• Get Started
    • Get Started on Zwift
    • Zwift Course Maps
    • How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More)
    • Links Every Zwifter Must Have
    • More “Get Started” Posts
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Kit Unlock Codes
    • Training & Nutrition
    • Racing
    • Zwift Hacks
  • Reference
    • How Zwift Works
    • Course Calendar
    • RoboPacer Calendar
    • Smart Trainer Index
      • Top Wheel-On Trainers
      • Top Direct-Drive <$900
      • Top Direct-Drive >$900
      • Exhaustive Trainer List
    • Achievements & Unlocks
    • Frames & Wheels
    • Routes & Maps
      • Master List of Routes
      • Master List of KOMs
      • Master List of Sprints
      • Downloadable Watopia Map
      • Rebel Routes
    • Speed Tests
  • News
    • Events
    • Game Updates
  • Shop
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Get Started
    • Get Started on Zwift
    • Zwift Course Maps
    • How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More)
    • Links Every Zwifter Must Have
    • More “Get Started” Posts
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Kit Unlock Codes
    • Training & Nutrition
    • Racing
    • Zwift Hacks
  • Reference
    • How Zwift Works
    • Course Calendar
    • RoboPacer Calendar
    • Smart Trainer Index
      • Top Wheel-On Trainers
      • Top Direct-Drive <$900
      • Top Direct-Drive >$900
      • Exhaustive Trainer List
    • Achievements & Unlocks
    • Frames & Wheels
    • Routes & Maps
      • Master List of Routes
      • Master List of KOMs
      • Master List of Sprints
      • Downloadable Watopia Map
      • Rebel Routes
    • Speed Tests
  • News
    • Events
    • Game Updates
  • Shop
More
    Sign in
    Welcome! Log into your account
    Forgot your password? Get help
    Privacy Policy
    Password recovery
    Recover your password
    A password will be e-mailed to you.
    NewsEventsFeatured

    WTRL+Zwift Roll Out TTT Experience Upgrades

    Eric Schlange
    By Eric Schlange
    August 16, 2022
    27

    We knew this had been in development for several months, but last week WTRL finally broke the news of some major changes taking effect in this Thursday’s team time trials on Zwift.

    What’s new:

    • TT bikes are now allowed
    • TT bikes can draft
    • “Conveyor Belt” system (seen previously only in certain iTT races) ensures everyone starts at the right time
    • Teams can select their start time

    TT Bikes… in a TTT?

    Until this moment, TT bikes on Zwift have been unable to draft other riders. It’s become understood that if you want to ride without receiving any draft benefit, you’ll need to grab a TT bike from your garage.

    And that’s fine for free riding. But it’s a bit silly when you think about it, because of course TT bikes should be able to draft other riders. That’s how it works in the real world, right?

    Starting Thursday, not only are TT frames allowed in WTRL’s team time trial… they’ll also be able to draft! And that means all the (smart) riders will be on TT frames, because they’re much, much more aero than road frames in Zwift.

    How much more aero? Well, the fastest TT frame in game (Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc) finishes our 34.6km test course 96 seconds faster than the fastest road frames. (That’s with a 75kg rider holding 4 w/kg.)

    That’s significant. Course records are going to fall this week.

    (To be clear: TT bikes will only be able to draft in specific TT events. Not while free riding.)

    For the first time on Zwift, we’ll see teams of riders in full aero tucks going full gas in real TTT fashion. Super cool.

    Conveyor Belt System

    Zwift released “Time Trial Mode” back in June 2019. Available only on the Bologna TT course and Fuego Flats, this was a significant upgrade to the TT experience. Riders were given individual start times when they signed up, then placed on a sort of “conveyor belt” when they joined the pens. The conveyor belt moved them forward until they were at the front of the line at their designated start time. Then – zoom – the race began!

    This conveyor belt system will now be used for WTRL’s TTT events. Teams of up to 8 riders will be placed on the conveyors, each teammate on their own conveyor (there are 8 conveyors available) and moved toward the front until their designated start time. Then their personal countdown clocks will hit zero and they’ll be racing!

    The individual TT conveyor belts automatically bring riders up to 20mph (sort of like the starting ramp in an outdoor TT), but WTRL has informed us that there is no “slingshot effect” for TTT races. So you’d better have your watts up when the clock hits zero!

    Conveyor Belts Everywhere

    As part of this upgrade, we’ve been told the conveyor belt system is being made available in all start pens throughout the game. It has only been available on Bologna TT and Fuego Flats until now, but this expansion will open up new TT race opportunities as well as expanding the experience for WTRL’s TTT races.

    No More Stopwatches

    The beauty of the conveyor belt system is: no more stopwatches needed!

    Anyone who has raced a Zwift TTT knows that, until this week, teams were given a delay time. Every rider for every team had to be in the pens before the start of the TTT event, but then each team had to use a stopwatch to time their own start delay, so teams could start correctly at 1-minute or 30-second increments.

    Mistakes happened, of course. In almost every race someone would accidently start when the clock hit zero. Then as the riders sat around waiting, someone would inevitably roll forward across the start line before their time. And let’s not even talk about the need for the silly pairing screen hack!

    Choosing a start time on WTRL’s system

    The new system prevents this. Teams will choose a start time when signing up at WTRL’s website, then you only need to join the event before your start time (no more needing to sit in the pens). You will automatically be brought forward to the front when your team’s start time arrives.

    ZRL As Well

    WTRL assures us that these TTT upgrades will be applied to Zwift Racing League TTTs as well. Sure, we only have one TTT this season (September 27th), but the new features will be welcomed nonetheless.

    TTT Speed Tests

    Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc
    Felt IA 2.0
    Scott Plasma Ultimate RC

    Since WTRL’s announcement we’ve had lots of inquiries from riders wondering how this will change their TTT races, which bike they should use, etc.

    The answer is actually quite simple: just use the best TT frame for the course. Your wheel choice doesn’t change (same wheels as you’d use with a road frame). If you need help picking your frame, this page shows you the Fastest TT Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level (for flat and rolling races).

    If your TTT has any significant climbs, check out the newish Felt IA 2.0 and Scott Plasma RC Ultimate. Sure, they’re technically tri frames, but they’re TT frames on Zwift, and they outclimb all other TT frames while being just a tiny bit slower than the Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc.

    Questions or Comments?

    Share below!

    Related Posts

    Facebook
    Twitter
    Pinterest
    ReddIt
      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

      27 COMMENTS

      Subscribe
      Connect with
      Notify of
      guest

      Connect with
      guest

      27 Comments
      Oldest
      Newest Most Voted
      Inline Feedbacks
      View all comments
      John
      John
      5 months ago

      Some nice changes Eric !! Drafting on tt bike is gonna change people’s race tactics. Nice ..

      0
      Reply
      Paul Himes
      Paul Himes
      5 months ago

      So looking forward to trying this out. Glad to hear they haven’t nerfed the new tri frames yet.

      0
      Reply
      Tim Perkin
      Tim Perkin(@tperkin)
      5 months ago

      It is good that Zwift will role out the conveyor belt to other pens. Interestingly, when I launched my Mountain Massif TT’s I wanted to use that but couldn’t and I love the fact that I didn’t and people start as one and ride shoulder to shoulder – however, that said, I think I may use the new system for a new race I have in mind, but only if I can still keep the categories, A-E. Bottom line, I think it is good new features are being made available to keep events fresh.

      0
      Reply
      Paul Himes
      Paul Himes
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Tim Perkin

      Can you, as an organizer, determine the order people get added to the conveyor belt? Especially in hill climb races, but really in any TTT, I need rabbits to chase at the end as my energy runs out and it all comes down to how much suffering I’m willing to handle. I’d love a system where the slowest people start first and the conveyor sort of makes it like a chase race. For me the whole luck of the draw of there being someone I’m a bit faster than who started far enough in front of me that I can… Read more »

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Paul Himes

      I don’t know how the backend system works, but WTRL has it set up where you choose your start time, then (I presume) WTRL signs you up for that time slot in Zwift automagically using their backend tools.

      I highly doubt race organizers are currently able to manually manipulate who goes one – I doubt Zwift has built such a tool. And in fact, my guess is that currently only WTRL is able to hold TTTs on the new system.

      0
      Reply
      Paul Himes
      Paul Himes
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Eric Schlange

      Other than WTRL, I’ve always wondered how the TT race line up on the conveyor was organized. Sometimes I’ll be put at the very front (or only around people way stronger than me) and I struggle. Other times, I’ll be put just far enough behind people of my own cat (or, when I was a high C, really lightweight – I’m heavy – low Bs on flat courses) and I’ll have people to chase the whole race and do well. A toggle box to let organizers choose whether to assign people slots as they sign up, do it randomly, or… Read more »

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Paul Himes

      It’s just based on when you sign up. First come, first served. It can’t really work any other way, if Zwift wants to give you a start time at time of signup.

      1
      Reply
      The Reasberry
      The Reasberry
      5 months ago

      I feel like making the TT bikes able to draft just as much is going to make them the default for flat races, so maybe they should make it slightly less of draft to help keep it reasonable. I do like the update though.

      0
      Reply
      J. Pennarun
      J. Pennarun
      5 months ago
      Reply to  The Reasberry

      Or just ban them for group events, like IRL ? 🙂

      0
      Reply
      Jonathan
      Jonathan
      5 months ago
      Reply to  The Reasberry

      It’s not clear from this writeup whether TT bikes will be able to draft everywhere, or just in the specific events discussed here. Eric?

      If they can draft everywhere, then individual events could certainly ban them, as many Zwift races already do.

      2
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Jonathan

      Just specific events.

      2
      Reply
      sarto
      sarto
      5 months ago
      Reply to  The Reasberry

      You guys should definitely do your next road races on TT bikes.

      1
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  sarto

      LOL. Yes!

      1
      Reply
      Jonas
      Jonas
      5 months ago

      Will you draft all riders (i.e. riders not on your team)? Getting rid of the awkward overtaking is now the final missing piece of the puzzle I think.

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Jonas

      Yes, all riders. Zwift doesn’t yet have a way to differentiate team members from non team members.

      0
      Reply
      WTRL
      WTRL
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Jonas

      Coming Soon!

      3
      Reply
      Paul Himes
      Paul Himes
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Jonas

      If only steering had been widely enough adopted to be commonplace, TTT races would be the perfect place for it. The overtaking team would just be required to temporarily steer 2 lanes to the left (or right or whatever). It would be obvious which teams didn’t do it and they couldn’t claim it was an accident. It would have required everyone involved to have a steering device though. I wonder if the next evolution of the TTT after adding the conveyor belt will be to have each team as they come out of the pens to be sorted into different… Read more »

      -2
      Reply
      Carsten Re. from Germany
      Carsten Re. from Germany
      5 months ago

      Draft for TT-Bikes in TTT’s only (!) is a good addition … and will produce some stress to mid-level Zwifters to reach Lvl26 and to find easy 891.000 drops just in time when the first ZRL-TTT will take place at Sept. 27th 🙈😉

      one question to Eric : does my Avatar show a draft-position ? … or not like it is on a Tron ?

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Carsten Re. from Germany

      My guess would be not.

      0
      Reply
      Sylvain Normand
      Sylvain Normand
      5 months ago

      Will the point now available on zp?

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Sylvain Normand

      WTRL manages their own points system. I don’t see that moving to ZwiftPower any time soon.

      0
      Reply
      Claus Jensen
      Claus Jensen
      5 months ago

      I really don’t like that Zwift is making a big change like that and then only make it available for WTRL. Every race-organizer should be able to do TTT’s now that it is an official feature of Zwift.

      1
      Reply
      Nemesis
      Nemesis
      5 months ago

      “If your TTT has any significant climbs, check out the newish Felt IA 2.0 and Scott Plasma RC Ultimate”

      Your full TT bike comparison states that the Canyon Speedmax CF Disc is still faster than either of these on the climbs – (3009 vs 3009.5 and 3010) but faster on the flat – is that right?

      0
      Reply
      Eric Schlange
      Author
      Top Member
      Eric Schlange(@eschlange)
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Nemesis

      No – we haven’t added the Felt IA 2.0 and Scott Plasma RC Ultimate to the frame charts yet. But both of those frames outclimb the Canyon handily.

      You’re probably looking at the OLD versions of those frames. The Felt IA and the Scott Plasma. Those aren’t the same as the new frames.

      2
      Reply
      Nemesis
      Nemesis
      5 months ago
      Reply to  Eric Schlange

      That explains it – thanks!

      0
      Reply
      Jonathan
      Jonathan
      5 months ago

      With this change in WTRL TTT, should we expect to see the usual visual cues regarding draft? Eg distance to wheel, gap closed, etc

      0
      Reply
      Tom
      Tom
      1 month ago

      When you warm up with a roadbike in an other map, than join a TTT of ZRL with this roadbike and switch to a TTbike when waiting at the startline. Is this oké or do i have to switch bikes before i join the TTT to have the advantage of a TTbike?

      0
      Reply
      wpdiscuz   wpDiscuz

      Free Zwift Trial

      Create Account

      Newest Featured Posts

      Zwift Racing League Week 5 Guide: France’s R.G.V. (TTT)

      Racing

      Zwift Course Calendar – Current Guest World Schedule

      Reference

      Tiny Race Series – Results and February 4 Routes

      Events

      Support This Site

      Contribute a post, shop through us, make a donation, advertise on this site. See how you can support Zwift Insider!

      This community-driven site is maintained by Eric Schlange and a team of Zwift enthusiasts. Zwift Insider is independent of Zwift corporate (www.zwift.com), although Zwift does provide funding to help defray site costs.

      This site contains affiliate links to Amazon, Wahoo, and other brands. Zwift Insider makes a small commission on purchases made from these links, so please shop through them to support our efforts.

      Terms of Use/DMCA Copyright Policy

      Privacy Policy

      [email protected]

      Latest articles

      Top 5 Zwift Videos: Platform Comparisons, Breakaways, and Pace Partners

      “Loch Loop” Route Details

      “City and the Sgurr” Route Details

      Popular Categories

      • Racing985
      • News738
      • Training & Nutrition582
      • Events507
      • Interviews440
      • Routes & Maps311
      27
      0
      Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
      ()
      x
      | Reply
      Comment Author Info
      :wpds_smile::wpds_grin::wpds_wink::wpds_mrgreen::wpds_neutral::wpds_twisted::wpds_arrow::wpds_shock::wpds_unamused::wpds_cool::wpds_evil::wpds_oops::wpds_razz::wpds_roll::wpds_cry::wpds_eek::wpds_lol::wpds_mad::wpds_sad::wpds_exclamation::wpds_question::wpds_idea::wpds_hmm::wpds_beg::wpds_whew::wpds_chuckle::wpds_silly::wpds_envy::wpds_shutmouth:
      ‹ Back to Categories
      You are going to send email to

      Move Comment


    • Related Posts