ZWIFT - a load of questions

[Ilovejapcrap]

Hello anyone got this I have some questions

1. is zwift what i think it is, Basically a turbo trainer type device plumbed up to TV and can cycle online.
2. what do i need (zwift trainer thingy? computer? internet (obv) etc)
3. Once i have all, the gear how much is it
4. Can a novice use it
5. how hard to get it all setup ?
6. pic of your setup ??

[anonymous-user]

There is a website about it. Let me think of it’s url. Oh yes, www.zwift.com

All your Qs are answered there including links to pictures of ‘pain caves’

Failing that GPLama and dcrainmaker have good zwift setup guides, videos and discussions

Ride on

[Jasper3.0]

Ilovejapcrap said:

Hello anyone got this I have some questions

1. is zwift what i think it is, Basically a turbo trainer type device plumbed up to TV and can cycle online.
2. what do i need (zwift trainer thingy? computer? internet (obv) etc)
3. Once i have all, the gear how much is it
4. Can a novice use it
5. how hard to get it all setup ?
6. pic of your setup ??

1. Computer / iPad / Apple TV / phone
2. Bike, computer / iPad / Apple TV / phone. Plus an ant+ dongle if you are not using, Bluetooth and of course some sort of smart trainer. Many types are available. I have a Tacx smart trainer, it is a relatively cheap 9ne. Or you can spend lots of money on it.
3. Yes, it is full of liners at 800000w/kg but never m8nd. It beats riding on ice!
4. Pretty easy.
6. Google is your friend.

Don’t forget you will need a couple of fans.

[Dannbodge]

Ilovejapcrap said:

Hello anyone got this I have some questions

1. is zwift what i think it is, Basically a turbo trainer type device plumbed up to TV and can cycle online.
2. what do i need (zwift trainer thingy? computer? internet (obv) etc)
3. Once i have all, the gear how much is it
4. Can a novice use it
5. how hard to get it all setup ?
6. pic of your setup ??

1. It's a training program that runs on a device of your choice (pc, ipad, iPhone) that's connected to your turbo trainer
2. Smart trainer and a device to run zwift or a dumb trainer with a power meter and a device to run zwift. Fans and a heart rate monitor and a cadence sensor. Maybe a ANT+ USB receiver if you use a PC.
3. £13 a month.
4. Yes
5. It's not. Plug it all in, sync the devices and ride on.
6. Maybe later.

[JagBox]

I use it in the spare bedroom in the winter, run it on an apple TV.

I have an Elite Rampa and use bluetooth, including a HR monitor to connect.

Find it works really well. I'm doing the winter Fondo series and other plans to increase my fitness.

Worth doing an FTP test if you don't have a reading already

My Set up:

[Mr Ted]

I run an Alienware PC to a large gaming monitor, the trainer is a Tacx Neo,

The main thing to be aware of is having the correct connectivity, what I mean by that is you may need both Ant+ and Bluetooth if you want to use a heart rate monitor and say a mobile phone running the Zwift Companion app.

For example in my setup, the PC has Bluetooth and I have an Ant+ dongle connected by USB.

The Tacx Neo connects by Ant+, if I use a Garmin heart rate monitor that also connects by Ant+.

If I want to run the Zwift Companion app on my mobile phone mounted on the bars that connects via Bluetooth to the PC.

Zwift Companion is useful in that it enables you to interact with other riders/runners and also make changes to your route as you ride/run it.

There is a lot of helpful stuff on the Zwift Insider website.

Having used it for 18 months I can certainly recommend the Tacx Neo, it works seamlessly with Zwift (and Trainer Road) the 'feel' when cycling is very realistic, I also use the Tacx Trainer software to ride some real life routes with real life video footage.

It can be quite a large financial commitment to get a good spec smart trainer setup but that does motivate you to use it!!

They are also developing the running side, all you need is a treadmill and a stride sensor , there are some running specific routes now so you dont get run over by cyclists lol

Here is my setup wedged in a corner of the spare bedroom

[url]

And here is a screenshot from a Tacx video, riding the Gorges de Daluis

|https://thumbsnap.com/SxPMn8Fd[/url]

Edited by Mr Ted on Tuesday 20th November 09:25

[ukbabz]

Ilovejapcrap said:

Hello anyone got this I have some questions

1. is zwift what i think it is, Basically a turbo trainer type device plumbed up to TV and can cycle online.
2. what do i need (zwift trainer thingy? computer? internet (obv) etc)
3. Once i have all, the gear how much is it
4. Can a novice use it
5. how hard to get it all setup ?
6. pic of your setup ??

1. Zwift is basically a game, it takes your power stats and uses them to ride around a virtual world - some courses are real(ish) places like London, new york and Innsbruck. There are some subtle differences in these worlds though.
2. A bike, A turbo trainer (can be smart or classic style), sensors to relay speed/cadence/power, a computer, internet connectivity, ant+ or bluetooth dongle
3. £13 a month
4. Yep, there's plans for folk to train. You can just ride or you can join various paced group rides
5. The website isn't so clear, but it's pretty straight forward when you've got all your gear.


I use a TacX Blue matic that I got for £50 on ebay. It uses virtual power, that being zwift says put it on specific resistance setting and it estimates my power based on speed. I've got a speed sensor on my rear wheel and cadence on my crank.

The virtual power, with the variable resistance on the trainer is really sensitive to setting up the bike. I've found at times the resistance on the trainer moves slightly which throws out the power readings (can hardly ride at FTP when it's slipped to the edge of the next resistance level). That has been a little frustrating, so am tempted by a tacX flux direct drive if the right price appears!