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Post-Christmas Indoor Deals! Zwift’s Big New Year Sale + Wahoo’s Boxing Day Sale

Eric Schlange
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15
Post-Christmas Indoor Deals! Zwift’s Big New Year Sale + Wahoo’s Boxing Day Sale

Post-Christmas Indoor Deals! Zwift’s Big New Year Sale + Wahoo’s Boxing Day Sale

Zwift just launched what they’re calling a “Big New Year Sale” running through January 5, while Wahoo has launched Boxing Day discounts.

Some of these sale prices match what we recently saw for Cyber Weekend, but we’re also seeing the lowest price ever in the UK for the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2, and the lowest price ever on the Wahoo KICKR V6. See below for details!

Note: shopping links in this post are affiliate links to Zwift and Wahoo. Your purchase through these links helps support Zwift Insider, so thank you in advance!

Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2

This weekend Zwift repeats their big discounts on the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 from Cyber Weekend, except they’re lowering the price even more in the UK, to the lowest price I’ve ever seen.

  • US: $999 (Regularly $1,299)
  • UK: £899.99 (Lowest Price Ever, Regularly £1,099)
  • EU: €999.99 (Regularly €1,199)
Front view of a stationary exercise bike with a white frame, black handlebars with orange grips, and a black flywheel on a chevron-patterned stand against a plain white background.
Shop @ Zwift
Shop @ Wahoo

KICKR V6: $599 (Regularly $1049)

This is Wahoo’s flagship trainer, and my go-to for personal Zwifting sessions when I’m not testing other trainers. It does everything the KICKR CORE 2 can do, only better, including strong +/-1% power accuracy, a beefy flywheel for a realistic ride feel, WiFi connectivity, Zwift virtual shifting capability, and much more.

I’ve never seen it on sale for such a low price (42.9% off)… get it while you can!

Note: Zwift’s sale applies to the KICKR with Zwift Cog & Click, while Wahoo is offering the same pricing for the KICKR with a standard cassette.

Shop @ Zwift
Shop @ Wahoo

KICKR CORE 2 with Zwift Cog & Click

Wahoo’s newest trainer is on sale in the UK and EU. The KICKR CORE 2 builds on the strong reputation of the original KICKR CORE by adding WiFi, Race Mode, Bluetooth Bridging of other sensors, and more.

UPDATE Jan 2, 2026: Zwift just announced an additional 10% off for UK and EU customers with discount code EXTRA10.

  • UK: £449.99 (Regularly £499.99)
    • UPDATE: use discount code EXTRA10 for an extra 10% off!
  • EU: €449.99 (Regularly €549.99)
    • UPDATE: use discount code EXTRA10 for an extra 10% off!
  • US: $549.99 (No Discount)

Price includes 1 free month of Zwift ($20 value) for new subscribers only.

Shop @ Zwift

KICKR BIKE SHIFT: $2,039 (Regularly $2,549)

Wahoo’s “budget” smartbike shares many features with the fully-loaded Pro model, including virtually silent operation, customizable electronic shifting, easy adjustability, and WiFi connectivity. (It only lacks the Climb gradient simulator, which many riders turn off anyway.) Available this weekend at a strong discount.

Shop @ Wahoo

KICKR RUN: $5,249 (Regularly $6,999)

Wahoo’s cutting-edge smart treadmill has taken the industry by storm with its RunFree Mode, which uses advanced sensors to automatically adjust the belt speed to match your pace, eliminating the need for manual controls. The responsive surface, grade simulation, and lateral tilt all mimic outdoor running conditions, challenging stabilizer muscles while providing dynamic movement.

Shop @ Wahoo

Tiny Race Series – December 27 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

Eric Schlange
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0
Tiny Race Series – December 27 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

Tiny Race Series – December 27 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Draft Indicator, Zwift Camp, and GCN Races

Oli Chi
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3
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Draft Indicator, Zwift Camp, and GCN Races

This week, Zwift launched a highly requested feature: the draft indicator. In this week’s top video, learn everything you need to know about it!

Also included in this week’s picks are videos about the Zwift Camp: Baseline program, a race between the GCN presenters, training for an FTP increase, and climbing Alpe du Zwift.

I Can’t Believe Zwift Has Actually Done It

Adam from Road to A shares the details on the new Draft Indicator, which Zwift sneakily added to their game release earlier this week.

I went to Zwift Boot Camp

How well does Zwift Camp: Build really work? Liam Shaw puts it to the test by comparing his initial power numbers to his new power numbers after 5 weeks of training.

Who’s Really The Fastest GCN Presenter? | International Zwift Race

GCN presenters from all parts of the world gather on Zwift to crown the fastest presenter.

Is 4.5 w/kg FTP possible? | Zwift Race Cat A

Matt from The Watt Life shares his ambitious goal of reaching a 4.5 w/kg FTP and provides an inside look at how he is training to reach that goal.

Humbled by Alpe du Zwift

Laportss takes advantage of the rainy weather and uses it as an opportunity to achieve his goal of climbing Alpe du Zwift in under an hour. Watch as he climbs Alpe du Zwift.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

Rebel Route: The Full New York

Eric Schlange
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14
Rebel Route: The Full New York

Today, we’re releasing the second of three special “full map” Rebel Routes. These routes cover every road on their respective maps, and I’m releasing them in the hope that Zwift will adopt them as new fondo routes. (It’s been way too long since we’ve had new fondo routes, and there are so many great new roads that fondos could use!)

But first, once again, credit where credit is due: Zwifter Ole Eichhorn gets the kudos for putting in the work to come up with this route and even test ride it. Finding the shortest route covering all roads on a complex map is known as “the postman problem”, and Ole wrote a program to solve it.

This New York route would make a great new Bambino Fondo. (The first route we released, The Full Makuri, would make a great Medio Fondo.) The third route we’ll release, The Full Watopia, will make an epic Gran Fondo route. Stay tuned for that!

About Rebel Routes

“Rebel Routes” are Zwift rides not available on Zwift’s routes list, thus requiring manual navigation.

See all Rebel Routes >

The reward for your rebel ride? Exploring a new route, knowing you’ve gone where few Zwifters have gone before. And a Strava segment rank in the tens or hundreds instead of the thousands! Rebel Routes are also included as a separate category on our Veloviewer Route Hunter leaderboard.

Route Description

A complete turn-by-turn tour of this route would take much too much space. So I’ll summarize it instead.

The route begins in Central Park, which is fitting, since this was the first set of roads on Zwift’s New York map in October 2018. (For the shortest possible route, start by picking “The Highline” from Zwift’s route picker, which starts you on the glass roads.)

You’ll hit the NY KOM early, come down to Central Park’s paved roads, head back up to the glass roads to cover a few final bits, then return to ground level to finish out Central Park.

Then it’s time to head south on the new roads launched in October 2025. You’ll travel through the first of three subways, then around Zwift’s reimagined Times Square. Then you’ll enter the brick-lined City Hall Station subway before climbing up and out to cross the East River via the Manhattan Bridge.

After descending from the bridge, you’ll loop around and cross back over the river via the Brooklyn Bridge, before coming across once more on the Manhattan Bridge.

Whew. That’s a lot of bridges. But we’re in Brooklyn now, and almost finished!

Head through our final subway, then up to Grand Army Plaza before entering Prospect Park. You’ll ride a figure 8 of the park, then come out and ride around Grand Army Plaza to cover the last little bit of missed pavement on the Plaza’s roundabout.

At this point, you’ve covered all of NYC’s roads. But we like to end these routes at a defined waypoint, so travel back into Prospect Park and turn left to ride through the KOM banner. That’s the official finish line for the Strava segment.

Turn By Turn Directions

Be warned: this route has a lot of turns. You may want to print out a cue sheet.

Begin by choosing The Highline route, which starts you on the glass roads just before the start of our Strava segment.

  1. Right to Sky Loop
  2. Left to Sky Loop
  3. Straight (Right) to KOM Arch
  4. Left to KOM Arch
  5. Straight (Left) to KOM Arch
  6. Left to Park Loop
  7. Left to Park Loop
  8. Left to Park Loop
  9. Left to Park Loop
  10. Left to Bethesda Plaza
  11. Right to Park Loop Reverse
  12. Right to The Baseball Fields
  13. Left to Park Loop
  14. Left to Park Loop
  15. Straight (Right) to Sky Loop
  16. Straight (Right) to Sky Loop
  17. Left to Sky Loop
  18. Straight (Right) to City Rooftops
  19. Straight (Right) to Park Loop
  20. Left to Park Loop
  21. Left to The Baseball Fields
  22. Right to Park Loop Reverse
  23. Right to Bethesda Plaza
  24. Left to Park Loop
  25. Straight (Right) to Park Loop
  26. Right to Times Square
  27. Straight (Left) to Manhattan Bridge
  28. Left to Times Square Circuit
  29. Right to Manhattan Bridge
  30. Right to Manhattan Bridge
  31. Straight (Left) to Manhattan Bridge
  32. Right to Brooklyn Bridge
  33. Right to Manhattan Bridge
  34. Straight (Left) to Prospect Park
  35. Right to Prospect Park
  36. Left to Peristyle Sprint
  37. Right to Central Dr
  38. Left to Prospect Park Loop
  39. Left to Central Dr
  40. Right to Brooklyn Bridge
  41. Left to Brooklyn Bridge
  42. Left to Prospect Park
  43. Right to Prospect Park
  44. Left to Peristyle Sprint

Route details:
Distance: 57.8km (35.9 miles)
Elevation Gain: 596m (1956′)
Strava Segment

Fuhgeddaboudit Note

New York actually already has a “full map” route. Well, almost. Fuhgeddaboudit covers every bit of road on the map… except for Prospect Park’s Central Drive. My hunch is this is actually a bug in the route design, and the intention was to cover every road. They just missed one turn near the end of the route!

Besides the Central Drive problem, Fuhgeddaboudit has another issue: at 79km, it’s much longer than it needs to be if your goal is to ride every bit of road in the shortest ride possible.

Rebel Route Suggestions

Got an idea for a great Rebel Route? Share it below and maybe we’ll publish a post about it!

Tour de Spartacus III 3-Day Stage Race Announced

Eric Schlange
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3
Tour de Spartacus III 3-Day Stage Race Announced

Tour de Spartacus III 3-Day Stage Race Announced

“Spartacus was an ancient Roman slave and gladiator who led a rebellion against the Roman Republic, and thus has long served as an inspiration to those seeking to revolt against oppressive rule. He was considered a brave and able leader who fought against tremendous odds with remarkable success. “

The Warrior Games has announced the return of Tour de Spartacus, a Men’s 3-Day stage race running alongside the popular women’s Tour de Boudicca. See below for our summary of the event, and read the full race document for details.

Schedule and Route Details

Stage 1: Friday, January 2, 19:00 GMT/ 14:00 ET/ 11:00 PT/ 06:00 +1 AUS

Extra time slot for this race only, starting at 16:00 PT/19:00 ET

“We’re launching the Tour de Spartacus with a high-energy scratch race to get you fired up for the ride ahead! Feel those coastal beach vibes as you sprint to the finish and grab an early lead in the Individual General Classification.”

Stage 2: Saturday, January 3, 19:00 GMT/ 14:00 ET/ 11:00 PT/ 06:00 +1 AUS

“Get ready for three mini races through the heart of the Big Apple, a thrilling mix of sweat, grit, and pure fun! Teams of warriors will join forces to rack up valuable points for the Team GC, while the Individual GC heats up, based on cumulative time from Stage 1 + Stage 2. Can you survive the chaos and come out on top?”

  • Mini Race 1 ( 19:00 GMT)  Avon Flyer (1 Lap) Total distance: 5.2 km 
  • Mini Race 2 (19:15GMT) The 6 Train (1 Lap) Total distance: 6.6 km
  • Mini Race 3 (19:35 GMT) Spinfinity (1 Lap) Total distance: 20.1km
  • Powerups: Aero, Feather, Anvil 🛈

Stage 3: Sunday, January 4, 19:00 GMT/ 14:00 ET/ 11:00 PT/ 06:00+1 AUS

“Get ready for the ultimate showdown! The Gladiator’s Stage has arrived—the grand finale of the weekend! We’re taking you on an unforgettable journey through the Makuri Islands in pursuit of towering climbs. Pick your ideal bike and wheels, step up to the line, and prepare to dominate the streets.

You’ll take on one intense lap of Temple and Towers, pushing your limits as you battle alongside the fiercest competitors. Feel the electric atmosphere, soak in the city vibes, and leave it all on the course. Good luck, warriors—the crown is yours to claim!”

Individual and Team Competitions

Individual GC winners will be awarded in each category based on each individual’s cumulative time across all three stages.

The Team GC will be based on points earned in each stage by the top three riders from each team. Team GC winners will be named for each category.

Prize Drawing

Here’s what’s up for grabs this year:

  • Overall  Winners (Categories A–D): The champions will receive a commemorative Tour de Spartacus Badge and 2 months of Zwift subscription!
  • Grand Prize Draw: All riders who complete every event will be entered into a Grand Prize Drawing to win a Zwift Cog & Click bundle.
Three black and orange Zwift cycling device components, including a large circular trainer and two small button controllers, are displayed on an orange background.

More Details + How to Enter

Join the Tour by signing up for the race events at https://www.zwift.com/events/tag/spartacus.

A group of cyclists race through a brightly lit, futuristic city at night with neon signs. The logo and text “The Warrior Games” appear on the left side of the image.

Interested riders should read the full race document, which explains full entry requirements, including the Warrior Games weigh-in protocol.

Questions or Comments?

Share below, or comment on The Warrior Games’ Facebook page or Insta profile.

A Complete List of Zwift Achievement Badges

Eric Schlange
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14
A Complete List of Zwift Achievement Badges

A Complete List of Zwift Achievement Badges

Zwift awards badges for a wide variety of achievements including riding 100km, hitting 800 watts, or climbing Alpe du Zwift in under an hour. For added incentive, each badge includes an XP bonus, with the tougher badges awarding bigger bonuses.

Here’s a complete list of Zwift’s achievement badges, including bonus XP awarded and tips for unlocking the badge.

First, a Note About Badge Counts

Zwift has changed how they display the count of available and earned achievements over the years. Here’s how it currently works:

  • For cyclists, the number shown at the top of the achievements screen is the sum of your Career Achievements, Cycling Achievements, and Extra Credit (sans Repack Ridge, we think).
  • For runners, the number shown at the top of the achievements screen is the sum of your Career Achievements, Running Achievements, and Extra Credit.
  • The total possible route achievements listed does not include event-only routes you haven’t yet achieved.
  • The total possible “Extra Credit” badges does not include unearned badges, making these effectively “hidden” achievements.

Career Achievements (12)

Habitual: “Ride a lap for 3 days in a row”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: ride or run at least 5km, 3 days in a row.
  • Tips: your badge is unlocked at the start of your first activity after the one which achieved the goal. Read more about this badge >

Addicted: “Ride a lap for 7 days in a row”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: ride or run at least 5km, 7 days in a row.
  • Tips: your badge is unlocked at the start of your first activity after the one which achieved the goal. Read more about this badge >

Work from Home: “Ride a lap for 14 days in a row”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: ride or run at least 5km, 14 days in a row.
  • Tips: your badge is unlocked at the start of your first activity after the one which achieved the goal. Read more about this badge >

You’re Popular: “Receive 10 Ride Ons in one ride!”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: receive at least 10 Ride Ons from other Zwifters during a single ride or run.
  • Tips: ride with the larger RoboPacer groups to receive lots of Ride Ons from others.

Ride On: “Give 3 Ride Ons”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: give at least 3 Ride-Ons during a single ride or run activity.
  • Tips: use the Companion app and/or Zwift Play controllers to easily give 5 Rides Ons to nearby riders every few seconds. This is especially easy in busy groups like big events or RoboPacer packs.

Big Fan: “Give 30 Ride Ons”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: give at least 30 Ride-Ons during a single ride or run activity.
  • Tips: use the Companion app and/or Zwift Play controllers to easily give 5 Rides Ons to nearby riders every few seconds. This is especially easy in busy groups like big events or RoboPacer packs.

Fan Club: “Give 100 Ride Ons”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: give at least 100 Ride Ons during a single ride or run activity.
  • Tips: use the Companion app and/or Zwift Play controllers to easily give 5 Rides Ons to nearby riders every few seconds. This is especially easy in busy groups like big events or RoboPacer packs.

Paparazzi: “Fan view for 15 minutes”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: watching another Zwifter while they’re active in game for at least 15 minutes.
  • Tips: click a rider’s name in the “Riders Nearby” list to fan view, or tap “Fan View” in the Companion app when viewing the rider’s profile. Fan viewing is most fun when you’re watching someone race! Read How to Watch Another Rider In a Zwift Race for details.

Into the Wind: “Do a U-Turn”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: do a u-turn while riding or running.
  • Tips: you can do a u-turn using your keyboard (down arrow), Companion app, Play Controllers, or the in-game action bar.

Statistician: “Connect your Strava account”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: connect your Strava account to Zwift, then do an activity.
  • Tips: this can be done via the Companion app or by logging into my.zwift.com and going to Account>Connections. Linking your Strava account also unlocks the in-game Strava kit(s)!

Paired: “Pair a phone through Zwift Companion”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: install Zwift Companion on your phone, open the app and sign into your Zwift account.
  • Tips: use the Companion app to browse events or clubs when you’re not Zwifting, and to perform various in-game functions while riding or running.

Sweat!: “Complete a workout”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: complete a structured workout on Zwift. This can be a group event or an individual on-demand workout.
  • Tips: workouts typically use Erg mode. If you don’t know how this works, check out “All About Erg Mode on Zwift” before you jump in, as Erg mode is very different from free riding!

Cycling Achievements (21)

Can’t Stop Now: “Ride 10 miles”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: ride at least 10 miles in one session.
  • Tips: struggling to go the distance? Join a RoboPacer pack so you benefit from the draft and get more mileage for your effort.

Marathoner: “Ride 40km”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: ride at least 40 kilometers in one session.
  • Tips: struggling to go the distance? Join a RoboPacer pack so you benefit from the draft and get more mileage for your effort.

100 Clicks: “Ride 100km”

  • Bonus: 500XP + Metric Century Kit
  • How it’s earned: ride at least 100 kilometers (a metric century!) in one session.
  • Tips: struggling to go the distance? Join a RoboPacer pack so you benefit from the draft and get more mileage for your effort.

No Big Deal: “Ride 100 miles”

  • Bonus: 750XP + Century Kit
  • How it’s earned: ride at least 100 miles in one session.
  • Tips: struggling to go the distance? Join a RoboPacer pack so you benefit from the draft and get more mileage for your effort. Earning this badge also unlocks the coveted black “Century Kit” in Zwift.

Whoa Nelly: “Ride 30mph”

  • Bonus: 250XP
  • How it’s earned: ride at 30mph or more.
  • Tips: struggling to go fast? Try a climbing route, which will always include a descent!

Speed Demon: “Ride 40mph”

  • Bonus: 500XP
  • How it’s earned: ride at 40mph or more.
  • Tips: struggling to go fast? Try a climbing route, which will always include a descent!

Daredevil: “Ride 50mph”

Sprinter Apprentice: “Hit 500 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 500 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

Lit: “Hit 600 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 600 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

Circuit Breaker: “Hit 700 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 700 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

Master Draftsman: “Draft another rider for 15 seconds”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: ride in the draft of another rider for 15 seconds or more.
  • Tips: drafting in Zwift takes practice, but it’s crucial if you want to have the strength to win a race. Learn all about drafting on Zwift.

Jelly: “Hold over 500 watts for 10 seconds”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: hold 500 watts or more for at least 10 seconds.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

Warmed Up: “Complete 5 laps of the Volcano Circuit”

Hothead: “Complete 10 laps of the Volcano Circuit”

On Fire!: “Complete 25 laps of the Volcano Circuit”

Avid Climber: “Climb Alpe du Zwift 5 times”

Masochist: “Climb Alpe du Zwift 25 times”

Party On!: “Received a confetti RideOn from a level 100 Zwifter”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: receiving a Ride On from a Zwifter who is wearing the confetti socks which are unlocked at level 100.
  • Tips: riding in groups is the best way to stumble across this achievement. Or just ask a favor from a level 100 friend!

Portal Climber: “Complete Climb Portal Once”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: finish one of the climbs in the Climb Portal.
  • Tips: the climb of the day is easily reached by clicking the first card under “Just Ride” near the bottom of the homescreen. See the Climb Portal Schedule to find out when climbs are scheduled.

Climb Portal Pro: “Complete Climb Portal Ten Times”

  • Bonus: 500XP
  • How it’s earned: finish 10 Climb Portal climbs (any combination counts, it doesn’t have to be 10 different climbs).
  • Tips: the climb of the day is easily reached by clicking the first card under “Just Ride” near the bottom of the homescreen. See the Climb Portal Schedule to find out when climbs are scheduled.

Legs of Steel: “Complete Climb Portal 25 Times”

  • Bonus: 1000XP
  • How it’s earned: finish 25 Climb Portal climbs (any combination counts, it doesn’t have to be 25 different climbs).
  • Tips: the climb of the day is easily reached by clicking the first card under “Just Ride” near the bottom of the homescreen. See the Climb Portal Schedule to find out when climbs are scheduled.

Running Achievements (11)

Hot Off the Line: “Run a mile in a single session”

  • Bonus: 250XP
  • How it’s earned: run 1 mile in a single session.

First Five: “Run 5km in a single session”

  • Bonus: 500XP
  • How it’s earned: run 5km in a single session.

Gimmie Ten: “Run 10km in a single session”

  • Bonus: 1000XP
  • How it’s earned: run 10km in a single session.

Runners Dozen: “Run 13.1 miles in a single session”

  • Bonus: 1500XP
  • How it’s earned: run 13.1 miles (a half marathon) in a single session.

Centurion: “Run a total distance of 100 miles”

  • Bonus: 500XP
  • How it’s earned: accumulate 100 miles of runs across multiple sessions (or do it all in one session if you’re crazy).

Street Cred: “Run a total distance of 500 miles”

  • Bonus: 1500XP
  • How it’s earned: accumulate 500 miles of runs across multiple sessions.

Pursuit of Happiness: “Run a total distance of 1000 miles”

  • Bonus: 2500XP
  • How it’s earned: accumulate 1000 miles of runs across multiple sessions.

Earning the Donuts: “Run a mile in under 9 minutes”

  • Bonus: 300XP
  • How it’s earned: run a mile in under 9 minutes.

Leg Warmer: “Run a mile in under 8 minutes”

  • Bonus: 400XP
  • How it’s earned: run a mile in under 8 minutes.

Like the Wind: “Run a mile in under 7 minutes”

  • Bonus: 500XP
  • How it’s earned: run a mile in under 7 minutes.

Engines Are Go: “Run a mile in under 6 minutes”

  • Bonus: 600XP
  • How it’s earned: run a mile in under 6 minutes.

Extra Credit (13)

The following badges are not shown in the achievements list until you’ve earned them, effectively making them “hidden” achievements.

100KPH!: “Break 100kph”

Just Scrape It: “Hit 800 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 800 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

The Blowdrier: “Hit 900 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 900 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

Premier Power: “Hit 1000 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 1000 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

Off the Rocks: “Hit 1100 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 1100 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

1.21 Gigawatts: “Hit 1200 watts”

  • Bonus: 100XP
  • How it’s earned: put out 1200 watts or more during your ride.
  • Tips: struggling to get this badge? Work on your sprint form, remembering that power is torque x cadence. Increase either and you increase your sprint power!

You’re Famous: “Receive 30 Ride Ons in one ride”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: receive at least 30 Ride Ons in a single ride or run.
  • Tips: ride with the larger RoboPacer groups to receive lots of Ride Ons from others.

Bigger Than Jensie!: “Receive 100 Ride Ons in one ride”

  • Bonus: 50XP
  • How it’s earned: receive at least 100 Ride Ons in a single ride or run.
  • Tips: ride with the larger RoboPacer groups to receive lots of Ride Ons from others. Stay with a large pack for a couple of hours or more and you should be able to get this badge!

Everested!: “Climb 29,029 ft in one activity”

  • Bonus: 5000XP
  • How it’s earned: accumulate 29,029′ of climbing in one ride or run.
  • Tips: this is no small achievement! To truly “Everest” on a bike (indoors or out) you must follow a set of rules, as explained on the official Everesting website.

Liftoff!: “Climb Alpe du Zwift in under an hour”

Repack Rush: “Complete the route”

  • Bonus: 56XP
  • How it’s earned: finish the Repack Rush route (steering required)
  • Tips: hit the blue boost strips, steer around the red hazards, and grab those time bonuses to get the shortest course time possible!

Going the Distance: “Run 26.2 miles”

  • Bonus: 2500XP
  • How it’s earned: run a marathon (26.2 miles) on Zwift.

Olympian: “Run a mile in under 5 minutes”

  • Bonus: 700XP
  • How it’s earned: run a mile in under 5 minutes.

Route Achievements

Most routes in Zwift award an achievement badge upon first completion as a cyclist. The game maintains a separate list for routes that award a completion badge for runners.

When you earn a route achievement badge you also receive a one-time XP bonus for completing that route. For riders, this bonus is typically equal to the XP you already earned for the route (20XP per km), so you effectively double your XP earning rate when riding routes for the first time, helping you level up faster.

For a complete list of routes awarding achievement badges, and to learn all about route badges, see All About Route Achievement Badges for Cyclists and Runners On Zwift.

Completed Missions

Zwift has held “Mission” events over the years which typically require Zwifters to achieve a certain goal within a particular month. Mission badges are grouped by year and listed at the bottom of your achievements list.

Completed Training Plans

Whenever you complete a Zwift Training Plan, its badge is added to your achievements list.

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

GTR’s 12 Races of Christmas Series Announced

Lynn Hunter
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0
GTR’s 12 Races of Christmas Series Announced

GTR’s 12 Races of Christmas Series Announced

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 2 laps of Innsbruckring…

This festive season is not just about family and feasting…. with GTR’s (Good Time Riders) 12 Races of Christmas series, it’s also about having some fast and furious racing fun during the holidays!

About the Series

Running from 26 December through to 6 January, the race series is loosely themed on the “12 days of Christmas” carol.

With routes ranging from 10-25km, it’s been designed to give racers something to get their teeth into whilst acknowledging it’s a busy time of year. While there we 12 races, the series rankings will be based on your best 9 results according to the points structure listed on ZwiftPower, with individual and team leaderboards available. So, if family, work, or social engagements crop up, you don’t have to worry about missing a day or two.

Race Times and Basic Rules

Three times are available for each race:

  • 12:30pm UTC/7:30am ET/4:30am PT
  • 6:30pm UTC/1:30pm ET/10:30am PT
  • 12:30am UTC/7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT

Entry into any of the race times will count as your result for the day. Races are mass start, but five categories are available, split by Zwift Racing Score. A ZwiftPower account and heart rate monitor will be required to appear on the leaderboard.

And best of all, there’s no complicated rules around the races – just a straight scratch race to the finish.

Route Schedule

  • 26th December: “And a Partridge in a Pear Tree” – Makuri, Spirit Forest – 1 lap, 12.6km
  • 27th December: “Two Turtle Doves” – Watopia, Two Bridges Loop – 2 laps, 14.2km
  • 28th December: “Three French Hens” – France, Roule Ma Poule – 1 lap, 26km
  • 29th December: “Four Calling Birds” – London, London Calling – 1 lap, 31.7km
  • 30th December: “Five Gold Rings” – Innsbruck, Innsbruckring – 2 laps, 17.6km
  • 31st December: “Six Geese A’ Laying” – New York, The 6 Train Reverse – 2 laps, 13km
  • 1st January: “Seven Swans A’ Swimming” – Scotland, Loch Loop – 2 laps, 16km
  • 2nd January: “Eight Maids A’ Milking” – Makuri, Countryside Tour – 1 lap, 16km
  • 3rd January: “Nine Ladies Dancing” – New York, Lady Liberty – 1 lap, 12.5km
  • 4th January: “Ten Lords A’ Leaping” – Makuri, Castle to Castle – 1 lap, 23.2km
  • 5th January: “Eleven Pipers Piping” – Scotland, Scotland Smash – 1 lap, 18km
  • 6th January: “Twelve Drummers Drumming” – Scotland, Dun Dash – 1 lap, 12.4km

Sign Up

To join in the fun, click the link below:

Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/gtr12days >

Rebel Route: The Full Makuri

Eric Schlange
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62
Rebel Route: The Full Makuri

Today, we’re releasing the first of three special “full map” Rebel Routes. Unlike the very small Summit City Velodrome, the last Rebel Route we released, these routes are very long, covering every single road on their respective maps.

But first, credit where credit is due: Zwifter Ole Eichhorn gets the kudos for putting in the work to come up with this route. And it was no small job! Finding the shortest route covering all roads on a complex map is known as “the postman problem”, and Ole wrote a program to solve it, telling me that “the Internet knows a lot of tricks.”

Ole went on to say, “The program uses Hierholtzer’s algorithm to find a Eulerian path, the Floyd-Warshall algorithm to pair odd nodes, and Djikstra’s algorithm to find minimum node pairings. (Yeah, just typing that makes my head hurt.)”

Not only did Ole find the shortest route – he went and rode it! Fine work, sir.

Second: I’m releasing these three Rebel Routes in hopes that Zwift will adopt them as new fondo routes. It’s been way too long since we’ve had new fondo routes, and there are so many great new roads that fondos could use! (All three routes are from Ole, and all three are “full map” routes.)

This route in particular would make a great Medio Fondo route, and the next two routes released will make good Bambino and Gran routes, respectively. Stay tuned for those.

About Rebel Routes

“Rebel Routes” are Zwift rides not available on Zwift’s routes list, thus requiring manual navigation.

See all Rebel Routes >

The reward for your rebel ride? Exploring a new route, knowing you’ve gone where few Zwifters have gone before. And a Strava segment rank in the tens or hundreds instead of the thousands! Rebel Routes are also included as a separate category on our Veloviewer Route Hunter leaderboard.

Route Description

A complete turn-by-turn tour of this route would take much too much space. So I’ll summarize it instead.

The route begins in the Yumezi countryside, which is fitting since this is where it all began! When the Makuri Islands map launched in May of 2021, these were the only roads it had.

You’ll cover nearly all the Yumezi roads in the first 26km of your ride, but will return at the end to cover a final bit in the Castle area.

From Yumezi, we make our way over to urban Neokyo, which was the next section of Makuri Islands to launch, in November 2021. Neokyo is all bright lights and city streets, and the lights feel especially bright because it’s always night time in Neokyo. We’ll cover all of Neokyo roads here, before heading descending down Pain Cavern to Urukazi.

Urukazi is the tropical island portion of the Makuri Islands, and we’ll ride around it clockwise, doing two loops to cover all the roads. The first loop covers the inner roads, while the second loop covers the outer roads.

Then it’s up the Slot Canyon and back into Yumezi for the last bit of the route. You’ll ride through the lap banner once again and into the Castle area, covering a few internal roads. We finish our last bit of unridden pavement here as we ride through the Village Sprint, but we might as well carry on downhill for another 1.5km to finish up at the lap banner where we began.

Turn By Turn Directions

Be warned: this route has a lot of turns. Way more than any other Rebel Route we’ve ever done. You may want to print out a cue sheet.

Begin by choosing the Two Village Loop route, which starts you near the Yumezi lap banner, heading in the right direction for the first few turns.

  1. Right to Farmlands
  2. Left to Village Onsen
  3. Right to Village Onsen
  4. Straight to Village Onsen
  5. Right to Village Gardens
  6. Straight to Village Shops
  7. Left to Fishing Village
  8. Right to Castle Path
  9. Right to Castle Path
  10. Straight (Left) to Marketplace
  11. Straight (Left) to Marketplace
  12. Left to Forest Climb
  13. Left to Fishing Village
  14. Left to Fishing Village
  15. Left to Castle Path
  16. Right to Village Onsen
  17. Right (to Fishing Village)
  18. Left to Forest Climb
  19. Straight (Left) to Forest Climb
  20. Straight (Left) to Castle Path
  21. Straight (Left) to Marketplace
  22. Left to Castle Outskirts
  23. Right to Forest Road
  24. Straight (Left) to Forest Road
  25. Straight (Right) to Village Onsen
  26. Left to Rice Paddies
  27. Right to Neo Tower
  28. Straight (Left) to Neokyo
  29. Straight (Right) to Tower
  30. Straight (Right) to Tower
  31. Right to Harbor
  32. Left to Downtown
  33. Left to Downtown
  34. Right to Sky Lane
  35. Straight (Left) to Harbor
  36. Straight (Right) to Downtown
  37. Left to Arcade
  38. Straight (Right) to Arcade
  39. Left to Tower
  40. Right to Rice Paddies
  41. Right to Arcade
  42. Left to Downtown
  43. Left to Railway
  44. Left to Railway East
  45. Right to Rooftop
  46. Right to Railway East
  47. Left to Downtown
  48. Left to Downtown
  49. Straight (Right) to Castle Park
  50. Straight (Left) to Castle Park
  51. Right to Harbor
  52. Left to Urukazi
  53. Straight (Left) to Mangroze Maze
  54. Right to Mangrove Maze North
  55. Right to Festival Harbor
  56. Right to Festival Harbor North
  57. Right to Mech Isle
  58. Right to Mech Isle South
  59. Right to Hidden Reefs
  60. Right to Hidden Reefs
  61. Right to Mangrove Maze
  62. Left to Mangroze Maze South
  63. Left to Festival Harbor
  64. Left to Festival Harbor South
  65. Left to Mech Isle
  66. Left to Mech Isle North
  67. Left to Hidden Reefs
  68. Left to Yumezi
  69. Left to Yumezi
  70. Right to Farmland
  71. Straight (Right) to Castle Path
  72. Straight (Left) to Forest Road
  73. Right to Castle Path
  74. Right to Marketplace
  75. Right to Castle Outskirts
  76. Straight (Right) to Castle Outskirts
  77. Straight (Left) to Farmlands

Route details:
Distance: 80.9km (50.3 miles)
Elevation Gain: 650m (2132′)
Strava Segment

Rebel Route Suggestions

Got an idea for a great Rebel Route? Share it below and maybe we’ll publish a post about it!

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Zwift Ride, New Setups, and Close Races

Oli Chi
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0
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Zwift Ride, New Setups, and Close Races

Considering adding a Zwift Ride to your indoor setup? In this week’s top video, one Zwifter shares his experience with the setup after one week of use.

We’ve also picked videos about the Wahoo KICKR Core 2, coaching a ‘newbie’ in a Zwift race, riding the PRL Full, and rocker plates.

I Finally Bought Zwift Ride and This Happened to Me…

Adam from Road to A shares his thoughts on the Zwift Ride after his first week of riding with it. Does it meet his expectations?

Unboxing my new trainer!

Casual Creations unboxes his new trainer and does his first race with it. Hear from him as he explains why he decided to upgrade and what his experience has been so far.

Can I Help A ‘Newbie’ Win A Zwift Race?

Zwifter Ryan Condon teams up with Jessica Strange and coaches her through a Zwift race. Can he guide her to a win?

This is insane! – Zwift London PRL Full Route

Patrick Lino tackles the PRL Full – the longest route on Zwift. Watch as he talks through pacing, nutrition, and more.

Indoor Cycling Felt Wrong… Until I Tried a Rocker Plate

As a long-time indoor cyclist, Bike Bonk Biff tries a rocker plate for the first time and shares his thoughts on the experience.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of December 20-21

Eric Schlange
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1
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of December 20-21

This weekend’s picks are all group rides, but they vary in length and pace. We’ve got a sweet spot ride from the inventor of sweet spot training, a kit unlock ride in NYC from Dadbod Cycling, two very different 100km rides, and the good ol’ BMTR Flat 100! See below for details…

🤝 FasCat’s Sweet Spot Saturdays, #2 of 7

✅ Sweet Spot 　✅ Coach Frank 　✅ Popular

Ever heard of “Sweet Spot” training? It’s a staple for many riders, since it lets you accumulate a lot of training stress in relatively little time without suffering at or above threshold.

The guy who created the sweet spot concept – coach Frank Overton of FasCat – is one of the leaders on these rides. There’s even a Discord channel so you can chat directly with him. Pretty cool!

Everyone will be on Big Foot Hills (69.9km, 712m) for this ride, doing “freestyle sweetspot,” and groups will naturally form around each rider’s sweet spot zone.

Saturday, December 20 @ 2:20pm UTC/9:20am ET/6:20am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5251524

🤝DBC x NYC Holiday Ride

✅ Cool Kit Unlock 　✅ Route Badge 　✅ Popular

Makesi from DadBod Cycling is hosting a holiday ride on one of New York’s newer routes this Saturday. It’s your chance to hang with Makesi (super cool dude) and also unlock the exclusive DBC Jersey in Zwift- see it on his Insta post.

This is an open-paced group ride on Double Parked (42.2km, 329m).

Saturday, December 20 @ 6pm UTC/1pm ET/10am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5271113

🤝OUTLYR.CC: 100K Paced Ride

✅ Popular 　✅ Endurance Training

I’m not sure what the folks at OUTLYR are up to, but this ride has more signups than any other heading into the weekend! For that reason alone, I’m including it in this list. They’ve earned it.

It’s a 100km event on Watopia’s Triple Flat Loops, led at a pace of 2.7 W/kg.

Sunday, December 21 @ 9am UTC/4am ET/1am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5284832

🤝WOW – High Speed Ride on TT bikes with draft

✅ Fast Miles　✅ Upgrade Hack　✅ Unique Event　

Want to accumulate lots of miles quickly? Join this growing group ride, which puts everyone on the fastest TT bike in game (Cadex Tri) with drafting enabled. It’s 100km, but it’ll be a fast 100km!

Riders are on Tempus Fugit, the flattest route in Zwift. Three different pace groups, released so the faster groups catch the slower groups over time.

Bike upgrading hack: on rides with forced bikes, whatever bike you’re on when you join the event is the bike that accumulates the distance/elevation/time. So, for example, you could accumulate lots of distance toward a road bike upgrade, while riding the Cadex Tri in this event.

Sunday, December 21 @ 1:45pm UTC/8:45am ET/5:45am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5281339

🤝 BMTR Flat 100 (Miles)

✅ Popular Ride　✅ Legacy Leader　✅ Endurance Challenge　✅ Kit Unlock

A regularly featured event here on Zwift Insider, the BMTR Flat 100 always gets lots of joiners because it’s well-led and run consistently week after week, year after year.

This week’s ride is on Watopia’s Big Flat 8, with three pace groups to choose from.

Saturday, December 20 @ 1:10pm UTC/8:10am EST/5:10am PST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5278520

How We Make Our Picks

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!

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