Racing in the Winter season can sabotage your training goals. Learn how to keep your training on track by structuring your weeks to avoid overtraining.
How much time is too much to spend on the trainer?
Importance of bike fit and periodic adjustments when training indoors
Update (August 2023): it’s been a few years since we published the post below, and mesh wireless systems have continued to evolve. Netgear’s Orbi is still a super impressive system, but ASUS’ ZenWiFi is also popular and more affordable for smaller homes.
The truth is, there are several great mesh systems out there, and they’re all better than the old “single wireless router” setups of old.
When shopping for mesh wireless to support your Zwifting, we recommend getting a system that includes these two features:
a dedicated backhaul channel (for strong performance) and
the ability to manually set the WiFi channel, allowing you to avoid bands that would interfere with ANT+ signals.
Some Zwifters are fortunate enough to have a hardwired ethernet connection to their Zwift station. But many are not! Pain caves are often located far from the central connection, perhaps even in an outdoor shed.
Poor WiFi at your Zwift station can wreak havoc on the quality of your experience, especially in hard group rides or races. Before I upgraded my home WiFi I had it happen regularly in races: the dreaded Internet drop. All the riders would disappear and I would have to jump on the pedals to make up for a lack of draft, suffering in hopes that the Internet would return before the pack rode away. It was (literally) a painful experience!
I should mention that not all Internet drops are caused by weak WiFi. Your ISP may have problems upstream which mess up your Internet connection. That said, more often than not slow or spotty Internet is caused by a poor home Wifi system. If that’s the case at your house, it’s time to take a look at mesh WiFi!
Mesh Wifi: the Basics
Many homes simply use a single WiFi router, and the further you get from it the slower your connection becomes. Some homes extend that router with “repeaters” which help but also complicate things by creating additional networks and slowing your overall connection speed.
Mesh WiFi technology has been around a while, but until recently it was very expensive and difficult to set up. It consists of a main router that connects directly to your modem, and a series of satellite modules, or nodes, placed around your house for full WiFi coverage. Here is the important part: the main router and its nodes are all part of a single wireless network and share the same network name and password, unlike traditional WiFi routers. So you can walk anywhere in your coverage area and get fast, stable WiFi.
The Best Mesh WiFi For Zwifting
The best WiFi solution for you depends on a variety of factors, but today I’m going to recommend one which will meet the needs of most Zwifters. That system is Netgear’s Orbi Whole Home Mesh WiFi System. Why do I recommend it for Zwifters? I’m glad you asked!
Speed: Netgear’s patented tri-band tech makes this the fastest system around, since it uses a dedicated WiFi connection to maintain the mesh “backhaul” instead of piggybacking on your “production” WiFi. Simply put: data flows in a few lanes, not just one. That makes things faster.
Hardwired Connectivity: every station has 2 ethernet jacks (4 if you upgrade to the ultra-performance system), so you can plug straight into a node and get fast, stable Internet from your Zwift station.
Customization: getting ANT+ drops and want to set the 2.4ghz WiFi channel so it is far from ANT+ frequencies? You can do it with Orbi. (You can’t with Google Wifi, arguably Orbi’s closest competitor.)
Coverage: Orbi’s cheapest router plus two extenders covers 6,000 sq feet. Higher-performance models cover even more area per node.
Don’t just take my word for it: over 5,500 reviews on Amazon averaged 4.5 stars, making this Amazon’s choice for mesh wireless. Plus Zwifter, KISS race organizer, and tech wizard Glen Knight is a big Orbi fan. Here’s what he had to say about it:
I’ve used Orbi for a while and swear by it. If I could justify buying the upgraded Pro version I’d be there like a shot.
I researched this A LOT before I splashed the cash. This is my trade. I’m also a certified wireless specialist.
… no matter what I always came back to the Orbi purely on technical specification.
It’s no looker but it works. And everyone I know I’ve recommended it to also recommends it because it works so bloody well.
If you’re looking to upgrade your home network and get a stable network connection for your Zwift station, give Orbi Mesh a look. You’ll be glad you did!
Month two of the Zwift Fondo Series is upon us, and this is the big weekend.
Fondos are long group rides which some treat as races. The goal for everyone is to push hard while enjoying a challenging route with a large group of riders.
On Zwift you’ll have three options for route difficulty: Gran, Medio, and Bambino. December’s routes are the same as November’s:
Gran Fondo (A Group): Watopia Mega Pretzel – 107 km (66.5 miles), 1,642 m (5,387′) elevation
Medio Fondo (B Group): Watopia Pretzel – 72.2 km (44.9 miles), 1,333 m (4,375′) elevation
Bambino Fondo (C Group): Watopia Three Sisters – 48.3 km (30 miles), 897 m (2,942′) elevation
All Zwifters who finish a Fondo route will unlock the official Zwift December Fondo kit. Each of the 6 Fondos from November to April has a unique kit to unlock.
It’s time to climb! Wahoo, makers of the Kickr Climb indoor gradient simulator, have partnered with Zwift for a climbing-based mission with some big prizes on the line.
Accepting Your Mission
To begin, just click “Let’s do this!” from Zwift’s startup screen and accept the terms and conditions.
Mission Completion
There are three different climbing milestones. Reaching each unlocks in-game swag and another entry into the prize drawing.
7,500′: earn one entry to the first-prize drawing and in-game Wahoo cycling cap and socks
12,000′: earn an additional entry to the first-prize drawing and an in-game Wahoo cycling kit
20,000′: earn one entry to the grand prize drawing
The elevation is cumulative over the duration of the mission, so once you accept the mission every inch you climb until December 23rd counts toward hitting the milestones.
Prizes
One grand prize winner will receive a Wahooligan Package consisting of a Kickr Trainer, Kickr Climb, Headwind fan, Mat and Desk. How’s that for a pain cave setup? Approximate retail value $2,369.95USD.
Additionally, two first prize winners will receive a Kickr Core Trainer and Kickr Climb. Approximate retail value $1,499.99USD.
A major Zwift update was released early this morning, bringing us up to version 1.0.32190 on PC. Here’s a rundown of the highlights of this latest release.
Levels 26-50
This is the biggest news in today’s update, since many Zwifters have been stuck at level 25 for a while. Read this post for a complete rundown of the new levels and an explanation of how “accelerated leveling” works for those who have accumulated XP points beyond level 25.
Save Screen Enhancements
When saving your ride you may now select which photos to save on Zwift servers (and thus 3rd parties like Strava and MapMyRide). I like this change, because I often try to snap cool Zwift shots, but it’s an added hassle to log in and upload just the ones I want to Strava. This will let me do it all at once.
In my tests, the photos haven’t been consistently showing up for me to pick at the end of the ride, but I’m sure Zwift is working on this minor bug.
The new save screen also lets you pick the Zwift Companion app privacy level for your activity. Choose between “Public” (default), Followers, or Private. It is worth noting that 3rd parties such as Strava, Garmin, and MapMyRide each have their own privacy settings which are unaffected by this Zwift activity feed setting.
Running Footpod Calibration
On the heels of Zwift’s RunPod release, they’ve improved the calibration process for footpods, using a 3-speed calibration to improve accuracy.
Windows Bluetooth Beta Access
In the first step towards rolling out Bluetooth support for Windows users, Zwift has released limited Bluetooth support as a beta feature. Your machine must be running Windows 10 and include Bluetooth 4. This release supports power data, speed, cadence, and heart rate. It does NOT include control of smart trainers–to do that you will still need to use ANT+ or Bluetooth via Zwift Companion.
To access the Bluetooth beta features click the gear at the top-right of the pairing screen and choose the beta option.
As this is a beta feature, Jon Mayfield recommends we DO NOT USE it for important races or rides. It is here for us to test and provide feedback via the forums.
Zwift Levels 26-50: Requirements, Unlocks and Accelerated Leveling
Level 25 Zwifters, rejoice! Zwift has just released an update which includes an expansion to level 50. Here are the details…
Level 26-50 Unlocks
Unlocks for these new levels are “soft” unlocks–that is, no bikes or wheels. Instead, you will get jerseys, socks, shoes, helmets, glasses, etc. (See XP Points, Levels and Unlocks for a complete list of unlocks.) Zwift chose to go with these soft unlocks because the Virtual Store is launching soon, and this is where bikes and wheels will be purchased using Zwift’s virtual “Dropz” currency.
Since the question arises whenever virtual currency is mentioned, it’s worth stating that Zwift has denied any plans to let players spend real money to purchase virtual items. Zwift doesn’t have any interest in letting people pay real money to purchase upgraded virtual equipment–what you get in game you must earn in game.
Level Requirements
The level 50 requirement is 500,000 XP, while level 25 is 110,000. That’s a significant jump, but not big enough to encompass everyone: a small number of top Zwifters will already meet the level 50 requirement. In fact, top XP earner Tim “Bacon” Searle’s 100,000+ kilometers put him very close to where Zwift has said their level 100 cap will be!
Many Zwifters have reached level 25 and continue to accumulate XP without moving to the next level. With this expansion, Zwift had to figure out how to handle “leveling up” these riders. Obviously, we should get credit for the XP we’ve accumulated. But should we simply blow through all the levels and unlocks the next time we hop on Zwift? That would dull the satisfaction of achieving each level.
Zwift’s solution is to allow Zwifters to do accelerated leveling up to the level their XP would have taken them. Accelerated leveling means you still have to work to reach level 26 and above, but you will get there 8x faster. When you choose the “Bring on the Levels” option (see screenshot below) your XP is reset to 110,000 (level 25), but each km you ride nets you 160 XP and each mile 240 XP instead of 20/30 respectively. All other XP rewards are multiplied by 8x as well. Accelerated leveling stays in place until you reach whatever level your XP would have taken you before this update.
My Personal Example: I had 350,805 XP before this update, which qualifies me for level 42. Moving from level 25 (110,000 XP) to 42 (340,000 XP) requires earning 230,000 XP, but since I opted to “Bring on the Levels” (accelerated leveling) my miles will get me there 8x faster. By my calculations, I can get to level 42 with about three weeks of riding at my current pace. Here’s what my menu screen shows:
Before the update, showing my accumulated XPAfter the updated, showing my XP reset to level 25
Riders can opt out of acceleration if they prefer working through each level at the normal pace. That’s a pretty hardcore option, and there’s no way to change it once you’ve done it!
Level 25 Zwifters, I’m curious: which option did you choose? Share below!
Zwift Shop Re-Launched with Trainers, Clothing and More
Early last week Zwift quietly re-launched its online store at (zwift.com/shop) just in time for post-Thanksgiving shopping. Zwifters have been clamoring for an upgraded store for months due to Zwift’s original shop suffering from slim product selection and inventory stockouts.
The new shop features a wide range of smart trainers (with financing available) plus a small selection of Zwift-branded clothing and key indoor such as ANT+ dongles and fans. Here’s a quick rundown of what Zwift’s new shop currently offers…
Smart Trainers
Zwift had formerly only sold CycleOps-brand smart trainers, which I assume was a sort of pilot program for this new shop and its larger selection of trainers. The shop now includes 12 top trainers models from Wahoo, Tacx, CycleOps, Elite, and Kinetic. It also includes this Schwinn Classic Cruiser which is far from a smart trainer, but certainly a fun spin.
Foot Pods
The only item in this part of Zwift’s new shop is the new Zwift RunPod, logically.
Cycling Kit
The new kit offerings from Zwift look great, although I haven’t received mine yet to try it out! There are two styles offered for men and women: a high-end, racefit “Breakaway” kit and the looser-fitting, lower-cost “Domestique”.
I’m a sucker for new cycling kit, and my old “skinny Z” kit is just plain worn out. So I took a close look at Zwift’s new offerings, doing a little sleuthing to decipher the make/model of each piece of kit. Here’s what I found:
The Breakaway kit appears to be a highly customized version of Giordana’s FR-C line, which is high-end stuff (see their specs for men’s bib shorts and jersey).
Looking for key Zwifting accessories? The new shop stocks trainer accessories like the Wahoo Climb and Headwind, as well as a cassette for direct-drive trainers and ANT+ dongles and USB extensions.
The shop also stocks heart rate monitors, including the Powertap PowerCal which is a low-priced way to get some fairly accurate Zwifting in when you’re away from your home Zwift setup. Mysteriously Zwift is not stocking the wildly popular Wahoo Tickr, opting instead for the much more expensive Tacx HRM.
I’ve seen a lot of complaints from overseas Zwifters complaining of high shipping costs. Zwift has told me this initial shop rollout is targeted at North America and they will be rolling out more appealing shipping options for the EU and other areas once logistics details are finalized.
Matt, Kev, and Greg share tips on sprinting–find out what type of training you want to focus on to improve that last kick of your race. Also discussed: which coach set a new trend for cycling kit in the pro peloton.
It’s going to be a busy day in Watopia tomorrow as thousands of riders don World Bicycle Relief kits, hop on buffalo bikes and ride in support of WBR!
This is the 4th year Zwifters have pedaled to support WBR, and our community has already helped raise over $400,000 since 2015. What was a one-day Zwiftathon in past years has turned into a week-long challenge, but tomorrow (December 1st) will be the biggest day of the week with Zwift hosting hourly “Ride On for World Bicycle Relief” rides beginning at midnight with Jens Voigt.
Everyone who registers on WBR’s event page will receive a virtual swag bag from WBR’s sponsors. You will also be eligible to win a CycleOps M2 Smart Trainer and other prizes!
Additional prizes are available for top fundraisers–see below.
World Bicycle Relief mobilizes people through The Power of Bicycles. They envision a world where distance is no longer a barrier to independence and livelihood.
We don’t often feature full ride videos, but this one is different. The wife of Shane Miller, one of Zwift’s most well-known community members, was out on a special ride. She finally got her Trone bike. I’m a bit jealous. I also got a smile from the entertaining hosting of Von and Shane.
Cycle Jockey makes his first visit in our video series. It’s a great video for self-coached athletes. He explains in detail how he uses the data from Zwift and Strava to structure this training. You don’t need to put the same focus on endurance training, but you definitely can learn from his analysis.
To be precise: in this video, you will not see one, but two successful attempts to win the green jersey. Albeit with a catch, but go figure that out. Entertaining short video of a couple on a mission.
In recent hardware reviews we have focused on different trainers. We don’t want to forget the other side of the cable (or dongle). For instance, Apple got some new hardware out recently: the new Mac Mini. It might impress some as an interesting option. How does it work with Zwift?
After independent looks at the Wahoo’s Climb, Headwind, and the Kickr itself, road.cc brought them all together in one video. It’s not as in-depth on the individual products, but offers a nice holistic perspective of the Wahoo portfolio.
