Most of us are probably familiar with “The Rules.” (In fact, rule #9 may shame you quite often now that you’re loving Zwift so much.)

I was thinking–what are some “rules” for Zwifters? Here are some I came up with, as well as some others from the Zwift Riders FB group:

  1. Learn and live the #RideOn philosophy.
  2. Use a fan. Or fans. Otherwise you’ll sweat so much you’ll be forced to stop riding. And nobody wants that.
  3. Weather has no bearing on whether or not you will Zwift today. Only ISP or computer problems may veto your chances of Zwift joy.
  4. No racing with an unsupported trainer and no power meter. If you’re serious enough to race, you’re serious enough to invest in a setup that gives you accurate power numbers.
  5. No cheating. Pick the correct dumb trainer profile if you must use one. Enter an accurate weight.
  6. Read and follow the ride rules. Rides posted on the ride calendars include details about how to start, what to wear, etc–familiarize yourself with the rules before you join the ride to help make everyone’s experience more harmonious.
  7. No nudes. (Instead, wear a proper kit which rivals what you would wear outdoors. The better you feel, the harder you ride.)
  8. Upgrade your Zwift computer as often as possible. The more responsive the computer, the better the ride.
  9. No power-ups when racing. Race rules may allow for limited use of power ups, but we must maintain a sense of honor.
  10. Beware the draft effect. Consider yourself warned!
  11. Don’t obsess over the speed of others. Others may be faster or slower in Zwift than real life, but as long as they’re within reason the competition is still fun. (from Christian Wiedmann)
  12. Don’t allow autocorrect. It’s not Swift. (from Mark Bradley)
  13. It’s pronounced with a Z, not an S. (See rule 12.)
  14. Know thine FTP score. But do not post weekly updates about it on Facebook.
  15. Know the difference between watts and w/kg.
  16. Be generous with Ride Ons. You can never give too many.
  17. Help others join the Zwift community. When it grows, everyone benefits.