PowerUps in Zwift: Advanced Usage Tips

PowerUps in Zwift add welcome randomness to races, giving riders a short-lived advantage when used effectively. If you aren’t sure when or where to use powerups, this is the article for you: advanced tips to help you (power)up your Zwift game!

Just getting started? For an introduction to powerups, read “Your Guide to PowerUps on Zwift“.

Lightweight (Feather): Climbing + Accelerations

The lightweight (feather) powerup reduces your weight by 10% for 15 seconds, so it offers an obvious advantage on climbs. And since climbs are where attacks always happen in Zwift races, that really is the best place to use a feather powerup–especially on short, punchy climbs where the feather will help you maintain momentum.

But losing weight also helps you move faster on flat ground, and is especially helpful when you are accelerating! So don’t just burn that feather in a flat race–use it heading into an attack, or just before you put the hammer down on your finishing sprint. It won’t help you as much as the aero helmet in this situation, but it will help.

When not to use: the one time the feather hurts you is on descents, where being heavier actually makes you faster.

Draft Boost (Van): Recovery + Well-Timed Sprints

This powerup lasts for 30 seconds, which is twice as long as any other powerup. That’s a big deal, and makes the van especially useful when you’re looking to recover while sitting in the pack. Remember, smart racers conserve their energy as much as possible so they’ve got legs left when it matters most! The van helps you do just that, by increasing whatever draft effect you are currently experiencing by 50%.

Got the van for your final sprint to the line? Timing and heads-up riding will be crucial here. Watch for other riders to jump, then get on their wheel with your draft boost activated. This will let you sit in their draft with much less effort than they’re putting out. Finally, as they’re getting tired, jump on the watts and come around them to take the win at the line!

When not to use: the draft boost is useless if you’re not drafting. So triggering this while you’re on the front of the pack or in the wind on a solo breakaway won’t help you one bit!

Aero Boost (Helmet): Sprinting + Bridging

Everyone’s favorite powerup, the helmet helps you in your battle against the #1 enemy of cycling speed: air resistance! Sure, it’s only virtual air resistance on Zwift, but it’s still the main thing slowing you down unless you’re moving slowly up a steeper climb.

The helmet is most commonly used in the final moments of a race, to give you a speed boost during your sprint finish. Here are a few more places it can be effectively used:

  • Downhill attacks: on short, steep descents like Yorkshire’s Pot Bank the helmet can be used to boost your top speed, allowing you to drop other riders or bridge up to a group 5-10 seconds up the road if you hammer for a bit to maintain you increased momentum once the road levels out.
  • Grabbing a Wheel: if you get “gapped” (dropped off the back of a hard-charging group) use the helmet to reduce the effort required to get back into the draft.
  • Helping Your Group: in a breakaway group, chase race, or team time trial? Get on the front and use your aero boost to help everyone go faster.

When not to use: don’t use the helmet when you’re moving slow, because at low speeds, air resistance simply isn’t an issue and the aero powerup won’t have any noticeable effect.

Burrito: Get Offensive

This lesser-seen powerup removes the draft effect for yourself and any riders within a 2.5m radius for 10 seconds, so it’s the only powerup whose activation can directly slow other riders. If a rider is enjoying the advantage of sitting on your wheel and you activate the burrito, that rider will have to quickly up their watts in order to stay in contact.

The burrito can be used when you are looking to drop other rider(s), although it really needs a good boost of power from your legs in order to be effective. More commonly, it’s used in the middle of a pack of riders to make everyone within 2.5m work harder! Perhaps you’re in a pack and looking to make a solo attack off the front? Use the burrito to make it harder for anyone to follow you. Or maybe you’re in a breakaway with just one or two others in the final minutes of a race, looking to drop them and solo to glory. Deploy the burrito and put in a solid dig, then keep going to the line!

When not to use: if you’re riding with no one within 2.5 meters, activating the burrito won’t speed you up or impact anyone else.

Cloaking (Ghost): Sneak Away

Another lesser-seen powerup (get it?), the ghost gives you 10 seconds of invisibility. Why is that helpful? Because you may want to “get away” in certain race situations: when chasing sprint points, trying to break away off the front, or starting your final sprint a bit early. Like the burrito, this is another “deploy then hammer” powerup, since it’s only going to help you if it’s coupled with increased wattage.

When not to use: of all the powerups, the ghost is probably the most “useless”–that is, it’s only useful in very specific situations described above. It’s not useful if you’re just sitting in the pack, off the back, working with others in a breakaway, etc.

Bonus Tip #1: Know the Route

Effective powerup usage is all about timing, and it’s nearly impossible to time things properly if you aren’t familiar with the course you’re riding. As you grow familiar with Zwift’s roads, you will also improve your ability to maximize whatever powerups you hold.

If you aren’t familiar with a route, look it up on our routes list and familiarize yourself with the key climbs, sprint segments, and overall profile so you can use your powerups as strategically as possible.

Bonus Tip #2: Count Your Banners

Knowing the number of banners on your route is also very important since this is where you get powerups. The Tick Tock route, for example, is 10.5 miles long but only includes one banner. Watopia Hilly, on the other hand, is 5.7 miles long and includes three banners! Your powerup usage should be very different between these two routes.

What About You?

Got some powerup tips we didn’t share above? Share them in the comments below!

Eric Schlange
Eric Schlangehttp://www.zwiftinsider.com
Eric runs Zwift Insider in his spare time when he isn't on the bike or managing various business interests. He lives in Northern California with his beautiful wife, two kids and dog. Follow on Strava

45 COMMENTS

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

45 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Carl J
Carl J(@runbikebbq)
3 years ago

I’ve been on for about 4 years now, and don’t recall ever hearing about the Cloaking (Ghost) one before

Have heard of the mythical Burrito, but though that it was removed pretty early on? Are there events where it’s enabled?

M4rk0
M4rk0
3 years ago
Reply to  Carl J

I’m pretty sure it’s only an option for race organizers to enable. You won’t see it freeriding.

ste
ste
3 years ago
Reply to  Carl J

IIRC The Burrito was recently reactivated and at the same time the Ghost was introduced. So neither have been around for that long. I have yet to see either myself. BTW I think the burrito looks like a bandaged foot!

Jonathan
Jonathan
3 years ago

Is there something on the ZwiftHacks or ZP event listings that indicates whether these will be available in a race? I’ve looked but not found anything.

Steve R
Steve R
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonathan

On ZwiftPower there is sometimes an icon that looks like a battery next to rides. If it’s empty, it means no powerups, if it’s full it means custom powerups, although you don’t know what the customisation is – it might not be the burrito/ghost, but maybe say, always an aero helmet and no others (seen that before). If there’s no icon, then it’s standard powerups.

Shawn Fink
Shawn Fink
3 years ago

Excellent work!

charliebrown
charliebrown
3 years ago

“Another lesser-seen powerup (pun intended)” < not a pun. Sorry if this comment wasn't in the spirit of things.

J. Rabbit
J. Rabbit
3 years ago

Let’s say you wanted to break 100KPH on the radio tower downhill. Would it be more advantages to use an aero helmet or switch to a TT bike?

Carl J
Carl J(@runbikebbq)
3 years ago
Reply to  Eric Schlange

Can’t get power ups with the TT, so wouldn’t be able to have both.
Unless you mean an actual aero helmet, but didn’t think they really helped out

Carl J
Carl J(@runbikebbq)
3 years ago
Reply to  Eric Schlange

Hah! I stand corrected. Slight brain malfunction.

Henrik Porthin
Henrik Porthin
3 years ago
Reply to  Carl J

What happens if you have a power up and and then swap to a TT bike? Is the power up still available to use? I know you cant get any new ones.
I was planning on saving a aero helmet and then switch to a P5 at the radio tower for a 100kph attempt. Will have to test if I can do this.

Henrik Porthin
Henrik Porthin
3 years ago
Reply to  Eric Schlange

I got the 100kph achievement. It is a 20 second sprint from where the roads meet at the top of the radio tower to the last bend where the gradient maxes out at -15%. I ramped up from 400W to 640W during that with an aero power up and a TT bike (P5). It was boring getting up there tho because i was chilling in zone 2 and trainer difficulty 0 for an hour.

stephen
stephen
3 years ago

how about some help for riders above 100 KG ????????

Petr Gaensel
Petr Gaensel
3 years ago

lightweight(feather) reduces exactly 9kg? No percentage? It’s so unfair for heavier riders already struggling in the steep climbs 😥

Slowespoke
Slowespoke
3 years ago
Reply to  Petr Gaensel

When your referring to weight do you mean physical weight or what we enter on Zwift ? Thanks

Chris Culp
Chris Culp
3 years ago

I always thought you had to use them or they would disappear. Can u save power ups and have multiple to use at different times or do you have to use it before you get the next one?

Petr Gaensel
Petr Gaensel
3 years ago

Do you need to have you powerup depleted once you reach a banner to get a new one? Thinking about the situation when I’m approaching a banner and using my saved powerup right before crossing the banner. Would I received a new one or screwed it up? Thanks for your experience

Petr Gaensel
Petr Gaensel
3 years ago
Reply to  Eric Schlange

great, thanks!

Kevin G
Kevin G
3 years ago

I generally don’t race much, and actually prefer leveling up quicker. The +250 point bonus seems to be the stingiest of all. Is there a a way to improve the likelihood of the +10 and +250 bonuses?

Mark Dux
Mark Dux
3 years ago

You don’t automatically get a power up at a banner. You only get a chance for a power up. If you’ve got the power you want and are nearing the end of a race. I would not burn that power up unless you really really had to. Skip taking the chance for a power at the last banner because you may end up with something you don’t want or nothing at all. Maybe even the last 2 banners.

Gerrie Delport
Gerrie Delport(@gerriedelport)
3 years ago

I don’t think the feather Power up is fair to heavy riders. Lets take a 100kg rider 9kg is 9% weight reduction but for a 70kg rider 9kg is 13% weight reduction. SO I would suggest Zwift use a percentage of weight. 10% for 15 seconds.

GZLM
GZLM
3 years ago

In race, when passing a arch, zwift right side riders list shows that most guys in group would be given “ride on”, but without me, whys that? 🙁 @Eric Schlange

anderfo
anderfo
3 years ago

So…how do we know which of the banners will work nowadays? I experienced recently in Tour of Watopia Stage 2 that some of the banners (like the one at Titan’s Grove) don’t give any powerup. Also during Stage 1 I found something similar, one of the banners did not work. Is this by design or just another bug?

Brian
Brian
3 years ago

Recently on Zwift Companion I’ve noticed 2 new icons.
one looks like it deletes your Power-Up And the other seems to be something about flattering the road.
Anyone know what these are..?

Mark Stadsklev
Mark Stadsklev(@artwithinnature)
3 years ago

Thanks for the article.
Is there a list of where the banners are situated? Or, a list of how many banners in which route?

Paul Fitzpatrick
Paul Fitzpatrick(@pfitzpatrick)
3 years ago

Any plans to add power up functionality to Meet Ups??

Dan Connelly
Dan Connelly
3 years ago

Your work is constantly excellent, including this.   There’s a lot of subtlety in when to use a power-up. For example, suppose a rider is a weaker climber. There’s three options for the power-up: use it to recover in the pack, moving towards the front, before the climb, then hammer the climb to lag-climb and stay in the group. use it on the climb itself, which doesn’t save much power, but when close to the max even a little bit can be the difference, and this is the crux of the race. get dropped on the climb, riding a controlled… Read more »

Carolyn
Carolyn
3 years ago

Seems like other racers have more boosts than I do. I’ve been doing the Fearless Women’s Crit and I see the power ups scrolling through each time I finish a lap but not sure how to grab them! They scroll through and then disappear…. and I’m left with nothing! Please help!!

CHARLES PERREAULT
CHARLES PERREAULT
3 years ago

Some power up icons turn red during races. Do you know why and what is the outcome ? Thanks

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

Eric, you might want to update the feather power up to be 10% on this page too.

Alex Morris
Alex Morris
2 minutes ago

I’ve noticed recently that the timer bar around power-ups sometimes flashes when not activated. Why is that? I read elsewhere that it might be a bug?

Get Started on Zwift

Newest Featured Posts

Support This Site

Write a post, shop through us, donate or advertise. Learn more

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Zwift tips and news every 2 weeks! Click to subscribe.

45
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x