Several weeks back, I got pipped at the line in a Zwift Games race by one Samuel Huntington. As it turns out, our meeting was serendipitous, and Sam reached out via a Strava comment to invite me onto his Hill Climbers podcast.
Hill Climbers is a newish, interview-style podcast featuring “stories of business and culture from cycling-centric folk.” Watch our interview below to learn about my origin story and where I think Zwift racing is heading, and check out the Hill Climbers website or Spotify for more episodes.
Episode Summary
Eric Schlange is one of the most well-known Zwift riders on the platform, and he comes to the notoriety honestly. When Eric started Zwifting in 2015, the veteran webmaster immediately identified a need for a Zwift knowledge base to address the nuances of riding in the brave new virtual world. Exponential traffic growth led to an official Zwift sponsorship, cementing Zwift Insider’s credibility.
This story does not entail scale-at-all-costs entrepreneurship. Instead, it is one of a self-professed community builder who understands the need, power, and commercial value of niche online hubs. In fact, Zwift Insider was not Eric’s first rodeo – that was www.banjohangout.org – THE banjo enthusiast destination for more than 20 years!
Sure enough, Eric is exactly the kind of guy you’d hope to be riding and racing with on the platform: friendly, witty, competitive, and resourceful. He demonstrates the core values and class of a true esport ambassador and this interview reflects his passion and ability to articulate both soft and hard reasons that Zwift earns precious hours of devotee training.
This interview covers Zwift Insider’s adolescence before organized platform racing, broad usership data, and a taste of the product roadmap, with Eric’s insider insight and stories sprinkled throughout. You would be so lucky to race alongside Eric in Watopia, Richmond, or Glasgow. RIDE ON!Â
