zwift level 10 tour of italy

It’s Game On With Zwift

[Note: This article was originally published in Autumn, 2017, and has been updated to reflect changes over the past 12 months. This is the 3rd of what will be 8ish articles on how to Zwift, the whole series binge-published over the next 2 weeks.]

If you’re coming to this cold, this is the third installment in “How to Zwift.” We began by describing the easiest way to Zwift , requiring a very small cost outlay in tech and equipment. Then we dove into the experience . We took a high quality tool out of its box and learned to use it. That, by itself, has been fun. Now it’s time to craft something with that tool.

What do you want to build? Zwift is a game, if that’s what you want it to be. Or a training tool. It’s also a virtual community (not as in Westworld, with real-looking people who nevertheless aren’t real; rather there’s real people behind the avatars in a group ride).

Just know that however you want Zwift to manifest itself – whatever experience you want to craft with this powerful tool – you still don’t need to “upgrade” your equipment. You can (if you want), but one luxury of Zwift is not needing to spend a lot of money on technical hardware.

I’ll be what I am, a solitary man…

For some of us, training time is alone time. Cycling is internal, not social. In my own Zwift experiences I’ve had a lot of fun just chasing whatever is in front of me – exploring the courses and routes, chasing the next turn, cresting the next hill, and going just a little bit farther than I thought I could. For some, that’s enough. But Zwift offers more.

It’s On Like Donkey Kong: Experience Points (XP) and Rider Levels

Not unlike the classic arcade hits, Zwift offers a means of building up your rider using a points system. There are 25 rider levels in Zwift, and you move up levels by accumulating Experience Points (XP). You earn points primarily by getting time in the saddle and putting in the miles (or kilometers), and you can see your progress towards the next level with the orange bar near the center top of the screen. Each mile earns you 30 points, and each kilometer earns you 20 points.

Everybody starts out at level 1 and you must earn 1,000 points to get to level 2. It isn’t a linear scale, though – while it only takes 1,000 points (just over 33.3 miles or 50 km) per level to advance through levels 1-6, it takes 2,000 points to get to level 7, and then escalates rather quickly from there. If you want to get to level 25, you’re going to have to earn 110,000 points – the equivalent of 3,666.67 miles (5,500 km).

But it’s not just miles ridden that hikes you to another level. You can expedite your progress across levels with Power-Ups, which I’ll discuss in a minute.

Kits, Wheels, and New Bikes

You unlock some new features every time you move up a rider level – new kits, new wheels, new bikes, and new routes. For example, at level 2, you unlock a new jersey, getting to level 5 will net you a Specialized Allez, and level 10 is good for Zipp 808s. If you get to level 24, you earn a Cervelo S5.

Yes, the new bikes and wheels will make you faster, as their weight and aerodynamics are factored into the game engine. So, they aren’t just for looks.

You don’t have to ride for months to earn new features. There are a lot of kits available through promo codes. A quick Google search will reveal a bunch of options. In the last article, we gave you the SLOWTWITCH promo code that unlocks the Slowtwitch kit. Just type P to bring up the promo code dialog, enter SLOWTWITCH and press Enter. You have now reached the pinnacle of virtual cycling fashion.

Timed Segments

On every route in Zwift, there are opportunities for some bragging rights – King/Queen of the Mountain (KOM/QOM) for climbs, sprints, and overall route/lap times. When you hit the start of a timed segment, the HUD will display a list of the standings on the left side of the screen, and your ETA will be displayed at the top of the screen. The standings are always moving – they are based on who is on course now and how long ago they achieved their place. You are basically racing whoever is currently on course and yourself. You may find that fast lap time you put down out of the gate may go away if you keep riding long enough.

We talked briefly about Power-Ups in the last article as a part of the Zwift HUD (Head’s Up Display) and how you can use them. The rider looking to Zwift as a training tool and ride simulator might find Power-Ups to be a bit too game-like or even see them as a form of cheating. They are frowned upon in some group rides and races. That’s where we have to accept that Zwift is a game that varies slightly from reality. If you can’t quite get that KOM from the guy who used the “lightweight” power up, that’s just part of the game.

There are 5 different power-ups:

Small Bonus – 10 extra experience points, independent of any mileage you’ve logged.

Large Bonus – 250 extra experience points.

Lightweight – indicated by a feather icon, this will reduce your weight by 15 pounds for 15 seconds.

Draft boost – indicated by a van icon, this will increase the draft effect you are experiencing by 50% for 30 seconds. This really only helps when you are drafting off another rider.

Aero boost – indicated by an aero helmet icon, this reduces your CdA by 25% for 30 seconds.

So how do you get them? Power-Ups are somewhat random – you may get one by completing a timed segment and going through a finish arch. You can’t bank them up – you are only able to hold one at a time.

Pizza Power

Sometimes the simplest motivator is food. Zwift has you covered here, too – your Pizza Power is the number of slices of pizza you earned during your ride. I wouldn’t recommend eating your pizza as you earn it – you’ll get grease on your keyboard.

Achievements

Zwift provides a cornucopia of fun, odd challenges simply called Achievements. Some are earned by using features of Zwift, some are earned by putting in mileage, and a few are labeled as “extra credit.” Did 5 laps of the Watopia volcano route? That’s an achievement called “warmed up.” Hit 30 mph? You earn the “Whoa Nelly.” Watch someone else ride for too long? You earned the appropriately named “Stalker” achievement. If you can call that an achievement. Some are pretty easy to obtain, others take some tricks. Getting the Daredevil achievement by hitting 50 mph takes a little bit of learning.

If you are one who is motivated by something a bit more big picture, you can take on a challenge. Challenges are selected from the Pause or Start screen and you can only have one challenge selected at a time. You can switch between them, but will only be credited towards one challenge at a time. Currently there are 3 challenges:

Climb Mt. Everest – 29,028 feet of climbing. All in a day’s work, right?

Ride California – Cover a total of 797 miles to complete the Ride California challenge.

Tour Italy – This one doesn’t get unlocked until you reach level 10, but once you do, you can ride 1,242 miles to cover Italy.

None of these involve special courses – you don’t get a California course for participating in the Ride California challenge. You just have to use your imagination for now. You can certainly use some strategy for achieving these. If you’re looking to complete Everest, find a steep grade and do hill repeats. Trying to maximize your miles for Ride California? Stay on the flats and keep the hammer down. As you learn the courses, you’ll know where to find places to maximize your progress.

If you’re the type of person who likes to set a monthly or weekly distance goal to reward yourself for consistency, Zwift has an option to set goals. On the start screen, just below the course calendar, you’ll find a button where you can set your goal in distance or hours and track your progress. In the image above, I set a goal of 5 miles per month. Hey, don’t judge me. Baby steps.

Sometimes, sponsors will offer missions, providing yet another means to inspire you to get on your bike regularly. Any current mission will be displayed on the Start screen, on the left side. You may get a chance to win real prizes!

OK, this riding by myself stuff is boring. I’m a people person!

Remember that Solitary Man bit? What about those who enjoy the social aspect of riding a bike? Besides the best-in-class graphics, and everything described thus far, the community element places Zwift in company among indoor training software products. Along with tools that display your data the interactive, game-like experience provides a sense of community by default – you see other riders out riding. You can draft off them, wave to them, send group text messages, or even give a “Ride on!” to another rider. It’s not just the impression you’re not alone. You’re really not alone!

Zwift not only provides for this casual contact, with a bit of planning you can take part in pre-planned group rides or workouts. But this is enough to absorb! Virtual group riding comes next.

Here's the whole series:

1. Welcome to Watopia : Install Zwift using virtual power, the most cost-effective option. 2. Zwift, The Deeper Dive : One more layer below the surface. 3. It's Game On With Zwift : Zwift is a game, but also a virtual community. 4. Zwift: Let's Dance! The social aspect; Zwift is a Massive Multiplayer Game. 5. Zwift: A Potent Tool for Training : Zwift’s workout mode. 6. On Zwift Every Day is Race Day : Zwift's racing culture and community.

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Zwift Levels – Points, Unlocks, and Great Bikes You Should Buy

Passionate cyclist and content creator

One of the impressive aspects of Zwift is its ability to retain users on the platform. The incorporation of Zwift Levels serves as a powerful tool in enhancing user engagement on the platform.

So we thought we’d map out exactly what they are and what you get for hitting them.

First off, there’s a lot here. Tables, recommendations, video etc. So to make it easier just check out the contents below.

Zwift Levels Introduction

Right now, there are 50 rider levels in Zwift. When you join, you begin at level 1 and get promoted to higher levels by accumulating XP (experience) points for every mile/ km you ride or workout blocks.

When riding, your current Zwift level is displayed at the top of the screen next to speed, distance, elevation, and ride time. So it’s always in your face.

A progress bar is underneath, showing how far you have until the next level. So you can always focus on the next stage.

Fortunately, moving up through the levels brings you rewards besides the higher number.

What’s the deal with Zwift Levels?

Ok, this is a personal view here. But generally speaking, no one is going to know if you have a low level.

However, what leveling does is give you access to various rewards. Also, many of the best wheel and framesets are restricted to higher-level riders.

There are also some areas with level requirements, Alpe du Zwift being for Level 12s and over.

How to get through the Levels on Zwift – XP points

Points are added for every km (20 XP) or mile (30 XP) you ride. Yes, that’s right. It is better to use kilometers regardless of your position on imperial or metric levels. You get XP over 7% faster that way.

If you want more detail, here’s Zwift’s own take on XP and Zwift Levels .

1 mile equals 1.61 kilometers. If points were awarded equally between imperial and metric, it should be 20 XP per km and 32.2 XP per mile. That’s a 7% difference. So do km.

The exception to this is workout mode. Here points are based on interval type, length, and completion.

There are also XP points available for bonus power-ups and 10 points for going through a banner on a time trial bike. Lastly, you get them to get route badges.

For more tips, go to the 107 Indoor Cycling and Zwift Tips – the Ulitmate Guide.

Get more XP to get through the levels more quickly

In essence, the only way you are going to get through the Zwift levels is by riding. But here are some ways to expedite the process.

• Avoid the hills and go for flatter routes. This is a numbers game. The more mile (I mean km) you rack up, the more points you get. That said, if you need to do hills for the Everest Challenge, then make sure you do the downhills too get back the distance. Even if you’re just rolling down.
• Earn badges. This one is sometimes forgotten as many people like riding events, training, or have their own fave route. Getting badges for different courses such as Road to the Ruins is just free XP points. And some badges are really easy to get.
• Do group rides. This is a bit cheeky. But basically, get into a blob and ride around. You’ll cover more km that way that on your own.
• Always get to the end of the km. It’s not much but don’t stop on 4.9km or whatever. Get the XP for that last km. It all counts.

Zwift Drops – the currency of Zwift

As you accumulate miles you’ll notice you are building up a bank of ‘drops’. You can see them build up in the blue panel in the rider dashboard. 

You can spend them in the Drop Shop, which is accessed via the Zwift garage. Each one is worth the equivalent of $0.01. So although you have 5,000 of them, that won’t get you a $1000 set of wheels. 

Most importantly though, you will need to have the appropriate level to get the kit. For example, get to Level 34 and you get the Felt AR frame – allegedly the 2nd fastest in Zwift. 

There’s a ton of stuff to buy. But effectively, it gives you access to wheelsets and frames. 

Drops are gained riding but some forms of activity produce more. Here is a very quick overview: 

• Climbing – the steeper and longer the better.
• Distance – more miles gets you more drops as well as XP. 
• Ride Ons – so there’s method to giving everyone a ride on.

Best frames and wheels to buy with your Drops

This is not the place for a massive list. You can something at everything level – but lets not turn this post into a big table. There is already one of those below.

Here are mine and James’ favourite bike in the Drop Shop, which becomes available as you go through the levels on Zwift. You can assume we’ve been saving our Drops.

Up to Zwift level 10 – Vintage Kit

In terms of Rewards, there’s not a lot to choose from in the first 10 levels. However, the Oakleys are pretty decent at Level 10, as is the Vintage Kit at Level 8.

When it comes to the Drop Shop, there are some decent bikes available. It’s worth trying to hold off spending your drops until you’re at least on Level 5. It won’t take you long to get there.

Best Frames and Wheels Levels 1-10

Zwift aero frame – level 6.

The first great frame you can access. It costs 319,500 Drops but it’s worth saving up. It will make an instant difference.

Mavic Cosmic Ultimate UST wheels – Level 9

Cost, 142,000 Drops. Just like on the bike, you can focus too much on the frame. These wheels are good all-rounders.

Up to Zwift Level 20 – Classy Kits

From Level 11 upwards you’re starting to have to ride a fair bit of distance to move up. A favourite Zwift Reward has to be the Digital Camo Jersey at Level 11. To get it you just have to ride 950km.

Or the Classy Kits pack at Level 18.

Best Frames and Wheels Levels 11-20

Specialized allez sprint frame – level 14.

Generally regarded as a solid frame. Is it better than the Zwift Aero? Maybe, but is it worth 127,800 Drops? The depends on whether you want to save up for something like…

Specialized Venge frame – Level 18

This is rated as one of the fastest frames in Zwift and it’s only 461,500 Drops. Personally, if you haven’t got one yet it’s because you haven’t reached the level.

Trek Madone Frame – Level 20

Seriously, try and get this one. It is one of the fastest frames in the game and the best in the first 25 levels – barring the Tron Bike , which is a completely different bag of tire levers. It costs over 865,000 Drops though, so get saving.

Zwift Level 21-30 – Oversize Glasses

Oversize glasses? You’d never wear them out on the road. But they look good here. Another piece of free kit is the S-Works shoes on level 27. Really though, you should be looking at some of the frames in the 20s levels.

Best frames and Wheels Level 21-30

Trek madone frame.

Really good climbing frame for this low down the levels. A definite one to get if you’re going for the Tron Bike. The Madone will set you back 887,500 Zwift Drops.

Zipp 454 wheels – Level 24

Very good climbing wheels and possibly the best you are likely to get before you hit the level 30+. And they’ll cost 284,000 Drops.

Zwift Levels 31-40 – seriously good kit in the Drop Shop

This where things get interesting. Some rather good frames start to appear, including possibly the best timetrial frame in Zwift.

Best frames and wheels Level 31-40

Enve ses 8.9 wheels – level 31.

These will cost 205,900 Drops for some seriously fast rims. Yes, there are others further up the levels but the higher you the longer it takes.

Specialized Venge S-Works frame – Level 33

Reputed to be the fastest frame in Zwift, this beauty will set you back just short of 799,000 Drops.

Felt IA frame – Level 37

The best time-trial bike in Zwift, according to reports. We have not tested this out. However, it will cost just over 1m Drops.

Zwift Levels 41-50 – the what you get at the end

Well here is an admission. I haven’t got to Level 50. But, if I had I would take genuine pride in getting the Level 50 kit. It’s probably the Tron Bike of kits.

Best wheels under Zwift Level 50

Zipp 858/super9 wheels – level 45.

Fastest wheels on Zwift (allegedly). Who know, I’m not even at that level yet. They will cost 1,508,800 Drops, costs in probably irrelevant by now. You should be Drop rich just to hit this level.

Concluding thoughts – the Kit is the Best thing

Final thoughts? The Drop Shop kit is really the thing. The bikes can make a fair difference – inasmuch as they do on the road.

And there’s the thing. They do make a difference and it’s quite good fun chopping and changing in the garage.

But if they made that much difference, what would be the point in riding. That’s where Zwift gets the balance right. No amount of kit will make you better than a stronger rider. The way it should be.

Keep Cycling

Just get on the bike - 1 hour or 20 minutes. It's all good.

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MORE ROUTES, MORE FUN, MORE FITNESS

CONQUER THE GRADE

Check out Watopia’s newest locations—eight incredible routes with everything from sunny shoreside flats and Mayan citadels to flower-lined streets and The Grade, a new climb segment stretching up into the snowy mountaintops!

EIGHT EPIC ROUTES

Ready for some fresh tarmac? The 2024 Watopia Expansion is here, packed with new sights, winding mountainsides, lush landscapes, and The Grade: a monumental new climb featuring an FTP test that stretches from the hot sands of Watopia’s Southern Coast all the way to the snowy peaks in the north.

The only way through is up on this 7.8 km coast-to-mountain peak beast, featuring The Grade.

COASTAL CROWN LOOP

Cruise through all 15 km and soak in the beauty of Watopia’s Mayan city. Be prepared for an additional 8.6 km lead-in.

GLYPH HEIGHTS

It doesn’t take an archeologist to decipher the fun on this 25.4 km loop. Be prepared for an additional 8.6 km lead-in.

Mountains, Mayan cities, shores, and more—explore it all on this challenging 34.6 km figure eight loop.

TIDES AND TEMPLES

Soak in the good vibes on this 36.5 km tour of the southern beaches and Mayan Temples.

PEAK PERFORMANCE

Roll through the Island flats before going sky-high on the Epic KOM and back down in this 45.8 km loop.

Keep it cool and power through 44 kms of frosty and coastal loops stacked through Watopia.

ELEVATION EVALUATION

This 24.6 km loop is your go-to to lap The Grade and see if you can score a new high FTP.

The Watopia Expansion will be a part of the 1.67 rolling release, scheduled to start on June 11, 2024. All Zwifters will have access to the expansion by June 13, 2024.

Make sure you are on the latest Zwift build to access the Watopia Expansion. You can learn more about checking your Zwift app version here or by checking the ‘About’ tab in-game settings.

The Grade is a segment that passes through Ciudad de La Cumbre to the top of Epic KOM mountain. The Grade also acts as an FTP test! If a Zwifter increases their FTP while riding up The Grade, a pop-up will appear letting them know their new FTP. If no FTP increase is detected while riding The Grade, no pop-up will appear.

Events will be scheduled on the new routes starting Thursday, June 13.

There will be no restrictions during the events scheduled on the Watopia Expansion or during club events. We want everyone to have the opportunity to ride and enjoy the new routes. 

To utilize Freeride or Meetups, the Watopia Expansion routes will be locked for users who have yet to reach level 10.

IT’S THE SEASON TO GET FIT ON ZWIFT!

New Features and Events Will Help You Get Ready For The Outdoor Riding Season

New Features for This Season On Zwift

New Scotland Map

We’ve created worlds modeled on real places in the past, and maps that exactly replicate UCI Road World Championship courses, but Scotland is the first Zwift map that’s influenced by the real-world UCI World Championship location and also designed to optimize all racing on Zwift. 

The new map supports a three-race format that will be used for the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in February, and includes features not seen anywhere else in Zwift, including a loopable hill and a dedicated time trial course that will make racing at every level fun. 

The Scotland map is inspired by the bucolic Scottish landscape, the city of Glasgow’s distinctive architecture, and the surrounding areas. As you ride through the world, you’ll see famous landmarks and attractions from the country, including castles, mountains and cityscapes.

All Zwifters will have the chance to join events on the new map starting in February You’ll be able to free-ride in Scotland starting in mid-March. 

Personalized Leaderboards

Coming to Zwift Companion App in January

I like parsing my data as much as you do, and I’m so excited to share this new feature with you. This update to the Zwift Companion app will allow Zwifters to see and analyze their times on Zwift segments. Zwifters will be able to track their time on segments and see how they change over time. When Personalized Leaderboards launch, Zwifters will be able to compare their times across their lifetime on Zwift. 

In the future, this feature will allow Zwifters to compare and analyze other Zwift data.

HoloReplay Updates

Since launching earlier this year, HoloReplays have quickly become one of our favorite Zwift features. While it’s tempting not to mess with success, we’ve decided to add more functionality to HoloReplay, letting Zwifters now ride against their Replays on entire routes in addition to segments.

As before, Zwifters can replay their 90-day PR, last effort, both at the same time, or you can turn your replay off. HoloReplays can come on during Pacer Group rides and free rides, and all your segment and route times are recorded, except for group workouts, MeetUps, or other activities that have rubberbanding enabled. 

Coming early 2023.

Zwift ‘For You’

The new “For You” carousel will appear at the top of the homescreen and will make it easier for Zwifters to discover their preferred in-game content, including group rides, other Zwifters they may want to ride with, and on-demand workouts. All of the content Zwifters use most often will be right there where it’s easy to find. 

In the future, “For You” will allow Zwift to recommend content to you based on your recent rides, events you’ve signed up for, and Pacer Groups rides you’ve participated in. 

The new ‘For You’ carousel will gradually roll out to all Zwifters starting in December.

Discord Chat Integration for Clubs

Riding down the road chatting with a friend is one of the greatest pleasures in any cyclist’s life. Discord – the leading social platform for voice and tex chat – makes it easy to talk while riding on Zwift, when you’re not within earshot of your friends. It’s a fun way to ride and chat, and a very helpful tool to allow teammates to coordinate tactics during a race. To make it easier to find your club’s Discord chat, we’ve introduced a way for clubs to integrate a Discord link into their profile in the Zwift Companion App. 

Discord Chat Integration for Clubs is live now.

Sub 30-Minute Workouts

In an effort to provide greater variety for time-crunched athletes and the growing number of beginner and recreational cyclists on Zwift, we’ve added 10 new sub-30 minute workouts, doubling the number of workouts in that collection. These new workouts will help anyone fit in a fun, productive ride in even the shortest window of time. 

Sub 30 minute workouts can be found in the on-demand workout library on Zwift now.

Join A Zwifter

Back by popular demand, Join a Zwifter lets you easily ride or run with people you follow on Zwift, pro athletes, or even the occasional celebrity. You can find Join a Zwifter on the homescreen, and it will be in the “For You” carousel, when it rolls out. 

In its new iteration, Join a Zwifter will show you the average speed of people in your Join a Zwifter screen, as well as their elapsed ride or run time, so you don’t join someone chasing a HoloReplay who won’t want to chat, or someone just finishing a ride.  

New Event Experiences Coming This Season On Zwift

UCI Cycling Esports World Championships

To amp up the excitement for the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, Zwift has partnered with the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. The real-world events will take place in Glasgow in August, 2023. For the Esports World Championships, taking place in February, Zwift has created a new map, inspired by Glasgow. This new environment is Zwift’s first to be designed specifically for a UCI Cycling Esports World Championship event, and was created to support a new format of racing due to debut at the event, The Zwift Battle Royale.

This format will crown the ultimate all-around Zwifters. To do that, the World Championships events will include three races, each taking place on a course specifically built for that stage of racing. The first stage, The Punch, will send racers out on a rolling circuit that will provide an immediate test of racers’ fitness, strategy, and Zwiftcraft. Out of 100 starters in both the women’s and men’s races, only the top 30 stage one finishers will advance to stage two. 

The second stage, The Climb, is a climber’s race that will repeatedly send the remaining field up steep grades – 161 meters of climbing in 8.6 kilometers. Only the top ten finishers on this stage will advance to the third and final stage. 

Stage three, The Podium, is an elimination race contested on a challenging crit circuit in virtual Glasgow. The elimination is a popular and exciting format of racing commonly seen on a velodrome’s banks. On Zwift, the elimination will pull out the last rider across the line at each of the circuit’s two arches, bringing track racing excitement and tactics to Zwift’s virtual roads for the first time. Once the field has been whittled down to the last three riders, there will be a sprint for World Champions’ stripes! 

With eliminations occurring throughout the three races, and PowerUps enabled, this race will be the ultimate test of on-bike strength and speed, as well as Zwift strategy and skill. 

The national teams lining up to race the world championships include both riders selected by federations and top finishes at the continental qualifier races held in November. Unique to world championship racing, any Zwifter had a chance to earn a berth at worlds through these qualifiers. Be sure to watch what promises to be the most exciting racing action Zwift has ever seen in February. 

Z Fondo Series - December-April 

The Zwift Fondo Series brings the fun and collective excitement of “The Big Ride” to Zwift. This year’s series includes three endurance challenges: Gran, Medio, and Bambino lengths, each one designed to fit into different schedules, and to provide options for Zwifters of all fitness levels. 

Each of the fondo weekends offers three distance options: An A group that will cover 90 kilometers, a B group that covers 70 kilometers, and a C group that covers 50 kilometers. Everyone can pick the distance that makes the most sense for them, and then connect with other riders on the roads of Zwift. 

Fondo weekends will take place the first weekend of each month, starting December 2, 2022, and ending in April 2023: 

December 2, 2022 - December 4, 2022 

December 30, 2022 - January 1, 2023

February 3, 2023 - February 5, 2023

March 3, 2023 - March 5, 2023

March 31, 2023 - April 2, 2023

Rapha Festive 500 - December 24-31

The Rapha Festive 500 is one of the year’s most enjoyable collective cycling events, challenging riders to pedal 500 kilometers between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. It’s a time of year when many people are off work and taking advantage of the extra time to ride. We’re excited to work with Rapha to host some Festive 500 rides on Zwift; make sure you register for the Festive 500 on Strava to track your Zwift and real-world miles. Complete any Festive 500 rides on Zwift, led by a Rapha ambassador or a PacerBot, and you can unlock a unique in-game Festive 500 kit. 

Tour de Zwift - January 10 - February 13

The Tour de Zwift is one of the largest cycling events in the world, and gives all riders the chance to explore eight of Zwift’s worlds over eight stages that will show you all of the worlds’ most fun and scenic routes and courses. Participants will get the chance to unlock new route badges, earn an in-game kit, and can also purchase a real-world kit made by Pedal Mafia, so that you can match your in-game avatar.  

Zwift Racing League Season Three and Championships

ZRL is the most fun you can have racing on Zwift; form a team with friends and riding partners, and then compete in six races – four points races and two TTTs. Courses include all of Zwift’s most popular worlds. The third and final round of ZRL starts in January and top teams will be invited to the ZRL finals in early March.

For more information head to the WTRL site .

Scotland Rides

Zwift’s new Scotland map will be the scene of intense competition at the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in February. Before the championship racing starts, there will be ZRacing events and route recon rides joined by pros on the new map. These events will give you the chance to reconnoiter the new courses, take in all of the imaginative Scottish scenery, and revel in the excitement of riding on the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship course.  

Super League Arena Games

Back in February for its fourth season, this year’s expanded series will continue to have the world’s top professional triathletes swimming in a pool, and then riding and running on Zwift, creating an exciting, spectator-friendly triathlon spectacle. 

As in 2022, Super League Triathlon will again partner with World Triathlon and will host events in four cities. You can stream the action, or attend in person if you live near any of the four events. 

Interested in seeing how you compare to the top-level triathletes racing in the games? You’ll be able to test your fitness in a number of events on Zwift. 

Zwift Academy Run

For 2023, Zwift Academy Run will include seven structured workouts. To help you get through them, Zwift will provide lots of training tips along the way, and you’ll be able to connect with a community of runners who are all united in the mission of getting fitter and faster. At the end of the program, you’ll complete a finish line. 

We worked with world-class coach Terrence Mahon and three-time Jen Rhines to create all the workouts, which are designed to help you improve your fitness, whether your goal is to set a marathon PR or finish your first 5k. 

Everyone who graduates from the program has the chance to win the grand prize, which includes  gear from top running brands and an entry to the 2023 Berlin Marathon. 

Tour of Watopia

Tour of Watopia is the tour that levels you up faster, whether it’s your in-game level or your fitness level. Boost your fitness and fun while you unlock new gear, Keeping your avatar looking fresh. The rewards of hard work are amplified when you score double XP, taking you to the next level faster than a sprint! 

If you finish all five stages, you’ll unlock the in-game 2023 Tour of Watopia kit. 

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About Zwift

Zwift is the fitness company born from gaming. We’re dedicated fitness enthusiasts, experienced video game developers, and disruptive thinkers. Play is in our DNA and we know fun fuels results.

Zwift utilizes massively multiplayer online gaming technology to create rich, 3D worlds ripe for exploration. Join thousands of cyclists and runners in immersive playgrounds like London, New York, and Paris as well as our very own Watopia.

Our app connects wirelessly to exercise equipment: bike trainers, treadmills, and more, so your real world effort powers your avatar in the game.

From friendly races to social rides and structured training programs, Zwift unites a diverse community in pursuit of a more fun, immersive and social fitness experience.

Contact details

• Chris Snook
• Director, PR
• [email protected]
• Abi Golding
• Sr. PR Manager Europe
• [email protected]
• InGoodTaste
• PR Agency, USA & Canada
• [email protected]

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How to Use Rouvy for the Ultimate Indoor Riding Experience

Learn how to ride against the pros, see how you measure up on Strava, and ride for free.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

Rouvy’s Origin Story

What it’s like to ride with rouvy, how rouvy compares to zwift and fulgaz, how to start using rouvy.

Have you ever wondered how the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift racers like Demi Vollering and Katarzyna Niewiadoma felt climbing Alpe d‘Huez ? Maybe you’re intrigued to see how you’d fare against Jonas Vingegaard or Tadej Pogačar on stage 9 of this year’s Tour de France? But you probably don’t have time, finance, or any serious plans to ride in these places anytime soon.

Worry not, as Rouvy, an indoor training platform used by Lidl-Trek men’s and women’s teams, can take you there without leaving home.

Much like Zwift , Rouvy allows cyclists to race and train indoors but unlike Zwift, you ride in real-world scenery, which is how the pros used it to practice riding the 2024 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes courses before heading to the start.

With an extensive rolodex of cycling routes, all converted from video recordings, you too can ride in cycling hotspots like Switzerland, California, Italy, and New Zealand. These routes can bring your wanderlust adventures to life or visually enhance your next VO2 max training session . Regardless of your preference, you can always find a route that’ll motivate you to keep going.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to use Rouvy and why you should add it to your training repertoire.

In 2017, Czechian brothers Petr and Jiri Samek set out to make indoor cycling less boring. Instead of setting up a trainer and adding entertainment, the brothers wanted to make the ride the entertainment—just like real life. To bring indoor rides to life, Rouvy’s creators filmed, digitized, and connected GPS coordinates to each route so users could ride them indoors with a smart trainer .

Around 2018, Rouvy bumped things up a notch by adding augmented reality (AR) to some of the traditional 2D recorded routes. These AR routes, of which there are about 19,000 miles to ride, feature animated 3D riders, race markers, and pace partners overlaid on 2D videos.

On the app, you can either ride solo by choosing a non-AR route or if you’d like some company, you can find an AR option to suit your ride preferences and mood. Either way, you’ll experience climbs , descents, and turns that mimic the outdoors.

In addition to changing how you experience routes on an indoor trainer, Rouvy has broadened their catalog in recent years. You can easily find segments from current Grand Tour races including the Tour Down Under , La Vuelta, Strade Bianche , Paris-Roubaix, and even past Olympic and national championship routes.

With an aim to give “more scenery” and “less graphics,” Rouvy offers real-world routes to make the experience look more realistic. On these routes you can ride for fun, train, and even race .

When using the noncompetitive “just ride” mode, you can ride at your own pace and manually adjust the resistance level to give your ride a more realistic feel. You can reduce the resistance to as low as 30 percent to make riding up a climb more manageable or as high as 150 percent to simulate an attack or practice pushing harder.

If you’ve got some energy to burn, you can also opt for the “time trial” mode in which you ride against the clock, either solo or as part of a group. Like a real time-trial event, you can’t pause or take a coffee break, and your time only counts if you complete the event.

If you’d like to see how your time trial effort stacks up to riders in the real world, you can link your Rouvy and Strava accounts. When linked, you’ll get a notification on Rouvy once you approach a real Strava segment. When the segment starts, Rouvy will display the avatar of the King and Queen of the Mountain and even your PR avatar (if you’ve previously ridden that segment). As the segment progresses, your effort will determine how your avatar stacks up against the KOM, QOM, and your own PR.

At the end of the segment, Rouvy saves your effort and you have a chance to get on Strava's leaderboard along with riders competing on the same Strava Live Segment in the real world.

Both FulGaz and Rouvy provide real-world immersive video experiences in high quality resolution. You can stream Rouvy in standard definition, high definition, full high definition, or 2K (even better than high def), whereas FulGaz has 4K resolution. In some ways FulGaz videos are like Rouvy’s non-AR videos because they don’t have virtual banners, ghost riders, or pace partners.

Both Zwift and Rouvy feature the highly popular Alpe d’Huez climb, called Alpe Du Zwift on Zwift. The 21 switchback-route is the same on both platforms, however, the immersive feel on the historic climb differs significantly with Zwift’s digitized world.

Both Zwift and Rouvy also feature segments that give you the opportunity to push your watts, however Zwift segments don’t align with real-world Strava Live Segments.

All three apps allow you to ride, race, complete structured workouts , and adjust the course resistance.

As for pricing, Rouvy offers a seven-day free trial period. You can then choose from six subscription options including a monthly plan that costs about $12 and yearly plan that costs about $149. Plans are available for single, duo, and groups of up to five members. Annual memberships can be paused for up to 180 days, but if you’d like to ride or race during the paused period you can purchase a 24-, 48-, or 72-hour daily pass for $3, $4, or $5.

FulGaz offers a 14-day trial period after which you can purchase a monthly membership for $15 or an annual membership for $126. You can pause monthly memberships but not annual memberships.

Zwift offers a monthly subscription for $20 and an annual subscription for $200. There is a 14-day free trail period for new monthly memberships but the annual plan does not offer a trial period. (However, if you’re new to the platform you cancel within 30 days for a refund.)

All three apps are compatible with a variety of power meters, smart bikes, and smart trainers from popular brands including Elite, Jet Black, Saris, Wahoo, and Zwift. You can also ride Rouvy with a grade simulator from Wahoo or Elite. Zwift is compatible with wheel-on trainers and rollers but you’ll need a power meter if the device doesn’t have a built in sensor to transmit power data.

To experience Rouvy, create a user account online and download the app to your computer or mobile device. Sign into the app using the same username and password from the website.

Once logged in, the app will allow you to connect to most smart trainers and bikes, grade simulators, power meters, heart rate monitors, and cadence sensors via Bluetooth, ANT+, or manually. If you have a classic or turbo trainer, Rouvy notes you’ll need a power meter , speed sensor, or cadence sensor.

Before clipping in , you can customize your avatar’s body (male or female), cycling kit, bike (frame and wheels), and clothes (glasses, shoes, and socks). As you gain experience on the app, you can upgrade bike frames, jerseys, bibs, helmets, gloves, and more. (FYI, you can do this on Zwift too, but not on FulGaz as the avatar feature has been removed from the app until further notice).

If you cancel your account for any reason Rouvy still wants to keep you riding, so the app allows you to ride up to 20K, or about 12 miles, every month for free—no strings attached. This is a good deal for those days when the weather, your job, family, or life gets in the way.

How many routes does Rouvy have?

Rouvy offers more than 25,000 routes of varying lengths from across the globe. These routes include legendary climbs and descents to cobblestone and gravel routes. Of these routes, nearly 1,000 are Strava Live Segments, and more than 1,300 are AR routes in nearly 50 countries.

Do you need a strong internet connection for Rouvy to work?

Yes. Because Rouvy videos are recorded in 2K resolution, high-speed internet service is required to ensure stable video quality. Slower internet speeds can result in extensive buffering and video interruptions.

However, Rouvy allows you to download routes to your devices to prevent video-quality download interruptions to immediate and future rides. You can ride downloaded routes offline at anytime and your ride results will be uploaded when your device reconnects to the internet.

How can you find different routes and workouts on Rouvy?

Using the search feature in the app, you can type in a portion or the full name of an event or segment. Also, you can filter routes by time, terrain, type of course, event, and more. If you’re only interested in riding a Strava segment, non-AR route, or only on certain continents, Rouvy can also filter that for you.

In terms of workouts , you’ll find them sorted by recommended routes, trending routes, route collections, and the latest official routes. The app may recommend up to 10 routes ranging from 45 minutes to more than six hours. Many of these courses are segments of a larger events like La Vuelta . You can also opt for a structured workout to increase your FTP , climbing ability, or VO2 max.

Route collections are exactly that: a number of routes that align with a particular type of ride, such as scenic rides, gravel , downhill, or even rides that traverse Mallorca, Spain. The latest official routes feature segments from recent events. For example, the app currently highlights 27 new routes of La Vuelta 2024, which runs from August 17 to September 8.

How can you earn coins on Rouvy?

With a range of distances and elevation challenges to suit every rider, Rouvy annotates the number of workouts required to complete a specific challenge like La Vuelta Virtual Medio , which has seven workouts while La Vuelta Virtual El Diablo has 21 workouts.

Each workout specifies how long the challenge lasts, how many people are registered, and how many coins you will have when you’re all done. You can use coins to upgrade your avatar’s accessories like helmet, socks, and jersey. You can also earn experience points which count toward your Rouvy career and eventually, you can earn “legend” status.

How can you ride with others on Rouvy?

A Rouvy rider never needs to ride alone. Every route features an icon indicating the number of riders along it. If the riders on the route have already started, use the “set your ride” page to add virtual partners and up to 10 ghost riders to keep you motivated and encouraged along the way.

You can also join races or group rides. With events featured around the clock, just jump in when you can. Before joining a race or ride, check out the route information, then take a peek at the participant list. Each event not only specifies the number of riders registered for the event, but the start list annotates each rider’s age, functional threshold power (FTP), and country. This will show you whether you’ll be riding within your FTP range or working to keep up.

Also, if you start or join a group ride or workout, the app has a “rubber band” feature to keep the group together. If someone in the group falls behind the leader, the app gives them a boost.

What are the best routes on Rouvy?

Rouvy’s 10 most trending routes for 2024 right now include Lago di Garda in Italy; Colorado River in Utah; Obergesteln-Fiesch in the Swiss Alps; Avenue of the Giants in California; Cheddar Gorge in Britain; Alpe d’Huez in France; Lake Pukaki in New Zealand; Nusfjord to Haukland Beach in Norway; Paris; and Las Vegas.

Can you race with professional cyclists on Rouvy?

Yes, kind of. If you really want to see how you stack up against the likes of Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogačar, you can try to time when they’ll reach a particular segment of a course and race them in real-time while riding in the app and watching the broadcast on your TV.

For past events, like the Tour de France, you can still try to race the pros. Make sure your Rouvy and Strava accounts are linked, give your best effort when the Strava Live Segment notification pops up, and validate your efforts on the Strava leaderboard to see how you compare to the pros.

Taneika is a Jamaica native, a runner and a gravel cyclist who resides in Virginia. Passionate about cycling, she aims to get more people, of all abilities, to ride the less beaten path. 

Indoor Cycling

The Benefits of Riding an Indoor Trainer All Year

The 10 Best Indoor Cycling Trainers

Indoor Rides Inspired By the TdF

The 9 Best Stationary Bikes

Indoor vs Outdoor Cycling: How They Compare

Get Ready for the Zwift Games Like a (Former) Pro

Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One Indoor Trainer Review

170-180 BPM Playlist for Indoor Cycling

The Best Zwift Workouts

Peloton vs Zwift: Which One Should You Choose?

The Best Virtual Cycling Challenges

30-Minute Spin Workouts to Boost Your Fitness

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All About Zwift World Series 2023/24

The Zwift World Series is Zwift’s new flagship race series that encompasses both elite and community-level events for peak Zwift season.

The series consists of both community and elite-level events. While the elite events can only be raced by pre-verified elite riders ( more info on that process and schedule here ), the community races will be held in the days leading up to the elite events, providing a practice venue for elite races and challenging race opportunities for community riders.

Here are the big reasons why the Zwift World Series community races are interesting:

• They function as a  monument race one weekend per month  from September to January, offering a chance to challenge and test yourself against the Zwift racing community
• Plenty of opportunities to participate , with races scheduled from Thursday to Sunday across multiple time slots
• Global Leaderboards  for each month’s races, plus a  General Classification  that combines all the monthly races to see how you rank against your peers throughout the series
• Zwift World Series Community kit unlock  when you complete any of the five races
• Elite riders can use these races as  recon events  prior to the big elite races, and community riders get to race the same course as the elites to see how they compare.
• Three brand-new courses  and two never before featured in Zwift racing.

Complete any Zwift World Series race and unlock the Zwift World Series Community kit:

Race 1: Richmond Loop Around

Community races August 29-September 1, 2024 Elite qualifier: September 5 (Men 17:10 UTC, Women 18:30 UTC) Elite race: September 19 (Men 17:15 UTC, Women 18:40 UTC)

• Format: Scratch Race
• Distance: 42.5km
• Elevation: 550m
• More Route Details >
• Powerups: Aero awarded at the Lap Arch on each passing (2x)
• 23rd St KOM Reverse on the 3rd time passing
• Broad St Sprint

Race 2: Peak Performance

Community races September 26-29, 2024 Elite qualifier: October 3 (Men 17:10 UTC, Women 18:40 UTC) Elite race: October 17 (Men 17:15 UTC, Women 18:50 UTC)

• Distance: 46.6km
• Elevation: 730m
• Powerups: Draft awarded at the Titans Grove KOM Reverse (1x)
• Woodland Sprint

Race 3: Yorkshire Double Loops

Community races October 24-27, 2024 Elite qualifier: October 31 (Men 18:10 UTC, Women 19:10 UTC) Elite race: November 14 (Men 18:15 UTC, Women 19:20 UTC)

• Distance: 29.6km
• Elevation: 548m
• Powerups: Feather awarded at the Lap Arch on each passing (2x)
• Yorkshire Sprint Reverse
• Yorkshire KOM

Race 4: Shisa Shakedown

Community races November 14-17, 2024 Elite qualifier: November 21 (Men 18:10 UTC, Women 19:45 UTC) Elite race: December 5 (Men 18:15 UTC, Women 19:55 UTC)

• Distance: 53.3km
• Elevation: 557m
• Powerups: Aero awarded at the Rooftop KOM (2x)
• Alley Sprint

Race 5: Power to the Tower

Community races January 9-12, 2025 Elite qualifier: January 16 (Men 18:10 UTC, Women 19:55 UTC) Elite race: January 30 (Men 18:15 UTC, Women 20:10 UTC)

• Distance: 45.3km
• Elevation: 1496m
• Powerups: Draft awarded at the Epic KOM (1x)
• Primes: none

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The ultimate guide to the bikes of Zwift

Want to find out how you can get your hands on a Dogma F12 or a TRON bike?

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Without doubt Zwift is the most widely used indoor training app and part of its appeal is the level of customisation available.

Not only can you choose between a host of routes and locations, you can also tune your avatar to look (a bit) like you. And then, there's the opportunity to 'ride' a vast array of pretty special bikes. But only if you can access them.

Almost all of the bikes available on Zwift can be purchased through the app's virtual bikeshop, the Drop Shop . Fortunately you don't have to spend your actual hard earned in order to unlock these beauties but through the spending of Zwift's Drop currency.

Drops are easy to earn but you basically pay in sweat (hence the Drops name), simply the more you ride, the more Drops you earn. The amount of Drops you earn can also depend on the amount of climbing and effort you put into each session so hit Zwift hard and you'll see your bank balance jump accordingly.

Now the age old dilemma of buying a solid, reliable bike and upgrading it over time or holding out and saving for your dream bike is also true within Zwift. And before you suggest that this is complete nonsense and that the equipment doesn't matter, try riding with your mate on a blinged out TT bike when you're on a MTB on any Zwift course - then you'll see how much harder you have to push (yes, I do this on a regular basis - don't ask me why!).

Each bike is rated for its weight and aerodynamics, with a score out of four - with one being the heaviest or least aerodynamic and four being the lightest and slipperiest. These have an impact on how fast you can go for a given effort or how rapid you can climb. This again might not really make a difference if you're just using Zwift for solo training efforts but if you intend racing your bike in the virtual world - it can make all the difference.

Some bike models are available at the Drop Shop almost immediately so you can begin tweaking your setup straight away. However most of the better performing bikes need you to have gained not only certain amounts of Drops but to have also advanced through the levels in order to unlock the ability to purchase them.

Just like Drops, you advance through the levels by gaining XP (Experience Points), earned with every kilometre you ride.

So without further ado, here's the comprehensive list of every bike manufacturer, model, ever attribute and when and how you can purchase them. Ready?

BMC has two bikes available including the very rapid Timemachine 01 TT specific bike

Fan favourites Cannondale has plenty of standard road bike options including one of the fastest climbers in all of Watopia in the shape of the older EVO model.

Canyon has gone fully in on Zwift with a full quiver of machines so if you're into your Canyon bikes you can swap between road, TT, MTB and even gravel. The Grail (along with the Cervélo Aspero is believed to be the fastest gravel bike available).

Buyer's guide to Canyon's road bikes

Cervélo

There are choices from both of Cervélo's road going R and S ranges on Zwift as well as being able to choose a rapid TT specific bike. If you want to go even more bonkers, the triathlon spec P5X is about as Mad Max as bikes go and is the first of the million Drop bikes in the list.

Little known New Zealand brand (at least in the UK), Chapter2 has a pretty good looking line-up. On Zwift you can choose from the lightweight climber Tere or its aero sibling Rere for a bike that will stand out from the crowd.

German bike giants Cube bring its fast and light weapons to the game in the shape of the Litening, albeit the older shape version, unlocked at level 32. It also has its triathlon specific Aerium with crazy twin head tube design to deliver PB smashing speeds.

Diamondback

If you want futuristic then look no further than Diamondback's Andean TT bike. Almost a complete monocoque construction complete with aero extensions make it super slippery on the flat courses.

You have to progress some way through the levels before you can unlock Felt's two bikes. You can choose between the aero road AR or Ironman winning IA TT specialist. The IA is also one of only four bikes that will cost you over a million Drops to buy.

Giant' s highly rated Propel Advanced and TCR Advanced are the only choices from a brand with a massive resume. Luckily they are both pretty decent although the Propel will cost you a pretty packet to buy at over eight hundred thousand Drops.

Apart from Specialized, Liv is the only brand here that has a women's specific bike. Liv, for those that might not know, is Giant's female specific brand. The Langma  is a bit of an all-rounder but a very good looking one at that.

Parlee's aero styled road bike the ESX is represented on Zwift along with the more radical looking RZ7. Both are really good all-rounder that bring a touch of class to proceedings.

Some of the most sought after bikes on Zwift are the Pinarello bikes. However none of them come cheap including the Bolide TT, another member of the million Drop club. You also need to ride a pretty long way to access even the standard Bolide, available only at level 25. Pinarello also sees the first of the 'money can't buy' bikes in the shape of the Dogma F8 . This can only be gained after completing the Tour Italy challenge.

British brand Ribble has its excellent Endurance machine represented on Zwift for those that want to show a little British pride.

Want something Belgian to remind you of the Spring Classics that could have been? You'll need the Helium, Ridley's aero road machine.

Scott has the gamut of requirements met with its triptych of bikes. You can currently access the Spark RC MTB for free by signing up to the Cape Absa challenge.

Specialized

Without doubt Specialized has the heaviest presence in the Drop Shop and you can pretty much pick up anything from its road line-up. A top tip if you want to start climbing as much as possible is to purchase the Tarmac Pro at level 11 as it's one of the best climbers in the shop and will help you unlock the ultimate bike quicker than most.

Specialized also has a Collector's Only Tarmac that can only be unlocked by completing the Ride California challenge.

It's lightweight or aero from Trek . But if you want to unlock its best climbing Emonda you will need to complete the Climb Everest challenge and climb 8,850m.

The Ventum One is another mental looking TT bike. This time it forgoes the down tube and seat stays to create a pretty radical machine that will definitely stand out.

Obviously Zwift has a plethora of its own machines to choose from and the good news is quite a few are available from the start of your Zwift experience.

There is one bike that stands out from the rest as the 'Ultimate Zwift Bike' and that is the Concept 1. The Concept 1, or Tron bike as it's affectionately known, is regarded as 'The Bike' to have for racing and just being as rapid as possible when riding with your mates.

The Tron bike is not easy to unlock though, you'll need to climb 50,000 metres before you can get your hands on one (without cheating).

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James Bracey's career has seen him move from geography teacher, to MBR writer, to Cycling Weekly's senior tech writer and video presenter. He possesses an in-depth knowledge of bicycle mechanics, as well as bike fit and coaching qualifications. Bracey enjoys all manner of cycling, from road to gravel and mountain biking.

Jayco AlUla's Irishman has endured a difficult year but is now higher than he ever has been in the sport

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By Cycling Weekly Published 28 August 24

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New Italian routes and climbs

Tokyo will be next for the Olympics

Yes, Italy has some great climbs.

Passo san Boldo from the final day of Haute Route Dolomites 2017 with all the tunnels. Passo Sella as well.

The TT stage had a great climb out of Brixen that was a lot of fun.

Another idea would be doing some of the climbs out of Innsbruck and then link up to Vipiteno.

Timmelsjoch would be one famous one. Idea being that you build out Innsbruck further into a bigger world. Then from Vipiteno maybe extend down to Brixen. Then Canazei. I know that would be a huge effort, but think of all the routes and climbs.

Yes , definately like to see a Dolomites world . +1 Voted

(Note for anyone thinking of adding alternative worlds to launch … this is the feature request section of website so posting that as a reply here is worthless . Instead create your own thread feature requesting whatever world you would like to see so we can vote for that too ( or not) )

Spain also has great climbs and so has France!! But I think what most want at the end of the day is Flandres climbs!