{"id":44139,"date":"2022-11-25T13:00:01","date_gmt":"2022-11-25T12:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=705368"},"modified":"2022-11-25T17:29:53","modified_gmt":"2022-11-25T16:29:53","slug":"how-zwift-is-creating-an-online-community-for-cyclists","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/how-zwift-is-creating-an-online-community-for-cyclists\/","title":{"rendered":"How Zwift is creating an online community for cyclists"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Charlie Allenby\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 25 November 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Zwift has transformed the indoor cycling<\/a> experience.<\/p>\n

First launched to the public in 2015, Zwift<\/a> has consigned the days of mindlessly staring at a wall while turning the pedals on a turbo trainer<\/a> to the past.<\/p>\n

Instead, the training platform enables riders to sync their indoor setup with the Zwift app to power an avatar around an ever-expanding network of virtual worlds. If using a \u2018smart\u2019 turbo trainer, the effect of drafting in a group, or hitting a climb, can be replicated by the automatic adjustment of resistance, adding realism to previously one-dimensional training sessions.<\/p>\n

But that sense of realism extends beyond headwinds and hills \u2013 Zwift has also added a social dimension to indoor training<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Every single avatar you overtake, draft or get dropped by on the game is powered by another real-life rider, and it\u2019s common to be met with messages of encouragement and thumbs-ups (\u2018Ride Ons\u2019) from other users (aka \u2018Zwifters\u2019) when just spinning around one of Zwift\u2019s worlds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, Zwift\u2019s social side goes deeper than sporadic examples of kindness or encouragement. Zwift has helped to further cycling\u2019s inherent adoption of communities \u2013 the cycling clubs that stretch back to the very beginnings of the sport \u2013 albeit in the virtual world.<\/p>\n

Like real-world clubs, Zwift\u2019s online riding groups are established for any number of reasons \u2013\u00a0be it shared interests, location or to promote a particular community.<\/p>\n

Clubs aren\u2019t only for reimagining a cafe run in Watopia, either. Some have a competitive edge, with members representing their clubs in Zwift racing<\/a> leagues and events, and immersing themselves in the worldwide online cycling community.<\/p>\n

A brave new world<\/h2>\n
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Islington Cycling Club members took to Zwift during lockdown, when their regular group rides were not an option.<\/span><\/figcaption> Greg Kabulski \/ Islington CC<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Established clubs give riders the chance to Zwift with like-minded and similarly able people on virtual group rides, rather than riding around solo. Tom Harvey, of Islington Cycling Club in London, says, just like riding on the open road, the virtual experience provides motivation and a shared sense of belonging.<\/p>\n

Harvey has witnessed the benefits of a Zwift cycling club firsthand. As a member of Islington CC, his local club, he, like many, turned to indoor training in 2020 during the first Covid-19 lockdown in the UK.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a turbo before lockdown but after half-an-hour you were climbing the wall because it was so boring,\u201d he says. \u201c[Zwift has] totally transformed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The built-in chat feature of the Zwift Companion app enables riders to communicate during a virtual ride, while some clubs increase the social aspect even further by using video call platforms or Discord chat channels during virtual sessions.<\/p>\n

When gathering in groups was banned by the UK government, Harvey\u2019s club took their weekend rides to Zwift, and 20 to 30 members would ride each week. They would also host a Zoom-based \u2018cafe stop\u2019 after the session as a chance for riders to catch up.<\/p>\n

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Islington CC\u2019s Zwift rides have continued since the pandemic.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zwift<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cAt the beginning of lockdown, it was fantastic because it meant you could get a bit of exercise and ride with a group,\u201d he says. \u201cThere would be a chat going on while we were doing it, and then you\u2019d all get to meet afterwards. I think, for a lot of people, that was a real saviour during lockdown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Islington CC\u2019s Zwift club is more than 100 strong and requires riders to be paid-up members of the club before they can join the virtual group rides.<\/p>\n

While the club is only just restarting group-focused online rides for the winter, Harvey says Islington CC has also been active in the WTRL Zwift Racing League \u2013 a feature that has revolutionised indoor training for him.<\/p>\n

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Zwift enables cyclists to connect with other riders, even if they are at home.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zwift<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to race but I\u2019ve always been too old and too scared,\u201d he says. \u201cI can now do an hour\u2019s race, it\u2019s completely enthralling and immersive, and it\u2019s a fantastic bit of exercise. It turns out I can sprint, which I never knew before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Representing his club in virtual races has also increased the amount he rides. \u201cI ride more on Zwift now than I do outside. It used to be that I\u2019d do a Sunday ride and long week-day ride, and now I\u2019m probably on Zwift every other day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Growing awareness<\/h2>\n
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The Black Cyclists Network uses Zwift group rides to complement its real-world rides.<\/span><\/figcaption> Black Cyclists Network<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The Black Cyclists Network (BCN) also took its rides online during the pandemic, with Zwift subsequently enabling the group to extend its reach.<\/p>\n

Set up by Mani Arthur in October 2018 to tackle the lack of diversity within road cycling, he says the intention of BCN was \u201cto create a club where black and brown people felt welcomed and didn\u2019t feel intimidated to join\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Smart trainers such as the Zwift Hub have made indoor cycling more realistic than ever.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zwift<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The London-based group\u2019s popularity had been snowballing \u2013 \u201cbefore I knew it, a dozen turned to 20, 20 turned to 40\u201d \u2013\u00a0but then the pandemic hit, forcing the ban on in-person group rides. Rather than see this as a negative, Arthur used the global nature of Zwift to extend BCN\u2019s reach beyond the geographic limitations of a real-life club, connecting and riding with cyclists virtually worldwide.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been an avid fan of Zwift for many years, but during the lockdown it definitely helped us as a club,\u201d says Arthur. \u201cWe weren\u2019t able to meet up as a group, so it enabled us to set up rides and also have that kind of social interaction. We would have a Zwift ride on the Sunday and then we would have a Zoom as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Zwift has enabled the Black Cyclists Network to extend its reach.<\/span><\/figcaption> Black Cyclists Network<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The weekly 90-minute Sunday afternoon sessions would be a chance to catch up as a club, have a pedalling party complete with DJ and song requests, and would attract riders from across the UK and worldwide.<\/p>\n

One moment, when a rider based in Coventry joined the Zwift ride\u2019s accompanying Zoom call, sticks in Arthur\u2019s mind: \u201cIt was someone that I\u2019d been talking to on our Facebook group. He\u2019s the only black rider in a club that has 300 members. For him, it was a big deal to finally connect with us and be able to show his kids a bunch of black and brown people riding bikes, and be like \u2018there are plenty of people who look like daddy that [ride bikes]\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

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More than 300 riders still join the Black Cyclists Network\u2019s weekly Zwift meets.<\/span><\/figcaption> Black Cyclists Network<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

At its peak, the group\u2019s weekly Zwift rides were attracting more than 1,000 people from around the world, with 300-plus still regularly joining.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think they\u2019re necessarily always black and brown riders, but that\u2019s the beauty \u2013 we\u2019re very inclusive,\u201d says Jo McLean, the club\u2019s secretary and events co-ordinator.<\/p>\n

Virtual group rides provide a social alternative when the weather\u2019s bad, McLean says, enabling riders to stay connected.<\/p>\n

Providing a safe space<\/h2>\n
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LGBTQ Zwifters has more than 1,500 members.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zwift<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While BCN is an example of a community-focused, in-person cycling club using Zwift, other groups have been established to create a safe virtual space on the platform.<\/p>\n

LGBTQ Zwifters is one such example. One of the largest clubs on Zwift, it has more than 1,500 signed-up riders who are members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Each Sunday, it hosts three 60-minute \u2018Pride Rides\u2019 to cater for different time zones, and aims to be an inclusive space where cyclists can connect and enjoy rides together.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found LGBTQ Zwifters probably a month ago,\u201d says Boston-based Bridget Tan. \u201cBefore that, I was just riding by myself on Zwift, joining events and doing some programmes on there.<\/p>\n

\u201cZwift can get really lonely, especially if you\u2019re trying to do a long ride. I think for me personally, anything more than 90 minutes is a drag. Having that community on there, just knowing that there\u2019s this one other person that\u2019s going to hold you accountable to finish a ride is big for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Bridget Tan, pictured using Zwift, wanted to find a group of \u201cvery like-minded folk\u201d and subsequently joined the LGBTQ Zwifters club.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zwift<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

She wanted to find a group of \u201cvery like-minded folk\u201d, so started searching for LGBTQ+ groups in the Clubs directory on the Zwift Companion App. She stumbled across LGBTQ Zwifters and was drawn to it because it was founded by a woman who is also a person of colour.<\/p>\n

\u201c[LGBTQ Zwifters] is literally open to everyone regardless of how you identify,\u201d says Tan. \u201cI think that\u2019s important because, in the outside world, although there are LGBTQ-friendly clubs, at least where I live, a lot of clubs are still really male-dominated, and there\u2019s a lot of this bike bro kind of culture. Those cultures are not particularly welcoming to people who identify other than a cisgendered male person.\u201d<\/p>\n

LGBTQ Zwifters\u2019 reach isn\u2019t limited to Watopia either, and Tan hopes to soon meet up with the new friends she has made online. \u201cI think this is a big piece of what online cycling can do \u2013 [you can make] these connections online, but there\u2019s a lot of potential to meet these people in real life as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Improving accessibility<\/h2>\n
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Handcycles were added to Zwift in September 2022.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zwift<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While most clubs are created and led by individuals or independent groups, Zwift has introduced a number of features to improve accessibility, inclusion and a sense of community.<\/p>\n

That includes the introduction of handcycles. Launched in September 2022, Zwift \u201chopes the handcycle will allow adaptive athletes and Zwifters to have more fun in-game and better represent themselves on the roads of Watopia\u201d.<\/p>\n

Previously, only time trial, road and mountain bikes were available on the game, regardless of your setup at home. The new, recumbent-style addition isn\u2019t reflective of all handcycles, but is proving to be a hit too, with a 125-strong group \u2013 The Handcycling Club \u2013 available to join.<\/p>\n

Zwift says the handcycle is \u201cthe first step of a larger plan to represent adaptive athletes on the roads of Watopia\u201d, with more updates coming soon.<\/p>\n

Change of pace<\/h2>\n
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Zwift\u2019s Pace Partners provide \u2018always-on\u2019 group rides at a range of different paces.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zwift<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While Zwift\u2019s network of clubs is growing fast, one of the game\u2019s latest features aims to cater for riders who can still benefit from the motivation \u2013 and drafting benefit \u2013 of riding in a group, without being tied to a schedule.<\/p>\n

Called Pace Partners, they are essentially \u2018always-on\u2019 group rides. Running 24 hours a day in the Watopia and Makuri Island worlds, there are nine different paces available \u2013 ranging from 1.1W\/kg all the way up to 4.2W\/kg. Riders can join whenever they like and find a group that suits their pace, while Pace Partner courses change weekly to keep things fresh.<\/p>\n

The groups have a social aspect to them too, complete with a group chat and plenty of Ride Ons. And who knows? A Pace Partner group might open the door for riders to find a club or connect with other like-minded individuals in Zwift\u2019s online world.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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