Zwift released a minor update this morning which includes new Alpe du Zwift timing features and lots of minor bug fixes. It also includes a redesigned login screen (see above) which looks great!
Bend to Bend Timing
A sector stats panel is now visible while riding up the Alpe. This displays your PRs for upcoming bend to bend sectors, and as you complete a sector it shows your time as well as average heartrate and wattage.
This new panel fits right into Zwift’s approach to indoor fitness: making it more engaging, more challenging, more rewarding. One way Zwift could further improve this new panel is to show estimated completion time on the current sector, as it is difficult to know whether you are ahead or behind a PR based simply on current time–especially on longer sectors.
Showing estimated completion time for all timed segments would be nice, for this same reason. A simple timer doesn’t tell you much!
Improvements (or Bug Fixes) Needed
It appears there is a bug in the wattage display for the current segment, since it only show your current wattage (which is already displayed at the top-left of the screen) and not your average wattage for the segment. Once you complete the segment your average is displayed, but not while you’re actually riding it. I assume it does the same for heart rate.
Additionally, while riding a sector your PR time is not visible. It would be nice if you could see your PR, current time, and estimated completion time for the current sector.
Powerup Timers
There are three powerup locations during the Alpe climb, denoted by a thumbs up on the asphalt. Now as you approach each powerup location a countdown timer is displayed on the map. You must now reach the powerup location before the counter runs out in order to receive the powerup. Get moving!
How are the powerup time cutoffs calculated? According to Game Master Jon Mayfield they are “are based off some of your previous efforts, plus or minus a random amount of time.”
Jon included this little teaser in today’s update notes:
Our next release will include a larger feature we’re finishing off now, so stay tuned.
Ride on!
Another aspect of the login page is the status indicator, which in the shot above says “all systems operational”. Ideally this will cut down on dozens of questions on Facebook asking if Zwift is having issues.
Getting a power up was way too hard, especially when I finally beat one by 2 seconds and got nothing. There’s no timer for the last leg, odd.
Also, there are no longer power ups received on the downhill. (Maybe this corrected the situation that gave you PU’s going down?)
I didn’t like these changes but I’m sure many will. Also, my companion app stopped working with the update (Apple)
I hope the next update will have a ‘ghost’ pacer or one’s previous climb as a pacing gauge.
That would be great if you set up a 60 minute pacer and try to beat it to the finish line.
Still loving the Alp!
I now notice that as riders pass me, the little balloon with their name briefly turns black with red lettering. Any idea what the significance of this is?
ok the logon screen looks nicer, but functionality should be priority.
How hard is it to add a multi-member drop down to eliminate the need to re-enter login name everytime when switching between users.
Oh, yes and it now does not remember my password
I second that, maybe I should try UNticking ‘Remember Me’ next time…
Update appears to be a mess, certainly with windows, it no longer remembers my password. Workouts now don’t work properly. Won’t let me scroll though different work outs, doesn’t display the workout. Keep getting intermittent graphics issues. Still waiting for useful update that allows you to choose location and bike and kit at the start, as well as start point. Been level 25 for a year, nothing extra for me for a long time. Just waiting for some real competition and will jump unless zwift ups it game.
Hi Eric,
I’ve done the update but do not see the bend to bend timing. Is that something that needs to be activated? Or should automatically appear?
Cheers.
It should automatically appear while you’re on the Alp.
Not showing up for me. Using a laptop Windows 10 setup.
Update also broke the ability to use Quarq power meter via bluetooth. Cadence and power are basically unusable. Everything worked fine pre-update.
First I’ve heard of this! Have you let ZwiftHQ know?
I have been unable to log in since the April 25 update. I have been in contact with Zwift and so far they have been unable to help me. I have spent hours trying to remedy the problem to no avail.