How much does three years of consistent riding improve your fitness? In this week’s top video, watch as one rider tests their fitness and compares it to results from 1000 days ago.
Also included in this week’s picks are videos about DIY training plans, road racing on Zwift, thoughts on Zwift Community Live, and fitness testing.
I Rode on Zwift for 1000 Days. Did I Get Better?
After riding on Zwift for 1000 days, Adam from Road to A tackles an FTP test to see how much he has improved.
Reviewing a Master’s Cyclist DIY Training Plan | Cycling Coach Reacts
Cycling coach Jesse Coyle reviews the training of Phil (Bike Racing Without Mercy) and shares feedback on what Phil is doing well and what could be improved.
Gravel was Hard… Road is Finally Back!
Liam Shaw is back to road racing after a stretch of racing gravel on Zwift. Can he hold on to the front group and battle for the win?
Road Cycling In Mallorca Was Great… But I Have Regrets!
Jessica Strange recaps her trip in Mallorca at Zwift Community Live and shares some of her regrets that she now has, looking back on the experience.
I Tested My FTP After 200 Days of Cycling
Dead Last Cycling tests his FTP after 200 days of consistent training. How does his fitness compare to the start of his cycling journey?
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
All About the New Swiss Side HADRON Ultimate Disc Wheelset in Zwift
This week’s game update includes two new wheelsets from Swiss Side, long-term collaborators with DT Swiss, whose in-game wheels are familiar to any Zwift racer since they’re fast! Swiss Side helps optimize the aerodynamics of DT Swiss’ high-end wheel lines, while DT Swiss provides manufacturing capabilities and hubs for Swiss Side.
Swiss Side has also partnered with Van Rysel to optimize the aerodynamics of their bike frames, so it’s no coincidence these new wheels dropped at the same time as three new Van Rysel frames arrived in Zwift’s Drop Shop.
Here’s how the Swiss Side HADRON Ultimate Disc wheelset is described in the Drop Shop: “Maximum aero, no distractions. The 850 front and rear disc are designed for pure efficiency, minimizing drag and stabilizing airflow at race speed. Developed with Swiss precision and real-world testing, this setup is all about sustained power and straight-line speed.”
The wheels are now available in the Drop Shop, accessible at level 39 and above, for 900,000 Drops. They are rated 4 stars for aero and 1 for weight, just like other top disc wheelsets. But how do they compare? Since Zwift’s 4-star rating system isn’t precise enough for our tastes, we ran these wheels through our standard battery of tests to determine exactly how they perform in Zwift and stack up against other wheelsets.
Let’s dive in and learn all about the in-game performance of Swiss Side’s first disc wheelset in Zwift!
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
Swiss Side’s HADRON Ultimate Disc wheelset matches the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85/Disc in terms of performance. And this makes sense, since they’re the same wheelset IRL, with different branding. Because of that, their weight and CdA settings in Zwift are identical to the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85/Disc.
The DT Swiss disc is the fastest disc wheelset in Zwift, which means the new Swiss Side disc is also the fastest wheelset in game! Both wheelsets outpace our stock 32mm carbon wheelset on the flats by ~69 seconds across an hour on a TT bike, and ~50 seconds on a road bike.
Climb Performance
The Swiss Side disc matches the DT Swiss disc on our climb tests as well, although of course, disc wheels don’t exactly shine on climbing tests due to their high weight!
Both wheelsets lose ~20 seconds per hour of climbing compared to the stock 32mm carbon hoops, whether you’re on a TT frame or road frame.
Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using the Zwift Carbon frame.
Conclusions
Swiss Side’s HADRON Ultimate Disc is now tied with the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85/Disc as the top disc wheelset in Zwift. But reflecting real-world pricing and the cachet of the DT Swiss brand, the Swiss Side disc costs 100,000 Drops less, and is unlocked one level earlier!
These wheels have been, or will soon be, added to the following posts:
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.
Hot Summer Nights Women’s-Only Racing Series Begins Tomorrow
The FemmeCycle Collab is hosting a women’s-only eight-week racing series on Zwift designed to test every facet of virtual racing — from explosive sprints to sustained time-trial efforts to tactical pack racing. And it all kicks off tomorrow (Tuesday, May 19)!
Formats at a Glance
Individual Time Trials (Weeks 1 & 5) – solo efforts against the clock.
Each week offers two timezone-friendly race slots. Riders may race either slot, but points only count toward the classification of the timezone in which they first raced. Riders may not switch timezones mid-series for IGC classification; the timezone of a rider’s first scoring race is their home classification for the remainder of the series.
Slot A – 17:00 UTC (Europe evening / North America midday)
Slot B – 23:00 UTC (North America evening / Asia-Pacific morning)
Eligibility & Categories
Open to all riders who self-identify as women. Categories use Zwift Racing Score (ZRS) brackets. Choose your category carefully, as points will not carry over if you upgrade or downgrade categories mid-series.
The Races
All races take place on Tuesdays, with two available slots: 17:00 UTC and 23:00 UTC. Unless noted otherwise, the primary point structure rewards the top five with 100, 95, 90, 85, 80 points, with every subsequent place dropping by 1 point. Please note: SOME WEEKS HAVE MORE POINTS THAN OTHERS
Week 1 (May 19)
Time Trial (“Some Like it Hot”)
Route: Makuri Islands Island Hopper (18.1km for A/B/C, 10.8km for D/E)
TT bikes only (Cadex Tri assigned, upgrades in effect). No powerups.
Week 2 (May 26)
Mini Races (3 Back to Back) (“Dazed and Confused”)
Must complete all three. No TT bikes. Finish points from all three combine. Aero Boost powerups only.
Week 3 (June 2)
Points Race (“Fast & Furious”)
Route: Makuri Islands Chasing the Sun (35.1km for A/B, 23.6km for C/D/E)
Rewards finish points, plus bonus points for First Across the Line (FAL) and Fastest Through the Segment (FTS) on specific segments. Aero and Draft Boost powerups assigned randomly.
Final results will be available on ZwiftPower. Across eight weeks, riders tackle four distinct race styles: Mini Races, Individual Time Trials, Scratch Races, and Points Races. Your top six weekly results count toward an individual general classification (IGC), and the top 3 finishers per team per week aggregate to the team total. All 8 weeks count for teams (no drops). Riders do not need to participate in all weeks, but must have their race team as their primary team in ZwiftPower to count.
VO2sday Micro Races, Week 3: New Routes, Modified Categories
Last week’s second running of the new VO2sday Micro Races went well, with over 420 riders participating: a 14% increase from launch week. Let’s gooo! Here are a few videos from the day:
This week, we head to France for a new set of routes, with categories modified to help things feel as competitive as possible. Read on for details…
Compound Score Categories
Last week, for the first time, we categorized these races using Zwift’s Compound Score (CS), which is calculated as (5-min power in W/kg) * (5-min power in W). It was really interesting to see how the use of CS allowed women to be more competitive in their respective fields. Check out these results (taken from ZwiftPower, where I just looked at the top 5 overall, not individual race wins):
Zone 1: Diane Bomans took 1st in D, with Sarah Allen in 4th. Emily Vrijsen took 2nd in C.
Zone 2: CarlaO took 1st in D, with Vanessa Mora in 5th. Women swept the C podium, with Emma Dooley in 1st, Humerus Fraktur 2nd, Caterina Roncalli 3rd, and Ragna van Rixtel 5th. Maria Marb took 4th in B.
Zone 3: Women swept the D podium, with Christine Grant at the top, followed by Megan Grady and Kristin White. Karen Stensrud also took 5th. Sophie C took 1st in C.
This makes sense, of course. CS is more friendly to lighter riders with lower absolute power numbers, compared to Zwift’s traditional pace categories, which favor heavier riders.
This week I’ve tweaked the CS-based categories a bit, because the D groups were too large last week. Here are the new categories:
A: 1700+
B: 1200-1700
C: 800-1200
D: 800 and below
May 19 Race Details and Signup
Here are this week’s courses:
Macaron (2.6km): 1 lap of this tiny route for a nice, flat start
Peaky Pavé (2.6km): another flat one, ends midway through the Dos d’Âne Sprint Reverse
Ven-Top (2.1km): the climbiest route for the week, even though we just touch the start of Ventoux
Lutece Express (2.5km): starts with a climb up Champs-Élysées, followed by a descent
Champs-Élysées (2.75km): finishing with a stroll around the Jardin des Tuileries on the east end of the Champs-Élysées circuit
My dream is still to make these races time-based, so each race would be (for example) 4 minutes long for everyone. This would let us dial in precise VO2 max interval lengths for the races, ensuring that all riders go hard for the same length of time regardless of ability, and (maybe the most fun part of all) it would let us set up a unique GC that is based on overall distance covered in the allotted time.
The problem is, ZwiftPower doesn’t support this. So I’m talking to WTRL and a few other community organizers to see if we can pull it off some other way. Stay tuned.
Structured Workout Racing
The VO2sday Micro Races are nothing like your typical Zwift scratch race. Here’s how these races are distinctly structured to be engaging and fun while delivering a proper VO2 max session:
5 races in less than an hour – that’s 5 hard VO2 max intervals
Very short efforts: Each race is very short, with a target completion time of 3-5 minutes, just like a good VO2 max interval
Recovery time: Races are 10 minutes apart, so a 5-minute race leaves you with 5 minutes of recovery before the next interval
Mix of courses: Each week’s race courses feature a mix of flat, climb, rolling, and even downhill parcours. Riders with lots of pure watts have the advantage in some races, while riders with strong w/kg have the advantage in others.
Compound Score categories: Since results will be driven by your power numbers, riders will be categorized based on compound score, not Zwift Racing Score. This takes into account your 5-minute power and body weight.
Mass start: While riders are broken into categories for results, these are mass-start events with all categories starting together, so everyone has riders ahead to chase. (Remember, the goal is to push as hard as you can for the duration of the race, not to sit in the pack and conserve so you can sprint to victory in the last 15 seconds!)
Drafting is disabled, so these are effectively time trials. (Yes, you’ll want a fast TT setup.) Hopefully this forces you out of the “sit in then sprint” mindset, and into “hold steady high power for the duration” mode.
GC-Based final results: overall rankings are based on your cumulative time across the 5 races (see links above).
Questions or comments?
I’d love to hear your feedback after you’ve completed the latest set of VO2sday races. Share it below, along with any questions or comments you’ve got beforehand!
Zwift has lots of wheels from various makers in its virtual Drop Shop, making decisions on what to purchase and ride a bit daunting! But never fear, we’ve got your back. Here’s a list of all available wheelsets including their Drop Shop price, level requirements, and aero/weight star ratings.
Wheelsets with a price strikethrough are retired, meaning they are no longer available in the Drop Shop but remain in the garage of any Zwifter who owns them.
This weekend’s notable events include a very popular annual “ride for cause” plus a popular stage race, a Ven-Top chase challenge, a stupidly long group workout, and more! See our picks below…
Ride Like King is back for its 9th year on Zwift, and every 500km ridden by the Zwift community means one more Buffalo bike donated to World Bicycle Relief – up to 927 bikes.
This weekend, you’ll find “Legacy Rides” all over the calendar. Join one, enjoy the good vibes, unlock the RLK18 in game kit, and get entered into a giveaway to win an IRL one (3 winners from every event).
The Velos squad has been riding a variety of epic routes in May, and this Saturday, they’re taking on Ven-Top – with a twist!
A strong A+ rider will be joining the ride and starting well after everyone leaves the pens. The goal? Try to avoid being caught by him! Hopefully, this will spur riders on to a time or power PR on the climb.
SISU’s 7-stage Pinkki race series runs across the 3 weeks of the men’s Giro d’Italia, and riders are taking on Stage 3 this Saturday! This stage is on Watopia’s Watts of the Wild (42.2km, 308m), and there are several event times to accommodate everyone’s schedules.
You can always count on Endure IQ to host a crazy long weekend workout session! This Saturday, it’s a 256-minute (not a typo) workout focused on “building your tolerance to intensities similar to those during an Ironman triathlon.” (See event description for workout details.)
The ride is on Watopia’s Four Horsemen (89.9km, 2111m).
Here’s a popular, spicy long ~100km ride with two pace options: B group at 3-3.3 W/kg, or C at 2.5-2.9 W/kg. Both groups will be on Makuri Islands’ Shisa Shakedown (53.9km, 557m) for 102.9km, and both groups have optional efforts on some of the intermediate segments if you’d like.
Choose your desired pace, listen to the ride leader, and get that endurance work done! Both categories have a leader (yellow beacon) and sweepers.
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!
All About the New Van Rysel RCR-X TT Frame on Zwift
Zwift’s latest update includes three new bike frames from Van Rysel. We’ve already covered the RCR-F and RCR Pro road frames, so let’s wrap it up with a look at Van Rysel’s TT rig, the RCR-X:
On Zwift, you’ll need to be updated to game version 1.113+ to see this bike in the Drop Shop. You’ll also need to be at level 40+ with 1,200,000 Drops to buy it. Here’s how it’s described in the Drop Shop:
“Built for sustained speed. Developed with SwissSide, the RCR-X is shaped to minimize drag and maximize efficiency over long efforts. It holds momentum at race pace and stays composed when the pressure’s on — a bike designed to stay fast, all the way to the line.”
It’s rated 4 stars for aero and 1 star for weight, like all of the TT bikes on Zwift. But how does it actually perform? Since Zwift’s 4-star system clearly isn’t the most granular of performance measurements (it rates all of the TT frames equally, after all), we ran this frame through our precise tests to measure performance at nerd-level detail. Let’s dive in!
Note: test results below are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using Zwift’s stock 32mm Carbon wheelset on the un-upgraded version of the frame, unless otherwise noted.
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The RCR-X turns in a strong aero performance, coming in just behind the two long-time kings of Fuego Flats: the Cadex Tri and Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc.
The frame’s time puts it 39.6 seconds ahead of our baseline TT frame across an hour of riding, which means it’s ~6 seconds behind the fast TT frame in game, the Cadex Tri.
Climb Performance
The RCR-X is a bit heavy, though, and turns in mid-pack climbing performance compared to other TT frames in game.
The frame’s climb test time puts it 18.5 seconds ahead of the baseline TT frame after an hour, which is ~12 seconds slower than the best climbers in game (the Scott Plasma RC Ultimate and Felt IA 2.0).
Upgrading Your Van Ryself RCR-X
Like all frames in Zwift, the RCR-X can be upgraded in five stages. It uses the Duration, High-End upgrading scheme, giving it the following characteristics:
Performance At Each Upgrade Stage
This chart shows how many seconds this frame will save across 1 hour of riding compared to our stage 0 baseline frames (Zwift Carbon or TT). This is based on a 75kg rider, 183cm tall, at 300 watts, riding on tarmac.
Upgrade Stages (Duration, High-End)
Stage
1
2
3
4
5
Totals
hrs
6
7
8
9
10
40
cost
100,000
200,000
350,000
500,000
750,000
1,900,000
upgrade
Aero
Weight
Drivetrain
Weight
Aero
6 hrs: Aero Upgrade for 100k Drops
7 hrs: Weight Upgrade for 200k Drops
8 hrs: Drivetrain Upgrade for 350k Drops
9 hrs: Weight Upgrade for 500k Drops
10 hrs: Aero Upgrade for 750k Drops
Conclusions
The Van Rysel RCR-X earns a 93.4/100 aero rating in our ZIMetrics, so it’s fast, but not quite as fast as the best TT frames on flat roads. And it earns a 78.2/100 climb rating, which means there are plenty of TT frames that climb faster.
With its high level lock (40+) and price (1.2M Drops), I don’t see a lot of riders buying this frame, since the Cadex Tri is just slightly more expensive, better on the flats and the climbs, and available at the same level. And that’s OK – not every bike added to Zwift can be the new fastest bike, right?
We’ll be adding this bike to the following posts soon:
What do you think of Van Rysel’s new RCR-X TT frame? 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.
All About the New Van Rysel RCR Pro Frame on Zwift
Zwift’s latest update includes three new bike frames from Van Rysel. We’ve already covered the RCR-F frame, so now let’s dig into the in-game performance of the RCR Pro, Van Rysel’s aero all-arounder racing frame:
On Zwift, you’ll need to be updated to game version 1.113+ to see this bike in the Drop Shop. You’ll also need to be at level 21+ with 1,400,000 Drops to buy it. Here’s how it’s described in the Drop Shop:
“Developed in collaboration with the French Office National d’Études et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), the RCR makes no compromises. It is designed for a single purpose: to win. Give it WATTS, and it’ll take you to the next level.”
It’s rated 3 stars for aero and 4 stars for weight, like the top road racing bikes on Zwift. But how does it actually perform? Since Zwift’s 4-star system isn’t the most granular of performance measurements, we ran this frame through our precise tests to measure performance at nerd-level detail. Let’s dive in!
Note: test results below are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using Zwift’s stock 32mm Carbon wheelset on the un-upgraded version of the frame, unless otherwise noted.
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The RCR Pro turns in a solid aero performance, but trades a bit of Van Rysel RCR-F‘s aero capabilities for improved climbing.
The frame’s time puts it 58.7 seconds ahead of our baseline frame across an hour of riding, which means it’s 2 seconds behind the new RCR-F and <5 seconds away from the fastest road frames in Zwift after an hour.
Climb Performance
The RCR Pro is Van Rysel’s “aero all arounder” race bike, and that shows in game, as it handily outclimbs the RCR-F!
Like all frames in Zwift, the RCR Pro can be upgraded in five stages. It uses the Distance, Mid-Range upgrading scheme, giving it the following characteristics:
Performance At Each Upgrade Stage
This chart shows how many seconds this frame will save across 1 hour of riding compared to our stage 0 baseline frames (Zwift Carbon or TT). This is based on a 75kg rider, 183cm tall, at 300 watts, riding on tarmac.
Upgrade Stages (Distance, Mid-Range)
Stage
1
2
3
4
5
Totals
km
160
200
240
280
320
1,200
Cost
50k
100k
150k
200k
250k
750k
Upgrade
Aero
Weight
Drivetrain
Aero
5% Drops
160km: Aero Upgrade for 50k Drops
200km: Weight Upgrade for 100k Drops
240km: Drivetrain Upgrade for 150k Drops
280km: Aero Upgrade for 200k Drops
320km: 5% Drops Earning Upgrade for 250k Drops
Conclusions
The Van Rysel RCR Pro earns a 95.7/100 aero rating in our ZIMetrics, so it’s fast, but not quite as fast as the new Van Rysel RCR-F, on flat roads. It beats the RCR-F on climbs, however, earning a 74.4/100 climb rating (vs the RCR-F’s 65.7). Solid numbers, but not good enough for this frame to break into the list of top all-arounders.
We’ll be adding this bike to the following posts soon:
What do you think of Van Rysel’s new RCR Pro in Zwift? 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.
Happening Now: Ride Like King 18 WBR Benefit Events
Now in its 18th edition (and 9th appearance on Zwift), the Ride Like King event carries profound new meaning following the passing of Giant Group founder King Liu (1934–2026) earlier this year.
Every 500km ridden by the Zwift community means one more Buffalo bike donated to World Bicycle Relief – up to 927 bikes. This year’s theme – “Ride the Legacy. Ride Like King” – reflects a commitment to carry forward King Liu’s lifelong belief that cycling has the power to change the world for the better. Zwifters are invited to join events scheduled through the end of this weekend featuring celebrity leaders, product giveaways, jersey unlocks, and Giant/Liv bikes!
Read on for details…
The Buffalo bike IRLAnd in game!
What is Ride Like King?
In 2007, at age 73, Giant Group King Liu completed a 15-day, 927km ride around Taiwan. This resulted in a renewed passion for cycling and the benefits it brings to the individual, community, and country. Following this, King traveled to countries and spoke with governments to promote the positive impacts of cycling.
His message resonated within the company as well. ‘Ride Like King’ started in 2009 as a small event within the Giant Group to celebrate their founder’s passion for cycling. But it grew to be an annual event and is now in its 18th edition! Zwift is an active partner and has been hosting the event on its platform since 2018.
Event Details
“Ride to Raise” warm-up rides are scheduled hourly from May 11-14. These rides are 45 minutes long, rotate every other hour between two routes (Castle to Castle and Scotland Smash), and are banded so everyone stays together. Open Category D will ride Giant TCR Advanced SL 2025 bikes with CADEX 65 wheels, while Women-Only Category E will ride Liv Langma Advanced SL 2025 bikes with CADEX 65 wheels.
Finishers will unlock the RLK18 kit (see below), and the distance from these rides counts toward our community distance goal to earn Buffalo bikes.
“Legacy Rides” are scheduled from 4am UTC Friday, May 15th to 6am UTC Monday, May 18th and are full laps of the selected routes led by ambassadors and athletes. These rides are not banded. Finishers will unlock the RLK18 kit (see below), be entered to win an IRL jersey (see below), and have their distance added to our community distance goal to earn Buffalo bikes.
The schedule rotates through three blocks of events, with each block hosting at least 7 event time slots:
Finish any of the RLK events and you’ll unlock the exclusive Ride Like King 18 kit in game.
Also, each Legacy Ride you complete earns you an entry to win a limited-edition RLK18 jersey! Three winners will be drawn per main event, meaning 69 winners will be drawn overall. See giveaway rules >
