Zwift Insider

Zwift version 1.0.17782 released

Game Updates

Eric Schlange

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May 4, 2017

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Zwift version 1.0.17782 released

Zwift released an update late last night for Windows, Mac, and iOS which includes some exciting new features.

Route Previewer

When you click to change your route in the startup screen, you are now greeted with a very informative list of available routes which include route length, elevation, and a map. This is a very helpful addition to the game, since newcomers until now have had no idea which routes to choose without tracking down route details on third-party sources like our route details page.

Erg Mode with Your Power Meter (beta)

This is big deal for many who use Zwift for serious training. Before last night, workouts in Erg mode could only be accomplished using the power numbers from your smart trainer. This worked just fine, except that many serious riders have power meters on their bikes (pedals, cranks, hubs) and would prefer to use those power numbers for consistency.

(TrainerRoad, which is Zwift’s #1 competitor in the workout space, has had the ability to do ERG workouts with your power meter and smart trainer for quite some time, using a feature they call Power Match.)

I tested the beta feature this morning, pairing Garmin Vector pedals as my power meter and a Tacx Neo as my smart trainer. It seemed to work just fine, although I didn’t work through a wide range of intervals.

Below is a snapshot of two different 1 minute, 230w intervals. The first was done using the Neo trainer for power, the second was done using the Garmin power meter. You can see the second is more erratic, but that is what I would expect given how this must work. And although it is a bit more erratic, the overall feel wasn’t any different for me.

First blue interval is controlled via the smart trainer, second is controlled via my power meter.

A quick glance at Facebook tells me some users are reporting erratic resistance and other problems when testing this new feature, and that doesn’t surprise me since it’s still in beta. Be sure to report problems to Zwift support so they can polish up this feature and release a final version.

Additional Changes

A few more notable changes in this update:

Non-race events can now be joined after they are started: this is a welcome change, as it lets riders participate in group rides more easily, or join if they’re just a few minutes late.
Each event can now have a list of backup ride leaders: another helpful change which should result in more group rides led well.
“Italia Mission” added: learn more about May’s mission here >
Japanese Language support: I believe this is the first language (besides English) Zwift has supported. I’m sure it’s just the start of more to come!
Women’s jersey bug fixed: a bug which was giving leaders jerseys to the slowest women has now been fixed, according to Zwift support guru Lindsay Ruppert.

Two Final Notes

Game master Jon Mayfield included two final interesting notes in the update:

If you’re wondering when the next expansion is, you’re not alone. We’ve recently grown our amazing art team and it finally allows us to work on multiple expansions simultaneously. Due to London now not holding back future Watopia enhancements we decided we could spend a little more time polishing our upcoming London expansion. It’s coming soon, we promise!
Speaking of things coming soon, this update also contains the bulk of our necessary changes for our impending Apple TV beta test. Expect to see beta invites go out any day now.

See the full release notes here >

Zwiftcast Episode 26

Interviews

Simon Schofield

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May 4, 2017

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Zwiftcast Episode 26

Episode 26 of Zwiftcast has been released. Here’s the full episode description:

Simon, Shane and Nathan are back together, albeit on three different continents, to discuss all matters Zwift.

The chaps spend a good deal of this episode applying their Zwiftcastian analysis to the many talking points stemming from the long interview with Zwift creator Jon Mayfield on the previous episode.

But there’s room for lots more and the podcasters range over ways to mitigate the effects of long haul travel for bike riders; the joys of procrastination and who’s hidden all Nathan’s cycling gear!

Plus there’s an illuminating interview with Zwift troubleshooter-in-chief, Lindsey Ruppert; a chat with Zwift exec Charlie Issendorf, who raises the intriguing possibility of pro racing on Zwift and an informative spot with Zwifter and coach Alan Dempsey who passes on some great tips about honing Zwift-fitness for outdoor riding.

We hope you enjoy listening.

Santini Italia Mission announced for May

News

Eric Schlange

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May 4, 2017

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Santini Italia Mission announced for May

The latest Zwift update includes a new mission for May which is focused on the Giro d’Italia, the first grand tour race of the season.

How to Enter

This mission actually includes four weeks of “mini-missions.” Each mission you complete earns one entry into the prize drawing, so the maximum number of entries per Zwifter is four.

Simply select the mission before you ride. Zwift will put you in a pink leader’s jersey (aka the “maglia rosa”) for the duration of your mission.

Week 1: 30km ride
Week 2: 40km TT
Week 3: 30km ride
Week 4: 50km ride

One important note: it doesn’t appear that you can complete these missions while participating in official group rides or races. I tested it this morning on a group ride and while the ride exceeded the 30km mark, my mission was never marked as complete.

Prizes

Five Santini cycling kits will be given away to random winners. Here are the men’s and women’s kits:

Read mission details including complete rules on Zwift.com >

Using Power for Optimal Workouts

Training & Nutrition

Taylor Thomas

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May 3, 2017

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Using Power for Optimal Workouts

The “Watts up with Power?” ride is likely the slowest group ride you’ll find on Zwift, because it focuses on learning the basics of power based training while riding together on Zwift. Each ride is streamed to Zwift LIVE by ODZ on Facebook, and focuses on teaching specific principles of power-based training. For viewers that are unable to attend live, the teaching is made available for all to review afterwards.

Here is the summary for May 3rd from ride leader Taylor Thomas.

Once you’ve established your functional threshold power, set your training zones, and identified your strengths and weaknesses as a rider, it’s time to use your power meter to create tailored workouts. Your power meter is an extremely valuable tool that enables you to fine-tune and analyze your riding so that you can see the biggest gains. Whether your goal is faster club rides, centuries, or racing, building the right workouts is the key to reaching your goals.

1: When and Where to Use Your Power Meter

Training with power is valuable no matter the ride or the terrain. However, there are a few scenarios that are best suited to producing the most reliable and usable data.

With the introduction of interactive indoor ride programs like Zwift, you can take full advantage of the predictability of training indoors. The trainer lets you have full control of the workout.

Flat roads, time trials, and hill climbs are also perfect places to use power. The consistent terrain of a flat road allows for long uninterrupted tempo or endurance rides. Use your power meter to stick to the cardinal rule of TT’s, “don’t go out too fast!” Develop a pacing strategy for your time trial and stay within the predetermined power zone. Hill climbs also allow for proper pacing and ensure you have enough energy to top out feeling strong.

2: Cycling is Naturally Variable

Don’t get discouraged if it seems that your power numbers are all over the place. This is normal due to the wind, terrain, other riders and a variety of different factors. Do your best to stay within a certain power range, not focus on the numbers second by second.

Proper pacing is the key to consistent riding. Surges in speed produce surges in effort. Steady speed and cadence are what keeps your power numbers in line.

Most rides will include some amount of variability. Since this is inevitable it’s okay if there are surges on the climbs, or you drop below your ideal power zone on the downhills. Knowing what to expect and how to properly ride the terrain is the goal. Also, use the terrain to dictate your workouts. If you have a long flat road, then use that for tempo work. If there are rolling hills or bigger climbs then hill repeats are the answer. Use what you have to create the best workout for you.

3: Guidelines for Optimal Intervals

One of the biggest advantages to training with power is knowing exactly how to elicit specific physiological adaptations. To properly do that you need to do the right amount of intervals, for the appropriate duration. More is not always better, so make sure that you’re aware of how much your power drops from interval to interval. If it drops too much it’s time to stop.

The importance of an accurate FTP and properly calculated training zones can’t be overstated. If you’re basing your FTP on bad data, and thus using incorrect zones to write your workouts, you’re not going to get the results you desire.

Duration and intensity are the keys to a proper interval workout. Understanding how each power zone correlates to specific systems in your body will help you understand how to build the appropriate interval session to move you towards your goals.

4: Workouts for Power-Based Training

Level 1 rides are the most overlooked and underappreciated workouts for the majority of cyclists. These recovery rides are extremely important and help prepare the body for focused and more intense sessions.

Muscular endurance is the foundation for many cycling disciplines. Time in zone 2 early in the season, and during a proper warmup and cool down helps to develop a stronger heart, increase capillarization, and build stamina.

Sweet spot training is the base from which a strong FTP is built. Riding at between 88%-94% of your threshold is a great way to prep for harder FTP level efforts later in the season, or to begin building mid-season for other priority races on your calendar.

When performing specific workouts, or designing your training, make sure that the sessions match your goals. If you want to increase FTP, then the intervals you’re performing should line up with that goal. They should also match the specifics of the races on your calendar. Things like climbs, sprint opportunities, long flats, can all be mimicked in training.

Three tips for better climbing (SkillZ and DrillZ)

Ian Murray

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May 1, 2017

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Three tips for better climbing (SkillZ and DrillZ)

Castelli SkillZ and DrillZ Ride, 26 April – Climbing is equivalent to public speaking for many people. We know it must be done from time to time, but we dread every second leading up to the event. Most of the time, our fears are unfounded, or the fear is based on not being properly prepared for what we will undertake.

In today’s class, we addressed three techniques to help make climbing a more palatable endeavor. To see the video of the class to simply watch or follow along, check out Zwift Live by ODZ on Facebook or watch it below:

For some unfathomable reason, many people hate going uphill on a bike. It’s just like going downhill (only a lot harder, and you could be reduced to walking to the top while pushing your bike. Other than that, it is pretty much the same.)

Ok, so maybe it’s not much fun, but like everything we cover on SkillZ and DrillZ, there are techniques that can make climbing a hill not such a daunting task. During this week’s class, we targeted three specific areas that, when used correctly, will help riders get over all but the steepest climbs without burning through their energy stores. Like always, though, we started our class by working on positioning. During the warm-up session, I tasked riders with moving backwards and forwards within the group to try to understand the effects of the draft and the efforts required to move to the front.

It’s Not All About Being Skinny

Despite popular opinion to the contrary, climbing is not all about being skinny. Sure, it helps to be under 60 kgs, but that is only if you can generate a fair amount of power. A 60 kg rider who can only generate 120W is not going to fair much better than a 100 kg rider pushing 200W. Sure, there will be a small difference due to gravity, but it will not be insurmountable. The factor that influences climbing the most, in my opinion, is power management.

On the flats, a ten percent drop in power due to fatigue can translate to a bad day, but if you can hide in the draft, you may be able to recover or last until the end. On climbs, a 10 percent drop in power means that the front of the race will quickly disappear, leaving you to suffer through the solitary drudge up the rest of the climb. It’s pretty much the definition of the opposite of awesome. So, how do we ensure that we don’t fade to black while climbing the bigger hills and mountains? Well, there are a few simple things we can do.

Feel the Rhythm

First, we need to take a look at the length, grade, and location of the climb. If the climb is early in the race, why on earth are we going to attack it like a crazy person? Unless the race is a climb followed by all downhill, there is no need to go out like your hair is on fire. The climbs that are not decisive in the grand scheme of things need to be addressed as such. Now, that does not mean we loligag up the climb. Au contraire mon frere, we should use that climb to dispatch some of the weaker climbers who may be able to sprint or make a late break if the climb is the only decisive terrain for a long while. Or, we should keep the pace high enough to discourage attacks. That’s where climbing at a steady effort and cadence come into play. Team Sky and Movistar are masters at this. Watch any mountain stage that either of those two teams want to control. The pace is never easy, and the bigger or weaker riders get shelled early and often. However, the majority of the riders can stay with the group, albeit while suffering a little bit. Why are they able to hang with such a tough tempo? Well, that’s because the pace is consistent despite being high. Our bodies adapt quickly, and as long as the effort is not above our threshold, we can usually settle in and maintain for a good while. Provided the accelerations or few and small, riders can just get into their own rhythm and match the speed of the group. This reduces the number of matches being burned, as you do not have to call on your reserves to catch back on to a wheel.

To work on this skill, we went up the reverse KOM and the Esses maintaining a steady cadence and effort. Sure, we spread out a little, as gravity had a bit of play, but we stayed fairly well grouped other than those who took a flyer (talking to you T. Hageman! ;)). We entered the base of the climb at 2.5 and periodically lifted the pace, finishing off the climb at 3.0. That was a very small acceleration, and those who could hold that effort had no problem bunching up and working together. We repeated that drill as we went through the Esses, but the rolling nature and short duration of those climbs highlighted the difficulty of maintaining a constant tempo. The reverse KOM, though, was a great example of how to execute that technique.

Sitting and Standing

On the next iteration of the reverse KOM, we transitioned to switching between seated and standing. Determining when you should remain in the saddle or stand is really a matter of personal preference. If I am fairly fresh and not throwing down, I prefer to stay seated and spin up the climb. If I plan to attack or anticipate attacks, I may spend more time out of the saddle, as I can respond and accelerate quicker. Standing has the benefit of allowing you to use your bodyweight to put power into the pedals, which is a great way to give your butt a break during a steady tempo climb. It also taxes the system more.

Do your own experiment. Get out of the saddle and push a little higher wattage than when you were sitting. Your heart rate will go up significantly quicker than had you just accelerated from a seated position. The difference is that you may not feel comfortable or able to lift the pace from your seated position, and you surely will not be able to do it as quickly or violently as when standing.

For our drill, we practiced moving from the seated position at 2.5 W/kg, shifting up (harder) twice while coming out of the saddle and holding 3.0-3.5. After about a minute, we shifted back to our original gearing and sat down. We repeated it a few more times up the climb and then through the Esses before getting ready for the next drill.

Attacking Out of the Saddle

On our next trip up the reverse KOM, we stayed out of the saddle the whole time to work on attacking and bringing our body up to but not over our own redline (think blowing up your engine). The drill was to have a short but massive acceleration and then settling in at 3.5 W/kg before returning to 2.5 W/kg for a short recovery.

This drill was a bit harder and had us strewn across the mountain, but it showed riders how to manage their efforts. On the climbs, this is extremely important. The price you pay for overdoing it on a climb is exponentially greater than on the flats. On the flats, you can coast or soft pedal a good bit before your momentum completely falls away. On a climb, once you start to lock up, you’re done. It is very difficult to recover on a climb, as the pedaling never gets easier. It is very similar to riding in erg mode on the trainer when you slow your cadence down below 50 RPMs. At that point, you are simply mashing the pedals trying to turn them over. With a lot of effort over some time, you can get it going again, but the cost of energy wasted is tremendous. It’s the same thing on a climb.

Going Too Hard

Since we still had a few minutes, we rolled back to the Esses for the last few minutes of the class. The last, impromptu drill consisted of attacking at an effort over redline any time the grade went above two percent, riding at 2.5 W/kg between zero and two percent, and soft pedaling any descents. The whole purpose of this drill was to show the effects of attacking too hard and/or too often. Sure enough, many legs exploded in the last two minutes of the ride, but everyone got the point: ride smart. On that note, we transitioned to an easy spin for the remaining five minutes of the ride.

Conclusion

Remember, climbing is not much different than sprinting when it comes to having or taking an advantage. Sure, some people are naturally predisposed to be better climbers than others due to size, but the ability to time attacks and manage one’s effort can neutralize any size advantage. Plus, throwing down a crazy-hard attack may just get you away, as the traditional climbers may not think you can hold it or manage your effort after the attack. The next time you ride the hilly course, Box Hill, or the Volcano Climb, practice laying down some attacks and managing the efforts. Start easy and build up, just to see what you can do. If you know your limits, you can develop your tactics accordingly.

That’s it for this week. Next week we will go back to covering bridging a gap, but we will focus on doing it after a natural split in the bunch rather than an attack. Until then, Ride On!

Interview with racing supermom Janis Denning

Interviews

Monica Schlange

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April 28, 2017

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Interview with racing supermom Janis Denning

Janis, please tell us about yourself!

I’m a full time working mom of 3 boys. I went back to school full time in 2005 to be a Physician Assistant and I work for a neurology practice in Portland Oregon.

I’ve been cycling for a long time – started on a mountain bike in 1995 and did some mountain bike racing in Northern California in the late 1990s. I met my husband mountain biking and we used to ride a lot together. I switched to a road bike after my first son was born in 2004 and I just didn’t have time for mountain biking anymore. I ran and cycled sporadically for years while I had young kids. We moved from California to Oregon in 2007 and the weather made it hard to get out in the winter.

I finally got serious about using my trainer in 2014 and found Sufferfest which I absolutely love. In 2016 I had my proudest moment ever as a cyclist when I became a knight of Sufferlandria. I also won my Stages bike from the Tour of Sufferlandria.

I did my first ever road races summer of 2016. I didn’t do well but I was proud of myself for going out there.

When did you start Zwifting and what’s your story there?

I discovered Zwift late 2016 and didn’t care for it at first. I was just riding on my own. I’m not sure I really understood how to track my watts or w/kg so even though I would ride for an hour I wouldn’t work nearly as hard as doing an hour Sufferfest workout. I felt like my fitness slipped a bit. But Zwift grew on me. There was definitely a learning curve to Zwift and it took me a few months to sort it out. I was nervous to join a group ride at first and quite intimidated by racing. Then I got brave and tried the women’s ZHR time trial race and some group rides. When I discovered group riding, riding with friends, and racing that really hooked me.

My setup is in my basement. I have my stages bike paired with 2 laptops so I can do Sufferfest and Zwift at the same time. I Zwift 2-4 times per week, riding whatever course is on that day. Sometimes it’s nice to use the world hack and ride where no one else is around. Watopia is the best world, with the most variety and options.

I’m hooked on Zwift racing and usually do at least one race per week. I like the KISS women’s races and the ZHR time trials. The ODZ women’s race is great but too early for my time zone. I’ve been fortunate to do two of the Cycligent E sports races and they were a blast. And I got to go to Las Vegas for the CVR World Cup Race and I got 2nd! Just today I was asked to join a race team!

Wow! Congratulations! Tell us what the CVR World Cup Event was like.

It was incredibly fun and I felt so fortunate to be able to participate. One of my friends was approached first to participate but she wasn’t available and she offered up my name as a potential rider. As it happened the details all fell into place and I was able to go. I had been a virtual participant in the first event from Roanoke so I knew what to expect, in a way. I was nervous though because the trainer setup was different and I somehow gained 2 pounds from my usual Zwift weight. Even the trip to Vegas was surreal. I had never traveled with my bike before and didn’t know what to expect. Lucky for me Catrina Weiss and her husband Scottie were in the hotel room right next to me and I pretty much tagged along with them.

The best part was meeting not only the organizers but also the riders from both the men’s and women’s events. Wonderful people from all over the world.

I thought for sure I would get dropped in the women’s race as no one was catching Lindsay Guerra, but I hung on. I felt bad though for Ashley Carelock because she had a problem with her trainer during the race and it cost her time. Truthfully I would have been thrilled to get 3rd but as it turned out I got 2nd! After the women’s race several of us watched the men’s event and what a thrilling conclusion that was! Then the organizers took all of us out for a wonderful dinner. I was up very early the next day to get to the airport. Later I watched the video of the race and I was just blown away by the online support for both events. What a thrill to be able to participate. I hope I get asked back to future events!

Janis at the Cycligent event in Las Vegas

That’s awesome! I so wanted to go watch that race in person! What bike do you ride in real life?

A Specialized Ruby Comp Disc. I love my disc brakes!

That’s the same bike I ride! Very cool. Please tell us… has Zwifting changed your real life rides?

I’m not sure. Maybe I’m faster? The weather in Oregon has been so rainy and wet I haven’t been out much yet!

What’s your least favorite thing about Zwift and your most favorite?

My least favorite is that all the avatars look the same. I can’t pick myself out. My favorite thing is being able to ride with friends and chat as though we were really together and riding outside.

Is there anything you wish you’d known earlier on in your cycling journey?

I wish I’d known about structured training and power a long time ago when I was mountain bike racing. Maybe I would have been better!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just that the Zwift women’s community is awesome and super supportive!

Thanks for your time, Janis! Great job in Vegas! See you on Zwift!

If you are a woman on Zwift and would like to be contacted via e-mail to share your story, please e-mail me at [email protected] to get started.

Stuff you need for a great zwifting experience

Getting Started

Jonathan Brostoff

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April 28, 2017

6

Stuff you need for a great zwifting experience

As the local Zwift guy in my area, the most common Zwift question I get is “what stuff do I need.”

Although you can get started on Zwift with a $200 fluid bike trainer, an old bike and an iPhone, this article is about the best Zwift setup for the money… before the law of diminishing returns takes over.

Keep in mind that I am NOT a reviewer. I am a Zwift user and a Zwift researcher. Although I suggest products, there are many equivalent products out there that work just as well.

With that out of the way, here is a list of “stuff” you need to Zwift smoothly in incredible 4K resolution.

The Main Stuff

Gaming Computer

Since Zwift is a video game, like Call of Duty or Madden NFL 17, the best Zwift experience starts with a powerful gaming computer. Forget your beloved Mac… this is strictly Windows PC territory. I’ve been a Mac guy my whole life but they are way too expensive and have lousy gaming specs.

Below are the tech specs your Zwift gaming computer should have in order to be fast today and relevant three years from today:

The CPU. The CPU is the brains of the computer and a great Zwift experience demands a fast brain. Although Intel’s i5 CPU’s run Zwift well, for a few dollars more it pays to get Intel’s latest and fastest high performance CPU…the 4.2 GHz i7 CPU (model 7700K).
The GPU. In order to play Zwift smoothly at 4K resolution, your computer needs a powerful GPU to run the graphics. Although the NVIDIA 1060 GPU runs Zwift nicely, you should future protect yourself with the much faster 1070 GPU or the lightning fast 1080 GPU.
Hard Drives. There are two kinds of hard drives; Solid State Drives (SSD’s) and traditional spinning hard drives (HDD’s). SSD’s have no moving parts and are faster while HDD’s are cheaper and hold more storage. Although I strongly prefer SSD’s, your computer will likely come with both.A few important hard drive notes:
- Buy a computer with Windows pre-installed on the SSD for much faster speed and startup.
- Install Zwift on the SSD for much faster speed.
- If you’re using the computer for other programs and games besides Zwift, get an SSD with at least 256GB or ditch the HDD and buy a second SSD. It’s not difficult to replace a hard drive yourself.

Memory. The more memory (RAM) your computer has, the more stuff that can fit inside the computer’s super-fast brain as opposed to having to retrieve it from a much slower hard drive. Although memory is easy to upgrade and 8GB of RAM works fine in Zwift, get at least 16GB and forget about it.

There are many PC gaming systems out there but if you want a name brand computer, the Dell Alienware Aurora series is a good place to start. The Dell costs about $1,800 for the Intel 7700K CPU, NVIDIA 1070 GPU, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD and 16GB of RAM. For $1,500, B&H sells a CyberpowerPC with same specs except with a 128GB SSD. Both are excellent Zwifting machines.

If you want a top of the line gaming computer, B&H sells a $2,000 CyberpowerPC with the Intel 7700K CPU, NVIDIA 1080 GPU, 512GB SSD, 3TB HDD and 32GB of RAM. Although not inexpensive, it is a very good deal.

TV

Even if you have a great gaming computer, your Zwift experience won’t be all it can be if you don’t have the right TV. Below are the two most important specs when buying a flat screen TV for Zwift.

Resolution. The more pixels a TV can handle, the better the picture quality and the more detail you will see. Since Zwift can run in amazing 4K resolution, you’ll want to get a 4K TV.
Refresh Rate. Measured in frames per second (fps) or Hertz (Hz), the refresh rate is the number of times the TV changes the image. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother games like Zwift play. Most smaller and lower priced 4K TV’s have a refresh rate of 60 fps (or 60Hz) while some of the larger, more expensive TV’s have a refresh rate of 120 fps (or 120Hz). Zwift looks just fine at 60 fps, so if you want to save money, go ahead and get a 60Hz TV.

Warning! Very few TV companies disclose the actual refresh rate which is what matters for Zwift. Using a tech trick, most TV companies use marketing names such as “Motion Rate”, “Tru Motion” or “Image Motion” to make consumers think their TV’s have a higher refresh rate than they do. As a general rule, but not always, the actual refresh rate is half of the manufacturers claimed “motion rate.”

If you can afford it, buy the biggest 120Hz TV your pain cave can fit so long as you aren’t Zwifting too close to the TV. Although most 4K TV’s are excellent, I’m very happy with the 43” Samsung KU6300 4K Smart TV which sells for $500. It’s only a 60Hz TV, but it runs Zwift very smoothly.

Smart Trainer

Until an all-in-one Zwift bike comes out, you’ll need to buy a smart trainer to put your bike on. Smart trainers wirelessly broadcast your cycling data to your computer via ANT+ or Bluetooth so Zwift can figure out how fast you are going.

There are two types of smart trainers: wheel-drive and direct-drive. They are many differences but on a wheel-drive trainer the bike’s rear wheel stays on while on a direct-drive trainer the bike’s rear wheel comes off and the bike’s chain is attached to a cassette on the trainer.

Although wheel-drive trainers work well and are less expensive, you should get a direct-drive trainer which is usually more durable, accurate, powerful and realistic.

There are many reviews and discussions about which direct-drive smart trainer is the best but most agree that they all work well with Zwift. A popular choice is the $1,200 Wahoo Kickr which was updated this fall and is now quieter, more accurate and more responsive than the previous excellent model.

Bike

A good Zwift system should include a good Zwift bike. Your old 7-speed in the garage will work but it may be challenging getting up and down Zwift’s varied terrain.

If you are in the market for a new Zwift bike, you certainly don’t need to break the bank but you’ll still want a quality bike that can handle the rigors of Zwifting on an indoor trainer. An aluminum 11-speed bike with Shimano 105 components will work beautifully both inside on Zwift and outside on the road.

There are many great bikes out there but the Trek Emonda ALR-5 is an excellent choice at a fair price. A new 2017 Trek Emonda costs $1,679 but you may be able to pick up a new 2016 leftover for less.

Stuff Nobody Tells You About

Rear Cassette

The rear cassette on your direct drive trainer makes a big difference in your Zwifting experience and should not be overlooked. Although the Wahoo Kickr comes with an 11-speed rear cassette, most of the other direct-drive trainers do not include one.

If you have a 10 or 11 speed bike and need to buy a cassette, get one with 11-28 gearing which Amazon sells for $50. The 11-tooth gear will give you power while descending Box Hill, the 28-tooth big gear will help you to spin up Mount Zwift and the 11-28 range will be good for everything in between.

Pedals and Bike Shoes

Whether riding inside or outside, your bike should have clip-in pedals for maximum power throughout the entire pedal stroke. There are several types of pedals but the two most popular are the Look Keo and the Shimano SPD’s.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The Look Keo’s are road biking pedals that have more surface area to transfer power but the compatible shoes and cleats are clumsy to walk in. Conversely, the Shimano SPD’s are mountain biking and spinning pedals that have less surface area but the compatible shoes and cleats are comfortable to walk in and easier to clip in and out of.

If your Zwift bike stays indoors most of the time, get the SPD double sided pedals ($30) so you can comfortably walk around your house before and after your ride. If your Zwift bike is also your main outdoor road bike, get the Look Keo pedals ($50+) for better power transfer.

Whatever pedals you get, you’ll need a pair of compatible bike shoes and cleats. For the SPD’s, I like the Shimano SH-R065 which Wiggle.com sells for about $50. For the Look Keo’s, there are many shoes out there at different price points so go to your local bike store and try on a few pair.

Music Speaker

Music can motivate you to Zwift harder. If your pain cave needs to be a quiet place for the benefit of your family or neighbors, get yourself a pair of in-ear wireless headphones. But if you can blast music, you’ll want a good speaker with various connecting options.

There are so many great speakers out there but I love the Polk Woodbourne which Amazon sells for $449. With its very powerful 180-watt amplifier, the Polk easily fills your pain cave with distortion free music and connects to nearly every device via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplay (Apple devices), USB, and optical (TV).

ANT+ USB Dongle

ANT+ is a wireless technology that allows your smart trainer to talk to your computer and your computer to talk to Zwift. Your smart trainer is already ANT+ compatible but your computer isn’t so you’ll need to attach an ANT+ dongle ($20) to one of your computer’s USB ports. Keep in mind that you don’t need an ANT+ device if you’re Zwifting with an iOS device or Apple Computer which both connect via Bluetooth.

Keyboard with USB Ports, Mouse and USB Extension Cable

Although your computer likely won’t be close to your Zwift bike, you’ll still want a wired keyboard and mouse handy in order to log-in to Zwift, send texts, and change views. Although you can buy a wireless keyboard and mouse, they can be jittery and slow to respond and they shut down after a period of time to save battery.

You’ll also want to move the ANT+ dongle from your computer to within 5 feet of your smart trainer to ensure a trouble-free connection.

The best solution to get these devices from your computer to your Zwift bike is to buy a USB extension cable, a wired mouse and a wired keyboard with USB ports built-in to connect your mouse and ANT+ dongle. I like the AmazonBasics 10’ extension cable for $7, the AmazonBasics USB Wired mouse for $7 and the Perixx Keyboard with USB ports which Amazon sells for $20.

Heart Rate Monitor

You should always Zwift with a heart rate monitor to measure your effort. The Wahoo Tickr heart rate monitor ($50) works great and connects to Zwift via both ANT+ for your computer and Bluetooth for your iOS devices. The Tickr also works great with most power meters, sensors, and cycling computers.

HDMI Cable 10-25’

In order to use your TV as a Zwift monitor, you’ll need to connect your computer to your TV via an HDMI cable. I like the AmazonBasics 25’ HDMI cable which Amazon sells for $13.

Bike Mat

You’ll want to put your bike and smart trainer on a heavy-duty mat in order to dampen vibration and noise, protect your floors and collect your sweat. The SuperMat, which Amazon sells for $27, is a thick, durable and tough mat.

Fan

You need a fan to keep you cool while Zwifting. I like the Lasko 18” Pedestal stand with remote which Target sells for $50. The Lasko is adjustable up to 54” high, oscillates, tilts and has three fan speeds which can be controlled by the remote. Many Zwifters also like the Vornado 630 which Amazon sells for $63.

Desk

You’ll probably want a desk near your Zwift bike for your keyboard, mouse, remotes, phone, gels and various other items. The Seville Classics Desk Cart with Side Table, which Amazon sells for $50, is adjustable, sturdy and easy to set up.

Desk Organizer

You may also want a desk organizer to keep your loose Zwift stuff and phone in one place. The ClearTech Acrylic Desk organizer, which Amazon sells for $12, fits on the Seville desk side table and holds your phone, tablet, headphones, gels, bike tools etc.

iPad Desk Mount

If you have a desk nearby, think about getting a desk mounted iPad holder. Even if you run Zwift on a computer, it’s nice to have your iPad’s big screen nearby for the Zwift Mobile App, your music collection or Netflix. The AboveTEK iPad Holder is a heavy duty, adjustable and easy to set up tablet mount that Amazon sells for $39.

Phone Bike Mount

Although you can keep your phone on your desk or in the desk organizer, you may want to mount it on your bike’s handlebars. Amazon recommends the Taotronics for $14.

Corkboard

If you have a wall near your Zwift bike, it’s not a bad idea to buy a corkboard for your Zwiftblog course maps, Zwift keyboard shortcuts and flags of the world. I have the Mead 24” x 18” corkboard which Walmart.com sells for $12.

Prescription Glasses

If you have trouble reading the Zwift data on your TV, you may want to invest in a dedicated pair of prescription glasses for Zwift. Goggles4U.com sells comfortable plastic prescription glasses or bifocals for about $35. The bifocals are great for seeing your TV at a distance and your cell phone close up on your bike. Get a pair of Croakie’s to hold the glasses in place and a couple of Halo 2 Headbands to keep the sweat off your glasses and you’ll be all set.

Strava Smackdown Series week 8 winners

Racing

Eric Schlange

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April 27, 2017

0

Strava Smackdown Series week 8 winners

For our eighth and final Strava Smackdown week we attacked the Radio Tower Climb segment. It’s hard work just to get there, so respect to everyone who competed! Here are the podium finishers.

All finishing times can be seen on this round’s page at stravaleagues.com.

Prize Details

Typically the World Bicycle Relief swag bag prizes were given to our first place finishers, but since both of our first place finishers have already won a WBR swag bag we’re going to send them a Zwift water bottle instead.

WBR swag bags will go to the next highest finishers who haven’t won a WBR swag bag yet:

Zwift water bottle winners are:

Claim Your Prizes

Since we have no way of directly contacting entrants, prize winners must email [email protected] by May 4th with their full name and mailing address so we can get your prizes shipped out.

What’s Next?

The Strava Smackdown has been discontinued until further notice due to low racer turnout and the Strava Leagues site being revamped. Perhaps we’ll hold another round next winter season!

Zwiftcast Episode 25 – Jon Mayfield Special

Interviews

Simon Schofield

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April 26, 2017

0

Zwiftcast Episode 25 – Jon Mayfield Special

Episode 25 of Zwiftcast has been released. Here’s the full episode description:

This episode is devoted entirely to a conversation with Zwift creator and co-founder of the company, Jon Mayfield.

Patient listeners will be rewarded with some nuggets of news towards the end of the interview. But the real meat of the conversation is about Jon the man, the programmer and the visionary. There’s also plenty of insight into how he and his team work, with some questions which the community repeatedly asks tackled and answered by Jon.

The conversation is very wide ranging, looking at potential futures for Zwift as well as Jon’s thoughts on racing; on real world courses; on the community; on the Zwift public roadmap (or lack therof!) the ability to change worlds; voice communications; a velodrome, or not; and yes, facial hair.

ZwiftGPS updated with Strava live and world chooser

News

Eric Schlange

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April 26, 2017

3

ZwiftGPS updated with Strava live and world chooser

The ZwiftGPS app has been updated with two important new features accessible from the menu at the top-left.

Connect to Strava

Once connected, it will display your PR from Strava as you attempt a segment, including live updates showing how far ahead or behind your PR you are. This is based on the actual effort stream from Strava (not just the overall time), so it’s pretty accurate – to within a second or two in our tests.

By default it includes all the “Zwift Insider verified” segments. You can also star segments in Strava to include them.

You should see a box drop down from the top of the screen when you enter a segment, showing the segment name and how far ahead/behind you are. You’ll also get an orange highlight of the PR’s progress, and for non-loop segments the route is highlighted as well.

Note: this feature struggles a bit with segments that double back on themselves (e.g. the sprint area of the London map) but we’re working on it.

Change World

This lets you manually select which world to display (Watopia / London / Richmond). Great when you and your friends are using the world tag hack to ride “off-schedule.”

Zwift version 1.0.17782 released

Route Previewer

Erg Mode with Your Power Meter (beta)

Additional Changes

Two Final Notes

Zwiftcast Episode 26

Santini Italia Mission announced for May

How to Enter

Prizes

Using Power for Optimal Workouts

1: When and Where to Use Your Power Meter

2: Cycling is Naturally Variable

3: Guidelines for Optimal Intervals

4: Workouts for Power-Based Training

Three tips for better climbing (SkillZ and DrillZ)

It’s Not All About Being Skinny

Feel the Rhythm

Sitting and Standing

Attacking Out of the Saddle

Going Too Hard

Conclusion

Interview with racing supermom Janis Denning

Stuff you need for a great zwifting experience

The Main Stuff

Gaming Computer

TV

Smart Trainer

Bike

Stuff Nobody Tells You About

Rear Cassette

Pedals and Bike Shoes

Music Speaker

ANT+ USB Dongle

Keyboard with USB Ports, Mouse and USB Extension Cable

Heart Rate Monitor

HDMI Cable 10-25’

Bike Mat

Fan

Desk

Desk Organizer

iPad Desk Mount

Phone Bike Mount

Corkboard

Prescription Glasses

Strava Smackdown Series week 8 winners

Prize Details

Claim Your Prizes

What’s Next?

Zwiftcast Episode 25 – Jon Mayfield Special

ZwiftGPS updated with Strava live and world chooser

Connect to Strava

Change World

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