Zwift’s Tron bike is the most coveted ride in game: it takes a lot of work to acquire, it’s fast, and it looks super future cool! Here’s everything you need to know about this special ride.
First: Get The Name Straight
The bike is called the “Zwift Concept Z1” in game, probably due to intellectual property concerns. But everyone calls it the Tron bike, so don’t call it anything else, n00b!
How To Get Yours
First, you have to sign up for the “Climb Mt. Everest” challenge in game. Here’s how to do that:
Once you’ve selected the challenge… start climbing. Every ride you do will add to your elevation total. Once you get to the top (8,850 meters), keep the Everest challenge selected. You need to climb another 41,150 meters to get the real prize waiting in the stratosphere!
That’s right: you have to climb 50,000 meters to get the Tron bike. For most riders, this is a months-long project.
Looking for a little help? Read “The Easiest (Legal) Way to Get the Tron Bike” >
Just How Fast Is It?
On flat/rolling courses the Tron bike is one of the fastest bikes available, beating the stock Zwift setup (Zwift Carbon frame and 32mm wheels) by 53 seconds over our ~51 minute flat test. There are a few frames which are just a 1-3 seconds faster over this test course, but only when paired with a disc wheelset. See our fastest frames list for details >
It is not the fastest bike for climbing: that award currently goes to the Specialized Tarmac Pro with Lightweight wheels. And it’s not faster than a TT bike if you’re doing a solo effort (no drafting) on flat or rolling roads.
But since it drafts, and most races involve going down as well as up hills, you’ll want the combination of drafting, aerodynamics, and light weight the Tron bike provides. (There’s a good reason why the pointy ends of A and B races are full of Tron bikes, and why Zwift doesn’t allow the Tron bike or disc wheels in its top-level Pro-Am races.)
Idiosyncrasy #1: No Wheel Changes
The Tron bike is the only frame which doesn’t let you swap out your wheelset. Of course, why would you want to? Those light-up wheels are amazing!
Idiosyncrasy #2: Reduced Avatar Positions
On all other bike frames, your avatar stands up when you drop below 70rpm on a 3% or greater incline. And when you’re in the draft your rider sits up a bit to indicate that you are no longer “in the wind.”
Neither of these avatar positions exists for the Tron bike, though. All you get is the standard riding position and the out of the saddle sprint.
Idiosyncrasy #3: No Pretend Drinking
On all other bike frames, your avatar takes a drink occasionally. The Tron bike doesn’t include a bidon, so your avatar won’t be taking any virtual sips. Just don’t forget to drink in the real world!
You Light Up My Life
Idiosyncrasies aside, there’s no other racing bike on Zwift that lets you change the color of your tires. You can dial in your bike color to match just about any kit quite nicely. Put the slider in the just the right spot and you’ll get a multi-color light show as you ride. Thanks, Tron bike!
Where Did It Come From?
Wait… you haven’t seen the movie? Here’s a clip from the original Tron movie released in 1982:
Eric
I changed from concept Z1 to a climbing frame and the concept Z1 is no longer in my garage. Is this normal?
Dale Pilkinton
No, that’s not normal.
Can you still get the tron bike? 🤷♂️
Yup.
How do you do it now, I do not see the mission page anymore? All I see its the parlee stuff
Although I’ve climbed 101,000 metres in the past year, I only earned the Zwift Concept Z1 bike this month (don’t ask). Anyway, on my bike in game, the seat posted glows like the rest of the bike. I have not seen this on any other Concept Z1… Is it a unique characteristic I’ve somehow unlocked, like an Easter egg? Insights appreciated.
Glowing seatpost is normal.
The seat-post glowing only shows up for yourself, everyone else will not see the seat-post glowing for some reason.
So I have already climbed 36k but not logged onto the Everest Challenge. Are you saying I have to climb Everest THEN an additional 41k? If so that sucks.
Yup. We call it the “Zwift n00b tax”. It’s a common mistake, but it makes earning the Tron that much sweeter. 😛
I would add that you can switch between challenges. When doing flat-ish routes, I do the Italy challenge (because I really want the Pinarello to match my IRL Pinarellos). When doing hilly routes or the Alpe, I do the Everest challenge to work toward the Tron. I haven’t tried switching at the top of the Alpe to earn Italy miles on the downhill after earning Everest elevation on the climb, but that should work, too.
Do you lose progress on challenges when you switch between them?
Nope.
That is what i do. I switch for to italy for the downhills.
Actually, I had climbed about 80000km before before starting the Everest challenge and once I did my 8000km for the challenge I got the Concept Bike immediately ie 98000km. So it seems either that Zwift looks at the overall elevation after the 8000km Everest challenge elevation or they’ve addressed this in a patch\upgrade. Either way the bike will be or probably already yours then! See you in Watopia 🙂
Shane Miller had Cervelo bike with, I think he said the safety wheels which had colored pink(?). Are they always pink? I thought he mentioned changing their color for that ride on his most recent Lama Lab live stream.
Safety Wheels change (tire) color with the bike they are on. It’s a nice way to stick out in rides where everyone is put on the same frame for promotional purposes.
Funny. I got the Tron bike years ago, rode it a few times and have never ridden it since. I guess how I’m riding is more important to me than what I’m riding 😉
Yeah since Eric has shown that it’s not the fastest I never use it. On rolling I currently have Cervelo with discs and on the Alpe I have the Specialized Tarmac Pro with Lightweights. So I never use the Tron.
yep, I use the Venge SWorks with the discs myself, although I wouldn’t use the Tron bike anyway. The seat position thing with drafting is too useful for me
Aren’t you special
Took me around a year! Though, I ride outside as much as possible. One downside is all that climbing makes leveling up slower. Always thought this was the best challenge. You actually have to work pretty hard to get it.
You can level up much quicker if you climb while doing a workout. If you really wanted to level up very quickly make your own interval workout which gives you 12 xp per minute or so if you do the alps in 60 minutes (i am more like 98 minutes…) 720 xp for about 8 miles (not sure the exact number) that is 90 xp per mile which is 3x faster than without workout. The custom interval workout can still be a constant wattage just make sure its the interval one and set wattages the same for both halfs. Finally… Read more »
BTW in my case i earn 147 xp per mile because it takes me 98 minutes to get up. Just make sure the workout is about as long as your climb so that you can use the most of the workout xp but dont workout on the downhill because you collect xp quicker the traditional way when going downhill because it takes you what 15 minutes to do 8 miles which in workout would be 180 xp vs 240 xp for traditional way.
There are actually several frames without a bidon.
No drinking. No super tucking. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
You havent mentioned that the intensity of the glow increases with higher wattage output…
I love Tron Bike exactly because Avatar doesn’t drink and doesn’t change his position on the bike. I don’t really appreciate that sit and stand when the cadence is close to 70 RPM
Tron bike looks completely STUPID! Haven’t used it, don’t want to.
Ok then
I am happy to see that you are so pationate about an avatar in a game
*passionate
Since earning the Tron I haven’t switched to a different bike! #Tron4Life
The safety bike allows to change the color of your tyres, so the Tron bike isn’t the only one
Truth, just confirmed! I’ll update the post.
Also the Zwift Classic wheels change color on a color-changing bike.
That clip is weird
As always, well done Eric, thanks! Do you think there would be an interest in seeing where the Tron sits on your frame and wheel ranking chart representations? I know you can’t separate the wheels from the frame, but it would be neat to see where the Tron falls in the mix with everything else.
Whats about the new super six evo with a disc ? Is that a faster combination? I like that setup
Guys, let’s please focus on what’s important. Recently the color slider changed and it became a bit more difficult to get the multi-color just right. Anyone has screenshots of exact locations of the slider for multi-colors? Using the tips in https://zwiftinsider.com/multicolored-tron-bike/ I got the blue/purple, but I really want the orange/red/yellow again.It went so well together with the yellow Mavic shoes.
What’s the Tron’s time up the Alpe?
Hi Again Eric,
I cant find the challenge option anywhere? not on ios or pc version? as a noob.. I have done about 69000m + of climbing. where do i find this elusive challenge and start to win some races ?cheers RB.
Added a video above under “How To Get Yours”….
Hi Eric
In many of the posts about fastest frames/wheels, the Tron bike is not really mentioned save for being the third fastest when compared against a Venge and disc wheelsets, and not climbing very well.
How does the Tron compare to the top aero setups on the climbs?
The comparison tend to only interchange wheels or frames, but don’t compare the top end setups for either.
Thanks
Will
Hello. I have a Tron bike in game but can’t get it red. If I try to choose the red colour – it only gets orange. What to do? Thanks. Grete
How well does the Tron bike climb compared to top aero bikes with aero wheels, e.g. Venge with Zipp 858?
Apparently, Will Budge had already asked the same thing.
Can’t find an update on this, and curious of the reasoning why they made the tires black on Tron bike. Now only the frame glows. I sure will miss the views of Tron bikes sneaking around the game.
You need to reboot your Apple TV and the neon tires will come back
Zwift needs to make a PEDAL version of the original TRON game. Maybe your speed is like 10-15x your wattage. The faster you pedal the more options you have to cut other people off. That would be such a dope-fly distraction. Only people with TRON bike could participate.
Someone with some inside connections should suggest it. Side note: This would also require steering to come into play, which could then be used in Zwift racing.
Despite the fact that the TRON isn’t the fastest in game, it is great to have, cause then you can save your drops for a good TT bike instead of a aero road bike. I got Zwift in December 2019 and got the TRON in April 2020 and its definitely one of the best ones out there. For the few seconds the two faster frames w/ a disc set saves, I think you’re better off with the TRON and fast TT.
Is there a way to change frames, wheels, etc. without actually being in the game? I find it distracting to try and change my equipment while in the saddle.
There is not.
If you want to get a new set up ready before you do a ride, go in game beforehand (eg the night before), change to what you want and then exit without saving the ride. You’ll have your new set up next time you enter the game.
On the video about how to sign up for the Everest Challenges, the voice over just says ‘I click on the challenge window’ or words to that effect, but its not clear where that challenge window (or button, or icon, or whatever) is. I went in to my Menu, I don’t see anything that appears to be labeled Challenge window. Can you be a little more specific for us new guys please.
Yeah, I guess the video doesn’t show my mouse pointer, does it? The place to click from the menu screen is in the top-right. In the video, you can see it says “Italy” on it before I click it.
Thanks, Eric
Hi Eric just completed the 50km alps climb and no z1 bike is this a error or have I missed something cheers
Suppose you are doing the Everest challenge, and ride a group workout, or a meetup with “Keep everyone together”. If you are a less strong rider, you might get the elevation easier than you would have done on your own. Does the elevation count in the challenge anyway?
Yep.
“Keep everyone together” could make it slightly easier… a group workout would not make it easier (in fact, it would probably make it harder, since group workouts are artificially slowed).
I have done 80928 of climbing and still no Z1. I’ve been in the Mt. E challenge for over month. What gives?!?!
How much of that climbing was done while you were in the Everest challenge?
hello everyone, can someone help me please I have been using the tron bike but recently I changed to a mountain bike to complete the jungle ride but I can no longer see it in my garage or change back to the tron bike? can someone help please?
Hey Eric, yup sucks for a 15 year old who hadn’t realised she hadn’t selected the Everest Challenge 18 months ago – she reached 50,240km climbing today and was devastated she couldn’t choose the Zwift Concept Z1 – not so sweet!. Do you know why there is no way Zwift can’t provide her with a Z1? If she selects the Everest Challenge now will the 50,000km count towards the Z1 after the Everest Challenge is completed?
You would have to ask Zwift. I’ve just never heard of them crediting people with it.
I magically got the Concept Z1 this year (December 2021). Since it just “appeared” without any new climbing, they either changed the requirements or just gave it to me since I’ve been there since the Beta.
Did the everest challenge and the additional required climbing to get the tron bike but nothing in my garage – and now it appears the my climbing total is stuck on 164042ft as I have done another 3000+ ft of climbing and that total has not changed – any thoughts on what is going on?
164,042 is the total needed to finish. So my guess is you finished and unlocked the bike. The total won’t increase after that.
Bike is called “Zwift Concept Z1” in your garage.
If riding workouts, like 4 week FTP Builder, does the ascent count toards the challenge?
Yes. All climbing counts.
Switched to MTB for offroad event; now my Tron is not in my garage; how do I get back my (hard earned) Tron??
In the latest Zwift update I can no longer find where to check progress on missions. I had the Everest challenge selected and have not deviated from it. But on the new achievements page, I can see that it says I have zero missions selected. I can find no link to see new missions or to check the progress on the existing mission. Does anyone know where this moved?
It hasn’t moved – you’re just looking in the wrong place!
The Everest, Italy, and California Challenges are still under the main menu when you’re actually in-game. Click “Menu” then look at the top-right.
It’s says I’ve climbed 164042ft
When do I get the tron bike
unless you’ve selected the Everest mission, vertical meters don’t count for the Tron
I have often seen a neon Tablet in front of a bike. How could I get this and what is it?
@Michael it appears when you’re doing a workout, it’s not an unlock as such.
If you want to ride like a pro on Zwift You need to get yourself a special gift The tron bike is the one you should pick It’s fast and flashy and very slick But getting it is not a piece of cake You have to climb a lot for its sake The Everest challenge is what you take And then you keep on going till you break The tron bike is worth the effort though It makes you stand out from the rest so You can enjoy your virtual ride and show Your skills and style to everyone you… Read more »
Despite traveling much more than 50,000m, I did not receive the tron bike.