Zwift launched Gravel Mountain back in April, but quickly pulled it due to a buggy race experience. Zwifters have been wondering when it would return, and the answer is: last week! Zwift Labs events have been set up, allowing riders to test the updated map. Read on for details…
Races
Friday Night Fun Races are being held on the Red Rock Loop and Red Rock Loop Reverse routes, with six different time slots to choose from. These events have been set up by Zwift’s James Bailey, so you may encounter silly stuff like dino suits or forced bikes.
These races use the “Boost” powerup, which delivers a burst of speed. Additionally, it sounds like some of the races will be held on the arcade version of the circuit, which requires steering and includes boosts and hazard pads, similar to the arcade version of Crit City.
See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/fridaynightfunrace >
Pacer Rides
Don’t want to race, but want to check out Gravel Mountain? James has also set up some “paced rides” with RoboPacers at four different paces:
- Coco – 2.6w/kg
- Maria – 2.2w/kg
- Miguel – 1.8w/kg
- Bernie – 1.5w/kg
See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/gmpacer >
Speed Tests
Some Zwifters have asked what surface is used on Gravel Mountain, since it appears to be dirt, but less dusty than the Jungle. The surface is in fact, dirt (in terms of Crr), but with the dust and camera shake reduced for an improved experience.
So which bike is fastest in Gravel Mountain? I tested three top bikes, one in each category. Here are the lap times at 4 W/kg:
- Gravel Bike – Cannondale SuperX LAB71 with Roval Terra Aero CLX wheels – 4:13
- MTB – Spark RC World Cup – 4:23
- Road Bike – Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL9 with Princeton CarbonWorks Wake 6560 wheels – 4:31
What’s Different?
Zwift says they’ve fixed the bugs reported when Gravel Mountain was released back in April. That includes avatars bouncing on screen, erratic left/right movements and acceleration, riding through rocks, and a lack of rider placings. Most notably, though, Zwift has reduced the “visual speed” from 2.5x faster than normal to 2x.
This “visual speed” (I’m not sure what else to call it, so I’m calling it that) is accomplished by scaling the GPS coordinates. This allows your actual recorded speeds to remain accurate, while changing the speed at which you pass through the on-screen environment. So you get accurate speeds, but a faster, more exciting experience.
You can see the effect of this GPS scaling by comparing the Red Rock Loop from back in March to the new, slightly slower loop. Here’s the older version – note the length, and its dimensions on the map:
Here’s the new version. Note the increased length and dimensions on the map compared to the map above.
We know Zwift is using a factor of 2x now because the map below is exactly 1/2 the size of the original Gravel Mountain segment.
Rider Videos
Curious what the revamped Gravel Mountain looks like? Here are videos from Zwifters recorded in recent days:
Your Feedback
Have you ridden/raced the updated Red Rock Loop yet? What do you think? Share your thoughts below!
Why don’t they just make a normal speed gravel experience? Gravel isn’t a hyper rush.
I totally agree! Simulation not arcade is what Zwift is all about.
Yeah, I hate it too, but my 15-year-old seems to love it, and I’m guessing he’s more or less the demographic they’re shooting for here.
It’s fine. I can just not do Gravel Mountain and absolutely nothing changes for me. Being mad about things you can completely avoid is a choice.
Well, they should allow creating accounts for 15 years old, in that case. And add a family subscription plan…
It seems like they are trying to make it harder to sit in the draft to avoid huge groups where everyone just sits in the draft and waits for the sprint.
From a gameplay perspective it is interesting and similar to actual gravel racing, but I am not a fan of the visual effect of the speed.
Making it look faster doesn’t make it better.
The acceleration still breaks the immersion. We’re used to visual cues matching physics, giving a sense of time gaps, draft, speed differential etc. Sure we’ve got HUD elements that tell us that information too but it just feels wrong.
The 2x speed is still awful. I’ll jump in one of the Rev races this week for long enough to get the route badge and then bounce. Until they just make this a normal world it’s DOA and everything they put into it is wasted effort.
Still too fast for my liking. Till 30km/h its kinda ok, but anything above that my eyes and brain dont work together and I am pretty sure this will lead to headackes or motion sickness.
and I dont see a point in acceleration to begin with. There is no tarmac so there is no speed difference. Just make it normal speed cause the world does look beautifull.
But if it will stay this way it will become a badge one time only world for me. Most likely with the monitor off.
Aww there’s “silly stuff”?!? Well I’m there for the silly. Just spent a fun 35 mins in a space suit with a hundred other people sharing bad space movie quotes. Keep it silly James!
Wow, I really hate that extra speed they added. Hope that goes away!
What is the desired effect of gravel for both zwifters and for the developers? Virtual gravel seems to be a lose/lose for both sides so far. What is the purpose?
What about the Red Rock Loop Arcade route? Do we know if that one is updated and available as well?
James said he will use the Arcade route somewhere in the upcomming weeks. Steering is needed for that one though.
Arcade events are scheduled for weds! I hope to hear/see how it is.
Speeding it up is total madness, I hope they remove it entirely.
I want to try it before I judge but doesn’t it seem a little too fast still? If it’s meant to be a standalone circuit for racing then sure – but the visual speed seems unnecessary… (?)
I just did the Friday Night Fun Race on the reverse route. Slightly over half way through I received a 200k drops bonus.
Did not see that in the other video’s, so there may be some other random surprises at times.
Really? That’s interesting. 200,000 Drops is a significant chunk of change!
Yep, can’t think of any other reason it would be. It showed 200.000 in blue letters on bottom of the screen. After that I noticed that I had over 592k drops. In the screenshot that was made at 7.5k into the race with 8k left I had 392k drops. And I’m only halfway through a level.
Unless there is another random special bonus that gives 200k drops, I can only think James Bailey spiced up this race a bit :).
No bonus drops in the 13:30 US East race
James Bailey tells me the indoor outdoor challenge was changed from awarding 100k drops to 200k. If that’s the case, that might explain your drops gift from Zwift, Bas.
My challenge still only shows 100000 drops, is everyone getting the extra or just new people who complete it?
It could be the indoor-outdoor challenge
When I got my indoor outdoor challenge drops I was really confused, too.
Just did the Friday Fun Race. Can’t say the extra speed got me very excited. The route isn’t like any gravel event I’ve ever taken part in, either. If you want it to feel speedy, throw some single-track in!
Will race organisers have the option of setting up events on Gravel Mountain that are running a 1.0x speed for a normal visual experience over a, effectively, longer course?
@Eric Schlange did you notice the thing with the “speed up” Power-Ups? They were issuing TWO power-ups to a rider at a single banner which the rider could then use individually at 2 points of their choosing. Is this something that is going to be made available as a functionality for Power-Ups in general do you know? It would be a lovely improvement for PUs in a range of events. Not as versatile as my personal desire for PU improvements, but would certainly be something race organisers could make great use of IF it becomes generally available
I think these boost power ups have been available for a while.
Ah, I’ve not seen it before (injury limited riding time for a while now), do you know if they’re in the Zwift Labs events only or whether this is something any race organiser can make use of already?
These power ups are the in-game version of Scotty doll farting in their effectiveness. I suspect the “2X” is for the races since I kept riding and rolled “normal” power ups next lap. FWIW and FYI…
No strong feelings either way on the speed, but I thought the course made for a good race. And the boost power ups were fun.
I rode one of James’ rides and it was great.Now to fix what happens when you ride an off-camber corner. Still it’s better than some of the other dirt sections where you feel like you are eating dust constantly. That’s not realistic.
Totally! The off-camber stuff in reality would have you down in the ditch at half the speed. I just closed my eyes after the first laps and pedaled harder.
Do we know if the draft effect is different on this route? To me it felt like there was less draft on this surface, but it may just be the change in speed that makes it more difficult to gauge and adjust your position relative to the riders ahead of you
Far as I know, the draft is the same.
I’m an Eric so I’m clearly smart😁 But I’m not an Eric with your knowledge. That said, the delta between me and 🦖 in front of me was the same as anywhere else. Tl;dr “Dumb Eric confirms Smart Eric”❤️🚲
The draft is less effective, but only because it’s a dirt surface so you’re actually going slower than usual. The sped up visuals and stretched visual distance between riders makes it hard to judge.
The delta in w/kg was the same as anywhere else.
So who in Zwift is insisting that the speed on gravel racing should be 2X faster than normal? Did they get that idea from super Mario kart? Leave it at normal speed, keep it SIM and stop this nonsense gamified ideas!
Just did the reverse route for badge #261. Still unbearable. It can stay dead IMHO.
I just did the 1 PM EST Gravel Mountain robopacer ride, but did not see any of the robopacers at all during the 13 miles I completed over the hour long max duration (I quit the event early to save my legs for outdoors cycling tomorrow). The RPs were definitely not in the start pen!
My 2 cents on the Gravel Mountain world: It certainly is visually stunning, the next best thing to come out after Makuri Islands, but because it’s small and the only course is a loop, it is going to get boring real fast (unles you’re racing). I wasn’t impressed with the 2X acceleration – is it really necessary? To me it felt like being on a continuous downhill like the ones I did last year IRL on UnPAved. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with peleton coming out of the start pen getting stretched out ultra fast, but I found myself alone or in very small groups of 2-4 riders PDQ. Unless I see more changes I am considering the Gravel Mountain world a “one and done” for the route badge and bonus XP.
James from ZHQ did get a lot of good feedback though during the event. My suggestion, a lap counter like the we currently have on the Volcano Circuit in Watopia, was accepted. Another idea I have would be a portal from either Fuego Flats or better yet, the Mayan Jungle, in Watopia direct into Gravel Mountain.
Lap counter YES. AND I want my orange jersey for fast lap 🏎️ 🤓🚲❤️
One thing I found interesting is that you are straight up and down but the road has a negative camber.Hsving ridden on roads like that in real life it felt weird and should require a tremendous amount of steering input just to stay on course.
However, James’ strange sense of humor with the fat heads as fun.i hope he decides to do a big wheels ride and make an announcement before doing so.
I think the costumes are randomized or something like that. In my race (1.5hrs ago) we were all dinos on BMX bikes.
I wish they would test it at least once before launching it!
For example, how long do you believe the Friday Night Fun Race is?
…And when you cross the finish line, you have 220m left! 😂
That extra 220m cost me victory on Zwiftpower last friday. It’s always good fun laughing at riders cheering too early, but now the joke was on me 🙂
Other than that, the race experience was spot on if you ask me. The double boost power-up shook things up, and combined with the increased speed keeps you at your toes all the time.
Perhaps some take these little races a bit too seriously. But come on! Dino’s on a BMX with power ups: that’s a fun race!
I wish they would test it at least once before launching it!
For example, how long do you believe the Friday Night Fun Race is?
Zwiftpower says 6 laps, 12km.
The in-game distance says 15km.
Zwiftpower live says 31km.
Sauce for Zwift says 31.20km.
…And when you cross the finish line, you have 220m left! 😂
Pro tip: TRY to like something. Everyone wants new roads and everyone yaps at the new roads. 🤷♂️ Go try MyWoosh and you will beg to ride Red Rocks. Racing it was fun and it probably makes a good interval loop behind a robopacer. I’ll go back on a gravel bike and not in a 🦖 suit on a BMX and try it before I crap all over it…for no reason
I rode Red Rock Reverse today, and I was by myself so I put the game in spectator view. Occasionally, the view would dip *below* the road. It was like the route was floating in the air with another world below it.
For those is different time zones i.e Australia and missed these events, is there a way that we can ride gravel mountain?
Not sure why everyone is complaining about the idea of this course (the fact that it’s faster).
It’s one course, they’re not going to be apply this to the hundreds of other KMs (or miles) through Zwift.
It’s just another type of ride/race, that we can choose to participate in, or not.
Personally, I raced it when it first came out, and yes there were quite a few bugs (like one where you had no idea what position you were in), but it was different, and it was fast (not talking about the visuals). And it was made for steering (for those that have it).
Someone here said “Simulation not arcade is what Zwift is all about.”. Really? Have you seen the power ups? They also have the arcade routes too.
Zwift isn’t out to make the most realistic experience, they are out to attract the most people, which a LOT of them don’t take it all too seriously.