From the editor: now that April 1 has passed, we’re adding a note here to let you know that yes, this was an April Fools’ Day post. But we’re keeping it up posterity… and because we think it’s fun.
Watopia’s Fuego Flats desert is the fastest ride in Zwift thanks to its long, flat stretches of pavement. But Zwift knows there are more important things than speed, and they’re always working to stay on top of cycling trends.
So it was no surprise today when Zwift announced their latest road construction (or in this case, deconstruction) project: swapping out Fuego Flats’ smooth tarmac for chunky, slower-rolling gravel.
Zwift CEO and Co-Founder Eric Min, clearly excited about the development, explained, “There aren’t many gravel roads in my part of the UK, and living in New York city’s concrete jungle didn’t give me access to them either. So I’m thrilled at the prospect of experiencing more gravel in Watopia!”
Tests and Trends
Zwift had tested the new gravel roads in stage 4 of Tour of Watopia, and Zwifters clearly enjoyed the ride, turning out in huge numbers to ride repeated loops of the new Handful of Gravel route. Apart from a few complaints about Neo’s road feel on the new surface (which Zwift says will be addressed soon), Zwifters seemed happy with the new gravel experience.
Gravel riding has grown hugely popular outdoors, especially in the US where races like UNBOUND Gravel and the Belgian Waffle Ride attract thousands of participants annually. As more riders choose to trade car-filled highways for quiet gravel IRL, Zwift is betting they’ll want to do the same virtually. In fact, Zwift’s March update included the Garmin UNBOUND Gravel Training Program which launches the week of April 11th.
Here’s a video snippet of the new road surface through the town of Saddle Springs:
Return To Roots
It’s not all about trends, though. Gravel is really what Fuego Flats was meant to be.
“Fuego Flats was actually modeled after California’s Death Valley,” explained Jon Mayfield, Co-Founder of Zwift and original developer of the game. “I only paved it because I wanted a fast place to ride my 2am virtual TTs. But here a few years later, it makes sense to swap out that tarmac for the gravel Death Valley is known for.”
Slowing to Smell the Roses
Discerning Zwifters know that each road surface rolls differently in game, with gravel rolling resistance (Crr) being higher than tarmac. That means this swap from pavement to gravel will slow Zwifters down on popular routes like Tempus Fugit and Tick Tock.
Lead Game Designer Wes Salmon acknowledged that some Zwifters may not like the slower virtual speeds. (It may prove especially irksome to the C. Cadence cruisers who like to sit in with the pace partner and rack up lots of easy miles in the draft of a large peloton.) “But training isn’t all about mileage,” explained Wes. “We think the journey itself is the most important part of the Zwift experience – especially the sites we see and friends we meet along the way. Just keep turning those pedals over. You’ll get their zoon enough.”
This view was echoed by Mark Cote, Zwift’s Senior Director of Content Programming. He told us, “It’s a hectic world out there, and studies show there are real health benefits to slowing down and waving to friends and elusive roadrunners a bit more often. We think these new gravel roads will help Zwifters do just that.”
Questions or Comments
What do you think of Zwift’s road swap? Is gravel better than tarmac? Share your thoughts below!
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