11 Things I Wish I'd Known About Zwift

There are so many features on Zwift, are you sure you know the best ones? If you’re new to Zwift or a seasoned veteran, here are 11 things you wished you’d known about Zwift.

In association with Zwift.

Zwift can seem like a pretty big place, so how do you meet up with your friends and make sure you’re on the same route? With the companion app for your phone, available for free on IOS or Android stores. It’s very simple, just click on your friend's name in the app then select ride with that person and you’ll not only join them wherever they are, but you’ll do the same route as them too.

Zwift isn’t just a virtual reality cycling world to pedal around in, you can use it for specific training sessions as well. Built into Zwift are loads of pre-set training workouts to choose from. On the home screen, you’ll see an option at the top to do a training ride. You can then choose a workout from the menu on the left of the screen. You can even design your own one.

XP points are accumulated as you ride in Zwift. As you get more, you increase your rider level, right up to 25. Points are added for every km (20 XP) or mile (30 XP) you ride, soon after each km or mile ticks over. Unless you are in workout mode, where points are added after you complete a block. You will see a small alert to the right of your centre console when points are added.

If you’ve got a smart trainer, Zwift can control your workout so that you have to ride at the right intensity, as dictated by your FTP. It’s called ERG mode, and it means that when you start a hard interval, your trainer will automatically generate the necessary resistance so that you ride at the correct power, no matter what gear you’re in or how fast you pedal.

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Leave us a comment below!

[gcn]

What's your top Zwift hack? (Don't lie about your weight 😂) 👇

[davidparks]

Always finish at .1km further than what Zwift shows you've ridden. I've stopped right at an even number, like 30km, then only been credited for 29.99km. Makes a difference in XP.

[phillangford]

As someone who has never done a Zwift session but seriously thinking of giving it a try, this video has been invaluable. Extremely well explained and at a pace that a non-Zwifter can follow. In addition, your method of explaining each step does not give me loads of options which I don't understand. Instead, you show how to choose one of the options so that I can at least make a start. Well done. Thank you.

[danbates]

4:05 love the look Si gave after shifting the gears =)

[scottishjohn]

Ha ha that totally kills me that Si would have a go at Hank about Sweat! Super cool video. Definitely got to say that getting on Zwift when its completely dark outside in the winter evenings does make riding so much more pleasurable. Definitely recommend the GCN workouts and would love to see some new GCN workouts and challenges on Zwift! Love the video guys!

[cupdrums]

my Top zwift hack was getting a fan (the one that blows wind at you, although now that i think of it, maybe some friends cheering you on might be pretty cool too!) In all seriousness though...i rode without a fan during workouts and the amount of sweat pouring off me was clinically dangerous. The fan makes a HUGE difference in keeping you cool allowing me to workout longer and much more enjoyable.

[njh]

I feel like that sound bite from 4:06-4:09 could be used in some interesting ways...

[beeble]

Ohhhh, it's a "holographic display". New to Zwift and I was wondering why I was seeing all these people who look like they're reading the newspaper as they ride...

[woolfel]

You can also manually over ride which course you ride by editing the configuration file with a <world>2</world> tag. In case you don't like that day's default course.

[yas]

Apparently, Simon has the same problem I have: the jersey becomes a crop top when standing (0:14).
My tip: Race suits.

[carlycfs]

A rather dry comedic review to get me interested in this thing . . . loved it !!

[Petercraske]

As a newbie I found that really useful thanks

[jonathanzappala]

Halloween was cool last night. Some people had pumpkin heads. I had a cool bat bike, which was the tt bike. Jack-o-lanterns on the side of the road and it was night the whole time too.

[Baj]

3:40 "An accurate estimation". Love it ! :-p

[Lifaensiberen]

Once I saw your espresso setup I wasn't able to concentrate on anything else anymore....

[naomiockerse]

Excellent! Will be binge watching all of these. Finally learnt the other day that the lighted cards/mountains in people’s back pockets are ride on’s 😅

[CoachNealF]

I'm featured again on GCN! 7:25 So, why aren't the sponsors calling me?! Just because it was a "D" race? Pshaw. I should at least get a pair of socks. 😂

[CyclingaroundGuilinChina]

I would like a swift kit for geezers (65+ riders)

[bat]

Great vid. Any chance you could do a Zwift series with a cheaper trainer like the cyclops fluid 2 😁

[zedatomic]

Not sure that you are quite correct on trainer difficulty - You still have to achieve the same wattage to get up a hill or reach a certain speed but it reduces the need to change gear - well that's my understanding anyway. Otherwise everyone would set it to zero before a race...