Zwiftcast

Ep 65: A conversation with Zwift creator Jon Mayfield

In this wide ranging interview, Zwift creator Jon Mayfield makes a number of interesting revelations. Did you know Zwift is full of hidden features, yet to be activated? Which driving game does Jon feel has close parallels with Zwift? When is rowing coming? Will Zwift Run succeed? Are we going to see wholesale changes to Zwift's UI?

All these questions, and a good many more, are answered in this episode. I hope you enjoy listening.

Episode 64: New course surprise, the elusive Road Runner and the streaming "controversy"

This episode is a four-hander - with Greg Leo joining Simon, Shane and Nathan to discuss all the latest Zwiftiness.

The changed line-up was more by accident than design after Simon managed to incur a self-inflicted travel disaster on his plans to head for ZHQ . . . 

But as ever, there’s plenty to discuss and geographical boundaries have never held back the Zwiftcasters.

The foursome kick off by discussing what to most, if not all, Zwifters was a bit of a surprise - the new Giro d'Italia Prologue TT course. Pacing strategies can work well on this part flat/part monster climb course and Shane discusses his new toy for helping out with that

The chaps move on to discuss the new Zwift Terms of Service - which have put a few noses out of joint. The Zwiftcasters are pretty convinced there’s nothing to worry about for streamers with good intentions.

Have you seen the Road Runner? Zwift has a new entrant into its animal kingdom and the Zwiftcasters confess they’ve yet to manage a sighting.

Finally the podcasters discuss some changes to the Zwift code which will have a fairly significant effect on avatar behaviour both downhill and when the Aero Power Up is deployed.

Also: is it lingerie or laundry? You’ll have to listen to figure out that puzzle.

We hope you enjoy listening

Episode 63:Flat and Fast, More Blobbery and Medical Melodramas

Simon, Shane and Nathan re-convene to bring listeners up to date on all the latest Zwiftery.

This episode starts with something of a monologue from Simon letting listeners know what’s really been going on with his “bad knee”.

The Zwiftcasters move on to discuss the latest course extension and what it may mean for the future of time trialling on Zwift. They spend a bit of time getting lost in the forest too ;)

Listener Graham Springett sets the trio right on their failure to appreciate the full nuances in the word “blob” but neither Shane nor Nathan can be persuaded.

The Tour of Watopia has whipped up a little controversy in the community and the chaps discuss how difficult it can be to manage these juggernaut events.

Both British Cycling and the UCI, the worldwide governing body for cycling, have released statements with subjects of interest to Zwifters and the Zwiftcasters add their analysis.

Finally Simon talks to his clubmate Greg Hilton about atrial fibrillation, the heart condition which has been part of Simon’s medical melodrama this winter.

We hope you enjoy listening.

Episode 62: Is this farewell to flyers? Should we call it "The Blob"? And all the latest Zwifty news and chat

Simon, Shane and Nathan convene to discuss all the latest on Zwift.

Shane and Nathan give us a readout on the mood music coming from the big Zwift Week staff convention in Long Beach and the Zwiftcasters then move on to discuss the eagerly-awaited new feature for Group Rides, which is being called The Fence. Is this farewell to flyers?

Next the podcasters move on to discuss the usefulness, or otherwise, of videos posted on YouTube giving encyclopaedic guides to how to cheat on Zwift. A cheats’ charter, or a useful contribution to the discussion around an increasingly important issue, as e-sports gets bigger and bigger?

Finally the trio move on to give their verdicts on the Kiss SuperLeague as the men’s completion wraps up and the women’s contest enters its final stages. What have we learned? What could be improved?

We hope you enjoy listening.

Episode 61: Garmin/Tacx and what it may mean for Zwifters, plus racing and farewell to Jarvis Island

This episode leads with the biggest news in indoor cycling of all time – the purchase of Dutch trainer company by American gizmo giant, Garmin. Simon, Shane and Nathan, with some help from D C Rainmaker, debate what this could mean for Zwift – and Zwifters.

The Zwftcasters spend a good deal of time on this – and come up with a whole raft of theories, before moving on to discuss the continuing story of World Choice on the Zwift platform and how at times, the options available to Zwifters produce what some might see as surprising results.

Next : have we seen a glimpse of the Watopia extension? And if we have, is the publication of a snippet hidden deep in the code justified?

The podcasters move on to discuss the burgeoning and highly exciting racing scene, with the launch of the KISS Women’s Super League series, the entry into e-racing of global telco giant Telefonica and analysis of whether the improving coverage of virtual bike racing is a tantalising sign of the possible future.

Finally, the chaps shed a tear for Jarvis Island, officially now consigned to history – we’ll never see the little island again.

We hope you enjoy listening

Episode 60 – World Switching, Big Money, Pro Racing, Peak Zwift . . . and plenty more. It’s a long one

The Zwiftcasters are back after something of a break – and Simon explains the reasons for that – with a monster episode covering all the latest from the ever busy world of Zwift.

This one kicks off with a look at Peak Zwift for the 2018/19 season. Which of the Zwiftcast trio backed the right horse on the highest number of concurrent users?

Then it’s swiftly on to World Swap, via Shane’s battles with a rival mega corp, the President of Wahoo’s eyebrows and a full tech round-up. Zwift history was made with the launch of the first ever pro league and you won’t be surprised to hear that all three of the Zwiftcasters have robust views – are you listening Cofidis?

And there’s more: the hugely significant news that Zwift has raised another 120 million dollars in funding is put through the Zwiftcast mill before the chaps consider whether Zwift are right in asking community groups to remove “Zwift” from their names.

Finally – which way do you dress? Enough said.

We hope you enjoy listening.

Episode 59 - KISS Super League, Zwift's new best friends and all the new stuff in game and on Companion

A bumper end of year Zwiftcast, not full of “Best Of” or “Year in Review” material as is traditional elsewhere – but jam-packed with lots and lots and lots of Shiny New Things.

Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the flood of new features in the game, in Zwift Companion and, not least, in the real world.

Zwift has announced the formation of a Super League Race Series, featuring professional cycling teams. In partnership with respected race organisers, KISS, the League will feature men, women’s and perhaps most importantly Zwifters competing on the platform, all under the official Zwift banner. The Zwiftcasters discuss this and speculate whether, with domestic pro teams now signed up, the next logical step may be World Tour Teams.

Elsewhere the significance of Zwift’s partnership with arguably the cycling world’s most influential and successful national federation, British Cycling, is put through the Zwiftcaster grinder.

In the actual game, Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the new Level 50 and its implementation; the wholesale re-launch of Zwift Companion, including private meet-ups and much improved data analysis as well as race results.

There’s a feature on and discussion of Zwift’s new shop plus a real world, long term review of the Elite Direto from an experienced Zwifter.

The Zwiftcasters discuss their attitude and ability to rest in the face of cycling injuries. Caution: may include Simon’s knee.

This will be the final Zwiftcast of 2018. May we thank all the podcast’s loyal listeners for downloading and listening over the course of the year. See you in 2019.

Episode 58 - A Conversation with Zwift CEO Eric Min

This episode is devoted to an in-depth and wide-ranging conversation with Zwift CEO, Eric Min. Simon and Eric discuss a large number of issues of great interest to Zwifters, ranging from Eric’s management style, through the debate around an annual membership fee and even plans for a Zwift Convention. Eric has news about the immediate future pricing of Zwift and talks about why he’d like things to happen faster in Zwift – along with the reasons why they don’t. We discuss rivals to Zwift, siren voices in the community and whether Zwift Run is working. And that’s just a few of the topics covered. If you love Zwift, if you’re interested in how the company works and want to do a deep dive on everything Zwifty, you should find this a rewarding listen. We hope you enjoy it.

Episode 57 - New Roads, World Switching, the Rivals and the Double Draft

Simon, Shane and Nathan convene again for another hour of chat on all matters Zwifty.

The trio begin by getting the full story of Shane’s YouTube ban – and how it affected him, before moving on to discuss another new extension to Watopia. “Mostly flat”, we’re told. The Zwiftcasters hope that really means rolling terrain.

And it’s definitely coming – world switching. We discuss whether Jon Mayfield’s solution is an elegant and clever thing, or a bit less than what Zwifters wanted.

Quite a lot is changing in the way Zwift could work, and the introduction of Double Draft or True Draft as the podcasters would prefer it to be called, could end up as really significant. Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the devil out of it, with input from racer and podcaster Greg Leo and aerodynamics expert Bert Blocken, an academic who’s modelled the draft effect in a big pelotons.

The rivals to Zwift have been making some noise, with CVRCade the loudest. What does it all mean? The chaps chew it over.

After a quick catch up on trainer news, the Zwiftcasters round this one off with a discussion on Zwift Interval Art.

And finally, Simon has a bad knee.

Episode 56 - NewYork, New York and more:Marvellous Marge, Rachael's battle and esport

This episode is dominated, as you may expect, with analysis and chat of the new world in Zwift: New York City. Simon, Shane and Nathan talk about the first “future-world” ever released by Zwift, ranging across the quality of the artwork, the number of intersections and what it may tell us about game development. The Zwiftcasters have plenty to say, some of it, possibly a little controversial.

But there’s room for more in Episode 56 – with hints about what may be to come in this important period for the company and indoor cyclists. With the number of worlds on Zwift now reaching five, it’s inevitable that the question of world switching is discussed again.

There’s an interview with Marge Kaufmann, who makes light of her hop-on-and-keep-going approach to completing the Kona Mission, followed up by some chat about the value, and indeed age, of some of the longer-running challenges on the platform.

Zwifter Rachael Elliott has been through a tough year – but now, as she recovers from her life-threatening stroke, she’s ready to get back to competitive cycling. But it looks as though Rachael may face a barrier in competing as a Paralympian. We get the latest.

And finally the podcasters discuss virtual cycling as an e-sport, in the context of what’s expected to be a big announcement from Zwift in the next few weeks.

We hope you enjoy listening.