Zwiftcast

Simon, Shane and Nathan are back with the second of the new cycle of weekly Zwiftcasts - and there sure is a lot to talk about. Special guest Wes Salmon from HQ appears twice to give us a ton of detail on both the return of The Fence and why it went wrong, plus the thinking behind the limited launch of the much-awaited Clubs feature. We also have another honoured guest, Brad Sohner, the genius behind the funny and uplifting Tour de Quarantine, which now has a Zwifter in the mix. Elsewhere the Zwiftcasters range across the very busy period on Zwift, with a few changes that come under the “let’s be nice to noobs” category, plus the turbo trainer famine and why rowing won’t be coming to Zwift anytime soon. And of course, the podcasters make room for discussion of Peak Zwift. It seems we have a winner ;) We hope you enjoy listening

In a worried world, Simon, Shane and Nathan try to look at the positives whilst recognising some of the serious matters facing Zwifters. Episode 79 marks the first of the weekly episodes during the virus crisis. Simon kicks off with a Zwiftcast plea to HQ- let’s turn the Unemployed Badge into  a Work From Home Badge . . . it just seems kinda better right now. The podcasters move on to discuss the remarkable figures in the game as new Zwifters pour onto the platform in huge numbers. Simon is confident of victory in the Zwiftcast’s Peak Zwift Guessing Game. But could a limiting factor end up being a trainer shortage? There are signs it may happen although an update from Elite on the unprecedented measures they’ve taken to ensure supply provides some hope for those keen to get their hands on a smart trainer. The chaps discuss and dismiss the several calls for Zwift to be made free - and Dick, if you’re listening  . . .we don’t mean to be mean! In a packed episode Simon talks to a Dad and Lad team who’ve be

The Zwiftcasters are working from home! But then we always do :) Simon, Shane and Nathan are back together to discuss how the extraordinary events of the past weeks have been impacting them personally, the sport they love - and the cycling game that is providing both escape from, and therapy for, a troubled world. That doesn’t mean we are ignoring the virus - that’s impossible. And we hope Listeners understand that we can’t not talk about what everyone is talking about. In the light of the huge surge of Zwifters onto the platform, many of them new, the Zwiftcast has re-opened Peak Zwift Guessing Game. Tune in to see how big Simon, Shane and Nathan think the surge will be. The importance of online communities in these difficult times is elevated and the chaps discuss how the Zwift Community is responding, with increased participation in events and lots of special guest riders, in the form of pro riders, turning up and helping to foster a sense of togetherness. And we have the full extraordinary story of ho

Simon, Shane and Nathan convene for another hour-plus of Zwift chat. The podcasters begin with their reaction to the big refresh for the Richmond course and conclude that it’s a huge improvement. Throughout this episode Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the biggest and most significant aspects of last episode’s interview with Zwift CEO, Eric Min. Amongst the subjects forensically analysed and discussed are the pace of development on the platform; Eric’s unusual comment about “digital destinations” and the state of play with  trainer manufacturers’ innovation. Simon also chats to Ella Harris, the NZ winner of the Zwift Academy who is now making a name for herself winning IRL races. We hope you enjoy listening!

Simon sits down with Zwift CEO Eric Min for the now traditional “ask me anything” annual interview, covering a huge range of topics from the health of the company to, yes, the possibility of a velodrome. The conversation provides deep context and background on why some things happen, and why others don’t . . . . plus quite a bit on the pace at which things happen, or don’t, on the platform. We hope you listen to the whole of the interview, but if there’s one subject in which you are particularly interested, maybe you’d like to skip to that first. So here is a log of where to find the topics covered. 00:00Hello and a word on transparency 01:45 Zwift’s new London office 02.45 What’s made Eric happy in the last year? GENERAL ISSUES 04.30 Pace of development for Zwift 05.40 Peak Zwift and growth 07:15 Fun is Fast marketing campaign 09:40 Is eSports a massive, risky bet? 15.20 More on pace of development, specifically Game Development 19:50 Zwift’s new Hardware division COMMUNITY ISSUES 27:15 Trainer

The Zwiftcasters welcome in 2020 with the first episode of the new decade - and kick straight off with a discussion of what’s become a landmark in the Zwift calendar - Peak Zwift. You can hear which one of the Zwiftcasters, along with special guest guessers, got it right. The podcasters go on to discuss whether the second January in Tuesday really will be Peak Zwift this year. The game has a few initiatives upcoming which may see the current record broken. Stay tuned. Is the update which restored  climbing cadence on Zwift from 80rpm back down to 70rpm a victory for the Zwiftcast? The boys are claiming it! The Tour de Zwift is a huge event - more than 120,000 Zwifters took part last year and this year’s event has been eagerly awaited. The podcasters discuss the importance of these events to the community. We also have a feature with Zwift’s VP Media, Nina Caplin, who explains the aims behind the series of live streamed shows which run alongside the TdZ this year. And we have a velodrome? Actually, we

Simon, Shane and Nathan convene for the final Zwiftcast of 2019 in both reflective and expectant mood. There’s plenty of looking back on what brought the podcasters Zwift joy in 2019 and a little on what they’d like to see for 2020. There’s also reaction to Zwift’s pre-Christmas present of a new map - it’s short, but it’s fun. Crit City looks designed to appeal to the e-Sport crowd but should also please anyone who races on Zwift. The Zwiftcasters give their initial verdict and speculate on what they’d like to see added. We hope you all enjoyed listening in 2019 and will join us again in 2020. Happy Holidays!

This is a special episode of the Zwiftcast, dedicated to those who run on the platform. Some of you might ride too, but the focus here is wholly on running. Mike McCarthy is one of the original Zwift execs who was a very early hire to the company when it was first set up. Known as talented and successful cyclist, at Zwift Mike concentrated on a senior Business Development role, but recently he has been made VP of Running. It’s fair to say Running has got off to a slow start on Zwift - so what does this appointment mean for Zwift’s Second Sport? I hope the wide-ranging interview provides some answers. Hope you enjoy listening.

Simon, Shane and special guest co-host Ray Maker, also known as D C Rainmaker, are together in person in Amsterdam to discuss all the latest Zwiftiness. The three podcasters are gathered for Ray’s annual Winter Open House event where sports tech geeks get together over a few beers to discuss what’s hot and have fun. Simon spends some time amongst this well-informed and enthusiastic crowd asking two questions: What’s Zwift doing well and where could it improve? Elsewhere in this episode there’s a nice long chat with The Girl, Ray’s life partner and now business partner, on how the family and the blog is settling into life in Amsterdam. Simon, Shane and Ray discuss the implications of Ray’s scoop story about Zwift starting its own hardware division and Ray gets to join the Zwiftcast’s Guessing Club on Peak Zwift. The trio discuss just how much work remains to be done for eSports on Zwift to be successful and, after an interview with Peter Lago from Elite on whether the Italian company is a bit behind the p

Simon, Shane and Nathan reconvene to discuss and analyse all the latest Zwift news and chat. The podcasters get things going with a new take on the age old Kickr vs Neo debate, updated to the KickrBike vs NeoBike dilemma. If you have 3k plus to spend on a smart bike this will be of interest to you . . . . .Shane is one of the very few people in the world with saddle time on both, so what’s his verdict? The Zwiftcasters move on to consider the demise of VirtuoGo, one of the rivals to Zwift. It has just announced that its number of subscribers is too low to be sustainable so the issue for discussion is: Can any of the rivals live with the well-funded, well-established, heavily-promoted Zwift? Next it’s the Rumble in the Jungle - no significant game update would be complete without some Zwifters having a bit of a mona. Is the long-is lists of complaints about the increase in rolling resistance justified? The podcasters try to put it all in perspective. Meanwhile, Simon has a problem with the stand-up/sit-do

The 2019/20 indoor seasons has started with a bang, or should that be a ban? The Zwift community has been convulsed by Jeffers-gate, the fining, banning and stripping of the first officially-sanctioned national e-championship from Zwifter Cameron Jeffers by British Cycling. Jeffers’s account  was shown to have gained a Tron bike with the use of an ANT+ emulator . . . .and the news of the ban has polarised opinion. As the dust settles on a huge row for Zwift and e-sports, a row which has garnered international attention, Simon, Shane and Nathan give their positions and debate what it means for regulation and enforcement in the new world of e-Sports on the platform. Elsewhere, the arrival of Mountain Biking and steering on Zwift has seen a plethora of DIY hacks for smooth movement of the front wheel . . . . which has caught the Zwiftcasters’ eyes and what do they make of steering? Plus a change to the code in the game has made the Jungle circuit heavier going . . . if we dare mention it, the choice of bike a

Simon, Shane and Nathan analyse what is the biggest development for Zwift since the platform launched almost five years ago - the reveal of the strategy for making eSports a reality. The partnership with the UCI, unveiled at the World Championships, grabbed the headlines, but the fascination is in the detail. And the detail is on the Zwiftcast. Simon conducts a lengthy and searching interview with Zwift’s CEO of eSport, Craig Edmondson and the three Zwiftcasters subject his answers to scrutiny and analysis. It would be wrong to think that this development only affects racers on Zwift. As Craig reveals, the platform itself is likely to change to accommodate the huge ambition of eSport. Elsewhere in the episode there’s a peek behind the curtain of the Draft House - the place that turned out to be the coolest place to hang during the rain-sodden World Champs in Harrogate. And there’s a look at how successful Zwift’s huge marketing push over the summer has been. We hope you enjoy listening.

Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the latest in a busy year of course launches for Zwift as the Yorkshire UCI Worlds circuit lands in game. This is personal for Simon, with Harrogate being his home-town, making him well placed to assess how well Zwift developers have replicated a place he knows well. The verdict: Good job Zwift! Shane and Nathan lend a little objectivity to the discussion. The podcasters also discuss a huge development for the game - the imminent launch of not only steering but also an MTB course.  There's a quick wrap up of a few matters of interest for Zwifters from Eurobike, including Wahoo's acquisition of Sufferfest; what may be next for the Garmin Tacx tie-up and the launch of yet another Smart Bike - this one promising something very different from the rest. We hope you enjoy listening.

The smart bike revolution has finally arrived. Wahoo, Tacx and Stages all debut their all-in-one solution to indoor cycling. And in so doing, they lift the price tag of smart training. Are these good value, given you don't need a bike? Will they make indoor cycling more attractive to more people? Are they the game-changer long predicted as such by Zwift CEO Eric Min? Simon, Shane and Zwift Insider editor Eric Schlange try to provide some answers. Zwift also announce the launch of FutureWorks, a test bed for new game features, with steering the first innovation to be opened up to the community for feedback. Plus the launch of the MP1, the first rocker plate produced by a recognised trainer manufacturer is launched by Saris.  This episode has interviews with movers and shakers in indoor cycling . . . .and some insight on THAT big big screen wowing all who pass the Zwift stand at Eurobike. We hope you enjoy listening. 

Simon, Shane and Nathan are back together for the first time in a few weeks to discuss all matters Zwift . . . with a departure or two towards a bike race in France. Zwift and the Tour in fact coincide, with the platform launching a global advertising and sponsorship campaign around the TdF. The podcasters discuss the implications and hear from Zwift exec Laurent Jannau as to whether it’s working, and why Zwift decided to invest so heavily. Ride leader Tim Searle has a review of The Fence, now that it’s been in operation for a few weeks. The Zwiftcasters round up a slew of news and moves in indoor training, including a thumping price rise at TrainerRoad. Simon and Shane predict what we might see of interest to indoor riders at Eurobike and the chaps speculate about when we might see a new extension to Watopia and a brand new course. Quite soon, they conclude. We hope you enjoy listening.

In this wide ranging interview, Zwift creator Jon Mayfield makes a number of interesting revelations. Did you know Zwift is full of hidden features, yet to be activated? Which driving game does Jon feel has close parallels with Zwift? When is rowing coming? Will Zwift Run succeed? Are we going to see wholesale changes to Zwift's UI? All these questions, and a good many more, are answered in this episode. I hope you enjoy listening.

This episode is a four-hander - with Greg Leo joining Simon, Shane and Nathan to discuss all the latest Zwiftiness. The changed line-up was more by accident than design after Simon managed to incur a self-inflicted travel disaster on his plans to head for ZHQ . . .  But as ever, there’s plenty to discuss and geographical boundaries have never held back the Zwiftcasters. The foursome kick off by discussing what to most, if not all, Zwifters was a bit of a surprise - the new Giro d'Italia Prologue TT course. Pacing strategies can work well on this part flat/part monster climb course and Shane discusses his new toy for helping out with that The chaps move on to discuss the new Zwift Terms of Service - which have put a few noses out of joint. The Zwiftcasters are pretty convinced there’s nothing to worry about for streamers with good intentions. Have you seen the Road Runner? Zwift has a new entrant into its animal kingdom and the Zwiftcasters confess they’ve yet to manage a sighting. Finally the podcasters

Simon, Shane and Nathan re-convene to bring listeners up to date on all the latest Zwiftery. This episode starts with something of a monologue from Simon letting listeners know what’s really been going on with his “bad knee”. The Zwiftcasters move on to discuss the latest course extension and what it may mean for the future of time trialling on Zwift. They spend a bit of time getting lost in the forest too ;) Listener Graham Springett sets the trio right on their failure to appreciate the full nuances in the word “blob” but neither Shane nor Nathan can be persuaded. The Tour of Watopia has whipped up a little controversy in the community and the chaps discuss how difficult it can be to manage these juggernaut events. Both British Cycling and the UCI, the worldwide governing body for cycling, have released statements with subjects of interest to Zwifters and the Zwiftcasters add their analysis. Finally Simon talks to his clubmate Greg Hilton about atrial fibrillation, the heart condition which has been p

Simon, Shane and Nathan convene to discuss all the latest on Zwift. Shane and Nathan give us a readout on the mood music coming from the big Zwift Week staff convention in Long Beach and the Zwiftcasters then move on to discuss the eagerly-awaited new feature for Group Rides, which is being called The Fence. Is this farewell to flyers? Next the podcasters move on to discuss the usefulness, or otherwise, of videos posted on YouTube giving encyclopaedic guides to how to cheat on Zwift. A cheats’ charter, or a useful contribution to the discussion around an increasingly important issue, as e-sports gets bigger and bigger? Finally the trio move on to give their verdicts on the Kiss SuperLeague as the men’s completion wraps up and the women’s contest enters its final stages. What have we learned? What could be improved? We hope you enjoy listening.

This episode leads with the biggest news in indoor cycling of all time – the purchase of Dutch trainer company by American gizmo giant, Garmin. Simon, Shane and Nathan, with some help from D C Rainmaker, debate what this could mean for Zwift – and Zwifters. The Zwftcasters spend a good deal of time on this – and come up with a whole raft of theories, before moving on to discuss the continuing story of World Choice on the Zwift platform and how at times, the options available to Zwifters produce what some might see as surprising results. Next : have we seen a glimpse of the Watopia extension? And if we have, is the publication of a snippet hidden deep in the code justified? The podcasters move on to discuss the burgeoning and highly exciting racing scene, with the launch of the KISS Women’s Super League series, the entry into e-racing of global telco giant Telefonica and analysis of whether the improving coverage of virtual bike racing is a tantalising sign of the possible future. Finally, the chaps shed a