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Speedy Felt AR and IA Frames Added to Drop Shop

Eric Schlange
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5
Speedy Felt AR and IA Frames Added to Drop Shop

Speedy Felt AR and IA Frames Added to Drop Shop

Last week’s minor update included the addition of two new frames in the Drop Shop: the Felt IA TT frame and the Felt IA aero road frame.

After numerous tests we’ve determined that both frames are top performers in their categories. See the detailed test data, or read below for a summary of our findings.

Felt IA

A top performer outdoors, the Felt IA time trial frame is wicked fast on Zwift as well. In fact, it’s the best all-around TT frame as of today!

Our tests have placed it #1 on the list of fastest TT frames for flat/rolling courses, and #3 on the list of fastest TT frames for long climbs like Alpe du Zwift.

It’s not cheap (1,065,000 Drops) and level-locked at 37+, but if you can get it, it’s the one to get!

Felt AR

The AR is a super-aero frame outdoors, right up there with the very best. And the same is true on Zwift–it turns in basically the same performance as the much-loved Cervelo S5 on Zwift, placing solidly #3/4 on our list of fastest frames for flat/rolling races.

Like the other top aero bikes, the AR doesn’t shine on long climbs like the Epic KOM or Alpe du Zwift. But if you’re looking for a super-slippery frame on flat or rolling routes, the Felt AR is a fine choice.

The 639,000 Drops price tag isn’t too bad, either, although the 34+ level lock is a bit higher than other frames.

Your Thoughts?

Any Felt fans out there? Hope you enjoy the performance of these new frames!

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.

The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 70 – The American Zofingen Duathlon

The Endurance Lab
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The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 70 – The American Zofingen Duathlon

The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 70 – The American Zofingen Duathlon

In this episode, our topics include:

Race Review – Coach Ian – The American Zofingen Duathlon

  • Race goals and challenges
  • How did you leverage the Endurance Lab training to prepare yourself?

Article of the week: Training Stress vs. Life Stress

  • Manage time and effort
  • Optimize nutritional input
  • Emphasize sleep and recovery
  • What stress feels and looks like… when things go wrong.
  • Compartmentalizing stressors
  • Tools for better workouts under stress

Recording Date: 05/27/2019  

All About the Zwift Academy Tri Team with Tim Don (Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast #8)

Eric Schlange
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All About the Zwift Academy Tri Team with Tim Don (Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast #8)

All About the Zwift Academy Tri Team with Tim Don (Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast #8)

Want to know more about the Specialized Zwift Academy Tri team? Here’s your chance.

Matt and Jordan sit down for a chat with Tim Don—a tri legend and one of the team’s two mentors—to talk about the camp at Morgan Hill. The workouts. The team. The gear. Everything.

They also dive into triathlon training tips and some awesome new tech: the DJI action camera and Wahoo Elemnt Roam.

About the Podcast:

The Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast is hosted by former pro triathletes Matt Lieto and Jordan Rapp, lending their in-depth knowledge of the multisport to the Zwift Tri audience.

Zwift Update 1.0.36881 Released

Eric Schlange
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Zwift Update 1.0.36881 Released

Zwift Update 1.0.36881 Released

Zwift released a game update Thursday night which includes a variety of small changes. Here are the details…

Ride Leader Fence

We talked about this feature when it was being tested almost three months ago. It appears Zwift has updated the feature and will be testing it more moving forward.

The Burrito is Back!

The breakaway burrito powerup makes you undraftable for 10 seconds. It was available in Zwift’s beta days, but was removed from the game because it affects other riders, not just you.

Example: if you are in a two-man breakaway with a teammate and you have the burrito, using it will negatively affect both of you.

So Zwift has added an option to throw away your powerup, solving the problem of having a powerup you don’t want to use. When you throw away your powerup you won’t receive a new one until you ride through another arch.

Here’s what it looks like in-game:

Hit the up arrow (or swipe up) to see the actions bar. PowerUp trashcan is 6th button from the left.

At this time, the burrito is not being given away in the normal distribution of powerups., It can optionally be included in specific events.

New Bike Frames from Felt

For the first time, we have Felt frames in the Drop Shop. And these frames are fast!

  • Felt AR
  • Felt IA

The new Felt frames are turning in the same times as the top frames in our speed tests. We’re still testing them further, but you can see our speed tests spreadsheet for raw results. We’ll be publishing more info on these frames soon.


“Watopia’s Waistband” Route Added

Hurray! We published this as a rebel route in early May, but Zwift has just rolled it out as an event-only route. Pretty cool to see Zwift listening to the community and creating a route people were manually riding because they enjoyed it.

More Changes

More minor changes included in this update include:

  • Training Plan Updates
    • Added Multisport Mixer training plan, “a cycling-focused plan for multi-sport athletes.” “If you want to get faster as a cyclist while also maintaining run performance, this is the plan for you.”
    • L’Etape Phase 4 workouts added
    • Minor updates to Cycling 101 training plan
  • Added FTMS spindown functionality for BLE
  • Added Multisport Mixer training plan
  • Updated the calculations used to automatically flag fliers
  • Several new cycling and running kits added

That’s all we can see in terms of changes in the latest update. Have you spotted something else? Comment below and let us know!

“Racing the Sun” for WBR this Weekend

Eric Schlange
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0
“Racing the Sun” for WBR this Weekend

“Racing the Sun” for WBR this Weekend

June 3rd is International World Bicycle Day, and Zwift is inviting our community to celebrate it with a series of events to support World Bicycle Relief (WBR).

Called “Racing the Sun”, these events begin at 12AM Pacific Sunday, June 2nd and run every hour until 12AM Monday, June 3rd.

See schedule of events >

All riders will be on Buffalo Bikes, the life-changing bike which WBR has supplied to thousands of people worldwide.

Fundraising/Fundmatching

The real goal here is to raise funds for WBR. Zwift is matching all donations to World Bicycle Relief up to $25,000. 

Donate here >

About the Routes

The events are on three different routes, and the idea is to finish a certain number of laps before the sun sets. Each event begins at Watopian sunrise, with the sun setting 60 minutes later.

This mimics the challenge many people face in developing countries as they try to cover the distance from home to school or work on foot, before nightfall.

Here are the routes, and the lap counts and distances. Looking for a faster ride? Choose the longer routes:

Prizes

All eligible finishers will be entered into a drawing to win some great gear like a Saris H2 Trainer, Saris M2 Trainer, or a SRAM Force AXS groupset.

Kit Unlock

Riders will be kitted out in a “Racing the Sun” jersey and shorts. Zwifters will have the opportunity to purchase an IRL version of the kit, produced by CUORE of Switzerland.

Ride Leaders

Strong supporters of the event will lead rides – Eric Min, CEO of Zwift, Jordan Rapp, Kristin Armstrong, and individuals from clubs on Zwift who are hoping to share their passion for pedaling for progress and hope.

See schedule of events >

New York “Knickerbocker Reverse” Route Details

Eric Schlange
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0
New York “Knickerbocker Reverse” Route Details

New York “Knickerbocker Reverse” Route Details

“Knickerbocker Reverse” isn’t exactly the reverse version of the Knickerbocker route, but it’s close enough since it travels over the KOM and through the start/finish banner in the opposite direction of the original route.

This is the second-longest route on the NYC course, covering all the ground-level roads as well as the KOM.

On the ground, this course is rolling, curvy, and scenic, allowing riders to enjoy the classic sites of Central Park. But Zwift has also thrown the reverse KOM (.7 miles, 6%) in, so get ready to push up gradients that top out at 15%!

Route details:
Distance: 22.5km (14 miles)
Elevation Gain: 345m (1136′)

Strava Segment (Banner to Banner)

Marginal Gains, Hour Records, and More (Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast #29)

Eric Schlange
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0
Marginal Gains, Hour Records, and More (Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast #29)

Marginal Gains, Hour Records, and More (Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast #29)

This episode is part 2 of our hosts’ conversation with Joshua Poertner. The Silca Velo CEO continues to offer his insight into marginal gains–those little performance improvements that can be made when everything that goes into riding a bike is considered.

We then pivot to pro cyclist Victor Campanaerts’ new UCI Hour Record, 3D-printed helmets, and heat loss through your wrists! We also get into Kev’s favorite gear—the granny gear—and why you might use it.

About the Podcast

The Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast features host Matt Rowe (Rowe & King), with regular co-hosts Greg Henderson (Coach Hendy) and Kev Poulton (Powerhouse Cycling). The hosts share tips on how road races can get faster in-game and outdoors.

Save Big at this Weekend’s Smart Trainer Sales

Eric Schlange
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0
Save Big at this Weekend’s Smart Trainer Sales

Save Big at this Weekend’s Smart Trainer Sales

If you’re looking to purchase a new smart trainer, this weekend is the time to do it! Big sales from REI, Clever Training, and Wahoo mean you can pick up the best trainers on the market for 20% (or more) off!

Wahoo Kickr 2017 $800 Sale

Wahoo has their 2017 Kickr on sale for only $800 (regularly $1000). This is the previous version of their much-loved Kickr (current version is the Kickr 2018).

I’ve ridden both the 2017 and 2018 Kickrs for thousands of miles on Zwift, and can say they’re both solid, quality units. The 2018 Kickr is quieter and has a larger flywheel, but other than those two differences the models are nearly identical.

Clever Training 20% Off Sale

Clever Training has the following top-rated direct drive trainers on sale for 20% off:

To get the discount you must purchase a VIP membership for $19.99US (this is a lifetime membership). Then use discount code VIPSALE.

See entire list of discounted smart trainers >

REI 20% Anniversary Off Sale

REI has the CycleOps H2 on sale for 20% off online.

Their Wahoo trainers are not included in the 20% off sale online, but I was told by a phone rep you could call (1-800-426-4840) and they would honor the sale for those trainers over the phone.

To get the discount you must purchase an REI co-op membership for $19.99US (this is a lifetime membership). Then use discount code ANNV19.

Affiliate Link Notice

The links above are affiliate links to their respective websites. Your purchase through these links helps support this website by paying us a referral fee. Thanks!

Zwiftcast Episode 64

Simon Schofield
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Zwiftcast Episode 64

Zwiftcast Episode 64

This episode is a four-hander, with Greg Leo joining Simon, Shane, and Nathan to discuss all the latest Zwiftiness.

The changed lineup was more by accident than design after Simon managed to incur a self-inflicted travel disaster on his plans to head for ZHQ…

But as ever, there’s plenty to discuss and geographical boundaries have never held back the Zwiftcasters.

The foursome kick it off by discussing what to most, if not all, Zwifters was a bit of a surprise–the new Giro d’Italia Prologue TT course. Pacing strategies can work well on this part flat/part monster climb course and Shane discusses his new toy for helping out with that

The chaps move on to discuss the new Zwift Terms of Service which have put a few noses out of joint. The Zwiftcasters are pretty convinced there’s nothing to worry about for streamers with good intentions.

Have you seen the Road Runner? Zwift has a new entrant into its animal kingdom and the Zwiftcasters confess they’ve yet to manage a sighting.

Finally the podcasters discuss some changes to the Zwift code which will have a fairly significant effect on avatar behavior both downhill and when the Aero Power Up is deployed.

Also: is it lingerie or laundry? You’ll have to listen to figure out that puzzle.

We hope you enjoy listening.

Watopia “Gran Fondo” Route Details

Eric Schlange
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6
Watopia “Gran Fondo” Route Details

Watopia “Gran Fondo” Route Details

The Gran Fondo is one of three fondo routes Zwift unveiled in January 2019 for its Zwift fondo series. Currently these are event-only routes, meaning they are only available for use in events and cannot be ridden on a freeride or individual workout.

See upcoming events on the Gran Fondo route >

Route Profile

The Gran Fondo is very similar to the Medio Fondo in terms of key climbs and overall elevation, but ~25km (15.5 miles) longer due to some meandering around Watopia proper between the “Road to Ruins” section and the “Mountain Route” ending.

This route is essentially these routes strung together:

We begin by taking Ocean Boulevard around to the reverse Hilly KOM, which is the first half of the Figure 8 route. Then it’s over to the Volcano and up to the top before descending down and heading to the Italian Villas then the Mayan Jungle for a reverse loop of the circuit.

After climbing out of the jungle, we descend back to sea level, hit The Esses and spin a quick lap around the Volcano Circuit. Until this point, the route has been identical to the Medio Fondo. Here’s where things change.

After heading through downtown Watopia we hit the forward Hilly KOM, then hang a left onto Ocean Boulevard, back through downtown, over The Esses in reverse, and around the Volcano, back over The Esses forward, and into downtown.

The rest of the route matches the end of the Medio Fondo, as we head out Ocean Boulevard once more to the forward Epic KOM. Our route finishes at the KOM banner, where the ibex cheers you on as you finish!

Route details:
Distance: 97.2km (60.4 miles)
Elevation Gain: 1148m (3768′)

Strava Forward Segment (from start pier)

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