Zwift is the most amazing thing since sliced bread. After a long day of work staring at a monitor there's nothing better than staring at a different monitor doing something that resembles something I love.
I had a wall to stare at, then a TV, then a computrainer, then ZWIFT. Zwift brought me back from an injury that had me in the hospital for a month. In 1 season I had relearned to walk, started competing and won a district tt champ. Zwift was the game changer. I ridden it since BETA, it's the best.
I started on Zwft in early 2018, and it has been my training platform of choice ever since. No traffic, no red lights… simply, no interruptions and perfect repeatability. Plus, the community per se, and especially the group rides. The social component of riding with thousands of like-minded people is a big plus. Not just during the pandemic - due to where I live and work, I can literally not ride outside for around 6-7 months, unless I put everything in my car and drive for an hour (and sometimes two - we have something callled ‚winter‘ up here in the Austrian Alps). So, in my free time, I can ride my bike in the heat of Tempus Fugit and watch the guests walk back to their hotels through a white-out-level snow storm. Ride On.
As a rower who trains on my Concept2 rowing machine by myself in my house with nothing but some music and a TV nearby I am so extremely jealous of Zwift and the cycling community. The only attempt at something similar is EXR and it's got a long way to go to be anything even remotely close to this. Doesn't help that rowing has absolutely no professional scene whatsoever. Not all endurance sports are loved equally, and rowers always get mad that cycling keeps taking all of our athletes, but the more I learn about the cycling community and the things you guys have, the more I can't blame them at all for making the switch.
I just ride indoors with an interval screen counting off the seconds and a TV with Netflix on. Not gonna lie, I don’t see the appeal of zwift at all when the TV feels so much more entertaining than whatever zwift has to offer 😅😅. I already think riding outdoors is so boring and dirty compared to the clean indoors ; the last thing I would want to do is bring the drudgery of outdoors, indoors 😂
I would be over the moon if Zwift somehow added rowing support. I mean, there’s plenty of water around Wattopia right? I too have a Concept2, and while I love it it’s nowhere near as fun and inclusive as Zwift. As for the person who prefers the TV and doesn’t see the appeal of Zwift, that’s fine of course, but I still say why not both? I routinely have something on my display while Zwifting via iPad. Or, if Zwift is extra critical for that session, I’ll have it on the display and perhaps something casual ŵon the iPad. Zwift is more than just the entertainment or even immersion. It’s riding with community and friends, it’s a fitness planner/trainer, it’s tracking and analysis, it’s racing or learning to race, and more. It’s got many of the benefits of Strava (which also isn’t strictly necessary relative to, say, music) while enabling you to do more with others.
I stopped cycling in 2016 and had never used Zwift - came back to cycling this year but now am partially sighted - decided to see what the hype was about and I’m blown away by the platform they’ve built - truly a game changer, not just from being more enjoyable but making cycling more accessible for folks who can’t necessarily always join the club runs or head out on busy roads ❤
Sunday is my one year Zwiftaversary and I can honestly say it’s changed my life. I went from a non cyclist to putting in many miles and feet of climbing each week. It helped my husband get through one of the hardest years too
I started Zwifting in 2021 and haven't looked back. Great platform and I don't have to worry about cars running me over. I can just concentrate on the ride. Hoping they are around for many more years to come. HBD Zwift!
Started using Zwift last October. Trained entirely indoors using Zwift and a Wahoo Kickr bike. In April I completed the Mallorca 312. Indoor training works.
I've been on Zwift since the beta days and have loved and supported it since....it has been a life saver and a life enhancer! Thank you Zwift for all you have done for me - no - for all you have done for US!
The indoor wheel off trainer combined with Zwift has given time crunch riders time to train with a lot more realism. I love my Wahoo and Zwift offers so many training sessions and plans.
It was thanks to GCN featuring Zwift back during the Vuelta in 2017 when I decided I needed to get myself a smart trainer and a Zwift subscription. I finally started in February 2018. I just turned my 10k mile mark in February this year. No dogs, no cars, no potholes, no oblivious pedestrians, and more recently no e-bike clowns. No u-turns for dropped bottles. However far I decide to ride, the shower is ten steps in one direction and the fridge ten steps in the other. I can take as many coffee stops as I want and never have to worry about locking up the bike. Needless to say, I'm a Zwifter for life.
I started using Zwift when Wahoo closed RGT. It's been a serious change in how I ride and when I ride. I now race, something I wouldn't do given my age and the number and severity of real world injuries. I found groups of riders that have real world similarities to who I am. This wouldn't be possible id I remained where I was before I "found" Zwift. I'm rueing the day I didn't pick up Zwift about six years earlier.
Same here, I've been given an old wheel-on trainer by a relative who's upgraded. I'm sure there will be plenty of Scottish winter days that will make me not want to go outside, so going to be great to have the option.
Broke my arm 7 weeks ago. Have ridden ~1,400 miles with Covid break in the middle leaning on a foam roller strapped to my bars. Sure, I've definitely lost some fitness. But I would have lost far more w/o Zwift. Wish me luck on my first outdoor ride back tomorrow!
Best of luck, and have FUN. I wish you the BEST weather, NO mechanicals, and a GREAT stop at the mid point, whether it be a café, or a little something you packed in you back pockets. ENJOY!!!
Same here, broke my wrist and dislocated my hand 2 months ago, I'm almost back in riding form again due to indoor training and a set of aero bars. I just need to be able to tolerate the pain in my wrist for longer than 20 minutes on the bike so i can go back outdoors again.
Me, too. I’m recently back in the saddle, thank the good Lord from 4 fractures in my arm and a compressed nerve at the elbow. My first ride again after 10 weeks brought tears to my eyes. Wishing you great success!
Since breaking my leg last year I’ve been using zwift to help with recovery and I’ve ridden over 10, 000kms in the past year and I’ve never been more motivated to ride then now. So thank you zwift
I found out about smart trainers and zwift in late 2018 when my dentist showed me that he had a set up in a side room at his office. He used it between patients. It was the coolest thing ever. I bought one and signed up in October of 2018. I’ve had some lapses in riding.. work, travel, two major health setbacks… but zwift has always been part of the solution. While I still think of it as helping me be a better rider outdoors, I do love it. Best of all, none of the embarrassing wrecks in the doorway I had back in the old days when riding rollers.
Mat Hayman was really interesting - said that he didn't have a fan when he was doing his Zwifting in 2016 so thinks he was inadvertently doing heat training like the pros are doing now. Anyway, hope you enjoy the video! Dan
Congrats! At age of 58 I lost 10kg in 12 weeks with a Zwift training program, but the best is: I am keeping the same weight for 6 months with no specific diet
Zwift is a way for me to connect with other cyclists, something I have struggled to do locally. My only criticism is the lack of adaptive training, the training plans overall are not very good, but it is a relatively minor quibble. I use TrainerRoad and Zwift I know it’s expensive but compared to a local gym it isn’t at all bad. Thanks Dan again great reporting, missed you on the cycling commentary this year!
4 years now. A great option for the bad weather or early mornings when it is too dark to ride outside. Not as good as riding outside, but WAY better than any other alternative.
Started Zwift three years ago. I have more “imaginary” Zwift riding friends than real life riding companions now. Funny thing, when I do meet them in real life, conversations flow same as they would on line-only with interruptions for traffic and road hazard call outs.
I was using the Tacx i-magic well before Zwift was even though off. You said for the 1st time ever, that gradients were simulated when Zwift came out but the I-magic was doing this year's before Zwift. You had the choice of riding real roads like Rouvy or Virtual reality like Zwift. So more of a evolution than a revelation. 😊
Wednesday June 10th 2020 saw me downlaod the 7 day trial of zwift after being a long time "Sufferfest" user. Been an avid user of zwift since. Not into racing on it - but i do like to dream up my own stupid challenges. 21 bends for 21 days (ADZ 21 days in a row) Ven Two - Ride Ven Top twice back to back Alp Deux Ez - Ride ADZ twice back to back TDF stage Mimic - Using Climb Portal (Aspin / Tourmalet / ADZ) all back to back. ADZ / Ven Top - Ride them back to back. I also use it heavily for doing intervals on as its much safer than the roads here in the UK. Not a big fan of being deep into the red with cars / lorries around me.
I started riding in 2012. Zwifting when it was still jarvis island. I refuse to take off the beta kit in-game so I can just flex to all the other riders. I'm pretty casual and there have been a lot of ups and downs (injury, moves, kids) but I just surpassed more km ridden indoors than I have outdoors. That's pretty impressive considered I had 3500km ridden outdoors before I started riding zwift. Now, with a kid, I'm a lot more nervous to ride outside. I'll do it on rare occasions whenever the weather is perfect or there's an event.
I'm a relatively fair weather rider, so when it's -10 out like it is now, or dark at 5pm, Zwifting is a godsend in the winter. Engaging enough and with enough variety and group activities to at least help take my mind off how much my legs are hurting. This is my 3rd winter on it. I just wish I'd gotten a smart trainer a few years sooner. Helped me lose 30 lbs or so last winter.
Cost me NZ$2.5K to setup a Tacx Neo and Zwift in 2016. There is and was nothing you could buy for that money that would have improved my enduro race times by that amount.
Thanks Dan and crew , I used it for 3 months , then they raised the price . I have free apps that are similar , and I'll use em' , as I am on as fixed income ." Square and fair" , Jens is awesome !
Sadly, this is my experience. Zwift is definitely the better of the platforms out there but it's really hard to justify the cost for my using it once a week or so since they hiked the rates by 40% or so. If they had a scaled pricing structure where I could pay a couple of bucks a ride then I'd be back in a heartbeat.
I started indoor training with the "unofficial" Sufferfest videos - absolutely loved them. They were a critical tool in rehabilitation from an ACL reconstruction during my elite rugby career. I started on board with the Sufferfest during it's early days and I thought it was fantastic. I didn't have a power meter so never really got into Zwift. Nowadays, I ride my indoor trainer several days a week, but still stick to my Garmin sensors / computer and GCN Training or CTXC videos. I do watch Zwift's progress (great work, I say), but, honestly, I am still called by the raw thrill of those original Sufferfest videos while training for a sport I'd built my life around.
Like many I hadn’t ridden a bike for well over a decade and then boom……Covid. I bought a bike. Fell instantly back in love with cycling and very soon after discovered zwift… being out of work due to the Covid lockdown I wasn’t prepared to spend much so found the cheapest possible smart trainer on eBay and used my iPad as my screen. without doubt I would never of suffered hour long workouts in the spare room without the data zwift offered…. il just do another few kms…il just do another few minutes…. Il just do another few feet of elevation…. I’d always finish dripping with sweat and out of breath,, sure signs of a great workout. thanks Zwift!
I joined zwift just at the end of the original ghost figures era, when there were less than 500 - 600 users. I remember the first group ride that GCN organised and it cause the zwift servers to crash, because more than 1000 users tried to join at the same time 😀
I somehow never got along with indoor training. Even with Zwift I just can't stomach sitting inside on the bike staring at a screen. It's so much more boring than cycling outside that I found myself just choosing not to use my nice smart trainer. I don't get the changing scenery that being outside offers, don't get the fresh air, and no matter what settings or trainers I tried, none of them ever felt like what it feels to actually ride on the tarmac. I'd say I spent a total of under 10 sessions on the actual trainer over the 3 years I owned one. Maybe it would be different if I had the whole setup with the incline machine, controllers, etc, but I couldn't justify that money.
I got the Kick r Snap version 1. Which has been very good. Easy to setup. But the new zwift bike is very tempting! thanks for the history lesson Dan GCN 👍😁
Been using Zwift for almost 3 years now... before that I was using a cheap wheel-on trainer while watching TV... no comparison! Indoor training is actually enjoyable now.
Honestly I ride more indoor than outdoor. The streets are not good for safe roadcycling around where I live currently. At the same time it is super easy to just hop on my bike indoors and do a quick 45min to 1 h ride in between.
I'm a new Zwifter, I bought the Zwift ride a month and a half ago and it was a game changer for me, in fact what I didn't like before was the thought of having to mount and dismount my bike every time to be able to train indoors. As other people have already said, perhaps the cost is a bit high (200,00 euros a year here in Italy) and what I hope is that Zwift will soon decide to create a family account, because my wife is also getting passionate about it but, honestly, 400,00 euros a year is really really too much... considering that we are not professionists and we train for fun and to stay fit and healthy.
Just checked and I've been Zwifting since 3 July 2015. Think that means I'm one of the Open Beta users. Get to celebrate my own 10yr anniversary in 2025!
I'm thinking about buying a smart trainer this winter if it does indeed get cold and snowy. I see some people in the comments prefer it to real life cycling, but this sounds ridiculous. The reason I got back into cycling after my teenage years was the feeling of freedom and interaction with the outside world. I like the sensation of speed, leaning into corners, slaloming around potholes and the added bonus of keeping myself fit. No matter how good simulators get, I'd always prefer the real thing.
I also prefer the real road, but you can't beat indoor for optimal training. Unless you have really nice quiet roads or live near a velodrome doing something like a 2x 20min threshold interval is almost impossible. It also allows me to get stronger even if I finish work late and there's less reasons to not cycle since I don't need to prep a lot of gear. Usually just put on my bib shorts and go. This allows me to enjoy outdoors even more as I get stronger and faster when I do ride outdoors.
One thing you didn’t mention is the relative safety of Zwift. I did once crash my trainer doing a GCN workout back in the day😅 but I also had a good system of bike paths. Then we retired to a place without those bike paths and Zwift became my refuge from giant pickup trucks. In the more than six years since then, I’ve met online a good many people who can’t or shouldn’t ride outside for reasons like balance issues or too many concussions. There’s at least one recumbent group on Zwift for people who can’t sit a double-triangle bike. There may be handbike groups that I just don’t know about. In any case, I’ve been able to ride and race safely inside while talking and chatting with people from Norway to New Zealand and U-23s when I’m 76.
I tried indoor riding three times... I concluded that I'd rather eat my bike piece by piece. Granted, the circa 2000 turbo trainer made a racket that'd wake the dead, sweat was pi&hing everywhere, despite it being Winter in Scotland, with the window ajar, and nowt to look at but the curtain ahead. Despite indoor riding having, apparently, moved on in leaps and bounds, over the almost quarter century since, I'll stick with the 'whole-istic' experience that comes with riding in the great outdoors, regardless of weather, except icy days.... I'm much less gallus and break much more than bounce, these days. Wherever you want to ride, though, all power to your elbow(or should that be legs, in this case?).
I love racing on zwift, the large community means i get matched to people around my ability. My local irl cycling club is just too advanced for me, with a young family i just can't put in the hours to compete with them.
I'm pretty down on Zwift right now given the preposterous pricing but I will say they basically single-handedly made indoor cycling a good option and that's important.
Sorry I'm 100% 'The Sufferfest' (still refuse to call it Wahoo). But I fully agree on the massive benefits of inside training on a smart turbo (and 55" TV) in the garage. Spent several years just riding inside until I friend got me out on the road. Due to the hours of training on the turbo i was able to put in a reasonable performance. These days I enjoy both, but as the weather gets more rubbish here in England I will be riding more and more indoors. If you fancy a challenge try ' The Kitchen Sink' video - 3 hours of constant riding (no free wheeling - no where to hide).
I'd order the new Swift Ride if Swift wasn't so expensive. You're locked in to Swift and they don't even offer a family subscription. So no, I won't become a "swifter".
I joined almost exactly 5 years ago and as a Canadian I would always find my fitness, mood, and health would start to plummet around this time of the year along with the temperatures. I've had a trainer of one sort or another for about 15 years but it was torture to use. I now have a decent smart trainer and with zwift the basement sessions are significantly less painful and tedious. Before I was lucky to make it though 30 minutes I can now commit a solid hour or so to zwifting. I still don't understand those that are on for 3+ hours however
Zwift or no Zwift, I still get bored riding indoors. It’s why I bought a velomobiel so I could ride year round in any weather. Much more fun than riding the trainer. Respect to those of you that can stand riding inside.
My first ride with Zwift was in late 2015 but most of a training session those days I did with Bkool. But for me Zwift wasn't revolutionary app by any means because way before times of Zwift I ride with Tacx older apps like I-Magic and fortius. Those apps impressed me more those days than what Zwift did later. I have seen very close progress of indoor cycling.
2017- over 12k miles on Zwift. Formerly took pride in my “old school” tough winter training program riding in the cold, Zwift has changed me. Some may argue softer, no I think better more focused training and quality miles than cold quantity miles. Have really grown to enjoy it a lot. The racing, the events, the community. Bravo to all at Zwift!
I cancelled my subscription when they put the price up. I might get a couple of months worth for the depths of winter but it’s not worth it for me the rest of the year, I don’t care about races or the group stuff. I wish they had a lower tier where I could just ride around the courses without the other stuff.
Zwift helps the indoor sessions be less boring, but "community" is stretching it. Every ride in Zwift is a race and riders are virtually flicking eachother constantly
A couple of decades ago? How about 6 months ago (last winter) for me! BUT!!! My new JetBlack Victory trainer is on it's way to the USA and I look forward to joining all the kool kids in Watopia!
Started Zwift in Lockdown. I absolutely love it, but still not as good as riding outdoors but way better than all other indoor options. Racing is super fun, being able to plan your own workouts is amazing. You can even do FTP tests to make sure your training in the right zones. I think it would be super cool with a VR headset but it might be quite sweaty! The groups rides a super nice for an easy ride. However I think it would be better if they had a large range of paces as they are sometimes slightly too fast or too slow for zone 2, but this is marginal! Not a big problem at all. The best thing about zwift is it’s easier to stay in zone 2 as where I live is very hilly, meaning there is a decent bit of zone 4 as well!Overall made my indoor training so much more fun, would recommend, wish they hadn’t increased price though!
I just started using Zwift after buying a Zwift Ride with a Wahoo Kickr after watching Connor review the ZR several weeks ago. I started road and mountain biking decades ago and am trying to get back into a riding routine after many years off the bike. So far so good! My only issue with the Zwift platform is when I try to ride my Zwift Ride near my husband who is also Zwifting on my old road bike mounted to a Zwift hub. His computer picks up my bluetooth signal, my gears go haywire and visa-versa. One of us has to quit out of Zwift and basically "go away" (so sad!). Can't find a good fix online but see other users suffer the same glitch. It is definitely discouraging while I am still trying to figure out the controls on the Zwift Ride handlebars. Luckily I can still ride outdoors in California until winter arrives, so I hope to find a fix by then. Back to GCN Thanks - Great video tribute to Zwift's 10-year anniversary.
Thank you for your comment! We’re sorry to hear about the issue you’ve had with your setup. Have you tried reaching out to the Zwift team on their social media? They might have a solution to your problem.
@@gcn Zwift customer service read my post here and reached out to me BEFORE I could reach out to them. Further proof they are a great company that cares about their customers. They provided some troubleshooting suggestions that I hope work once I get time to give them a try. Thanks!
Zwift have been fine and everyone is thankful as it is colourful. But it needs competition like any free market. With Whoosh, Indivelo and Rouvy etc. The indoor space has never been so great.
I have a question, Just got into cycling. I bought an old dumb indoor trainer & Wahoo Cadence/Speed sensors. Is it worth trying Zwift with this cheap setup? Looking at this video I feel like I should be throwing that thing out the window and buy a better one
You really want a smart trainer for the full effect - to get the feedback on power output and Zwift (or another app) controlling the resistance according to the in world terrain. You could probably find something like a wahoo kicker v2 wheel on smart trainer used for pretty reasonable money now - the serious indoor riders have switched to wheel off trainers.
wish it was cheaper, after all just to gain access to zwift you need to spend hundreds on equipment if not over a thousand.... Then the rider needs to do al the work in the pain cave.... Outside is free.
Hayman has a workout he used on zwift on the platform, its about 1:20. Even based on your ftp it is still really hard to get through. Normally takes me 3 attempts to build up to 100% workout difficulty. It certainly increases your endurance and most of it is green ... but don't be fooled!! Nasty!!
I acknowledge that I'm the odd one out here, but I've never felt that connected to Zwift. Having had a membership from when Wahoo SYSTM dropped RGT, I worked my way to level 10 last winter, but won't be paying for a renewal. I just prefer do my workouts in SYSTM and recovery rides with a good documentary, or GCN videos and still have the choice of strength and yoga sessions. It is great though reading some of the stories here of how Zwift has got people active and in to cycling.
@@zwiftingwithdemonhunter Me too- plus graphics from a PC with i5-13500 and GTX4060. 55" TV on a swivel wall bracket "In your face" !! Rouvy would be OK but heard you still get close passes by cars lol
You're not wrong there! For me there's only so many times you can go up alpe de zwift. Admittedly you can't beat the racing on zwift but if you fancy a change of scenery (quite literally) and aren't. Fussed about racing like me, it's a refreshing change trying something different
I switched to Rouvy early on because I more enjoyed the real videos that other guys filmed of their rides. Its fun to see what other guys are encountering on their rides. The craziest seems to be the South Koreans, who even include their pee breaks at gas stations. I've now started filming my outdoor rides as a second hobby, though I edit out all the stops.
I have used indieVelo, free to use now & while not as graphically rich as Zwift - - Just road and some trees, no dinosaurs, the "physics" of indieV are - I have to say, are significantly better than Zwift .
Cycling is not just about sitting and pedaling something. Cycling is the air rushing through your helmet the cold hands and feet the pot holes the near misses the half hour spent choosing what jersey to wear before a ride the hospital visits after a car knocks you off your bike the recovery and total joy of again been able to enjoy all of the above I would rather not ride than zwift.
Didn't Bkool come before Zwift? I was certainly using Bkool before I joined Zwift. Loved the old Bkool pro trainer, was very generous with the watts haha - had to switch to a Kickr when I switched to Zwift in 2015 as the Bkool trainer was unfair!
Maybe swift would be affordable if they didn't license a million bike frames and wheels. At $20 a month it's ridiculous and doesn't have the value to price
Indoor cycling? You should see what has happened to Virtual Reality flight simulation. It's a LOT better than sitting on a turbo-trainer. Even so, both flying and cyclind IRL, are irreplaceable.
Danke! Great content!
Thank you so much for the support! ❤️
Zwift is the most amazing thing since sliced bread. After a long day of work staring at a monitor there's nothing better than staring at a different monitor doing something that resembles something I love.
Underrated comment
It sucks
I had a wall to stare at, then a TV, then a computrainer, then ZWIFT. Zwift brought me back from an injury that had me in the hospital for a month. In 1 season I had relearned to walk, started competing and won a district tt champ. Zwift was the game changer. I ridden it since BETA, it's the best.
I started on Zwft in early 2018, and it has been my training platform of choice ever since. No traffic, no red lights… simply, no interruptions and perfect repeatability.
Plus, the community per se, and especially the group rides. The social component of riding with thousands of like-minded people is a big plus. Not just during the pandemic - due to where I live and work, I can literally not ride outside for around 6-7 months, unless I put everything in my car and drive for an hour (and sometimes two - we have something callled ‚winter‘ up here in the Austrian Alps).
So, in my free time, I can ride my bike in the heat of Tempus Fugit and watch the guests walk back to their hotels through a white-out-level snow storm.
Ride On.
Deepest condolences for such pathos
You have my upmost sympathies
As a rower who trains on my Concept2 rowing machine by myself in my house with nothing but some music and a TV nearby I am so extremely jealous of Zwift and the cycling community. The only attempt at something similar is EXR and it's got a long way to go to be anything even remotely close to this. Doesn't help that rowing has absolutely no professional scene whatsoever. Not all endurance sports are loved equally, and rowers always get mad that cycling keeps taking all of our athletes, but the more I learn about the cycling community and the things you guys have, the more I can't blame them at all for making the switch.
Take some heart from the fact you don't have to share your natural sporting environment with drivers 😄
I just ride indoors with an interval screen counting off the seconds and a TV with Netflix on. Not gonna lie, I don’t see the appeal of zwift at all when the TV feels so much more entertaining than whatever zwift has to offer 😅😅.
I already think riding outdoors is so boring and dirty compared to the clean indoors ; the last thing I would want to do is bring the drudgery of outdoors, indoors 😂
I would be over the moon if Zwift somehow added rowing support. I mean, there’s plenty of water around Wattopia right? I too have a Concept2, and while I love it it’s nowhere near as fun and inclusive as Zwift.
As for the person who prefers the TV and doesn’t see the appeal of Zwift, that’s fine of course, but I still say why not both? I routinely have something on my display while Zwifting via iPad. Or, if Zwift is extra critical for that session, I’ll have it on the display and perhaps something casual ŵon the iPad. Zwift is more than just the entertainment or even immersion. It’s riding with community and friends, it’s a fitness planner/trainer, it’s tracking and analysis, it’s racing or learning to race, and more. It’s got many of the benefits of Strava (which also isn’t strictly necessary relative to, say, music) while enabling you to do more with others.
@@rhythmace1 We only have to deal with the far less abundant but far more entitled motorboat and jetski owners stirring up huge wakes 🤣
@@GilbertTang As I understand it, they were developing rowing to add to zwift some years ago but canceled it unexpectedly and without explanation
I stopped cycling in 2016 and had never used Zwift - came back to cycling this year but now am partially sighted - decided to see what the hype was about and I’m blown away by the platform they’ve built - truly a game changer, not just from being more enjoyable but making cycling more accessible for folks who can’t necessarily always join the club runs or head out on busy roads ❤
Thanks for the comment! Makes total sense to us! Ride On!
Sunday is my one year Zwiftaversary and I can honestly say it’s changed my life. I went from a non cyclist to putting in many miles and feet of climbing each week. It helped my husband get through one of the hardest years too
I started Zwifting in 2021 and haven't looked back. Great platform and I don't have to worry about cars running me over. I can just concentrate on the ride. Hoping they are around for many more years to come. HBD Zwift!
just plug into the Matrix, why don't ya
Zwift sucks
I had a static trainer back in the day and used to watch old VHS recordings of LeMond/Hinault Tour de France battles. That was my Zwift at the time.
Started using Zwift last October. Trained entirely indoors using Zwift and a Wahoo Kickr bike. In April I completed the Mallorca 312. Indoor training works.
I've been on Zwift since the beta days and have loved and supported it since....it has been a life saver and a life enhancer! Thank you Zwift for all you have done for me - no - for all you have done for US!
The indoor wheel off trainer combined with Zwift has given time crunch riders time to train with a lot more realism. I love my Wahoo and Zwift offers so many training sessions and plans.
It was thanks to GCN featuring Zwift back during the Vuelta in 2017 when I decided I needed to get myself a smart trainer and a Zwift subscription. I finally started in February 2018. I just turned my 10k mile mark in February this year. No dogs, no cars, no potholes, no oblivious pedestrians, and more recently no e-bike clowns. No u-turns for dropped bottles. However far I decide to ride, the shower is ten steps in one direction and the fridge ten steps in the other. I can take as many coffee stops as I want and never have to worry about locking up the bike. Needless to say, I'm a Zwifter for life.
Currently level 53 on Zwift and love it as much as I did as a level 1 rider
I started using Zwift when Wahoo closed RGT. It's been a serious change in how I ride and when I ride. I now race, something I wouldn't do given my age and the number and severity of real world injuries. I found groups of riders that have real world similarities to who I am. This wouldn't be possible id I remained where I was before I "found" Zwift. I'm rueing the day I didn't pick up Zwift about six years earlier.
I'm planning to start Zwift for the first time this fall. I was finally able to afford an indoor trainer
We have loads of videos explaining features and how to use it, in case it’s helpful to you. Good luck!
Same here, I've been given an old wheel-on trainer by a relative who's upgraded. I'm sure there will be plenty of Scottish winter days that will make me not want to go outside, so going to be great to have the option.
@@gcn I've already watched them all and will probably rewatch them. Thanks!
Zwift is awesome. I struggle to stay in the saddle for as long as I do outside but it’s better than commuting to a gym and doing intervals all alone.
Broke my arm 7 weeks ago. Have ridden ~1,400 miles with Covid break in the middle leaning on a foam roller strapped to my bars. Sure, I've definitely lost some fitness. But I would have lost far more w/o Zwift. Wish me luck on my first outdoor ride back tomorrow!
Best of luck, and have FUN. I wish you the BEST weather, NO mechanicals, and a GREAT stop at the mid point, whether it be a café, or a little something you packed in you back pockets.
ENJOY!!!
Same here, broke my wrist and dislocated my hand 2 months ago, I'm almost back in riding form again due to indoor training and a set of aero bars. I just need to be able to tolerate the pain in my wrist for longer than 20 minutes on the bike so i can go back outdoors again.
Me, too. I’m recently back in the saddle, thank the good Lord from 4 fractures in my arm and a compressed nerve at the elbow. My first ride again after 10 weeks brought tears to my eyes. Wishing you great success!
Since breaking my leg last year I’ve been using zwift to help with recovery and I’ve ridden over 10, 000kms in the past year and I’ve never been more motivated to ride then now. So thank you zwift
I found out about smart trainers and zwift in late 2018 when my dentist showed me that he had a set up in a side room at his office. He used it between patients. It was the coolest thing ever. I bought one and signed up in October of 2018. I’ve had some lapses in riding.. work, travel, two major health setbacks… but zwift has always been part of the solution. While I still think of it as helping me be a better rider outdoors, I do love it. Best of all, none of the embarrassing wrecks in the doorway I had back in the old days when riding rollers.
Mat Hayman was really interesting - said that he didn't have a fan when he was doing his Zwifting in 2016 so thinks he was inadvertently doing heat training like the pros are doing now.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the video! Dan
Not sure about that. I was a fan of Mat Hayman in 2016.
@@LegSpinna 😂
Zwift has “cost” me 40 pounds in lost weight… that’s an extremely competitive price. Ride on!
Congrats! At age of 58 I lost 10kg in 12 weeks with a Zwift training program, but the best is: I am keeping the same weight for 6 months with no specific diet
Thanks!
Wow, thank you so much. Dan
Zwift is a way for me to connect with other cyclists, something I have struggled to do locally. My only criticism is the lack of adaptive training, the training plans overall are not very good, but it is a relatively minor quibble. I use TrainerRoad and Zwift I know it’s expensive but compared to a local gym it isn’t at all bad. Thanks Dan again great reporting, missed you on the cycling commentary this year!
4 years now. A great option for the bad weather or early mornings when it is too dark to ride outside. Not as good as riding outside, but WAY better than any other alternative.
I've gotten back into cycling after a couple of years off, thanks to the Zwift Ride. It's only been a couple of months, but it's been fantastic
Welcome back!
Thanks for being a big part of the comeback! Hope to join the crew for a group ride if schedules align
Started in 2018 joined Team Vegan and today at 59 i am fitter than in my 30's, thanks to the community who encourage and motivate to get better.
Started Zwift three years ago. I have more “imaginary” Zwift riding friends than real life riding companions now. Funny thing, when I do meet them in real life, conversations flow same as they would on line-only with interruptions for traffic and road hazard call outs.
0:39 the herd moves mooooooooooooo!!!!!!
I was using the Tacx i-magic well before Zwift was even though off. You said for the 1st time ever, that gradients were simulated when Zwift came out but the I-magic was doing this year's before Zwift. You had the choice of riding real roads like Rouvy or Virtual reality like Zwift. So more of a evolution than a revelation. 😊
Wednesday June 10th 2020 saw me downlaod the 7 day trial of zwift after being a long time "Sufferfest" user.
Been an avid user of zwift since.
Not into racing on it - but i do like to dream up my own stupid challenges.
21 bends for 21 days (ADZ 21 days in a row)
Ven Two - Ride Ven Top twice back to back
Alp Deux Ez - Ride ADZ twice back to back
TDF stage Mimic - Using Climb Portal (Aspin / Tourmalet / ADZ) all back to back.
ADZ / Ven Top - Ride them back to back.
I also use it heavily for doing intervals on as its much safer than the roads here in the UK. Not a big fan of being deep into the red with cars / lorries around me.
I started riding in 2012. Zwifting when it was still jarvis island. I refuse to take off the beta kit in-game so I can just flex to all the other riders. I'm pretty casual and there have been a lot of ups and downs (injury, moves, kids) but I just surpassed more km ridden indoors than I have outdoors. That's pretty impressive considered I had 3500km ridden outdoors before I started riding zwift. Now, with a kid, I'm a lot more nervous to ride outside. I'll do it on rare occasions whenever the weather is perfect or there's an event.
I'm a relatively fair weather rider, so when it's -10 out like it is now, or dark at 5pm, Zwifting is a godsend in the winter. Engaging enough and with enough variety and group activities to at least help take my mind off how much my legs are hurting. This is my 3rd winter on it. I just wish I'd gotten a smart trainer a few years sooner. Helped me lose 30 lbs or so last winter.
Wow - well done! We're glad you've enjoyed Zwift so much! What's your favourite workout?
@gcn I'd say I like attacking some of the climbs like Epic KOM and Alpe Du Zwift. But also a lot of group rides, occasionally a race.
Matty Hayman winning Paris-Roubaix is still one of my favourite memories of watching pro cycling bar none.
Cost me NZ$2.5K to setup a Tacx Neo and Zwift in 2016. There is and was nothing you could buy for that money that would have improved my enduro race times by that amount.
Thanks Dan and crew , I used it for 3 months , then they raised the price . I have free apps that are similar , and I'll use em' , as I am on as fixed income ." Square and fair" , Jens is awesome !
Thank you for sharing your experience!
Sadly, this is my experience. Zwift is definitely the better of the platforms out there but it's really hard to justify the cost for my using it once a week or so since they hiked the rates by 40% or so. If they had a scaled pricing structure where I could pay a couple of bucks a ride then I'd be back in a heartbeat.
Love Zwift! I don’t participate in the community, but I enjoy getting on and turning my old legs over, regardless of what’s happening outside.
I started indoor training with the "unofficial" Sufferfest videos - absolutely loved them. They were a critical tool in rehabilitation from an ACL reconstruction during my elite rugby career. I started on board with the Sufferfest during it's early days and I thought it was fantastic. I didn't have a power meter so never really got into Zwift. Nowadays, I ride my indoor trainer several days a week, but still stick to my Garmin sensors / computer and GCN Training or CTXC videos. I do watch Zwift's progress (great work, I say), but, honestly, I am still called by the raw thrill of those original Sufferfest videos while training for a sport I'd built my life around.
Been using Zwift since 2021. Love it.
Great video, Zwift has been a game changer for winter riding over here in Canada BC 🎉
Like many I hadn’t ridden a bike for well over a decade and then boom……Covid. I bought a bike. Fell instantly back in love with cycling and very soon after discovered zwift… being out of work due to the Covid lockdown I wasn’t prepared to spend much so found the cheapest possible smart trainer on eBay and used my iPad as my screen. without doubt I would never of suffered hour long workouts in the spare room without the data zwift offered…. il just do another few kms…il just do another few minutes…. Il just do another few feet of elevation…. I’d always finish dripping with sweat and out of breath,, sure signs of a great workout. thanks Zwift!
Awesome vid guys great to hear about the history of Zwift 😊 Pete 🚴🏻👍
I joined zwift just at the end of the original ghost figures era, when there were less than 500 - 600 users. I remember the first group ride that GCN organised and it cause the zwift servers to crash, because more than 1000 users tried to join at the same time 😀
It’s a fascinating story, but for me “indoor cycling” will always be an alien concept!
I somehow never got along with indoor training. Even with Zwift I just can't stomach sitting inside on the bike staring at a screen. It's so much more boring than cycling outside that I found myself just choosing not to use my nice smart trainer. I don't get the changing scenery that being outside offers, don't get the fresh air, and no matter what settings or trainers I tried, none of them ever felt like what it feels to actually ride on the tarmac. I'd say I spent a total of under 10 sessions on the actual trainer over the 3 years I owned one. Maybe it would be different if I had the whole setup with the incline machine, controllers, etc, but I couldn't justify that money.
I started in 2017-18. It's ace. It should be on the NHS in the UK as a means of tackling obesity issues.
I got the Kick r Snap version 1. Which has been very good. Easy to setup. But the new zwift bike is very tempting! thanks for the history lesson Dan GCN 👍😁
Been using Zwift for almost 3 years now... before that I was using a cheap wheel-on trainer while watching TV... no comparison! Indoor training is actually enjoyable now.
I'm 64 on Monday. I would quite like time to stand still thanks.
Good summary. I converted to Zwift about a year ago and it's a life changer in terms of fitness. Anyway, the sun's out so I'm off out on my bike.
Love this! Love Zwift as well!
Honestly I ride more indoor than outdoor. The streets are not good for safe roadcycling around where I live currently. At the same time it is super easy to just hop on my bike indoors and do a quick 45min to 1 h ride in between.
I'm a new Zwifter, I bought the Zwift ride a month and a half ago and it was a game changer for me, in fact what I didn't like before was the thought of having to mount and dismount my bike every time to be able to train indoors. As other people have already said, perhaps the cost is a bit high (200,00 euros a year here in Italy) and what I hope is that Zwift will soon decide to create a family account, because my wife is also getting passionate about it but, honestly, 400,00 euros a year is really really too much... considering that we are not professionists and we train for fun and to stay fit and healthy.
Just checked and I've been Zwifting since 3 July 2015. Think that means I'm one of the Open Beta users. Get to celebrate my own 10yr anniversary in 2025!
I'm thinking about buying a smart trainer this winter if it does indeed get cold and snowy. I see some people in the comments prefer it to real life cycling, but this sounds ridiculous. The reason I got back into cycling after my teenage years was the feeling of freedom and interaction with the outside world. I like the sensation of speed, leaning into corners, slaloming around potholes and the added bonus of keeping myself fit.
No matter how good simulators get, I'd always prefer the real thing.
I always said the same --until I hit 70, and got more fragile 🙂
I also prefer the real road, but you can't beat indoor for optimal training. Unless you have really nice quiet roads or live near a velodrome doing something like a 2x 20min threshold interval is almost impossible. It also allows me to get stronger even if I finish work late and there's less reasons to not cycle since I don't need to prep a lot of gear. Usually just put on my bib shorts and go.
This allows me to enjoy outdoors even more as I get stronger and faster when I do ride outdoors.
One thing you didn’t mention is the relative safety of Zwift. I did once crash my trainer doing a GCN workout back in the day😅 but I also had a good system of bike paths. Then we retired to a place without those bike paths and Zwift became my refuge from giant pickup trucks. In the more than six years since then, I’ve met online a good many people who can’t or shouldn’t ride outside for reasons like balance issues or too many concussions. There’s at least one recumbent group on Zwift for people who can’t sit a double-triangle bike. There may be handbike groups that I just don’t know about. In any case, I’ve been able to ride and race safely inside while talking and chatting with people from Norway to New Zealand and U-23s when I’m 76.
Having had such a bad experience with indoor trainers in the past I was skeptical. However it’s been the best investments I’ve made in cycling.
I tried indoor riding three times... I concluded that I'd rather eat my bike piece by piece. Granted, the circa 2000 turbo trainer made a racket that'd wake the dead, sweat was pi&hing everywhere, despite it being Winter in Scotland, with the window ajar, and nowt to look at but the curtain ahead. Despite indoor riding having, apparently, moved on in leaps and bounds, over the almost quarter century since, I'll stick with the 'whole-istic' experience that comes with riding in the great outdoors, regardless of weather, except icy days.... I'm much less gallus and break much more than bounce, these days. Wherever you want to ride, though, all power to your elbow(or should that be legs, in this case?).
I watch this video while on the indoor trainer.
I love racing on zwift, the large community means i get matched to people around my ability. My local irl cycling club is just too advanced for me, with a young family i just can't put in the hours to compete with them.
I'm pretty down on Zwift right now given the preposterous pricing but I will say they basically single-handedly made indoor cycling a good option and that's important.
Sorry I'm 100% 'The Sufferfest' (still refuse to call it Wahoo).
But I fully agree on the massive benefits of inside training on a smart turbo (and 55" TV) in the garage.
Spent several years just riding inside until I friend got me out on the road. Due to the hours of training on the turbo i was able to put in a reasonable performance.
These days I enjoy both, but as the weather gets more rubbish here in England I will be riding more and more indoors.
If you fancy a challenge try ' The Kitchen Sink' video - 3 hours of constant riding (no free wheeling - no where to hide).
Great video! You should do one for GCN and parent company!
I really appreciate this one. I need help, and this might just be the help I need.
Very interesting too:)
Once I upgraded to a smart trainer it was a real game changer
I'd order the new Swift Ride if Swift wasn't so expensive. You're locked in to Swift and they don't even offer a family subscription. So no, I won't become a "swifter".
I joined almost exactly 5 years ago and as a Canadian I would always find my fitness, mood, and health would start to plummet around this time of the year along with the temperatures. I've had a trainer of one sort or another for about 15 years but it was torture to use. I now have a decent smart trainer and with zwift the basement sessions are significantly less painful and tedious. Before I was lucky to make it though 30 minutes I can now commit a solid hour or so to zwifting. I still don't understand those that are on for 3+ hours however
Love it.
Zwift or no Zwift, I still get bored riding indoors. It’s why I bought a velomobiel so I could ride year round in any weather. Much more fun than riding the trainer. Respect to those of you that can stand riding inside.
When did you start using Zwift and what has your journey with Zwift been like? 🚴♂💨 Let us know in the comments down below! 👇
July 3rd, 2015. Its been great I like it so much
Dec 2016! And lvl 99 🙌 still loving it…….. and looking for some love from zwift for early subscribers 😁
My first ride with Zwift was in late 2015 but most of a training session those days I did with Bkool. But for me Zwift wasn't revolutionary app by any means because way before times of Zwift I ride with Tacx older apps like I-Magic and fortius. Those apps impressed me more those days than what Zwift did later. I have seen very close progress of indoor cycling.
2017- over 12k miles on Zwift. Formerly took pride in my “old school” tough winter training program riding in the cold, Zwift has changed me. Some may argue softer, no I think better more focused training and quality miles than cold quantity miles. Have really grown to enjoy it a lot. The racing, the events, the community. Bravo to all at Zwift!
Zwiter since 2016 Been a great tool and a lot of fun.
I cancelled my subscription when they put the price up. I might get a couple of months worth for the depths of winter but it’s not worth it for me the rest of the year, I don’t care about races or the group stuff. I wish they had a lower tier where I could just ride around the courses without the other stuff.
I’m a loner, I prefer FulGaz. And the realism and HUD on FG is hands down so much better.
Zwift helps the indoor sessions be less boring, but "community" is stretching it. Every ride in Zwift is a race and riders are virtually flicking eachother constantly
A couple of decades ago? How about 6 months ago (last winter) for me! BUT!!! My new JetBlack Victory trainer is on it's way to the USA and I look forward to joining all the kool kids in Watopia!
Anyone else see Eric's gray Zwift Ride? 🔥
I cycle in all weather conditions the UK can throw at me...I just can't ride indoors 😫
Started Zwift in Lockdown. I absolutely love it, but still not as good as riding outdoors but way better than all other indoor options. Racing is super fun, being able to plan your own workouts is amazing. You can even do FTP tests to make sure your training in the right zones. I think it would be super cool with a VR headset but it might be quite sweaty! The groups rides a super nice for an easy ride. However I think it would be better if they had a large range of paces as they are sometimes slightly too fast or too slow for zone 2, but this is marginal! Not a big problem at all. The best thing about zwift is it’s easier to stay in zone 2 as where I live is very hilly, meaning there is a decent bit of zone 4 as well!Overall made my indoor training so much more fun, would recommend, wish they hadn’t increased price though!
I just started using Zwift after buying a Zwift Ride with a Wahoo Kickr after watching Connor review the ZR several weeks ago.
I started road and mountain biking decades ago and am trying to get back into a riding routine after many years off the bike. So far so good!
My only issue with the Zwift platform is when I try to ride my Zwift Ride near my husband who is also Zwifting on my old road bike mounted to a Zwift hub. His computer picks up my bluetooth signal, my gears go haywire and visa-versa. One of us has to quit out of Zwift and basically "go away" (so sad!). Can't find a good fix online but see other users suffer the same glitch. It is definitely discouraging while I am still trying to figure out the controls on the Zwift Ride handlebars. Luckily I can still ride outdoors in California until winter arrives, so I hope to find a fix by then.
Back to GCN Thanks - Great video tribute to Zwift's 10-year anniversary.
Thank you for your comment! We’re sorry to hear about the issue you’ve had with your setup. Have you tried reaching out to the Zwift team on their social media? They might have a solution to your problem.
@@gcn Zwift customer service read my post here and reached out to me BEFORE I could reach out to them. Further proof they are a great company that cares about their customers. They provided some troubleshooting suggestions that I hope work once I get time to give them a try. Thanks!
Can you recommend a very very cheap book and very useful and informative please 🥺 🙏
What forum do I follow for Black Friday sale rumors on Zwift ride?
Zwift have been fine and everyone is thankful as it is colourful. But it needs competition like any free market. With Whoosh, Indivelo and Rouvy etc. The indoor space has never been so great.
Any 2nd hand roadbike for under 1.5k euro u reccomend? and what components
I have a question, Just got into cycling. I bought an old dumb indoor trainer & Wahoo Cadence/Speed sensors. Is it worth trying Zwift with this cheap setup? Looking at this video I feel like I should be throwing that thing out the window and buy a better one
You really want a smart trainer for the full effect - to get the feedback on power output and Zwift (or another app) controlling the resistance according to the in world terrain. You could probably find something like a wahoo kicker v2 wheel on smart trainer used for pretty reasonable money now - the serious indoor riders have switched to wheel off trainers.
i just started zwift 2 days ago ;)
wish it was cheaper, after all just to gain access to zwift you need to spend hundreds on equipment if not over a thousand.... Then the rider needs to do al the work in the pain cave....
Outside is free.
Hayman has a workout he used on zwift on the platform, its about 1:20. Even based on your ftp it is still really hard to get through. Normally takes me 3 attempts to build up to 100% workout difficulty. It certainly increases your endurance and most of it is green ... but don't be fooled!! Nasty!!
Indoor is good for competition and recovery
- but for me, it takes all the FUN out of cycling 😅
Love zwift
I acknowledge that I'm the odd one out here, but I've never felt that connected to Zwift. Having had a membership from when Wahoo SYSTM dropped RGT, I worked my way to level 10 last winter, but won't be paying for a renewal. I just prefer do my workouts in SYSTM and recovery rides with a good documentary, or GCN videos and still have the choice of strength and yoga sessions.
It is great though reading some of the stories here of how Zwift has got people active and in to cycling.
I'm over zwift and it's cartoon graphics. Made the switch to Rouvy and haven't looked back. Way more immersive if you like good scenery
Hmm, my graphics look just fine on my 4K TV.
It’s perfect for me that my indoor trainer doesn’t try to provide “immersive scenery”, because nothing will beats outdoors.
@@zwiftingwithdemonhunter Me too- plus graphics from a PC with i5-13500 and GTX4060. 55" TV on a swivel wall bracket "In your face" !! Rouvy would be OK but heard you still get close passes by cars lol
You're not wrong there! For me there's only so many times you can go up alpe de zwift. Admittedly you can't beat the racing on zwift but if you fancy a change of scenery (quite literally) and aren't. Fussed about racing like me, it's a refreshing change trying something different
Could you please start featuring Rouvy as well? They sponsor La Vuelta and have an increasing number of users. Thx!
Rouvy is an interesting app as well but I think Zwift is a sponsor of GCN so....
I switched to Rouvy early on because I more enjoyed the real videos that other guys filmed of their rides. Its fun to see what other guys are encountering on their rides. The craziest seems to be the South Koreans, who even include their pee breaks at gas stations. I've now started filming my outdoor rides as a second hobby, though I edit out all the stops.
Shout out to IndieVelo
I have used indieVelo, free to use now & while not as graphically rich as Zwift - - Just road and some trees, no dinosaurs, the "physics" of indieV are - I have to say, are significantly better than Zwift .
Used it since 2016 but once they hit €20 per month.....not a chance!!
Cycling is not just about sitting and pedaling something. Cycling is the air rushing through your helmet the cold hands and feet the pot holes the near misses the half hour spent choosing what jersey to wear before a ride the hospital visits after a car knocks you off your bike the recovery and total joy of again been able to enjoy all of the above I would rather not ride than zwift.
Is it only me thinking that Zwift graphics now are not better or even worse than 10 years ago? 😅
Didn't Bkool come before Zwift? I was certainly using Bkool before I joined Zwift. Loved the old Bkool pro trainer, was very generous with the watts haha - had to switch to a Kickr when I switched to Zwift in 2015 as the Bkool trainer was unfair!
TACX preceeded both ..
Maybe swift would be affordable if they didn't license a million bike frames and wheels. At $20 a month it's ridiculous and doesn't have the value to price
Just switched to Rouvy for half of the price 👍🏼
The biggest things in indoor cycling in the last 10 years were:
1-smart trainers,
2-rocker plates,
3-elite rizer,
4-fulgaz/rouvy.
7€/month turned to 25. Rest about the same.
Indoor cycling?
You should see what has happened to Virtual Reality flight simulation.
It's a LOT better than sitting on a turbo-trainer.
Even so, both flying and cyclind IRL, are irreplaceable.