- Last year, we told you 11 super cool features on Zwift
that you would wish you'd known about.
And so it just happened, on Zwift since then,
that we're going to give you some more.
12 this time, in fact,
just to make sure you are
totally getting the most out of it.
(upbeat music)
First up, steering is now a thing,
or at least there is a little test segment
that you will not want to miss.
So you find it in Titan's Grove,
there a few different loops to get there.
I've chosen Muir in the mountains.
Basically, you just start to approach it,
and get a prompt on screen
asking if you want to do it.
When you select it, it will then turn you
onto a brand new piece of trail.
The steering function actually works
using the companion app,
which you attach to your handlebars,
and it then recruits the accelerometer in your phone
to actually detect
when you turn the handle bars left or right.
And then that correspondingly,
moves your avatar.
So the segment is two miles long,
its timed, for a little bit of extra competitiveness,
and you also get a score at the end of it.
Oh, nearly fell through a hole.
Which, will actually then tell you how well
you've navigated the section.
If you do it in less than 12 minutes 30,
with about 90% score,
you unlock a Zwift mountain bike
and Zwift mountain wheels.
In February 2019, Zwift launched the Drop Shop,
which is their very own bike shop
where you can buy all sorts of amazing frames and wheels.
The best bit about it is that the currency is Zwift's own.
And you can't buy it, you can't be given it,
and you can't trade it.
You have to earn it through riding.
And the drops that you do earn, that's what its called,
are separate from your experience points,
they're separate from your achievements,
and although they are separate from your level,
the higher your level, the greater the choice
that you can then unlock.
It's not just for show though,
there are subtle differences
between the bikes and equipment on offer,
just like in the real world.
Yes, legs and tactics principally do the talking,
but it's always nice to know
you're riding the fastest equipment, right?
And thanks to zwiftinsider.com, you can actually know,
'cause there's a whole load of testing
and worked out into the specialized S-Works Venge,
with 858 wheels, is the quickest set up.
But apparently, a fast frame set could save you
about 20 seconds over an hour's riding,
and your wheels, another 60 seconds.
(upbeat music)
Once you've got your dream set up,
why not take a selfie?
Yes, what you got to do is grab your keyboard,
and you can actually tailor the camera angles.
So you press Knot,
and then you're allowed to use the cursor keys
to find your perfect angle.
I'll wait 'til I've been overtaken,
didn't want to capture that.
And boom.
Hit the camera icon.
Think I look quite good from that angle.
I'll take another one now, got ya (laughs).
Right, that is enough of the fun,
back to the serious business of training.
Or, more specifically, testing
because the ramp test here is a very traditional way
of finding out just how fit you are.
And Zwift now has one in the workout section.
So it'll start you off with a nice gentle warmup,
five minutes, before the ramp begins at 100 watts.
Your wattage is that you then need to ride at
increases by 20 watts per minute,
until you can't do anymore,
which sounds delightful.
The number that you get at the end, the wattage,
is one to remember, but Zwift then makes another calculation
to work out your FTP.
And a quick tip, if you are using a smart trainer
like I am, make sure you click that ERG mode function
at the bottom there, because then the trainer
ensures that you are doing the required wattage.
And it's so much more fun.
If you like what you've just seen with your FTP,
why not enter an event?
A group ride, a race perhaps, or indeed,
if you haven't liked what you've just seen on your FTP,
and so actually you need a little company
for motivation on a workout, you can do that as well.
Basically, whatever the reason,
an event and being sociable
is one of the key perks of being on Zwift.
Now, to find one, you can either go onto your homepage here,
where there's a list in the corner,
or on the companion app, where there's a very handy list,
or indeed, on zwift.com,
where on the events section of the website,
you will find a whole calendar of events.
When you find one that you like the look of,
simply click on it and then you'll get a notification
as you approach your start time.
And remember as well,
starting in 2020, there is an official
Zwift World Championships,
so, someday for you perhaps.
Pair ups are a cool little helping hand
that are awarded at random
when you ride underneath a banner.
Now, they're a great feature in Zwift racing,
'cause they kind of add to the tactics
and generally the fun,
but they're also cool for the rest of us
when our riding is, they give you a bit of a boost.
Now you know you've got one when a little icon appears
in the top left of the screen.
And there are several different types,
so a feather, when deployed,
will improve your power to weight ratio
for 15 seconds.
And there's a little van icon
and that increases the draft
that you're feeling at that point,
up to 50%, for 30 seconds.
So that's great for a little rest
when you're on a group ride, and then,
if you're on your own, you'll want an arrow helmet,
'cause that makes you more aerodynamic for 15 seconds.
Then you also get a little plus and a big plus icon,
and they give you XP points,
10 and 250, respectively.
There are still two more though,
the breakaway burrito and the invisibility cloak.
So, the breakaway burrito, when deployed,
means that you are undraftable for 10 seconds,
which is perfect if you're under attack in a race.
And then the invisibility means that you cannot be seen
by any other rider for 10 seconds, which again,
is like a dream scenario for any bike racer out there.
If you don't fancy group racing tactics,
but you still have a competitive itch to scratch,
why not do a time trial instead?
They're a regular event on the Bologna Giro TT course,
and also on Fuego Flats,
and they mimic real world time trials
in that you start at intervals
and then you just get your head down.
There's no drafting, it's just you, your watts,
and potentially, a fancy new time trial rig
that you can buy at the Drop Shop.
Both Fuego Flats and the Bologna TT course
were launched in 2019, along with Yorkshire,
bringing the total number of worlds to ride to seven.
Now Watopia is still the big one,
that's the dedicated virtual cycling playground
where you can find everything
from giant climbs to jungle gravel,
and it's always available to ride.
A second option then rotates on a calendar basis
and you've got old favorites on there
like Richmond, London, Innsbruck, and New York,
as well as the new ones, Bologna and Yorkshire.
A lot of choice then,
so where do you find the toughest climbs?
Well, I'm glad you asked.
Because undoubtedly, the biggest brute is Alpe de Zwift.
It's modeled faithfully on Alpe D'Huez,
being 12.2 kilometers long, and an average gradient of 8%.
Then just behind that, is the Watopia Epic KOM combo,
either 6.19 kilometers at 6%, or 9.41 kilometers at 4%.
Also, Innsbruck, which was the scene
for brutal world championships in the real world,
and the legacy of it is that you can also ride
the epic climb on there on Zwift.
So, either 5.73 kilometers at 7%, or 7.4 kilometers at 5%.
Lastly, what virtual cycling playground would be complete
without a little bit of gravel.
Now Zwift has had it for awhile now
with the road to ruins Mayan jungle loop on Watopia,
but now you can have a specific bike for it.
You could choose from a Cervelo Aspero,
or a duo of Canyons, either a Grail or an Inflite.
Perhaps, even better, for a gravel aficionado,
is actually the dedicated off-road training plans
that are now available as well.
So there's two for gravel riders,
and one for cross country map bikers.
The second one is coming in 2020.
(upbeat music)
Well, there you go then.
12 things that you wish you'd known about Zwift,
but now having watched this video,
you do actually know them.
If there's anything we've missed though,
make sure you let us know in the comment section down below,
just before you give this video a big thumbs up.
And if you missed the first one of these videos,
then you can get through and watch it
by clicking on screen now.