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Review of the Wattbike Atom

Tim Perkin
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26
Review of the Wattbike Atom

Review of the Wattbike Atom

The Wattbike Atom is a fitness product born out of cycling.  It’s not a bike, it’s not a Spin bike, it’s a Wattbike.     

Integrating the Atom with Zwift is easy. You connect Wattbike to it, and off you go. Simple.

What is a Wattbike?

For those who haven’t come across the Wattbike Atom, it is a smart bike that measures power output in watts… hence the name. The Atom is the company’s “at home” offering to complement their commercial line, and is priced at £1,999.00. 

The first Wattbike model has gone through numerous evolutions and in 2020, the “Next Generation” Wattbike Atom was launched with improved power accurac of +/-1% and increased max wattage.

Competitors in this space include the Wahoo KICKR Bike, Tacx NEO Bike, and StagesBike SB20.

Who are Wattbike?

Wattbike are a British manufacturer of exercise bikes since 2008 and are based in Nottingham.  Their first Wattbike Pro/Trainer was launched that year at the Track Cycling World Championships and was endorsed by British Cycling. Four years later it was adopted by the UK’s leading fitness clubs including Virgin Active, David Lloyd, and Nuffield Health.

In 2021, Wattbike became the official performance bike supplier to the All Blacks and Black Ferns Rugby teams. 

Setting Up

The Bike

The bike I tested was previously used and arrived completely assembled.  New Wattbikes come boxed and require some self-assembly such as installing pedals and tri-bars.  Whether new or used, units still required the adjustment of key components such as the seat, position, and handlebars.  This is simple and using the supplied Allen keys/hex wrenches it’s easy to make the required adjustments. 

Adjusting seat height

To achieve the correct setup, I took measurements from my road bike and adjusted the seat height, seat position, and handlebar distance in accordance with those measurements. Seat height is adjustable via a handle, making it the easiest aspect to adjust. Just be sure to really tighten it as on my first ride, it slipped down!

To get as a close a fit to your road as possible you can use the Wattbike Bike Fit calculator.

The cranks are 170mm in length in contrast to 172.5mm or 175mm that come as standard on most bikes.

The tri-bars are designed to allows you to insert a tablet, which is then held securely in place. 

The bike is heavy (40kg), so you may need help maneuvering it into position. Fortunately it has wheels, so you and tilt the bike onto the wheels and roll it into position as required.

The feet are adjustable, so you can ensure the bike is level if positioned on an uneven surface.

In terms of overall footprint, it is more compact in comparison to having your bike connected to a smart trainer, in part because it doesn’t have a front wheel.

The bike is required to be connected to power at all times during use. There is no battery, and there is a power switch under the frame, where the power connects to the bike.

An instructional setup video can be viewed here >

There is a feel of “plug and play” with the bike in the sense that once the ride position has been established, you simply turn on the Wattbike and connect to Zwift and off you go.

The Hub

Wattbike have a free app called the “Hub”.

The Hub contains an extensive set of workouts and training plans, and there is even a feature called “Grand Tour Climbs” where you can tackle of number of major IRL climbs, with the app controlling incline feel.

Using The Hub app

The Hub is easy to use and is required if you want to configure the number of gears that you would like to use… but more on that later.

The Hub app also shows your Pedal Effectiveness Score (PES). This highlights how efficient your pedal stroke is. Do you stamp on the pedals or provide a smooth allocation of power throughout the revolution? You can also see if you are left or ride side dominant and work on becoming a more balanced rider.

The Hub can run alongside Zwift so you can monitor your PES while Zwifting.

Key Features

The bike works via electromagnetic resistance.  The electromagnetic resistance only has one moving part within the system. It is simple in mechanical design, allowing for improved reliability throughout.  Unique features are as follows:

  • The braking power of the electromagnetic resistance of the Next Generation Wattbike Atom is 2500w, giving it a power range from 0-2500W. This high tolerance (Wahoo KICKR Bike, for example, is 2200w) means that the bike works for all athletes from cyclists to rugby players.
  • The electromagnet is a totally programmable resistance mechanism, which allows for changes the feel/behaviour and speed of ‘gear’ changes. This change actuation cycle also allows for future innovation, and is future-proofed for software and potential new features. Some examples of potential new features include programmable gear sets, differing ERG features, physiology testing (6s, 30s ramp tests etc) and changing ride dynamics.
  • The electromagnet runs from a core electronics package that controls the system sampling data from the sensors. This gives high accuracy and real time data feedback at 1000x/second, including power, cadence and a few others, meaning the system has the ability to control the ride dynamics to that resolution.
  • The core mechanism of the electromagnetic is shared with Wattbike’s commercially-focussed bike, the AtomX. As this resistance system is certified for commercial use, it is incredibly robust and sturdy. Home users of the Wattbike Atom are riding a gym-grade resistance system, which means an increased lifespan.

Ride Experience

How Does It Feel?

The Atom is very sturdy.  And when I say sturdy, I mean it is absolutely stiff and there is no flex when riding. This is in part due to its heavy weight, but also its construction.  When I talk about “flex” I mean that when you cycle naturally, there is a slight “give” in the frame.  The Atom is very rigid in construction and does not have any flex, making it feel quiet different from riding your bike connected to a smart trainer, or your bike outside. 

Due to the lack of flex, it is a hard ride and can be uncomfortable in comparison to riding your bike outside or using other smart trainers. For example, the Tacx NEO 2T has a more natural feel because when you pedal because there is slight left to right movement replicating outside road feel. Similarly, Elite’s RIZER, also has this feature of left to right movement, which makes for a comfortable ride.

As a consequence of Wattbike’s rigidity, when testing the bike during an all-out effort up the Alpe, by the time I had reached the top of the climb in 42:51 my lower back was hurting.  At that point, I had accumulated 1.5 hours in the saddle and I was ready to get off.  The next day riding, I lasted only 1.25 hours, as my thighs and knees started to hurt.  I wasn’t sure if this was my position on the bike or due to lack of flex in the bike.  I would recommend spending time making sure you get a good fit on the bike as this might help with the comfort levels.

How Does it Work?

It’s very simple to use: you simply get on and pedal.  However, the gearing is an entire topic in itself.

Gearing

On each handlebar there are 3 buttons – one on top of the hood and two on the drops.  The two on the right-hand drop control the gears.  One button increases the gears and the other decreases. They in no way mimic traditional gears found on road bikes, and this is why I struggled initially.

I actually found using the buttons difficult for many reasons.  Firstly, particularly when climbing, when you turn a corner and you quickly want to select a gear to give you more resistance, on a regular bike it’s easy to flick the paddles and change gears without losing momentum.  However, when using the Wattbike’s buttons this is difficult because you have to rapidly press them, by which time, you select the incorrect gear and have to press again to get the right one, at which time you have navigated the corner and need to select another gear, which involves more “pressing and guessing.”  For me, it just felt too slow, too cumbersome. 

My second issue with the buttons and the gearing was that when wrestling the bike up the climb, due to the lack of flex I was twisting the grips on the hoods. This meant that when I went to press the button to change gear, I had a problem locating them because the grips had moved! I couldn’t feel the button and was desperately pressing anywhere to change gears; not ideal in intense race scenarios.

Regarding the gears, I would recommend getting used to the shifting before entering a race as I am confident that like with anything, you would adapt to it and over time would intuitively know which buttons to press and how to find them… even in stressful race situations.

To overcome this issue, I started holding the tri-bars and found myself riding in the most bizarre position.

My third issue with the gearing is the way it operates.  For me, the bike arrived set up with 11 gears.  On Zwift, the gear you are in is displayed in the top left of the screen:

On my first test up the Alpe, I could only manage getting to turn 1 because the gearing was too difficult.  After researching the topic, it was clear that I needed to configure the gearing using the Wattbike Hub app and had to change the configuration to 22 gears using the “Settings” function.  There is no function for changing the gear ratios.  It’s either 1 to 11 or 1 to 22.

When I highlighted this to Wattbike, they commented that the 1 to 11 gearing ratio is used predominantly for racing.  This I would have to disagree with, as you need a larger range of gearing to cater for the steepest inclines in Zwift.  My advice would be that you would benefit from configuring the gearing to suit the course profile of your race, enabling you be as competitive as possible.

This leads me to my fourth and final issue with the gears which is their sequential nature. 

Imagine this scenario: you just have crested the Radio Tower climb on the Epic KOM, and as it is a really steep climb, you will probably be in gear 1, the easiest.  The Radio Tower climb goes flat and into a steep descent, some people, particularly lighter riders, like to pedal on the descent, to reduce the chances of being dropped.  To get to the correct gear for the descent, you will need to be in a higher gear, you will then have to click the button over 10 times to get to something that provides some resistance.  This rapid pressing of the button left me feeling like I was playing a PlayStation, but let’s examine this for what it was. I was testing this in extreme conditions, very rarely are you changing gears like that during a race.    

One thing to note, the gear shifters are powered by battery, which once replaced, will need to be re-paired using the “Settings” function in the Wattbike Hub.  Batteries typically last 2 years.

The buttons on the left-hand drop control functionality in the Hub.

Gearing Debate

I discussed my conclusions with Wattbike about the gearing and they explained that “the Wattbike gearing has been designed so that it can be accessible by all.”  They noted that the paddle shifting gearing that I am accustomed to is very cycling-specific and their product has been designed to appeal to the masses. As a consequence, they decided to simplify the gearing to ensure that anyone could use the product, regardless of their understanding of cycling and the nuances of gearing. Hence the use of buttons which must be pressed once for each gear change.

They went on to explain that in time, I would get accustomed to the use of buttons. 

Responsiveness

In my review of Elite’s Direto XR-T, I commented that, “Due to the size of the flywheel, the trainer can feel a little hard to get moving.”  What I observed with the Atom was that it was easy to start cycling but there is a noticeable delay before the watts are registered (at least 3 pedal revolutions) and your avatar starts moving. When I say “delay”, it literally is several seconds. When I first started using it, I wasn’t used to this and actually thought the system wasn’t connected correctly!

Due to this lag, it is vitally important to have your legs spinning before the start of any event, otherwise you will find yourself quite literally left behind.  This would make using the Wattbike a challenge in the WTRL Team Time Trial events because it would mean you would be last off the line and would need to chase your teammates from the start.

An engineer from Wattbike investigated this and noted that the delay is most likely the processing of data sent from the Wattbike by the Zwift app and it’s something they are going to investigate.       

On the positive side, Bluetooth connectivity to my iPad was stable and instant. I did not experience any dropped connections during my time testing.  

Noise

The Wattbike is not particularly noisy, nor is it particularly loud.  It measured in at approximately 70 decibels at 70 rpm which is basically “noise levels in an office environment.” 

The key takeaway is that you are not going to disturb anyone as the noise level is acceptable and is on a par with other smart trainers/smart bikes. Using a floor mat will reduce the noise further.

Erg mode

My attempt at using Erg mode with Zwift did not go as expected. One of my strengths is that I am able to hold a set power and if I am fully concentrating, can normally hit the power target for each rep.  I was only able to successfully hit the power target 4 times out of 28, when undertaking a workout in Erg mode that lasted an hour. 

The challenge I had was that the resistance would engage, then disengage, with the resistance being very inconsistent. It fluctuated a lot, which meant it was nearly impossible to hold any set power.

The engineer investigated this and highlighted that when Erg mode was engaged using the Wattbike Hub, it functioned as required.  However, on Zwift, it could not deliver the same results.  The Erg mode session that I was using was one from Training Peaks designed by Matt Rowe, and one that I have used successfully in the past with other trainers.  A more in-depth investigation is required to understand why this is proving not to operate as intended. 

Editor’s note: DC Rainmaker noted similar issues in his review of the Wattbike Atom. “In any case, as far as power accuracy goes for the Wattbike ATOM 2020 – overall the actual accuracy of both power and cadence is great. What’s not great is its ability to correctly maintain a given wattage in Erg mode for structured workouts. In other words, if you’re using it for Zwift and not in a structured workout – life will be perfectly fine. But if you plan to use it for TrainerRoad (or Zwift Structured workouts), I’d wait until they get it to settle down.”  

Customer Support

Wattbike have a focused approach to customer support.  The bikes are delivered to your requested location and advice is on hand should you have any technical challenges.  Furthermore, in the event of a fault, an engineer will be dispatched to resolve the issue, as was the case with my colleague who uses Wattbike extensively.  The Wattbike Atom comes with a 2-year warranty and 30 day free returns. 

Just to clarify the returns policy: you can ride the bike as much as you want for the first 30 days and return it for free if not satisfied. So for example, if you find it too stiff or don’t get on with the gearing, you can return it.  Wattbike would collect it free of charge too. You would get a full refund on everything except the initial delivery cost.  Which I think is excellent, as there is no risk.  All this is outlined here.

No Extras

There are no additional features like “road feel” which Tacx offers on the Neo 2T or any glowing lights to indicate the level you are cycling at.

Technical Specs

Model:Atom (Next Generation)
Height:Max. 150cm (fully extended tablet holder)
Frame width:50cm
Frame length:100cm
Footprint:124 x 50cm
Bike weight:40kg
Boxed weight:50kg
Frame:Aluminium
Feet:Rubber height adjustable
Transportation rollers:Yes
Integrated gear shifters:Yes
Gears:1-22
Cranks:170mm
Seat:Racing seat fitted as standard
Pedals (UK):Flat pedals with toe cage fitted as standard
Covers:Heavy-duty ABS plastic construction
Chain:Industrial 1⁄2″ x 1⁄8″ steel
Belt:T15 Timing belt
Seat and handlebar stems:Aluminium
Handlebar height adjustability:Range 52cm – 76cm
Handlebar fore/aft adjustability:Range 0 – 7.5cm
Seat height adjustability:Range 49cm – 75cm
Seat fore/aft adjustability:Range 0 – 8.8cm
Accuracy:+/-1%
Power range:0 – 2500w
Resistance:Electromagnetic
Third-party connectivity:ANT+, Bluetooth, FTMS
Third-party app smart functionality control:Any ANT+FEC Bluetooth FTMS enabled app inc Zwift, Sufferfest, TrainerRoad, FulGaz, RGT
Gradient:0 – 25%
Q Factor:160mm
Max. rider weight:135kg
Rider height:5′–6′ 5″
External power required:Yes

Summing Up

Experienced cyclists may find the gearing difficult to adapt to. And because of the hard ride, this product may not appeal to those cyclists who like a more natural cycling feel.

On the whole, I can appreciate that the Wattbike Atom is a good product.  It is well built and the design ensures it is accessible to the mass market.  The “plug and play” nature means anyone can purchase it and be up and Zwifting within minutes.  The Wattbike is designed to have that “real ride feel” without adding complexity to the setup. It’s a bike you can set up once and ride as much as you want, with little worry about maintenance.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Zwifters, Zwift, and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Eric Schlange
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157
Zwifters, Zwift, and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Zwifters, Zwift, and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Zwift as a metaverse offers some nice perks compared to real world riding and running including time efficiency, a worldwide community, and a variety of scenic roads to choose from.

But Zwift isn’t entirely divorced from what’s happening IRL, either. And that has become very apparent in the past two weeks as Zwifters around the world grapple with Russia’s unjust invasion of Ukraine.

Here at Zwift Insider we’ve been receiving emails and reading comments from Zwifters asking Zwift, or the Zwift community, to better support Ukraine. Some of these are requests for Zwift to block/punish Russian users. We believe these comments are well-intentioned (people want peace) and accurately reflect community sentiment to varying degrees.

Zwift, for their part, are having lots of internal discussions about how to best handle this crisis.

In this post we’ll look at this topic from four angles:

  1. What Zwifters are doing in game on their own
  2. What Zwift is doing
  3. How sanctions are affecting Russian Zwifters
  4. Further ideas for positive action

What Zwifters Are Already Doing

Within hours of Russia’s invasion, Zwifters were changing their national flags in game to Ukraine’s. A simple show of solidarity that reflects what we’re seeing in the world at large, where Ukraine’s colors are decorating important buildings and showing up on social media profiles.

Some riders have done fundraising efforts, including this huge fundraising ride from Ema Lesiecka-Ennis to support UNICEF and assist those fleeing from Ukraine to her homeland of Poland and other countries.

Zwifters have changed their profile names to include #nowar, #supportukraine, or other phrases. And many Zwifters are now wearing the “Zwift Basic 4” kit, since it is made up of Ukrainian flag colors:

What Zwift Is Doing

Zwift has been holding “Global Solidarity Ride for Ukraine” events since the conflict began. See a list of upcoming events here. These rides are 40-60 minutes in length and meant to be at a social D pace. The events include this blurb in the description:

In order to support those displaced by the current conflict, Zwift has pledged $25k to support the efforts of The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Zwifters who would like to join the contribution may do so at http://www.unhcr.org

Is Zwift going to do more? We’ll have to wait and see. It’s clear from our talks with ZwiftHQ that this topic has been and is being discussed regularly.

How Russian Zwifters are Being Affected

Some Zwifters have suggested that Zwift should block all Russian users from the platform. This would be out of character for Zwift, and indeed Zwift’s Shuji replied in one forum topic:

“Hey all – we understand where these sentiments are coming from, but we need to be clear on the original request upstream.

We do not plan to ban Russian people from using Zwift. We do not ban Zwift members based on race, religion, sexual orientation or any other identity, including nationalities.”

We don’t foresee Zwift ever moving to proactively block Russian Zwifters (based on their selected flag in game, or their actual location).

But here’s the thing: economic sanctions already in place from the US and EU would seem to have effectively blocked Russians from making payments using VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Paypal. These are the only forms of payment Zwift accepts, which means Russian users will be placed into trial mode once their most recent monthly payment period ends.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that some riders flying Russian flags in Zwift have been subjected to harassment in game recently. Chances are, most of these riders don’t even live in Russia! And it’s quite possible that they disagree with the invasion of Ukraine, as most people with access to accurate information would.

Badgering users for their choice of flag would go against Zwift’s terms of service, and may get you into trouble if you’re reported for harassment. It’s probably best to channel your advocacy in other directions.

Further Ideas for Positive Action

What else can Zwifters do within the platform to advocate for Ukraine?

Many Zwifters have suggested a pro-Ukraine kit in game. This would be a welcome addition.

Holding fundraising rides for specific organizations serving Ukrainian refugees would also be welcome. And indeed, we’re seeing the first of these sorts of rides arriving, with the “Ride to Support Ukraine” this Saturday at 6am and 12pm PST (see events here). These rides will raise funds to help World Central Kitchen serve nourishing meals for those displaced by this war.

1,700 hot meals of chicken, rice, and veggies were served on the border of Ukraine and Poland on February 27, 2022 by World Central Kitchen.

We would love to see additional fundraiser rides held, where the ride host explains what the receiving organization is doing to bring positive change in the Ukrainian crisis. Show us what you can do, Zwift community!

Your Thoughts

Post below!

Zwift Update Version 1.23.0 (100541) Released

Eric Schlange
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75
Zwift Update Version 1.23.0 (100541) Released

The latest Zwift update is now available on all platforms: Mac, PC, Android, iOS, and AppleTV.

Not sure if your Zwift install is up-to-date? Here’s how to check >

This update includes more flexible Training Plans, new frames and wheels, homescreen UI updates, and of course a pile of bug fixes. Here are the details…

Flexible Training Plans – Now More Flexible!

Zwifters have long asked for more flexibility in Zwift’s “flexible” training plans, and this update offers the first real flexibility upgrades since Training Plans were first released. Here’s what has changed in today’s release:

  • Once unlocked, workouts will remain unlocked in a training plan. Previously, once a new week began, the previous week’s workouts were no longer available.
  • Workouts will continue to become available on a weekly basis. So you can’t work ahead more than whatever workouts are scheduled for the current week.
  • 2 additional weeks to complete the training plan. This gives you an additional 2 weeks to complete the plan, so if you get sick, go on vacation, etc in the middle of your plan you can still get it all done.
  • Removal of the 8-hour rest period after completing a workout. We would say if you’re able to do two workouts within 8 hours you may need to update your FTP, but regardless… this makes Training Plans for flexible.
  • Added the ramp test and zone benchmarking workouts as pre-plan workouts. Training Plans still begin on the Monday after you sign up, so until Monday rolls around, it may be best to update your FTP by taking a ramp test and validating it with the zone benchmarking workout. Zwift says, “The ramp test should be done first to establish an FTP estimate, then validated by the zone benchmarking workout. If you are confident with your FTP, or have tested within the last 21 days, feel free to skip the ramp test and just do the zone benchmarking for fine tuning.”
  • Flexible Training Plan progress is now based on the number of workouts completed in the plan.
  • Improvements have been made to the Flexible Training Plan enrollment UI flow.

See the Zwift forum topic for details and discussion >

Workout Mode Updates

Zwift has made three changes/improvements to workout mode:

  • Receive full-star credit for recovery intervals. As long as you’re pedaling, regardless of your power being too high or low, you’ll get full credit. It’s important to note that you’ll always get your star for recovering intervals, but you still need to hit the power targets if you want the full XP for these intervals. See “How Zwift Calculates XP For Cycling Workouts” for details.
  • Fixing arches to ensure they match the color of the next interval.
  • Fixing arch positioning near intersections. Sometimes arches would appear on the wrong road when you’re nearing an intersection, then swap to the correct road. This bug should fix that.

New Frames and Wheels

Three new bike frames have been added to the Drop Shop:

  • Specialized Diverge (gravel, Level 12+, 532,500 Drops): 2 stars for aero, 2 for weight
  • Mosaic RT-1d (Level 15+, 852,000): 2 stars for aero, 2 for weight
  • BMC TeamMachine (Level 26+, 832,900): slider 3 stars for aero, 3 for weight

Two new gravel wheelsets have been added as well:

  • Reserve 25 GR (no level requirement, 11,400 Drops): 3 stars for aero, 1 for weight
  • CADEX AR 35 (no level requirement, 21,300 Drops): 3 stars for aero, 1 for weight

We’re running tests on all five Drop Shop additions to determine their performance in game.

New Home Screen UI Update, Rollout Notes

This release includes updates to Zwift’s new home screen UI which has been slowly rolling out to PC users since January. Today’s update includes a new Settings menu option to change your home screen scaling:

The new home screen will be rolling out to many more Windows users in the coming days, with rollouts to macOS users beginning this week. Zwift has not yet announced an ETA for iOS, Apple TV, and Android rollouts.

See Zwift forum topic for details and discussion >

New Workouts of the Week

Workouts have been added to the on-demand list for March and April. You can also see the current week’s workout, which you can do on your own or in a Wednesday Group Workout.

Coming Up

Between today’s various forum posts, Zwift has indicated they are working on a few features to be released in the not-too-distant future:

  1. Extending Workout Block Duration: Zwift says, “We’re enabling Zwifters to extend the duration of their workout blocks. This allows you to add more time to warm-ups and cool downs, or increase recovery time between hard intervals. For Type 2 fun, you can extend the duration of your hard efforts as well.”
  2. New Homescreen UI Route Selection for Workouts: Zwift says “we have taken your feedback into account and are currently working on the next iteration of workout route selection. This will provide flexibility to select any route, and show route badge completion status and distance/elevation data. Currently scheduled for the 1.24 release in April.”

Additionally, we’ve received word just today from Australia-based JetBlack that their steering unit is now supported in Zwift as of this update. The unit isn’t shipping quite yet, but should be soon, and we’ve got a review unit in the mail as well. Watch this space!

Bug Fixes and Misc Improvements

Here’s Zwift’s list of fixes and improvements included in this update, with notes in italic from us:

  • Device and Internet connectivity alerts can now be dismissed. A clickable X now appears to the right of these alerts, so you can get them off your screen quickly if desired.
  • Added an event filter for Tour of Watopia 2022 events on the new Home Screen.
  • Made improvements to the prioritization of sounds based on proximity of the Zwifter.
  • Made improvements in the pedal-assist Zwifters receive when joining other Zwifters, events in progress, or a Pace Partner.
  • Time-based events leaderboards and on-road positioning is now calculated from the starting line for all participants (regardless of when they cross the starting line.) This opens up the possibility of time-based events in the future, since rider times will be accurately based on crossing the same start line. Time for a Zwift Hour Record competition?
  • Fixed an issue causing some event filters to appear incorrectly in the new Home Screen.
  • Fixed an issue where XP would be awarded when a workout block was completed outside of the target power.
  • Fixed an issue with the Gravel Grinder workout where cadence suggestions did not appear in the warm-up.
  • Fixed an issue causing the critical power curve graph to ignore some data from subsequent rides within the same session.
  • Fixed an issue where lap progress would show an extra lap after finishing an event.
  • Fixed an issue where Challenges text did not display when the German language was selected.
  • Fixed an issue causing login text to be difficult to read on iOS when using dark mode.
  • Fixed an issue where users who answered onboarding questions on the web would be asked those same questions again in-game.
  • Fixed an issue causing black boxes to appear in Innsbruck on MacOS.
  • Fixed an issue causing some rocks on the Mega Pretzel route to be lighter than air.
  • Fixed an issue causing trees to grow inside of the mountain on the Ocean Blvd route.
  • Support for Intel HD Graphics 3000/2000 has been discontinued. See this post for details.
  • Minimum MacOS requirement is 10.12 Sierra or later. See this post for details.

See Wes Salmon’s notes on this update release in the Zwift forum >

Questions or Comments?

If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!

Eliel Fruit Fundo Announced for March 26

Eric Schlange
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16
Eliel Fruit Fundo Announced for March 26

Eliel Fruit Fundo Announced for March 26

Just announced: a one-day fondo event celebrating apparel brand Eliel Cycling‘s new fruit-themed line. The collection was designed in collaboration with cycling personality the Vegan Cyclist (Tyler Pearce), who is also riding in all three events—one for each distance.

Event Details

Fruit FUNdo events are scheduled for Saturday, March 26th, with events happening every 2 hours throughout the day.

The category you choose determines which route you ride:

Category A: 100 mi (161 km) – Pineapple Route

Category B: 60 mi (100 km) – Strawberry Route – March 23

Category C: 25 mi (40 km) – Blueberry Route – March 25

See all Fruit FUNdo events at zwift.com/events/series/eliel-fruit-fundo

As part of the challenge, the Vegan Cyclist will be riding all three routes on Saturday. Watch him live on his YouTube channel, or join him in game! He is signed up for the following ride times/categories:

Recon Rides

On March 16, 21, 23, and 25 the Vegan Cyclist will be leading hourlong recon rides to help you get the lay of the virtual land. Hop in and get prepared for the big day!

See upcoming recon events at zwift.com/events/series/eliel-fruit-fundo

Kit Unlock

Complete any of the Saturday FUNdo events to unlock the in-game Fruit FUNdo kit. You’ll also receive an email link to purchase a matching kit from Eliel to wear on your next ride!

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Join Adaptive Advocacy Month on Zwift

Monica Schlange
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5
Join Adaptive Advocacy Month on Zwift

Join Adaptive Advocacy Month on Zwift

Remember that moment when you felt delighted that Zwift added a new way to change your avatar to look more like your IRL self? Maybe they added a haircut that better represents yours. Or your IRL bike arrived in the Drop Shop. Maybe it was your team jersey, or your favorite helmet. Something that says to the rest of the Watopians: “This is me!”

I thought about these moments as I heard about Andy Shuttleworth’s desire for a trike in game to mimic the one he rides IRL. And it made me wonder how and when Zwift will make this happen for him and other Adaptive Cyclists. My desire for my haircut in game now seems awfully trivial!

Who is Andy Shuttleworth?

Andy is a 66-year-old UK retiree who suffered a massive knee injury years ago while serving in the military. While trying to recover from surgeries and get back into fitness he found the recumbent trike was his only option for riding, and one he came to enjoy. In April 2020 Andy hooked his trike up to Zwift after hearing about it from a friend, and you might say the rest is history.

Andy’s view of a Zwift session
Andy’s Zwift setup

Choosing a Bike

When Andy chooses a bike from his Zwift garage his only options are upright bikes. What about all the cyclists in the world who ride recumbent trikes, upright trikes, and handcycles? They too will have to put their avatar on an upright bike. I was curious how many cyclists on Zwift are Adaptive Cyclists. Andy threw around some numbers in his recent interview with Simon Schofield on the ZwiftCast.

Andy on Zwift

Who cares?

Why does it matter whether or not Zwift has bikes in-game for Adaptive Cyclists? I believe it’s two-fold. Firstly, as far as I can see Adaptive Cyclists have put in a lot of effort to make adaptive cycling work for them and should thereby be able to show their trike or handcycle off with great pride. Secondly, the physics of adaptive bikes differ from upright bikes. Having a similar bike in game with all of its dynamics will aid in Adaptive Cyclists’ fitness regime. 

Zwift’s Position

Obviously, Zwift doesn’t currently give riders the option of using a recumbent trike, upright trike, or handcycle in game. But do they have plans to do so? We reached out to ZwiftHQ, and here’s their response:

Estimates suggest around 15% of the world population lives with some form of disability. Our DEIB [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging] approach is to focus on impact at scale – ensuring that we prioritise those thing that will impact the most people. We recently completed a large research study looking at the needs of athletes with disabilities, particularly those already in the Zwift community. The research study focused not only on hand cyclists but all types of disability to give us a better understanding of how to best tackle this area in the most equitable way possible – for all types of disability. The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) was an instrumental partner in this first phase of research, and are one of our major Social Impact partners.

The results of this study will ultimately help us form the product solution which is currently being discussed. We know that progress on this area has been slower than many would like. Andy’s campaign has been certainly heard, alongside the many other voices, and Zwift is listening. There are many vocal supporters of this movement at Zwift HQ and we hope that the product solution, when ready, will help improve the accessibility and representation for many more people on Zwift.

Adaptive Advocacy Month (AAM)

We’re happy Zwift has taken notice, but we think the change could happen sooner if we ALL join Andy and his friends in their 32-day campaign called Adaptive Advocacy Month (AAM). This campaign began as an effort to get Zwift to see the importance of offering alternatives to upright bikes. Why is this campaign 32 days? Well, it’s for the month of March, PLUS April 1st, when Zwift often has trikes in-game for the sake of April Fools Day.

Andy IRL (front left)

Here’s how you can join in:

  1. Change your jersey to the Zwift Camo 2 kit. As Andy says, “We’ve chosen this [kit] as it’s available to virtually everyone [level 9 unlock]…and because the idea has sprung out of the military adaptive riding community who simply love camo. Most of all it’s because all adaptive riders are camouflaged within Zwift. Gray because it emphasizes we don’t stand out. No one really sees us.”
  2. Change your Zwift name to one of the following:
    If you are an Adaptive Rider: Fred Bloggs[Triker][Adaptive Rider]
    If you are a Supporter: Freda Bloggs[Upright][Adaptive Advocate]
  3. Ride this way wherever you’re Zwifting, through April 1st!

One of my favorite things about the name change is that we can then go in and search for anyone with “Adaptive” in their name and see all the riders and advocates!

Won’t you help Andy and other Adaptive Cyclists get their bikes in game?

Questions or Comments?

Share below!





Watopia “Triple Flat Loops” Route Details

Eric Schlange
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Watopia “Triple Flat Loops” Route Details

See https://zwiftinsider.com/route/triple-flat-loops/

Women’s Ride + Run Series Begins Today

Eric Schlange
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Women’s Ride + Run Series Begins Today

During the month of March (Women’s History Month), Zwift is dedicating itself to celebrating the power and strength of women everywhere through the second annual “Women’s Ride and Run Series” (WRRS).

“Women’s History Month on Zwift presents a great opportunity for women to come together and celebrate the community on Zwift,” says Kate Veronneau, Director of Content and Women’s Strategy. “We’ve come so far for equality in sport and 2022 is going to be a fantastic year for women in sport and cycling with the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. This series is a chance to stop for a moment and recognise the rulebreakers and trailblazers that have gone before us and pushed the boundaries for women’s sport.”

See WRRS homepage at zwift.com/wrrs

The series begins with “Power of the Pack” rides and runs today (March 8th, which is International Women’s Day). A variety of events are planned throughout the month, offering the women’s community on Zwift the opportunity to celebrate and unite through weekly in-game women’s-only events. Read on for details!

Event Schedule and Details

WRRS consists of several different types of events. Each event type is scheduled on a particular day of the week, at multiple times. Routes change each week.

Kit Unlock

Participants in WRRS events will have the opportunity to wear and unlock the official kit in game.  Earn the in-game WRRS Ride Kit and Run Top when you complete any group event!

Got Questions?

Check out Zwift’s WRRS FAQ page >

Charity

Zwift has selected two non-profit organizations to support in 2022 in conjunction with WRRS. They will be donating $25,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) to support its mission of unlocking the possibilities for every girl and woman through the power of sport, and also donating $25,000 to The Cycle Effect to support its mission to empower young women through mountain biking, create brighter futures, and build stronger communities.

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Mountain Biking, Rankings, and Bad Races

Karissa Minn
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Top 5 Zwift Videos: Mountain Biking, Rankings, and Bad Races

Mountain bikers feature in two of our Top 5 Zwift Videos this week, making the case for adding Zwift to outdoor riding. Then there are two videos focused on racing – how to find races that will help you rank up on ZwiftPower, and how to learn from a race that didn’t go well. Finally, you can get an informative tour of Alpe du Zwift.

Why Mountain Bikers Should Zwift

You might not associate mountain biking with indoor training, but Chain Reaction Cycles makes a good case for how Zwift might help riders who prefer dirt under their wheels.

My Thoughts on Zwift – a Mountain Biker’s Perspective

Mountain biker Clint Gibbs shares why and how he uses Zwift as someone who loves outdoor adventures.

Don’t miss out on the Zwift races that will improve your ranking!

Herd Racing On Zwift explains how to look up information about Zwift races, including the race quality on ZwiftPower. This will help you find races that are more competitive, meaning you’ll have a better chance of improving your ZwiftPower ranking.

Zwift Race Breakdown: My WORST ZRL… Where it Went Wrong

If you want to improve at something, it’s good to know where you need to get better. Jonathan Crain breaks down a Zwift Racing League event a few weeks ago that didn’t go so well.

Festive Threshold: Alpe du Zwift 101

Andy Gardner gives a tour of the Alpe du Zwift and some facts about its real-life counterpart, Alpe d’Huez.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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

Watopia “Three Little Sisters” Route Details

Eric Schlange
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0
Watopia “Three Little Sisters” Route Details

See https://zwiftinsider.com/route/three-little-sisters/

Sam Renouf On How The PTO Is Changing Triathlon (Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast)

Eric Schlange
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Sam Renouf On How The PTO Is Changing Triathlon (Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast)

Matt Lieto and Sarah True are joined by the CEO of the PTO (Professional Triathletes Organisation) Sam Renouf to talk about how the PTO is changing the face of triathlon as a business.

About the Podcast

The Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast is hosted by former pro triathlete Matt Lieto and Zwift Academy Tri mentor Sarah True. Both are passionate about lending their in-depth knowledge of the multisport to the Zwift Tri audience.

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