As Stacy Sims says in her 2016 book Roar, “Women are not small men.” Our racecraft is different, our power profiles are different, and our competition is… different. For many of us, racing against women is uplifting in a way that mixed racing is not. Women’s racing has developed the way many women’s communities do – out of a sense of togetherness rather than a need to distinguish oneself. The racing can be as fierce as on the mixed side, but the training beforehand and the support afterward certainly isn’t. Many of the best women’s racers on the platform with a penchant for teaching have stepped up to help those of us who want to learn and grow as riders.
For example, Gabi Guerra has started leading a weekly sprint training session where a group of women practices the technical side of racing – spinning your legs fast and jumping your power up to sprint pace.
The group stays together and the ride is open to women of all ability levels and teams. Throughout the sessions, Gabi fields questions and gives advice based on her training and experience. She also points out women in the group who are great sprinters so others can see the avatars’ acceleration. This type of support helps women improve their cycling skills and feel more confident in their ability to race.
Another prime example of women building up women racers is Alice Lethbridge, currently on The Coalition. Alice has spent immeasurable hours helping multiple women’s teams develop to their full potential by explaining race tactics, helping with the technical implementation of those tactics, developing individual riders to the best version of themselves, and DS’ing the ZGP women of The Coalition.
If you ever raced against a team developed by Alice, you know just what that teaching added to the team.
In a third prime example of women helping women, Karla, the co-founder of Aeonian, along with her core management team, spends time with each racer developing their virtual racing abilities and understanding of strategies used in Zwift racing. Additionally, the team equips them with terrain knowledge and tactical insights, ensuring readiness for various scenarios that may unfold during the race.
This expertise is often the difference between a podium finish and a back-of-the-pack finish.
Finally, the advocates for women’s racing are not limited to women racers. James Bailey, formerly of Herd and now working for Zwift, has been a tireless advocate for women’s racing since he led the HERd SHEries in 2018. He not only has a wealth of information on the logistical setup and participation rates of women’s series, but is always advocating, connecting, and supporting women organizers. He was the first to point out to me, when I wanted to put on a women’s series, that there are, and have been, many great women’s series, but not enough racers to participate in all the races. His support of women’s racing is impressive and highly valued by the women’s racing community.
Racers like Gabi, Alice, and Karla, and supporters like James, make now an awesome time to jump into women’s racing.
Women’s racing on Zwift isn’t new – Karla Williams at Aeonian has been racing since the end of 2017 in women’s-only races. A look back on ZwiftPower at that race shows some of the major players are still on the platform six years later, including Jenn Real.
While the fields started out very small, women-only racing has always attracted women who want something a little different than the average testosterone-filled mixed race. Since 2017, many of the great Zwift teams have organized women’s series, including Fearless, Herd, Rocacorba, Team Swedish Zwifters, and SRAM. Many of these races are amazing and include a bit of… je ne sais quoi. Great racing, great camaraderie, great courses for women, and just a feeling like you are racing on a level playing field – like if you try to jump off the front you have a chance to get away, or if you fall from the front group you might not be doomed to iTT (solo ride) your way through the rest of the race.
As fabulous as the race organization is, the field sizes in the women’s races have always struggled to match their mixed-division counterparts. In short, women’s racing needs you, Zwifter woman, to make it better.
A Complete Visual List of Zwift Level 61-100 Unlocks
Zwift released levels 61-100 this week, and with it lots of fun unlocks. Kits, shoes, socks, gloves, sunglasses, hats/helmets… there’s enough to fill a closet or two. Here’s a look at each and every unlock for Zwift’s new levels!
Level 61: Cool Tone Gloves (3 Pairs)
Level 62: Bike Packer Socks
Level 63: London Tube Kit
Level 64: Pop Art Shoes
Level 65: Tortoise & The Hare Sock Pack (2 Pairs)
Level 66: Bike Packer Kit
Level 67: Giro Aries Spherical Helmet
Level 68: Alpe du Knit Kit Pack (3 Kits)
Level 69: Bike Packer Cap
Level 70: Level 70 Kit
Level 71: Scotty Squirrel Cap
Level 72: Makuri Blossoms Kit
Level 73: Dino Power Cap & Socks
Level 74: Outfield Kit
Level 75: Rapha Pro Team Shoes
Level 76: Dino Power Kit
Level 77: Scotty Squirrel Socks
Level 78: Island Time Kit Pack (3 Kits)
Level 79: Dino Power Shoes
Level 80: Level 80 Kit
Level 81: Light Aero Helmet
Level 82: Wolf Power Kit
Level 83: Rapha Pro Team Full Frame Sunglasses
Level 84: Solid Color Kit Pack (3 Kits)
Level 85: Nimbl Feat Ultimate Shoes
Level 86: Kask Elemento Helmet
Level 87: Gravel Party Kit
Level 88: Party Sock Pack (3 Pairs)
Level 89: Giro Imperial Shoes
Level 90: Level 90 Kit
Level 91: Modern Kit
Level 92: Mirage Socks
Level 93: Out of This World Kit
Level 94: Mirage Cap
Level 95: Mirage Kit
Level 96: S-Works Evade 3 Helmet
Level 97: Out of This World Socks
Level 98: Mirage Shoes
Level 99: Mirage Helmet
Level 100: Level 100 Kit (and more?*)
*Sources within Zwift tell us they may be at work on an additional special unlock for level 100 which will be ready before the first Zwifter makes it to level 100.
What’s Your Favorite?
What do you think of the level 61-100 unlocks? What’s your favorite? Comment below!
After the announcement of the latest change to leveling up on Zwift, lots of you may want to complete longer rides to rack up that sweet, sweet XP. Because of this, we’ve selected a wide variety of endurance events!
✅ Popular Event ✅ Endurance Race ✅ Highly Competitive
If you’re looking to race with some of the best of the best, or just simply want a challenging race, the KISS 100 is where it is at. Every week, this iconic 100-kilometer race draws some of the top riders in each category.
The race will be taking place over two laps of the Eastern Eight course in Watopia.
Join Foudre for a social ride around the roads of Zwift. There will be a leader and sweeper present in this ride. Join Foudre on Discord in order to get in on all the fun and chatter. Note: the ride already has over 100 riders signed up, making it one of the top events this weekend.
As a bonus, completing this event will unlock Foudre’s epic lightning kit! The ride will take place on The Big Ring and will last 90 minutes.
The VirtuSlo Holidays League is starting this Sunday. In the past few months, VirtuSlo’s races have attracted lots of riders! One of the elements that make these races so popular is that the gap between categories is smaller, making it easier to be competitive for those at the lower end of categories. The league is entirely based on finishing position, so there is no need to worry about points on segments.
The first race takes place on one lap of The Big Ring.
The team at Enjoy Your Bike has decided to host a Zwift ride where riders can socialize and have a fun ride around the roads of Watopia. Completing this ride will unlock the all-new Enjoy Your Bike in-game cycling kit. With over 200 riders signed up for this event, it is the most popular event this weekend!
The group ride will be taking place over one lap of the Accelerate to Elevate course, which goes through the Southern Coast and up the Alpe.
Join the amazing leaders from PACK for a social group ride around the roads of Watopia. When looking at the event settings, it appears that PACK also has the event set to all Aero Boosts. If you intend to go for the sprints, be sure to regroup afterward.
The group ride will take place over 60 minutes on the Coast Crusher course in Watopia.
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!
Your Thoughts
Got other events that stand out this weekend? Share below in the comments!
Today Garmin announced the latest version of their flagship NEO smart trainer: the Tacx NEO 3M. Replacing the 4+ year old NEO 2T as Garmin’s top trainer, the 3M brings some notable improvements… and a hefty price tag. Let’s dive into the details!
New Features
The Tacx NEO line has long been considered the “gold standard” of smart trainers, especially in terms of power accuracy. Having evolved over the years, the NEO 2T already has many of the features you’ll find in top-tier trainers: 1% accuracy, auto-calibration, near-silent operation, and max wattage/incline that you’ll never exceed. Heck, it even had a sort of race-mode power broadcasting at 4Hz, before everyone else starting supporting 10Hz!
So what did Garmin upgrade to create the NEO 3M? Here are the biggest changes:
Built-in motion plates allow for a total of 5cm of fore-aft movement
WiFi and ethernet connectivity via an add-on accessory
11-speed cassette pre-installed
Built-in handle
2 concurrent Bluetooth connections supported
There are lots of “smaller” changes as well. Garmin also beefed up the resistance unit and internal cooling systems, so even though the max wattage/incline specs are the same as the NEO 2T, the 3M can handle heavier loads at lower speeds (like climbing steep hills on Zwift). Additionally, the power adapter “brick” has been moved internally for a cleaner plugin setup, various lights/buttons have been modified, and, according to early reviews, the 3M’s ERG capabilities have been improved substantially, making it perhaps the best ERG trainer on the market today.
Let’s dive a bit deeper into the key new features…
Motion Plates
Garmin has been selling motion plates for the NEO for a few years ($299USD), and the 3M’s plate have precisely the same movement ability. Garmin has added lockout knobs on the 3M in case you want to stop the fore-aft movement, but otherwise you’ll get around 2.5cm of backward movement and 2.5cm of forward movement.
It’s worth noting here in the “motion” section that the NEO has always allowed for a bit of side-to-side movement. Garmin has finally leaned into this a bit with the 3M, changing the unit’s design a bit to ensure that the side-to-side movement is even.
While 5cm of movement is better than nothing, it’s far from a full range of movement. (For comparison, the Wahoo KICKR Move has around 20cm of fore-aft movement.) In terms of side to side movement, both the NEO 3M and KICKR Move offer a bit of it, but again, it’s nothing like the natural full side-to-side movement you’ll get with a good rocker plate.
WiFi/Ethernet
The NEO 3M supports connections via WiFi or wired ethernet, but only if you buy the optional add-on accessory. (This unit isn’t yet listed on Garmin’s site, so we don’t know pricing.)
Like 3M’s motion abilities, Garmin’s implementation of WiFi/ethernet for the 3M are a welcome upgrade… but the implementation falls short. Why not build it into the unit, like Wahoo has done with their top-tier KICKR trainers and smart bike?
Pre-Installed Cassette
Considering the substantial price increase between the NEO 2T and the 3M, it’s a good thing Garmin has opted to start including a pre-installed cassette with this unit. If you’re on an 11-speed bike, this is a welcome addition.
But Zwift has made both Garmin and Wahoo look a bit silly here, since Zwift sells the Hub One with your choice of cassette. A pre-installed 11-speed cassette included on the NEO 3M and Wahoo’s top KICKR trainers is great if you have an 11-speed bike, but if you’re on a newer 12-speed, you’re effectively paying for a cassette you can’t use.
Built-In Handle
This may seem like a small thing, and that’s because it is. So why did it take so long? NEO owners have long hated moving their units because the NEO is heavy and famously awkward to pick up since it has no good handholds. Garmin finally adding a handle is a good move.
Two Concurrent Bluetooth Connections
Bluetooth’s one-to-one pairing has caught many riders out, so premium trainers have been offering the ability to support 2-3 concurrent connections. The NEO 3M is the first NEO model to offer more than one connection – a welcome upgrade.
Pricing and Availability
There’s no arguing that the Tacx NEO 3M is a substantial improvement over the previous model. And it’s been a long time coming!
But here’s the rub: that improvement comes at a price. The Tacx NEO 3M went on sale today for $1999USD, which is a $600 price hike from the MSRP of the previous model NEO 2T ($1399).
So if you’re looking to buy a NEO, you have to ask yourself: are the improvements/features of the 3M worth paying more than twice the price of the NEO 2T? On top of that, if you’re open to other trainer brands, is the NEO 3M a better buy than the Wahoo KICKR ($1299) or Wahoo KICKR Move ($1599)?
We like the NEO 3M as a worthy upgrade to Garmin’s flagship trainer, but we don’t like the price compared to the competition (namely, Wahoo). The hard truth for Garmin is, if they want to be competitive in this space they’ll probably need to reduce NEO 3M pricing to around $1599, with the WiFi/ethernet accessory included.
The fifth race of Zwift Racing League 2023/24 Round 2 happens Tuesday, December 12, and we’re in Scotland for a points race on a new-to-ZRL course.
Let’s dig into crucial sections along with powerup tips, bike choice notes, and more!
Looking at the Route: The Muckle Yin
Never before raced in ZRL Scotland’s The Muckle Yin (Scottish for “Big One”) is the longest route in Scotland, taking you over most of the country roads in both directions as well as starting and finishing in Glasgow.
All categories will race one lap for a total of 23.7km with 282 meters of elevation gain.
As you can see, The Muckle Yin is basically never flat. Apart from the key climbs mentioned below, riders will need to be constantly vigilant to maintain their desired pack position.
Here are the key climbs where riders will be dropped and selections will be made:
Sgurr Summit Northat 8.5km: 1.6km long at 3.7% on gravel, this is the longest climb on the route. Expect the first big selection to take place here.
Sgurr Summit South at 18.1km: 1km long at 3.3% and paved, this is the second-longest climb on the route. With just over 4km from the top to the finish line, expect some riders to use this climb as a launchpad for a breakaway.
The Clyde Kicker at 21.7km: a short punch, but it ends just 1.7km from the finish line, providing a good breakaway opportunity for a strong rider with a weaker sprint.
Specific powerups are assigned to specific arches for this race, so instead of describing how each powerup works (you can read all about them here) we’ll list which powerups will be given at which arches. And since each of these powerups was chosen on purpose so it can be smartly used in between the arch where you receive it and the next arch where another powerup awaits, we’ll tell you the place you’ll probably want to use it!
Champion’s Sprint at 0.2km – Draft Boost: use this on the longish, draftable climb up through The Cliffs
Lap Arch at 3km – Feather: use it on the Corkscrew Castle climb, or on the climb that follows up to the Breakaway Brae banner
Breakaway Brae at 6km – Steamroller: use it on a gravel section of the Sgurr Summit North gravel climb
Sgurr Summit at 10km – Anvil: use it as you descend from the gravel climb
Lap Arch at 11.3km – Feather: use it on the Corkscrew Castle climb, or on the climb that follows up to the Breakaway Brae banner
Breakaway Brae at 14.8km – Steamroller: this is a rather useless powerup at this part of the race. Just make sure you use it or throw it away before the lap arch.
Lap Arch at 17.8km – Feather: use it on the Sgurr Summit South climb just up the road
Sgurr Summit at 19.1km – Anvil: use it as you descend the gravel road after the summit
The Clyde Kicker at 21.7km – Aero Boost: save it for the finish!
Bike Frame + Wheel Choice
An aero bike or all-arounder are the way to go on The Muckle Yin. If you’re confident in your climbing abilities go with an aero bike for maximum advantage in the final sprint. Not so confident? Go with an all-arounder like the Tron bike or Scott Addict RC + ENVE 7.8 wheels to give you a bit of an edge on the uphills.
Many recon rides are held each week on the upcoming ZRL route, and they even give you double XP! If you’re unfamiliar with this course, jump into an event and do some recon.
Si Bradeley
Zwift Grand Prix
Watch this week’s men’s ZGP races to get a preview of The Muckle Yin race! See them live on Zwift’s YouTube channel at 7pm UTC.
Oli Chi
Strategic Options
Points Distribution, The Muckle Yin (1 Lap)
This chart shows the maximum points a team of 6 could earn in the race.
How will the race unfold, and what strategies will riders employ in the second points race of round 2? Here’s what we predict:
Early Sprint FAL and FTS: as mentioned above, the first 40 seconds of the race will be hectic, as some riders will go all-out to grab FAL points through the Champion’s Sprint. Per WTRL, the second time through this segment won’t count for FTS or FAL, so there are a lot of points on the line early on!
Long Breakaway Attempts: expect riders to attack on the climb up to the lap banner just before hitting the Sgurr Summit South climb, and expect the same on the Sgurr Summit South climb itself. Lastly, look for riders trying to go free over the top of The Clyde Kicker just a couple minutes from the finish line.
Strength-Based Efforts: this route has a bit of something for just about everyone… some 3-5 minute climbs, some punchy short climbs, and two sprints. Many riders will just ride efficiently on segments that don’t suit them, while going all-in on the segments that do.
Attritional Sgurr Climbs: the two Sgurr climbs will stretch out the pack and snap the elastic. Expect the two biggest selections of the race to happen here.
Pure Survival: this is a tough course, and some riders will simply try to survive in the front group to the finish. But be warned: intermediate points make up almost 3/4 of the race’s points, so if your team isn’t chasing intermediates, you will lose.
Your Thoughts
Any insights or further thoughts on this race? Share below!
Level 100! Zwift Revamps Levels, Reorganizes Drop Shop
This week’s Zwift update includes a massive set of changes to rider levels, Drop Shop pricing/unlocks, and the ways in which XP and Drops are earned. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say this is the biggest change to Zwift’s “economy” that the game has ever seen, apart from the actual launch of features like the Drop Shop!
There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s dive in.
Summary of Changes
Here’s a simple list of what Zwift changed in this week’s update:
New Cycling Levels: riders can now go all the way to level 100!
Easier Level Progression: less XP is now required to achieve each level.
Neverending Level 100: once a rider hits level 100, they can continue to earn 50,000 Drops bonuses by filling up the level 100 progress bar again… and again… and again.
More Drops Rewards: receive a big Drops bonus for each level achievement.
More XP Rewards: earn XP for extending your weekly streak.
Updated Drop Shop Unlock Levels and Pricing: many frames and wheels in the Drop Shop have been repriced and/or set to unlock at different levels.
Level 100 and Progression Changes
Previously capped at level 60, riders can now ascend all the way to level 100 thanks to this week’s update! That means 40 fresh unlocks (see the full list here).
In the previous leveling scheme, higher levels required as much as 30,000 XP to achieve. Additionally, the amount of XP required wasn’t always consistent or even steadily increasing (for example: the old level 42 took 10,000 XP to achieve, while 41 took 20,000 XP).
Zwift has radically revamped the level requirements, reducing the XP required to hit each level while steadily increasing those XP requirements as the levels get higher. Here’s a breakdown of the old and new leveling schemes:
Zwift has also made a small change for riders who hit the new level 100 cap. Instead of feeling “stuck” at the max level with an unmoving progress bar, riders will see the level 100 progress bar filling up. Once it’s filled, they will earn a 50,000 Drops bonus, and then the bar will be reset to be filled again.
Accelerated Leveling
Between level 50+ riders having “banked” extra XP, plus the new XP requirements for levels (see above), Zwift had a real project on their hands in figuring out how riders would transition from the old leveling scheme to the new one. It’s not an easy thing to get right, either: Zwift wants to give everyone the fun of leveling up, but they also know most riders will have earned enough XP to be at a higher level than the game currently shows.
The good news is, Zwift’s solution is simple. You don’t need to set any options, and the Pause screen tells you plainly how much XP you need to reach the next level:
The screen also indicates if you are on an accelerated leveling program (the black rider icon will be riding a wheelie) and how long your acceleration will remain (that’s the LV60 >>> LV96 indicator).
So the Pause screen is easy to understand. But what’s actually going on behind the scenes? If you want the nitty-gritty, read on…
Nearly all Zwifters will get some amount of “accelerated leveling” to transition from the old level scheme to the new. The game calculates each rider’s “level curve” based on their current level and XP.
There are actually two forms of acceleration going on. First, we have what we’ll call “Level Discounts.” This applies to nearly all Zwifters, and discounts the XP needed to level up by 20%. You can see this above, where the screen tells me I need 5600 XP to go from level 60 to 61 (which normally takes 7000 XP – so I’m getting a 20% discount). That 20% “discount” comes from my XP.
Example: a level 20 Zwifter has accumulated 70,000 XP, but you only need 33,500 XP to reach level 20 in the new scheme. That “extra” XP (70,000-33,500 = 36,500 XP) will be used to cover 20% of the XP needed to reach each new level, which means that extra XP will stretch all the way through to level 59. Level 59 requires 183,500 XP more than level 20 in the new scheme, and 20% of 183,500=36,700 XP.
The second form of level acceleration we’ll call “Double XP”, and it applies to riders at level 50+ who have accumulated additional XP. Instead of simply applying all that banked XP and zooming you through all the levels the first time you log in, Zwift doubles any XP you earn, so you level up twice as fast until you use up your banked XP.
Example: since I’m receiving Double XP (40 XP per km), riding 140km will earn me the 5600 XP needed to level up.
Current level 60 (and some level 50+) riders will experience both forms (Level Discounts and Double XP) of accelerated leveling. Hidden in Zwift’s Pause screen UI is a small indicator of which types of accelerated leveling you’re experiencing. On the screenshot above, the black LV60 >>> LV96 text tells me I’m receiving both types of acceleration. Two chevrons (>>) means I’m only receiving Level Discounts, while three means I’m receiving both Double XP and Level Discounts.
How Far to Level 100?
How long will it take current level 60 riders to get to level 100?
Well, assuming you have enough XP banked to get double XP all the way through level 100, we can calculate this easily enough:
360,500 to get from level 60-100
Discounted by 20% = 288,400
With a typical rider earning 500-700 XP per hour (let’s say 600 XP), that means 1200 XP at the doubled rate.
That works out to 288,400/1200 = 240 hours of riding. That’s 34 weeks, or 8 months, of daily 1-hour rides.
More Drops
Riders previously received a Drops bonus for certain level achievements:
If your new level ended with a 5 (15, 25, etc) you received 25,000 Drops
If your new level ended with a 0 (10, 20, 30, etc) you received 100,000 Drops
This week’s change simplifies things while increasing the total number of Drops given as level-up bonuses. Now, riders will receive a 50,000 Drops bonus each time they level up.
XP Rewards for Streaks
If new levels weren’t enough, this week Zwift added a streaks feature. The idea is simple: ride on Zwift at least once a week for 2+ kilometers to keep your streak going.
You’ll earn a tidy XP bonus for your first ride each week as your streak progresses: 300 XP for your first two rides in week 1, 400 XP for the first two rides of week 2, then 500 XP for your first ride each week after that, as long as your streak continues.
Updated Drop Shop Unlock Levels and Pricing
Prices and level requirements have been adjusted throughout the Drop Shop. Where pricing was formerly based on real-world pricing and level requirements were (often) based on performance, Zwift says the Drop Shop is now priced based loosely on performance, with level requirements related to the desirability of the item and its price in relation to how many Drops a Zwifter should have at a given level.
Here are the old and new level requirements and prices for frames and wheels in Zwift’s Drop Shop:
Frames
CURRENT
UPDATED
Type
Make
Model
Level Req
Drop Price
Level Req
Drop Price
Road
BMC
RoadMachine
21
780,900
18
344,100
Road
BMC
SLR01
19
376,200
39
759,500
Road
BMC
TeamMachine
26
832,900
39
969,200
Road
Bridgestone
RS9s
15
511,200
10
200,000
Road
Cannondale
EVO
9
213,000
29
714,500
Road
Cannondale
Caad12
2
184,500
6
106,300
Road
Cannondale
Super 6 EVO
36
816,500
29
768,200
Road
Cannondale
Synapse
12
298,200
12
270,100
Road
Cannondale
System Six
27
497,000
20
725,100
Road
Canyon
Aeroad 2021
10
568,000
27
1,029,200
Road
Canyon
Ultimate
10
461,500
12
322,500
Road
Canyon
Ultimate CFR
19
639,000
12
350,700
Road
Cervelo
R5
24
461,500
28
633,600
Road
Cervelo
S3D
13
468,600
15
415,300
Road
Cervelo
S5
25
603,500
36
1,438,400
Road
Cervelo
S5 2020
27
852,000
36
1,481,000
Road
Chapter2
KOKO
11
639,000
21
505,500
Road
Chapter2
Rere
16
355,000
13
326,400
Road
Chapter2
Tere
6
390,500
6
199,400
Road
Chapter2
TOA
18
426,000
33
800,000
Road
Colnago
V3RS
18
695,800
38
800,000
Road
Cube
Litening
32
177,500
24
536,500
Road
Cube
Litening C:68x
32
373,500
24
604,200
Road
Factor
One
8
426,000
19
600,000
Road
Felt
AR
34
639,000
16
714,100
Road
Felt
FR
20
851,900
23
562,700
Road
Focus
Izalco Max 2020
8
426,000
22
712,900
Road
Giant
Propel Advanced SL Disc
22
816,500
35
1,102,900
Road
Giant
TCR Advanced SL
8
305,300
27
566,100
Road
Giant
TCR Advanced SL Disc
14
745,500
27
543,100
Road
Liv
Langma Advanced SL
22
745,500
24
511,300
Road
Liv
Langma SL Advanced 2021
22
745,500
24
613,200
Road
Moots
Vamoots RCS
15
852,000
8
275,000
Road
Mosaic
RT-1d
15
852,000
11
250,000
Road
Parlee
ESX
16
603,500
5
153,200
Road
Parlee
RZ7
28
511,200
32
771,800
Road
Pinarello
Dogma 65.1
29
603,500
40
577,800
Road
Pinarello
Dogma F
32
1,029,500
40
1,418,600
Road
Pinarello
Dogma F10
39
710,000
40
1,081,900
Road
Pinarello
Dogma F12
29
958,500
40
1,242,700
Road
Ribble
Endurance
7
390,500
21
505,500
Road
Ridley
Helium
3
461,500
15
272,500
Road
Ridley
Noah Fast 2019
9
426,000
33
950,000
Road
Scott
Addict RC
33
852,000
17
660,200
Road
Scott
Foil
17
781,000
26
676,900
Road
Scott
Foil 2023
22
816,500
26
864,600
Road
Specialized
Aethos
34
923,000
30
966,300
Road
Specialized
Allez
4
127,800
9
122,700
Road
Specialized
Allez Sprint
14
127,800
14
387,000
Road
Specialized
Amira
31
142,000
36
730,400
Road
Specialized
Amira S-Works
31
355,000
36
802,300
Road
Specialized
Roubaix
5
461,500
18
333,500
Road
Specialized
Roubaix S-Works
5
745,500
18
405,200
Road
Specialized
Ruby
5
461,500
18
333,500
Road
Specialized
Ruby S-Works
5
745,500
18
399,300
Road
Specialized
Tarmac*
0
0
36
786,300
Road
Specialized
Tarmac Pro
11
408,300
36
856,100
Road
Specialized
Tarmac SL7
5
674,500
36
1,200,000
Road
Specialized
Venge S-Works
33
798,800
37
1,200,000
Road
Trek
Emonda SL
26
142,000
25
560,300
Road
Trek
Madone
20
887,500
34
1,050,000
Road
Uranium
Nuclear
19
184,529
31
700,000
Road
Van Rysel
EDR CF
12
326,600
7
144,100
Road
Ventum
NS1
15
638,900
30
750,000
Road
Zwift
Aero
6
319,500
9
250,000
Road
Zwift
Carbon
0
0
3
55,000
Road
Zwift
Steel*
7
142,000
1
0
TT
BMC
Timemachine01
24
781,000
7
400,000
TT
Cadex
Tri
42
1,029,500
40
1,500,000
TT
Canyon
Speedmax
21
710,000
31
424,600
TT
Canyon
Speedmax CR SLX Disc
26
891,000
31
1,200,000
TT
Cervelo
P5
15
710,000
34
920,700
TT
Cervelo
P5X
45
1,065,000
34
1,000,000
TT
Cube
Aerium
28
248,500
10
251,700
TT
Diamondback
Andean
35
572,900
39
950,000
TT
Felt
IA
37
1,065,000
16
515,100
TT
Felt
IA 2.0
34
1,136,000
16
750,000
TT
Pinarello
Bolide TT
42
923,000
28
627,000
TT
Pinarello
Bolide
25
1,065,000
28
618,400
TT
Quintana
Roo V-PR
16
638,600
13
297,400
TT
Scott
Plasma
17
852,000
19
528,600
TT
Scott
Plasma RC Ultimate
33
1,136,000
19
600,000
TT
Specialized
Shiv
10
710,000
37
643,800
TT
Specialized
Shiv Disc
18
994,000
37
1,000,000
TT
Specialized
Shiv S-Works
10
852,000
37
910,600
TT
Trek
Speed Concept
32
958,500
22
670,500
TT
Ventum
One
31
482,800
25
440,800
TT
Zwift
TT
0
0
4
60,000
Gravel
Canyon
Grail
23
355,000
26
750,000
Gravel
Canyon
Inflite
10
234,300
8
200,000
Gravel
Cervelo
Aspero
13
426,000
32
800,000
Gravel
Giant
Revolt
14
298,200
23
475,000
Gravel
Lauf
True Grit
11
297,500
5
125,000
Gravel
Liv
Devote
14
298,200
17
450,000
Gravel
Specialized
Crux
17
869,800
35
950,000
Gravel
Specialized
Diverge
12
532,500
14
300,000
Gravel
Zwift
Gravel
0
163,300
2
50,000
MTB
Canyon
Lux
10
461,500
11
275,000
MTB
Scott
Spark RC
17
418,900
20
350,000
MTB
Scott
Spark RC World Cup
21
745,400
20
750,000
MTB
Specialized
Epic S-Works
5
675,900
29
950,000
MTB
Trek
Super Caliber
20
532,500
38
750,000
MTB
Zwift
Mountain
0
0
2
50,000
* Specialized Venge (2015) is now the new Ride California Challenge Reward, and the Zwift Steel frame is the new default bike frame.
Wheels
CURRENT
UPDATED
Type
Make
Model
Level Req
Price
Level Req
Price
Standard
Bontrager
Aeolus5
20
170,400
11
67,700
Standard
Cadex
36
26
257,400
29
216,900
Standard
Cadex
42
8
227,200
17
119,500
Standard
Cadex
65
21
241,400
33
223,900
Standard
Campagnolo
Bora Ultra 35
33
248,500
35
250,000
Standard
Campagnolo
Bora Ultra 50
27
262,700
12
150,000
Standard
DT Swiss
ARC 1100 DiCut 62
6
184,600
40
400,000
Standard
DT Swiss
ARC 1100 DISC Aero TT
42
1,579,800
39
655,600
Standard
ENVE
SES 2.2
17
191,700
26
174,300
Standard
ENVE
SES 3.4
4
191,700
27
200,000
Standard
ENVE
SES 6.7
25
191,700
22
150,000
Standard
ENVE
SES 7.8
39
205,900
36
278,900
Standard
ENVE
SES 8.9
31
205,900
28
250,000
Standard
FFWD
RYOT55
23
113,600
18
136,100
Standard
Giant
SLR 0
22
191,800
21
165,100
Standard
Mavic
Comete Pro Carbon SL UST
23
142,000
13
45,400
Standard
Mavic
Cosmic CXR60c
16
142,000
7
39,800
Standard
Mavic
Cosmic Ultimate UST
9
142,000
6
38,400
Standard
Novatec
R4
24
95,850
8
37,900
Standard
Roval
Alpinist CLX
32
135,300
38
634,300
Standard
Roval
CLX64
5
170,400
16
150,000
Standard
Roval
Rapide CLX
14
195,300
15
200,000
Standard
Shimano
C40
12
85,300
4
35,900
Standard
Shimano
C50
28
88,700
4
34,600
Standard
Shimano
C60
18
92,300
10
41,100
Standard
Zipp
202
11
149,200
20
135,200
Standard
Zipp
353
19
255,600
24
168,800
Standard
Zipp
404
15
149,200
19
115,600
Standard
Zipp
454
24
284,000
30
204,300
Standard
Zipp
808
13
177,600
25
200,000
Standard
Zipp
808/Super9
35
1,075,700
34
450,000
Standard
Zipp
858
37
312,400
31
300,000
Standard
Zipp
858/Super9
45
1,508,800
37
550,000
Standard
Zwift
32mm Carbon
1
0
3
32,000
Standard
Zwift
50mm Carbon
7
120,700
9
43,700
Standard
Zwift
Classic*
2
35,600
1
0
Gravel
Cadex
AR 35
1
21,300
14
154,500
Gravel
Enve
G23
1
17,800
23
241,800
Gravel
Reserve
25 GR
1
11,400
5
83,900
Gravel
Roval
TerraCLX
1
17,800
32
330,800
Gravel
Zwift
Gravel
1
0
1
0
MTB
Zwift
Mountain
1
0
1
0
* new default wheels
A Note About New Unlocks
Zwift has made some small changes to unlocks, including:
New accounts will now start with the Zwift Steel frame and Zwift Classic wheels by default, and unlock the Carbon, Gravel, and Mountain Bike frames within the first three levels to help introduce riders to the Drop Shop.
Zwift says riders won’t have any bikes removed from their garage – but you might have one or two added, thanks to this new setup!
What’s Next?
Whew. That was a lot! New levels, a Drop Shop shakeup, more opportunities for more Drops and XP… what’s next?
Three things I’d love to see:
More stuff in the Drop Shop: earning more Drops is fun, I suppose… but I’ve already got almost 50 million Drops, with nothing in the Shop I want to buy! I’d love to have the chance to purchase some funky bikes, cool hardware, tattoos, fancy cycling kit… you get the idea. Or (and this is still my favorite idea) let me cash in my Drops for a donation to one of several pre-chosen charities!
Garage maintenance/organization tools: we need the ability to “favorite” items in our garage, as well as remove items we no longer want. Two simple bits of functionality that would make the garage experience much better.
Compelling new unlocks: Zwift hit it out of the park with the level 50 Fire Socks. Could they do it again with some unlocks for levels 61-100? We’ll know soon enough, I guess.
Questions or Comments?
What do you think of the swath of changes Zwift made? Share below!
The latest Zwift update has been announced and will be released in phases over the next few days. It’s a feature-stuffed release, too, with Streak incentives added and big changes to Zwift levels, the Drop Shop, and the Climb Portal. Let’s dive into the details!
Level 100
That’s right, level 60 Zwifters: we’ve got 40 more levels to work toward!
In fact, this week’s update does much more than add 40 levels and their corresponding unlocks. Zwift has reworked the entire “leveling curve”, reducing and “evening out” the amount of XP needed to attain each level. They’ve also put in place two types of “accelerated leveling” so Zwifters can transition from their current level to their “correct” higher level in the new system at a faster rate while still enjoying the fun of leveling up.
To keep this post as short as possible we’ll cover the new levels, Drop Shop shuffle (below), and related topics in a separate post:
Zwift didn’t add new features or items to the Drop Shop (although we hear that is coming!), but they modified the prices and level requirements for nearly every frame and wheelset in the Shop.
Zwift says they did this to “better tie equipment performance to the level they are unlocked.”
The idea is simple: ride on Zwift at least once a week for 2+ kilometers to keep your streak going. A streak summary screen is now shown after every ride so you get metrics for your streak, learn if this activity earned you any bonus XP, see how far you have to go to the next level, and more:
You’ll earn a tidy XP bonus for your first two days riding each week (Monday thru Sunday) as your streak progresses: 300 XP for your first two days in week 1, 400 XP for the first two days of week 2, then 500 XP for your first two days each week after that, as long as your streak continues.
Climb Portal Scaling, Completion Tracking, and Rankings
This update brings some big changes to the Climb Portal:
Scaling lets you change the gradient (but not distance) of a climb
Completion Tracking tells you which scaled versions of a climb you’ve completed (50/75/100/125%)
Percentile Rankings show how your best completion time compares to other Zwifters
The Climb Portal now allows climb elevation scaling. Zwifters can reduce the climb segment’s elevation to 50% and 75%. And if you’re hardcore, you get the option to increase it to 125% after completing it at 100%! Scaling does not change the length of the climb, only the gradients.
You select your scaling when choosing your portal climb – but you can also change it just before entering the portal:
All the numbers on screen are adjusted based on your chosen scaling percentage, including the average gradient and total elevation shown on the left as you climb.
Separate in-game leaderboards are kept for each scaled version of the climb, so you’re only “competing” against others who did the same climb as you. Top the leaderboard (on any version of the climb) and you’ll get the polka dot leader’s jersey.
All riders are visible on the climb regardless of chosen scale, but the rider list and icons behind each rider indicate which scaling factor they are using.
What about Strava? Will 50% scaled climbers be blowing up the Climb Portal segment leaderboards?
Nope. Zwift has worked with Strava to automatically exclude the easier scaled efforts from Strava leaderboards by tagging these efforts as “gamified.” This is the message you’ll see on the Strava site if you ride the 50% or 75% versions:
Important note: if you ride a 50% or 75% scaled version of your climb during an activity, your entire activity will be tagged as “gamified,” and all Strava segments will be excluded. So if you want your activity to match with Strava segments, don’t mix in a scaled climb portal effort!
This scaling feature includes a tracking element that records which version(s) of each climb you’ve completed. (This is an essential part of the 125% scaling feature, since it only unlocks after you complete the climb at 100%.) See below, indicating completion of Old La Honda at 100% and 50%:
Riders have been asking for a way to track completed climbs ever since the Portal was released, so this will be a welcome addition for many! And good news – it appears to track completions since the Portal launched, although we haven’t confirmed that with Zwift.
You’ll also see a percentile ranking next to the completed climb versions in the screenshot above. This is a super-fun feature, and the first of its kind in Zwift: a perpetual leaderboard showing how you rank against other’s efforts!
If you’re looking at the current climb of the month, the percentile shown is only for efforts in the current calendar month. This way, each month’s featured climb turns into a month-long game-wide competition, which is a super fun idea.
If you’re looking at a climb that isn’t the climb of the month, but just one of the featured climbs (see climb portal schedule), the percentile you see is an all-time percentile.
Virtual Shifting Change for Free Ride Workout Blocks
ZA Workout #1 (note free ride maximal efforts)
Today’s release notes include this line: “Zwift Hub: For Zwifters with virtual shifting enabled, free ride blocks within Zwift Academy workouts now start at the default gear 12.”
Zwift’s virtual shifting presents an interesting challenge in certain workouts with free ride blocks, including the first workout of Zwift Academy 2023 which had riders going straight from Erg mode into an all-out effort in free ride mode. With virtual shifting you don’t know what gear you’re in while in Erg mode since that UI element is (sensibly) hidden. Then, when the free ride block begins, the game shows your virtual gear and immediately “shifts” into it.
Today’s change doesn’t fix the problem entirely, but it at least lets you know what gear to expect at the start of any free ride block.
More Release Notes
Zwift provided notes on additional tweaks and bug fixes in this update:
Added route intersection options when opting to freeride after completing Repack Rush.
Updated rider lean visual to be more realistic.
Fixed an issue on Repack Rush where the Restart button was hidden when the HUD was disabled.
Fixed an issue where cyclists with steering devices could steer off of the road in several locations throughout Watopia.
Fixed an issue which caused some rivers to dry up in London and Makuri Islands.
Fixed an issue where grass was missing in some locations in Makuri Islands.
Zwiftalizer 2.0 Tutorial And In-Depth Analysis Video
Hello everyone. Today, I am excited to share with you my brand-new video tutorial and in-depth analysis of Zwiftalizer – the free online tool for reading Zwift game log files. This video has something for everyone, from complete Zwift newcomers to level 60 pros.
First, I cover the basics. Then I go over all the metrics in each chart step by step. Also, for the first time ever, I’m showing summary reports that use community data that I’ve been gathering for over two years – over two hundred thousand activities by ten thousand users. This level of in-depth research won’t be found anywhere else, folks. This is a Zwiftalizer exclusive. This happened with your help; this is your data!
Here is a sneak peek at what the video has to offer (video included at the bottom of the post)…
ANT+ vs Bluetooth Popularity
I delve into the topic of ANT+ vs Bluetooth connection type popularity among PC and Mac users, specifically looking at the trends between 2022 and 2023. I wanted to know if the increasing popularity of Bluetooth-centric gadgets like Zwift Play controls and Elite Strezo steering devices had affected Bluetooth adoption in the PC world. I won’t spoil the details here (you’ll have to watch the video for that!). I can share that the trends in usage between ANT+ and Bluetooth were fascinating.
ANT+ vs Bluetooth Reliability Debate Settled
I also go deep into the data to settle the often-debated topic of which technology is more reliable. Let’s just say, the data gathered from over two hundred thousand activities, logged by ten thousand users over two years, reveals a clear winner.
How ANT+ and Bluetooth Reliability Differs For Trainer Models
I also explore the reliability of wireless for various smart trainers and power meters. This part of the analysis required a careful approach to ensure fairness in comparison, considering different usage frequencies of devices. I examined everything from ANT+ connected power meters to the latest smart trainers on Bluetooth, and the insights I gathered were quite surprising.
Most Popular Graphics Profiles and Resolutions
Finally, I go back to the subject that made me want to make Zwiftalizer in the first place, way back in 2015: graphics performance for different devices. To be more specific, I find out which profiles and resolutions Zwiftalizer users use most often, as well as which laptops, PCs, and Macs are the most popular at each graphics setting. I will give you a spoiler alert for this one right now – it’s laptops, and by a whopping 80% across the board.
Check out the video
While I’m keen to share all the specifics and outcomes of my study, I’ll hold back here because the real depth and nuance of these findings are best explained through the video. So, if you’re as interested in the crowd-sourced data as I am, make sure to check out the full video for a comprehensive understanding of the current state of fitness equipment wireless connectivity and device reliability with Zwift. Trust me, it’s an eye-opener!
Subscribe and Like to Support Zwiftalizer
Now, I have a request. Please subscribe to my new YouTube channel and give my tutorial video a like. It’s completely free and really helps promote the channel. Who knows, maybe I’ll even make a few bucks from it one day to keep the site going. Zwiftalizer is a free service. Let’s keep it that way. Eric Min, CEO of Zwift, has given his own money to my project through Patreon in the past. Zwiftalizer users and I thank you very much for years of support. This is no longer the case. It might have been a mistake due to an expired credit card, but I don’t know because he wasn’t available for comment. I also no longer get any commission from the Amazon Affiliates program. It’s my fault. A link on my homepage did not lead to a specific product page or search results on Amazon.com, which is an immediate ban for life. Read those EULAs folks; they’re not messing around.
Thank you to everyone who has made a donation via PayPal, BuyMeACoffee and Patreon. More than ever, it’s because of you that the site stays up and running.
