Can I Upload Real Rides to Zwift?
Zwift is an online cycling game and training program that enables users to ride, train and compete in a virtual world.
Aimed at eliminating the excruciating boredom of merely sitting on the trainer and staring at the wall, Zwift has exploded in popularity since its release in 2014.
Indoor cycling is all the rage at the moment. It seems like every cycling brand now has something to offer this burgeoning marketplace, with recent releases including indoor bikes from Wahoo, Stages and SRM, and indoor-specific cycling kit from Madison and Le Col.
There are a number of unlike indoor cycling apps available, but Zwift is arguably the most fully featured, and nigh certainly the near popular – reports suggest that more than than one-half a million people have signed upwardly for an account so far.
Zwift
More and more features are continuously beingness added to Zwift, which is generally cracking considering information technology brings a lot of value to an already impressive parcel. Merely it can likewise brand knowing how and where to start quite daunting.
There's no need to worry though. We've done a mount of research and have put together a comprehensive guide to the virtual training and racing platform. Here's everything yous need to know about Zwift.
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What is Zwift?
Zwift is an online, interactive training and racing platform. Your pedalling on a trainer drives your avatar around a virtual course. The harder you pedal, the faster you lot get.
Zwift has nine different worlds (more on these later), and within each you can navigate the roads as yous go.
Yous tin can ride with thousands of other riders inside Zwift. You can join group rides and races – and even get a draft from other riders – or just join the earth and jump on with other riders when you lot desire to. You can too exercise structured ability-based workouts.
Information technology features a multitude of gamified elements that encourage y'all to ride longer and harder, with the goal of increasing your fitness. Zwift's catchphrase is 'Fun is fast'.
Of course, if that doesn't sound similar your cup of tea, there are many other great apps to try, such every bit RGT Cycling, Wahoo Systm, TrainerRoad and Rouvy.
How does Zwift work?
Zwift
Zwift takes the input from your bike – either via a power meter, a smart trainer or just a speed/cadency sensor using Ant+ or Bluetooth – and uses an algorithm to translate your input information into your avatar's speed on the virtual class.
Information technology takes into account your weight, your ability or calculated ability, the road slope and the draft, or lack thereof, from other riders.
You can utilise Zwift on a computer (PC or Mac), an iPhone, an iPad or an Android smartphone or tablet.
Zwift is now besides compatible with Apple Idiot box, so if you've got i of those (and your partner/roommate doesn't heed), yous can prepare yourself up right in front of the Telly.
How much does Zwift cost?
Initially, information technology's gratuitous; though long term, sadly non.
You tin get a free seven-twenty-four hours trial if y'all register for a Zwift account online, but after your trial menstruum ends information technology costs £12.99 / $14.99 per month to continue using it.
What equipment do I need to utilize Zwift?
The basic listing of equipment yous demand is:
- A cycle (or smart bike)
- A trainer or a gear up of rollers
- An Pismire+ or Bluetooth measurement tool: a power meter, smart trainer or speed/cadence sensor
- A calculator, smartphone or tablet with Bluetooth or ANT+ (or an ANT+ USB dongle)
Zwift
As the main source of input data for the virtual earth, the ANT+ or Bluetooth measurement tool you apply is really the key piece of equipment (after your bike, obviously).
If you're actually committed to your indoor training (and have the required cash lying around), then you can get a defended indoor bike.
Loftier-end smart bikes such as the Stages Cyling SB20, Wattbike Atom and Wahoo Kickr Bike, offering fully integrated indoor training solutions for those looking to squeeze every terminal watt out of their virtual training and racing sessions.
Zwift will use the data from your power meter to calculate your in-game speed
A smart trainer is the next choice. Like an indoor smart cycle, a smart trainer will measure out your power directly and transmit that data straight to Zwift.
Beyond but measuring power, smart trainers are also able to simulate course gradients – changing the resistance according to the slope – and can be controlled by Zwift in Conditioning fashion to brand certain you lot're hitting the prescribed wattages of a training session (again, more on this later).
Smart trainers still aren't cheap, but prices have come up downwardly in recent years as the market has get more competitive. If you want to know how to become the most out of Zwift on a budget, be sure to cheque out our guide.
Simon von Bromley / Firsthand Media
If you have a power meter, you can make do with any kind of trainer or rollers. Zwift will use the data from your power meter to summate your in-game speed, just obviously yous'll miss out on simulated gradients and controlled Workouts that come with using an indoor training bicycle or smart trainer.
A speed/cadence sensor is the most basic option and allows you to use your regular bike (with no power meter) attached to a conventional trainer. Zwift will and then crunch the numbers to estimate your ability. It's not the most accurate or realistic pick, of class, but it does have i major reward: it'south the cheapest fashion to get started on Zwift.
For more on this topic, check out our guide to the best Zwift setups for every passenger.
Zwift
How do I go started on Zwift?
First, you need to sign up for an account.
Using your Mac or PC, y'all can do it online on the Zwift website. On a tablet or smartphone, you tin download the Zwift app from the Apple tree App Store or Google Play, and sign upwards through that.
Yous tin sign up for a subscription (£12.99 / $xiv.99 per month) straight away or showtime a free seven-day trial.
If you're using a computer or Apple TV for Zwift, we also recommend downloading the Zwift Companion app from the App Store or Google Play. This app puts a number of convenient features at your fingertips, such as changing the direction of your avatar and messaging other Zwifters.
The Companion app is as well a great style of exploring and signing upwards for the many events that Zwift offers – such every bit group rides, group workouts and races.
Once that'southward all prepare, and you lot have the app running, you need to pair your devices. These should announced on screen equally clickable options once you've woken them up.
Adjacent, yous but cull which earth yous want to ride in.
What courses can I ride on Zwift?
There are currently ix dissimilar worlds in regular utilise on Zwift:
- Watopia
- France
- Innsbruck
- London
- Makuri Islands
- New York
- Paris
- Richmond
- Yorkshire
Zwift
Each of these worlds has a number of preset courses for you to ride, or you can just pedal freely around each map.
There is a take hold of, though. On any particular day, there will only exist three worlds available to ride: Watopia (Zwift's original and most fully featured virtual world) and ii 'guest worlds' (two of the others).
Zwift
This might sound restrictive, just Zwift is designed to be a social platform, and this stops the user base spreading out too thinly across the platform. With this feature in place, you'll always have other people to ride with (and against).
If you desire to know when a detail earth will be available to ride, yous can see the schedule for the coming month on the right of the Earth Choice screen.
Alternatively, you tin schedule rides with your friends in any of the 8 worlds using the Meetups feature in the Zwift Companion app (more than on this subsequently).
Zwift
In that location are also two other event-only world maps:
- Bologna
- Crit City
These two maps are not part of Zwift's regular 'invitee world' rotation and can only be accessed via in-game events such as races (more on Zwift racing beneath).
How do I join a grouping ride on Zwift?
One time prepare and ready to become, you can start exploring Zwift'southward virtual world as yous delight, but there's besides the pick to join a group ride.
When yous log in to Zwift, you'll run across a listing of upcoming rides and races on the upper-correct of the Mac/PC screen. On the Companion app, you tin see a more than detailed listing with descriptions, times and more information. You can also go to zwift.com/events for a full list.
To join, simply click the ride. On most group rides you can self-select the level of intensity, from A to D (nosotros've outlined what these categories mean in the racing section beneath). Group rides are categorised to ensure anybody rides together.
Zwift
If you are not still riding, y'all tin receive a reminder. If you lot are already riding and an event is starting soon, y'all tin join, and when the start time gets close, your avatar will be transported to the start line, where you can warm upwardly on a virtual trainer while waiting to start.
In the start corral, yous can meet the other riders who will be doing the event and your instant message chats will be seen only by others in that grouping.
Virtually events accept a ride leader you can follow, and y'all can read their comments on screen as y'all go. For mellower rides, the grouping leader often communicates to keep the grouping together.
Pace Partners
If yous don't desire to join an organised event but still desire someone to ride with, y'all can now choose to ride with a Pace Partner. These are bots that ride effectually Watopia and the Makur Islands at a predetermined stride.
Riders can bring together and go out at any time, for a convenient and impromptu group ride. The size of the group each bot has with them depends on how many other Zwifters are choosing to ride with them at any point in time.
Zwift
There are currently four Pace Partners:
- D. Dan: 1.5 w/kg. Coincidental grouping ride with a few gentle hills
- C. Cadency: 2.5 westward/kg. Moderately paced grouping ride with occasional hills
- B. Brevet: 3.3 w/kg. Expert group ride with lots of climbs
- A. Anquetil: four.2 due west/kg. Elite group ride on a hard route. Expect lots of tough climbs
For full details on when the dissimilar Stride Partners are bachelor, visit Zwift.com.
Zwift
Can I race on Zwift?
Yes, y'all can race on Zwift. Doing and so is equally piece of cake as joining any other upshot or grouping ride on the calendar – you simply choose a race from the events list, choose which category you desire to compete in and sign up.
Categories for racing are based on Functional Threshold Power (FTP), in watts per kilogram (west/kg):
- A = 4.0w/kg and above
- B = iii.two–three.9w/kg
- C = 2.v–3.1w/kg
- D = 2.4w/kg and below
If you don't know your FTP, you can use ane of the FTP tests available on Zwift's Workouts page – full details can be plant in our how to take an FTP exam on Zwift guide.
In one case yous've selected a category and signed up for a race, Zwift will automatically take you to the race start when the race is about to begin.
Have your h2o bottles, an Xl fan and towel set, considering if you have to stop mid-race, you'll go dropped and left behind immediately.
Brand sure yous give yourself plenty of time to get warmed upward too, Zwift races are notorious for starting fast – some people even pump up the watts just before the starting time to become a spring on everyone else.
Be aware that drafting also happens, fifty-fifty in virtual racing! Try to use this to your advantage, just like in the real earth.
Zwift
What does w/kg mean?
W/kg simply means 'watts divided by kilograms'. It's also known as your 'ability-to-weight ratio', and it'southward a key effigy in determining operation on a bike in both Zwift and the real globe.
On a flat route, the absolute amount of power someone can produce is a fundamental metric. But when the road goes uphill y'all also have to overcome the force of gravity, and the greater your total mass (body and bike), the more power is required to accelerate to, or maintain, a certain speed.
Zwift uses your westward/kg at FTP firstly to determine how fast your avatar moves in the virtual earth, particularly uphill
With that in mind, the wattage y'all can produce per kilo of body weight becomes the cardinal metric on any pregnant hill.
Zwift uses your w/kg at FTP firstly to decide how fast your avatar moves in the virtual world, especially uphill. Beyond that, it besides uses westward/kg at FTP to gear up categories and intensity levels for grouping rides, races, workouts and training plans.
As y'all might take figured out, it'southward pretty piece of cake to cheat the organization by only inbound your weight as lower than it really is. But, as the old saying goes, you'd but exist adulterous yourself…
Zwift
What are PowerUps?
PowerUps are one of the ways Zwift gamifies the platform. They give you lot either an immediate quantity of experience points (XP), or a way to temporarily boost your avatar's speed.
They're awarded randomly whenever yous laissez passer through a start/finish, KOM/QOM or sprint arch. A bit like on Mario Kart, if yous already take an unused PowerUp when y'all pass through an arch, you won't become another.
There are currently nine different PowerUps in Zwift:
- Large Bonus: Instantly gives yous 250 XP points
- Small Bonus: Instantly gives you 10XP points
- Feather Lightweight: Symbolised by a plume, this reduces your weight by ten per cent for xv seconds. All-time saved for use on a steep climb, where it volition make the biggest divergence to your speed
- Truck Draft Boost: Symbolised past a van, increases the issue of drafting other riders past 50 per cent for 30 seconds. This is a PowerUp for riding at speed on the flats, where drafting has the biggest upshot
- Helmet Aero Heave: Reduces your avatar'south aerodynamic drag by 25 per cent for 15 seconds. This is useful when riding solo on the flat or at high speeds
- Breakaway Burrito: Makes y'all 'undraftable' for 10 seconds. Best used when trying to intermission away from a group
- Invisibility: Symbolised by a ghost, this makes y'all invisible to other riders for 10 seconds. Best used when trying to suspension away from a grouping or solo rider – try to establish a gap before you reappear and everyone realises what you've washed
- Steamroller: This power-upwards is limited to off-route events in Watopia's Jungle Circuit and offers a significant reduction to your avatar'south rolling resistance for 30 seconds. It essentially makes riding on dirt roads equally piece of cake every bit riding on tarmac
- Anvil: The opposite of the Featherweight PowerUp, the Anvil makes your avatar 50kg heavier for xxx seconds. Best used on descents to maximise your speed
PowerUps can be activated at any time by hitting the spacebar on your computer, or via the Zwift Companion app – but touch the on-screen PowerUp icon. One time activated, timed PowerUps will show a timer for how long your PowerUp has left to run.
If you're in the middle of a structured conditioning, or on a TT bike, y'all can only acquire Small and Big Bonus PowerUps – so you tin can't use them to make your training any easier, sadly.
Can I utilize Zwift for structured workouts?
Zwift
Admittedly, this is one of Zwift's key features.
Zwift has hundreds of structured workouts (which are essentially interval training sessions) to choose from – or yous can build your own – and you can fifty-fifty sign up for long-term training plans.
You can choose a plan to target specific events or weaknesses, such equally 'TT-Tune Up' – which, as the name suggests, focuses on the aerobic power and top-end fitness required for fourth dimension trialling.
Or there are broader plans such every bit 'FTP Builder', designed to increase your full general fitness and Functional Threshold Power in a brusk corporeality of time.
These plans have been put together past real coaches and are designed to be flexible, so if life gets hectic, you can easily move sessions around to fit in with everything going on in the real globe.
Zwift
All structured training on Zwift is based around your w/kg at FTP, and then yous really need some sort of power measuring device – a smart indoor bike, smart trainer or ability meter – to get the nigh out of this feature.
If you're on a smart indoor bike, or a smart trainer, and then there's an option to allow Zwift to command the resistance in ERG mode.
This volition override whatever changes in class gradient and change the resistance according to the specified wattages in the conditioning. This is a great way to ensure you lot're hitting the prescribed wattage and getting the virtually out of every grooming session.
If you don't have a ability measuring device, Zwift will endeavour to gauge your ability output using information from your speed/cadence sensor and data most any trainer you're using. Equally these numbers are just estimates, though, the training zones and data generated won't be every bit accurate every bit they could be.
How do I do a Zwift workout?
Zwift
To do a workout on Zwift, log in, and so click on 'Preparation' underneath the 'World Pick' section in the middle of the window.
This will open a new window, where y'all'll meet ii tabs. One for single workouts and another for grooming plans with multiple sessions.
If yous've already set your FTP, then you can simply select a workout and get going.
If you're new to Zwift, information technology's worth doing an FTP test to go an accurate baseline figure for Zwift to base your workouts around.
Zwift
In addition to workouts that you lot do on your ain, at whatever fourth dimension, at that place are also scheduled grouping workouts. Like a group ride in the real world, these start at fixed times (and you have to sign up for them in advance via the events page) and involve multiple participants.
Unlike the group rides and races, though, group workouts keep everyone together in a group. As long as you are pedalling, you stay in the bunch.
The group conversation function works well in group workouts
Equally with the individual workouts, your efforts are based on your FTP. However, in grouping workouts, Zwift tethers everyone together and so the end result is like existence in an indoor cycling class: y'all are all post-obit the same workout together, but at different private efforts according to your fitness.
The group chat function works well hither, in that the only messages you run across (and transport) are to the grouping.
How do I upload my Zwift rides to Strava?
You can link your Zwift account with Strava, and ensure your efforts announced on the KOM/QOM leaderboards.
At that place are two means to practice information technology. On the Zwift Companion app (on an iOS or Android device ) or via zwift.com.
On the Zwift Companion app, tap 'More' in the bottom right corner, and then tap into 'Settings'. From there, tap 'Connections' and y'all'll find Strava at the top of the list. Only tap the + icon and y'all'll be asked to enter your login details for Strava.
Once that's done, your accounts will exist synced and your Zwift rides will upload to Strava automatically.
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You'll know you're connected if the Strava logo appears in colour and the + sign has changed to a tick.
On zwift.com, the procedure is very like. Log in to your business relationship, then click on 'Settings' in the top-left corner.
In Settings, click on 'Connections'. Click on 'Connect' under the Strava logo and enter your Strava log-in details when prompted.
You'll then automatically be directed back to Zwift, where the Strava logo should at present be in colour, instead of greyed out.
How practise I customise my Zwift avatar and bike?
Yes, we're all individuals! In Zwift, you lot can customise the appearance of your rider and your bike. Head to the Preferences department of the menu and y'all can toggle through a number of choices for how your avatar and bike look in the 'Drop Store'.
As y'all ride and consummate challenges, y'all'll earn XP and in-game currency (known every bit Drops). Equally you level upwards, y'all'll unlock more bikes and wheels on which to spend the currency you earn. Be warned, though, if you lot want the best bikes, you'll need to put in a lot of hours on the bike (unless yous're willing to resort to more nefarious means).
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Locked bikes and wheels tin also be more aerodynamic or lighter (and sometimes both) than the basic kit available when yous start. And then the kit y'all unlock will actually make a difference to your avatar'southward speed in the virtual world, not just how it looks.
To unlock the BikeRadar kit in Zwift, just press "P" afterwards you sign in and enter the code "BIKERADAR". The kit volition and so be available for your avatar via the normal customisation options.
Zwift
How practise I chat in Zwift?
When using a figurer, press 'Grand' so just start typing. Your messages will be seen past riders near yous.
When using the Zwift Companion app, you can use the Group Text button to conversation with riders in your same group or race. You can also hitting the chat box next to an individual passenger to send a private message.
The easiest way is probably using the talk-to-text function on an Android or iOS device. To do this, hit the mic icon after y'all have brought upward the bulletin box.
How practise I set upwards a grouping ride?
The quickest way to gear up up a private group ride with your followers is to apply the Zwift Meetups feature in the Zwift Companion app. Head to the Events page, tap the Meetups icon at the top of the page then tap 'Create Meetup'.
From in that location, you'll have a number of options to customise the ride; the date and time you want to ride, where y'all desire to ride, route, altitude/duration, whether to automatically proceed everyone tethered together or not… and whether you want the Meetup to be a race!
Once yous've decided on those details, y'all merely need to invite people from your list of followers (you lot can only invite Zwifters who follow you to a Meetup ride currently), add some ride details so invitees know what they're existence invited to and and so tap Create Meetup.
Simon von Bromley / Immediate Media
When it'south time for your Meetup, merely log into Zwift a few minutes beforehand and Zwift will automatically transport you to the first of the ride.
Zwift besides recently changed things so that yous can still join a ride up to thirty minutes after the Meetup has begun (provided it's not a race), then there's no need to worry if you're running a piddling belatedly.
Can I report riders for bad behaviour?
On the whole, Zwift is pretty ceremonious, only yous might encounter a few problems.
For starters, it is impossible to crash or be crashed by someone. If you feel like someone is acting inappropriately, you lot can flag them with the Zwift Companion app.
You tin can also flag other riders for foul language, harassment or suspicious power output. This final category Zwift has set every bit 'flier' – basically meaning if you see someone flying past you at a sustained 8+ watts per kilogram, then something is up.
Zwift has power profiles for globe-class performances for various durations. So if a rider gets flagged, and Zwift looks at their file and sees they are indeed producing phenomenal ability, so the rider will receive a message along the lines of 'hey, y'all should be pro!', with a recommendation to bank check their settings and a notification that their ride is invisible to other riders.
That rider will still be able to consummate their ride and see other people in the game, just they will just be invisible to others.
Two things tin cause supernatural power in Zwift: inaccurately entering weight (and thus altering that due west/kg figure) or having a trainer improperly ready up.
Steering
One of the more than recent innovations on Zwift is the steering functionality. Originally restricted to a small off-route form in the Titan's Grove area of Watopia, it's now possible to use steering across the entirety of the game.
In club to take reward of this new feature, y'all'll demand an Elite Sterzo Smart steering plate, which costs £69.99 / $109.99 / €84.99.
Zwift
With steering enabled, you'll be able to choose your line more deliberately (to accept a racing line, for example), or move out of a group to preclude other riders from drafting you.
Even so, it also means that your avatar will no longer be able to ride through other avatars – you'll have to steer around them instead.
Zwift
You'll likewise have to pay shut attention to the riders in front because you'll need to steer yourself into the draft in order to become the maximum advantage.
Outcome organisers can choose to have steering turned on or off, and then brand sure to double check this when signing up.
- Zwift expands in-game steering to all roads
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Source: https://www.bikeradar.com/features/zwift-your-complete-guide/