PSA: Zwift price increase

If MyWhoosh is a rival to Zwift, and having read a couple of reviews it does look quite good, how is it free?!

If MyWhoosh is a rival to Zwift, and having read a couple of reviews it does look quite good, how is it free?!

Standard VC model when entering a market already well(ish) served. Take initial losses to build customer base and hopefully bankrupt the opposition and then start charging.

Well I'm sure their customer base is about grow significantly

MyWhoosh is free because it is part of  Abu Dhabi and the UAE's sportswashing programme.

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/mywhoosh-your-complete-guide

'MyWhoosh says that instead of charging users, it will look to generate income through other revenue streams such as in-game advertising.'

Standard VC model when entering a market already well(ish) served. Take initial losses to build customer base and hopefully bankrupt the opposition and then start charging.

the more cynical might suggest it's actually part of a sports-washing campaign by certain nations (see also, World Cup 2022 & LIV golf) to improve their public image and distract from human rights abuses 🤔

where I found the scenery and variety of virtual terrain to be less dull than my garage wall

I don't understand using Zwift but not racing. If you've got a tablet/device infront of you, why not watch TV?

Actually seeing an environment that changes according to the effort you put in is much better than just watching something else that doesn't engage with your actions. However for what I use it for, and given the price increase, that is what I will start doing.

I don’t understand

"Is it not just obvious that different people like different things?"

Not a dig at anyone..

But I've found a suprising number of people don't get this.

I wish they did a tiered pricing scheme depending how much you use it a month.

I'm not sure I'd be a fan of a tiered pricing scheme if I used it a lot but the current pricing is definitely not something justifiable for me.

I've gone for months without using it and I let the subscription run because I know I can jump on when I do want to use it.

Even when I do use it, it's mostly just to log the miles on a flat route while I do Z2 or recovery, while watching a documentary or something.

I wouldn't be too bothered if I was on 5 days a week, racing and following training plans. I'd already paused mine until next month but I'll be cancelling it now.

But what is the implication here? You think others are wrong/stupid because they enjoy something in a different way to you?

No - when I say "I don't understand" it's not a value judgement, it just literally means I don't understand.  I mean of course, like what they like, but I don't see the attraction.  For me, watching the Zwift scenery is not enough to keep my interest.

I quite like riding round normally on zwift, especially on a pleasant route like sand and sequoias. It's just like riding a familiar route outside as long as you've got a smart turbo only with no cars and no rain.

I like racing too, but some races are pointless, I'm never going to even bother the top half on a hilly route.

I like racing too, but some races are pointless, I’m never going to even bother the top half on a hilly route.

The best way, IMO, is to do the same races regularly each week. Then you can monitor your progress.  You also start remembering the names of people who just beat you, then you can start racing them - it's way more fun.  Zwift also gives you the names of your nemesis.

prawny

I quite like riding round normally on zwift, especially on a pleasant route like sand and sequoias. It’s just like riding a familiar route outside as long as you’ve got a smart turbo only with no cars and no rain.

I like racing too, but some races are pointless, I’m never going to even bother the top half on a hilly route.

Yeah, I quite like a cruise round watching stuff go by when doing a Z2 slog in the winter or when the rain is pouring down.
Pacebots really help with this too, as you have to use a reasonable amount of concentration to stay within the group. I try to stay mentally alert by aiming to stay within +/-5m of the bot.

I used Zwift loads when training for the Dirty Reiver & even a 3 hour session was perfectly doable.
I tend to have music on as well, or get a load of podcasts ready & churn through them.

There's a few of us from here who do regular meet-up workouts with the elastic band activated. That is another good aspect of Zwift. You can all do your own thing - completely different workouts at different fitness & power levels - but you all stay together on screen & can help/encourage/wind each other up, as applicable.

I enjoy the racing aspect, but seem to do it in fits & starts. It's definitely good for sharpening your fitness up, or just realising how slug-like you currently are.

Anyway - in all likelihood I will keep my subscription going. Even through the summer I am normally on twice a week, so it still represents good value.

I like racing too, but some races are pointless, I’m never going to even bother the top half on a hilly route.

Anyway – in all likelihood I will keep my subscription going. Even through the summer I am normally on twice a week, so it still represents good value.

It's a pity you can't link those Smart Trainers up to any game. I'd love to cycle around the old west in Red Dead Redemption 2. You could have bits where you have to outsprint a pack of Wolves, or hunt down the Pinkertons in a gang of MAMILs.

Cancelled mine. Might restart in winter. Seems a silly time of year to do a price hike.

Ha, I keep returning to an idea of hosting in-person turbo nights at a local studio.

I know a few people have done this in cycling clubs pre-zwift. I think if you wanted it to be popular I'd look into getting accredited as a spin instructor, then rent a local gym's studio and advertising that you're doing specific structured classes.

How about a velodrome? That would be great.

I'm not sure how well it would work. It could be done, but a lot of the tactics in a velodrome rely on it being crowded and easy to get blocked in. They'd have to re-write the game engine to stop it just being a case of just accelerating to ride over the avatar in front.

Solo events like pursuits, time trials and flying laps would work.

Devils, and scratches would need some new modeling. I guess you could do it with "lanes", divide the track into 10 lanes and give a speed boost/drop each time you have to move up and down the banking.

Sprints would never work. They'd just have to be done as a flying lap.

The price hike now allows "northern" Zwifters to perhaps calm down over the summer before their usual return to the turbo over the winter, plus allows Zwift some time to bring in new features before the "northern" masses stop riding outdoors.

But it also allows Zwift competitors time to lure unhappy Zwifters away.

Zwift nerds - I did a race last night ('B' category, enforced) and averaged 4.0w/kg. That was higher than everyone who placed higher than me according to the summary at the end, but I was 49th! What's that about?

Average power doesn't really determine the race, sit in the bunch and then sprint for the finish.

Your choice of frame and wheels can affect things too.

That was higher than everyone who placed higher than me according to the summary at the end, but I was 49th! What’s that about?

Ah, well, I've got until Jun 5th to improve before my last £12.99 month runs out...

It’s a pity you can’t link those Smart Trainers up to any game. I’d love to cycle around the old west in Red Dead Redemption 2

You can if you know how:

I can't find the original video I saw which included typical GTA style hilarity.

I’m not a masochist so don’t enter single races that clearly don’t suit me (like very hilly ones!)

It's a big issue (and to be fair, one they've tried to work on) that you can be a much higher standard for hilly races than flat ones or vice versa. As a 'sprint athlete' (putting it generously) I select the crit races, which are the most fun IMO.  You get tactical races and skinny climbers do win some by being clever.

I’ve also tried this which has some built in Zwift workouts. You can add your own workouts (Google  “ZWO workout creator”)

https://flux-web.vercel.app/

👍

That'll do for what I need.

The price hike now allows “northern” Zwifters to perhaps calm down over the summer before their usual return to the turbo over the winter, plus allows Zwift some time to bring in new features before the “northern” masses stop riding outdoors.

Maybe, I can see myself re-subscribing next winter for a couple of months if the weather was as bad as this winter.

But £180/year is taking the piss for a videogame.

As a ‘sprint athlete’ (putting it generously) I select the crit races, which are the most fun IMO.

I'll check that out.. in October.

I've thought this over through the day.  I very rarely race and just need a platform to handle my training work outs.  Ordinarily I don't interact with zwift using the chat, I don't race, I don't complete the challenges.   I use zwift as there was more of less only one option.  Now there appear to be several which will fit my requirement, I guess this means I'm heading down the route of binning it.

I’ve been through exactly the same thought process today @ernie and decided to bin it. I was only scratching the surface of what it could do and never raced so it’s gone.

As far as I'm aware, they haven't changed the 25Km free trail for an account per calendar month.

You can usually finish the ride that takes you over 25Km, but last week my avatar stopped dead when I had just started a portal climb ride. Perhaps because I had less than 1km of trail left when I started the portal ride?

That's a big increase in price glad I gave up on it.

I'm only paying £7.99 for Bkool

Most customers are going to quietly sigh and carry on paying anyway!

I think this will be me. I've been on Zwift since 2016, and it's just part of my life. My next charge is $14.99. It started at $10 in 2016. I haven't seen the email yet about the new price. There's been so much more added since I started! During Covid, it was great. Weeksy got a social ride going, and DrP beat us up! Mostly, now, I ride with pace partners. And listen to some music. As someone else said further up, I like the distraction of the scenery. I used to turbo just watching TV, but it bored me.

I never really got on with Zwift, i found it to "Tron" like and love Wahoo SYSTM, mostly due to the variety of documentaries and different types of workout, from Sufferfest and its humour, to the "on location" rides, and the fact that it gives you the sports science on the screen and tells you why you are doing the particular efforts.

But, reading this thread, if STW members are representative of Zwift users, they might be in trouble, thats a lot of cancellations.

They are in financial trouble, they had planned to release a Zwift indoor training bike, like Wahoo's but shelved it

I wonder if the Zwift Play controller and Zwift Click virtual gearing hardware side projects haven't covered their development costs too.

I never really got on with Zwift, i found it to “Tron” like and love Wahoo SYSTM

I like Zwift, for me I find it has the variety I want of social/racing/structured workouts/scenery. I can't stomach the price increase though. Perhaps come winter when I'm on it most days I'll change my mind - but the price is now a massive deterrent from resubscribing for the odd month here or there when I've got too much on to ride outside.

I started on Rouvy and I enjoyed the scenery, but I got bored. No racing on Rouvy.

It's a big increase isn't it? Like a few on here it sounds like Zwift is generally poorer value for me in the summer because it goes from regular/few times a week to much more irregular, maybe not at all some months. With other things like Spotify going up too, and Discovery + being more expensive than GCN + was, some of my subscriptions are likely to get cancelled/paused and Zwift has moved closer to the top of that list. Haven't cancelled yet though!

For whatever reason, I just find it hard to do the indoor cycling thing. Doesn't matter if it is Zwift, Wahoo or Trainer Road, after a few weeks I just loose interest.

I tend to do the outdoor/lights rides in winter with a little bit of running.

I’ve binned my subscription for the summer, just to add to the list. Will give it another look come winter, which when I tend to use it more regularly.
Had a peek at the MyWoosh or whatever it’s called - looks okay, and if they want to give it away free, might give it a go - won’t change my perspective on their medieval attitudes toward human rights.

I think I'll have a go on Mywhoosh. I haven't been on zwift since a free month earlier this year and a decent while before that.

Need to make more use of the smart trainer.

The price increase seems very badly timed: like many here I was about to cancel Zwift for the summer IRL season - this is a good reminder to do that immediately.

It might have been a better strategy to wait until mid summer to do the increase, when we are all less interested, and by the winter when people re-subscribe it will be the new normal.

Cancel and try Mywhoosh here too.

I signed up for the Indie Velo beta months and months ago, but because I usually turbo using an Android mobile, I couldn't try it for a while and then forgot.

Must get around to trying it now I also have the option of a Surface Pro 4 for turbo use, apparently it has crazy physics including things like wind! 😮