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review
Zwift Subscription (Monthly) Immersive indoor gaming experience£12.99
VERDICT:
Realistic alternative to cycling outside, whether for fun or dedicated training
Easy to set up
Only requires basic equipment
Makes indoor training fun
Can help motivation
It's free to ride outside...
Weight:
1g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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Zwift is more than an online training platform – it's changed indoor training completely. Gone are the days of staring at your garage wall for hours on end with a laminated piece of A4 dangling in front of you showing times, heart rates and cadence targets; now you can ride with anyone throughout the world, even just for fun, so long as you're happy to pay the monthly subscription.
I hate the traditional turbo trainer with a passion. I've tried many, many times since I started riding (in 2000) to use its controlled environment and repetition for training, especially when I was being coached for racing. But I just found it sucked the life out of riding my bike.
Fast forward seventeen years and my life was very different: I'd started working from home so the 35-mile daily commute had gone, and more importantly my wife had picked up her career, leaving me to fit daddy care duties for three young kids around my daily work and training.
Zwift became a lifesaver, especially during the school holidays when it was impossible for me to get out.
What is Zwift?
You could call it an online game, a training platform, or a kind of social media. It's a lot of different things for a lot of different people, but all you need is some basic tech, a turbo trainer, a bike and an internet connection to get involved in its worlds.
I say 'worlds' as there are currently nine. Watopia is the original Zwift platform with its range of loops, climbs, descents and sprint sections, but there are more: France, London, Yorkshire, Richmond, Innsbruck, Paris, New York and the Makuri Islands. So not only can you ride in fictional places, you can also train around real environments too. Zwift uses Watopia and two of these nine at any one time, and those change on a daily basis.
Once you've created an account and set up your avatar you can get riding. That can be just going for a casual spin around whichever world you fancy, or joining any number of training sessions including Functional Threshold Power (FTP) tests and the like. You can sign up to dedicated plans too, or even create your own.
You can also join an organised ride or event by going to the events part of the site, and select anything from a club run to a race in various categories.
The categories for all events are based on Watts per kilogram, so it's worthwhile doing that FTP test. Zwift uses your FTP score to control how fast your avatar moves on the platform, so if everyone has been truthful you should find yourself in a competitive race... it's not unheard of for people to make themselves lighter and get an edge in a race, but they're only cheating themselves though, right?!
The group rides have a ride leader who controls the pace, just like on your local club run, and instructions appear on screen to keep the group together. I found these rides great for when I just wanted to get some miles in at a steady pace.
You can also set up your own events too, as we have done with our road.cc rides.
Kit requirements
The minimum you can get away with is something to run the app (phone, tablet, PC, Mac desktop or Apple TV), a basic indoor trainer, and a bike. Your bike needs a speed and/or cadence sensor. Most of these things will connect via Bluetooth. If not, you'll need an ANT+ dongle.
You can usefully add to this. Some form of power measurement makes a massive difference, as it gives a more realistic experience, while a heart rate monitor also adds worthwhile info.
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Power data can either come from a compatible power meter or a smart turbo trainer – these cost anything from a few hundred quid to thousands. Smart bikes are another option, and if you can afford one and have the space, great. The bigger the screen the better the overall experience. You'll need a fan too, and a towel!
Finally, if you want to communicate with your ride buddies, it's best to download the Companion app to a separate device so you can add to the group text during the event.
What's it really like?
This is the key thing, isn't it? As I touched on earlier, for me Zwift completely changes indoor training. The app is easy to use, and there's loads of variation in your routes and riding types. Over the years the app has got smoother-running, too, and it now has a more fluid feel.
Also, while it'll never feel the same as riding outside, it does bring quite a high level of realism to your session – especially combined with some kind of smart trainer.
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The downhills are fun while the uphills can feel like a complete slog, and for someone like me who doesn't spend a whole lot of time in the mountains, pacing really is paramount.
It's not all gritty realism, though; like a lot of computer games it has various power ups to earn, from quick ones for use in the session itself to new kit for the long term. And we all love some new wheels, don't we? Riding more can earn you new components, or even a new frame from a range of brands. I find this a big motivation to keep getting back on the turbo day after day.
Value
Register and you get a seven-day free trial, and after that it costs you £12.99 per month. Consequently the true value will come down to how much you are using it... if it's every day, then you are looking at about 43p.
In comparison Wahoo's SYSTM training app costs £14.49 a month. If you read Matt's review, you'll see it's quite different from Zwift, as it's a bit more focused on intense training, rather than giving you the freedom Zwift does.
Alternatively, BKOOL offers preset routes and the ability to upload your own routes via video or .GPX data, which is a nice touch, and costs £8.50 a month.
Overall
Of the various online cycling platforms I've used, Zwift is one of the most complete for those of us who just want to ride as well as train – although you can of course train hard, and those sessions are easy to follow and effective too.
Verdict
Realistic alternative to cycling outside, whether for fun or dedicated training
road.cc test report
Make and model: Zwift Subscription (Monthly)
Size tested: n/a
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Zwift says, "Zwift is the fitness company born from gaming. We're dedicated fitness enthusiasts, experienced video game developers, and disruptive thinkers. Play is in our DNA and we know fun fuels results.
"Zwift utilizes massively multiplayer online gaming technology to create rich, 3D worlds ripe for exploration. Join thousands of cyclists and runners in immersive playgrounds like London, New York, and Paris as well as our very own Watopia.
"Our app connects wirelessly to exercise equipment: bike trainers, treadmills, and more, so your real world effort powers your avatar in the game.
"From friendly races to social rides and structured training programs, Zwift unites a diverse community in pursuit of a more fun, immersive and social fitness experience."
I find Zwift an all round training/ride package at a decent price.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
PC/Mac Requirements for Zwift: Minimum/Optimal
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 64bit or higher, or macOS 10.12/Current versions of Microsoft Windows 64bit, or macOS
CPU: Intel Core i3 or AMD Athlon/Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen
RAM: 8GB/8GB
GPU: 1GB dedicated GPU, or embedded Intel HD 4000 or AMD R5 2GB Radeon/R9 290 series, or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
Hard Drive: 4GB of free space/4GB of free space
Bluetooth: Version 4.0 or greater/Version 4.0 or greater
Android Requirements:
Android 7.0 or higher
Arm64-v8a ABI (Arm64 architecture)
At least 1 Gig of Ram
OpenGL ES 3.0 or higher
Bluetooth version 4.0 or higher
iPhone Requirements: iPhone SE, iPhone5S, or higher
iOS 12.0 or higher
Bluetooth version 4.0 or higher
iPad Requirements:
iPad Air or higher, iPad Pro or higher, iPad mini 2 or higher, or iPod 6 or higher
iOS 12.0 or higher
Bluetooth version 4.0 or higher
Apple TV Requirements:
4th generation or higher
Bluetooth version 4.0 or higher
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
6/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
A smooth running app that gives a realistic ride feel.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Simple to use and inclusive for all types of rider.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
To get the best out of it you need to invest in decent technology.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It sits between Wahoo's offering and that of BKOOL.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
I find Zwift a balanced alternative to indoor cycling, whether that's training-influenced or just riding for the fun of it. Once you have the necessary kit it's relatively cheap, too.
About the tester
Age: 42
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,
As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!
Latest Comments
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My 6KU, replaced everything but the front chainring over the past 5 years.
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14 comments
Surprised there was no mention in the article of the pause/suspend account option... This can be used when the weather is better then the account reactivated in winter. Much more affordable this way.
Possibly not mentioned as they didn't know - I certainly didn't and will take advantage of that in the summer, thanks!
Sounds a bit of a faff just for those three days.
It's crap. I tried it for a few months and this is what I found:
- The amount of cheating going on is ridiculous. I was told there are a few ways of overinflating your power levels but I never looked in to any of it.
- There's very little repeatability. Personally I like to be able to ride the same routes every now and then as a tracker and comparison. Zwift loves giving you new places to ride. Not a bad thing if you like doing that but I train inside to train. Hard, repeatable numbers so that I can then enjoy my outside rides.
- If you're on Zwift it's probably because it's bad weather outside but guess what? It rains in the Zwift world too! Why? I don't want it to reflect the weather outside, I want it to reflect the weather I WANT to ride in!
- It feels like it's just a short throw away from being a cycling version of Mario Kart. It's not a valuable training partner, it's a GAME.
- "Ride on!"..."F**k off!!!"
I use TrainerRoad which is perfect for me. I love numbers and being able to see where I'm getting better (or not if the case may be) and then tailoring my on or off bike training to that. Zwift isn't the only training platform and it's by no means the best. It's the just the best advertised.
This is true indeed but unless you want to join the races why worry?
Don't understand what you mean here, Zwift never removes routes, just adds new ones, you can go back to any route you want any time you want (provided it's in a world that is on the calendar that day, although there are several simple hacks to ride whatever world you want at any time).
100% agree, the lack of a weather option is ridiculous, like you I am usually only on Zwift because it's horrible out, I want some sunshine. They should also have a nighttime/daytime option.
And to be fair it does market itself as a game, although I find it does everything I need for training as well. Each to their own, I find the graphics and modelling highly enjoyable and they hold my attention more than video rides. The most important thing is that the modelling is exceptionally accurate, so Alpe du Zwift is more or less identical to Alpe d'Huez etc.
Sounds like it may not be to your liking, but I think it's great.
I don't spend too much time on zwift, maybe just 1000km per year and love being able to quickly hop on the bike when i get the chance. I'm not really into the racing side of things, I've done a few but I just like picking a route and riding for an hour. That is my sweet spot in terms of time.
I also like being able to compare my times on the various segments against friends, or even pro's and see if I am getting any new strava PBs, so I find there are plenty of opportunities to see improvement.
Zwift isn't the only training programme, but for me what has made it essential (and addictive) is the community side of things, which was a lifesaver during lockdown. Because they've promoted it well there is now a huge community attached to Zwift. I've joined a team, we love racing together (and chatting bikes all the time when not racing) and I met up with a couple of the others a few months ago for a real life ride too. I'm doing L'Etape du Tour with some of the team in the summer. And you can always find a group ride or a race, or just a wheel to follow on a free ride. If you want repeatable numbers you can set your own workout and ride in ERG mode, but there's stuff going on around you to look at. If you want a flat repeatable route to sit on a specific target on without ERG mode, just go and do loops around Tempus Fugit.
Yeah, there's some cheating in racing, but at the end of the day those people are only cheating themselves. I race because it's fun, and because I like the tactical side of it, and because it motivates me to push my power higher.
I like Zwift a lot (well, as far as anyone can "like" indoor cycling). It provides an immersive experience that makes the indoor trainer tolerable. I don't think it can be criticised for being a game, as that's exactly what it is, with power-ups, levels, XP, kit shop, custom avatar, etc. they set out to gamify indoor training and they have. I don't do the races, I'm not fast enough and there's too much cheating (you see somebody shoot off at 5W/kg and wonder why they haven't had a call from Sir Dave yet), and I haven't ever used the structured training programmes. It's just great for knocking off an hour or two when the weather is bad. There are segments that exist within Strava's virtual ride activity type that match those in the Zwift universe, so it's easy to compare your own rides.
I used TrainerRoad too for many years but I let my subscription lapse recently (at grandfathered rates, which I now regret!)
I've really enjoyed Zwift, but do agree that the training is a bit lame in comparison to TR mainly because the workouts are categorised in a daft way. The "whats on Zwift" website has been a bit of a discovery as it allows much more relevant filtering of workouts by time, zones, TSS etc. Then you can find them in whichever silly folder Zwift has put them in.
I find doing a training session on a Zwift road a bit more fun. ERG mode works well, but equally, doing say a sweetspot or under/over session without ERG mode also useful as learning to hold a given power output on a rolling stretch of road or a climb is a skill in itself. It teaches you not to get gapped when you crest a climb and begin the descent.
I have found it a valuable training partner, partly because of the workouts, but also because of the racing, which force me to push hard and then recover whilst still putting out an effort.
The roads offer a high degree of repeatability, particularly if you stick to Watopia roads and routes which are always there every day. If you use a TT bike, you will remove the drafting effect for greater consistency.
Don't like Ride On's? Well, its a social app to be honest, but you can just ignore people, or if you really want to ride alone, then set up a 'meet up' on your own. Takes seconds, all worlds/routes are available, and there will be no one else there!
I did read rumours that Zwift and TrainerRoad have been talking, so who knows what may be round the corner.
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/01/zwift-acquire-trainerroad.html
Another quick way of doing this is to login and start your ride and then turn off the internet connection of whatever device you're using; you can continue the ride using the software you've downloaded but nobody else will appear in your world. If you want to save to Strava or whatever at the end of your ride, just turn the connection back on and you can.
I would disagree with nearly all of the above. Especially the repeatability bit. The same route ridden at the same power will produce the same result unless you change your weight setting in the game.
I wouldnt claim to be a serious cyclist but the training plans have worked for me. Post lockdown 2 I'd gained 50W on my FTP and was able to outclimb my usual riding buddies for the first time. If anything my output is more repeatable on Zwift than outside as there are less variables.
I also tried and enjoyed SUF/SYSTM but the lack of variety killed it for me after a while.
The thought of following a plan from TR looking at a blank screen or some video fills me with horror.
About the only changes I would make for Zwift are curated music tracks likes SUF's and some more routes on the smaller worlds. I'd particularly like it if they gamified the corners on Ventoux like the Alpe.
The Makuri island world was a bit meh to start with - far to much focus on pretty graphics over a decent length route. Its still a bit meh but I'm hoping Mt Fuji opens at some point.
Oh and if they added teleports to ride between worlds that would be fab.
Teleports? Have you heard yourself S_S? Have a word mate. You don't get teleports in the real world. You get a hard slog with constant near-misses from entitled pricks in metal death boxes!
I jest. I take peoples points on board and to be fair it was probably 12 months ago I last tried Zwift so no doubt there have been tweeks and changes since but nearly every plus point that's been mentioned is a minus for me.
You see, I'm a miserable sod and enjoy the laborious side of indoor cycling. Staring at a screen with nothing but numbers on while I crush myself is heaven for me. I also enjoy riding in the rain too!
That's why more than one training tool exists.
It's just a shame you chose to start the comments of with "It's crap", rather than the significantly more accurate "It's not for me".