PowerUps in Zwift give you either immediate XP or a very short “boost.” In Zwift’s early days powerups were outlawed by most race organizers, but over time Zwifters have come to embrace the use of powerups as a virtual substitute for the mechanicals, shifting winds, and other variables common to outdoor riding. They truly add a necessary element of randomness and strategy to Zwift racing.
Here is everything you need to know about powerups in Zwift.
What Does Each PowerUp Do?
- Large Bonus: +250 experience points, or the equivalent of riding 12.5 kilometers.
- Small bonus: +10 experience points, or the equivalent of riding .5 kilometers.
- Lightweight (feather): reduces your weight by 10% for 30 seconds.
Use on climbs, when weight matters the most. - Draft Boost (van): increases the draft effect you are experiencing for 40 seconds.
Use at higher speeds (flats and descents) when you are already drafting off another rider (since this powerup only helps when you are drafting.) - Aero Boost (helmet): makes you more aerodynamic (reduces your CdA by 25%) for 15 seconds.
Use at higher speeds (flats and descents), especially when no draft is available (although it is still useful when drafting.) - Burrito: turns off the draft effect for riders in a cone-shaped window behind you for 20 seconds. Event-only.
Use when attacking off the front so opponents have to work harder to follow you, or in the peloton to make others work harder. - Cloaking (ghost): makes you invisible to other riders for 15 seconds. Event-only. Disabled within 400m of the finish line.
Use when you want to get away from one or more riders. Deploy then hammer, in hopes that you will create enough of a gap that your opponents can’t grab your wheel. - Steamroller: reduces Crr for 30 seconds so you roll as fast as a road tire on pavement regardless of wheels or road surface. Event-only.
This is most effective when used on dirt, but it also provides an advantage on cobbles, bricks, gravel, wood, and ice/snow, etc. - Anvil: makes you heavier for up to 15 seconds, so you can descend faster. The amount of weight added is based on a percentage of your body weight, and that percentage increases as riders get lighter. It won’t hurt you, as it only adds weight when the road is at a -1.5% decline or greater. Event-only.
Use this on downhills. Pair it with a supertuck to go extra fast with zero effort!
Activating a Power Up
Use the spacebar on your keyboard, the play button on your AppleTV remote, or Zwift Companion also provides a button. You can also simply click the powerup circle from your computer, or touch it on a touchscreen device.
With the exception of the Small Bonus and Large Bonus which activate immediately, powerups show a white timer bar when activated, so you know how much time you have left.
Obtaining PowerUps
PowerUps are randomly given when you go through an arch (start/finish, end of KOM, end of sprint). If you have an unused powerup as you pass through an arch, you won’t receive a new one. In official events, powerups can be disabled entirely, or set to be distributed in a customized way (for example, a 50/50 split between the aero boost and burrito).
Distribution of PowerUps
Curious how often each powerup is given out when free riding? Here’s a handy chart >
More PowerUp Tips!
Read “PowerUps in Zwift: Advanced Usage Tips” for more advanced tips on powerups. And check out our Misused Powerups Series for tips on when not to use powerups!
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