It’s April Fools’ Day, and you know what that means – the game team at Zwift is going to have a little fun!
This is our 7th April Fools’ Day on Zwift, and each year ZHQ has come up with something fun for the community. (Last year we were transported to 1989, and in 2019 we were burning rubber. The year before that it was Paperboy. In 2017 we had big heads, 2016 gave us the old-timey effect, and 2015 we rode big wheels on Jarvis.
This year Zwift recycled some of the funny stuff they’ve done in the past (with a twist). That’s right – the big wheels are back!
Changing Bikes
If you’re free-riding in game today, you’re stuck on the Big Wheel bike. Attempting to change to a different bike simply changes your bike’s colors. But if you head back to the garage, you’ll see your frame change wasn’t saved. And you can’t change your wheels, either!
Changing frame just changes your color You can’t change wheels
Not Used In Events
It appears that the big wheel isn’t being used for official events – Zwift says they definitely aren’t being used in races. Which is good, since today is TTT day, and these trikes do not perform well (see below)!
Tron Trike
Some riders are seeing themselves in game with a Tron trike. This is the first time we’ve seen a Big Wheel with a tron look! It seems as though only you see yourself on the Tron trike, though – other riders see you on the normal trike.
And not everyone gets a Tron trike. It seems to be level-based, but we’re not sure what level that is! Our test account at level 13 didn’t have the Tron trike, and our test account at level 42 did have it. So the level unlock, if there is one, is somewhere in between 13 and 42.
Speed Testing the Big Wheel
We took the Big Wheel for a spin on our regular flat and climb tests. (We also tried testing it after “changing” frames, to see if it made a difference. It didn’t.) Here are the times the Big Wheel turned in:
- Flat Test: 51:37 – this is quite slow – the same time as the Zwift Safety bike, and about 80 seconds slower than the fastest road setup.
- Climb Test: 50:04 – this is quite slow – the same time as the Scott Plasma TT bike with the stock 32mm carbon wheels. Slower than any of the road frames, coupled with the 32mm wheels.
Runners
Some runners are showing up in the Delta Daring skin, which debuted in game for Halloween 2020:
But we’re not seeing that for all runners, and we’re not sure what determines who suits up and who doesn’t!
See It In Action
Watch our favorite Aussie Lama test the big wheels:
Your Comments
What do you think of April Fools this year? Did I miss anything in my summary above? Share below!
I thought it was fun. A little disappointed that it was used during the TOW ride so I logged back in just to ride it. It would be fun to do a group ride with everyone on trikes.
I got a good laugh today🤣🤣🤣
Great fun… appreciate the time and effort Zwift puts into it just for a change of pace and a little fun!
I actually rode better this morning with my Big Wheels. It actually fits me better being 5′ tall. I’d like to keep it please. LOL
So it’s not the new aero recumbent e-bike, the Trek Mad-money?
I am Level 29 and I have the Tron Tricycle:
//:0
argh cant copy the image
Tedious. Perhaps the devs could spend time fixing the piss-poor UEX and less time on nonsense like this.
Picturing all the people asking for handcycles for all these years, shaking their heads.
Bet you’re fun at parties.
I think it’s hilarious! I saw a couple yesterday when I was riding.
Super upset that I couldn’t use the Trike for TOW!! I don’t really see the logic behind that one. I know some people may not have wanted it, but it definitely should have been an option. Really really really sucked!!!!
I did the TOW and one person was riding the trike. Very funny. No idea how.
I thought that people who have the Tron Bike, get the Tron Trike. I have the Tron Trike, and was riding it, and then I switched to Canyon Aeroad and it was different. Maybe only me?
That would make sense!
I wish they’d not disabled it for group rides. It would have been easy to make it a sub fit the basic Zwift carbon as they have in the past so Zwifters could choose to ride it if not (which we couldn’t today).
I just wish we all had BigWheels for the TTT… that would have been amazing
Although there’s quite a few things to fix and on going bugs I do get a load out of zwift so top marks for today’s trikes. Gave me and my mate a laugh today!
I loved it! Took photos!
Hey Zwift! Can you make the Big Wheel a regular option???? It was just so fun to switch things up like that!!! Thanks for the experience! PS the wobble head 🤣
Perhaps a coincidence but Zwift crashed on me on me 44 miles into a 45 mile ride today. Never once crashed before. Can’t but help think it was related to the silliness.
A TRON Big Wheel is about the only thing I’d spend drops on, should be choice in the shop along with the other one off bikes we’ve gotten over the years.
No supertuck coming off of Fox Hill on my Big Wheel, looks like the long arm of the UCI extends to Zwift…
Saw two aliens out for a run among all spacesuits out for a jog, different.
yeah i saw an alien in watopia
Been using Zwift for a few years now and this is the first time I was able to ride the Hot Wheels. So enjoyable. Especially since my main bike is a Catrike Expedition, which is a three wheel tadpole style recumbent bike. Wish it was an in game skin/bike I could use my drops on.
Hated it. Stopped trying to ride immediately.
All you had to do was end your ride and start a new one and it reverted to everyone in normal bikes.
And how is one supposed to know that?
Loved the Big Wheels. Great change of pace to look at. Loved how they went up on 2 wheels around sharp bends even though it was the inside wheels instead of the outside wheels. Super cool if we could drift them haha
I saw someone on a trike during a TOW stage yesterday and I was immensely jealous.
As a triker IRL (never rode a normal bike) I would love to be able to ride a trike in Zwift as well. I see it’s technically possible and I have 20 millions drop, how much is it going to cost me? 🙂
Not for me I’m afraid very distracting 🙁
Wife and I laughed watching our heads bobble side to side.
fun but the dynamics seemed off. i got passed a few times but trikes at much lower w/kg. maybe that was part of the April Fool’s fun?
For next years April Fools day shenanigans, I’d like to see zwifters all riding unicycles.