Zwift updates equal constant improvement!
I have previously written on the Zwift program [1] [2] [3], but would like to highlight some updates which are huge customer service improvements.
First, just a reminder that when one wants to run or ride on the program, when you log in to do your activity there are always three “worlds” available with numerous routes from which to choose. Zwift Insider is a good source for information on the program by the way. [4] Disregarding the Event Only routes, since this article applies to when we ‘free ride’ the program, Zwift has the following in their program:
Watopia is always the first option with forty routes (again not considering event only routes).
The remaining “worlds” are considered Guest Routes and include:
France with nine routes, Innsbruck with seven routes, London with twenty-one routes, Makuri Islands (my favorite) with thirty-four routes, NY City with sixteen routes, Paris with two routes one of which is the famed Tour de France finale Champs-Elysees, Richmond with four routes, Scotland with five routes, and finally, Yorkshire with five as well. Some are included in the program because some routes are modeled on famous UCI road courses such as one in Richmond and Innsbruch.
Originally, other than Watopia, you didn’t readily know which routes were available until you got on the bike (or treadmill) and opened the game program. Now, Zwift’s companion app on the phone will tell you! Open the app and click on “explore” and the routes are shown on your screen!
When one hops on the bike to ride one of the numerous routes, during the ride, you can deviate from that programmed route when intersections appear. You use the remote control and choose from the other option or two. However, if one never changes directions during a ride and completes a full route you get awarded addtional points as well as a badge.
Being a data-geek, I had (as noted in a previous article) created a Google Spreadsheet on which I listed every route, the bonus points and had a column to note whether I had completed the route and got a badge. But now I no longer need to do this. If you click on one of your three choices and scroll through the routes in that world, in this case I am showing London below with only some of the routes you can see the green badge on the left next to routes for which I completed with no directional deviation. Also, if you look two photos up to the “explore” discussion, the threee worlds available even tell you how many badges you have from how many routes (though that number includes event-only routes as well). Getting that badge is a motivator and small hit of dopamine (LOL) when training and working out!
My last bike race of the season is Nov 4th after which I will be back on the bike training over winter. I admit at times to changing directions in the game to avoid some serious climbing, for example. Chasing badges will be an incentive to stay on route despite the terrain that route may entail.
There are also a couple newer buttons on the companion app on your mobile device-coffee break and teleport! Coffee break icon [5], when active, allows you to get off the bike for a brief time to get water or use the restroom and your onscreen self will stay with whatever group you are riding with. Teleport [6] icon takes you to a screen with two tabs. The first tab is a list of active group rides led by a robo-pacer. The groups are identified by difficulty with “A” as the fastest and “D” slowest. Choose the group you want to ride with and get teleported right to it. The other tab will show any active riders you have connected with via the social media element of the program allowing you to teleport right to them to ride together.
[1] https://dennisbmurphy.medium.com/journey-to-watopia-72b9d3c7fc08
[2] https://dennisbmurphy.medium.com/watopia-and-running-aa4979829a29
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