Zwift version 1.121 begins its phased rollout today. This minor update includes improvements to help us earn route badges with RoboPacers, plus new route badges for riders and runners. Read on for details!
Route Badges with RoboPacers
Historically, earning Route Badges while riding with a RoboPacer has been a bit hit and miss. While it seems logical that you would earn the badge as long as you cross the route’s start and finish line, that didn’t always happen.
Zwift says, “… completion badges are now awarded after teleporting to a friend or RoboPacer and completing a full route lap from the official start of the route. Please note that you must still complete a full lap from the route’s official starting point to earn the badge.”
Interestingly, Zwift added this note: “We have an open ticket to explore awarding route completion badges after a full lap, regardless of where on the route you begin.”
New Route Badges for Riders
Zwift has added cycling achievement badges to the following short routes:
- Downtown Dolphin in Crit City (40 XP)
- LaGuardia Loop in New York (60 XP)
- The 6 Train Reverse in New York (130 XP)
- Glasgow Reverse in Scotland (60 XP)
- ZG25 Climb Champs in London (100 XP)
These are all event-only routes, so you won’t see the unearned badge on your Badges screen. They’ll only show up once you’ve earned them!
And yes: all of these routes are included in the currently-running Zwift Shorts Challenge, which means many of us recently rode them. Alas, we did not earn the route badges when we rode the routes in recent weeks. We’ll need to ride them again!
New Route Badges for Runners
Zwift has added seven new route badges for runners, continuing the trend they started in the v1.119 release. Once you’ve installed version 1.121, the following routes will have achievement badges and XP available for runners:
- Jungle Circuit in Watopia (310 XP)
- Jungle Circuit Reverse in Watopia (310 XP)
- Whole Lotta Lava in Watopia (490 XP)
- Hilltop Hustle in Watopia (550 XP)
- Going Coastal in Watopia (660 XP)
- Road to Sky in Watopia (690 XP)
- Seaside Sprint in Watopia (250 XP)
Newly Opened Routes
Cycling routes from the Makuri Madness ZRacing series are now available for free rides, meetups, clubs, and events:
Unmentioned Changes
Zwift often includes a change or two not mentioned in their release notes. Here’s the running list:
- Seaside Sprint now awards a route badge, both for runners (250 XP) and riders (130 XP)
Release Notes
Zwift supplied these additional release notes:
- Fixed an issue that could cause the virtual shifting style to change after disconnecting and reconnecting to a trainer.
- The post-activity streak report now shows the correct running level after the first run of the week.
- Fixed an issue that could cause Zwifters to face backwards in pre-event and race paddocks.
- Android
- Fixed an issue that could cause some Zwifters on Android to re-enter their password when opening Zwift.
- Improved the appearance of bike textures.
- iOS
- Fixed a crash on iOS that could occur when saving an activity.
- Improved the appearance of the Zwift Atomic Cruiser bike frame.
- Improved the appearance of bike textures.
- Windows
- Fixed a crash that could occur when unpairing certain Elite trainer devices via ANT+.
Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum >
Questions or comments?
If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!
Do you know, I never noticed that I didn’t get a badge for the 6 short routes.
But that means I have to do fox Hill again 🤦♂️ doah! 😳
No mention of the SL9 polish?
Still hasn’t been done. We may be waiting a while…
I think Zwift has “painted themselves into a corner” a bit with how the current fast bikes perform, since the gap between the S-Works SL8 and the Cervelo S5 (most aero bike) is very small. The SL9 would logically slot between the two, and already does. But with (checks notes) there is only 1.6s between the two, you can’t really polish the SL9 much more…
My contacts at Zwift say the polish is coming, but other bikes may be adjusted at the same time.
So buying and upgrading the SL9 was pointless if you already have a fully upgraded SL8 S-Works…
With 1.6s difference, and that is without a 1s test error margin it really doesnt make much difference and you could have as well stick to the SL8.
Now that the top frames are so close to eachother it hardly doesnt matter anymore on which top frame you ride. Also because the speedtests are solo rides so without draft and group dynamics.
Losing 500g of weight will probaby give you more advantage than a new frame.
Yes. A thing that was true the day they released SL9.
Bummer, I have a fully upgraded SWorks SL8 in my garage and am on the last upgrade segment of an SWorks SL9.
At least the SL9 is red. Red is a fast color, you know!
To me, the main benefit of the SL9 has been the fact that it will mean a slightly less monochromatic pen as people may start choosing other bikes than the all white SL8.
I thought the polish was to make the SL 9 slightly faster on the climbs not necessariely on the flats, no?
With upgrade drops system Zwift should just make it the S-Works Tarmac SL and give it the latest SL9 performance stats – with a fully up-graded SL8 I am not going to get a SL9 if it is released separately, maybe I would just get every even number SL10, SL12 etc
literally after just finishing them all this morning 🫠😠. But XP is more important to me than badges so I’ll just forget this happened
Me: “Zwift! Why can’t you just be normal”
Zwift: ‘Screams’
I started to think “grr ZHQ grr” but WTH I can get some more XP and maybe hit 100 by Thanksgiving. Shrug. Not looking forward to Fox Hill again, but oh well, the point of being on this thing is to burn calories…
Hey Eric, last week’s Rouvy 4.7 update included integration with Zwift, which according to their support article should give you XP in Zwift for Rouvy rides and vice versa (essentially treating rides in one app like outside rides in the other). So far it seems to work one way, with Zwift rides and runs showing up in Rouvy but not the other way around. I’m assuming maybe Rouvy jumped the gun somewhat and Zwift needs to enable it on their side or release an update of their own first. Have you heard if that is coming soon?
Watch for news on this tomorrow!
Hey Eric!
First of all, great job! I’m relatively new to Zwift and really appreciate the effort put into this site—there’s a huge amount of excellent content.
But regarding the question above: is there any news about integration between Rouvy and Zwift? I know—and have tried it myself—that Zwift rides show up in Rouvy, but what about the other way around?
Hi Eric!
Is there any chance of an update on this matter?
Is this an actually-minor release or is there a bunch of stuff sitting behind server-side flags waiting to be turned on after the TSOZ announcement?
I know of one feature going live the day TSOZ is announced. There could be others!
What? Your’re not going to spill the beans?! What good is an insider if he doesn’t leak secrets? (wink, wink…) Honestly, thanks for all the info and tips given!
Ive always wanted to ride bologna on demand. I’ll keep waiting.
Simple with Zwifthacks
You can earn route badges for the new Makuri routes but they don’t show up in the Achievement badge list. The badge system is so broken – always inconsistent between the game, the companion app, and the achievement screen.
Seems like if you have a bug you should report it to Zwift…mine coordinates fine for two years.
Hi,why do we only get 5xp for outside rides when we are still paying for zwift?if everyone cancelled while riding outside you would lose subscriptions,so will we start getting the same xp as indoor rides as while we are still paying
seems a bit demanding for me. I guess nobody is having a Zwift subscription through summer because of xp. So getting outdoor xp is a nice plus and not more…
Feel free to pause through summer if you don’t see a benifit. If Zwift does care, they’ll change.
I am allowed to ask a question and have an opinion on matters. 😂
I don’t see why you are posting it here
Did they just forget to turn on the route badges for the event ? Certainly looks that way now a lot have already finished them all.
Anyone noticed the new streetlights in the desert ? and, I think, better looking light from the house windows ?
I posted that over on the official Zwift Forums the other day, and got this reply from Zwift.
[quote]
The road crew did install some new lighting fixtures along Fuego Flats, and changed out the bulbs in Desert Town, which is a more subtle visual enhancement. We will be going through other parts of Watopia in the coming months to improve light and shadow textures.
[/quote]
I just noticed those yesterday on Tempus Fugit. Some were normal style but some were neat-looking craftsman style, which I like.
On my first Zwift session this morning, I did notice the streetlights plus some ruins of “pueblo like” buildings at the start and finish point of the desert sprint – those ruins were not there before the last update.
I also noticed when doing a reverse lap of Jarvis Island during a later session, that there are flashing neon green areas at the Italian Villas (something that looked like a oil lamp on the left side of the road) and the Banjo Cafe (the firepit and the adirondack chairs – it looked like anyone who wanted to stop and hang out was going to get radiation poisoning LOL 😂 ). I did take a screenshot of one of those spots, but the image did not display the flashing…
Has anyone else seen this?
The streetlights on what is ostensibly a dark desert highway are jarring to me. Zwift keeps adding the the visual clutter for no apparent reason. e.g. lighthouse in Watopia.
I guess Zwift really does not care about expanding their universe. Waiting for months for more roads and again a tiny tiny expansion. I get it, it’s getting less crowded so why create more roads. But for me a big part of the appeal is discovery and new roads.
I used to be a big fan of Zwift, now I’m just a (slightly frustrated) user…
That’s the new reality. Zwift is a monopoly now. They just need to trickle out small things to keep people busy. That’s how it’s been for the last couple of years.
No Coffee Break fix yet? Just add a short delay before someone can use a Coffee Break after teleporting to a RoboPacer. It’s common sense and would prevent the annoying Coffee Break spam in Constance’s group. If you can’t keep up for a few minutes after teleporting in, you shouldn’t be able to immediately rely on Coffee Break to stay with the group. Too many people are abusing the game’s poor mechanics.
Stop posting the same thing over and over. You want Zwift to make rules that suit you. The rules are what they are and other people coffee breaking has no effect on your ride. Stop crying about it.
Rules that suit me? What are you talking about? I actually want the game to be fairer for everyone.
Most people hating on my post are the same ones who teleport into Constance, use their Coffee Break, then dip out the second it’s over.
Edit: Cheers, Bike Beast
How would you know the way it was intended? Are you a Zwift employee? There is no defect lol. You’re just upset because you want everyone in Zwift to follow your own made up rules that you have in your head to make it “more fair”. Have you ever ridden in a group ride or drafted someone? Have you ever upgraded a bike? Have you ever started a ride at an elevation higher than you ended it? Have you ever used the teleport feature? These are all things that in some way give you a boost or a break in some form to make the game easier. Are they all cheating? Zwift snobs who have their own rules in their mind because of how “hard they work” are obsessed with what other people are doing and that’s the problem. If everyone is playing the game within the game’s rules, then I couldn’t care less. Worry about yourself, not others. That’s all I’m saying. This goes for all the coffee break haters.
Gravel Mountain (V2) was sensational and brilliant.Great finish gang!
What’s changed since the last time? Basically the same, just bug fixes?
Wait, Gravel Mountain is back???
No advertisement but events on fridays, check zwifthacks events list
Did this update also include a change to the behavior of the trees/cacti near Saddle Springs? Last night, some of them were waving all over the place. I had never noticed that before, but it’s been a while since I’ve spent much time in the desert as I’ve been working on upgrading my Cannondale SuperX gravel bike.