Zwift CEO Eric Min guests on the Zwiftcast on Episode 90 to discuss some of the big changes that 2020 has brought to the platform. In an interview which is focused on this tumultuous year and on the consequences of the big new fund raise, Eric explains some company thinking. A flood of new users as the pandemic hit has caused Zwift to accelerate its plans to simplify the platform for new users. Simon grills Eric on what the consequences of this policy may be for existing users. Eric also discuss...
Oct 06, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 84
The Zwiftcast is back from its summer break - with a huge catch up as Simon, Shane and Nathan reflect on recent developments on the platform. Steering is the headline grabber, with a number of respected voices in indoor cycling describing its arrival on the roads of Zwift as a game-changer. Are they right? The arrival of the long-awaited Pacer Bots are welcomed by Simon, Shane and Nathan, who are all anxious to see more of them, more often and doing more stuff! The Academy programmes have just l...
Sep 03, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 83
La belle France est arrivee! Simon, Shane and Nathan celebrate the arrival of brand new roads in Zwift. The inaugural Tour de France Virtuel, itself a landmark in the history of the platform, has co-incided with lots of new Tarmac - always a good moment for Zwifters. The Zwiftcasters pick out their favourite bits as well as giving their overall impressions of the new roads to ride. We have an interview with Zwift marketing grand fromage, James La Londe to get some insight into the importance of ...
Jul 13, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 82
Could we be about to get a series of new roads to ride? Simon, Shane and Nathan assess the impact on Zwifters of the (as yet officially unconfirmed) news that Zwift is to stage a virtual version of Le Tour de France, complete with the IRL planned start and finish stages in Nice and Paris. Perhaps more excitingly, there is speculation that the talk of a “marquee climb” may be a new TdF climb, rather than the existing recreation of L’Alpe D’Huez. If so - and it’s still an “if”, which one might it ...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 81
The Zwiftcasters are back - coinciding nicely with a game update and Simon, Shane and Nathan have lots to discuss. Simon chats to Steven Milliken, one of the founders of the WTRL race series which is making team time trialling into a massive thing on Zwift. The promoters’ difficulties with data privacy have now been resolved and Steven discusses how the small team manage the huge demands from Zwifters wanting to time trial together. The Zwiftcasters follow up Steven’s interview with discussions ...
May 29, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 80
Simon, Shane and Natahn return for more chat on the latest in Zwift. This epsiode, Steve Beckett, Zwift's Chief Marketing Officer, is a special guest, with lots to say on Zwift during and beyond the crisis, plus thoughts on Family Subs, Club Functionality and community racing. The podcasters range across the new Boost Mode in game; how Private MeetUps could be revolutionary and the current Tour For All. There's also an interview with Guy Voisin, the head of cycling at Eurosport on what changes h...
May 06, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 79
A special episode featuring the very best of the Zwift Community in these lockdown times. Simon talks to BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin about the overwhelming response to her charity ride on behalf of the NHS. Louise tackled an imperial century - in the company of more than 1,500 other Zwifters. Simon also chats to Jason Dyck, the Canadian coach who organised what’s thought to be the first ever group ride for para-cyclists on Zwift. It was a resounding success and will now become a weekl...
Apr 28, 2020•24 min•Ep. 78
Simon, Shane and Nathan reconvene for Episode 83 - and to celebrate a minor victory; the return of the famous First Attempt Very Intens Strava segment on Zwift. Simon has a little insight into how it happened. Lionel Birnie, one of the co-hosts of the popular Cycling Podcast joins Simon for a chat about the recently updated Meetups in the game and to discuss what the prospects may be for a return of IRL bike racing this year. The Zwiftcasters spend a few minutes riffing on the behaviour of pro r...
Apr 22, 2020•58 min•Ep. 77
Simon, Shane and Nathan are back with another of the weekly round-ups of all matters Zwifty The podcasters kick off with a brief discussion on the Ineos Weekend - and the loss of the legendary First Attempt-Very Intens Strava segment, thanks to the ride logging app’s clean-up. Owen Newbury talks about his awesome scheme to project Zwift on the side of his house, then the chaps have a light hearted discussion on whether Zwift CEO was “caught” sandbagging before Zwift Insider’s Eric Schlange gives...
Apr 15, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 76
Another week - another Zwiftcast. Simon, Shane and Nathan unite to discuss the boom times on Zwift as the platform provides welcome relief from the burden of the virus. The headline feature on this episode is the long-awaited Solution to Sandbagging. This is a short term fix which Zwift hopes to implement within days (for testing) and weeks (for a full roll out) The approach sees four types of warnings/sanctions applied to Sandbaggers . . . listen to a full explanation of the system from senior ...
Apr 08, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 75
Simon, Shane and Nathan are back with the second of the new cycle of weekly Zwiftcasts - and there sure is a lot to talk about. Special guest Wes Salmon from HQ appears twice to give us a ton of detail on both the return of The Fence and why it went wrong, plus the thinking behind the limited launch of the much-awaited Clubs feature. We also have another honoured guest, Brad Sohner, the genius behind the funny and uplifting Tour de Quarantine, which now has a Zwifter in the mix. Elsewhere the Zw...
Apr 01, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 74
In a worried world, Simon, Shane and Nathan try to look at the positives whilst recognising some of the serious matters facing Zwifters. Episode 79 marks the first of the weekly episodes during the virus crisis. Simon kicks off with a Zwiftcast plea to HQ- let’s turn the Unemployed Badge into a Work From Home Badge . . . it just seems kinda better right now. The podcasters move on to discuss the remarkable figures in the game as new Zwifters pour onto the platform in huge numbers. Simon is confi...
Mar 25, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 73
The Zwiftcasters are working from home! But then we always do :) Simon, Shane and Nathan are back together to discuss how the extraordinary events of the past weeks have been impacting them personally, the sport they love - and the cycling game that is providing both escape from, and therapy for, a troubled world. That doesn’t mean we are ignoring the virus - that’s impossible. And we hope Listeners understand that we can’t not talk about what everyone is talking about. In the light of the huge ...
Mar 19, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 72
Simon, Shane and Nathan convene for another hour-plus of Zwift chat. The podcasters begin with their reaction to the big refresh for the Richmond course and conclude that it’s a huge improvement. Throughout this episode Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the biggest and most significant aspects of last episode’s interview with Zwift CEO, Eric Min. Amongst the subjects forensically analysed and discussed are the pace of development on the platform; Eric’s unusual comment about “digital destinations”...
Mar 05, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 71
Simon sits down with Zwift CEO Eric Min for the now traditional “ask me anything” annual interview, covering a huge range of topics from the health of the company to, yes, the possibility of a velodrome. The conversation provides deep context and background on why some things happen, and why others don’t . . . . plus quite a bit on the pace at which things happen, or don’t, on the platform. We hope you listen to the whole of the interview, but if there’s one subject in which you are particularly...
Feb 06, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 70
The Zwiftcasters welcome in 2020 with the first episode of the new decade - and kick straight off with a discussion of what’s become a landmark in the Zwift calendar - Peak Zwift. You can hear which one of the Zwiftcasters, along with special guest guessers, got it right. The podcasters go on to discuss whether the second January in Tuesday really will be Peak Zwift this year. The game has a few initiatives upcoming which may see the current record broken. Stay tuned. Is the update which restore...
Jan 16, 2020•59 min•Ep. 69
Simon, Shane and Nathan convene for the final Zwiftcast of 2019 in both reflective and expectant mood. There’s plenty of looking back on what brought the podcasters Zwift joy in 2019 and a little on what they’d like to see for 2020. There’s also reaction to Zwift’s pre-Christmas present of a new map - it’s short, but it’s fun. Crit City looks designed to appeal to the e-Sport crowd but should also please anyone who races on Zwift. The Zwiftcasters give their initial verdict and speculate on what...
Dec 20, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 68
This is a special episode of the Zwiftcast, dedicated to those who run on the platform. Some of you might ride too, but the focus here is wholly on running. Mike McCarthy is one of the original Zwift execs who was a very early hire to the company when it was first set up. Known as talented and successful cyclist, at Zwift Mike concentrated on a senior Business Development role, but recently he has been made VP of Running. It’s fair to say Running has got off to a slow start on Zwift - so what do...
Dec 13, 2019•30 min•Ep. 67
Simon, Shane and special guest co-host Ray Maker, also known as D C Rainmaker, are together in person in Amsterdam to discuss all the latest Zwiftiness. The three podcasters are gathered for Ray’s annual Winter Open House event where sports tech geeks get together over a few beers to discuss what’s hot and have fun. Simon spends some time amongst this well-informed and enthusiastic crowd asking two questions: What’s Zwift doing well and where could it improve? Elsewhere in this episode there’s a...
Dec 02, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 66
Simon, Shane and Nathan reconvene to discuss and analyse all the latest Zwift news and chat. The podcasters get things going with a new take on the age old Kickr vs Neo debate, updated to the KickrBike vs NeoBike dilemma. If you have 3k plus to spend on a smart bike this will be of interest to you . . . . .Shane is one of the very few people in the world with saddle time on both, so what’s his verdict? The Zwiftcasters move on to consider the demise of VirtuoGo, one of the rivals to Zwift. It ha...
Oct 31, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 65
The 2019/20 indoor seasons has started with a bang, or should that be a ban? The Zwift community has been convulsed by Jeffers-gate, the fining, banning and stripping of the first officially-sanctioned national e-championship from Zwifter Cameron Jeffers by British Cycling. Jeffers’s account was shown to have gained a Tron bike with the use of an ANT+ emulator . . . .and the news of the ban has polarised opinion. As the dust settles on a huge row for Zwift and e-sports, a row which has garnered ...
Oct 08, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 64
Simon, Shane and Nathan analyse what is the biggest development for Zwift since the platform launched almost five years ago - the reveal of the strategy for making eSports a reality. The partnership with the UCI, unveiled at the World Championships, grabbed the headlines, but the fascination is in the detail. And the detail is on the Zwiftcast. Simon conducts a lengthy and searching interview with Zwift’s CEO of eSport, Craig Edmondson and the three Zwiftcasters subject his answers to scrutiny a...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 63
Simon, Shane and Nathan discuss the latest in a busy year of course launches for Zwift as the Yorkshire UCI Worlds circuit lands in game. This is personal for Simon, with Harrogate being his home-town, making him well placed to assess how well Zwift developers have replicated a place he knows well. The verdict: Good job Zwift! Shane and Nathan lend a little objectivity to the discussion. The podcasters also discuss a huge development for the game - the imminent launch of not only steering but al...
Sep 09, 2019•59 min•Ep. 62
The smart bike revolution has finally arrived. Wahoo, Tacx and Stages all debut their all-in-one solution to indoor cycling. And in so doing, they lift the price tag of smart training. Are these good value, given you don't need a bike? Will they make indoor cycling more attractive to more people? Are they the game-changer long predicted as such by Zwift CEO Eric Min? Simon, Shane and Zwift Insider editor Eric Schlange try to provide some answers. Zwift also announce the launch of FutureWorks, a ...
Sep 05, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 61
Simon, Shane and Nathan are back together for the first time in a few weeks to discuss all matters Zwift . . . with a departure or two towards a bike race in France. Zwift and the Tour in fact coincide, with the platform launching a global advertising and sponsorship campaign around the TdF. The podcasters discuss the implications and hear from Zwift exec Laurent Jannau as to whether it’s working, and why Zwift decided to invest so heavily. Ride leader Tim Searle has a review of The Fence, now t...
Jul 25, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 60
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.
Jun 28, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 59
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 ...
May 23, 2019•57 min•Ep. 58
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 n...
Apr 26, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 57
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’ c...
Mar 28, 2019•54 min•Ep. 56
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 ...
Feb 25, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 55
