But it highlights a bigger problem, and that is the fundamental flaw of using watts per kilo for race categorization. The issues with e-racing remain the same, and largely ignored for years now. Find some hilly races As a result your suggestion of the watts vs w/kg different systems is already baked into the game physics in a way. Great article, Eric. there's a million and 1 reasons why it is not a legitimate sport. Thats why there are no top 40 Cat C riders in 70-75Kg range. 1. Or theyll ignore leaders instructions and ride off the front of a group (flyers). How many cyclists do you see in real life who are 65kgs, but they are ten a penny on Zwift. https://zwiftpower.com/profile.php?z=697996. How do you actually update your weight on ZP?? The categories currently used in most Zwift events are based on your FTP watts per kilo- that is, your FTP in watts, divided by your weight in kilograms. Exactly, although As arent that regulated, unless you hit the premier class, which is a very small section of A riders. Would depend entirely upon the bike geometry, how much weight is over the front wheel and how much over the back. I may of course be wrong, and these are all true weights, but Id be very surprised if that were the case, in the races where this matters, riders have to submit a private youtube weigh-in video <2 hrs before the race. A strict w/kg classification isnt perfect. That guy who weighs 300lbs and gets 1st place in Cs for a month straight should be automatically upgraded to Bs and Bs to As. I hope they learn from this and are more careful with things like that in the future. 2.5w/kg (215Watts) is hard for me to hold for extended periods but I keep trying. This can be seen by comparing Zwift physics with real life physics (calculated by websites likeRead more . yes, but you are missing my point. As a 59/60kg rider who always seems to have a higher w/kg than the people I finish around, Ive been curious about adding 50% to both my weight and http://ftp. As such, we have agreed to pause this change while we develop tools that deliver greater transparency to Zwift racing while promoting wellness. I agree with what you say Eric but the weight doping does negatively impact the casual rider if they are following other riders in a casual/social ride. But Its hard to confirm whether or not its transmitting the weight to Zwift. As a relatively light 69kg rider, I often feel at a disadvantage in the flatter races, of which there are many more than hilly ones. Zwift excessively rewards the athlete for being light and small. It lets Zwift racers and race organisers track results and check out all the details of the races they've participated in, as well as monitoring and analysing their data. Nice work! I am alleging that weight cheating is endemic in zwift, especially among those who care about winning. My weight is showing orange everytime. If people want to cheat, they will and can do so in any uncontrolled situation. Hes had to up his weight as he is only 35kg ( upped time 45kg) he but puts out 220watt so his ftp is 5.5-6w/kg in a race. As long as the button to enter a lower cat is active, riders will Press It. The categories currently used in most Zwift events are based on your FTP watts per kilothat is, your FTP in watts, divided by your weight in kilograms. If you've already created an accountcheck out the s. But your point is correct, if someone has a good string of results, upg them regardless of cat limits, and zwift needs to lock them out of cat in-game for it to be effective. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. I think one of the biggest issues with weight (and height) in Zwift is that you get punished really hard for something you only have limited control over. I think the main problem with women and weight on zwift is regular weightdoping, magnified probably by all the wonderful social stigmas and judgment surrounding womens bodies. Or weight bonuses for completing events that last for a set amount of days or even hours. What stone have you been living under? A thank you to Zwift HQ for listening to the feedback from the racing community and taking action. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Some people are clearly living in a fantasy on zwift. You lose 10 liters of sweat during a medium long ride? 1 - Manually Set Your FTP Let's say you already know your FTP, then you can go into Zwift and manually change it to whatever you'd like. You have lowered your weight and skewed your power graph so it is inaccurate. I dont mind the low HRs but the low power and high w/kg really irk me! Now I know it is a thing. Someone with my FTP should be CAT B, regardless of weight. (I dont recommend this approach, but it proves the point that weight doping is an issue that concerns many Zwift racers. Why can we just all race together and the fastest person wins? i was just having a similar discussion with my old lady about watts and weights, etc. To move up to the next rank, ZwiftPower will take 95 per cent of your 20-minute average w/kg figure from your previous three races. I think you can force it with the Refresh Profile button in your ZP Profile but again, not sure if that triggers it immediately or overnight. Introducing a horrible measure that addresses a problem that doesnt exist, and subsequently retracting it following mass protest is not exactly what I would call revolutionary change. Think of ZwiftPower, then, as something similar to Strava, only entirely Zwift-focused, and free! I have climbed well and I have suffered on climbs but also sprinted well. However, insecure Freds jumpingRead more , I am new to Zwift, but I do wonder how it is youll see a bunch of people finish at the front of a D race at 4-5 W/kg. Then save your ride and log out. Bikecalculator suggests not Go to http://bikecalculator.com/ enter an 85kg rider, riding on the drops for 16.2kms (ie an ITT) leaving all else unchanged. Last week I did the prl full and Uber pretzel and tried to get #1 by weight on those segments. BA1 1UA. I may try it just to see what difference it makes. The algorithms very much help heavier riders in descents, which gets forgotten when all we discuss is climbing. Do some races have split out start times so you are only racing with those of similar ability? And one cheater leads to another and its an arms race of gaming the game. what does help identify and stop cheats is formalizing race series and having them use an organization like Zada (whether effective now or not, this is the correct path). otherwise no way in hell hes beating you. 2 yr. ago. I was going flat out the whole race, and by no means cruising along watching my watts. It this fair? Your voice is important to us. Some big Zwift races have specific rulesets, etc. Once you have a number for your FTP in watts, divide it by your weight in kilograms. .Personally I one of the outliers on height and weight. either a) ur starting ur sprint way too late or b) ur leading him out. Some weight dopers are obvious and blatant other times its much less egregious. Because narcissistic people want to get validation from somewhere/someone that theyre special/different and if they cant get it legitimately theyll lie, cheat, and steal to do so. 5 year age categories and incredibly competitive a in most age groups, Thanks so much for your helpful comment. Contribute a post, shop through us, make a donation, advertise on this site. Similar to the announcement of the European Super League in soccer, Zwift failed to read the room. Included with this license agreement can be the approval to show height and weight. As a Triathlete, I have a different perspective when racing and riding on Zwift because the vast majority of Zwifters (according to Zwift and Strava) are only cycling; whereas Im also training by Running and Swimming. Zwift is great just to ride around and it has lots of good training sessions which you can do. 2022 SNOW Sprint Series Tour de Zwift events were races? Completing this first step means that you've given permission to share your results and activity history with ZwiftPower, so now all of your performance and race data can be transferred across to the website. Hes asking for a fair race. Keep writing this sort of thing. As for the weight, I weight 190lbs, (86Ks) I put in 190lbs. I think it would be best if there was a separate cat system for flat routes (based on watts) and for hilly routes (based on w/kg), My understanding is that Zwift still applies real world physics to this situation, and maybe the article doesnt allude to it, in that on the flat Zwift wont use w/kg to drive speed but your pure watts. I said if its not done during a competitive Zwift event, its not a problem. I would include chasing Strava Zwift KOMs as a competitive event (but I could see how what I said could be interpreted otherwise. The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! We mentioned categories earlier as one of the ways in which you can search through your results and statistics, but they're also a method by which you get sorted into races. Hi, very impressive w/kg at 65. If you gave the power, it will come out. Privacy Policy, How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More). its only cheating myself, instead I would prefer to spend that 2 painful hours doing something honestly and feel proud of it than zooming through it in sub 60m and not reap the same benefits (or in my case, pain). also interesting about this equation are the: wattage data points and the zwift computations of W/Kg. Theres a bit of a fuss on the ZP forums at the moment about this form of sandbagging where people deliberately ride within the w/kg limits but are riding well below their potential ability. Hardly true Say you train and commit yourself to being honest to achieve better fitness,and also better results, albeit virtually..then someone finishes better than you solely because of the BS numbers they entered. Skinny guys get DQd if they match heavies on the flat for power so they can NEVER win, even in the mountains. Leave the setting unchanged and climbs often feel challenging. Share your thoughts below! How do I get started on Zwift? Some of the reasons Ive never pushed as hard on a real ride include: Stopping / slowing for junctions Traffic / pedestrians / other hazards Appreciating the view No watt meter on my real bike I dont race in real life I dont do workouts in real life Changing wind Threat of a headwind on my home journey And the biggest: WantingRead more , Agree with the above. It would be easy to deny it was intentional. However, I definitely recommend entering some races. There's a forum, too, so that users can discuss ongoing race series, find out about upcoming events and have any queries answered and problems solved. Im assuming you should weigh just before getting on the bike with all kit including shoes and not just before stepping into the post-ride shower (shorn of all kit and approx 1kg of sweat). Now head back to ZwiftPower, click 'Connect' at the top of the page, then enter your Zwift ID in the box when prompted. I would suggest a free (for now) virtual race license that would outline racer behavior with consequences. I am currently 145kg and have not experienced any bullying so far. Its only a bit of fun at my level (solid B with the odd podium). Last week I jumped into my first race and it was at the last minute on a whim because I was getting tired of my training ride. But since there are no clear rules on it at this time, its a bit of a self-policing thing with a fair amount of grey area. It just makes a mockery of the whole system. I think he is referring to the 2021 Haute Route GC (or lack thereof), Sorry, thats right, it was the Haute Route 2021 events. MyRead more . Best Zwift setups: Indoor cycling setups to give you the competitive edge. I started started zwift four months ago as a retirement present to myself. I have been light and I have been heavy. EZ and self regulating. IMHO, enforcing in-category entry for races will be a quick, easy and effective change. Then everyone would know who is legit or at least somewhat legit. Find out more about how we test. hanging with the front group is very though for me because i am exactly at the bridge between A and B. This is done by separating riders based on their FTP (functional threshold power) a wattage test you can take part in on Zwift over a 20-minute, 45-minute or 1-hour period. Updating Your Privacy Settings in Zwift Companion To update your default privacy settings, sign in to the Zwift Companion (ZC) app on your iOS or Andro.