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Elite Announces New Zwift-Ready Avanti and Rivo Trainers

Elite Announces New Zwift-Ready Avanti and Rivo Trainers

Eurobike 2025 kicks off today in Frankfurt, and if it’s anything like past years we’ll be seeing announcements of new products in the indoor training space.

Elite was the first to get the word out with something new: a brand-new budget-friendly direct drive smart trainer named the Rivo. Elite also announced Zwift Ready versions of two trainers. See all the details below…

Rivo

The Rivo is Elite’s most affordable direct-drive trainer, replacing the compact, simple, and affordable Suito released in 2019.

(The name Rivo comes from the Venetian dialect and means “to reach a destination.” Elite says this is a clear reference to its purpose: helping athletes move, step by step, toward their goals.)

Rivo Smart Trainer Specifications:

  • Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) and Bluetooth connectivity, with automatic firmware updates over Wi-Fi
  • Max Power: 2100W
  • Max Gradient: 18%
  • Power Accuracy: +/-2.5%
  • Calibration required
  • Rizer (gradient simulation) and Aria (smart fan) compatibility
  • Dual-channel Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth bridging for heart rate monitors and cadence saves channels for Apple TV users
  • 3.5kg flywheel
  • No cassette included
  • Retail price: €499

The Rivo’s price and specs closely match the Suito’s, with a couple of exceptions:

  • The Rivo doesn’t include ANT+ support (the Suito does), but does have WiFi connectivity (the Suito does not). I’d take that trade any day.
  • The Rivo has slightly higher max power (2100W vs 1900W) and max incline (18% vs 15%).

Read more on Elite’s website >

Rivo with Zwift Cog and Click

The new Rivo is also available in a Zwift Ready model with the Zwift Cog pre-installed and Zwift Click shifter included. Apart from the pre-installed Zwift Cog and included Click, the trainer itself is identical to the standard Rivo.

The Rivo with Zwift Cog and Click retails for €519.

Read more on Elite’s website >

Avanti with Zwift Cog and Click

Elite launched the Avanti at last year’s Eurobike, and now one year later they’re announcing a Zwift Ready version of the trainer.

The Avanti sports specs comparable to top-tier trainers, but at a midrange price point below Elite’s premium Justo 2 and competitors like Wahoo’s KICKR v6 and Tacx NEO 2T.

Avanti with Zwift Cog and Click Specifications:

  • Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) and Bluetooth connectivity, with automatic firmware updates over Wi-Fi
  • Max Power: 2100W
  • Max Gradient: 18%
  • Automatic calibration
  • 10Hz Race Mode for maximum responsiveness
  • Optional wired connection via Elite Gateway device
  • Rizer (gradient simulation) and Aria (smart fan) compatibility
  • Resistance control via Shimano Di2
  • Power Accuracy: +/-1%
  • Dual-channel Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth bridging for heart rate monitors and cadence saves channels for Apple TV users
  • 4kg flywheel
  • Black flex feet for 4.5° sway
  • Zwift Cog installed and Zwift Click included
  • Integrated drawer for adapters
  • Pedal analysis and other features via Elite’s My E-Training app
  • Retail price: €669

Read more on Elite’s website >

Availability

All three of the trainers above will be available beginning September 2025 at Elite retailers.


Tiny Race Series – June 28 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

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Tiny Race Series – June 28 Routes – Microscopic Makuri

See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.


Zwift Charts: Rate of New Road Construction from 2015 to Present

Zwift Charts: Rate of New Road Construction from 2015 to Present

Longtime Zwifter and Zwift Insider reader Spencer Jones recently messaged me with an interesting chart he’d put together. And it was no small task!

Spencer says, “Using your website, I pieced together what I think are all of the Zwift releases of roads and plotted vs time.” I double-checked Spencer’s work, and it was quite thorough. There were a couple of Zwift construction project data points that needed to be tweaked a bit, but overall, he did the heavy lifting.

Here’s the final chart:

Zwift Road Construction Timeline

A few notes:

  • Each point includes a letter denoting which map the roads were added to. Mouse over that letter for a note explaining what was added.
  • Technically, the first data point should be reduced by around 4.7km, since Watopia replaced Jarvis when it launched.
  • We know of at least one world, Gravel Mountain, that was created but never released to the public. This world is not included in the chart.
  • The 2020 Richmond point is for the Richmond Refresh. In one sense this didn’t add new roads to the map, but in another sense it did, as it let us ride the existing roads in both directions instead of just one way.
  • The 2023 Repack Rush point is interesting, because it’s the only time when the total length of roads decreased, since Repack Rush replaced the slightly longer Repack Ridge.

Tracking the Trends

Looking at the chart, you can easily see there have been a few instances where there were sizeable time gaps between new road releases.

But what’s more interesting is the distinct falloff in construction rates. From the launch of Watopia in early 2015 to the launch of Neokyo in late 2021, Zwift averaged ~52.7km of new roads added per year. But since then, Zwift has averaged just ~22km of annual construction.

(In fairness to Zwift, the chart above doesn’t include Climb Portals, and Zwift has launched over 420km worth of Climbs via this feature since mid-2023. I’ll do a separate post charting the growth of the Portal library.)

Your Thoughts

What do you think of Zwift’s new road release rate? Should they invest more heavily into new roads, or should they invest elsewhere since we have enough roads to comfortably hold our community’s interest and avoid overcrowding?

If you’re a “more new roads” proponent, what would you like to see built?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!


Zwift Update Version 1.92 (148988) Released

Zwift version 1.92 begins its phased rollout today. This is a minor update which includes some “feature-flagged” additions to the game that can’t be announced until they are released. So we’ll just share Zwift’s release notes…

Release Notes

Zwift provided notes on additional tweaks and bug fixes in this update:

  • The elevation profile in the center HUD now peeks around intersections. As long as you stay on a route, the HUD will show the gradient after turns to preview what’s coming.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the front wheel of the Pride On wheelset to appear as a basic spoke wheel when equipped. (Select a different wheelset in the Garage, then equip the Pride On wheelset to fix it.)
  • Fixed an issue that could cause the ‘road feel’ feature on compatible Tacx smart trainers to not activate on cobblestone roadways.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause a section of roadway to be invisible on The Highline route in New York.
  • Windows: The Ultra graphics profile is now enabled for the Intel Arc B570 graphics card.

Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum >

Questions or Comments?

If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!

Top 5 Zwift Videos: Virtual Shifting on Garmin, Sauce for Zwift, and Zwift Academy

Arguably the biggest recent innovation in indoor cycling has been Zwift’s virtual shifting. Wahoo, Elite, and Jetblack were quick to implement virtual shifting on their trainers, but for the longest time, Garmin showed no sign of doing the same. However, Garmin recently announced firmware updates for the Tacx Neo 2, 2T, and 3M, bringing virtual shifting and race mode to these trainers! Hear from one expert Zwifter as he shares everything you need to know about the update.

Also included in this week’s top videos are about Sauce for Zwift, a day in the life of a Zwift Academy winner, a Zwift Racing League points race, and a guide to racing Richmond’s UCI Worlds course.

Shane Miller, GPLama, shares an in-depth look into the recently added virtual shifting and 10hz “Race Mode” on the Tacx Neo 2T and 3M.
Nathan Krake hosts a live Q&A where he discusses Sauce for Zwift and answers some common questions.
Get an inside look at a full day in the life of professional cyclist and 2020 Zwift Academy winner Neve Bradbury.
In her latest video, Caryl Granville tackles her first-ever points race in the Zwift Racing League Summer Showdown. Watch as she battles her way to a podium position!
Bike Bonk Biff provides a guide to racing the Richmond UCI Worlds route featured for stage 3 of the ZRacing “Cityscapes” series.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

Tour Fever Returns to Zwift in July

Tour Fever Returns to Zwift in July

Zwift is the Official Training Software Provider of the Tour de France, and they’re going big with a series of Tour Fever events in July.

Zwifters can join to conquer virtual versions of the same mountains the pros race, take on a virtual L’Étape du Tour fondo, unlock the brand new Didi the Devil and Tour Fever kits, and more. See details below!

Climb Portal Challenge

Four different climbs will be featured on the same day they feature in the Tour, with events held across three days:

Climb (click for details)TdF StageDates
Mûr de Bretagne (1.96km, 129m)7July 10-12
Col de la Croix Saint-Robert (5.7km, 346m)10July 13-15
Hautacam (12.7km, 1029m)12July 16-18
Col de la Madeleine (14.3km, 1118m)18July 23-25

Ride all four climbs (solo or in an event) to complete the challenge. You will receive rewards as you progress through the challenge:

  • Complete 1/4 climbs = Tour Fever Kit (see images below)
  • Complete 2/4 climbs = 1000XP Bonus
  • Complete 3/4 climbs = Didi Kit (see images below)
  • Complete 4/4 climbs = Didi Cap (see images below)

If you tackle the climbs solo – that is, outside of an event – you can choose which difficulty percentage you’d like to use (50%, 75%, 100%, 125%). Finishing the climb in any difficulty will count as a completion.

Accessing the climbs and events is easy. It’s hard to miss the Climb Portal Challenge Zwift has just rolled out for the TdF! Click the homepage banner, register for the challenge, then you have access to all of the climbs above whenever you’d like.

The Climb Portal events are technically group rides, not races. But you can still chase leaderboard placings and try to set your fastest time on each climb! Be sure to use a lightweight bike and wheels. Here’s a guide that tells you the lightest bike frame and wheelsets available at each Zwift level.

A fully-upgraded Specialized S-Works Aethos paired with Zipp 353 NSW wheels is the fastest climbing bike in game. If you’re looking at non upgraded bikes, the Specialized S-Works Tarmc SL8 with Zipp 353 NSW wheels it the best climber.

Didi the Devil Kit Unlock

Zwifters will unlock the new, exclusive Didi the Devil kit and cap by completing the Climb Portal Challenge:

L’Étape Virtual July 18-20

L’Étape Virtual returns 18-20 July, recreating L’Étape du Tour de France, the world’s most famous amateur cycling event. These are mass-start, fondo-style events held every two hours on the Zwift Bambino Fondo route (53.3 kilometers with 398 meters of climbing).

Animated “Zwift Bambino Fondo 2022” Route Details (Watopia) Map

With five different Tour-themed RoboPacers joining in, you can pick your own pace. Group riding too fast? Drop back to the pacer behind. Legs feeling fresh? Power to the group ahead! 

  • Constance @4.2 W/kg
  • Jacques @3.2 W/kg
  • Coco @2.6 W/kg
  • Miguel @1.8 W/kg
  • Bernie @1.5 W/kg
Cyclists ride on a virtual road during a simulated Tour de France event, with sponsor banners and logos visible, under a blue sky; L’Étape du Tour de France Virtual and TOUR FEVER logos are displayed.

See L’Étape Virtual events at zwift.com/events/tag/tourfeverletape

Tour Fever Kit Unlock

Completing a L’Etape Virtual ride will unlock the new, exclusive Tour Fever Kit:

Ventoux Group Rides July 22

On July 22, the pro men will race up Mount Ventoux as the finishing climb of stage 16. On the same day, Zwift is hosting group rides on the Ven-Top route so Zwifters can climb the virtual Beast of Provence along with the pros!

More Tour Fever

Throughout July, the Workout of the Week will feature athlete-inspired workouts designed by Alpecin-Deceunick riders.

Finish any of these workouts to unlock the in-game H2O headphones. You’ll also receive a 20% discount code on the IRL Zwifty headphones when you complete the workout!

Animated cyclists in matching gear ride racing bikes in a virtual road race setting with banners for Tour de France, Zwift, and Tour Fever. The scene includes festive flags and sponsor signs along the route.

See Tour Fever Workouts of the Week at zwift.com/events/tag/tourfeverwotw

The ZRacing series will be Tour-themed as well (Allez Allez Allez!) – watch for a Zwift Insider post this week with details.

Zwift will also get the full Tour de France treatment, with road art, yellow confetti bursts, Tour Fever RoboPacers, and much more. Come join the party!

More information on Tour Fever can be found here.

Questions or Comments?

Zwift has a lot happening to celebrate Le Tour 2025. What interests you most? Got any questions? Share below!


Woman Racer Spotlight: Katheryn Curi 

Woman Racer Spotlight: Katheryn Curi 

Name: Katheryn Curi 

Hometown: Born in Torrington, CT, and currently live in Los Altos, CA.

How did you get into cycling? I was a rower in college before switching to mountain and road racing in grad school. In 2001, I moved from Vermont to California to pursue being a professional road cyclist. I raced until 2010, primarily for Webcor Builders and the US National team. 

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? Since 2018

Are you part of a Virtual team? NeXT pb Enshored and Riot

What do you love most about racing? By far the community! It is so fun racing against other strong women from all over the world from the ‘comfort’ of my living room.

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? I love TTTs, a true reflection of teamwork!

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? I have done the Tour de Boudicca a couple of times and love the longer format stage races.

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? Winning the Geelong World Cup in 2008 

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Cheese and veggie quesadillas! It’s all about the accutramonts… sour cream, salsa, avocado, TJs crispy jalapenos, and chips.

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Find a team to join that will help you learn and grow while pushing you beyond what you think you can do. 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? Right now, I am just having so much fun doing the WTRL TTTs on Thursdays with Riot.

Where can people follow your racing adventures? Probably following me on Strava is the best way to follow along with all of my cycling adventures… both on Zwift and IRL – https://www.strava.com/athletes/693488


Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of June 21-22

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This week’s top pick is Zwift Insider’s very own Tiny Races, because we’re switching the format up this week and having everyone start together. It’s gonna be wild!

All of our other event picks this week are group rides. They range from short rides to banded rides to long rides. Pick your flavor, and Ride On!

✅ Mass Start  ✅ V02 Workout  ✅ Popular Race

We’re revisiting our National Train Day routes this weekend, with four courses all featuring trains. But more importantly, for the first time ever this Saturday the Tinies are set up as mass start events, with all categories visible and starting together. Get ready to set some power PRs as you push to the max to stay with the front group… choo chooooo!

Saturday in three different timeslots
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/tinyraces

A group of cyclists ride closely together on a road lined with sunflowers, under a blue sky with scattered clouds. A white logo with a phoenix and the text Phoenix is visible in the upper left corner.

✅ Endurance Challenge  ✅ Beginner-Friendly

We’ve featured this popular ride in the past because it manages to walk that fine line between being a longer ride but also beginner-friendly, held at a pace of 1.5-2 W/kg. The leader beacon may use the fence to keep the group together at their discretion. Join the team’s Discord channel during the ride to help pass the time!

This week’s ride is 120 minutes long and hosted on Watopia’s Eastern Eight route, a former rebel route.

Saturday, June 21 @ 12:30pm UTC/8:30am ET/5:30am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5023456

✅ Route Badge  ✅ Endurance Challenge  ✅ Legacy Leaders

Looking for a longer group ride at a faster pace? The Bagel Rolls crew holds a steady 2.6-2.8 W/kg for the ride, with plenty of chat and banter. This week’s ride is 100km long on Watopia’s Zwift Games 2024 Epic route.

Saturday, June 21 @ 1pm UTC/9am ET/6am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5023462

✅ Route Badge  ✅ Beginner Friendly  ✅ Popular Event

For those looking for a more mellow social ride, join the team at HISP for one of the most popular group rides every Saturday! Every week, this group ride attracts hundreds of riders from all around the world. Leaders hold a steady pace around 1.5 w/kg, and the fence will also be on to ensure that the group remains nice and tight. 

Zwifters will be riding on the community-created BRAEk-fast Crits and Grits route in Scotland. This is a fairly new route whose badge you may not have, unless you raced in Zwift Racing League this year.

Saturday, June 21 @ 4pm UTC/12pm ET/9am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5023530

Top-down view of three cyclists in matching black BMTR jerseys riding on a road, with the BMTR logo featuring a bear on the left side of the image.

✅ Popular Ride ✅ Legacy Leader ✅ Endurance Challenge ✅ Kit Unlock

A regularly-featured event here on Zwift Insider, the BMTR Fundo consistently gets lots of joiners because it’s well-led and run consistently week after week, year after year.

This week’s ride is on Makuri Islands’ Wandering Flats. You have four distance groups to choose from, all the way up to 100 miles.

Saturday, June 21 @ 12:10pm UTC/8:10am EDT/5:10am PDT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5023453

How We Make Our Picks

We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:

  • Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
  • Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
  • Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
  • Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
  • Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
  • Is it for a good cause?
  • Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
  • Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?

In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!

Tiny Race Series – June 21 Routes – All Abooooard (Mass Start)

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Tiny Race Series – June 21 Routes – All Abooooard (Mass Start)

See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.


Garmin/Tacx Announce Zwift Virtual Shifting Support for Neo 2, 2T, and Neo 3M

Garmin/Tacx Announce Zwift Virtual Shifting Support for Neo 2, 2T, and Neo 3M

Today, Garmin announced that Zwift virtual shifting is now available on the Tacx NEO 2T and 3M trainers. (Oddly, it has also been released today for the NEO 2, but that wasn’t included in any of the press releases.)

Below, we dive into updating your trainer so it can shift virtually, as well as various options for enabling virtual shifting on your Zwift setup.

Updating Your NEO’s Firmware

To enable virtual shifting on your NEO 2, 2T, or 3M, you’ll need to update your trainer’s firmware. This is done via the free Tacx Training app (available in the Apple Store and Play Store) on your mobile phone, and only takes a couple of minutes.

Zwift Ride Compatibility

Thanks to today’s firmware update, the Tacx NEO 2T is now compatible with the popular Zwift Ride smart frame ($799US). To be clear, that means Tacx NEO 2T owners can purchase the Zwift Ride frame today and immediately install and use it. (The frame ships with a Zwift Cog, which you will probably want to install on your NEO 2T. Technically, you could use an existing cassette, but that might require swapping out the Zwift Ride’s chain as well, since it’s a wide, heavy-duty, single-speed style chain.)

Note: The Zwift Ride does need the front foot to be a bit longer so the narrow chainstays don’t rub on the NEO 2T (as Shane Miller mentions in his video below), but the standalone Zwift Ride frame ships with longer, extra feet for just this purpose.

The NEO 2 and 3M are not compatible with Zwift Ride:

  • The NEO 2’s axle is not compatible with the Zwift Ride
  • The NEO 3M’s bulkier body doesn’t allow the Ride’s frame to mount properly

The Garmin/Tacx Virtual Shifting Experience

After reading and watching today’s posts from respected hardware reviewers like DC Rainmaker and Shane Miller (see video below), it’s clear that experienced users are impressed with how Zwift virtual shifting functions on the NEO 2T and 3M trainers they tested. There seems to be general agreement that the high power capabilities of these trainers, paired with their ability to adjust resistance very quickly, produces a very realistic shifting simulation.

Garmin’s addition of a slight “click” haptic in the trainer itself on each shift is just icing on the cake, adding to the realism of the experience. Well done, Garmin!

Virtual Shifter Options (Play/Click/Ride)

To use Zwift’s virtual shifting, you don’t just need a compatible trainer – you also need compatible shifters. Furthermore, your trainer and shifters must be paired to Zwift via Bluetooth (not ANT+) for virtual shifting to work.

While Zwift (unfortunately) doesn’t sell the simple Click shifter as a standalone item, there are three virtual shifter options currently in stock at the Zwift shop:

PlayRideClickClick v2
Virtual Shifting✅✅✅✅
Steering✅✅❌✅
Braking✅✅❌❌
Powerup Trigger✅✅❌✅
Ride On Bomb button✅✅❌✅
Game Navigation buttons✅✅❌✅
Drop bar compatible✅✅✅✅
Flat bar compatible❌n/a✅✅
TT bar compatible❌n/a✅✅
Sequential Shifting✅✅✅✅
SRAM-Style Shifting✅✅✅✅
Shimano-Style Shifting❌✅❌❌
Cog Included❌✅✅✅
Power SourceUSB RechargeableUSB RechargeableCoin cell (CR2032)Coin cell (CR2032)
Battery Life~20 hours~20 hours>100 hours>100 hours
BLE Connections*2111
PriceDiscontinued$1300 (frame + trainer) or $800 (frame only)Discontinued$50US

As of today, Zwifters can use code ELITEZCOG2024 for a €20/$20 discount on the Cog & Click Upgrade pack, which is already on sale for $60.

To Cog, or Not To Cog?

You don’t need the Zwift Cog installed on your trainer for virtual shifting to work – if you’re using your own bike frame, then your current cassette will work just fine, and in fact will probably be quieter/smoother than the Zwift Cog.

That said, some riders may prefer to use the Cog so it’s easier to swap between different bikes on the trainer. Click here to purchase the Cog+Click upgrade pack (use code ELITEZCOG2024 for 20% off).

Related: All About Zwift Cog: Versions, Installation, and More

A tip for NEO 2 owners: be aware that, according to Garmin, NEO 2 users will need to remove the freehub body from the Cog before installing it on their NEO’s existing freehub. You’ll need a chain whip/lockring tool to do so. Here’s an affordable set of these two tools on Amazon.

Purchasing a Zwift-Ready Tacx NEO

Garmin is now selling both the NEO 2T and 3M in Zwift Ready versions with the version 2 Zwift Cog pre-installed and the Zwift Click shifter included.

Shop Tacx NEO 2T on Garmin.com >
Shop Tacx NEO 3M on Garmin.com >

Additional New Feature: 10Hz Race Mode

Today’s firmware update also enables race mode as a feature, so your power data is sent to Zwift at 10Hz instead of the NEO’s standard 4Hz (most trainer models send data at 1Hz). This feature can be toggled via the Tacx Training app.

Learn More

Here’s a great video covering today’s firmware upgrade from our friend Shane “GPLama” Miller:

And a thorough-as-always writeup from DC Rainmaker…

Questions or Comments

Have you tried virtual training on your NEO 2, 2T, or 3M? Share your experience below! Got questions about virtual shifting? Post those as well, and I’ll do my best to answer them…