos, screenshots, and similar actions are not available from it on Apple TV. Its layout cannot be customized. |
Bluetooth remotes such as Zwift Click, Zwift Play, Zwift Ride, and CYCPLUS BC2 still connect on Apple TV, so you can use one of those for shifting and ride features.
Known limitations
| Please note: general Bluetooth devices, such as media buttons and Bluetooth presentation remotes, are not currently supported. |
- Gamepads and other game controllers (generic HID) are supported on desktop and mobile, but not on Apple TV.
- Some gamepads, joysticks, and generic HID controllers may not be fully recognized, and a gamepad can occasionally become unresponsive.
- On mobile, an external keyboard works as system input but does not appear as a configurable remote in the app.
Troubleshooting
Most remote controllers connect without any setup, but support can vary by device. If a controller does not respond as expected, check the following.
If a controller does not connect:
- Confirm your operating system recognizes the device and that it is connected to your computer.
- Confirm the device appears as connected under Cycling devices›Remote controllers.
- Disconnect and reconnect the controller, or restart it and scan for available devices again.
- For Zwift Play, confirm the remote is on firmware version 2.0.1 or later.
- If a Bluetooth remote does not appear, confirm it is charged, in range, and not still connected to another app or device.
If a controller does not respond correctly during a ride:
- If an action does nothing, open the Control settings tab and confirm a button is assigned to it, since unassigned actions do nothing until you set them.
- If an action still does nothing, confirm it applies to your current ride, since some features work only on a route and others only in a workout.
- If a button triggers the wrong action, reassign it in the Control settings tab, or reset that device to its default layout.