Zwiftcast

This episode kicks of with a sequence looking at the community reaction to HQ’s latest changes to the XP system and, in turn, Zwifters’ levels. It’s fair to say the latest changes were not universally welcomed, and Simon, Shane and Eric pick apart the reasons. HQ acknowledged that the changes were not well signalled and HQ’s head of product Mark Cote explains what happened. Even the most casual cycling fan must be aware that Women’s Cycling is on the up - fresh, exciting and growing fast. Simon talks to HQ’s Kate Veronneau about the absolutely pivotal part Zwift has played in this, much of it down to the company’s critically important sponsorship of the re-born Tour de Frances Femmes, avec Zwift. Kate discloses that she’s been known to message journalists and broadcasters who forget to mention the “avec Zwift” part! When a listener asked Simon to chase down some stats on how many Zwifters sit at each Level, he thought it might make an interesting feature. In fact, the data that came back from Zwift was absolutely gob-smacking. The Level 100 Club is uber-exclusive, with only 0.06% of Zwifters getting past the velvet ropes to the inner sanctum of achievement. At the other end, the percentage of Zwifters just starting their journey, and on Levels 1-10, is, if anything, even more staggering. Listen to the Ep to find out more. Zwift staffer James Bailey provides a shedload of interesting insight into the new Zwift Racing Score system which should, before too long, replace the crude A, B, C and D racing categories. And Kate returns at the end of the episode to give a preview of the exciting events on the platform to mark the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. We hope you enjoy listening.    

Simon, Shane and Nathan are in Grand Tour mode for the latest episode of the Zwiftcast. They trio discuss the latest trainer from Elite, the Direto (or Dorrito as it has instantly been christened) which was launched by the Italian company at the TdF. A compatriot of Shane’s in Melbourne, Mike Boudrie, has compiled a “taxonomy of Zwifters”. He’s come up with four categories ranging from the die-hard to the denier . . . Simon talks to Mike about his fun list. The chaps move on to a light-hearted compare-and-contrast exercise on Tour TV coverage on their respective continents before considering the latest chapter in Zwift Academy winner Leah Thorvilson’s amazing story as she competes in the women’s Grand Tour, the Giro Rosa. Leah has had a tough time and the trio discuss what implications her experience may have on the next editions of the Academy scheme, with both a second women’s contest and a new men’s competition on the horizon. The first Zwift Masters racing series has just concluded and it’s won a reputation for being not only great racing, but cultivating a super-friendly atmosphere. Simon talks to principal Chris O Hearn about his conclusions and plans for the next series. Could Jarvis Island, the first Zwift world, ever return? It’s a perennial topic of discussion and fuel is added to the fire with Simon’s conversation with Zwift 3D artist Tony Yruegas. The chaps debate the merits of a Jarvis return and Shane confesses what happened when he tried to hack his way back to Jarvis! We hope you enjoy listening.

In what has now become a tradition, Zwift HQ today revealed a bagful of new features, both in hardware and software, coming down the track as the Northern Hemisphere Peak Season ramps up.   The Zwiftcasters run through the shiny new things - some of which are being implemented immediately and some which will be scattered before Zwifters hopefully before there’s snow on the ground.   There are a number of real crowd-pleasers, including a revamped HUD and new roads in Watopia, but there’s more - it’s quite a packed programme. Hear what we think of what’s coming!  

After the most thrilling finish to a Grand Tour for many years, perhaps ever, Simon and the Zwiftcasters assess the effect Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is likely to have on the sport in the future. In one of their favourite metrics - bums on saddles - already huge progress is being made. But what more needs to be done? The Zwiftcast’s man on the ground Dave Towle files a personal report and we discuss the Tour and its aftermath. One of the longest running inside gags on the podcast - Simon’s non-ownership of a certain virtual bike - looks like it could be coming to an end (Simon thinks) as Zwift implement an auto-enrol function for the Everest Challenge. Is it a Simon Switch or an Idiot Switch? The Zwiftcasters discuss. Zwift is finally opening up its API to selected partners with a service aimed at tri-athletes the first to benefit. While the whole API thing sounds a bit nerdy, in fact the implications for everyday Zwifters are extremely significant. Simon, Shane, Nathan and Eric speculate on how fast changes may happen and what the possible nature of enhancements to the user experience may be. The Zwiftcast ranges across the latest Zwifty news with coverage of UCI certification of trainers; enhancements to the women’s racing calendar and even a small bone HQ has thrown to runners. In Correction Corner, the Zwiftcasters chew over the revised figures HQ delivered on the proportions of Zwifters at certain levels. There was amazement at the first version of these stats, which didn’t pass the Zwiftcast sniff test. The new version makes much more sense. And how do you get to be a Zwift club with 1,000 members in 60 countries? Be more SISU seems to be the answer. Dave chats to one of the founders of one of the most successful clubs on the platform. We hope you enjoy listening.  

The Zwiftcast hosts discuss the really significant implications of what looks very much like a price war on trainers as Australian manufacturer Jet Black unveils a gob-smackingly good value - and fully featured - trainer at Eurobike. Simon chats to Shane and Eric about the consequences, with the Zwiftcasters pausing to take a humorous side-swipe or two at the extraordinary offering from Elite, bucking both pricing trends and design conventions. Simon also catches up with Dave and Nathan for an extended and joyful conversation about Mark Cavendish’s incredible win at Le Tour. Mark, a great friend of Zwift, finally took his record breaking win on Stage Four. Elsewhere Simon parses an interview Eric Min granted D C Rainmaker, the first time the Zwift CEO has spoken at length since resuming his top leadership role at the company. Simon provides commentary and analysis on a very interesting chat, with more analysis and reaction from Dave and Nathan. The chief designer of the Zwift Ride, Graham Stoney reveals some of its development secrets in an extended interview with Simon and Shane and Eric speculate on might be coming next from the Zwift hardware team. And finally, an in-depth chat with Mr Helpful, the Zwift staffer James Bailey, who volunteers his encyclopaedic knowledge of the more arcane bits of the Zwift platform to help questioners in the Zwift Riders FB group.

After a very long coffee stop, the Zwiftcast returns to resume the familiar mix of Zwifty chat and gossip. Simon, Shane and Nathan are joined by friend of the pod, Eric Schlange of Zwift Insider and special guest Dave Towle. Quite a lot happened in Watopia and the wider Zwift world over the last two years or so. Simon picks out the big stuff and we put those through the Zwiftcast grinder. There's a great chat with Olympian cyclist and now highly rated coach, Kristan Armstrong on how to get the best out of the new feature on Zwift, The Grade.  Simon spends a few minutes explaining why the pod went away, why it's come back and where it's going next. And we conclude with a look at the competitive scene on Zwift with the long called for retirement of Zee Power in Zwift-owned racing events as well as the curious appeal of a Beat The Bots ride. Welcome back Listeners!  

Simon, Shane and Nathan are together for the final time as the sun sets on the Zwiftcast. And they ask: Is Zwift’s Age of Dominance over? Wahoo surprised the whole indoor training sector with the bombshell announcement that it was buying RGT, for some time the only like-for-like competitor with Zwift. The Zwiftcasters consider several aspects of the deal . . . . will it spur the big Zee to greater urgency in its development of new features? What might it mean for the rumoured TrainerRoad deal? Could Wahoo’s undoubted power and expertise pose a serious threat to Zwift’s growth?  And does Zwift have the bandwidth to handle its first serious rival AND the launch of its own hardware? There is certainly plenty for the Zwiftcast Trinity to consider. Elsewhere Simon talks to a host of Zwift OGs . . . the Zwifters who were around right at the beginning, helping to build the community, establish racing and pioneer online coaching using the platform. Simon does “Where Are They Now?” spots with David Lipscombe, Julynn Washington, James Gill and Christian Wiedemann. All are still Zwifting and many have strong thoughts on what they’d like Zwift to be doing - and their words are given greater topicality and relevance by the Wahoo deal. Elsewhere, after the old Mining Town got nuked, then re-instated, Simon asks Shane and Nathan what else in Zwift they’d like to see nuked.  There’s also speculation around the new Gravel Mountain route and a final goodbye. Simon would like to thank each and every single Listener over the years and the scores of episodes, especially for the many private and public messages received after he announced that the Zwiftcast was riding up over the hill and into a slowly setting Spanish sun. Thanks for listening!

Well, that was a hot mess, wasn’t it? Simon, Shane and Nathan chew over the whole #freeLuciano debacle as a packed episode 104 hits your podcatchers. In the longest Zwiftcast ever, the trio also take assess the likely importance to the platform of Club Functionality, now it’s available to all Zwifters. Simon interviews Eddie from HQ, who we christen the King of Clubs. Zwift is coming under pressure on disabled and differently-abled athletes as Zwifter Andy Shuttleworth starts a campaign to highlight the lack of representation in game. There’s news from inside HQ of what they plan to do on what is acknowledged to be a hot topic. Is Zwift about to take over TrainerRoad? Only a very few people know for sure and it’s not Simon, or Shane or Nathan. That doesn’t stop them speculating on the likelihood and the wisdom of the move. Zwift is making its most serious attempt ever to stop sandbaggers in their tracks in the racing sphere. HQ’s Flint McGinnis explains why the approach of Category Enforcement has been taken and how the scheme is expected to develop. The Zwiftcasters look at the fairytale story of Academy Winner Jay Vine surging to victory in the e-sports World Champs while Simon goes off on one on the coverage.  And finally, there’s a dose of schadenfraude, as the chaps ask what went wrong at Peloton and whether there are lessons for Zwift to learn. We hope you enjoy listening.

In a packed and busy episode, the emphasis for the Zwiftcasters in the New Year is very much on new things. Will we hit a new Peak Zwift, beating last year’s over 49,000 concurrent riders? Simon, Shane and Nathan enter their guesses. The new Zwift Bike was announced, well leaked, by Zwift in a strange way over the holidays. The Zwiftcasters discuss this, but more importantly, the features we now know about. They are excited. There is a new Home Screen coming to Zwift, but contain your excitement because it’s a slow roll out. The Zwiftcasters have had a preview and they very much like what they’ve been playing with. There is brand new functionality coming to Clubs and the podcasters reckon it will be a huge development as the community gets new - and simple - ways to organise their own events. Elsewhere Simon talks to Mike Hanney about the new Zwiftaliser, the invaluable tool for diagnosing connection and other issues for Zwifters. And there is a new set of tests scheduled to start the long awaited clampdown on the sandbaggers. Along the way Simon, Shane and Nathan find more Zwiftiness to explore and debate. It’s a long one - you’re gonna need a bigger pot of chamois cream! We hope you enjoy listening.

With many Zwifters now having had the chance to ride Neokyo, it’s time for Simon, Shane and Nathan to deliver their verdict. They’re joined by veteran Zwifter Sarah LaRocque and Zwift Insider chief bidon washer Eric Schlange, and all contributors have plenty to say about the new extension. He Must Not Be Named now has a regular ride on Zwift. L****e Arm****ng remains a highly polarising figure, but the Zwiftcasters debate whether it’s right now, after the passage of much time,  to welcome him onto the platform. How long will YOUR expensive smart trainer last? The fate of massive mile muncher Tim Searle’s Kickr may have much to teach us. And still with tech, Simon, Shane and Nathan assess the prospects of a promised “revolutionary” new smart trainer. OS deprecations might sound boring and technical - BUT it may mean your computer will no longer run Zwift. Shane explains why it’s a good thing. And Simon talks to Eric Schlange later in the pod about his “crazy” idea for Zwift Insider to become the repository of verified Zwift World Records. Zwifter Chad Tavernia may have a claim - with his seatless outdoor imperial century, which he’s now matched with an indoor ride of the same distance - and still no saddle. We hope you enjoy listening!

Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the big new idea from Zwift  . . . .This Season on Zwift offers Zwifters a taster of what’s coming up in the coming weeks and months. This is a big change of direction from HQ, which has previously kept future plans close to its chest. We now know we are getting a neon-fest of an extension to Makuri Islands. We know that there’ll be a new way to interact with the game with a much improved Home Screen. And we now know that Clubs is due to get a big jolt of new functionality. The Zwiftcasters discuss the upcoming new features and analyse the implications of what’s a big decision for Zwift in how it relates to its community. Game creator Jon Mayfield has given a rare interview to a Cycling Tips podcast and as always, when Jon talks, it’s worth listening. Simon, Shane and Nathan pick over Jon’s thoughts on his new role at the company and his thoughts on innovation in indoor cycling. The Zwiftcasters discuss possible new moves from putative rivals this winter before moving on to discuss Zwift’s burgeoning relations with the UCI and ASO and how those manifest as the big new sponsorship of, and revival of, the women’s Tour de France plus the staging of the official e-World Champs to be run on Zwift next February. Shane goes into rant mode about Zwift’s roll out of Strava’s Local Legends on the platform. He is not impressed! And finally the podcasters discuss the arrival of He Who Must Not Be Named on the platform - for real. Should the community embrace him? We hope you enjoy listening.

Simon, Shane and Nathan celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast which has tracked the progress of Zwift, our favourite virtual cycling platform, from the very earliest days. As a new indoor season dawns, the podcasters are in reflective mood, analysing what Zwift has got right, how sentiment in the community has ebbed and flowed over the past six years and how real friendships, including amongst the three podcasters, have been formed as we sweat over our trainers and talk turkey about riding a bike indoors. We hope you enjoy listening.  

The three amigos are back together for the first time in a few Eps to chew through all the latest Zwifty news, chat and gossip. . . . in an episode recorded as Nathan nervously kept an eye on a tornado headed towards his studio! Simon, Shane and Nathan kick off with a review of the first interview from Zwift’s newish in post Chief Product Officer, YC, before meeting the Zwifter who accomplished the magnificently mad ride of 100 miles standing up. Prominent Zwifter Chad Tavernia goes one better chatting with Simon, promising to repeat the feat inside. Good luck with that Chad! The Zwiftcasters move on to discuss what can only really be described as a pretty chaotic game update in July - and Shane switches on rant mode.  Auto-categorisation is a solution to sandbagging in racing long advocated by many Zwifters and now, thanks to Martin Carew at WTRL Racing, a nascent system is being tested in earnest. Simon checks in with Martin for a progress report. The Zwiftcasters round off Ep 99 with a chat on the latest tech, including Elite’s Rizer device and Zwift’s decision not to attend the upcoming Eurobike show. With an off-piste diversion into Speed Walking plus a little bit of news for runners on the platform, the boys wrap it up for this one. We hope you enjoy listening

Welcome to this Zwiftcast Special Episode, an extended interview with the company’s first Chief Product Officer. YuChiang Cheng, known to all as YC, was appointed in January and the move was hailed as “critically important” by Zwift’s CEO, Eric Min. YC was put in charge of what seemed like almost everything . . . .from game design and art, engineering, research and development through content programming and live operations, plus a bit more. It was clear that YC, whose background includes the development of the 28 million-player World Tour Golf game, was going to be hugely influential in Zwift’s continued growth and development. So what does he have planned? Was the rapid deployment of the much-requested Return To Home feature soon after YC joined a mere co-incidence or a sign of things to come? Is Zwift working on a brand new platform architecture? Will new features roll out faster? So many questions. Simon sits down with YC to see if the Zwift community can get some answers to these and lots of other questions. We hope you enjoy listening.   00.00-02.10: Intro, including rules of engagement 02.30: What was your last decision in your last meeting? 02.50:Give us your 60 second career resume? (SPOILER: It’s longer than 60 secs)  04.45: How did the opportunity at Zwift come about? 06.46: Do you ride a bike? 08.00: Have you identified areas where Zwift needs to change the way it works? 10.00: The Press release on your arrival stressed “accessibility” and “innovation”. What did that mean? 13.58: In seeking to widen accessibility there’s a feeling that the hard core cyclist will lose out to the casual fitness crowd. You are prioritising growth over development. How do you respond to that? 17.20: The last couple of updates have included “crowd pleaser” features. Is that your doing? 19.50: Is the company developing a Zwift 2.0? A new games engine?  21.50: So is Jon Mayfield, in his new role, working on a new game engine?  22.15: The golf game you were involved in featured performance improvements in exchange for payment. Will this ever be the case on Zwift? 23.10: Zwift Running has not been a conspicuous success. Is Zwift’s future multi-sport? 24.00: Why is hardware development so critical? 25.55:  Zwift is neither agile nor nimble. Do you feel the need to address this? 29.10: Has recruitment of talented development people improved? Why not offshore development? 32.20: Tell me about your working relationship with Jon Mayfield? 34.30: We see a number of big projects announced - then grind to a halt. Why? 37.50: Pace Partners, as an example, were a huge hit. But development of them has been glaciallly slow. Why? 40.15. Racing: At pro level, it serves Zwift marketing well. At community level, tools, features and functions are slow to roll out.Fair point? 43.30: Why are some Zwifters on very high end machines seeing low frame rates on Makuri? Is this directional, or a glitch? 48.00 Will Zwift ever lock down certain features to its own hardware? 51.00: Zwift hardware. When are we going to see something? 51.20: What has surprised you, both upside and downside, since you joined Zwift? 52.35: Golfers or cyclists. Which is the most demanding community?  53.00: Does Zwift have a proper dialogue with its community? 55.10: Thanks and goodbye.       

Well, was it worth the wait? Yumezi has landed - the first new map, and the first new world in Zwift , for quite some time. Eagerly-awaited, much-delayed but now finally here, what does the community make of the new Tarmac with a strongly Eastern flavour? The Zwiftcast abandons its usual format for a special episode soliciting opinion on probably the most beautiful world yet to be released by Zwift. Simon, Shane and Eric Schlange from the Zwift Insider have their say, but perhaps more importantly the Zwiftcast flies around the world to hear from prominent members of the Zwift community on their reaction to Yumezi. We also speculate on how the Makuri Islands might develop in the future. We hope you enjoy listening.

Simon, Shane and Nathan round up all the latest from Zwift. The podcasters look at what they believe to be a big first: Zwift has changed its mind over a plan to hide riders’ weight and height after an outcry from the racing community. Amidst other signs that Zwift may be extending its plans to consult the community on some planned changes, the Zwiftcasters discuss the significance of the decision as well as the thinking behind the initial plans. After a round up of the Zwift news, including an easy way to ride without the Heads Up Display, the saving of the Zwift Hub site by friend of the podcast Eric Schlange of Zwift Insider, and how an early precursor of Zwift was laughed out of the Dragons’ Den, the chaps move on to discuss an innovative move from sports superstore operator Decathlon. The company has rolled out an advertising campaign championing prisoners’ use of Zwift inside a jail in the Belgian cycling heartland of Oudenaarde. The idea came from advertising creative and avid Zwifter Frederik Clarysse. He explains how the initiative came about. Andrew Cotter - and his dogs Olive and Mabel - became global online superstars during the pandemic. Andrew, a sports commentator, is a keen Zwifter and Simon discusses how the platform has provided a valuable escape during the pandemic and lockdown. Finally Shane reveals that he is again the target of lawyers . . .after seeing off the Peloton briefs last year, now a German IP expert is after our Aussie friend - over 10 dollars worth of T shirts! We hope you enjoy listeing.

We’ve wanted it since Jarvis. And now it’s here. The Zwift universe celebrated this week as HQ finally delivered the ability to do a second or subsequent session - without exiting the game. Simon, Shane, Nathan and, as it’s a red letter day, special guest Eric Schlange, discuss the advent of the most requested feature of all time. Senior games guy Wes Salmon is on the Zwiftcast too - to discuss another sizeable development in the game this week - the tweaking of our virtual pelotons. The changes to pack dynamics, or blob behaviour, should make the Zwifting experience, smoother, more natural and more visually appealing. The regular crew and Eric discuss all the implications. r Simon also took the opportunity to quiz Wes on Sticky Draft - and his explanation may confound a few Zwifters who see it as nothing but a nuisance. In fact, it’s essential, as Wes explains. The podcasters run the rule over two big new appointments to the Zwift board - and read the runes on what their skillsets and experience may yield up about Zwift’s intentions. Simon also talks to a big new hire at Zwift, Lisa Bourne, whose brief includes, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Along with some chat about game events and participation, the podcasters once again debate the utility of The Fence - this time in light of Wes’s belief that the recent changes to pack dynamics may improve its performance. Concluding with a discussion about the disappearance of Zwift Transparency and the always-difficult subject of weight verification the Zwiftcasters get a bit serious before reverting to type as Simon complains his training plan is too hard :;) We hope you enjoy listening.

Simon, Shane and Nathan reconvene to consider the state of the Zwift nation. Once the pressing matter of “leg posts” is dealt with,  the podcasters move on to discuss the content of Simon’s interview with Zwift’s new hire Mark Cote, the company’s director of programming and content. One of the many strands of Mark’s expansive new role, which he explains in some detail, is to improve the communications between community and company, a move that the Zwiftcasters believe will be welcome. There’s been yet another Strava shake-up on Watopia and the other Zwift worlds with a whole load of segments vanishing from the public view. Simon chats with Zwift Insider’s head of everything, Eric Schlange, on what it all means, how it came about and why it might be time for a re-think of how segments are made and managed. The podcasters range across a cornucopia of Zwift business including signs of Zwift restricting some hardware on some platforms for some users and the reasons why more women seem to be getting public sanctions for cheating in racing than men. Zwift has recently launched another of its social impact campaigns, this time celebrating the contribution Black athletes have made to the sport. Simon chats to one of the inspirational voices of the initiative, ex-racer and Zwift staffer Rahsaan Bhati. And in and amongst all that there’s lots of other Zwift-related chat. We hope you enjoy listening.

A new episode for a New Year - and 2021 has dawned with, as usual, lots of Zwift news and developments for the Zwiftcasters to discuss.The trio start off with an exploration of the possible reasons why Simon’s very favourite pacer bot may have had an identity change. Coco is now Cara! But why? Simon has a theory. The podcasters move on to discuss the big new Peak Zwift - with more than 46,000 users on the platform concurrently the growth of Zwift over the past year can now be quantified, using this public metric. Up from a mere 16,000 concurrent users at the same point last year, Simon, Shane and Zwift celebrate the achievement whilst also exploring what it all means. Just in time for the Tour de Zwift’s six remaining stages, the game’s developers think they may have found a possible bug which could explain why some users (previously described by the chaps as “potato-owners”) have hit problems riding big events. Are potatoes off the hook? The Zwiftcasters chime in. A high profile departure from Zwift of a respected event organiser seems to have focussed some attention on the event management system - is a new hire at Zwift, combined with the drama of the departure, an answer to some of the gripes Event Organisers have? And Zwift Power has been having a tough time recently - Glen Knight, one half of the service’s inventors tries to shed light on what may be happening. Plus all the usual other Zwift news and chat! We hope you enjoy listening.

Simon, Shane and Nathan link up for another chat about all matters Zwift. And this episode the Zwiftcasters are preoccupied with one question: Where Is Zwift Going This Winter? They attempt to answer the question by examining the most recent information given out by Zwift CEO Eric Min who gave an interview to Bloomberg and revealed a few snippets during his Thanksgiving Day Ride. The Zwiftcast trio try to assemble the pieces of the jigsaw to see if they can come up with a big picture - but they freely admit, there might be some missing pieces that could change the final image! Simon interviews sports cardiologist Professor Graham Stuart, from sportscardiology.co.uk to look at some of the myths and truths around a subject of endless fascination to the Zwift community - Heart Rate. The chaps move on to discuss the first ever e-sports World Cycling Championships held on Zwift and how they saw the coverage, the racing and the introduction of a brand new metric. Finally Simon, Shane and Nathan hoover up a few other bits and pieces including Coco Cadence’s vocabulary, the slightly surprising revelation that only 25% of all Zwifters are American and whether the Shift Smart Trainer gadget might pull a few Peloton-ites in a Zwifty direction. We hope you enjoy listening.