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Zwift virtual training turns on the paywall, adds Workout mode in beta

Written by Tyler Benedict Oct 24, 2015 3:30 p.m. ET

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Been itchin’ to try Zwift while it’s in free Beta? Better hurry. Starting October 29th, 2015, it switches to paid mode, setting you back $10/month everywhere (or £8 in the UK, VAT included). Founding members that signed up before September 25th will carry over all their virtual goodies, achievements and experience points to the paid plan.

They’re also launching Workout Mode in Beta, allowing you to go beyond the casual (or competitive) group riding on the 3D-rendered virtual Zwift Island. Structured workouts will give you a chance to push yourself to improve without the guesswork. Check out details and screenshots of the workout program below…

Zwift Training is kicking off with workouts created by the professionals at Marco Pinotti, Peaks Coaching Group and Train Sharp, and all will be based on your FTP (Functional Threshold Power). Don’t know your FTP? Don’t worry, they’ll offer baseline tests to help you figure it out, then improve it.

Get started with a free trial, which gets you 50km worth of riding in your first 14 days even after the October 29th pay-to-play launch.

Zwift.com

Tyler Benedict

11,200 articles

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com. He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel to killer riding locations throughout North America.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler loves family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part to make his bikes faster and lighter.

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WV Cycling

8 years ago

Other than visuals, how does this compare with PerfPro (without having to read all of DC RainMaker’s charts and tables?)

Pit

8 years ago

I don’t know perf pro but I also use TR and zwift a lot. The workout mode is really cool, but will be much better if/when you can create custom workouts. If the workout creator works like TR it will be perfect.

Bob Miksche

8 years ago

I have been using it for sometime now and really enjoy it.

James Gill

8 years ago

Work out mode is now live on Zwift. If you want a run down of the features and what the FTP test looks like, take a look at the Zwift Workout Mode review on TitaniumGeek.

http://www.titaniumgeek.com/gear-reviews/zwift-workout-mode/

Naytan

8 years ago

Meh. Kinda fun here and there. Not worth a subscription fee though. $20 one time is about all I’d do. Bye zwift.

Patrick

8 years ago

Zwift=boring.

Not fun watching a cartoon of myself in an non-existent location riding laps.

Oddly, I’d rather watch an actual pro ride around (as with Sufferfest paired with TrainerRoad.) Wouldn’t be doing Zwift anyways, but with a paywall…. nuh-uh.

Chris

8 years ago

@patrick

Not sure the point of it is watching yourself. The point is the social and competitive interaction. There are other people there too. You don’t watch them, you ride or race with them.

Pit

8 years ago

I’m sorry but Sufferfest is a joke. If you like that junk you would be better off torrenting tons of race footy and just slapping TR on it. That is what I do on screen 2 next to zwift. If you have to do serious volume and intensity indoors you will know that Zwift is legit when you try it.

Christobevii3

8 years ago

IF they could dynamically create courses from google map routes or combine with trainer road I don’t see myself paying for this. As $ 3 a month add on for trainer road I would.

XXX

8 years ago

As soon as they make it Bluetooth compatible im in.

Ted

8 years ago

I have been using Zwift for a week now and can safely say that training with graphics showing all your outputs, secenery and other riders competing is far superior than just sat spinning on a trainer in the shed/garage/spare room.
Along with the sprint sections and KOMs it’s brilliant
The time flies by, compared to just a trainer. I’ll be signing up because it’s well worth it. £8 a month = £2 a week = under 30p a day.
I tried the workout mode this morning and it’s very good, going to have another crack at it when I get home from work later

Pit

8 years ago

There seems to be a huge divide between people who really need to train a ton and those who just whip off a few 1 hour basic sessions a week on the trainer. The fee for this app is friggin chump change seriously.

The tools I use to manage and monitor trianing are the following – Training Peaks, TrainerRoad, Zwift and Strava. I need and use all of those to manage both indoor and outdoor training. My volume is about 18-22 hours a week including racing. When it comes to the price I don’t understand the gripes at all. I get plans from a coach that I put into TP, then I create those workouts in TR or into the Garmin (if outside or race), and everything gets uploaded into Strava where I monitor my power profile. Monthly fees – Strava $10, TP $20, Zwift $10, TR $12… Now that I have done several indoor centuries using zwift and also have done tons of ftp blocks with and without zwift, I know I cannot train indoors as effectively without it. Go do a ztr race in zwift with the A group and see if you get a good workout lol. Or better yet, try a 3×30 ftp with zwift and then again with just tv or TR. No comparison. Zwift pushes you to go harder. If I had to pinch pennies I dump training peaks or trainer road in a heartbeat and keep zwift. If they add the option to create custom workouts I will definitely dump trainer road.

The issue I have with sufferfest and TR is that the video footage is weak! Anyone who watches a lot of racing does not want to watch that old race footage they’ve already seen with terrible music laid over the top. Give me a break.

David

8 years ago

If the plans are sufficient, I’ll be dropping my TrainerRoad for this. It’s cheaper and more immersive. I’ve found that if I try to watch any TV outside of my training program, I tend to miss targets so if I’m mentally stuck on an app, it might as well be nice to look at. That said, it’s will boil down to the quantity/variety of workouts available. TR is on a monthly plan so I can switch at any time, but I’m not paying for both.

Chris

8 years ago

I’m going to be using Zwift with my InsideRide rollers with their new electric resistance unit. Hopefully this combination will be as entertaining as I hope! The rollers provide excellent realism in the motion and balance and the addition of the graphics in the Zwift game should make the time fly by! Or so I hope…

nightfend

8 years ago

$10/month is pretty cheap to me. I have no issue paying that and will definitely subscribe. Even if I only use it a couple times a week. The hour workouts go really quick, as you focus on the portals that appear ahead of you. I think the portal system works really well for short intense intervals.

Jonathan

8 years ago

Try Zwift on a power trainer like the Wahoo KICKR. Using Zwift, and other similar apps/software, on a standard trainer is rather unimpressive. But when you feel the trainer adjust to the terrain you see on the screen and you have to shift gears like you would out in the real world you will then see the value in these type of programs.
http://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/kickr.html