The latest Zwift update is now available on PC, Mac, and Android. It will appear for iOS and AppleTV soon.
Not sure if your Zwift install is up-to-date? Here’s how to check >
This update doesn’t include any new roads, but it does include some welcome changes, including much more flexible training plans. Plus, two new bikes! Let’s dig into the details…
New Pack Dynamics for All
Zwift has been fine-tuning some updated pack dynamics in selected events since December 2020, and this update takes those new pack dynamics live for everyone. That means free rides, workouts, events – everyone.
What does this actually mean for the in-game experience? Well, it should feel more realistic – pack shapes and your avatar’s path through the pack should feel more like what you experience IRL. We tested the new pack dynamics in a group ride today, and would summarize the experience as “looking and feeling different, but we’re not sure how it’s different.”
Here’s a quick video – see what you think:
We should also experience fewer positioning-related bugs, like:
- Other riders riding off the side of the road
- Riders surging repeatedly to new positions on our screen
- Fence-related issues where riders see messages telling them to get behind the fence, when they already are
Our sources at ZwiftHQ tell us these updated pack dynamics will help riders positions to be more consistent across everyone’s screens. While riders may never be in precisely the same location on each Zwifter’s screen, this update goes a long way toward improving every Zwifter’s view of what’s really happening.
In theory, this should improve the experience for races like TTT’s, where positioning is so vital.
A note for event organizers: some have asked if there is a way to disable the new pack dynamics for their event, and the answer is no. Zwift opted to simply roll them out game-wide, to avoid the logistical nightmare of turning it on and off for select events.
Workout of the Week
In last month’s update Zwift said they’re working to expand and improve their workout library, and this month they delivered with a cleaned up folder structure and a new “Workout of the Week” category.
This category includes one new workout for each week of the month. Zwift’s plan is to populate this folder with fresh workouts each month. Some of these may be existing workouts, but it sounds like most will be new workouts, and they’ll be archived into other folders once the month is out.
More Training Plan Flexibility
Zwifters have long complained that the “flexible” Training Plans are anything but. This update includes changes that make Training Plans much more flexible in terms of scheduling.
Now, each week’s list of workouts is “unlocked” starting on Monday, and available through the next Sunday. You can pick which workout you do when. The only requirement is that you wait 8 hours between workouts.
Much more flexible. Nice!
New Bike Day: Lauf and Canyon
Two new frames arrived in this update:
- Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc TT Frame: 891,000 Drops, level 26 locked, 1 star aero, 1 star weight (that aero setting is definitely incorrect – Zwift has it on their list to fix) See performance notes
- Lauf True Grit Gravel Frame: 297,500 Drops, level 11 locked, 2 stars aero, 2 stars weight See performance notes
Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc Lauf True Grit
Zwift’s in-game descriptions are below:
The True Grit is a versatile gravel and endurance race horse, with nerves of carbon. Blast through gravel, sweep the singletracks, float on asphalt or open your recovery beverage of choice. At the core of True Grit is the Lauf Grit SL, with its 30mm of front suspension – the thing that changed how gravel riding is perceived, now taken to the next level.
The Speedmax CFL SLX Disc held the title King of Kona for five straight years and the bike has only gotten better. The new frame sets the standard in adjustability, integration, aerodynamics and handling so you can smash your personal bests. The Speedmax cockpit delivers the perfect symbiosis of performance and comfort. The monospacer system is aerodynamically optimized. The Speedmax fork features a special surface that shadows the brake caliper, improving aerodynamics and reducing turbulence that can be caused by the caliper.
We’re speed testing both frames now, and will post separate articles with the results ASAP. But we definitely wouldn’t recommend the new Canyon frame until Zwift updates it with the correct aero setting, as it’s super slow right now!
UPDATE: the Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc was updated in Zwift’s bug fix release on March 23rd. See performance notes for this frame here.
ZIPP Wheel Updates
ZIPP wheels are favorites among Zwift racers, and this update includes a facelift for almost every ZIPP wheelset in the Drop Shop. The update uses ZIPP’s new logo:
The only wheelset that doesn’t have a new look is the rainbow 858/Super9 – the fastest wheelset in Zwift.
Bug Fixes/Improvements
This release also includes a pile of minor fixes… here’s the list from the release notes, with a few comments where appropriate:
- Numerous cycling and running assets (kits, shirts, etc.) have been added or updated.
- Updated the game client to include all of the country flags currently available in Zwift Companion. Additional flags will be available in the future.
- Memory optimizations for both race results views and workout loading.
- Fixed a bug in group workouts where riders would surge forward erratically.
- Fixed a bug that would cause a user to miss their event or meetup if they signed up for the event then started their ride quickly after.
- Fixed a bug where screenshots taken with the F10 key would not get uploaded to the activity feed or connected 3rd party services. This is a long-standing bug… we sure hope it’s fixed for good!
- Fixed a bug where running shoe color changes are not being saved when exiting the app.
- Fixed a bug where the name shown in the leaderboard UI does not match the actual user who is at the top of the leaderboard for the segment being completed.
- Fixed a bug that caused the Quit Meetup button to appear when it should not.
- Fixed a bug where the game and Wattbike devices were not in sync when paired over Bluetooth.
- Fixed a bug that caused the cadence target for a workout to appear incorrectly in Zwift Companion.
- Fixed a bug that caused special characters used in chat to not appear correctly in Zwift Companion.
- Fixed a bug where awarded badges were not being properly saved to the Zwifter’s profile.
- Fixed a bug that would cause chat from leaders and sweepers to not appear for some users. This has been a big complaint in the last month or two – I’m sure Ride Leaders are happy to see it’s fixed!
- We also noticed a new “Exit” button on the start/join screen.
See/discuss release notes on Zwift’s forum >
If you spotted any other changes in today’s update, please comment below!
Nice read up on the update Eric… Thanks. 🤗
Still wondering where the gravel bikes are an advantage in game.
They currently are not. That is a deficiency of route choice and design more than tuning though in my opinion.
Yeah, it’s a little sad. Gravel bikes should perform best on dirt roads. MTB on singletrack. Road on pavement. Seems like a no-brainer… and a big miss by Zwift, given gravel’s popularity these days.
Exactly. Especially with the addition of new gravel bikes. Have to wonder if something is going to change. We can only hope.
I’m betting that we will get a France expansion “soon” (Min hinted at this in a podcast not long ago) and given the many Gravel paths that are not build on that Map we might see something for those bikes
I wonder if the gravel bike’s inferior performance on snow is a bug:worse than either mountain bikes or road bikes, according to your data. I’m really shocked Zwift hasn’t opened up the French dirt or cobbles, to provide gravel bikes a chance to excel.
I’m wondering if there are some routes where a gravel bike would be better than switching between MTB and Road?
But ya, I can’t see how a MTB is faster than a gravel on something like the jungle. Would be nice if they had some more single track routes, where you didn’t have to steer to get onto (so everyone could use them), or event specific single track routes, where the MTB could be used
I wonder if their eventual plans are to work out how to allow for “mountain bike tire(s)” on selective frames in the future. It seems like a low priority given all the other projects they are working on. What I mean is giving a certain frames the ability to add on specific tires instead of locking in one tire for mountain bikes or all tires except mountain on the other bikes. It would make sense to allow for different treads for mountain or gravel tires. However this would essential make the game selection much more complex as it is done… Read more »
1 star aero on the Canyon Speedmax – defintiely need to rub that in with all my Tri friends riding Canyons 😂
Ha! Yeah, there’s no way that’s the right star count. Testing it now to see how it actually performs…
Rode this in the duathlon race yesterday and it was terribly slow. Changed bikes mid race and came back to finish in a better place than I was in before I stopped. Too bad for such a nice ride.
The 1 to 4 star ratings are so useless. Every Zipp wheel is a 4 star for aero. The 454 is 4 star for Aero and 3 star for weight which would appear that it’s the best Zipp wheel available and we know that’s not the case.
Totally agree. Maybe they could implement a 5 star system one day that also allows half-stars. No way to currently know which 4 star item is better than another 4 star item !!
It should be a 1 to 10 rating, maybe even to 2 decimal places. It would translate as: current 1 star would be between a 0 to 2.49 2 star would be a 2.50 to 4.99 3 star would be a 5.00 to a 7.49 4 star would be a 7.50 to a 10.00 So I’d see something like the 858/Super Disc being something like a 9.95 for aero, the 808/Disc might be a 9.75 for aero, the 808 being a 9.00 for aero. Currently, all 3 of these are 4 stars for aero which doesn’t reflect that they produce… Read more »
On Zwift companion the zwifters flags have been greyed out for some time. Has that been fixed?
Doesn’t look like it
Nope
Companion app updates are separate from the game updates.
A Companion app update for Android was also released, I got a notification yesterday
Interesting, i didn’t get one.
yes but it didn’t fix the flag issue
Great write up, Eric. I just posted this on the Zwift Forum: Just rode in a group ride on Tick-tock with a buncha Canadians, actually Quebecois, not that it was a bad thing but I couldn’t understand any of the messages from the RL or the few that came across from the other riders. We can safely say the Chat function is still broke. I logged on with Bluetooth and steering enabled which usually ends up with my HRM dropping out shortly after the gun. Didn’t happen this time so maybe, just maybe, the Bluetooth pairing issue with steering and… Read more »
Hi Eric, is this “only” an optical facelist for the Zipp wheels or is there also a change in performance ? … especially for the 808’s ?
*facelift
Yes, it’s only optical.
On the topic of optics, I’ve noticed when I’m in 1st person view that there’s a phenomenon where my camera goes into another riders head and their eyes are looking back at me through their transparent skull o.0, is it just me?
I can only think of all the newly introduced bugs with the new dynamics, so the next updates will again consist of mainly bugfixes.
ouch, but true
Got to keep the programmers in a job 😉
make a bug, fix a bug, fix the fix, fix the fix that fixed the fix…
Jobs for life boys, code away 😂
Is the bug on not crediting a workout in a plan also fixed?
There is still a 2-person-meetup-keep-everyone-together bug, few weeks ago we flew up the Epic KOM / Radio Tower in ~14 Mins, all the way with 46km/h, totally crazy 😛
Zwift already is informed about this bug, hopefully they will fix it soon 😉
The new pack dynamics MIGHT help fix this bug. Because that bug is related to positioning information, and the new pack dynamics deliver that info better than the old.
Rider A catching up to rider B, while rider B catching up to rider A? 🙂
Unfortunately for users, all software development is iterative, regardless of software developers, vendors what to admit it or not.
Looks like in the Bunch Dynamics there’s a kind of character overlap update that keeps us from bouncing off of other riders by allowing for “impacts” without deviation from trajectory
Is it just for me, or has this changed the tuck? Seems it drops you out of the group draft so you fly out of the back in the tuck now! Have Zwift secretly adopted the UCI ban??
LOL. I sure hope they haven’t messed with my tuck. It’s one of the few weapons I have left!
I’m installing a dropper post so I can continue to super-tuck!
Can you test it? Yesterday I had the same problem: with my almost 100 kg i did not stay in the draft of the group when I used supertuck
Any future updates for the mtb game adding up trails in the future?
My update description (ios) also reads the following: “Added the ability for Zwifters to return to the home screen after a session to select a new route, workout, event or Zwifter to ride with”
Isn’t this our long awaited feature, to change route without having to login again?
Nice, more bug fixes and no new roads
Nice, more bugs and no new roads
Hopefully uploading photos works again! 👍
Still no fix for the lack of a red color option for Tron and other bikes.
I find the new pack dynamics quite frustrating especially if you fall to the back of the pack. It seems that if you want to move forward, you get blocked by other riders and you can spend a tremendous amount of energy trying to move forward. if I stay forward of the beacon/Pace Partner the experience is pretty nice. I think this could be a function of having steering but I haven’t proved that yet. I have noticed that if I am riding with a pace parter, I can steer to the right (near the line) I still get the… Read more »
Still no fixes to the bad spawn points? Harumph!
For many Zwifters, this update is a complete Dumpster Fire. Some trainers don’t work at all now. People can’t get logged on. Power numbers are fouled up. Weeks of workouts have been lost. The list goes on. There is substantial grumbling in the Zwift Forum. Torches and pitchforks are being readied… 😮
On the plus side, we got new running shoes.
Thx for your excellent work on keeping us updated in such detail 👍
I’m running Zwift on an iMac. I now have a permanent visual for gear changes, but there is the figure 5 in front of any gear change that I use …eg 5 gear 11. Anyone know what that’s all about?
I’m currently on wk9 of the Build Me Up training plan, and the update has buggered up the sequence of the workouts. It’s one thing having the option to rearrange them if you choose to, but they now all just appear in a random order, rather than the original plan order (which is normally structured to follow a logical sequence). In having to refer to other websites to find out the correct order.
Does drafting work better now? With new group dynamics.
How hard is it for Zwift to FINALLY get rid of the most annoying bug ever….the STICK DRAFT???? Apparently very hard.
Much do about nothing (substantial), which is kind of normal with zwift updates. Nothing really exciting
Last update means first power drops ever! Thanks Zwift
…and tomorrow WTRL TTT Platinum League! Fingers crossed
Hi,
are there any changes regarding virtual watts? After the Update my watt were far too high (easily over 300!) without any changes on my bike or setup.
Regards,
Jan
Jan it’s a Known issue with Tacx. I’ve been told try swapping the trainer in Zwift to the Elite Nova Force.
Hi Marcus, thx a lot! Did the Zwift Support tell you or another user? Which setting should I use with the Elite Nova Force? Now I`m using Level 2 with Tacx Booster.
Thx in advance!
I have compared different trainers and suggest the following:
Summary:
Choose Jetblack M5 Mag Pro instead of Tacx Boost
Choose Tacx Blue Twist instead of Tacx Booster
Choose Jetblack M5 Mag Pro instead of Tacx Blue Matic
Choose Minoura MagRide-60 instead Tacx Blue Motion
Just leave the resistance setting as always – ignore what Zwift says for the alternative trainer.
This is explained in a bit more in an article at ZwiftHacks.
March 17th. Update just applied automatically, and now my Elite RealAxiom Wired is not recognized in the pairing screen.
I use a stages PM and have had zero problems until right now. Please tell me you didn’t drop support for my trainer. I have a year membership to use!
I have the same problem. I send the problem to zwift. Do you have any other nee information?
ANT+ message failures removed from zwift log files !
why ? please do not hide useful diagnostic information!
Updated, and now my watts drop , pedaling consitantly a 147w and keeps dropping to 107.. not very happy. Worked great before. Very irritating doing workouts
Is there a correlation between the 16 March Zwift update, and the fact that Zwiftalizer can no longer help the end-user with information pertaining to their ANT+ performance? I found the Zwiftalizer site thanks to info provided by ZI, and it has helped me improve on my ANT+ performance. Most Zwifters are more than willing to make sure that “their-end” is not responsible for degradation in the total Zwift experience, and we welcome non-ZwiftHQ sites such as ZI and Zwiftalizer to help with issues we may be having. It seems to be a loss for the end-user that they now… Read more »
And people keep disappearing in group rides!! I do love these Zwift bug creation releases!
Eric, the weekly workouts – are they released/unlocked each week or can you access them as soon as you see them in the folder? E.g Climbing + Power is next weeks workout, can I access it tomorrow? Thanks
Loving the new pack dynamics for racing. Much more realistic drafting and now you can actually not pedal for a few seconds without going straight out the back
I noticed this too. It feels like the draft goes beyond 5m too. I got dropped out the back of a crit, which normally means I see it recede into the sunset, but somehow I was just dangling behind it for a few seconds so I sprinted _back on_. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten back on a group after getting dropped from it, and this definitely felt more like IRL pack dynamics.
I haven’t noticed any difference in drafting dynamics. Maybe slightly less tendency to push you to the front, and to the back??
After this update my power estimation is overrated about 4 times… Before my upper Watt limit was 350W and I was nearly dead and now I can reach 1200+W without sweating. Great…
Michal it’s a Known issue with Tacx. I’ve been told try swapping the trainer in Zwift to the Elite Nova Force.
See the explanation and which trainer to select instead (as a temporary fix) at ZwiftHacks.
Summary:
Choose Jetblack M5 Mag Pro instead of Tacx Boost
Choose Tacx Blue Twist instead of Tacx Booster
Choose Jetblack M5 Mag Pro instead of Tacx Blue Matic
Choose Minoura MagRide-60 instead Tacx Blue Motion
How about the ability to do things without ALWAY having to start a ride (join meetup, edit garage, view stats, etc) . The $ the would save on their cloud bill would easily pay for the dev work. It’s probably a major architectural change though.
Since the update I have an issues with very high w/kg, in excess of 5 w/kg when I’m usually avg. 1.5. Using: Which computer OS are you using? Windows 10 What trainer? Tacx Blue Matic Resistance 3 (dumb) Is there a standalone speed sensor involved in your setup, and if so, which brand / model? Garmin Speed Sensor 2 – bluetooth Is there a standalone power meter? Which one? No Are you using Bluetooth, or ANT+ signal to pair those signals? bluetooth Are you using the Companion to pair your signal, or the computer’s built-in Bluetooth capability? computer’s built-in Bluetooth capability Also signed up to Watopia… Read more »
See the explanation and my suggested fix here: https://zwifthacks.com/why-are-tacx-trainers-suddenly-boosting-your-power-and-how-to-fix-it/
Thanks Jesper
Finally!!!!!!!! When you click “End Ride” it takes you back to the main menu instead of quitting the game.
Yeah. Finally! Finished my workout and hit quit and came back to it on the route screen. Thought I’d slipped into another dimension for a moment! 🙂
No veo en las actualizaciones la corrección en el emparejamiento del Kinetic Smart Control. La cadencia siempre aparece en rangos de 60 a 70 rpm así esté haciendo uno 110 rpm.
I don’t know if I missed this on a previous update or something but I was able to exit and go straight back to the main menu which I know people have been requesting FOREVER, result!
That the Speedmax was introduced to Zwift with a 1 star aero rating speaks volumes about Zwift’s disregard for cycling. Such a shit product
Updates was terrible for drafting. Multiple teams noticed it today during the WTRL TTT race.
What about the new exit update I noticed (or was this from last week) – So i was able to end my ride and save and then was still logged into the app with the option to start another ride or exit…. rather than having to boot Zwift up again.
No idea whether it was related to the update or not, but the pace partner rides were not working for me this morning. I can normally jump straight into a ride with Coco and warm up in the group, but this morning i was deposited around 500m behind the group and there was no chance of catching up from a cold, standing start. After a while of waiting for the group to come back the other way, I decided to exit and rejoin (using the new feature, yay!) but then I was in some weird universe where every rider was… Read more »
Has anyone else noticed their camera view going back and forth a bit since the update? It’s as if the camera gets a bit closer to the avatar, then backs up – and it does this back and forth constantly. If you watch the bottom of the screen on camera 1, you can see it most obviously. It goes from your entire back tire being visible to cutting it off some where the bike’s cassette is at the edge of the frame. I Zwifted for the first time yesterday since the update and it was annoying me. I use a… Read more »
Group dynamic in a tethered workout is goosed
The jungle has never been so slow!
Example of what I am doing right now
I’ve always ridden in first person view and the new pack dynamics seem to make this very unpleasant in a large bunch traveling at high speeds. There is rapid lateral movement of my view, and other racers in front of me twitching left/right as well, it’s very chaotic compared to the smooth/gradual feel from before the update. I also fairly frequently see some vertical twitches now, where my view seems to get re-centered along the Y axis. I’ve done a few races since the update and find the new visual effects barely tolerable for an hour race.
Yeah, I noticed this too.
New pack dynamics and you don’t have to quit? I guess zwift has decided we are out of peak season and so they can drop bigger changes that have a higher likelihood of breaking things. Good news/bad news I guess.
I noticed the long awaited Exit button feature which means you can select a new route without having to exit and re-start Zwift.
Thanks Eric. I hope they fix the “new pack dynamics” because they are worse than the old way. Riders are literally twitching left and right sporadically and makes the look horrible.