Zwift: One Year Later

Today is the anniversary of my entry to the world of virtual cycling on Zwift. From November 18, 2021, through yesterday, I rode 624 virtual miles in 32 hours. The last calendar year in which I rode that many trainer hours was 2011, so that’s something. Still, the numbers aren’t as big as they should have been. Old habits die hard, and for most of the last year I treated Zwift as the exercise option of last resort. Winter 2022-2023 has arrived early in Washington County and I’m already working on my new periodized training plan, whose weeks range from 6 hours to 9 hours. In just a few weeks I will exceed the volume of work I did on Zwift in the previous 12 months.

My experience with Zwift has been mostly positive. Cheapskate that I am, it says something that I continue to subscribe. Riding on Zwift is far more engaging than traditional indoor training. The interactive nature of the platform creates a more satisfying and more realistic experience than I used to get watching first-person bike racing footage on YouTube while pedaling away on my “dumb” trainer. By adjusting the smart trainer’s resistance to reflect the changing terrain of its virtual world, Zwift keeps me honest. No ride is just a mindless spin at the same cadence and power level.

But a year ago I expected Zwift to integrate fully with Garmin Connect, allowing me to continue to use Garmin Connect as a single repository for all of my workout data. Unfortunately, the two platforms aren’t entirely compatible. Zwift rides don’t count toward Garmin Connect badges, and I think that’s unfair because the workouts are far more demanding than some of the activities that do count. Zwift rides count toward Garmin Connect mileage goals, and I think that’s stupid because riding on the trainer is not the same thing as riding outdoors. I will continue to count my indoor miles and my outdoor miles as two separate things, so I’m still doing my own bookkeeping.

And aside from its issues with Garmin Connect, Zwift itself feels disjointed. I don’t have a smart phone so I don’t use the companion app. That means I’m not reciprocating when friendly strangers give me a “Ride On!” and I’m always following default courses rather than navigating. Also, I would like to do more from the Zwift website, things like checking the course availability calendar and making changes to my bike or my avatar. The good outweighs the bad, though, so Year 2 begins today.