Manon Lloyd: Zwift is an app that lets you ride, train,
and race in the virtual world with thousands of people.
Here's how to get started on it. [music]
First up, let's run through some of the equipment you're going to need to be able to Zwift.
At a basic level, you're going to need a bike and a trainer that allows you to pedal while staying
in a static position. You're also going to need a device that tells Zwift how hard you're pedaling.
There are two types of trainers that you can use. The first one is a smart trainer, like this one.
It has a power meter built into it, so you can accurately translate how much power you're
pushing through the pedals to your avatar. It also has the ability to change resistance
depending if you're going uphill or downhill. It makes a really interactive experience.
The second type of trainer is a classic trainer. Now, this is definitely the more cost-effective
option if you're looking to save money, but you will need another device to tell Zwift how hard
you're pedaling. This could be a speed sensor, or you could have a power meter already fitted to
your bike. That's even better. If you don't want to buy a trainer, then you could use an indoor
bike or a set of rollers. They can be used in the virtual world too. You're also going to need a
supported device to run the game such as a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Go ahead and download
Zwift, make an account. It's a subscription service, but you can get started on a free
trial. Once you've done that, you've got everything you need, let's get zwifting.
Once you've made an account and you've logged on, jump on your bike for 10 to 15 seconds and
spin your legs to wake up the sensors. Then you want to go ahead and connect them either
through Bluetooth or ANT+. In this case, Bluetooth is the more stable connection,
so choose that one if you've got that option. I'm using a smart trainer so power source has been
connected and controllable. Controllable is the one that allows Zwift to control
your smart trainer. If you have a classic trainer, you will need to add a speed sensor.
If you have a heart rate monitor too, you can also add that. All right, ready to get zwifting.
It's important that you have good strong internet when riding on Zwift. This will ensure for smooth
gameplay and accurate numbers. If you are struggling, try moving your Wi-Fi router
closer to your setup. If you are struggling to connect any of your devices, have a look
around the room and turn non-essential Bluetooth item off and move them away. Last but not least,
make sure your firmware is all up-to-date. This goes for your smart trainer,
your Zwift app, and your Zwift Companion app.
Now that you have all your equipment set up and you're nearly ready to Zwift,
you can customize your avatar to make it look like you or not like you, depending on how you
feel. The more time you spend riding on Zwift, the more bikes and components you'll unlock
to be able to build your dream bike. I just wish it was like that in the real world. The
hardest decision to make when riding on Zwift is to choose what world to ride in. There will always
be three worlds to choose from. One will always be Watopia, the biggest virtual playground. The
other two are Guests based on real-life locations like London and Paris, and these change every day.
You can see what Guests' worlds are available in the schedule on the bottom right of the screen.
Once you've selected the world you want to ride in, click Routes. This will show you a load of
different routes in that world. Scroll down the route and you can see the distance and elevation
of each route. Most worlds offer everything from extreme hilly routes to pan flat routes, depending
on what kind of riding you enjoy doing or how hard you want to push yourself. Once you've chosen your
route, click OK and then Ride, and you'll be transported to your chosen world. You'll
automatically follow the route, but you can take any tunings you want, so you're free to explore.
If you want to add some structure to your training, you can by doing a workout on Zwift.
Click the blue Training button, and it'll take you to a variety of different workouts.
Select any of them, then you'll find a drop-down bar. Select one, and it'll give you a description
of what that workout entails. Zwift tailors the workouts to your correct power numbers depending
on your FTP. If you don't know your FTP yet, don't worry. Have a scroll through and see
what workout to takes your fancy. I think I'm going to try 2x30 minute FTP intervals today.
Now, for my favorite part, events on Zwift. There are so many people riding on Zwift at
any given time that you can link up with, ride, do a training session or even race.
There's something motivating being surrounded by so many other people and the fact that you
could race from the comfort of your own home is just quite exciting. There's events all day
every day no matter where in the world you are. You can join one in-game. You can see the list
on the right of the home screen or online at zwift.com/events but it's even easier on the
Zwift Companion app. On the app, you'll be able to see a variety of different events
along with all the event details, from the distance of the events to what time it starts.
There is something for everybody, from 100-kilometer group rides
to solo time trials against the clock. On the Companion App home screen click Events on the
bottom and this will take you to list of events starting soon. Scroll down the list and you'll
be able to see events starting later in that day. Click on the event that takes your fancy,
scroll down and you'll see a letter next to it, A, B, C, D or E. Each category is split up by
fitness showing on what power to weight ratio you need. A is the hardest race at 4.5 watts per kilo.
This is the hardest category with the elite races. Then B is slightly easier,
and then C at 2.5 to 3.1 watts per kilo and so on. E is the friendliest. There's also women's
specific races and events on there too, which is great when you just don't fancy riding with a man.
When you're riding on Zwift you'll always be able to see your watts per kilo. Now, these numbers
will constantly change but if you're putting out an even effort they should stay around the same.
If you're pretty new to cycling and doing a race, I would recommend starting off in category D,
or if you're fairly confident C or D. If you get on well then you can always move
up a category, but it does take a while to get used to how the races work. If you do get dropped
because the race is too hard, do not worry, it happens to the best of us, just ask Connor.
The races do set off pretty fast so make sure you've had a good warm-up and you're ready to go
but they do settle down eventually. If you're riding or racing then you'll notice on the
Companion App you'll be able to communicate with the riders you're racing or riding with.
Make sure you chat to them, give some encouragement or just let them know
you are on fire today. Zwift Power is a website that you can look at all the results from the
races and the database. It includes people's peak power from the races. If you like data,
make sure you check it out, it's like checking results from a real race so it's pretty cool.
Another great thing about Zwift is that you can ride with friends, family and pro cyclists. The
best way to find them is on the Companion App. Go to find zwifters, type in their name
and select Follow. Once they have accepted your request or unless they have a public profile then
they don't need to accept you, you can invite them to ride along with you and create a meetup.
To create a meetup, click on the little group icon on the Companion App and then select
Create Meetup. From there you can select the time, date, what world you have your event in and
who you invite to your meetup. You can choose if you want to keep the group together or if you
want to race it out. You can also decide if you want to see everybody else in the virtual world
or just your group. [music]
Now, that's all the Zwift stuff set. A few little extra tips, make sure you've got a bottle of water
to keep you nice and hydrated, a fan and a towel to keep you nice and cool, and some good music.
[music] Remember, when you have finished
your ride you can sync it to various apps like Strava and TrainingPeaks, so you, and your mates,
and your coach knows how your ride went. [music]
We'll leave some handy links in the description below if you want to read some more or perhaps
join some groups. I hope this video has covered everything you need to know about getting started
on Zwift. If you have any questions at all please leave them in the comment section below,
we'll try and answer them. [00:09:14] [END OF AUDIO]