Setup
From an empty game folder to your first ride. Each step checks something the next one depends on.
What you need
| Game | Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC, Story Mode only. Do not use it in Red Dead Online. |
|---|---|
| Script Hook RDR2 | Script Hook RDR2 V2 and Mod Loader from Nexus Mods. It must match your game version. |
| Smart trainer | One with ANT+ FE-C, which covers most smart trainers from Wahoo, Tacx/Garmin, Elite, Saris, JetBlack, Van Rysel and others. Over Bluetooth: one with FTMS. |
| Connection | An ANT+ USB stick (Garmin/Dynastream ANT USB2 or ANT USB-m, or a compatible clone), or your PC's Bluetooth. See Bluetooth. |
| Optional | A heart-rate strap (shown on the panel) and a power meter (can be used instead of the trainer's power). |
The ANT+ stick's driver
If Zwift, TrainerRoad, Garmin Express, Golden Cheetah or similar already work with your stick on this PC, the driver is installed. Skip this step.
Otherwise install the Garmin ANT USB driver, for example by installing Garmin Express once. Or use Zadig to install libusb-win32 or WinUSB for the stick; the mod works with both. Only replace a driver if nothing works yet, because other apps may need the one you have.
Installing
The mod isn't available for download yet. It will be published here with version 1.0. These steps describe the release.
- Install Script Hook RDR2. Copy
ScriptHookRDR2.dlland the ASI loaderdinput8.dllinto the game folder (the folder withRDR2.exe). This mod does not include Script Hook. With Script Hook RDR2 V2, the loader is in its separate Mod Loader download. If another ASI loader is already installed, you don't need a second one. - Copy
RDR2BikeMod.asiandRDR2BikeMod.inifrom the download'sModfolder into the same game folder. - That's it. The mod writes its log next to itself. If the game folder is write-protected, the log and a fresh settings file go to
%LOCALAPPDATA%\RDR2BikeModinstead.
To uninstall, delete RDR2BikeMod.asi, RDR2BikeMod.ini and the RDR2BikeMod* log, trace and crash files.
Your first ride
- Free the trainer. Close Zwift, TrainerRoad, Rouvy, MyWhoosh, Garmin Express (check the system tray) and other cycling apps, and make sure no bike computer is controlling the trainer. Put an ANT+ stick on a USB extension cable, within about a metre of the trainer.
- Start RDR2 in Story Mode. A yellow line in the top-right corner says the mod is loaded.
- Get on a horse and pedal gently. The panel reads
BIKE CONTROL: ON [Assist]and the horse moves off, following your speed through walk, trot, canter and gallop. It steers itself onto the nearest road or path and follows it; steer yourself whenever you like. If the panel says the trainer can't be found, see the troubleshooting. - Stop pedalling. After about two seconds the horse reins in, and it soon stops.
- If the horse doesn't respond well, press F7 to try the next drive method.
Steering
New and not yet ridden in the game. Auto-steer was tested against a simulated road network.
By default the mod steers for you, along the game's roads and paths:
- Off the road it heads for the nearest one, joining it in the direction you're facing.
- On the road it follows it round the bends. At a fork or crossroads it goes the straightest way; at a T-junction it turns into one of the side roads.
- At a dead end it turns round. If it keeps meeting dead ends, it hands the steering back to you.
- Stuck against something, it turns out of it, then round.
- Steer yourself at any time with the keyboard or the controller's stick: it lets go while you do, and picks up the road you're on a moment after you stop. That's also how you take the other branch at a fork.
Press End to switch auto-steer off and steer yourself all the time, or set [Steering] Mode = Manual in the ini. On a route, the route does the steering.
Keys
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| F8 | Bike control on or off. Off, you ride normally and the trainer goes flat. |
| F9 | Panel: full, compact, off |
| F10 | Reload RDR2BikeMod.ini without restarting the game |
| F7 | Switch drive method: Assist, Limiter, GaitSim |
| F11 | Simulator: fake power for trying the mod without a trainer. Page Up / Page Down change it by 25 W. |
| Insert | Bike model: shows a bike under Arthur and hides the horse (experimental) |
| Home | The routes menu |
| End | Auto-steer on or off (see Steering) |
You can change all of these keys in the ini. To take over by hand, hold the game's horse stop/brake control: the mod lets go while you hold it. It also lets go when you dismount, open the pause menu, in cutscenes, when you fall off, and when the trainer isn't connected. The panel's first line says why.
Drive methods
| Method | How it works | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Assist (default) | The mod holds "forward", sets the horse's pace to match your virtual speed and uses the gallop button when needed. You only steer. | Normal use |
| Limiter | You ride as usual. Your pedalling sets the maximum speed the horse may reach. | If Assist fights your steering, or you prefer to keep control |
| GaitSim | Experimental: drives the horse with simulated input. | If neither of the others works well |
Settings worth changing
Every setting is explained inside RDR2BikeMod.ini. Edit it with Notepad and press F10 in the game to apply changes. To get the defaults back, delete the file; a fresh one is created the next time the game starts.
| Setting | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
[Rider] RiderWeightKg | 82 | Set your weight. It affects climbing speed and the trainer's hill feel. |
[Horse] SpeedScale | 1.15 | Horse speed = virtual bike speed × this. Raise it for a faster horse at the same power. |
[Steering] Mode | Auto | Auto: the mod follows the roads and paths. Manual: you steer. |
[Horse] DriveMethod | Assist | Assist, Limiter or GaitSim |
[Horse] InfiniteStamina | 1 | Keep the horse's stamina full, since you're doing the work |
[Trainer] Difficulty | 50 | Percentage of the in-game slope sent to the trainer (0 = always flat) |
[Trainer] MaxGradePercent / MinGradePercent | 10 / −5 | Limits for the trainer slope |
[Trainer] Connection | ANT | ANT or Bluetooth (also in [PowerMeter] and [HeartRate]) |
[Trainer] PowerSource | Trainer | Trainer or PowerMeter |
[HUD] Units | Metric | Metric or Imperial |
[Routes] Peaceful | 1 | While on a route: you and the horse can't be hurt, everyone ignores you, no bounties |