Zwift caters for off-road with new bike fleet and training plans

Global online training and racing platform Zwift has announced a game update to increase functionality for off-road cyclists, featuring two new training plans and a new fleet of bikes.

According to Zwift, off-road cyclists currently make up 10% of the platform’s user base.

“We already have a strong user base of riders who spend most of their outdoor riding off-road,” said Erin Min, Zwift CEO and Founder. “This may not be a total surprise – indoor training isn’t just an effective training tool for road cyclists. However, this first coordinated move to cater for the audience is a significant step.

“For the first time, we will have dedicated training plans and bikes that suit the needs of off-road cyclists.”

The game update, released today, contains two new training plans designed to meet the power output and pedalling technique demands specific to off-road cycling: The entry-level Pebble Pounder and the intermediate Dirt Destroyer.

The Pebble Pounder is designed for the entry-level plan aimed at those looking to make the leap into gravel events. Meanwhile, the Dirt Destroyer is designed for the intermediate mountain biker who has a developed endurance base but is looking to improve their mountain bike specific strengths through increasing anaerobic capacity and growing their peak pedal torque.

Zwift has also released a new fleet of bikes to the game which can be found and purchased in the ‘Drop Shop’. Included are the new Canyon Grail, Inflite and Cervelo Aspero gravel bikes, while mountain bikers can choose from the Canyon Lux, Scott Spark and Specialized Epic.

According to Zwift, each of the bikes in the game have riding characteristic designed to better align them to their real world equivalents. A second and more advanced training plan for Cross Country cyclists will follow in early 2020.

Last month, Zwift launched a new eCommerce store to serve customers across Europe, offering 30-day free home trials on smart trainers, and operating alongside an Amsterdam warehouse. And in September, the platform took over transport hubs and a local pub, which played host to a series of live events with pros, riders and fans, in a marketing push to take its virtual cycling platform to the masses.