The latest Zwift update has been announced and will be released in phases over the next few days.
This release is mostly quality-of-life improvements (new Onboarding process, improved workout library organization) and bug fixes (including an important one for Pack Dynamics 4.1). Let’s dive in!
New Onboarding Process for Cyclists
Zwifters know that wrapping your head around utilizing all the platform offers can be challenging. Today’s update revamps Zwift’s “onboarding” process for cyclists by adding a “Get Started” card to the top-left of the homescreen.
Clicking the card takes you to a list of 5 items to check off as you begin using Zwift:
Clicking any of the 5 items brings up a simple page teaching you more basics:
The “Welcome Ride” is a short (4.5km) ride in Watopia taking you through the various on-screen elements as you pedal your way out of downtown and around the Volcano:
The new onboarding process nicely walks the fine line between keeping it simple while giving riders a full picture of what Zwift has to offer. Crucially, it encourages new riders to join group events, emphasizing Zwift’s social strength. This should greatly help the latest crop of new riders as we head into peak indoor season.
Cycling XP: An Imperial Upgrade
Veteran Zwifters have long known you accumulate XP just a bit faster when using metric units vs imperial, since Zwift awards 20 XP per km and 30 XP per mile. Cycling historians will one day agree that this fact alone led to thousands of American cyclists finally learning metric distance units.
Today it all changes, as Zwift is now awarding 32 XP per mile ridden. (This means riders still earn slightly more in metric – but now it’s just 0.6% more instead of 7.3% more!)
Oddly enough, Zwift says this change does not affect run XP, which still gives a 7.3% advantage when using metric.
Pack Dynamics Bug Fix
We’ve published several posts since Pack Dynamics 4.1 was released, and most have mentioned how PD4.1 can cause riders to “waste watts” by pushing harder than necessary to hold position in a pack.
Nine days ago, Zwift said they’d found a bug with PD4.1. Specifically, “Currently, the progression inside the groups in PD 4.1 is harder than it should be.” Today’s update includes this note: “Fixed an issue that could make it difficult to stay in packs or overtake riders in groups.”
We’ve chatted with Zwift, and this fix is indeed related to the watt wasting issue. You may not notice the fix as soon as you update to 1.49, because Zwift will only enable the fix once the phased rollout of 1.49 is at 100% (probably Monday, Oct 2). Zwift is doing it this way since riders on older builds may experience different pack behavior than those on 1.49, so they want to give everyone time to update before enabling the fix.
Workout Reorg
The main workouts screen has received a welcome reorganization which will go live for everyone on October 2. It’s now a much shorter, goal-oriented list of collections:
The reorg includes the removal of some workouts from the library, as some were structured very similarly to others. We’ll publish a dedicated post about all of this on October 2 once the changes are live.
Launcher Update
Zwift released the ability to defer an update on Mac and PC back in August, but you had to have version 1.1.10 of the Zwift launcher to defer an update.
Upgrading to that launcher version was optional for the past few weeks, but today’s release includes a forced update to version 1.1.10 of the launcher, bringing deferred update capabilities to all Mac and PC users.
Release Notes
Here are additional tweaks and bug fixes Zwift provided for this update, with notes from us in italics:
- Zwift Play: Ride Leaders can now control fence options using Zwift Play controllers.
- Zwift Play: Fixed an issue where the braking haptic (vibration) feedback would not work properly if Zwift Play controllers were power cycled or disconnected and reconnected while in game.
- Repack Rush: Improved visual navigation of the Repack Report global and local leaderboards. Probably a necessary update with the forthcoming Repack Rush Multiplayer mode.
- Improved the difficulty estimation of workouts containing free ride blocks.
- Elite Rizer: Improved steering responsiveness in Repack Rush.
- Elite Rizer: Fixed an issue that prevented intersection route selection via steering.
- Fixed an issue which caused bikes to have dust trails and gravel sounds on some Climb Portal routes.
- Running: Fix a bug where speed signals were not working for some treadmills (Bowflex BXT226, BXT216, Landice L7)
- Fix Progress bar slightly cut off for Asian languages.
- Fixed an issue that could cause lag or crashes while navigating through workout collections.
- Fixed a visual issue with custom workout cards.
- Fixed an issue which caused the “Fit & Fun” workout to go missing.
- Climb Portal: Fixed an issue that would allow you to slightly steer off of the road boundaries on some routes.
- Fixed an issue in the France world where an unnamed segment timer would appear with no ETA when approaching the Petit KOM arch from the start of Tire-Bouchon.
- General game stability improvements.
- Android:
Questions or Comments?
If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!
So will this PD fix be the end of the supposedly unintentional but highly effective power surge interval training sessions with Coco? Stay tuned to find out! =)
I hope so, every time I drop in on a pace partner right now I have to average 0.3-0.8W/kg over the stated average or I get spat out, even on the flats
Is there a way to “favorite” workouts?
A bit of a kludge, but go to edit the workout and then save it (you don’t even have to make any changes). It now appears in your Custom Workouts list.
Any word on optimisation for Apple TV? Is it still in the works?
New users should be directed to set the climbing challenge so they don’t waste any mileage achieving the Tron Bike.
I actually think it shouldn’t even be a selectable challenge, simply an award when you reach 50km climbing. Now I’ve got the Tron I don’t even bother with the other ones as the ‘awards’ aren’t worth having over it.
Not sure how I feel about the new imperial XP situation. I have 8 and 13 year olds who can easily multiply by 8.05 and 16.1 as well as understand the distances when we watch races on tv. I don’t think I’ll tell them about the change.
‘Nine days ago, Zwift said they’d found a bug with PD4.1. Specifically, “Currently, the progression inside the groups in PD 4.1 is harder than it should be.” Today’s update includes this note: “Fixed an issue that could make it difficult to stay in packs or overtake riders in groups.”’
Anyone else feel gaslit now? 🤣
Thought I was imagining that things seemed to be more difficult on pace bots. Turns out I’m not losing my fitness, just a “bug”.
Updated Friday and worked just as hard in Pacer Peloton.
Nice to know that others now experience what I have for the last 4 years
Zwift update again on a TTT day. We cannot click “check for update” to update manually. Instead, we get to delay the update but only if you have already updated the launcher, meaning, not. It will still be the same scramble as always. They can’t do anything right can they?
Can you not lick “check for update”? At least on Windows, find the zwift tray icon, right click and check for update.
I tried licking it, Tim. Didn’t work. 😜
Try running Windows Update, licking is a new feature and is only in the newest “moist touch” update.
Moist
My problem isn’t that I cannot lick it. The problem is that licking it doesn’t do anything unless the update has been rolled out to you.
The update came out on Wednesday afternoon US time as it always does, at least 12 hours before any TTT events start. And you can always check for update. And mine updated before I even checked it.
The updates come out like clockwork – every other Wednesday (except when there’s a holiday), you shouldn’t be caught off guard especially if you’re a regular Thursday TTTer.
Mine was updated when I logged on today!
Checking for update does nothing when the update has not been rolled out to you yet. That is so infuriating about it. In the end one does not get around starting Zwift half an hour early even if you’re busy with other stuff.
It takes you a half hour to update Zwift? Are you on a dial-up modem? 😂
I get that the phased rollouts are a bit annoying. But the actual updates take less than a minute on every PC I’ve got…
Favourites would be ace, don’t you think
Anyone having problems with Apple TV running Apple Player in Picture in Picture mode? It seems have recently stopped working.
Once I switch audio to mini apple TV screen, zwift loses connections to Bluetooth sensors.
I have tried pairing via trainer Bluetooth and also via companion app but this hasn’t helped.
Yep something similar
Still have issue with Siri or microphone button on atv remote disconnecting trainer from zwift
So we can SEARCH workouts now? No? Amazing.
that there was a bug was clear after 30 seconds of racing. pushing at 300w (CAT B) and not being able to overtake anyone was quite noticeable.
But they did so much testing of PD4(.1) and didn’t find it somehow!
The theory cannot always be applied. It seemed to pedal on a bike with deflated wheels, last night the more I pedaled the more I lost positions. Do the testers compete in reality?
I was doing Kiss race today and the draft was crazy. The Rubber effect was extreme and no chance to break peloton because it was goong crazy fast. When I was back in the peleton and pushed 2-3 sec i flew and was 10 meter ahead of the rest…..
[Beginner] Last night I noticed power readings on HUD seemed to be more instantaneous than before. But I didn’t see any update notes on that. Maybe they did away with the 3-second average or whatever it was.
I changed from 3 second to the other option ages ago, makes a huge difference. For example, if you pedal hard to catch a group ahead of you, you don’t go flying past them looking like you’re trying to show off.
Guy: changing the setting doesn’t change your actual power. It just change whether Zwift DISPLAYS a 3s average or instantaneous.
T. Jones-LeGros – I think this is a Zwift bug they’re investigating. I’m seeing it too – my power numbers are changing several times per second.
What trainer are you using? I bet it’s a Zwift Hub. Although perhaps it’s a Wahoo KICKR or even Tacx NEO…?
Thank you, Eric. It would be great of the “For You” section of the welcome screen could be edited to include your own favourite activities. As an example, I use the 20 minute INEOS Pre-Race Warm-up workout after I enter the pen for each race, but I have to search through the workout library to find it each time. I now fear the with the restructured workout screen that I may never find that warm-up routine. Marking it as a “favourite” in the “For You” section would be very handy.
The “For You” section could certainly be smarter. But I think Zwift needs to let us “favorite” workouts as well, so we can easily find them.
Although Zwift could do better are you aware that until they do you can ‘Tag Your Workout’ with the word Favourite, and then save it, and this will put all workouts you have tagged with this word into your own ‘Favourite’ folder under your Custom Workouts folder at the very top of the workouts page. Very easy to find.
Thank you, Ian. I just “tagged” the workout as “Favourite” and it now appears in my Custom workout folder – easy to find and very convenient.
I would love, if zwift would extend the Club -functions. Own workouts, more Ride -Options….
nach update auf 1.49 gestartet mein Launcher nicht mehr
Plus the Innovation Multisport Run kit is launched 🙂
In companion my screen keeps flipping from map to home without staying in the map screen. Sometimes the map screen stays up for a second. This is annoying when I want to take a screenshot or give a ride on. Any ideas ?
The climb portal appears to be broken. Tried to do col de la mad one this morning and it wouldn’t direct me in .. and gave no option to go towards the climb portal. Disappointing!
Why did you go back on your promise to keep races either with Zwift Play or without? Is there any reason apart from €£€? It is not fair competition, Unfair especially when you are i in draftable off to the side with a permanent burrito using the new PD system with a narrower cone. Steering is one thing… going far right and far left to have no draft against people that can’t steer is another. I don’t blame Zwift or the people that use it. I actually blame you Eric. It ruins the possibility of following attacks in some races,… Read more »
Huh?
Is this meant for Eric Min?
Eric Min doesn’t make those decisions. He delegates.
You are the ambassador of Zwift Play for Zwift.
Nothing against it. Choice is fine…. Until there is no choice in order to shift units.
Not sure what you’re talking about re: “your promise to keep races either with Zwift Play or without.” I don’t recall making any such promise about the races I run.
You seem to think that I decide how all Zwift races work and also market their hardware for them… neither of those is true.
Not to mention none of this is related to this post at all.
I’ve been noticing a glitch near the Italian Villas. The hill in front of the waterfall is missing, and the road is just floating. Not sure if this is based on the update or what, cause I don’t ride that way very often, but I wanted to report it.