The latest Zwift update is now available on all platforms: Mac, PC, Android, iOS, and AppleTV.
Not sure if your Zwift install is up-to-date? Here’s how to check >
This update includes new routes and badges, a few Drop Shop additions, and a pile of bug fixes. There are also behind the scenes updates we can’t yet access. Here are the details…
New Routes and Badges
Two Watopia routes which were previously event-only have been made free-ridable and given route badges in today’s update.
Climber’s Gambit and Legends and Lava were launched with Zwift Academy Road 2021 to be used as baseline and finish line ride test courses. They’ve proven popular with Zwifters, though, as they make great race courses! If you’re looking for double XP, head out and complete two.
There are also three new event-only fondo routes included in this release, which will be used in the upcoming ZFondo Series. More on that series (and the new routes) very soon, but for now, here are the basics:
- 2022 Bambino Fondo: Starts in Downtown Watopia, and includes sections of Beach Island Route, Ocean Lava Cliffside, and Fuego Flats. Finishes at Volcano KOM.
Total distance/elevation: 52.3km/400m - 2022 Medio Fondo: Similar to Bambino. Starts in Downtown Watopia, and includes sections of Beach Island Route, Ocean Lava Cliffside, Fuego Flats, Titans Grove, and Volcano KOM. Finishes at Epic KOM.
Total distance/elevation: 77.2km/924m - 2022 Gran Fondo: Similar to Bambino and Medio. Starts in Downtown Watopia, and includes Beach Island Route, Desert Flats, Hilly KOM, Titans Grove, and Volcano KOM. Finishes at Epic KOM.
Total distance/elevation: 94km/1141m
New Bikes and Wheels
New bike day is always a good day! This update includes two new frames and a new wheelset:
- Chapter 2 TOA bike: 426,000 Drops, 3 stars for aero, 3 stars for weight, level 18+ required
- Cube Litening C:68X bike: 373,500 Drops, 2 stars for aero, 3 stars for weight, level 32+ required
- Novatec R4 Disc wheelset: 95,900 Drops, 3 stars for aero, 2 stars for weight, level 24+ required
Racers, don’t get too excited – the Novatec wheels aren’t a disc aero wheel. They’re just made for disc brakes, hence “disc” in the name.
Both of the new frames use the new Dura-Ace 9200 groupset, which means they’ll be victims of the overweight Dura-Ace bug plaguing new frames on Zwift. That makes a total of 8 frames with this bug… these two frames plus the Specialized Tarmac SL7, Pinarello Dogma F, Canyon Aeroad 2021, Liv Langma SL Advanced Disc, Moots Vamoots, and Uranium Nuclear. We will be updating all of our test results and charts soon to reflect overweight Dura-Ace timings, as a bug fix doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon.
That said, we’re running these frames and wheels through our standard battery of tests, and will report on the results soon.
New Running Training Plans
Two new running plans have been added to the Training Plans list:
- 3 Run 13.1 Lite: marathon speed builder in 3 days a week. 4 weeks shorter than 3 Run 13.1 plan (12 instead of 16).
- 5k Record Breaker Lite: 2 weeks shorter than 5k Record Breaker plan (6 instead of 8).
Hidden Updates
According to our sources at ZwiftHQ, this release includes a number of updates/features to be rolled out over time in controlled releases to portions of Zwift’s user population.
This method of releasing and testing new features is becoming Zwift’s modus operandi, as it allows them to test new features in more controlled ways and easily roll back changes if needed.
What are these hidden updates? We don’t know everything that’s going on beneath the hood, but updates include:
- An updated homescreen, slated for initial rollout this month and wider release in January
- Clubs updates, with a very limited number of beta testers already using the new feature
- Bluetooth FTMS Trainer Control changes: this is a “flagged” feature, so it isn’t live yet – but Zwift has put in a lot of work to revamp their FTMS code and make it more reliable and powerful, including two-way communication with trainers (so Zwift will always know your trainer’s state) and error logging
Bug Fixes and Misc Improvements
Here’s Zwift’s list of fixes and improvements included in this update, with notes in italic from us:
- A number of Neokyo visuals have been fixed or improved. Hopefully the artists have optimized things a bit, to improve framerates for PC users.
- The minimap for Neokyo now makes it clear which roads are available for Zwifters to ride or run. This should make things a bit less confusing for Neokyo n00bs!
- When nearing the end of a Meetup, the distance remaining value will transition to meters/feet to make it more clear exactly when the meetup ends.
- Removed the ability to bring up the pairing screen by clicking or tapping on the power, heart rate and cadence display box. (This causes your avatar to stop, which in most cases, isn’t ideal).
- Added more spawn points in Neokyo routes so Zwifters are less likely to spawn on top of other Zwifters.
- Added the ability for KICKR bike riders to disable steering.
- Updated text in the Back to Basics – To the Max workout.
- Updated the automatic screenshot system to be more likely to grab a screenshot for shorter activities. Previously the auto screenshot happened around 30 minutes, which meant many shorter Zwift activities didn’t get a screenshot. This is why so many Zwift activities on Strava show the default (riderless) screenshot!
- Fixed an issue causing some route lead-in and total distance information to be inaccurate for Neokyo routes.
- Fixed an issue which could cause Japanese text in the garage to appear incorrectly.
- Fixed an issue causing the total distance of a lap to be incorrect in the route selection screen.
- Fixed an issue with some Gravel Grinder Training Plan workouts which had incorrect cadence targets.
- Fixed an issue causing the workout completed date to appear as a long string of numbers on some devices.
- Fixed an issue that would cause riders to abruptly swerve on some Neokyo routes. Hopefully we’ll still swerve through the Shopping District. That feels realistic, and makes us feel like rebellious teens!
- Fixed an issue which would cause KICKR Bike riders to get pushed aside when riding in a pack. Gotta respect the KICKR bike riders…
- Fixed an issue that would prevent Zwifters from using both sides of a two lane road when transitioning from a road surface to dirt.
- Fixed an issue which would cause some audio to cut out in certain situations in large events and podcast rides.
- Fixed an issue with the Makuri Island minimap which did not properly show the tunnel between Yumezi and Neokyo.
- Fixed an issue with the Return to Original World dialog box when finishing a Group Workout.
- Fixed an issue where the Menu button and Return to Me button would overlap when Fan Viewing.
- Fixed an issue on Apple TV which would cause the button focus highlight to be visible in the profile settings screen when it shouldn’t be.
- Devices running MacOS versions prior to version 10.12 are no longer supported. See our post on this topic >
- Devices running iOS versions prior to iOS 12 are no longer supported. See our post on this topic >
See Wes Salmon’s notes on this update release in the Zwift forum >
Questions or Comments?
If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!
Yippee, 2 new badges. 😁😁.
Only too bad that my previous attempts on these courses don’t count. Oh well, at least they’re not event only any longer if they’re going to be used in the next ZRL season.
This … Fixed an issue which would cause KICKR Bike riders to get pushed aside when riding in a pack. Gotta respect the KICKR bike riders…
I am pleased this is fixed. When it did this, did we lose the draft? Because it really felt like we lost the draft and then it wouldn’t let us back into the paceline either! I race a lot and am pretty in-tune with being in/out of the draft. It sure made the TTT near impossible.
Fondos are returning, whoop! Had a blast on the two i completed last year, can’t wait.
The two routes will both be ridden in the next ZRL season and the play-offs, so y’all climbing haters can tick it off then 😉
Who isn’t glad that Climber’s Gambit does NOT go up the Radio Tower?
Crazy if you don’t think so, although I don’t get why the route doesn’t end right at the top of the epic
Where is the dura ace bug fix??
Since the Dura Ace bug has been present for so long now is it worth treating it as a permanent feature? Might it not be worth updating the frame scatter plots and ranking charts to reflect the now rather poor performance of popular frames like the Canyon Aeroad?
That’s the plan – see the note I added in the post above…
“Removed the ability to bring up the pairing screen by clicking or tapping on the power, heart rate and cadence display box.”
I understand why they did this, but I used this mini-hack to stop my rider sooner and shorten the time to switch bikes. It made a pretty significant difference when every second counts changing bikes during events or races. Bummer!
yeah I actually liked this feauture
You can just hit “A” on your keyboard, if you’re on a computer…
My go to for a swift bike change when hitting the jungle
Fast bike changes … What? … Don’t tell me we have people in races fast toggling bikes … Hope I just misunderstanding here as that sounds like a ick move and unfair advantage of done in competition
Why’s it unfair? Anyone can do it. You also pay a pretty significant time penalty, there are only a few routes where it is worth it.
It was no faster than clicking A on the desktop. The Pairing screen “autobrakes” your bike, to bring you to a stop–bike changes can only be made when the bike stops.
Didn’t seem to fix the permanent ride in shade that iPad users have been seeing. Really depressing never seeing the sun! I was really looking forward to a fix.
I thought I was imagining it, glad its not just me!
Happens to me too. Don’t like it either!
Is there any word on when Zwift will fix the crashing issue at the top of the Alpe for some Apple TV’s that’s been happening since July? I’ve reached out to Zwift multiple times and they have given me no information outside of that they are aware of the problem. It’s not really an easy bug to check given where it occurs.
Any word/rumours about more off road trials on any worlds?
Are they going to add a Mount Fuji climb to neokyo yumezi? Or climb ven top from one of the other real life access roads?
I think they’ll be adding some sort of longer climb next to Makuri Islands. I bet it’ll be connected to Fuji in some way… but probably a “sort of like the IRL Fuji” kind of thing. We’ll see!
My money’s on it being called Mount Zuji. 😉
Has anyone else using iPad noticed that since Neokyo dropped, no matter what world you ride in, you always seem to be riding in the shade?
I thought I was imagining it, glad its not just me!
Any confirmation of the letter/cat Kits for chase races are in this release?
I can confirm that they were added. See screenshot attached below.
Seems a bit odd that the Cube is only 2 stars for aero. Although the stars really don’t determine the speed, the bike does look pretty aero/fast. Looking forward to the new home screen!
Anyone using bluetooth (Apple TV) with resitance problems tried to update their Kick Core firmware? According to GPL it should be fixed: https://youtu.be/pL3xI4Ad868?t=61
So, no new roads for Watopia in 2021………
Any news as to when Zwift will have native Apple M1 support?
Still no fix for the Dura-Ace bug? Come on, Zwift, how difficult can this be to figure out?
The Dura Ace bug is something that would take less than 5 minutes to correct. I’m starting to think this whole operation is 4 guys in a garage that are in way over their heads.
You’re being generous.
Would love to have a chat with the dev who decided gruppo weight should be separate from bike weight. Such a simple thing to add in the eventuality you actually do something useful with it. Until then, you’ve added code complexity, which has resulted in this seemingly insanely difficult bug to resolve. How it’s not modifying an integer is beyond me. I’d pay a fair amount of money to look at how bad this code is… Unreal.
My guess is that this is not a bug but a business decision. Sram must be paying more than Shimano for product placement so Zwift ruined the launch of the new groupset with more weight.
What, you want grouppo weight to be inseparable from bike weight? Suppose the goal is to let you customize every component? I’d love to be able swap out the 130 gram Dura Ace skewers with a 30g pair and go full weight-weenie on my virtual bikes–and I do hope that is the plan.
Will the two new routes be added to veloviewer?
Why dosen’t zwift show “goal completed” badges anymore or is it just mine
Anyone else have an issue with the new route legends and lava? Zwift routed me in a circle at the top of the route so that I ended up back at the start of the route for a second lap, completely omitting the lava part. So no route badge.
Did anyone else have issue with previous update, when doing a workout program, the quality of the video gets progressively worse as each block of the workouts goes on. By the time you finish a 10 minute block the picture quality is so bad that you’d rather not watch. But as soon as you finish the block and cross under the banner it returns to normal but then same repeats…. running on Applle TV…
The ‘workout pain effect’ is deliberate, though it does sound like yours is more extreme than it should be.
Sounds like you have ‘workout pain effect’ turned on. You can turn that off in the settings.
Gran Fondo routes to select would be nice vs event only as much as I like having to run my cell phone with the app that sucks down my battery .. I mean as much as I love Fuego Flats 6.5 laps it would be nice to have flexibility to select outside events as these for me always tend to be where I cannot partake easily …
Making my own meet up is not exactly what I call convinient either
Overall better fondo routes. No more jungle section, either good or bad depending on each riders general view that section or feeling on the day. Gran route now more for the climbers in the end. Bambino will be good fast group riding as is flatter now till last few km. Medio was the best of the old fondo routes and new route still looks to be keeping a good balance. Climbers gambit and legends & lava routes should end at the archs now, with out the bonus distance for the ZA rides. Which was annoying when after busting destroying yourself… Read more »
Since this update zwift crashed 2 times in the middle of a route. Does anyone else having the same experience?
Yep. I just rode the Jungle badge route and the whole program crashed just before saving the ride 🙁 Error message said “ZwiftApp.exe has stopped working – A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.
If you haven’t already, please share your Zwift configuration and route in the Zwift Forums (https://forums.zwift.com/t/game-update-1-20-december-16th-2021/566545/210) so we can look into this for you.
Running plan 13.1 and new 13.1 lite on iPhone. You cant shorten or lengthen either plans by a few weeks even though the slider lets you but when you look at the plan afterwards there is no difference. Seems to be stuck at 16 weeks for 13.1 and 9 weeks for 13.1 lite.
Makuri Islands screen glitches but not any of the other worlds. Haven’t been able to ride Neokyo [email protected]
My Apple TV 4K font update Zwift. It takes “Coming soon”. Whats the Problem??
Danke, jetzt funktioniert die automatische Widerstandsanpassung mit meinem Taurus Z9 pro!