What is GoldenCheetah?

GoldenCheetah is a free, open-source desktop application for cyclists and triathletes who want to download, store, and analyze their own ride data on their own computer. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, imports data from a wide range of devices and file formats, and provides analysis tools covering power, heart rate, and other training metrics. If you want full control over your training data and the freedom to analyze it however you like, GoldenCheetah is built for exactly that purpose.

What GoldenCheetah Does

The project's stated belief is that athletes "should be able to download their power data to the computer of their choice, analyze it in whatever way they see fit, and share their methods of analysis with others." That philosophy shapes what the software offers:

• Direct device import — pulls ride data straight from many devices.
• File import — reads data already downloaded with other programs.
• Analysis tools — a rich set of charts and models for examining rides.
• Cross-platform — Linux, macOS, and Windows builds.
• Open source — released under an open-source license, with source code freely available on GitHub.

Supported Data Formats

GoldenCheetah imports "all popular file formats," including:

It also supports direct download from devices such as SRM PowerControl 5/6/7, PowerTap Cervo, CycleOps Joule, and the Moxy muscle oxygen monitor.

Cloud Integration

Beyond local files, GoldenCheetah connects to a range of cloud services, including Google Drive and Calendar, Dropbox, Strava, Today's Plan, Xert, SixCycle, SportTracks.mobi, Withings Weight, Cycling Analytics, ErgDB, Ride With GPS, SportPlusHealth, Velo Hero, Selfloops, and Trainingstagebuch.org. A Cloud Wizard walks you through selecting the service type and downloading directly.

Analysis and Modelling

GoldenCheetah's analysis side goes beyond simple charts. Its modelling topics include:

• Power and Duration — Critical Power and W′ (the work capacity above critical power).
• Bioenergetics — the energy systems behind your efforts.
• Motor Units — recruitment and fatigue.
• Forensic Ride Analysis — multiple charts to examine a ride in detail.

These tools are aimed at athletes and coaches who want to understand why a ride looked the way it did, not just record that it happened.

Versions and Downloads

• Current stable release: Version 3.8, with builds for Windows (10/11) x86-64/AMD64, Apple Silicon macOS (15+) ARM64/Mx, Intel macOS (12.7+) x86-64/AMD64, and Linux (AppImage) x86-64/AMD64. Source code is available as zip and tarball.
• Older versions and resources: Older releases, a user guide, and a FAQ are available.
• Snapshot builds: Published automatically when significant enhancements or major bug fixes land. These are developer-tested only and may contain regressions — the project explicitly warns to always take a backup before running snapshot builds.

Who It's For

GoldenCheetah suits cyclists and triathletes who:

• Want their training data stored and analyzed locally rather than only in a vendor's cloud.
• Use power meters, heart rate monitors, or other sensors and want deeper analysis than a basic ride log.
• Are comfortable installing desktop software and, if needed, working with file imports.
• Value open-source software and the ability to inspect or contribute to the code.

If you prefer a purely browser-based tool with no installation, or you only need basic ride tracking, GoldenCheetah's depth may be more than you need. But if you want to own your data and dig into the physiology behind your rides, it's a strong fit.