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We’re quickly approaching 10 years of Zwift, and Zwift is set to launch a number of new updates and features to commemorate the occasion.
While the biggest update might be to its Heads Up Display, there are a slew of new updates. That includes the official launch of Zwift Racing Score, a new bike upgrade system, new challenges, and more.
To note, Zwift also says that the community has put in some serious work in Zwift. That includes a collective 8.72 billion kilometers (5.42 billion miles), climbing 81.56 billion meters (267.59 billion feet) too. There have even been a total of 4,034,556 events over the last ten years, as well as three Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Zwift’s biggest update might be its Heads Up Display
This is what you’ll be looking at every time you go riding or running in Zwift.
The top left screen now has four customizable data fields. There’s also an intensity bar that tell you where you what zone you’re currently in based on FTP and your overall ride breakdown. The lightning bolt on the top left even changes color based on what zone you’re riding in too.
In the middle is a new climb indicator, previously found on the right side. It works a whole lot like the climbing profiles you’ll find on the likes of a Garmin, Wahoo, or Hammerhead. It’ll also have a real time indication of what percent grade you’re riding up.
The mini map on the right stays the same, as does the larger elevation profile.
Best of all, there are new customization options for the data display on the top left. There are four slots, allowing you to select between things like average power, heart rate, and more.
Meet Zwift Racing Score
Most everyone who has ever dived deep into their stats in Zwift’s racing knows how imperfect their scheme was. The power-based categorization scheme grouped riders based on power numbers, which allowed some riders to sandbag so long as they kept their numbers near the top of their categories.
Thankfully, a potential solution–Zwift Racing Score–should be implemented later this year.
Zwift Racing Score overhauls the system, taking in both power-based calculations with rider results to asses what level they should be racing at.
Riders will be assessed a score on a scale of 0-1000, with higher scores being better. Those categories are then broken up based on what racing is going on.
Zwift Racing Score is set to be released in October.
A whole bunch of new roads
Starting in November, Zwift will add roads and routes to Watopia. But how they plan on doing should add in a bit of fun.
Zwift says that there will be “unusual things appearing from the ocean, just off Watopia’s Coast” in anticipation of the expansion.
There’s a duo of new challenges
Strava is set to introduce a duo of new challenges, both of which can be found in the ‘Challenges’ section on the home screen. Riders can complete these challenges alongside an additional ‘main’ challenge including Everest, Italy, or California.
The first challenge is dubbed Cardio Crusher. Aimed at time-crunched athletes, the Cardio Crusher Challenge offers five new workouts under an hour. Zwifters who complete the five workouts will unlock 250 XP. Cardio Crusher starts September 9th.
Then there’s Route Chaser: The Grade. Zwift riders will need to complete five routes to complete the challenge. Three of these challenges are new, including Mayan 8 (23.1km with 241m elevation gain), Radio Rendezvous (20.5km with 736m elevation gain), and Power to the Tower (44.7km with 1492m elevation gain). Route Chaser: The Grade starts October 3rd.
New ways to upgrade your bike on Zwift
Zwift is bringing customization to bikes. You read that right.
Riders will be able to upgrade their bikes by completing specific challenges. To get aero gains, you’ll likely need to complete a time trial-like challenge. Climbing upgrades will come from completing climbing challenges, and so on.
Upgrades include lowering weight, improving aero, and reducing rolling resistance over five stages of upgrades. Do the challenges and spend your drops to receive those upgrades.
There are even new Halo Bikes available for purchase. That includes bikes like the Pinarello Espada, though Zwift says these halo bikes will only be available to those with other Pinarello bikes in their garage.
Upcoming Zwift schedule for racing and training
Zwift’s released its latest updates to the Racing Calendar. That includes
Complementing Zwift Community events is the Zwift Racing Calendar. Split into four key pillars:
-zRacing Monthly, with new routes coming each month.
-Zwift Racing League, which brings Zwift riders together for three rounds of six races each between September and February.
-Zwift World Series, which consists of five races spanning September 2024 to January 2025.
-Zwift Games, which starts in March 2025. This includes the Zwift Championship, which comes back for year two. Racers at both the community and elite levels will be able to compete.
Alongside the Zwift Racing Calendar is a range of training challenges. That includes Zwift Academy, which goes until November 3rd. Here, riders will be able to work on their fitness while competing for a chance to earn a pro contract CANYON//SRAM Generation or Alpecin-Deceuninck Development for the top-performing women’s and men’s riders respectively
Then there is Zwift Camp: Baseline. This latest workout program consists of six workouts with long and short versions to suit all athletes. Upon completion, Zwift says riders will receive a report to identify their strengths and weaknesses, as well as new challenges tailored to those strengths and weaknesses. Zwift Camp: Baseline runs from November 18th to January 5th.
Hardware updates
Along with the software updates, there are also a few updates on the hardware side. When we reviewed the Zwift Ride in June, there was a promise for future availability without the trainer. Zwift has followed through on that promise and the Zwift Ride is now available on it’s own. Pricing is £749.99 / 799,99€ / $799.99 and right now you can pair it with trainers from Wahoo and Zwift as well as select options from JetBlack, Van Rysel, and Elite. Check the Zwift Ride product page for the full list.
