Spring might be right around the corner but Zwift is bringing some heat, at least virtually. The online cycling and running training platform has dropped a number of new features designed to make your next indoor rides more engaging.
The updates amount to changes to the action bar, new climbs based on the real world, an all-new Coffee Stop feature, and more. Here’s what to expect now and going into the summer of 2023 from Zwift.
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Coffee Stop
Zwift’s Coffee Stop is pretty similar to a coffee stop in real life, the difference here is that you don’t need to have everyone else agree to a quick break.
Need to grab more water but you’re in the middle of a pacer group? Find your fans aren’t keeping your sweat at bay and you need an extra towel? The Zwift version of a coffee stop lets you pause to get off the bike without getting dropped on your ride for up to three minutes every 30 minutes.
Most interestingly, while you hit your coffee stop, your Zwift avatar will not only continue to keep up with your group while you’re off the bike, but it will continue to accumulate distance and XP as well.
Zwift is quick to mention that stops aren’t always available. Rather, they’re disabled in the last 15 minutes of a time-based event and in the last 5 kilometers of a distance-based event. And don’t think you can take a break during a midweek crit; Coffee Stop is disabled when riding alone, in a race, or in a workout.
Expect to see Coffee Stop added to Zwift in May 2023.
Rider Teleport makes it easier to ride with friends
Rider Teleport is, to my eyes, one of the more important features of the new Action Bar updates. Click on Rider Teleport to see where your friends are riding, and you can join them without exiting your current activity.
Rider Teleport isn’t limited to friends, however; you can also teleport between robopacers too. Think of it as a handy way to join a chill group after a hard training session, or to find a group that’s going your pace.
This is contingent on you and your friend or robopacer being in the same riding world, of course, but it means you can join your friend or robopacer without having to prematurely end your ride.
Expect to see the Rider Teleport feature added to Zwift this summer 2023.
Updates to the Action Bar
You might best know the Action Bar as the place to toss out a ‘Ride On’ or five to folks around you. But there’s more to the updated action bar.
Zwift says their layout is simplified substantially. Actions are now located in submenus, including Coffee Stop, Rider Teleport, and others. There’s an emote submenu now that gives you the option for a Ride On, elbow flick, wave, or a toast.
I’m curious to see if this simplification is the case in practice; to me, it looks like there might be more clicking to be done to get to the camera angle you prefer, or to flip
New real-world climbs in the Climb Portal
Zwift has added a few environments emulating real world climbs. There are two new portals – one in France and one in Watopia – that will open up a whole new set of climbs.
Mum’s the word on exactly what climbs would be there, but Zwift says to expect two storied Alpine climbs from the start: Col du Tourmalet and Col d’Aspin.
Riders can select these climbs by either riding through the portals or through select climb portals from the home screen.
Expected availability is Summer 2023.
New updates to rider events and training plans
There are a number of updates to how group rides are controlled.
Starting Summer 2023, events will have the ability to choose whether or not their ride is a drop ride or a no-drop ride with the Keep Everyone Together toggle. Toggle this new feature on and all participants in the club ride will stick together regardless of their power output.
Later this summer is also a feature called Player Highlight. It shrouds your riding avatar while placing Zwift riders you follow and ride leaders in a halo. This halo grows in intensity the bigger the pack you’re riding in, and fades when you ride solo. This might be helpful if you’re riding in a ride where everyone is using the same jersey.
Pack dynamics – the way drafting and staying in a peloton – are updated to be more realistic. Zwift says it’ll be easier to break away from the pack, float from front to back, and stay in place when you’re riding otherwise. This update should be rolling out now.
Alongside club ride controls are updates to control what chat notifications people receive as they ride.
Ride events and training plans
Zwift has released an array of new events for the spring and summer. Riders can join in a number of Classics-themed rides.
In addition to the plethora of updates, Zwift has also announced some new events and training plans. These include a spring training series, Classics courses, ‘Ride with Pride’ in May, and Tour de France // Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift Mission in July.
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