Cycling
The ultimate beginner’s guide to Zwift
Never visited Watopia before? Here’s everything you need to know to get started on Zwift and why you should give the virtual cycling platform a spin.
Indoor cycling has come a long way in recent years and the advent of smart turbo trainers and programs such as Zwift have transformed riding inside. As well as being a viable and fairly realistic alternative to cycling outside used by amateurs and professionals alike, it’s now something that is enjoyable too – perfect for when the weather is bad, you’re time-restricted or you just want to have a focused training session without the variables that come with riding on the road.
What is Zwift?
Tackle recreations of iconic climbs, such as a gradient-perfect Alpe d'Huez
© Zwift
Although there are a number of virtual training apps available, Zwift is the most well-known of the bunch. Established in 2014, the program has grown over the years from an online training platform to multiple virtual worlds (both the imaginary Watopia and real-life recreations, such as London) where you can get involved in social events with riders from around the world, test your limits in demanding races, pick a tough workout session, ride iconic climbs such as Alpe d’Huez, or just go for a spin in one of the virtual worlds – all from the comfort of your home.
How does Zwift work?
Pedal strokes on your turbo trainer power your in-game avatar's pedals
© Zwift
The platform takes live data from any connected sensors used during indoor cycling – from a basic speed and cadence sensor through to a responsive smart trainer – and translates that into powering your avatar’s pedals in the online world. If you pedal harder, so will your avatar, while if you stop pedalling completely, your online character will come to a standstill.
The clever part comes when using Zwift with a smart turbo trainer. Hit the hills of Watopia and your turbo trainer's resistance will automatically get harder, increasing and decreasing with difficulty in line with the virtual gradient – adding realism to the immersive indoor training experience.
How do you use Zwift?
The programme can run on most modern smartphones, tablets and computers
© Zwift
Getting started on Zwift is dead simple, but there are a few things you’ll need before you can explore its numerous virtual worlds. First thing’s first, you’re going to need to download Zwift onto a compatible device, which can be most modern smartphones, tablets, computers or smart TVs. Membership costs £12.99 a month but it’s possible to try for free for seven days before you commit. There’s also no minimum contract length, meaning you can cancel at any time.
Software out of the way, it’s time for the physical items you’ll need to get ‘Zwifting’ – a bike and a turbo trainer. The former’s compatibility depends completely on the turbo trainer you choose, so do your research when looking for the best turbo trainer for you – you don’t want to have to buy a new bike, after all…
What is the best turbo trainer for Zwift?
Dress correctly for turbo sessions
© Wahoo;Evans
When it comes to an indoor trainer, you can spend anything from £100 to £3,000, and how much you spend comes down to how much you think you’ll use it – serious cyclists might be able to justify a big outlay, but recreational cyclists might be fine with a more affordable setup for the occasional virtual ride.
Trainers come in two forms: direct drive, which involves removing the rear wheel from your bike and clamping its frame to the stationary trainer, and a wheel-on trainer. The former will help you get the most out of Zwift as the resistance is dynamically changed to suit the course. A wheel-on trainer is more affordable and good for occasional rides.
What is the cheapest way to get set up on Zwift?
If you want an entry level turbo trainer, this is the one
© FWE; Evans
An entry-level wheel-on trainer is a good starting point to see if you’ll like 'Zwifting' before committing big money. Once you’ve sourced yourself a cheap turbo trainer, all you have to do is add a Bluetooth or ANT+ speed/cadence sensor and you’re good to go. Zwift uses your speed and cadence to calculate your watt output, which then translates to pedal strokes around the virtual world's roads.
Spend a bit more on a wheel-on trainer with a power meter and the level of realism will increase as Zwift will be able to automatically adjust your resistance to match the gradient of the course.
What is the best Zwift set up?
The 'if money was no issue' option
© Wahoo
For the most realistic and immersive experience on Zwift, you’ll want a smart direct drive trainer. They’re smart because they feature integrated power meters and utilise Bluetooth and ANT+ to connect to a compatible device, allowing Zwift to control the resistance of your trainer. When you ride up a virtual hill in Zwift, your trainer increases the resistance so it feels realistic. It really does work too – you’ll be amazed at how good an experience it is.
A direct mount trainer provides a more secure connection between the bike and trainer and a much more realistic pedalling sensation. It also reduces wear on your rear tyre as your drivetrain is connected directly to the trainer, but it does involve removing the wheel every time you want to go for a virtual ride.
If you’re feeling very flush, a top-end direct-drive smart trainer can cost as much as a new bike and is a considered investment for the cyclist wanting to maximise indoor training sessions. The ultimate setup though is a dedicated indoor training bike, like those offered by Wahoo, Stages, SRM, Tacx and WattBike.
Whichever setup you choose though, it’s worth spending a few quid on a fan. Riding inside on the spot gets pretty hot very quickly, and a basic office desk fan will help to keep you from overheating.
How do you use Zwift?
Join a group ride and make indoor cycling sociable
© Zwift
With your new trainer and bike all set up, all that remains is to load up Zwift and embark on your very first virtual ride and join thousands of other Zwifters.
Zwift provides a vast array of ride options – from organised social events to regular races to time trials – and you’re very likely to bump into the odd professional rider, such as Lucy Charles-Barclay or Tom Pidcock, too. Events offer a fantastic way to join hundreds, sometimes thousands, of likeminded cyclists, plus they help introduce you to Watopia and its numerous worlds.
The companion app, available on iOS and Android smartphones, is a good starting place as it lists all the events available. You can filter by level and type and when you’ve found the one you like, simply select it and you’ll get a notification when it’s time to join.
Test yourself against the best and sign up to a virtual race
© Zwift
For a more relaxing ride, you can pick a route based on distance or elevation and go for a ride at whatever pace you like. You can change your route at any time as well and explore the different virtual courses. Throughout the courses, you’ll find sprint segments and KOM/WOMs with special jerseys for the fastest riders. There are even power-ups that can help you climb faster or sprinter quicker.
Talking of virtual courses, the default choice is Watopia – an imaginary world with a wide array of routes, from flat roads to steep climbs. If that’s not enough, you can also ride virtual recreations of London, Innsbruck, New York, Richmond, Harrogate, Bologna, and the made-up Crit City. They are served up on an alternating calendar basis and the last two are event-only.
