Last week Zwift launched its revamped shop, and hidden behind the beautiful new kits and piles of smart trainers is a small but hugely important piece of Zwift’s future universe: the new Zwift RunPod.
A Little Background…
The original Milestone pod (read our review) was very affordable at $24.95 and decently accurate for steady efforts, but the company seemed to suffer from inventory supply challenges and the pod wasn’t great at detecting sudden changes in pace.
Zwift acquired the team and assets of Milestone Sports back in June 2018. Since then the team which came over from Milestone has been hard at work with Jon Mayfield and other Zwift developers to implement hardware and software changes to make RunPod the solution for Zwift runners.
RunPod’s High (Strategic) Value
The new RunPod is rumored to have fixed pacing issues, providing accuracy on-par with much more expensive foot pods. Additionally, connectivity and calibration from within Zwift have been improved, making the whole experience simpler and more affordable for new Zwift runners.
From a strategic business standpoint, it’s clear RunPod is a key part of Zwift’s plans for the indoor running space.
While we haven’t had a chance to fully test the new RunPod yet, we do have one sitting here ready to go, so a review is forthcoming.
Buy Now
If you’re looking to get running on Zwift you can pick up a RunPod on Amazon or in the new Zwift shop. Only $29.99 with free US shipping from either store!
While we would never wear headphones riding outdoors, Zwifters can enjoy tunes or podcasts while we suffer. In fact, apart from getting your smart trainer and display sorted a quality audio setup is arguably the most important part of a truly delightful Zwift experience.
And it’s not just about the quality of what you hear: with more rides using Discord for voice chat a quality microphone is also essential.
In reality, just about any set of Bluetooth earbuds will “do the job.” But in our opinion, it’s worth investing a bit more to boost sound quality, longevity, and ease of use. Here are the top three wireless Bluetooth earbud solutions we recommend.
Share your experience with wireless earbuds on Zwift in the comments section!
Key Considerations
Battery life/speed of charging: regular use will require weekly charging, so make sure it’s fast and easy.
Durability: these will be sweated in and tossed around your pain cave a bit.
Fit: ears are unique. If you can’t test first, buy a set with fit options.
Sound quality: here you generally get what you pay for.
Microphone quality: important for Discord and phone use.
Quality earbuds that won’t break the bank. Also the longest battery life of our top three selections. These are the headphones I most often recommend to Zwifters due to their high price/performance ratio.
Pro tip: if you want earbuds for swimming, check out the Jaybird X4’s which cost more but come with IPX7-rated water resistance (down to 1 meter for 30 minutes) and improved sound quality.
Bose has always been a premium sound solution: never cheap, but always top-notch in terms of build and sound quality. These are truly wireless (no cord between the earbuds) and you can buy them in Zwifty orange!
Pro tip: if you want Bose quality with a cord between the earbuds and a bit more battery life, save $20 and buy the standard Bose SoundSports.
Like everything Apple, AirPods come at a premium price for a premium experience. Sound and microphone quality get consistently high reviews. The one downside? You aren’t able to customize the fit unless you purchase an accessory kit or buy the pricier AirPods Pro.
A while back we asked the Zwift Riders Facebook group, “What makes Zwifters special?” We received hundreds of responses… here is our first selection of 25 favorites:
Pat O’Neill: Your Strava followers ask you if you are on vacation in Watopia, and when you will be back…
Cycling is a funny thing. Sometimes the kilometers just fly by and we can’t help but smile and enjoy every minute. Other times each bump in the road feels like a major obstacle and we can’t wait to get off the bike. One thing is certain though: fitness isn’t built overnight. Like most worthwhile things it requires perseverance: repeated, difficult efforts over an extended period of time.
Perhaps no Zwifter exemplifies perseverance more than Aussie Tim “Bacon” Searle. This Thursday we’ll see a first for Zwift when Tim rides his 100,000th kilometer on the Zwift platform. Here’s fellow Aussie Shane Miller talking about the monumental achievement, and how you can join Tim in celebrating it:
Tim is the creator and leader of the Aussie Hump Day Ride (AHDR) – the largest group ride on the Zwift Platform. He also leads the Bacon Rolls and PretzHELL rides every week. Couple all that ride leading with the sheer number of kilometers he has ridden on Zwift and it is clear Tim is a key community member we should all be listening to. On the eve of his 100,000 km achievement I wanted to ask Tim a few questions and get to know him a little better.
How much riding do you do per year?
I ride around 40,000km a year. Last year was my biggest riding year to date at 46,000km. 2018 will likely be a touch less (I did a little running too!) but will likely be around 42,000km.
Is it a challenge for you to find the time to put in 23-24 hours/week on a bike, or do you have a lifestyle that makes it work?
I have a family and run a small business. I’ve found a way to fit my riding into my lifestyle. Generally, my rides are around 75 minutes (40-50km). I ride early in the morning before the family wakes, and straight after work. I do ride a little more on the weekend! I do 100km every day, so I guess it all adds up!
How much of your riding is indoors compared to outdoors?
I’d say around 90% of my riding is done indoors. I do enjoy riding outside and get out every weekend without fail. I have just got my hands on a new Giant Propel that I’m itching to get out on! I find that during the week my time limitations mean that riding outside is impractical, not to mention the occasional dodgy weather (it can happen in Australia!) and traffic, etc.
Some say indoor miles don’t count, others say an hour indoors is worth 90 minutes outdoors. You may be more qualified than just about any indoor rider to answer that… what do you think?
There is an argument that 1km on the trainer is easier than outside. I’d say that it might be a little faster, but is no easier. As I spend a fair amount of my Zwifting leading Aussie Hump Day Ride groups which generally have 200+ people on them a lot my time is in the draft, which is obviously a bit quicker than solo outdoor rides (although not as easy as riding in large groups outdoors – you can never stop pedaling!). At the end of the day time in the saddle is still time in the saddle.
You’ve put in more kilometers on Zwift than literally anyone else in the world, so your experience and opinion carry a lot of weight. Tell me your favorite Zwift memory, and the one new feature you’re most hoping for.
My favourite Zwift memory was the 24 hour Team Zwift World Champs event that I participated in last year. We hastily put together a 4 person AHDR Team called “Aussie Battlers” (which says it all!). We were not expecting anything other than a bit of fun. We ended up taking out the event ahead of some very strong teams, despite my total in our Team being the lowest at 400Km.
As far as a new Zwift feature, what I’d like to see most are more Ride Leader tools. I’d guess that around 25% of my km’s on Zwift have been done leading groups – it’s this social aspect of Zwift that keeps me coming back for more. I’m currently leading over 1200 people per week and rising, and with all the AHDR rides having over 200+ attendees it’s getting increasingly difficult to manage.
Zwiftcast Episode 58 – A Conversation with Zwift CEO Eric Min
Episode 58 of Zwiftcast has been released, and it is devoted to an in-depth and wide-ranging conversation with Zwift CEO, Eric Min. Don’t miss this episode!
Simon and Eric discuss a large number of issues of great interest to Zwifters, ranging from Eric’s management style, through the debate around an annual membership fee and even plans for a Zwift Convention.
Eric has news about the immediate future pricing of Zwift and talks about why he’d like things to happen faster in Zwift – along with the reasons why they don’t. We discuss rivals to Zwift, siren voices in the community and whether Zwift Run is working. And that’s just a few of the topics covered.
If you love Zwift, if you’re interested in how the company works and want to do a deep dive on everything Zwifty, you should find this a rewarding listen. We hope you enjoy it.
This is the first “top 5” video this winter addressing Zwift runners. Slowly, the Northern hemisphere is getting too cold and/or icy for running outside. Zwift could help you. Never thought about that? Couple of things to keep in mind. Triathlon Taren has them all prepared for you.
I quote one of my friends after his Strava workout yesterday: 240w indoors definitely feel different from 240w outdoors. The additional hardness of cycling inside is an interesting phenomenon. What’s exactly happening with us physically and psychologically?
Zwift sprinting, calibrating FTP post-injury, room temperatures, and balancing indoor training with outdoor training in winter: this time, the Global Cycling Network focuses on common indoor-training specific questions.
You will need a compatible Wahoo trainer to use Wahoo’s Climb that lifts and lowers your front wheel as you tackle Zwift’s climbs. To explain why, Shane Miller has produced a small video.
ZwiftGPS is a neat little tool that allows you to race against yourself. Think about your Zwift personal records from last winter. Now that you’re back on Zwift, can you beat yourself? Outdoors, you have Strava Live Segments. Indoors, your own ghost can guide you over the track.
Ride with Reason Week 4 Challenge: Ride 50km for WBR
Conquering the challenge of distance can lead to independence and help communities thrive, and that is why World Bicycle Relief (WBR) has made it their mission to mobilize people through The Power of Bicycles. WBR focuses on the rural regions of developing countries because in these places bicycles are truly a life-changing tool of empowerment.
This is the Zwift community’s 4th year partnering with World Bicycle Relief, but instead of having a single “Ride on Zwiftathon” day like past years we’ve got a full week to meet our goal of 25,000 Zwifters riding at least 50km (31 miles). If we meet this goal it will be our biggest Zwiftathon ever (last year’s we nudged just past 700,000 miles). 25,000 Zwifters completing the challenge unlocks a donation from Trek of over 250 Buffalo Bikes for World Bicycle Relief.
Ride 50km (31 miles) over the week and unlock Ride With Reason gloves. Once 25,000 Zwifters complete this challenge, Zwift will unlock a donation from Trek of over 250 Buffalo Bikes for World Bicycle Relief.
Additional Fundraising Challenge
Zwifters are encouraged to personally fundraise for WBR this week so we can meet a goal of $250,000 USD which will pay for over 1,700 of Buffalo Bikes. Last year we raised over $150,000!
Fundraising is easy with WBR’s tools! To get started go here and click “Fundraise”. You may also donate directly here.
About Ride with Reason
November has always been “charity month” in Zwift, with riders working together to complete challenges and raise funds for worthy causes. This year Zwift has broken November into four weekly challenges, with each week focusing on supporting a different cause. Read more at Zwift.com >
Kit Unlock
Completing each challenge unlocks a small portion of the Reason Zwift cycling kit. Complete all four challenge and receive the full kit!
RunPod’s High (Strategic) Value
