Tiny Race Series – May 4 Routes and Last Week’s Results
See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.
Plan Upcoming Workouts and Routes with Zwift’s New “My List” Feature
Plan Upcoming Workouts and Routes with Zwift’s New “My List” Feature
If you’re anything like me, you may find yourself planning the next day’s workout as you lay in bed late at night. Or perhaps you’re an after-work rider who likes to make plans during your lunch break?
While we can easily browse and sign up for events via the Companion app, there’s never been a way to queue up a particular route or workout without actually being in the game. Until now!
Originally teased in the Winter 2023/24 “This Season on Zwift” press release, the “My List” feature went live yesterday with Zwift’s release of Companion app version 3.57.
Here’s a quick video walkthrough:
How It Works
Using the Companion app, you can browse all of the workouts in Zwift’s on-demand library, as well as all the free-ridable routes, and easily tap the orange (+) button to add them to your list. Up to 25 items can be added to your list, you can drag list items up and down to sort as desired, and swiping left gives you the option to delete.
The “My List” option is the center button in iOS in offline mode, or go to “More” to access it when connected to a live game session. Here are some screenshots I took as I added routes I need to complete, plus one workout for giggles:
Items on your list show up first in the “For You” carousel on your Zwift homescreen. That carousel seamlessly and instantaneously updates as you edit your list via the Companion app, making it very easy to access the routes and workouts you’re interested in.
If you’re paying close attention, you may have already figured it out: this is a great new way to “world hack” and ride any route you’d like, regardless of Zwift’s guest map schedule.
Limitations and Future Improvements
There are a few limitations in this initial version of My List:
- You can add up to 25 items to your list
- You cannot add workouts from Zwift Training Plans, 3rd-party integrations like TrainingPeaks, or custom workouts. Only workouts from Zwift’s on-demand library can be added to My List at this time.
- Items are removed from your list when you click the item card on your homescreen, then enter the game to complete it. Removal is not contingent on you actually completing the workout or route – it is removed as soon as you enter the game to start that activity.
- You can add a workout to your list, but you can’t select which route you’ll be doing that workout in until you select it in game. (This was surely a conscious decision by Zwift UI designers to simplify the My List feature.)
- With routes that don’t have any sprint or KOM segments (like Mountain Mash and Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop), tapping the route from your list in Companion brings up an empty screen that simply says “There are no known segments on this route”. This is a known bug.
I’d love to see Training Plans, 3rd party workouts, and custom workouts make it into My List. And if I’m being nit-picky, I suppose it makes sense to only auto-remove the item from My List once I’ve completed it, and not as soon as I start it.
Those niggles aside, I’d say this is a nicely-polished and useful new feature from Zwift. Instead of hopping on my bike then poking around to choose a route or workout, I can get all that planning done “offline,” making my Zwift session even more efficient. Ride on!
Questions or Comments
What do you think of the new “My List” feature? Share below!
All About Zwift’s New Pinarello Dogma X Frame
All About Zwift’s New Pinarello Dogma X Frame
Zwift hasn’t added a new frame to the Drop Shop since the CADEX Tri arrived in September 2022, so when we stumbled across a new Pinarello Dogma X in Zwift’s 1.63 release, we were surprised! The bike’s setup was a bit buggy in the 1.63 release, though (no descriptive text, and a color slider that didn’t change anything) so we held off testing it until this week’s 1.64 release, when Zwift announced the bike’s arrival.
Described as “Pure cycling multiplied by X” in the Drop Shop, the Dogma X is Pinarello’s top-tier road endurance frame, which Pinarello says “strikes the perfect balance between high-calibre performance and real-world comfort.” While the frame definitely has Dogma in its DNA, the unique X stays give it a unique look, while increased tire clearance opens up the possibility of this being an “all-road” proposition.
It’s rated 2 stars for aero performance and 3 stars for weight on Zwift, with a price of 850,000 Drops and an unlock level of 27. Given its aero and weight rating we didn’t expect top-tier performance from this frame in game – and that’s as it should be. The Dogma X’s strengths are in its endurance geometry, all-road capabilities, and overall ride comfort… all sort of “X-factor” things you’ll appreciate outdoors but don’t need in a virtual bike.
Since Zwift’s 5-star rating system isn’t granular enough to communicate in-game performance in a precise way, we ran the Dogma X through our battery of speed tests. Here’s everything you need to know about the performance of the new Pinarello Dogma X frame in Zwift.
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The Dogma X performs poorly on flat/rolling roads, ranking in the lower 13% of all road frames as it turns in the same test time as the Moots Vamoots, Mosaic RT-1d, Specialized Allez, and Van Rysel EDR CF.
Its test time of 51:34.5 places it in the grupetto behind most other name-branded frames in game, with the only frames slower being Zwift-branded frames. In terms of precise numbers, it is 9.5 seconds slower than our “baseline” Zwift Aero frame and 17.5 seconds slower than the fastest frames in game on our test course, which is two laps of Tempus Fugit totaling 34.6km.
Climb Performance
While it doesn’t receive the ultra-light 4-star weight rating, a rating of 3 stars means the Dogma X should climb decently well. Our tests showed it climbed better than 56% of the frames in game, turning in the same time as the Cervelo S5 2020, Pinarello Dogma F12, and Uranium Nuclear.
The Dogma X turns in an Alpe climb time of 49:09, which is 19 seconds faster than our Zwift Aero baseline but 19 seconds slower than the best climbing road frame in game – the Specialized Aethos. The very definition of “mid-pack” performance.
Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using Zwift’s stock 32mm carbon wheelset.
Conclusions
The Pinarello Dogma X is a frame Zwifters will add to their garage for one of three reasons:
- You unlock it in an event
- You own one in real life, and want to ride a matching frame in game
- You’re a crazy Zwift addict who wants to own every single item in the Drop Shop
While it climbs decently well, there are far better performers when the road turns uphill. And its performance on flat or rolling roads is quite poor, meaning you wouldn’t want to race this frame.
Still, not everything on Zwift is a race, so the Dogma X will certainly find a home in many virtual garages.
Questions or Comments?
Share below!
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
“Bag That Badge” ZRacing Series Details (May 2024)
“Bag That Badge” ZRacing Series Details (May 2024)
Zwift’s “ZRacing” is the platform’s most popular ongoing race series, and in May we’re racing a set of four routes with fresh achievement badges released in the latest game update. Hop into a race and let’s bag some extra XP this month!
Read on for details about race routes, the overall monthly GC competition, and more…
Bag That Badge – May’s Route Schedule
Here are the routes we’ll be racing in May (click route for details):
- Stage 1 (May 6-12): Queen’s Highway After Party
- 1 lap (19.9km, 300m elevation)
- Powerup: Draft Boost, Aero Boost 🛈
- Stage 2 (May 13-19): Hilly Route Reverse
- 2 laps (18.6km, 216m elevation)
- Powerups: Feather, Draft Boost 🛈
- Stage 3 (May 20-26): Classique Reverse
- 2 laps (18.4km, 109m)
- Powerups: Draft Boost, Aero Boost 🛈
- Stage 4 (May 27-Jun 2): Park Perimeter Reverse
- 2 laps (19.8km, 252m)
- Powerups: Feather, Draft Boost 🛈
See upcoming Bag that Badge events >
Zwift Community Live(stream)
Nathan Guerra at Zwift Community Live is providing commentary and a live stream of each Monday’s 6:10pm UTC/1:10pm Eastern/10:10am Pacific race. Click here for the playlist of upcoming ZRacing broadcasts.
Series Structure
The ZRacing series consists of monthly sets of weekly races. Each race is scheduled for seven days (beginning 1:10am UTC on Monday and running through to the next Sunday). Timeslots are consistent week to week and month to month.
Races are scheduled ~15 times each day, so there are plenty of available times to find a race.
See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/zracingmay2024
Monthly GC on ZwiftPower
Each monthly series includes a time-based GC (general classification) tracking riders’ best finishing times for each week’s race. The overall winners in each category for the month are the riders with the lowest overall time for that month’s set of races.
With over 100 weekly timeslots available, riders can race each week’s event multiple times and try to better their finishing time. Tip: the fastest times usually come from the largest race fields!
You must use a heart rate monitor and be on a smart trainer, smart bike, or power meter to show up in ZwiftPower results for this series.
If you aren’t signed up for ZwiftPower, check out our post How to Sign Up for ZwiftPower (and Why Every Zwifter Should Do It).
Get the Badge
Each month’s ZRacing series has a unique achievement badge, which you can unlock by finishing every stage for the month.
There are no makeup events, so if you miss a stage, you miss out on the badge and competing in the GC.
One and Done
Zwift has planned these events to deliver a solid 1-hour workout, so each race should only take around 1 hour to complete, including your warmup and cooldown.
Questions or Comments?
Post below!
Pinarello Espada Challenge Races Announced
Pinarello Espada Challenge Races Announced
In 1994, Miguel “Big Mig” Induráin set a new hour record, breaking the 53-kilometer mark for the first time in history with a distance of 53.040 kilometers in Bourdeaux. And he did it atop the Pinarello Espada, a bike which quickly became legendary itself!
The carbon-framed, Campagnolo-equipped bike weighed in at 7.5 kilograms and was custom-molded to fit Big Mig. Only four versions of the bike were ever created, and Induráin won both of the long time trials at the 1995 Tour de France on a version modified to allow shifting.
Beginning May 3-5, you can saddle up on a Pinarello Espada in Zwift to take on an hour-long race led by the ‘Big Mig’ RoboPacer! It’s a fun chance to set your own 60-minute power PR while trying to match Miguel Induráin’s record-setting pace.
Event Details
Events will take place over 60 minutes on Watopia’s Tempus Fugit – the flattest route in game. These rides are not categorized, so everyone will begin together. Drafting is enabled, as is steering.
Everyone will be riding the Pinarello Espada, chasing the Big Mig bot which will be holding 510 watts, or 6.3 W/kg. (The bot is also set to 188cm in height and 81kg in weight, just like Miguel Induráin.)
See events at zwift.com/events/tag/espadachallenge
Events are scheduled every two hours from 4pm Friday May 3 UTC to 4am Monday May 6 UTC.
Be Sure To Update
Zwift says, “In order to ensure the best possible experience, Zwifter’s should be on the latest game version of 1.64.0.”
Keeping the Bike
For now, the Pinarello Espada is only available to ride as part of this event series. But Zwift says the frame “will become available to buy in the Drop Shop in the near future.”
Questions or Comments?
Share below!
Zwift Update Version 1.64 (128828) Released
Zwift version 1.64 begins its phased rollout today. This update includes a significant change to speeds in banded events, plus badge hunters will be happy to see new badges for some event-only routes! See details below…
4 New Route Badges
Four event-only routes now have route badges you can earn for extra achievement and XP! The routes are:
- Yorkshire’s Queen’s Highway After Party
- Watopia’s Hilly Route Reverse
- London’s Classique Reverse
- New York’s Park Perimeter Reverse
You’ll have to join an event held on each route to unlock the badge, but that’s easy enough: these are the four routes featured in May’s “Bag that Badge” ZRacing events!
Note: the new badge for Queen’s Highway After Party is erroneously named “Queens Highway Reverse” on the badge list. This is a known bug.
Rubberbanding (Keep Everyone Together) Fix
Zwift’s release note says, “Fixed an issue where “Keep Everyone Together” (aka rubber-banding) speeds could be inconsistent between events and meetups.”
You may recall that in March we ran some tests on Zwift’s “Keep Everyone Together” (aka “rubberbanding”) mode for Club events and Meetups. Read them here:
- Speed Tests: Rubberbanding (Keep Everyone Together) Mode in Zwift Club Events
- Speed Tests: Rubberbanding (Keep Everyone Together) Mode in Zwift Meetups
- Speed Tests: Rubberbanding (Keep Everyone Together) Mode on Climbs in Zwift Club Events
- Speed Tests: Rubberbanding (Keep Everyone Together) Mode on Climbs in Zwift Meetups
In summary, our simple 2-rider tests showed that Club events used a completely different banding algorithm than Meetups, and that speeds didn’t fluctuate very realistically based on power variations. Our conclusion was that Zwift’s banding algorithm for Meetups was most accurate in terms of speed, and should be used for all banded events, perhaps with some tweaks to make speed fluctuations feel more realistic.
Zwift’s developers have been hard at work improving Keep Together Mode in recent weeks, and today’s release delivers those improvements to all “Keep Together” events: Club events, Meetups, and (an inside source tells us) even Group Workouts!
We tested the updated algorithm in recent days, and it is indeed much improved! You’ll find the updated algorithm noticeably increases speeds in flatter Club events and (presumably, although we haven’t tested it) group workouts. We’ll release updated speed tests in the coming days.
Homescreen Updates
Not included in Zwift’s release notes, but mentioned on another forum topic, are several changes to the homescreen rolling out in this update. Zwift says this is “a first step towards improving user navigation and reducing complexity.” Changes include:
- Text navigation instead of icons at the top-left
- UI Scaling option removed from settings. All screens use a standard scaling setting.
- Fading effect added to the left and right of rows to show there are more cards off the screen
- Removal of achievements icon at top-right
Zwift says these changes will let them more quickly iterate on homescreen improvements, while also simplifying homescreen usage. These initial changes appear to signal an overall shift in design strategy for the homescreen:
Over time, we will shift the Home Page to focus on surfacing Zwifter relevant information and enabling quick entry into a ride. Browsing content and planning a ride will still be available in Zwift’s Home Screen on the Events, Workouts, and Routes pages.
Zwift
We love the idea of Zwift being able to more efficiently tweak the homescreen’s design, and we’re hopeful we’ll see further improvements soon. That said, there are two significant issues we’re seeing with today’s changes:
- Certain UI elements are simply too large on bigger screens, especially TVs. We’d love to be able to shrink these elements so we can see more cards without scrolling.
- Content doesn’t autoflow to fill wider screens. Instead, it shows empty space on the left and right, with the fading effect on the edges of the cards. (See below, shot on an ultrawide monitor.)
Pinarello Dogma X Frame Added
(Note: this frame was actually added in the previous update, but without any description. We’re including it here since Zwift says the description will be fixed in today’s release.)
The Pinarello Dogma X frame has been added to the Drop Shop – the first Drop Shop addition in months! Priced at 850,000 Drops, with an aero rating of 2 stars and weight rating of 3 stars, we don’t expect strong performance from this virtual frame. (The real-life frame is an “all-road” bike meant to fill the endurance slot in Pinarello’s lineup, so its advantages don’t exactly translate well to Zwift.)
Stay tuned for our test results on this frame.
More Release Notes
Zwift provided notes on additional tweaks and bug fixes in this update:
- Fixed an issue that could cause Climb Portal route distances to be inconsistent between the route description, in-game HUD, and results display.
- Fixed an issue that could cause some home screen cards to be missing images when using Zwift in Italian, German, Spanish, or Chinese.
- Fixed an issue that could cause the Badges screen to unintentionally appear when navigating on the home screen.
- Fixed an issue that could cause some text elements to display incorrectly on the home screen after changing languages.
- Fixed an issue that could cause the Braking Sensitivity setting to not be visible in Settings.
- The About tab is now available in Settings and contains information about the game version and build number.
- Apple TV: Fixed a potential crash that could occur in the Drop Shop.
- Windows: Fixed a potential crash that could occur when launching Zwift.
- Windows and macOS: Zwift Launcher version 1.1.12 is bundled with this update.
Discuss this release on Zwift’s forum >
Questions or Comments?
If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!
What’s Coming Next? Read “This Season On Zwift” Summer 2024 Press Release
What’s Coming Next? Read “This Season On Zwift” Summer 2024 Press Release
Zwift just released their latest “This Season on Zwift” announcement detailing key new game features and events arriving in the next few months. We’ve posted most of that press release below, and in the coming days will be diving into some of the announcements in more detail.
New Features
Watopia Expansion: The Grade
Rolling out to Zwifters in June, The Grade is designed to be a testing climb for Zwifters. Built on the West side of Zwift’s most recent expansion, Watopia’s Southern Coast, The Grade will start among the vibrant buildings of Ciudad de La Cumbre, and connect Watopia’s Southern Coast with the backside of the Epic KOM. The Grade creates a direct, very steep passage from Ciudad de La Cumbre to the top of the Epic KOM. The expansion will launch with several new routes available for freeride exploration, training, and racing.
My List
Already psyching yourself up to take on the challenge of The Grade? Soon you’ll be able to queue it up for when you next log into Zwift using the new ‘My List’ feature.
We’ve all been there – you’ve found an hour window, jump onto Zwift to squeeze in a good workout, only to lose a precious five minutes choosing between a new route and a structured workout. My List helps Zwifters plan their next session in advance so they can maximize every minute.
Using the Zwift Companion app, Zwifters will soon be able to browse the full library of Zwift workouts and routes (perfect for badge hunters) and add them to their list. These will then be shown in For You on the Zwift Home Screen the next time they log in. Never waste a minute with My List!
UPDATE: this new forum topic from Zwift says they’ll be rolling out the My List feature on May 1st, as part of the Zwift Companion app update to version 3.57.0.
HUD Refresh
Zwift’s in-game HUD is about to get a fresh new look and provide you with more information right where you need it. One of the standout features of the updated HUD is a new ‘Climb Mode’ dynamic elevation profile display. The new display will help Zwifters better pace their climbing efforts and prepare for the road ahead by utilising the same gradient shading found in the Climb Portal.
The HUD update will also allow Zwifters to customise the data fields shown in the power tile of the HUD via the in-game settings menu. At launch, Zwifters will be able to choose from Speed, Average Power, Power-to-Weight Ratio (W/KG), Cadence and Heart Rate.
With this update, the mini-map will also receive a refresh. The updated mini-map will provide greater clarity on route progression, including elevation.
Training Connections
There are many ways to train on Zwift – whether using a flexible training plan, joining a Group Workout, choosing from the 1000+ on-demand workouts, or building your own via the Custom Workout builder. For those with very specific plans in mind – whether from a coach, or another third-party training provider – Zwift’s new training API Connection will give Zwifters greater flexibility with how they want to train on the platform by providing better integration with other platforms and coaching services.
Functionally, this new API will behave much like existing third-party connections on Zwift. Once the API Connection is set up and approved, workouts built outside of Zwift will pull directly into the Zwift platform and show in the Custom Workouts folder. The training API will launch later this spring with a few launch partners. Other providers will be able to sign up for this open API later in the summer.
Events
Celebrating the Tour de France on Zwift
Zwift, the Official Training Software Provider to the Tour de France, is getting ready for Tour Fever to hit this July with a month of Tour-themed content.
Launched in time for the Tour de France last year, Zwift’s Climb Portal is ready for a busy month with eight of the most iconic climbs from the 2024 route scheduled to bring cycling fans closer to the action. For the first time this year, Zwift will be hosting Climb Portal events, bringing another dimension to this popular feature.
The Climbs coming into the Portal this summer:
- Côte des Forche – Stage: 1, Elevation: 159 m, Avg Grade: 6.3 %, Distance: 2.5 km
- Col du Galibier (Lautaret) – Stage: 4, Elevation: 563 m, Avg Grade: 6.6 %, Distance: 8.6 km
- Pas de Peyrol/Puy Mary – Stage: 11, Elevation: 628 m, Avg Grade: 6.9 %, Distance: 9.2 km
- Pla d’Adet – Stage: 14, Elevation: 873 m, Avg Grade: 8.2 %, Distance: 10.7 km
- Col de Peyresourde (Avajan) – Stage: 15, Elevation: 555 m, Avg Grade: 7.7 %, Distance: 7.2 km
Week 3:
- Isola 2000 – Stage: 19, Elevation: 1157 m, Avg Grade: 7.1 %, Distance: 16.2 km
- Col de la Couillole – Stage: 20, Elevation: 1145 m, Avg Grade: 7.2 %, Distance: 15.9 km
- La Turbie/Col d’Eze – Stage 21, Elevation: 616m, Avg Grade: 3.1%, Distance: 15.9km
Zwift’s France and Paris maps will be dressed to celebrate the Tour de France and ready to welcome Zwifters looking to join the celebrations. Those looking for a social group ride will be able to join any one of the RoboPacers leading groups 24/7 in both France and Paris throughout July and August. For the competitively-minded, ‘Vive la France’ will be the theme for ZRacing events. Lastly, the Monthly Mission will be taking place in France with a Tour-themed twist. Stay tuned for more. Vive Le Tour!
Watch the Femmes!
The Tour de France femmes avec Zwift returns in August for the third edition. For the first time, the race will start outside France with the Grand Depart set for Rotterdam on August 12th. To celebrate the occasion, Zwift’s Watch The Femmes campaign is set to take over the month of August – because you can’t be what you can’t see.
With the final stage of the race finishing on top of the famed Alpe d’Huez, Zwift’s very own Alpe du Zwift will be dressed for the occasion. Zwifters will also be able to join the celebration in the France and Paris maps, helping them feel closer to the action.
Alpe du Zwift won’t just be dressed for success. From August 18th, the day the race hits Alpe d’Huez, to August 25th, Alpe Celebration RoboPacer events will be taking place every two hours on Alpe du Zwift, perfect for anyone looking to secure a personal record.
For those seeking structured workouts, Zwift will also be releasing weekly Workouts inspired by Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift contenders.
Stay tuned for more Watch the Femmes content over the coming months!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of Zwift’s plans for the next few months? Share below!
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Alpe Race, Sprint Tips, and Steering
What happens when two popular content creators on Zwift join together to host one epic event? This week’s top video features a collab of Ryan Condon and Erik of Don’t Get Dropped Cycling in an attempt to help Ryan score a personal record up the Alpe.
Also featured in this week’s picks are videos on sprinting, steering, life after Zwift Academy Finals, and a race recap.
Racing up Alpe du Zwift with Erik Lee and 240 riders | Part 2
Green Jersey Tips for Zwift
Trying Zwift’s Steering on Repack Rush
Life Goes On – Post Zwift Academy Finals
Zwift Race | Cat B Humble Pie Disaster
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Mt. Fuji Mission Announced for May
Mt. Fuji Mission Announced for May
Zwift has rolled out a fresh Mission for May focused on the 2024 Mt. Fuji Hill Climb event, as once again this year Zwift hosts a “Dojo Series” for the IRL event. But this year, for the first time ever, riders can ride a GPS replica of the IRL climb in Zwift!
Note: signups opened this week, but the Mission doesn’t begin until April 30th.
Getting Started
To begin the Mission, select the mission card on your homescreen and click to register:
Once you’ve registered, clicking the mission card will show your Mission progress.
Completing the Mission
After registering for the mission, climb at least 1,208 meters (3,963′) between April 30 and May 31 to complete it and earn the achievement badge.
Want to finish the mission in one go, with a dash of class? The Mt. Fuji climb portal will be opening for the first time on May 1st, and it’s featured and available throughout the month as the climb of the month!
Questions or Comments?
Post below!
