Last week The Grade, an all-new climb in Watopia with the functionality to calculate your FTP, was launched on Zwift. Hear everything the community has to say about this new expansion.
Five Tips for Success on The Grade // Preview of the New Zwift Road!
Shane Miller, GPLama, shares his five tips for doing your best on The Grade.
The Grade FTP Test First Look: Zwift’s Watopia Expansion
Prior to public release, Nathan and Gabriela Guerra of Zwift Community Live teamed up with Eric from Zwift Insider to give Zwifters a first look at The Grade. Watch as the three of them tackle a brutal FTP test!
Ride The Grade: 5 Things to Know About Zwift’s The Grade Expansion
Tariq Ali from Smart Bike Trainers shares 5 things riders should know about The Grade. He covers how to access The Grade, its functionalities, and more.
Zwift Game Update 1.67 // New Roads // The Grade // Llamas! 🦙
Also from Shane Miller is a video sharing more details about the new routes included with the release of The Grade in v1.67.
The Grade FTP Test – Zwift Sneak Peak Livestream
Watch Zwift Insider’s Eric Schlange tackle The Grade alongside Nathan and Gabriela Guerra.
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Note: if you purchase Zwift Ride via the links above, Zwift Insider will be paid an affiliate commission by Zwift or Wahoo. Thanks for your support!
In December 2021, Zwift teased an indoor smart bike concept by releasing a survey to Zwifters. That bike, designed to look like a real-life Tron bike, was appealing… but also expensive.
Less than 6 months later, it was scrapped (or so we thought) when Zwift announced a pause on hardware development as they dealt with the topsy-turvey realities of an indoor cycling market emerging from Covid craziness.
A year and a half later (January 2024), I got a message from Zwift CEO and co-founder Eric Min inviting me to his home in Southern California to discuss all things Zwift and get a peek at some new Zwift hardware. That’s where I first saw the Zwift Ride.
It was a super-clean setup in Eric Min’s master bedroom. I was immediately impressed by its “real bike” look and intuitive controls. However, I was most impressed by the potential of the frame working with a variety of existing smart trainers.
This is genius, I thought. It’s two useful products in one. And it’s affordable.
In late April 2024, I picked up a review unit from Zwift HQ in Long Beach. Wrapped in black plastic for ultimate secrecy, I drove it up to my home in Northern California, set it up, and went to work.
What you see below is the result of six weeks of heavy use and research. My goal here is to give you a full picture of the Zwift Ride… so let’s go!
Detailed Specifications
There are lots of partial Zwift Ride spec sheets floating around. I’ve tried to consolidate all of that info into one mega list:
Rider Fit Specs
Rider Fit Range:
5’-6’6” (152–198cm)
Saddle Height Min-Max:
61cm-87cm
Reach Min-Max:
39cm-51cm
Bar Height Min-Max:
60cm-76cm (center bottom bracket to bars)
Stepover Height:
30″ (76cm)
Max Rider Weight:
265 lbs/120 kg
Crank Length:
170mm
Q-Factor
150mm
Saddle:
160mm W x 245mm L grooved
Product Dimensions and Frame Specs
Product Dimensions:
53.5 in L x 23 in W
Product Weight:
78 lbs. (frame + trainer)
Drivetrain:
Chain (KMC Z1 Single Speed Narrow 3/32″)
Chainring
42T
Pedals:
Flats included (or install your own)
Rear Dropout
142mm Thru-Axle
Frame Material
Steel
Crank Material
Aluminum
Crank Design
Non-standard square taper
Additional Handlebar Specs
Handlebar Material
Aluminum
Handlebar Dimensions:
16.5″/42 cm (center to center width) width, 31.8mm clamp, 12.5cm drop, 7cm reach
LED indicator lights confirm the trainer and handlebars are powered, connected, and transmitting via Bluetooth.
Speed, distance, cadence, and power are wirelessly transmitted.
In-game shifting, steering and UI control via handlebars are wirelessly transmitted.
Additional Features
Magnet-mounted Zwift Key performs all adjustments/installation
Built-in handlebar accessory holder
Two drop-in style bottle cages includes
Optional tablet mount available
Unboxing and Setup
Unboxing
The full Zwift Ride setup will arrive in three boxes: for the frame/seat, handlebars/accessories, and the trainer. Like other reviewers I already had a Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One, so Zwift just gave me the first two boxes:
Zwift puts a lot of effort into creating user-friendly unboxing experiences (see: Zwift Hub), and that care is clear with Zwift Ride. The frame is sizeable and weighty (it’s steel, after all), but unboxing it is easy because you simply remove the main portion of the box by pulling it upward, leaving the base intact, with the frame at your fingertips. (Also included: a step-by-step instruction booklet and QR code links to setup videos.)
Assembly and Setup
Here’s my step-by-step assembly process, which took around 15 minutes to complete:
Open both boxes and remove contents
Install the frame on the trainer:
Hang the frame on trainer, made easy by ridges above the dropouts
Install the thru-axle using the Zwift Key (the axle threads in from the drive side – Zwift did this on purpose, so your setup work is all on one side)
Loop chain over ZCog teeth, then flip up the orange chain tensioner
Install seatpost (saddle comes already attached)
Install handlebars
Install pedals
Update controller firmware via Zwift Companion
Unattached frame sitting on its dropoutsA drive-side thru axle!Chain tensioner engaged
For the most part, assembly was intuitive and quick. The only time I looked at the manual was when I installed the handlebars because I wanted to make sure I did it correctly. (The bar assembly isn’t like anything I’d seen before):
First, remove the end capThen slide the bars inThen replace the end cap
It may seem odd, but the included “Zwift Key” is one of my favorite Zwift Ride features. It’s the only tool you need for setting up and adjusting the Zwift Ride, and it stays connected to the underside of the top tube with a satisfying magnetic attachment. (The underside of the key fittingly proclaims “Sweat the details.”)
Once everything was pieced together, I needed to adjust frame to fit me. I had already taken measurements off my normal bike setup, so I just transferred those over to the Ride. Easy peasy. Zwift Key to the rescue!
Ride Experience
Original KICKR CORE setupKICKR v6 setup, with rocker plate!
After assembling the unit and dialing in my fit, I swapped out the flat pedals for my Assioma Duos and went for a ride on Zwift. Some first impressions:
The frame is very stable. It’s a steel frame attached to a stable trainer via a thru-axle, and the single front “leg”, while it may look unstable, has a larger footprint than your front tire. No stability issues whatsoever.
Drive train noise from the chain/ZCog has been greatly reduced from the original ZCog setup I tested with multiple standard 11 and 12-speed chains. Clearly Zwift has optimized this updated ZCog for the chain used on The Ride. The updated cog is visibly different, with teeth that are less “pointy”. It’s still a bit louder than a dialed-in chain/cassette combo, but not markedly so. Once my fan is turned on, I don’t notice the difference.
The shorter crank length was noticeable, but also felt perfectly fine. I run 172.5 cranks on my other setups, so 170mm felt, well… shorter! But 2.5mm is a small difference.
The updated, integrated Play-style controllers are much improved over the original Plays (more on that below).
The included saddle was decent – I like it a lot more than the saddle that ships with Wahoo’s smart bikes, for instance. But I’m still partial to my Specialized Power saddles, so I swapped it out after a few rides.
The accessory holder on the bars blocks my fan. As a dude who overheats easily, I have to pay attention to air movement and climate control in my harder Zwift sessions. I have a Wahoo Headwind centered just a few inches in front of my bike, but the accessory holder blocks a lot of the Headwind’s air from hitting my head. The only way around this, with my particular setup, would be to move the Headwind off-center, or add another fan. (If your setup has a fan further ahead of your bike, you probably won’t even notice any air being blocked.)
My inner thighs rubbed on the extra-wide seatpost just a bit. Not the end of the world, but I found it annoying. Zwift Ride’s seatpost is around 38mm wide, compared to a standard round seatpost which is ~27mm across. If you’re like me and lack the impressive thigh gap of a thinner rider, you may find you want to slide the saddle forward a bit to reduce contact with the seat post.
Once I had Zwift Ride set up to my liking, it felt like… well, like riding a bike on Zwift!
The most noticeable difference over my typical Zwift setup is the handlebar controllers. Zwift isn’t calling these “Play” controllers, but basically they’re an updated, expanded version of Zwift Play, designed to be mounted onto a bar that doesn’t already have standard hood/levers installed.
These updated controllers have all the buttons of Plays, with some additions: there’s a new orange button at the bottom of the “lever”, and the single shifting button (just above that orange button, on the outside of the lever) has become two buttons.
By default, the orange button on the left does the group Ride On/return a Ride On, just like the Z button on the right keypad. The orange button on the right controller activates your powerup, just like the Y button on the right keypad. These actions can be swapped in settings, but Zwift also told me they may make these configurable in the future. For now, I find both of those orange buttons to be quite useful. I’ve been tapping that left button and handing out a lot of Ride Ons lately!
The up/down buttons on both controllers handle virtual shifting. With these updated controllers, Zwift is adding the ability to choose from various shifting schemes. You’ve got the standard 24-speed sequential shifting that Play users already have, but you’ve also got SRAM and Shimano-style options! I tried both SRAM and Shimano style, but in the end went back to sequential because it’s just so simple and easy.
Drop Button configGear Range configShift Style config
Lastly, Zwift is adding gear range options with the Zwift Ride. You can choose between four, but Zwift may change this:
Mixed Terrain (1×24)
Flat (53/39, 10-28)
All-Arounder (48/35, 10-33)
Climbing (43/30, 10-36)
After trying all four, I stuck with the mixed terrain option, but you could certainly come really close to emulating your outdoor mechanical drivetrain by choosing one of the other three options and using SRAM or Shimano-style shifting.
Please note that button actions, shift style options, and gear ranges could all be changed by Zwift at any point in the future. What I’ve documented above shows how they’re working on the pre-release game versions I tested.
The new controllers’ design is more ergonomic than the Plays, too – which makes sense. The Plays had to be designed to work with existing brake hood/lever assemblies, so compromises had to be made. In contrast, these new controllers fit my hands nicely, have a longer “lever” so they can be reached in the drops, and are mounted rock-solid, not moving a bit when you press a button.
(I do wonder if the long “lever” is a bit too long for someone with smaller hands, as I have large hands and they fit just right, with the orange bottom button lining up with my fingertips nicely. But a slight twist of the wrist would allow even a shorter hand to reach further down if needed, I suppose.)
Beyond discussion of the updated controllers, there isn’t much more to talk about for ride experience, since the rest of Zwift Ride – the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One trainer – is already a known entity. It’s quiet. It’s accurate within +-2%. It auto-calibrates. It just works.
Pricing and Availability
Zwift Ride With KICKR CORE will begin shipping June 26 to the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia.
What indoor cycling platforms can be used with Zwift Ride? That’s a more complex question to answer. At this time, the answer is, effectively, only Zwift. No other platform supports Zwift’s virtual shifting protocol, which is required in order to shift using Zwift Ride. Without it, you’re riding a single-speed bike.
Now, with that said, it’s actually true that Zwift Ride would work great on any platform where you’re using only Erg mode. So TrainerRoad + Zwift Ride would work great. Also, IndieVelo supports virtual gearing, which in theory makes Zwift Ride usable as long as you are willing to use your keyboard for shifting.
Will the competition (Rouvy, MyWhoosh, IndieVelo, etc) ever implement Zwift’s virtual shifting protocol? It seems like that would be a smart move on the competition’s part. But Zwift would have to release that protocol first, and it’s not entirely clear that’s going to happen.
Apple TV Note
It’s important to note that if you’re using Apple TV, you can pair your trainer plus the Zwift Ride handlebar controllers plus a heart rate monitor directly to Apple TV, with no need to use Zwift’s Companion app as a bridge. But only if you connect to the trainer via WiFi! Read more here.
This is different from the experience Zwifters have when using the standalone Play Controllers, which take up more Bluetooth connections than the newer controllers on the Zwift Ride, thus requiring you to use the Companion app as a bridge if you want to pair your smart trainer (via WiFi or Bluetooth), HRM, and the Play Controllers.
Feature Comparison
Rather than show a giant table comparing Zwift Ride features to other smart bikes, I thought I would just call out the high points. (If you want such a table, check out DC Rainmaker’s article.)
There are basically four smart bikes on the market today competing against the Zwift Ride. The “Big Four” are the Wahoo KICKR Bike v2 ($3,999), Wahoo KICKR Bike Shift ($2,999), Tacx NEO Bike Plus ($3,999), and Wattbike Atom ($2,599). Zwift Ride offers many of the same capabilities/features as these bikes, but here are some key comparisons:
Adjustability: the win goes to the Big 4 in terms of sheer numbers of adjustment points, only because they offer more fore/aft adjustment of the saddle. But – and this is a detail worth knowing – just because you have an adjustment point doesn’t mean it works well. Wahoo’s KICKR Bike, for example, is famous for breaking quick-release levers when adjusting bar or saddle height. Zwift Ride’s adjustment points are stable, so Zwift gets a nod there.
Power Accuracy: this depends on which trainer you pair the Zwift Ride Smart Frame with, of course. For now, you only have the Wahoo KICKR CORE option, which means you get +/-2% accuracy, which is bested by Wahoo and Tacx’s bikes at +/-1%. But I’ve got the frame installed on my Wahoo KICKR v6, which gives me +/-1% accuracy (plus WiFi connectivity and race mode).
Max Wattage/Incline: again, it depends on your trainer. Paired with the KICKR CORE, Zwift Ride loses to the Big Four, since it can only do 1800W vs their 2200W (Wattbike can do 2500W). This directly impacts max incline, of course, so Zwift Ride can do 16%, while the others can do 20-25%. (I would argue 1800W is more than enough for the vast majority of riders – see this post for more on that topic.)
Crank Length Options: Zwift Ride and Wattbike are stuck at 170mm, while Wahoo and Tacx take the win by offering multiple options with their “bear claw” cranks. (It’s a functionality win, at least. But I do prefer the clean look of a standard crank like Zwift Ride and Wattbike offer.)
Zwift Button Integration: no surprise here, Zwift Ride wins big time. Some of the competitors have some integration (Wahoo has steering buttons, for example) but nobody comes close to what Zwift Ride’s controllers offer.
Bike Tilt/Climbing: this is a premium feature only available on Wahoo’s top-tier bike. Zwift Ride and the other three competitors don’t have it.
Zwift Ride is priced well below the Big Four, so you would expect it to be edged out in a feature comparison. The question is, how important are those features to potential buyers?
Target Market
While reviewers seem quite impressed with Zwift Ride, early comments from Zwifters have been mixed. Many are clearly interested in purchasing Zwift Ride. But some question whether it’s a smart bike at all, while others say it’s pricey compared to building up a basic roadworthy bike for indoor use. Some have expressed concern with locking themselves into the Zwift platform, while others have complained that it doesn’t offer more advanced features like Wahoo-style physical gradient changes, handlebar width adjustment (what an odd thing to request), or a built-in fan.
I believe Zwift has two key customers in mind with Zwift Ride:
The new Zwifter who wants a clean and simple setup
Current Zwifters who only have one bike, and would love to have an always-ready indoor setup
The genius of Zwift Ride is that it functions like two different products, for two different customers. It’s a fundamental redefining of the smart bike.
With Zwift Ride, new Zwifters now have access to an affordable setup that delivers a top-notch Zwifting experience. You may argue that higher-end trainers or smart bikes offer a better experience, but much like the Zwift Hub when it was released, the truth is that Zwift Ride delivers everything needed for the vast majority of Zwifters: direct-drive feel, the convenience of virtual shifting, an adjustable (and thus shareable) frame, etc. And it does it all in a simple setup that doesn’t require a new Zwifter to spec out a trainer and purchase a bike.
(You may think that’s not a big deal, but it’s a huge pain point for Zwift. Getting set up for Zwift is a big, expensive hassle if you’re not technically inclined, and Zwift knows that keeps riders off the platform.)
What about the second customer type: current Zwifters who only have one bike? Many Zwifters have one road bike and swap it on and off of their trainer as they alternate riding outdoors and indoors. This hassle leads to wasted time and less riding, but riders have a hard time justifying buying a bike just for indoor use. What if an indoor-only frame was available for a reasonable price? Suddenly, that always-available indoor setup seems attainable.
Zwift is going to sell a lot of these frames in the fall. Especially if Wahoo releases firmware updates to support virtual shifting on v4 and v5 KICKRs!
Closing Thoughts
Zwift’s stated goal is to get more people more active more often, and Zwift Ride is a smart move in that direction. It may get pipped at the line in a feature-by-feature comparison with the competition, but only because it does exactly what it needs to do: deliver a quality Zwifting experience at a fraction of the current market price.
And it looks good doing it. Yes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but for me, Zwift Ride’s “real bike” look is far more appealing than the offerings from Wahoo, Tacx, and Wattbike.
In the end, this is a good-looking, super-functional Zwift setup that’s easy for anyone to purchase, set up, and use. All for $1,299US. That’s a big deal. And no small achievement on Zwift’s part.
Zwift Ride expands what a “smart bike” can be. And it will force the competition to become more price-competitive as well. It’ll be interesting to watch things unfold in the coming months.
More Reviews (Videos)
As usual, Zwift supplied early-release sample units to key YouTube cycling influencers (Zwinfluencers?) for review. Here they are, in case you’re looking for additional perspectives:
Shane Miller/GPlama
DC Rainmaker
DesFit
Tariq (Smart Bike Trainers)
Questions or Comments
What are your thoughts on Zwift Ride? Will it be a big hit, a miss, or somewhere in between? Which features impress you, and which features do not? Share your thoughts below!
How did you get into cycling? I guess I cycled on a TT bike through Triathlon, but my intro to cycling was through Zwift.
How many years have you been racing on Zwift? 5 years
Are you part of a Virtual team? Yes, Team RIOT (community) and Team Saris (elite)
What do you love most about racing? The chat on Discord!
What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? Used to be points race but I am really digging scratch races these days.
What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? My favourite race series is the WTRL Zwift Racing League, it’s not woman specific but they do have women’s only races. We’ve raced this for 4 years now and it’s amazing.
What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? It would have to be our clutch race at the end of 2023 WTRL season where we needed to win the race to win the league, we were up against 2024, so it was a hard task. The team just all seemed on fire, it was a points race on Eastern Eight in Watopia and I just remember Jacque Godbe going ALL IN for the Fuego Flats TT segment FTS, she got it too, amazing! We were so fired up in this race and it was a complete team performance.
What is your favourite food to eat post race? I’m usually running to school pickup (literally running) so tbh have a really quick pre-made smoothie. After Triathlon races, where I have a bit more time, my fav would be fish and chips, preferably from a pub.
What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Don’t worry about it too much! We all tend to get a bit of pre-race anxiety and nerves, but remembering that it is for fun and with friends is so important. Also – be on Discord, it makes the suffering so much more manageable when you can chat to buddies.
Any upcoming race are you looking forward to? About to have shoulder surgery actually so just really enjoying group rides and the Big Spin at the moment!
Zwift is hosting lots of special events this weekend! We’ve got a crazy-long gravel race plus lots of new Watopia roads to ride, along with our usual crop of quality community rides and races. See our picks below…
Look, we’ll just say it: this event is crazy. 250km of racing on Watopia’s The Big Ring… on gravel bikes! This is the Zwift version of The Munga, one of the toughest IRL races in the world.
Signup numbers are already strong (y’all are crazy) and categories are based on your UCI Age Category. Make sure you read the event details so you know which category to join.
Zwift’s popular Women’s Racing Series is in its seventh week, and Saturday is your last chance to finish week 7’s stage. It’s a points race on Makuri Islands’ The Muckle Yin. This is a complex route with lots of points segments, so you’ll want to study the route beforehand so you can maximize your points result!
Zwift released a Watopia expansion this week, and has asked community event organizers to help launch the expansion by hosting rides and races on the new routes! There are lots of events planned on the new routes, and you can browse them all at the link below. Find one that fits your schedule and pace goals, and knock out that new route badge with some friends!
One thing that makes this week’s Watopia expansion extra interesting is the inclusion of The Grade – a KOM segment that doubles as an FTP test! Want to take it on? There are several community rides this weekend on routes that include The Grade, but this ride from ZZRC seems like the one that may work best for most people. It’s on the new Peak Performance route, giving you a nice long warmup (23km of rolling terrain) before The Grade.
Looking for a long social ride? SZR’s long-running Endurance Ride offers three different experiences that vary in length (100 to 161km), route, and pace. Choose the category that suits you best, then follow the ride leader’s instructions! You can even join the crew on Discord to pass the time with voice chat.
We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:
Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
Is it for a good cause?
Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?
In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!
Note: if you purchase Zwift Ride via the links above, Zwift Insider will be paid an affiliate commission by Zwift or Wahoo. Thanks for your support!
Today, Zwift unveiled Zwift Ride: an “always-ready, complete indoor cycling setup ready to unlock the full Zwift experience.”
I’ve had a Zwift Ride setup here in the lab since early May, and you’ll see a full review published here on Zwift Insider this week. For now, let’s show some photos and discuss key Zwift Ride features as announced in today’s press release!
What It Is, and Why It’s Special
Zwift Ride is a smart bike setup, but it’s wholly different from other smart bikes on the market today in two ways.
First, the frame (Zwift calls it the “Zwift Ride Smart Frame”) is compatible with any trainer that supports virtual shifting. Yes, you can purchase Zwift Ride as a full package with a trainer. In fact, that’s the only way you can purchase it, for now. But eventually – and this is important – the frame will be sold as a standalone item which you can mount on your trainer, provided you also purchase a Zwift Cog and your trainer supports Zwift’s virtual shifting. (Currently compatible trainers include the Zwift Hub, Wahoo KICKR Core, Wahoo KICKR v6, and Wahoo KICKR Move.)
Zwift Ride is initially selling as a complete package combining the Zwift Ride Smart Frame and a Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One trainer. Starting this fall, the Zwift Ride Smart Frame will also be sold as a standalone item.
What a video intro from Zwift:
Pricing, Availability, and Timing
Zwift Ride With KICKR CORE will begin shipping June 26 to the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia.
Zwift Ride was clearly designed with simplicity and affordability in mind. Virtual shifting pulls a lot of the weight here, since it takes away the hassle of dialing in mechanical shifting while also reducing cost since it removes shifting hardware and chainrings/cassette from the package.
But it’s also easy on the eyes! While the single front leg makes it clear this is an indoor-only proposition, it has the overall lines of a modern road racing frame.
Key features and specifications include:
Adjustability: saddle height, bar height, and reach
Integrated Zwift Key tool handles all necessary adjustments and is securely stored in top tube
Rider size range: 5′ (152cm) to 6′ 6″ (198cm)
Cranks: 170mm
Integrated dual control pads (similar to Zwift Play) for virtual shifting, steering, and more
Virtual shifting: instant, silent, customizable
Selectable shifting styles: Shimano, SRAM, or sequential
Two easy-access drop-in bottle cages
Thru-axle frame mounting
Sturdy single-speed bike chain
Flat pedals included
Rubber nonslip handlebar tray for phone/food/towel etc
Chain tensioner makes it easy to remove Smart Frame from trainer if necessary
As mentioned above, I’ve had a Zwift Ride here in the Zwift Insider Lab for several weeks. I’ve been putting it through its paces, testing it with a Zwift Hub, KICKR Core, and KICKR v6 trainer… sometimes on a rocker plate!
It’s worked like a charm, handling everything I can throw at it. It’s a bit early to be making predictions, but I’m going to come out and say Zwift Ride is going to further revolutionize the indoor cycling market by doing to smart bikes what Zwift Hub did to smart trainers: lower barriers to entry so more riders enjoy a top-notch Zwifting experience.
Additionally, once the frame becomes available as a standalone product, I predict many established Zwifters will buy one so they can have an always-ready indoor setup without moving their outdoor bike on and off the trainer.
Zwift version 1.67 begins its phased rollout today. This much-anticipated update brings a Watopia expansion that adds two new major road sections off the southern coast road, including The Grade which functions as an in-game FTP test!
Get all the details below…
Watopia Expansion: New Roads
Start of The GradeClimbing The GradeWaterfalls halfway up The GradeEach of The Grade’s 10 segments is numbered on the roadFinishing The Grade, with FTP detection signIntersection of Epic KOM and The Grade roadsIntersection of new roads near the JungleFinishing Mayan Mountainside KOMWe have llamas!
Two new sections of road have been added, climbing up from Watopia’s southern coast road toward the Epic KOM’s snowy heights. One section, known as “The Grade”, begins in Ciudad La Cumbre (“Summit City”) and heads straight up the mountain, joining the Epic KOM forward climb road just after the tunnel section.
The other new road section section branches off of The Grade halfway up its climb, traveling to the left and descending down to the southern coast road just before it connects to the Mayan Jungle loop.
Along with those major road additions, Zwift has also added a new set of start pens on the beach at Ciudad La Cumbre, and a turnaround near the Sasquatch Sprint.
Watopia Expansion: New Routes
This expansion includes 8 new free-ridable routes and 3 event-only routes. We’ll add details to our route pages for these routes in the coming days.
All 11 new routes include route achievement badges with XP bonuses attached the first time you complete the route:
11 new Watopia route badges
Watopia Expansion: New KOM Segments
Four new timed climb segments are included in this expansion. Three are on the new routes, but the fourth is on the Radio Tower KOM atop the Epic KOM… a long-awaited official segment!
The new “The Grade” KOM segment functions as a brand-new way to do an FTP test on Zwift. It may be, as one Zwift employee told us, “The easiest way to do the hardest thing on Zwift.”
Instead of your FTP test being a structured workout, or letting Zwift detect your FTP based on your 20-minute power, you can hammer your way up The Grade and Zwift will detect FTP based on your time and average power over the segment.
Zwift didn’t mention this in their update notes, but today’s update includes a refresh to the Epic KOM biome. This includes new ice elements, rocks, various frozen assets, and refreshed terrain work.
A new lake is visible in the basinIntersection of Epic KOM and The Grade roadsNear the top of the Epic KOM
If you’re chasing a PR on the Epic KOM forward or reverse, be warned: Zwift changed the road surface from tarmac to ice/snow on the upper portion of the climb, which increases the Crr thus reducing your speed. We tested to confirm: at 4 W/kg, our test bot climbed the Epic KOM forward 28 seconds slower on the updated roads, while the Epic KOM Reverse was 27 seconds slower.
June 12, 2024 update on the text above: Zwift has informed us that they’ll be removing the new ice/snow surfaces that were added to the upper portions of the Epic KOM in the next update (around June 25).
More Release Notes
Zwift provided notes on additional tweaks and bug fixes in this update:
We simplified the choice of FTP Tests by only featuring the most popular and relevant FTP Tests and updating their names to be more descriptive.
Fixed an issue that could prevent exiting the Workout detail screen when using Play controllers or keyboard.
Fixed an issue that could cause the Join Event button to be partially covered by the HUD in Climb Portal.
Fixed an issue that could potentially display the incorrect cycling level on the Streaks screen.
Fixed an issue that could prevent the Rolling Highlands route in Scotland from being completed in an event if scheduled for multiple laps.
Fixed missing display names in the Garage for the ZRL Winner’s helmet and Lazer Vento helmet.
Corrected the name of the route completion badge for Watopia’s Waistband.
Fixed an issue that could cause some trees to render incorrectly on mobile devices.
Fixed an issue where some campaigns on the home screen could be missing localized text for Korean and Chinese languages.
Windows:
Fixed an issue that could potentially cause a crash when joining an event.
Fixed an issue that could potentially cause a shadow line to appear near your avatar when using AMD GPUs.
AMD Radeon RX 6400 GPUs now have the Ultra graphics profile enabled.
Windows/Mac:
Fixed an issue that could cause the Getting Started tutorial to not automatically start for new Zwifters.
