Home Blog Page 458

British Cycling eRacing Championships Announced

Eric Schlange
-
0
British Cycling eRacing Championships Announced

British Cycling eRacing Championships Announced

British Cycling has announced a two-year deal with Zwift, naming our favorite virtual cycling platform as their Official Training Community. A training partnership with such a major cycling federation is big news in itself, but it gets even more exciting: the partnership includes the inaugural British Cycling eRacing Championships, powered by Zwift.

Due to take place early in 2019, the Championship format will be comprised of a series of qualifying rounds culminating in a live final event between the top ranked riders. These finals will see riders compete for the KALAS Sportswear-designed national jersey, in a multi-event format comprising of a series of short races, including a time trial and elimination race.

Anyone can compete in the Zwift races, but you must be a British Cycling member to qualify for the finals and the national title.

Two Goals, One Platform

British Cycling appears to have two goals with this partnership: to get its members more active more often, and to find future champions. Jonathan Rigby, British Cycling’s commercial director, says:

The esports market is particularly exciting for cycling as it enables so many more people to participate and be active… we are also excited about what this could mean for identifying talent. We are proud to have a wealth of gifted riders competing on the world stage and we are confident that Zwift technology will enable us to unearth more future stars.”

This partnership is a win-win for Zwift and British Cycling: they will both receive massive exposure to the audiences of their respective partners.

Schedule of Events

Specific dates for the eRacing Championships have not been announced, but Zwift says “We are looking at dates in February and March 2019…”

Two events are planned this month, with double paralympic champion Steve Bate as the first Great Britain Cycling Team rider to lead a Group Ride on December 12 at 7pm. Jody Cundy will lead the second ride for the training community on December 19. And in between those dates we have the 5-stage 2nd Annual Tour of London to ride!

Training Partnership

As the Official Training Community of British Cycling Zwift will work with British Cycling to deliver structured training plans to the national governing body’s 146,000+ members. Special events will include virtual rides with the Great Britain Cycling Team and exclusive in-game items. Zwift’s flexible training plans will be used to plan workouts and track progress.

Read the press release from British Cycling >

A Taste of What’s To Come?

There has been much discussion recently about Zwift upping their eRace game, with major cycling bodies such as the UCI committing to eRacing in the very near future. In a recent Facebook thread, Zwift CEO Eric Min indicated that Zwift is moving forward with eRacing/training plans with USA Cycling, although no timelines have been indicated.

It sounds like 2019 may just be the year eRacing on Zwift hits the world stage, having gained the support of key governing bodies worldwide. It will be exciting to watch!

Zwift System Status Monitor

Eric Schlange
-
0
Zwift System Status Monitor

Zwift System Status Monitor

If your Zwift session encounters technical difficulties and you wonder if the problem is on your end or Zwift’s, check their real-time status monitor at status.zwift.com.

You can also follow @GoZwiftStatus on Twitter for real-time status updates.

The system monitors key Zwift services and delivers the current status of each:

  • Login: logging into Zwift, Zwift.com, and Zwift Companion
  • Ride: free riding in Zwift’s virtual worlds
  • Events: in-game signup, joining, and participation in events
  • Workouts: in-game workout activities and plans
  • Partner Connections: third-party connections such as Strava, Garmin, Training Peaks, etc as well as the Zwift API used by ZwiftPower

The status page also saves all incident history, so you can take a look at details for past events.

This Week’s Top 5 Zwift Videos

Thomas Eichentopf
-
0
This Week’s Top 5 Zwift Videos

This Week’s Top 5 Zwift Videos

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

Sigma Sports x Zwift Party was a Blast!

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=”3.17.6″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wYLeQVwAWk” image_src=”//i.ytimg.com/vi/5wYLeQVwAWk/hqdefault.jpg” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

What exactly is a Zwift party? Matt Stephens, who recently also starred in a hilarious Christmas-themed clip, takes you right into it. The event features some Zwift professionals, but also lots of normal lads like you and me and those that have already reached level 25.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

Tacx NEO SMART Bike – Early Look

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=”3.17.6″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPwndR8jy1E” image_src=”//i.ytimg.com/vi/pPwndR8jy1E/hqdefault.jpg” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

Currently, direct drive trainers are the state of the art. Companies like Peloton and Wattbike show that the next level might be dedicated trainer bikes. Tacx as well is working on a smart trainer bike. The Smart Bike Trainers channel took a look at it.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

How I Made it Onto the Zwift Eurosport Ad

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=”3.17.6″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGROBEyVmSc” image_src=”//i.ytimg.com/vi/YGROBEyVmSc/hqdefault.jpg” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

Nicely produced vlog by Cameron Jeffers. If you’ve recently seen a Zwift ad, you might have seen him. He offers you some background story to the ad.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Ad” _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

My First Ride on ZWIFT & Plans For Winter Training

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=”3.17.6″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz8sqrz0kuE” image_src=”//i.ytimg.com/vi/vz8sqrz0kuE/hqdefault.jpg” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

Big welcome to another new rider joining Zwift. Cruise is an American hailing from Japan. His channel is an awesome resource for riding in Japan and Asia. His first experience with Zwift: it’s as addictive to watch as it is for him to feel.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

Zwift vs
Sufferfest

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=”3.17.6″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LrduNMf2XI” image_src=”//i.ytimg.com/vi/7LrduNMf2XI/hqdefault.jpg” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]

In this video, Triathlon Taren follows up on his Zwift vs. Fulgaz comparison from not long ago. Arguably, Sufferfest is one of the most popular cycling training platforms out there. We’ve never covered how it complements Zwift. (Think: yoga, nutrition guidelines, lots of stuff.) Great that he does.

The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 54

The Endurance Lab
-
0
The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 54

The Endurance Lab Coaches’ Corner 54

In this episode:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFiGswkLbWg&w=560&h=315]

Zwifters: Fix Internet Drops with Mesh WiFi

Eric Schlange
-
1
Zwifters: Fix Internet Drops with Mesh WiFi

Zwifters: Fix Internet Drops with Mesh WiFi

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:

  1. a dedicated backhaul channel (for strong performance) and
  2. 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!

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.)
  4. 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!

Zwift Fondo Series Continues this Weekend

Eric Schlange
-
0
Zwift Fondo Series Continues this Weekend

Zwift Fondo Series Continues this Weekend

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

Mark your calendar and join one of the four Fondo events scheduled for this weekend!

Unlock the Fondo Kits

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.

Upcoming Fondo Dates:

  • December 9
  • January 13
  • February 10
  • March 10
  • April 7

See upcoming Fondo rides on ZwiftHacks >

Wahoo Climb Mission 2018 Announced

Eric Schlange
-
2
Wahoo Climb Mission 2018 Announced

Wahoo Climb Mission 2018 Announced

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.

Let’s climb!

Zwift Update 1.0.32190 Released

Eric Schlange
-
1
Zwift Update 1.0.32190 Released

Zwift Update 1.0.32190 Released

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.

A blue progress bar showing a rider score of 110,000 with a bicycle icon above the score. The bar ranges from 110,000 to 114,000, and in the upper right, LV25 | LV42 is displayed in a gray oval.

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.

Additional minor changes were also included in this update. Read and comment on the full release notes >

Zwift Levels 26-50: Requirements, Unlocks and Accelerated Leveling

Eric Schlange
-
6
Zwift Levels 26-50: Requirements, Unlocks and Accelerated Leveling

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!

Visit the updated XP Points, Levels and Unlocks post to find XP requirements for each level.

Accelerated Leveling

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:

A graphic shows a Rider Score of 350,805 in large blue text, with a horizontal scale ranging from 350,000 to 353,500 and a bicycle icon pointing at 350,805 on the scale.
Before the update, showing my accumulated XP
A blue progress bar showing a rider score of 110,000 with a bicycle icon above the score. The bar ranges from 110,000 to 114,000, and in the upper right, LV25 | LV42 is displayed in a gray oval.
After 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!

A pop-up screen with a squirrel riding a bike past gifts says, MORE LEVELS TO EARN! and offers two buttons: BRING ON THE LEVELS! and No thanks, I’ll level up the hard way, starting at level 25.

Zwift Shop Re-Launched with Trainers, Clothing and More

Eric Schlange
-
0
Zwift Shop Re-Launched with Trainers, Clothing and More

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:

While you’re picking up a kit consider some Zwift socks and a cycling cap as well.

Running

Zwift didn’t leave the runners out, offering a nice selection of tops as well as a hat and socks.

Other Clothes

If you’re just looking for a t-shirt or hoodie, Zwift has the hookup.

Accessories

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.

Need a Zwift bidon or a stand for your keyboard or iDevice? The shop has those, too.

A Word About Shipping

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.

1...457458459...548Page 458 of 548