Zwift Hot Topic: PowerUps or PowerUgh?

I would prefer 2 versions of a race one with and one without. Let the riders decide.

I think we should be able to save them then use them another day.

I’m definitely anti-power-ups, partly on principle but also because to be able to use them you need ready access to zwift companion when you are on the bike and my set up doesn’t allow for this. I feel that the existence of the power-ups doesn’t really take this possibility into consideration.

I much prefer races which don’t have power-ups. The last tour of watopia got really frustrating with everyone else using feather power-ups on the climbs which dropped me on at least a couple of occasions.

I like power-ups in general but definitely think that Zwift could do a much better job with their implementation and functionality, for those that don’t like them there are already some races/series that don’t use them (like FRR World Order from May to Sept. which I’m currently racing in), I’d suggest the following (much of which as I have multiple times before to no avail…):
1)The “Breakaway Burrito” (its full name) was VERY POORLY re-jigged and needs to be altered again properly, currently it is a “no go” red-line for me, I won’t enter any races that use it in its current form. It should facilitate “breakaways” not “constant splitting of chase packs”, so it should only activate when a rider has no-one within 5m ahead of them (unless the other rider(s) ahead are also dropping one) and it should not affect other riders also dropping one at the same time (to enable groups of Burrito breakaway riders to go off together)
2)The ability to hold more than 1 power-up at a time NEEDS to be added, there’s already the basic functionality since you can pick up a 2nd one whilst ‘mid use’ of an existing one. That needs to be expanded to allow at least 3 but preferably 5 (4 in a cross around the central one) to be held at once and selected for use whenever. This would remove the “random” drop issues that riders hate so much, but would significantly increase the “tactical” element of power-up use allowing people to drop them one after another or use a totally different one than others in their group for different purpose, or to use one to lead out team-mates who then drop a different one etc. – It would massively improve the Power-Up experience and in combination with the ability for race organisers to set “Banner Behaviour” they could be refreshed or added to etc. at specific lap or segment banners with riders knowing they would get X happen at Y point meaning they could make a tactical plan for reaching that point with the ones they start with across the start line/banner
3)Some new Power-Ups would be cool IF they are more sensible than the Burrito: Basic rule of thumb for any new power-up should be that it “CANNOT have a specific negative affect on another rider”, Burritos are so hated as you are basically being brake-checked by other riders, often not even to their own overall benefit but almost always to your detriment! Power-ups should focus on being a power “UP” not “DOWN”, so a benefit to the user not a specific handicap to others. With that said I like the idea of the Tailwind one, although it would need tuning so it doesn’t result in a group cycling through 1 each for X length of time to massive and prolonged group benefit, so perhaps tuned to grant a lesser effect the larger the group is. An alternate take on the “Domestique” power-up idea would be to have one that gives a certain percentage Weight gain/loss when going up/downhill (i.e. almost a combo of the Anvil and Feather effects in 1 power-up) for a certain period of time like say 60-seconds but it ONLY works if you are at the front of your group and no more than 5m ahead of the closest rider behind you – this would enable a team to send a team rider to the front of a group to “pull” bringing the whole group/team with them but only whilst they are at the front and at a pace that brings their group with them, and which works regardless of up or downhill terrain.

IRL racing has random power-ups too, but mostly they all suck. I’m glad Zwift doesn’t have the Flat Tire, Newbie Crash, Dog On Course, or Pothole power-ups. I think the Zwift power-ups add a bit of randomness which make it MORE like real racing, not less. One of my first Zwift races I got ghost every time, but hey, sometimes you always pick the wrong line, that’s life.