Completing the Challenge
Just select it as your challenge from the menu screen (click “Menu” in-game, then click the challenge image at the top-right to see your current challenge information and/or switch to a new challenge.) Then ride 797 miles and you’re done!
The challenge begins in San Diego and routes you through some of California’s most popular ride destinations including Long Beach (home of Zwift HQ), Los Angeles, Death Valley, Mt. Whitney, Monterey Bay, Yosemite, Sacramento, San Jose, and San Francisco.
As a northern California resident, my only beef with this challenge is that it stops at San Francisco. What about the rest of the state? San Francisco is over 420 miles south of California’s northern border!
What’s the prize?
The Specialized Venge frame! This is a decently fast frame, but not fast enough to make our top list. Keep in mind this frame is not the Specialized Venge S-Works, which is one of the fastest frames in game.
Note: until late 2023, the Ride California challenge unlocked the Specialized S-Works Tarmac. If you completed the challenge before this change happened, you can rejoin the challenge and automatically unlock the Venge frame above.
Is there a level you need to achieve to unlock this. I am level 31 and still locked.
Forget the question…I was looking at the locked mission on the bottom right…
When I click on this challenge it says 1000% complete but I have not done this how do I reset it
Not sure if Zwift support can help, but they’d be your only chance. [email protected]
Hiya Eric, when selecting Ride California Challenge. Can you ride the route In Zwift or is it just clicking up the Km until the challenge is complete?
thx in advance
Jon C👍🏻
The latter.
Ah I was just wondering this and would have loved to ride the actual route you described in Zwift – not sure I understand the point then!
It’s a ride that most people know the distance of hence the title and then the rest is just the proverbial carrot! Some as the Everest challenge, a target to aim for and a such a reason to Zwift! Standard game philosophy
Hi Eric, for the prize do you get the wheels as well, or just the frame?
My guess is that you get the frame only. I suspect it would certainly not come with the Zipp wheels in the picture above. I just purchased a pair of Roval CLX64 wheels (170k drops) that aren’t too far off the Zipps in game, and I intend to pair those with this Tarmac frame for a while. Probably followed by the Allez Sprint frame (depending on how long it takes me to get the Tarmac), and then the Zipp 808 wheels.
yes
you only get the frame
Hello! This is probably a silly question, but when you complete this challenge, do you get direct access to the bike, or does it unlock the option to purchase the bike with drops?
Thanks in advance.
I think I found the answer to my question: I watched a video of someone completing the (initial) Everest Challenge, and the bike (a Trek Emonda) was placed right into his garage, no Drops required. I suspect this would be the same for Ride California, with the victory yielding the Specialized S-Works Tarmac. Thanks anyway.
yes it is
hey,
in your speed test one can find Tarmac Pro and Tarmac. No S-Work.
So which frame match the challenge prize?
thanks
Is the Tarmac from the California challenge the same as the Tarmac Pro performance wise?
Nope. It’s nothing special in terms of performance.
I am new to Zwift and have learned a ton through this site!
Glad we can help!
Is this s-works tarmac the SL7 as it appears that the other one is no longer in the shop?
I have finished this challenge but the S-Works Tarmac is nowhere to be found. It’s not in my garage or or available in the store. Any tips on how to access the Tarmac?
What happens, if I switch the challenges. Does previous data will be safed in the previous challenge?
It does not. I just did this and found my 25km reset towards the Everest challenge. *Sad face
I logged about 400 miles in this Challenge, then switched over 5o the Everest Challenge to unlock the “Tron” bike. Completed that and switched back to Cal. Challenge…my 400 miles were still there.
I see V. Dub seems to have had a different result, but I’ve done this switch twice and both times my mileage was still there.
How does this frameset rate as a climber? Is it on par with the Trek Emonda or below?
Below.
it is a better bike because it is an all-rounder so you can put it on and it will be a beast at climbing,sprints,flats.
Hi there! Once you complete the Cali challenge, do you need to go into your profile to select a new challenge, or does it automatically move you on to another challenge? Thanks 🙂
It doesn’t automatically select one. Gotta pick it yourself!
How does the Specialized Tarmac earned from the Clai challenge compare to the Canyon Aeroad 2021 I have already purchased for taking on the Mt Everest cahllenge next? Which is a better climber to help unlocl the Tron bike next?!😬
*Cali challenge!
See https://zwiftinsider.com/charts-frames/
Aeroad is just 1s behind Tarmac on Alpe climb test, but well outperforms it in terms of aero tests.
Thanks for the info, I just completed the challenge and obtained the Tarmac as a L16 rider. I bought the Canyon Aeroad and Zipp wheels based on your comparison charts about at L13. If I had found this website earlier I would have started the game with the Everest challenge on but as a former Californian this challenge seemed more familiar to me. I see that as I did the Tour de California I did 11km of altitude simultaneously, so could have unlocked the Tron bike instead. Oh well, 4-5 months to tron unlock.
Is it possible to ride as a group or in a meet up format?
All the challenges accrue no matter what sort of ride you’re doing. Workouts, Meetups, events, free riding, etc… all go toward whatever challenge you’re currently doing.
Just discovered that if you select the california challenge again after you have already unlocked the tarmac, you get the venge automatically without driving a kilometer.
Yeah – that’s because they changed the unlock from the Tarmac to the (old) Venge a few months back. It’s not that great of a bike, really, so not huge news for most!
The post above made it sound like you had to complete the challenge again.
Sure it’s nothing special, but really nice all black with white handlebar tape. I will definitely ride it more often despite faster I own alternatives, just like the three spoke wheels 😉
Hmmm… yeah, I could see that. I just added “automatically” to the post so it’s more clear!
FYI @Eric Schlange this challenge now awards the Venge 2015, not S-Works
The bike named “Venge 2015” in game says S-Works on the frame. Here’s a shot from the Dropshop:
Why must I choose Ride California or some other challenge? I’m not interested. How do I dismiss this?