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Take a virtual volcano ride vacation with new Zwift expansion

Written by Zach Overholt
25 Comments
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As if your Zwift workouts weren’t leaving you sweating already, now there’s a new reason to perspire. A volcano. Ok, so there isn’t any actual heat radiating off the pixelized lava, but it does add some new fun to the world of Watopia. Added as an extension of the current Watopia, the volcano adds three new route options to the mix (Volcano, Volcano CCW, and Volcano Flat) and can be added in to current Watopia laps or raced on a short circuit of its own. Measuring just 2.6 miles (4.1km), the Vocano circuit should make for a fiery location for some crit style training…

The veloviewer segment above is from ZwiftBlog, which turns out to be the best source of all Zwift related information that I’ve found. There is a lot to like about Zwift, but there are many aspects of the virtual world and the interface itself that aren’t very well explained leaving many beginners to get frustrated. If you have questions about the program, you’ll more than likely find your answers here.
Zach Overholt
5,726 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago

I honestly don’t get the hype zwift gets.

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Dale C
Dale C
7 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

I believe it’s “anything to make riding on the trainer less deathly boring”.

I’ll be trying it out as soon as my ANT+ dongle comes in the mail. I hate the trainer with a passion.

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myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  Dale C

I’m in a similar boat. After a couple years of not using my rollers I sold them and purchased a Tacx Neo (arriving this week). After doing a little bit of research I found Zwift to be the one of them most limited platforms. I still plan on trying it but I am baffled to why so many people are on it regardless of the social aspects

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G Host
G Host
7 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

“I still plan on trying it but I am baffled to why so many people are on it”

Perhaps you should try it and then you’ll have an informed perspective.

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Ryan A
Ryan A
7 years ago
Reply to  Dale C

“less deathly boring”…..yep, that’s it!

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bryan
bryan
7 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

it’s a fun video game that makes riding a trainer less boring for some. What is to get?

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myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  bryan

Fun for some, yah…… still don’t get the hype

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nathan
nathan
7 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

It’s less boring than watching TV? It has workout modes that make intervals more fun? It’s not hard to get.

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myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  nathan

i get it. i just don’t get the hype zwift gets over more compelling platforms.

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Thomas
Thomas
7 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

Which more compelling platform then? There are other platforms with more inbuilt stats or with “real” route videos or with virtual environments or with more workouts (as compared to the currently ~50 workouts in Zwift). There is, as far as I know, one other platform with racing. There is no platform that integrates “dumb” trainers, and no platform with as much social interaction. There’s also no other platform with these inbuilt rewards and motivational achievements. Feature-rich is not enough. It is exactly because of these social aspect and its flat learning curve that Zwift is hyped. You don’t ride alone and it’s simple. And that even matters for me, even though out on the road in the summer season, I mostly prefer to ride alone.

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Greg Capelle
Greg Capelle
7 years ago

Zwift is best utilized with a smart trainer which is expensive so I think a lot of zwift experience happens with just a pm which doesn’t really do it justice.

And even with a smart trainer it would be pretty lame if not for the events.

Racing on zwift is pretty fantastic if you are in to that sort of thing.

Absent that, one of the problems with training on a trainer is that it just does t feel like riding on the road. Make as big a flywheel as you want, it just doesnt get there. Doing intervals on zwift with a smart trainer gives you the changes in leg speed and resistance that you get out on the road whether it is climbing or descending or on the flats. This can be good or bad. If you want to hold 350w at 90rpm for 15 min then it will be tough on zwift; even on the flattest routes the elevation changes enough for you to need to shift gears and manage your cadence (just like out on the road).

Still, this is really just scratching the surface. There are many events that aren’t races. The chance to ride and chat with pros and people from all over the world and the workout functionality and the ability to ride with friends.

You could do a race with 4 local teammates on a conference call with an earpiece and do it like the pros do.

The algorithm for drafting and speed per watt per kilo isn’t perfect and takes some Learning but it just lets you know that there is a huge potential in this space that we are just getting in to.

Riding outside is still my favorite. But I’m grateful for zwift.

And I am in no way affiliated with them.

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myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  Greg Capelle

good write up. i knew most of this but i guess the racing wasn’t on my mind. Me personally looking at the tacx software, BKool, Virtualtraining and Zwift find a fuller feature set then Zwift. i really would like to replicate local area rides and maybe some epic ones that are my list of to dos. the three platforms above with let you import gpx files or rides directly from Strava. as i could see myself digging the racing i would love to have that ability! especially after putting the kids to bed, hoping on the trainer and does that is gold to me.

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abikenerd
abikenerd
7 years ago

Agree that the short circuit might be a good way to so some race-like efforts if the weather doesn’t cooperate. I’ve done two rides on Zwift so far. Overall it’s marginally better than just pulling an old race up on YouTube, but I think the best thing it has going for it is when doing a structured workout. Nothing harder than keeping track of an interval workout, be it indoors or out.

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mnorris122
mnorris122
7 years ago

(deleted) Take the amount of money that you would spend on a stupid smart trainer and all the crap to connect it to a TV, and buy a winter bike and some good winter gear instead. You’ll have a million times more fun.

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myke2241
myke2241
7 years ago
Reply to  mnorris122

To each their own. You obviously don’t have kids, limited day light or weather permitted riding. Fun is also subjective term.

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Tacoma_D
Tacoma_D
7 years ago
Reply to  mnorris122

Shocking, Someone has a strong opinion on BikeRumor that has never tried the product. (I know that is an assumption on my part, but that is another hallmark of BR eh!?!?!)
In any case, speaking for myself, I have a business to run, employees to keep employed, no lunch break bike rides, a wife and a kid, and some sketchy wet rainy dark roads to navigate at night when I have time to ride. So Zwift is a freaking lifesaver in terms of keeping fitness and actually enjoying the time I need to ride indoors. I am sad to be a loser I guess, however coming out of the winter months with fitness I have gained while actually enjoying riding indoors is pretty awesome.
If we could all be as lucky as you to get to ride outdoors anytime you like, day or night, dark or light. Man that would be great….

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nathan
nathan
7 years ago
Reply to  mnorris122

Yeah, riding in the cold dark winter rain by yourself is a blast. Thanks for the stellar advice.

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Collin
Collin
7 years ago
Reply to  mnorris122

As someone who does both indoor and outdoor riding (and hates riding indoors) and when living in Houghton Michigan (300 inches of snow a year) rode throughout the winter, out door riding in the winter, while fun, does not offer the same benefit as a structured indoor workout. Good luck trying to maintain lactate threshold for 15 minutes when its 8F out. If its nice out, sure, I’ll go ride outside, but for overall benefit vs time, you cant beat the trainer. Zwift is something to make the time pass just a little bit faster. Truly the only thing I use on zwift is the workouts which easily keeps you accountable.

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Rod Diaz
Rod Diaz
7 years ago
Reply to  mnorris122

Meh. I own a fatbike and ride it every day – kids to school in a trailer and then commute to work. And then some snow riding in the weekends. We get -30 C here, I’ve not skipped a day of commuting in 3 years.

Winters are long here, and by the time the first races are near (April) you might still not have reliable access to roads to do (say) 20 minute efforts safely and reliably. So yeah, most racers here own and use indoor trainers. No amount of studded tires (I own skinny and fat bike versions, currently installed), pogies, boots jackets and gloves will let you do that workout when there are 20 cm of fresh snow on the ground. We even had a CX race cancelled last year – because road conditions (for getting to the venue) were considered untenable.

If you live in Florida, California, Australia or even places like the UK well lucky you. I hope you have a great season and never need to use a trainer.

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Michael Wagner
Michael Wagner
7 years ago

Zwift is pretty fun, but like Strava, it will never appeal to everyone. And those that don’t get it will always complain about those that do.

Regarding the expansion. It is really pretty small. I am hoping down the road that some other companies will get involved so there will be more competition. Zwift has kind of had it easy until now as the only real 3D multiplayer world.

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raodrash
raodrash
7 years ago

I love Zwift, when I am at home with my kids and can’t ride, I jump on it and knock an hour out. When I am not feeling like getting all dressed up, I just jump on Zwift and knock out a workout. When I can’t leave work, I can set up my trainer and ride a short ride. I think what really makes it worthwhile is a smart trainer, controlling the resistance. I enjoy the new volcano route. just a short loop around the mountain with a lap counter

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Mike Driver
Mike Driver
7 years ago

Ride On to Zach for the Micro Bursts workout and write up! Tough workout, Nice Job! +1 for Computrainer … Super responsive, and accommodates 29er with 12 speed.

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Zach Overholt
Author
Zach Overholt
7 years ago
Reply to  Mike Driver

Ha. That was one of those days where I was just “going to take it easy” and check out the volcano…

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Longbeard
Longbeard
7 years ago

Zwift pulled me back off the couch and got me motivated again. At first I only did the large group rides and otherwise just “rode trash miles” but in the past 3-4 months I’ve gotten into the structured workouts and I like them a lot. You can also create your own workouts which is a nice feature that seems to be more user-friendly than the Trainer Road version. I’ve raced on Zwift as well and that’s a fun thing to do, especially if you’re on a discord channel with other racers during the race. Heck I’ve even done a century with buddies this winter while chatting over discord to make it more bearable. I’m definitely not the 4.6 w/kg I used to be a few years back but at the very least I’m getting interested in riding my bike again so I guess Zwift worked out for me at least. Oh yeah…Also my 8 year old son thinks it’s cool and wants to try it with me so that makes the program pretty much priceless imo.

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ScienceKerry
ScienceKerry
7 years ago

I have a fat bike but have put much more time in on my trainer because of Zwift. Ever since Christmas, the trails have been either ice or slush or no snow. Horrible winter riding conditions – again. I never like trainers before. I got rid of mine years ago because every minute spent on one sucked the life out of me. Until Zwift. I have a Kinetic Smart Road Machine and my iPhone hooked to my smart tv and have put in almost 600 miles since Jan 1. The group rides are fun but the races are what really provide a workout. The achievements add to the fun. I plan to leave my bike on the trainer all year and use a different one for my outdoor rides. My goal is 5000 miles this year and with the help of Zwift, I think I will make it. Not bad for a road biker in Minnesota!

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