My Cycling Story

About a year ago I put it in my head that I was going to start road cycling. I am an athletic person and thought "I've been riding bikes since I was 5 years old - how hard can it be". Well it turns out its pretty damn hard. Friends that I ride with have all been doing it for years and I was struggling to keep up with the group. Even though I was struggling, I loved it. I started last fall, in the North East USA riding during the winters is not to much fun (unless you enjoy freezing you ass off).

I only rode about 200 miles on the road before winter. What was I going to do? I suck at riding - now I have to wait a long ass winter before I can start getting better. WRONG!! We live in the future...motha F--kers! Lets ride the virtual mountains of ZWIFT.

What is Zwift

Zwift at its core is a multiplayer video game. Zwift uses 3d graphics to build a virtual world. The world is made up of different courses to ride. Zwift's goal is to create a realistic cycling experience in the comfort of your own home (well its not very comfortable -- a lot of Zwifters call it a torture device)

What do you need to Zwift

Subscribe to the App

Zwift is a $10 a month subscription based app. The app can be run on any pc or mac. You can even download the app for your phone or tablet.

Bike Trainer

A Bike Trainer is a machine that connects your bike to your computer. It is a more sophisticated version of a stationary bike. The Bike Trainer measures the power of each pedal and uses the data to move your in-game avatar! Even sweeter is that Zwift real world physics. When your avatar is going up a hill with a 6% gradient - it feels like you are going up a hill (and you might want to shift to a climbing gear). The game also takes into account: your weight-- You can even draft behind other players!! All these stats are used to calculate -- mph, power, and kw/hour.

Bike

You hook your bike up to the trainer. The Trainer turns your current bike into a stationary bike. On my Trainer I have to remove my back wheel to hook it up.

Total Cost of Zwift Setup

It is not cheap. This shouldn't be a shock to anyone familiar with cycling. Cycling companies know its a affluent sport and gauge you accordingly.

My Zwift Setup aka Torture Machine

What I paid:

Used Road Bike on Ebay = $750
Bike Trainer (KickR Power Trainer) = $1200
Zwift = $10/per month

Is Zwift Worth it?

I rode close to 1000 miles on Zwift over winter alone. I would recommend it to anyone who lives in an area with cold winters. Also, it is much more convenient if your pinched for time. I tend to do a quick 45 minute ride at least 4 times a week.

Safer Than the Roads

In a world where people are so consumed with their own lives that they will risk others to send a text -- I feel much safer on Zwift. I still ride on the road and enjoy it, but it's starting to feel like an unnecessary risk.

Zwift is Competitive

This is where Zwift shines. There are usually at least 1000 riders on Zwift from all over the world. When you see some dude pass you -- your competitive juices start flowing. I love dropping people on Zwift - its extremely satisfying. Zwift also has scheduled races. The races are grouped by your current ability -- so there is a race for everyone.

Gamification of Cycling

Zwift doesn't try to hide that its a game at heart. There are tons of unlockables, some are cosmetic and others affect your racing.

I can confidently recommend Zwift to anyone who is into cycling. It is a very powerful training tool and a great way to get in shape.

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