Heading into the first-ever UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, the Zwift Powerup Cycling Podcast has produced a series of episodes with interviews from past and present world champions.
About this Episode
One time trial champion speaks to another! Lisa Brennauer chats with Kristin Armstrong about how she found her passion for cycling when she was just fourteen years old and how her first race went. Spoiler: it didn’t go well.
She calmly dissects her entire career—from the long drives with her family to the National Championships to the teamwork that got her to multiple World Championship wins. She also explains exactly what it feels like to claim those coveted rainbow bands, which she lovingly calls ‘chasing rainbows.’
About the Podcast
The Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast features training tips from host Matt Rowe (Rowe & King), with regular guest hosts Greg Henderson, Dani Rowe, and Kristin Armstrong.
I’ve been testing a set of Favero Assioma pedals as well as Garmin Vector 3 pedals for several months, and while I’m impressed with their performance both on Zwift on IRL, there’s one Zwifty niggle that bugs me. I call it “sticky watts”, and it’s what this post is all about.
Ready to head down the rabbit hole with me? Let’s go!
Sticky Watts: an Introduction
Zwift processes the data for certain power meters in such a way that the wattage reading in-game gets “stuck” on a particular wattage for 3+ seconds whenever a rider stops pedaling quickly.
To illustrate, here are two quick test rides I did yesterday.
The second shows sticky watts. It compares Vector data from my Wahoo ELEMNT computer with data from the same Vector pedals from Zwift’s .fit file:
Chart 2: Vector (via ELEMNT) vs Vector (via Zwift):
Click to view live chart on ZwiftPower
Notice how, in chart 1, the power reading is changing every second, for both lines. This is how power data should look – when we’re pedaling, our power output is constantly changing. (True, there are two times I see where the NEO had the same reading for two seconds in a row, but those occurrences aren’t consistent, or very long.)
Now look at chart 2. Note how, whenever I stop pedaling, the blue line (remember this is the Vector power data from Zwift) “hangs” for three seconds (and sometimes as much as 6 seconds!)
Pointing Fingers
I’ve replicated the sticky watts issue using Assioma pedals as well as Vector 2 and Vector 3s. You may ask: are sticky watts created by the power meter pedals themselves? Or is it due to Zwift’s recording of their power?
Chart 2 above shows that it’s not the pedals. That chart shows data recorded from the same set of pedals, on the same ride, but recorded on two different sources. The purple line is my bike computer, and the light blue line is Zwift. You can see my bike computer recorded the data properly, while Zwift’s data (and only Zwift’s data) displays the sticky watts issue.
The astute observer may say, “But sticky watts didn’t happen in chart 1!” And you would be correct. Sticky watts on Zwift only happen with certain power meters. It doesn’t happen with the smart trainers I’ve tested. Let’s look at why this is…
Event-Based vs Time-Based Power Meters
Power meters come in all shapes and sizes, but if you look at the way they calculate and transmit data, there are two types: event-based and time-based. Here are the definitions straight from the excellent “Power Meter 101” article on Slowtwitch:
Event-based. This type calculates and transmits power information based on ‘events’. For example, with a crank-based power meter, each cadence revolution is an event. That finite piece of time is the starting and ending point for our time in the power equation. Data will not transmit to the head unit if events aren’t happening (i.e. if you stop pedaling).
Time-based. This type is identical to the above, but with a caveat. Events happen and power is calculated the same – but this information is stored first, and then transmitted at a specific time interval. The CycleOps Powertap hub uses this. Why? Generally speaking, your wheels spin faster than your cranks – and when you stop pedaling, your bike keeps moving. Events happen much faster and for more of your ride, so they essentially bottle them up and shoot data to the head unit at regular intervals of one second.
As I understand it, pedal and crank power meters are generally event-based. Smart trainers are generally time-based. And that, my friends, is why Zwift appears to process their data in two different ways.
Full transparency: I’m no power meter/electronics expert. And I’m certainly not privy to the details of how Zwift’s code processes power data. But my guess is, this is what happens when I stop pedaling:
My pedals stop sending data. If they’re paired as the power source in Zwift, that means no power data is coming in. Zwift doesn’t know if this is a data dropout, or me just not pedaling! So it does what Zwift is programmed to do in the event of a data dropout – it holds onto the last power reading it received, for a few seconds. Then it drops to 0, because it is still paired with the pedals, even though it isn’t receiving power data from them.
My smart trainer keeps transmitting a power reading at regular time intervals, even when I’m not pedaling. So if I’m reading power from my smart trainer, Zwift gets a zero watt reading when I stop pedaling.
Can Zwift Fix It?
Comparing bike computer data to Zwift data might lead a person to think that sticky watts is a Zwift bug – but I don’t think that’s the case. Rather, it’s simply how Zwift has to work given the realities of data dropouts and event-based power meters. Let me explain my theory (and again, I’ll remind you that I’m not an expert here).
My ELEMNT head unit is receiving the same data as Zwift. So when I stop pedaling, it stops receiving data from my pedals (because they aren’t sending anything). So why doesn’t my bike computer show/record sticky watts? Well, the truth is, it does. Sort of. My Wahoo ELEMNT does, at least. if I stop pedaling, it will get stuck on a particular wattage for a few seconds. But it doesn’t record those sticky watts. That’s the crucial difference.
We have to remember that immediate power data on Zwift is much more integral to the experience when compared with power data on a head unit. If Zwift wants to keep its users from seeing a zero watt number (and slowing down!) whenever even a short data dropout occurs, it has to allow for sticky watts. And those sticky watts directly affect the motion of our avatars in game.
In contrast, my ELEMNT can display those sticky watts, but it doesn’t write them to my .fit file. My guess is, the ELEMNT’s data processing code detects a lack of signal and keeps displaying the last wattage read for a few seconds – just like Zwift. But the ELEMNT has the luxury (and Zwift does not) of being able to buffer its data and effectively go back in time and write a different value to its .fit file than it was displaying on the screen. And that’s why we see data like chart 2 above.
Implications for Riding/Racing
Now we get to what I think is the important part of this article: how do sticky watts affect our Zwift experience, if at all?
My guess is, most Zwifters using a “sticky” power source haven’t even noticed the extra watts. This could just be me projecting my own lack of awareness, though! While I’ve ridden probably 20,000 miles on Zwift with power pedals as my primary power source, it wasn’t until I started testing these pedals around April 2020 that I noticed the stickiness. But a look back at my early dual recordings on ZwiftPower (such as Sprintapalooza back in September 2019) shows the issue existed back then.
The good news is, sticky watts don’t matter, most of the time. As long as you’re pedaling, sticky watts aren’t an issue – and we all know that it’s rare to stop pedaling in a Zwift race.
There are a few situations, though, where it can have a significant effect on your race.
Situation #1: Going Into the Supertuck
The supertuck is one of my favorite moves in a Zwift race, since it allows me to hang with the pack on a descent while resting. But timing is crucial when supertucking – you want your watts to hit zero only when the road gradient is -3% or more, and only when your rider is going fast enough to drop into the tuck.
Sticky watts can wreak havoc on a well-timed supertuck, or they can actually make your supertuck an even more effective move. They wreak havoc when you stop pedaling, but Zwift sticks your watts at some low number (say, 100W), which means your dropping into the supertuck is delayed and your power is low while you wait. This can cause you to drop from the group you’re trying to hang with.
But if you hit the wattage hard then stop pedaling immediately, your watts will typically get stuck at a really high number – perhaps 500-600 watts! This speeds you up, then drops you into the supertuck as soon as the stickiness ends.
Is it cheating to use sticky watts to your advantage when entering a supertuck? I’d say so, if you’re doing it on purpose. But here’s the sucky part – event-based power meter users are stuck between a rock and a hard place here. Because the only way to avoid sticky watts getting stuck at a low number and possibly messing up your supertuck is to 1) go hard then stop immediately (cheating) or 2) slow decrease your watts, so your pedals send power readings all the way down to zero. Neither of those approaches is a good one.
Situation #2: TTT Sink and Sprint
The “sink and sprint” move is used by TTT riders to move from the front of the pack to the back of the pack (learn more about it on TTT Secrets from Matt Gardiner). Sticky watts making timing your sink a real challenge, since your watts get stuck at a particular wattage for a few seconds before going to zero. That means you have to stop pedaling before you really need to.
Situation #3: Mini Microintervals
I know for a fact that racers have attempted to exploit the sticky watts bug in events by doing super short intervals – that is, pedaling hard to spike power, then stopping the pedals so the power gets stuck at that high wattage for a few seconds. Then do it again, and again!
Here’s a power file of a short microinterval test ride I did using my Assioma pedals (the purple line is the power data from Zwift (notice the sticky watts) and the blue line is the power data from the same pedals from my bike computer):
Click to view live chart on ZwiftPower
Look at the difference in average wattage between the two readings: Zwift’s power is 20% higher!
Would this approach work over an entire race? Not for me – I couldn’t continue doing microintervals for 40+ minutes. But perhaps some riders could. More likely, a cheater could use this technique for a short (1-2 minute) attack at a key point in the race, or in the final sprint.
As I understand it, ZwiftPower has some detection built in for this sort of repeated sticky watts behavior.
Situation #4: Shortened Sprint Finishes
If a rider’s setup consistently produces sticky watts at or near their peak power, they can use this to “coast” across the finish line at full power. Hit the sprint hard, put in a few final pedal strokes at maximum effort, then stop pedaling for the final 3 seconds over the line.
You may laugh – but riders do it already in Zwift races.
Conclusions
Armed with the knowledge of sticky watts, event-based power meter users find ourselves in a bit of a predicament. Do I keep using my pedals as my primary power source (because I want consistent readings between indoors and outdoors) even though it can affect my race data? Or do I switch to my smart trainer – which may be less accurate and will generally not match my outdoor power meter?
The best answer will vary from rider to rider due multiple factors. But I think it’s safe to say this is a concern that will continue to simmer in the Zwift racing community for the foreseeable future.
Your Thoughts
Have you noticed sticky watts with your Zwift setup? Do they affect the Zwift experience in ways that I missed? Share your thoughts below!
Get ready to Ride On for World Bicycle Relief this Friday and Saturday!
The annual charity event is back for 2020, supporting World Bicycle Relief as they provide bicycles to students, healthcare workers, and entrepreneurs. Zwifters have a long history of supporting WBR, beginning with the first-ever 24-hour Zwiftathon in December 2015. This was followed with events in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, making this the 6th annual Ride On for WBR event.
This year, Zwift will be hosting several group rides over 24 hours featuring professional cyclists and community leaders. If you donate to the campaign, you can get an invitation to post-ride “meet and greet” sessions with the pros!
“RideOn for WBR” social rides will be held on December 4 and 5. Depending on the event, you’ll get to ride with pros from Roxsalt Attaquer, Canyon-SRAM, Trek Segafredo, and Movistar Team, as well as Zwift community leaders. All events will use the Watopia’s Waistband route, and are 60 minutes long with a pace of 1.9-2.5 w/kg unless otherwise noted.
The events begin at 1PM PST on Friday, December 4, and the last one kicks off at 9AM PST on Saturday, December 5:
Complete any event to unlock the World Bicycle Relief jersey and wear your support on your sleeve. If you want the real-life kit, you can order it from CUORE until Dec. 31! Proceeds benefit World Bicycle Relief.
The goal is to raise $25,000 (USD). Once again, presenting partner Trek is matching all donations 1:1! Traditionally, many Zwifters pledge to ride a certain distance or time. You don’t have to ride to give or raise funds, though.
In the past, there have been prizes for the top fundraisers, but WBR hasn’t listed any for this year.
Pro Athlete Meet and Greets
Donors to the 2020 Ride On for WBR campaign will be invited to post-ride “meet and greet” sessions with athletes from participating pro teams. These virtual events start 5 minutes after each of the four pro team rides and last 30 minutes. If you want to join one, make sure you donate before it ends!
Each of the teams has their own fundraiser, asking people to donate through their page to be invited to their specific “meet and greet.” We did find that a donation made through another Zwifter’s page also gave us an invitation to the events. If you want to be on the safe side, or just to show support for a specific team, here are their pages:
World Bicycle Relief focuses on the life-changing impact bikes can make, especially in developing regions of the world. Founded in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2005, the organization has since distributed more than 500,000 bikes to those in need.
Fifteen years later, World Bicycle Relief continues to empower families, rural students, healthcare workers, and entrepreneurs with rugged, purpose-built bicycles to solve the challenge of traveling long distances safely and fulfill their dreams.
With so many events on Zwift, it’s very rare that I find myself doing the same event more than once. But there are a few exceptions, and the ZWC Hill Climb Battle on Mondays is one of those.
The reason why this has quickly become one of my favourite races is because it is different to a lot of what is on Zwift. The route is a custom one and usually consists of a 15.6km ascent up the front of the Epic KOM or the shorter, but steeper reverse side, at 12.1km. The race time can be anywhere between 28-35 minutes, with both routes finishing at the Radio tower.
The beauty of this race is that the intensity is high from start to finish. It is relentless, as you are consistently working up the climb, with little or no opportunity to rest in a group.
Being a short race in distance and time means it is a perfect workout for those who want an intense session and are time-constrained. This race, coupled with a 10-minute warm-up and a 5-minute warm down means you can have a complete workout in 45-50 minutes, making it the perfect lunchtime ride.
The Start
As has become my Monday routine, I lined up at the start for the ZWC Hill Climb battle, with today’s route being the ascent of the Epic KOM from the front. Feeling relatively fresh, I was hoping for a top 10 finish. As customary with all Zwift races, the start was frantic, despite my earlier messages in the start pen pleading for a calm start. As all the different category riders merged into one blob, the pace quickened.
The Dreaded Dropout
Not what you want to see in a race!
We meandered our way through Watopia to the base of the climb, but then I noticed my avatar’s legs had stopped moving and the bunch starting to swarm me. A quick glance to my power data and I could see dashes where my power should have been displayed. We have all experienced this: the dreaded connection dropout! We just hope that when we do experience it, it’s in a social ride and not the crux of a race. Unfortunately, mine was at a crucial point, just before the very base of the climb, just before the dotted blue line on the road to indicate the start of the climb. I watched as my avatar coasted to a stop.
I jumped off the bike and hobbled over to the tablet that was connected to the TV. I dived into the pairing screen where “No signal” was displayed. Panicking, I unplugged the trainer and plugged it back in and watched as the pairing screen reconnected the device.
Chasing
Back on the bike, I was now down in 60th position of 91 riders. All composure gone, I pushed on the pedals with all my might to get my avatar rolling. I crossed the blue line of the start of the climb at 650 watts. I soared up the first part of the climb, pushing 5.3 watts, zipping past the individual riders and small groups that had formed.
The early part of the climb was simply a blur, my nervous energy meant that I was pushing way too hard and knew I would pay for it later. But I couldn’t slow down.
I was conscious that as I approached the castle, my watts per kilo had dropped from 5 to 3.5. This was the first sign that the adrenalin had now worn off and I needed to settle into a rhythm. I selected an easier gear and started finding that.
I started to make my way up the climb, steadily passing several small groups, using them as a springboard to chase down the next rider or group. It was during the underpass that I started to feel the first bit of fatigue and took my first brief rest as the road descended over the bridge. The rest was short-lived as I hammered on the pedals and pulled up the little incline. I caught more riders and pushed to the KOM banner. I crested in 20 mins and 10 seconds, my second ever fastest time and now in 15th position. However, with still the Radio tower climb to go, there was no time or energy to celebrate that minor victory!
To The Radio Tower
The Radio tower section is hard, but factor in what felt like a 20-minute sprint for me, and I was in trouble. I tried to push up the climb, but it was too steep and I was too tired to chase the riders ahead of me and the one rider that I was level with now just edged away. I could do nothing, and I realised a top 10 finish was out of the question. So I settled for 15th and kept a tempo to ensure I didn’t get passed.
The last 400 meters were torture and the meters ticked by so slowly. The finish line crawled into sight. I collapsed over the handlebars in 33.41, in 15th position. I was cooked.
Wrapping It Up
Not my most composed race, but the anxiety and desperate chase at the start of the climb led to a new 5-minute power personal best in ZwiftPower. The lesson learned is in the event of a technical issue, pace yourself back into the race and don’t overdo it (like I did) as you will pay later.
As former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas said, “Mountains are where the biggest races are won and lost.” Today, I wasn’t sure if I had won or lost, but one thing I did know and that is I would be back next week and as G states, “Enjoy, and suffer, and enjoy a bit more. My mountains are your mountains. Let’s climb.”
Editor’s note: watch for part two of Tim’s Hill Climb Battle to be published soon!
Heading into the first-ever UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, the Zwift Powerup Cycling Podcast has produced a series of episodes with interviews from past and present world champions.
About this Episode
Greg Henderson catches up with three-time World Champion Anna Van Der Breggen, and the pair take a deep dive into the world of training in the Netherlands, which World Championship win she holds dearest, and how she’s preparing for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships.
Plus, Anna and Greg discuss how to slow down the infamously fast Zwift race start!
About the Podcast
The Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast features training tips from host Matt Rowe (Rowe & King), with regular guest hosts Greg Henderson, Dani Rowe, and Kristin Armstrong.
Every year since 2010, Rapha has challenged cyclists to ride 500 kilometers between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Festive 500 started in the south of England, and over the next 10 years it grew to become a global challenge. According to Strava, cyclists around the world have ridden a total of 130 million kilometers since the challenge began. In the past decade, 500,000 people have participated and 126,000 have completed it.
Your task is to ride 500 kilometers (310.7 miles) in eight days, from December 24-31, 2020. Outdoor bike and handcycle rides count toward the total, and this year so do virtual rides, as long as you upload them to Strava.
To help you get ready for the challenge, Rapha have created the Rapha Festive 500 Workout Series on Zwift. The series includes 60-minute structured workouts that you can do individually or as part of group events.
The focus of the workout series is on improving your endurance, by training in a smart way: plenty of varied efforts in and around Zone 3 (Tempo), suitable for any rider wanting to improve their general fitness and endurance.
The workouts were designed by Matt Rowe, founder of Rowe & King Coaching. With 25 years of cycling experience, Rowe coaches amateur cyclists all over the world to achieve their personal goals.
The group workout series finishes its first round this week with Workout 6. The second round starts the week of Monday, Dec. 7, but it will only get through Workout 3 before the challenge starts. Each session runs three times per week – once each in the evening for Asia-Pacific timezones, European and African timezones, and American timezones.
Miss some sessions? You can always do the workouts on your own. Find them by selecting “Training” at the login screen and scrolling to the “2020 Rapha Festive 500” workout folder.
Rapha was founded in 2004, hence the name of the first workout of the series.
You will complete 2 x 15 minute blocks, each containing a 10 minute ramped effort, followed by a short block of ‘Over-Unders’ where we tip above and under your threshold before a big 30 second push at the end. You will spend a lot of time during today’s session just below your threshold power, with a small amount above your FTP – an efficient way to help improve your endurance.
3 x 12 minute blocks of ‘Tempo – Endurance’ – this should feel nice and comfortable as you alternate between Zone 2 and Zone 3.
At the end of each 12 minute block, there is a 1 minute ‘free ride’ – depending on your current level of fitness, you can either drop the hammer and give it your max effort, or take some extra recovery. Today’s workout is one of the purest type of endurance workouts there is – no nonsense, keeping the chain tight and getting it done.
3 x 10 minute blocks of effort. The first and third blocks are at 88% of FTP (top-end of Zone 3), with the middle block a Free Ride, so you can ride as hard or easy as you like (target being to complete another Zone 3 block).
This is another purist way to develop your endurance – no free wheeling and consistent muscle tension.
3 x 12 minute blocks of Zone 3, with some surges thrown in for good measure! The Zone 3 riding should feel nice and comfortable, however the surges may sting a little. The surges in each block increase in intensity, but decrease in duration:
Block 1 – 100% of FTP for 30 seconds,
Block 2 – 110% of FTP for 20 seconds,
Block 3 – 115% of FTP for 15 seconds.
At the end of each 12 minute block, there is a 1 minute ‘Free Ride’ – depending on your current level of fitness, you can either drop the hammer and give it your max effort, or take some extra recovery. The significant volume of Tempo riding, coupled with the surges will help develop your endurance.
3 x 15 minute blocks of Tempo, made up of short ramps (lower through to upper Zone 3) to offer some variety to the effort. Remember, Fun is Fast!
At the end of each block, you will complete a 10 second sprint, just to keep in touch with your top end – you don’t want to become too one-dimensional.
(Rapha Cycling Club (RCC) was founded in 2015, hence the name.) A 15 minute ‘Free Ride’ and 5 x short blocks of Threshold (Zone 4) before finishing with a ramped effort right up to Zone 6.
This is a really varied workout to keep your mind engaged and body working hard. The key block is the 15 minute free ride – will you push hard, or take it steady? Your answer should depend on how much you want the Festive 500? If you want it – go hard, to give yourself a big training stress in this final workout.
In the best of Zwift videos this week, GCN takes on the Zwift Racing League, the Vegan Cyclist does Zwift Academy, and pro cyclist Alex Dowsett rides a Zwift time trial. Also catch an educational race breakdown and a guide to the map on Zwift Companion.
How I stacked up in the Zwift Academy (EVERY Workout, 5 w/kg FTP)
The Vegan Cyclist looks back at his Zwift Academy workouts, rides, and races. See how he improves as he goes along, and hear expert advice and analysis by ZA Coach Stephen Gallagher of Dig Deep Coaching.
Can The Global Cycling Network “All Stars” Survive The Zwift Racing League?
The GCN crew jumps into Week 7 of the Zwift Racing League! Watch Simon Richardson, Hank (James Lowsley-Williams), Connor Dunne, Alex Paton, Loic Chetout, and Sebastian Haedo battle it out in the A category of the EMEA West league.
*Zwift Race Breakdown* Casual Mid Day Rip w/ Some Olympians and Pro Conti Riders!
Jonathan Crain breaks down one of his races to show us what went right, what went wrong, and lessons learned. Does he beat pro rider Max Stedman and Olympian Kristin Armstrong? Watch to find out!.
Zwift Companion App Map Guide
Ken Jobba is back with another map tutorial on his “Endurance Sweat” channel. This time, he walks us through how to use the map on the Zwift Companion App.
Why is Zwift time trialing so HARD
Earlier this year, pro TT specialist Alex Dowsett entered a mass-start time trial on Zwift. See how he did and how he thinks it compared to his first Zwift TT in Bologna.
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Today No Breakaways released the second of our Road to Worlds videos, this time with Jordan Cheyne of Team Canada (Elevate-Webiplex on the Road, Finesse-Wahoo on Zwift). Jordan has been riding Zwift since the Jarvis days, but really started taking racing seriously when COVID hit.
Jordan takes us through some really interesting stuff:
Canada Cycling’s selection process
How he got into cycling and became a professional
Team Canada team setup and roles for each of the riders
Team Canada prep events and footage of a private prep event with Jordan and current Canadian National Champion Warren Muir racing up the Worlds course finish
How Jordan thinks the race will play out and how Canada can win the World Title
Watch Jordan’s Interview:
We will also be hosting a Live Interview with Jordan, Ryan, and hopefully a couple other world championship qualifiers on Monday, December 7th at 6 pm central time. Here you’ll have a chance to ask them questions about their training, the race, and anything else you want to know! Head on over to the No Breakaways YouTube page to set a reminder for the stream or follow us on Instagram (@nobreakaways) or Facebook!
Heading into the first-ever UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, the Zwift Powerup Cycling Podcast has produced a series of episodes with interviews from past and present world champions.
About this Episode
Mark Cavendish sits down with Matt Rowe to discuss everything from fatherhood to the World Championships. Mark recounts the early days of his career as a teenager working in a bank and dreaming of being a world champion. Matt tells us how he managed to make that dream a reality.
He also explains why everyone apologizes to him every year for his brother’s performance at the Tour de France. Tune in to find out why!
About the Podcast
The Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast features training tips from host Matt Rowe (Rowe & King), with regular guest hosts Greg Henderson, Dani Rowe, and Kristin Armstrong.
Zwift has just pushed the latest version of its Companion app to the Apple App and Google Play stores. This isn’t a major update, but it does bring a welcome upgrade for Boost Mode events and a couple of messaging updates as well.
Before this update, you could activate your boost or charging by clicking a small button in the Companion app or on screen. But the buttons were small and close together, making it easy to accidentally activate your boost when you actually wanted to charge, or vice versa. The new screen automatically presents us with a much simpler interface.
The screen when your race begins
Charging
Boost activated
Boost activated… plus powerup!
Additionally, you can now use keyboard shortcuts to Boost and Charge in Boost Mode events. We love keyboard shortcuts! “B” boosts, “C” charges.
First, the newest messages now show in the club chat window, making it easy to see what folks in your club are saying.
Secondly, underage Zwifters are now prevented from viewing or participating in Club Chat.
These are good changes, but realistically, the Club Chat feature is very barebones. If Zwift wants it to be embraced, it will need to be upgraded to at least allow member tagging (with corresponding notifications). This should include the ability for club admins and moderators to tag @everyone, in order to easily notify the team of important news.
Bug Fixes
This update included the following fixes:
Fixed a crash in the notifications area.
(iOS Only) Fixed an issue with the date picker for Meetups.
(Android Only) Fixed a bug that would cause the progression bar to appear when the user has completed Zwift Academy.
(Android Only) Numerous BLE bridge improvements.
Three Companion Wishes
It’s always nice to see the Zwift Game and Companion app being updated. That said, there are a few niggles with Companion that have been around a long time. Here are my three Companion improvement wishes:
Save Notification Settings: my notification settings get reset every time the app is updated, so my phone starts popping up “Post-activity Ride Ons” and other notifications I don’t want to see, until I go in and turn them off.
Easy Ride Ons in Events: I want to be able to tap my arrow on the map during a group ride and give Ride Ons to the 5 closest riders, just like in free ride mode.
Advanced Event Filters: give me an advanced search screen where I can filter events by keyword, number of signups, and other fun parameters.
Questions or Comments
Got your own Companion wishes? Questions or comments about the latest update? Share below!
