One common confusion involves getting your bike mounted onto your smart trainer. Specifically, riders who purchase a direct-drive trainer must figure out how to connect their frame to the trainer properly. If you aren’t a seasoned cyclist, this can be an intimidating task!

But never fear. This article covers identifying what sort of trainer and axles you’re working with, then explains how to mount your bike securely on the trainer.

First things first: what sort of trainer are you using?

• Direct-Drive Trainer: any trainer that requires you to remove your bike’s rear wheel so the trainer can mount directly to your frame via the rear axle. These are called “direct-drive” because your bike chain is mounted onto the trainer’s cassette, directly driving it like it drives your rear wheel outdoors. See our top picks for budget direct-drive trainers and premium direct-drive trainers >
• Wheel-On Trainer: as the name indicates, your rear wheel stays on with these trainers. The trainer detects power based on how fast your wheel causes the tension roller to spin. See our top picks for wheel-on trainers >

This article only covers setting up your bike on a direct-drive trainer.

Types of Axles: Quick Release and Thru Axle

Modern bicycles use one of two axle types: quick release or thru axle.

Quick Release

Quick release was the standard axle used on most bikes for decades. A quick release axle is a thin metal skewer that runs through the wheel’s hub. The skewer is held in place by an acorn nut on one side (the right-hand side, if you’re sitting on the bike) and a cam lever on the other. Two small springs sit on either side of the hub.

Quick releases are cheap and allow you to easily remove and replace wheels quickly without any tools. Frames that use quick-release levers have slots for the wheel axles to slide into, vs holes used by thru axles setups.

Note: if you are a heavier rider and/or put down bike watts, we recommend using a heavier-duty quick release with a steel skewer on your trainer vs the lighter aluminum or titanium skewers that often ship with bikes. Read more about this topic >

Thru Axle

Thru axles are a newer technology, having arrived on the scene in the early 2000s as mountain bike frames became stronger and disc brakes demanded better performance from wheel axles. A thru axle is a thick pin with threads on one end. You insert this pin through your frame’s hole on the left side, through your wheel, then thread it into the frame on the right-hand side.

Thru axles are much thicker than quick release axles, and they don’t run the risk of your wheel dropping out of the quick release frame slot since they’re threaded directly through the frame.

Thru axles generally perform better than quick releases in all scenarios, which is why you’ll find them on most mid to high-end bikes sold today. That said, they’re also more expensive, heavier than quick releases, and make wheel removal a slightly more time-consuming task.

Determining Axle Length

When setting up your bike on a direct-drive trainer, you’ll need to know the length of your axle to install the correct adapters and ensure a snug fit. These adapters typically ship with your direct-drive smart trainer and are labeled for easy use.

Axle length is measured from the inside of the frame where the quick release dropouts or thru axle holes are found. While the world of bikes uses a variety of axle lengths for the rear wheel, just four are considered “standard” today. Frames using quick releases are typically 130mm or 135mm wide at this measurement point, while thru axle frames are typically 142mm or 148mm wide.

Installing Your Rear Axle

For quick-release users, once you have your frame mounted on the trainer, hand-tighten the quick-release before clamping down the lever to finish the installation. Important notes:

• Ensure your bike frame is seated level on the quick release adapters before clamping the quick release lever.
• You want the quick release to be tight enough that it leaves an imprint on your hand when you close it. That said, it shouldn’t be so tight that opening or closing it is arduous work! Overtightening your quick release can damage your frame’s dropouts, while having it too loose can allow your frame to come off the axle under heavy load, possibly causing major damage.

For thru axle users, installation is more straightforward. Line up the frame with the holes on the trainer then thread your thru axle through the frame and trainer, tightening it down snugly as you do when installing your rear wheel.

Questions or comments?

We hope this article clarified quick releases and thru axles for you, and helped you get going on Zwift more easily. Got questions or comments? Share below!

Well, usually.

I’m hearing from more and more Zwifters who have struggled to get their ANT+ dongles working on Windows 11. Windows 10 handled ANT+ dongles quite nicely, but Windows 11 sometimes struggles to identify ANT+ sticks as such and automagically install the ANT+ driver.

It varies based on which ANT+ stick you buy, and I don’t have a list of which sticks play nicely with Windows 11 and which do not. Instead, I can only provide simple instructions for getting your ANT+ stick set up on Windows 11 if it’s not automatically happening. Let’s go!

Method One: Windows Update

You can use Windows 11’s advanced update option to install the ANT+ driver. Here’s how:

1. From your PC’s search bar, search for and Check for updates. 
2. Click Advanced Options, then click Optional updates under Additional options.
3. Expand the list of driver updates, locate the ANT+ driver (it shows up as Dynastream Innovations), select it and press Download and install to complete the process.

If for any reason you can’t find the optional update, follow the next method to install it manually.

Method Two: Manual Driver Install

You can always install the ANT+ driver manually. It’s just a bit more hassle than doing it via Windows update. Here’s how:

1. Download the driver directly from us here. (Ideally you would be able to download this driver from an official source like the thisisant.com website, but they hide it behind a login, so we’re providing easy access to it instead.)
2. Unzip the newly downloaded .zip file and place the content into a new empty folder on your PC. 
3. Plug in your ANT USB-m stick into a USB port.
4. Open Device Manager (Start Menu > Device Manager).
5. Locate your ANT stick under Other devices or perhaps libusb-win32 devices.
6. Right-click the stick and select Update driver.
7. Select Browse my computer for drivers.
8. Browse to the folder you extracted in step 2, click OK, then Next.

Further Reference

If the instructions above aren’t working for you, here’s a page from Garmin describing how to install the ANT+ adapter driver in Windows 11, and here’s one from Wahoo with the same. (Both pages link to their respective hosted versions of the same zip file as we’ve linked above.)

Are you having other ANT+ connection issues? See our post on How to Fix ANT+ Dropouts and Other Connection Problems in Zwift.

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Learn how Zwift’s levels, XP, and unlocks work >
Learn how Drops are calculated >

Here’s a complete list of frames and wheels unlocked at each level, with the most useful unlocks marked in bold and the key purchases marked with a MUST BUY. We’ve even added notes so you know what makes those unlocks special!

Of course, you may want to purchase a particular frame or wheelset just because it looks cool or matches what you ride outdoors. Nothing wrong with that! Our recommendations, though, are based entirely on speed test performance.

Level 1

• Zwift Steel frame (Free)

Level 2

• Zwift Gravel frame (50,000 Drops)

Level 3

• Zwift Carbon frame (55,000)
• Zwift 32mm Carbon wheels (32,000)

Level 4

• Zwift TT frame (60,000): the first TT frame you can buy, but if you can wait for and afford the BMT Timemachine01 it’s much faster.
• Shimano C50 wheels (34,600 Drops): an affordable choice for your first set of racing wheels, although much faster hoops are available at higher levels.
• Shimano C40 wheels (35,900 Drops)

Level 5

• Parlee ESX frame (153,200 Drops): a nice upgrade for racing, or hold on until level 9 and pick up the faster Zwift Aero.
• Reserve 25 GR gravel wheels (83,900 Drops)

Level 6

• Mavic Cosmic Ultimate UST wheels (36,400 Drops): the fastest wheels available at this level.
• Chapter2 Tere frame (199,400 Drops)
• Cannondale CAAD12 frame (106,300 Drops)

Level 7

• Mavic Cosmic CXR60c wheels (39,800 Drops): the fastest wheels available at this level.
• BMC Timemachine01 frame (400,000 Drops): the fastest TT frame available at this level.
• Van Rysel EDR CF frame (144,100 Drops)

Level 8

• Canyon Inflite frame (200,000 Drops)
• Moots Vamoots frame (275,000 Drops)

Level 9

• Zwift Aero frame (250,000 Drops): The fastest frame available at this level.
• Specialized Allez frame (122,700 Drops)
• Zwift 50mm Carbon wheels (43,700 Drops)

Level 10

• Bridgestone Anchor RS9s frame (200,000 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames, the unfortunately-named Anchord is the fastest climber available at this level.
• Shimano C60 wheels (41,100 Drops): the fastest wheels available at this level.
• Cube Aerium frame (251,700 Drops)

Level 11

• Canyon Lux frame (275,000 Drops)
• Bontrager Aeolus5 wheels (67,700 Drops)

Level 12

• Campagnolo Bora Ultra 50 wheels (150,000 Drops): these are the best climbing wheels available at this level.
• Cannondale Synapse frame (270,100 Drops)
• Canyon Ultimate frame (322,500 Drops)
• Canyon Ultimate CFR frame (350,700 Drops)

Level 13

• Mavic Comete Pro Carbon SL UST wheels (45,400 Drops): the fastest wheels available at this level.
• Chapter2 Rere frame (326,400 Drops)
• Quintana Roo V-PR frame (297,400 Drops)

Level 14

• Specialized Allez Sprint frame (387,000 Drops): Just like IRL, this frame is a good buy in terms of price/performance. It’s the fastest frame available at this level, but a faster one is just a couple of levels away!
• Specialized Diverge frame (300,000 Drops)
• CADEX AR 35 gravel wheels (154,500 Drops)

Level 15

• Roval Rapide CLX wheels (200,000): the fastest wheels available at this level.
• Cervelo S3D frame (415,300 Drops)
• Ridley Helium frame (272,500 Drops)

Level 16

• MUST BUY! Felt IA 2.0 frame (750,000 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames and fastest tt climbing frames. The fastest TT frame available at this level. Buy this or the level 18 Scott Plasma RC Ultimate (they perform identically) if you’re racing TT.
• Felt IA frame (515,100 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames.
• Felt FR frame (562,700 Drops)
• Roval CLX64 wheels (150,000 Drops)

Level 17

• MUST BUY! Scott Addict RC frame (660,200 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames. The best all-arounder available in the Drop Shop, and the second-best climber in game!
• CADEX 42 wheels (119,500 Drops)
• HED Vanquish RC6 Pro wheels (120,000 Drops)
• Liv Devote Advanced Pro frame (450,000 Drops)

Level 18

• FFWD RYOT55 wheels (136,100 Drops): listed in fastest climbing wheels, these are the best climbers available at this level.
• Specialized Roubaix frame (333,500 Drops)
• Specialized Roubaix frame S-Works (405,200 Drops)
• Specialized Ruby frame (333,500 Drops)
• Specialized Ruby S-Works frame (399,300 Drops)
• BMC Roadmachine frame (344,100 Drops)

Level 19

• Scott Plasma RC Ultimate (600,000 Drops): listed in fastest tt climbing frames and fastest tt frames. This is tied with the Felt IA 2.0 as the best climbing TT frame in game, so get one of them if you’re doing uphill TTs!
• Zipp 404 wheels (115,600 Drops): The fastest wheels available at this level.
• Scott Plasma frame (528,600 Drops): listed in fastest tt climbing frames
• Factor One frame (600,000 Drops)

Level 20

• Cannondale System Six frame (725,100 Drops)
• Scott Spark RC frame (350,000 Drops)
• Scott Spark RC World Cup frame (750,000 Drops)
• Zipp 202 wheels (135,200 Drops)

Level 21

• Giant SLR 0 wheels (165,100 Drops): listed in fastest climbing wheels.
• Ribble Endurance frame (505,500 Drops)

Level 22

• Focus Izalco Max 2020 frame (712,900 Drops)
• Trek Speed Concept SLR 9 frame (670,500 Drops)
• ENVE SES 6.7 wheels (150,000 Drops)

Level 23

• MUST BUY! Felt AR frame (714,100 Drops): listed in fastest frames. The fastest frame available at this level, and indeed, the Felt AR is one of four frames all tied for “fastest” in Zwift.
• Giant Revolt Advanced Pro frame (475,000 Drops)
• Allied Able frame (550,000 Drops)
• ENVE G23 gravel wheels (241,800 Drops)

Level 24

• Zipp 353 NSW wheels (168,800 Drops): listed in fastest climbing wheels.
• Liv Langma Advanced SL frame (511,300 Drops)
• Liv Langma Advanced SL Disc frame (613,200 Drops)
• Cube Litening frame (536,500 Drops)
• Cube Litening C:68X frame (604,200 Drops)

Level 25

• MUST BUY! Zipp 808 wheels (200,000 Drops): listed in fastest wheels these are the most aero wheels you can buy until level 31, so you’d better pick up a set!
• Ventum One frame (440,800 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames.
• Trek Emonda SL frame (560,300 Drops)

Level 26

• ENVE SES 2.2 wheels (174,300 Drops)
• Scott Foil frame (676,900 Drops)
• Canyon Grail frame (750,000 Drops)

Level 27

• ENVE SES 3.4 wheels (200,000 Drops): listed in fastest climbing wheels.
• Canyon Aeroad 2021 frame (532,500 Drops)
• Giant TCR Advanced SL frame (566,100 Drops)
• Giant TCR Advanced TCR Advanced BikeExchange-Jayco Team frame (543,100 Drops)

Level 28

• Cervelo R5 frame (633,600 Drops)
• Pinarello Bolide frame (618,400 Drops)
• Pinarello Bolide TT frame (627,000 Drops)
• ENVE SES 8.9 wheels (250,000 Drops): listed in fastest wheels.

Level 29

• Cannondale EVO frame (714,500 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames.
• Cannondale SuperSix EVO frame (768,200 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames.
• Specialized Epic S-Works frame (950,000 Drops)
• CADEX 36 wheels (216,900 Drops)

Level 30

• MUST BUY! Specialized Aethos frame (966,300 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames, it’s the best climber on Zwift by a big margin. The Aethos belongs in your garage if you want to climb as quickly as possible.
• Zipp 454 wheels (204,300 Drops): listed in climbing wheels. A strong set of all-around wheels, good if you’re looking for something that climbs well while remaining quite aero.
• Ventum NS1 frame (750,000 Drops)

Level 31

• Canyon Speedmax CF SLX Disc TT frame (1,200,000 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames. The fastest TT frame available at this level.
• MUST BUY! Zipp 858 wheels (300,000 Drops): listed in fastest wheels. A favorite among many racers, the 858s are the fastest non-disc wheels in game, and they climb a bit better than the heavy discs. A good choice for the purists who just can’t stomach running a disc wheel on a road bike.
• Uranium Nuclear frame (700,000 Drops): listed in fastest frames.
• Canyon Speedmax frame (424,600 Drops)

Level 32

• Cervelo Aspero frame (800,000 Drops): the most aero gravel bike, it’s not a top climber but still a smart upgrade if you’re racing gravel.
• Parlee RZ7 frame (771,800 Drops)
• Roval Terra CLX gravel wheels (330,800 Drops)

Level 33

• Chapter2 TOA frame (800,000 Drops): listed in fastest frames.
• Ridley Noah Fast 2019 frame (950,000 Drops)
• CADEX 65 wheels (223,900 Drops)

Level 34

• Zipp 808/Super9 wheels (450,000 Drops): listed in fastest wheels. The fastest wheels you’ve been able to buy so far. If you’re into TT races, buy these for sure. Otherwise, only get them if you’re willing to look a bit silly sporting a disc in a road race.
• Cervelo P5x frame (1,000,000 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames.
• Cervelo P5 frame (920,700 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames, and fastest tt climbing frames.
• Trek Madone frame (1,050,000 Drops): listed in fastest frames.

Level 35

• Specialized Crux frame (950,000 Drops): the best climbing gravel bike, the Crux is probably the best gravel rig all around, beating all others on the Jungle Circuit. Pick it up if you’re racing gravel.
• Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc frame (1,102,900 Drops)
• Campagnolo Bora Ultra 35 wheels (250,000 Drops)

Level 36

• Cervelo S5 2020 frame (1,481,000 Drops): listed in fastest frames.
• ENVE SES 7.8 wheels (278,900 Drops): listed in fastest wheels, these are strong all-around performers on routes with shorter, rolling climbs.
• Specialized Tarmac SL7 frame (1,200,000 Drops)
• Specialized Tarmac Pro frame (856,100 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames.
• Cervelo S5 frame (1,438,400 Drops): listed in fastest frames.
• Specialized Amira frame (730,400 Drops)
• Specialized Amira S-Works frame (802,300 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames.
• Specialized Tarmac frame (786,300)

Level 37

• Specialized Venge S-Works frame (1,200,000 Drops): listed in fastest frames.
• ZIPP 858/Super9 wheels (550,000 Drops): listed in fastest wheels. The fastest wheels available at this level.
• Specialized Shiv frame (643,800 Drops)
• Specialized Shiv S-Works frame (910,600 Drops): listed in fastest tt climbing frames.
• Specialized Shiv Disc frame (1,000,000 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames.

Level 38

• Roval Alpinist CLX wheels (634,300 Drops): #1 climbing wheels (only buy these if you haven’t yet unlocked the Lightweight Meilensteins)
• Colnago V3Rs frame (800,000 Drops)
• Trek Supercaliber frame (750,000 Drops)

Level 39

• MUST BUY! DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT DISC wheels (655,600 Drops): listed in fastest wheels. The fastest hoops in game – you might as well just pick ’em up. If you’re at level 39 you’ve probably got the Drops to do it!
• BMC SLR01 frame (759,500 Drops)
• Diamondback Andean frame (950,000 Drops)

Level 40

• MUST BUY! CADEX Tri frame (1,500,000 Drops): listed in fastest tt frames, this is the current fastest TT frame.
• DT Swiss ARC 62 wheels 400,000 Drops): listed in fastest climbing wheels. A solid set of all-around wheels, good if you’re looking for something that climbs well while remaining quite aero.
• Pinarello Dogma F frame (1,081,900 Drops): listed in fastest climbing frames and fastest frames.
• Zwift Buffalo Fahrrad wheels (3,200 Drops)
• Zwift Buffalo Fahrrad frame (9,500 Drops)
• Pinarello Dogma 65.1 frame (577,800 Drops)
• Pinarello Dogma F12 frame (1,242,700 Drops)
• Pinarello Dogma F10 frame (710,000 Drops)

Level 44

• Zwift Safety wheels (710,000 Drops)
• Zwift Safety frame (3,550,000 Drops)

Read all about how Drops work >

One way to earn more Drops is by taking advantage of Zwift’s Drops Multiplier game for RoboPacers. Here’s how it works.

Stay Near Your RoboPacer

The whole point of the Drops Multiplier game is to encourage riders to group up around the RoboPacers. It does this by increasing your Drops accumulation rate as you stay near the RoboPacer.

There is a “bubble” around the RoboPacer, and if you’re within that bubble, the Drops Multiplier will keep increasing until it hits its max level of x2.5. The size of this bubble depends on the size of the group around the RoboPacer. Larger groups have larger bubbles since staying near the RoboPacer in a large group is more difficult.

As long as you’re close enough to the RoboPacer, you’re good! But if you’re too far ahead, a message will display: “LET [pacer name] CATCH UP”. Go even further ahead and that message will disappear. This is the danger zone! At this point you need to ease off the power in order to return to the group. Going further away will eventually cause your entire Drops Multiplier game to disappear/reset.

It works the same if you drop off the back. Stay close enough to the RoboPacer and all is well. But if the RoboPacer gets far enough ahead you’ll see a message: “CATCH UP TO [pacer name]”. Keep dropping back and that message will disappear. Drop further off and your Drops Multiplier game will disappear/reset.

Here’s what it looks like to get close to the RoboPacer, then move so far away that the game resets:

Note: if you use Zwift’s teleportation feature to jump from one RoboPacer to another, your Drops Multiplier will be reset with each jump.

How Drops Multiply

What’s the reward for staying close to the RoboPacer? More Drops, of course!

When the game begins, you aren’t receiving any boost in your accumulation of Drops. You must first stay close to the RoboPacer for 5 minutes (you’ll see the blue progress bar filling up). Once the progress bar fills up, the multiplier value to the right of the bar will change from “x1.0” to “x1.2”. This means you’re receiving 20% more Drops than you would on a standard ride.

Stay close to your RoboPacer for another 5 minutes, and the progress bar will fill up. You’ll be upgraded to x1.4, x1.6, x1.8, x2.0, then x2.5.

You will then stay at x2.5 as long as you remain near the RoboPacer.

Practice Makes Perfect

Maintaining a good position in the virtual peloton takes some practice since the pack is constantly churning around us and we don’t have brakes to slow when needed. So the Drops Multiplier game is an excellent training tool if you’re new to group rides and races on Zwift!

If you feel like you’re constantly dropping off the back or flying off the front, just keep practicing. You’ll learn to modulate your power to stay close to the RoboPacer, and eventually it will become second nature. We promise!

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

One of my simple joys is pedaling along on a smooth, empty road atop a clean, quiet bike. Every cyclist knows that a quiet bike is an efficient bike, so that feeling of noiselessly propelling myself forward brings satisfaction on several levels.

The feeling carries over to indoor riding, too. A quiet, smooth drivetrain simply brings more pleasure to the Zwifting experience. Conversely, a noisy chain, skipping gears, or even a whiny trainer can really put a damper on a Zwift session.

If you’re annoyed by the noise of your riding on Zwift, never fear. Here are the tips you need to make your next Zwift session smooth and quiet.

Fixing Foundational Issues

There are some “big” drivetrain issues that no amount of adjustment or lubrication can fix. These problems should be addressed first, since your setup is fundamentally broken until these are fixed.

Wrong Cassette (Direct Drive Trainers Only)

While not necessarily a requirement, the number of cogs (“speeds”) on the cassette on your trainer should match the number of cogs on the cassette on your back wheel. It just keeps things simpler.

In some cases, you may be able to get away with a slightly smaller cassette on your trainer than on your back wheel (say, a 10-speed cassette on your trainer and an 11-speed on your back wheel). But this isn’t ideal, and will require some shifting adjustments whenever you swap your bike on and off the trainer.

In most cases, if the number of cogs on your trainer cassette doesn’t match your back wheel, you’ll have big problems! For example, a 10-speed trainer cassette on an 8-speed bike will be a huge mess, since the 8-speed chain is too wide for the 10-speed cassette.

Save yourself the hassle and just buy a cassette with the same number of cogs as your back wheel. Amazon has plenty, and so does your local bike shop. (Note: you’ll need a chain whip and lockring tool to remove/install your cassette.)

Worn Out Parts

Your bike chain is considered a “consumable” as it wears out and “stretches” with use. If you ride too long with a stretched chain your cassette will get prematurely worn as well. Here’s a video from Park Tool describing how to measure chain wear (your local bike shop can help you here if you don’t have a tool, but they’re quite affordable and easy to use):

If your chain is fairly stretched, it has probably already worn the teeth on your back wheel’s cassette. This means your bike may feel smooth outdoors, but when you put your bike on a trainer with a new cassette, the chain won’t mesh up with the cogs as evenly, and it will be noisy or even skip some teeth.

To quiet things down and avoid damaging (quickly wearing) your smart trainer’s cassette, replace your chain. You may also need to replace the cassette on your rear wheel, if its teeth are worn. Again, your local shop can give you expert guidance.

Indexing Your Gears

The most common drivetrain noises Zwifters encounter are caused by incorrectly indexed rear gears. That is, the rear derailleur is not adjusted to place your chain in the correct location for each of the cogs (speeds) on your rear cassette.

Ideally, your smart trainer will be set up so you can swap between trainer and outdoor use without needing to adjust your shifting one bit. But sometimes, your trainer’s cassette may not be located in exactly the same place (left to right) as your back wheel’s cassette.

Trainers typically ship with a spacer ring or two which can be installed on the inside of the cassette to “bump it out” a bit. This is a good option to try, because again, if you can get that cassette in the right location, you may just be able to swap between indoors and out without adjusting your rear derailleur at all. (Note: you’ll need a chain whip and lockring tool to remove/install your cassette.)

Sometimes, though, no matter what sort of cassette spacers you try, you just can’t get it to line up quite right. In that case, it’s time to index your gears so your bike shifts smoothly on the trainer. This really isn’t a hard job – here’s a GCN vid that walks you through how it’s done:

Chain Lubrication

Keeping your chain clean and well-lubed help quiet your drivetrain, but it will also save you money since it’ll help your chain and cassette last longer.

If you’re using an oil-based chain lube (as opposed to wax-based), you’ll want to clean your chain regularly, too. For a full, deep cleaning, picking up a chain cleaning tool such as this one from Park Tools makes the job much easier, and you’ll need a degreaser as well (I like Orange Degreaser). You can also use a product like Muc-Off Drivetrain Cleaner for a spray-on, wipe-off clean.

Here’s a video from Trek showing how to clean your chain using a chain cleaning tool (or toothbrush) and degreaser:

Not sure which lube to use? There are many chain lubes on the market, and every rider you ask will have a different opinion of what’s best. Here are a few popular products that work well:

• Squirt (wax-based)
• Muc-Off Dry Lube
• Park Tool Synthetic Blend

I’ve actually been hot-dipping my Zwift and road bike chains in wax for the last few years (and really should write a separate post about this sometime). Chain waxing means my drivetrain is always clean to the touch, lasts longer, and doesn’t attract dirt. I use Molten Speed Wax products, but there are other good ones on the market.

A Note About Sound Absorption

It’s possible that your drivetrain/trainer sounds especially loud because you’re in a noisy room. If you’re on a tile floor, for example, the sound will just bounce off the floor and around the room.

If you’re in a noisy room, you may consider installing foam gym tiles on the floor. They’re quite affordable, feel nice underfoot, give your trainer a bit of side to side movement, save your floor from scratches, and of course, absorb sound and vibrations. (Your downstairs neighbors will thank you!)

There are other steps you can take to quiet your room further, including sound absorption tiles on walls or ceiling, carpet on the floor, etc. Those are outside the scope of this post.

Extra Credit: Quieting Your Smart Trainer

While your drivetrain may be lubed and adjusted perfectly, it’s possible that your trainer itself is noisy. (Wheel-on trainers, for example, are inherently noisy… not much you can do to fix them. Modern direct-drive trainers, though, are very quiet compared to what was on the market several years back.)

If your trainer too loud for your taste, here are two suggestions:

• Get a new trainer: See our list of Top Premium Trainers and Top Budget Trainers for recommendations.
• Lube your freehub for quiet coasting: Shane Miller shows how it’s done.

Questions or Comments?

Hopefully the advice above helps you dial in a quieter pain cave setup. Got other suggestions, or any questions? Share below!

This is the second post in a series covering recommended accessories for new Zwifters (see our first post covering fans here). Today, we’re talking about one of those accessories you don’t think about when starting up on Zwift… but once you have it, you won’t know how you lived without it!

The table. The training desk. The indoor cycling media platform.

Whatever you call it, it’s essential if you Zwift using an iPad or laptop… and simply very very handy if you’re riding on a big screen using Apple TV or PC/Mac. They can hold a keyboard, towel, bottles, snacks, remotes, phones, small fans… you get the idea.

New Zwifters often begin with a repurposed stool or music stand next to their bike, but these solutions aren’t the most stable or roomy. If you’re ready to upgrade, we’ve got your back. Here’s our short list of recommended indoor cycling tables for Zwifters.

The Budget Approach: KOM Cycling Media Display

At $99USD, this table is significantly cheaper than the Wahoo Desk or its bargain-basement competitors. The folks at KOM Cycling know how to see a need in the market and produce well-conceived, affordable solutions. Their Indoor Cycling Desk is no exception.

The stand is a generic collapsable tripod type, and the tabletop itself is a non-slip rubber and includes two bottle holders and a slot for tablets or phones. Bonus: the tablet/phone slot is actually wide enough to accommodate devices with cases, unlike the Wahoo Desks!

The tabletop isn’t quite as large or sturdy as the Wahoo Desk designs, but it’s lighter, less bulky, and easier to move around. Works nicely as a side table if that’s more your speed.

The Dark Horse: Medical Overbeds

It’s always smart to see if products are already being produced to meet other needs before purchasing or developing a product to meet your more specialized need. Bedside tables, sometimes called “medical overbeds”, are sturdy, adjustable-height devices sold in huge numbers worldwide. There are a variety of makers and models, but they generally have similar designs, with different finishes.

The Vaunn Bedside Table (shown below) is one of the lower-priced models. A quick search on Amazon brings up other alternatives like the clean-looking SANODESK or the Vive Overbed Table.

Note that these tables don’t include the non-slip rubber surface or bottle holders. Another potential downside to medical overbeds is that, unlike other tables in this list, most overbeds only go up to 40″, so they won’t be taller than your road bike’s hoods. That may or may not be an issue for you, depending on your preferred setup.

Budget Wahoo: RAD Cycle Products Desc

The RAD Cycle Products Desk is a blatant Wahoo Desk ripoff, but it’s also half the price (or less!), making it hard to ignore.

Prices on this desk tend to fluctuate, but it’s currently $160 on Amazon, and the Lifeline-branded version (which appears to be identical) is $69 on Chain Reaction.

Don’t expect build quality to match the Wahoo Desk. The casters aren’t very heavy duty and in fact make the table more wobbly than some may prefer (you might just remove them) but in general, this desk is sturdy and functional, making it hard to justify the additional expense of the Wahoo Desk.

Premium Solution: Wahoo KICKR Desk

Like they’ve done with fans, Wahoo’s desk solution is a premium offering in this space. Now priced at $299, the Wahoo KICKR Desk is well-built and stable. We would prefer bottle holders, lockable wheels, and a table/phone slot that was wide enough to accommodate cases. But apart from those issues it’s a solid product, even though it’s pricey.

Upgrade Your Desk

If you have a Wahoo-style desk, our favorite Aussie Lama has some sweet tips for customizing your desk to make it the “Ultimate Indoor Cycling Smart Desk”:

Questions or Comments?

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Drafting

Zwift uses the visual cue of sitting up as a drafting indicator. Others around you may also be drafting, but Zwift only has your rider sit up (ride on the hoods), so you know you’re drafting. (Yes: what you see on Zwift is slightly different than what everyone else sees.)

In the screenshot below from Shane Miller you can see our avatar sitting up in the RoboPacer draft, while everyone is in the drops.

Speed

Removing drafting from the equation, your rider will sit up and ride on the hoods at slow solo speeds, then move to the drops at faster speeds, much like you might naturally do when riding outdoors.

When riding solo, you will begin on the hoods. As you speed up, when you hit 32-33kph your rider will move to the drops. If you are in the drops and begin to slow down, your rider will move to the hoods as you drop to 29-30kph.

Does Hand Position Affect Rider Speed?

Does changing from hoods to drops change your speed in game, like it does outdoors? That is, does it make your avatar less aerodynamic?

It does not. Rider posture is only used as a visual cue at this time.

The Tron Exception

One notable exception to the position “rules” above is the Tron bike, which only has one hand position and hence doesn’t show your avatar sitting up in the pack. For this reason, some racers prefer not to use the Tron bike, since there is no way to see your drafting status in game.

Conclusion

Your rider will only be in the drops when you are moving at least 32-33kph and not drafting. In all other situations (as long as you aren’t out of the saddle or in the supertuck) your rider will be on the hoods.

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What is FTP?

FTP is short for Functional Threshold Power. It’s the most commonly-used metric of fitness for cyclists, and measures the maximum power you can hold for longer durations. Going above your FTP will result in blood lactate levels increasing until you “blow up”, but if you’re fresh and well-fueled you should be able to ride at FTP for anywhere from 40-60 minutes.

While FTP is often described as the max power you can average for 60 minutes, that is not how it was actually defined by those who pioneered its use. Andrew Coggan defined it as, “The highest power that a rider can sustain in a quasi-steady state without fatiguing.”

Why Test Your FTP?

On Zwift, knowing your FTP is important for two reasons:

1. Your FTP setting determines the power requirements for intervals in structured workouts. If your FTP is set too low you won’t get an adequate workout, and if it’s set too high you won’t be able to hit your power targets.
2. Most Zwift races are categorized by FTP in watts per kilogram (your FTP divided by your weight in kg – a 300W FTP for a 75kg rider would be a 4 w/kg FTP). If you don’t know your FTP, you may jump into a category of riders well under or over your fitness level. (Good news – Zwift’s new category enforcement features, once rolled out across the platform, should prevent riders from joining too low of a category.)

How To Test Your FTP on Zwift

Here’s the simple 4-step process used by most Zwifters:

1. Kit up, boot up
2. Pick a test from the workout options under Training>FTP Tests
3. Follow the instructions on screen, destroying yourself in the process
4. If your FTP increases, share it on Zwift Riders. If it does not, never mention this test to anyone.

Let’s take a closer look at the FTP test options Zwift provides.

4 FTP Test Options on Zwift

FTP Test

The original “standard” FTP test, this one is also the longest, at 73 minutes. It includes 3 short ramps, plus a 5-minute interval over FTP which is meant to take the snap out of your legs so your 20-minute test uses less anaerobic power and more aerobic power.

In this workout, the 20-minute test is all that matters. Your FTP result will be computed as 95% of the power you average during the 20-minute free ride interval.

FTP Test (Shorter)

A shortened version of the original test, this one only lasts 45 minutes but still includes the key components. Just one ramp effort, and a slightly harder 5-minute block, but you’re still going to do an all-out 20-minute effort. The warmup and cooldown periods are significantly shortened.

Ramp Test

The ramp test starts easy, then simply increases your wattage by 20W every minute until you can’t pedal anymore. It’s a much shorter test than the two FTP tests above, and you don’t have to worry about pacing yourself for a 20-minute effort. Just stay seated and pedal for all you’re worth, until you can’t pedal anymore! Typically the ramp test feels very easy at the start, but gets really hard in the last 5 minutes.

Zwift will calculate your FTP once you stop pedaling. Your FTP Is calculated as 75% of the highest 1-minute power averaged during the test. If your new FTP is higher than your old one you’ll get a popup that says a “New FTP set!”

Ramp Test Lite

If you weigh less than 60kg/132lbs, you’ll want to take the “Ramp Test Lite” instead of the standard ramp test, because this test starts at a lower wattage and increases by only 10W per minute. It’s a ramp test made for lighter riders with a lower FTP.

Which FTP Test is Best?

Everything about the ramp test is easier than the standard FTP test, but the downside is ramp tests can be less accurate, depending on your physiology. Specifically, riders with a higher anaerobic to aerobic power balance may have their FTP overstated by a ramp test.

On the other hand, the standard FTP test and its 20-minute all-out effort is very challenging, both mentally and physically. Additionally, newer riders will struggle to properly pace a 20-minute effort (they often blow up early).

Both styles of tests have their pros and cons, but generally speaking if you are a beginning cyclist and/or you want a quicker, easier test, go with a ramp format. If you want higher accuracy, and have the experience to pace yourself properly, go with the 20-minute format.

If you’ve never taken an FTP test, we recommend using the ramp test first. This will give you a fairly accurate FTP number, which you can use to pace yourself for the 20-minute test next time.

Automatic FTP Detection

Many Zwifters get FTP Increase notes in Zwift without ever taking an FTP test. How? Because Zwift is always measuring your best 20-minute power as you ride, and if 95% of your best 20 minute wattage exceeds your current FTP setting in game, Zwift will alert you to a new FTP.

Example: your FTP is set to 200W in game. You do a short Crit City race, and your best 20-minute power during that race was 220W. Zwift will alert you to a new FTP of 209W (220 * .95) and update your saved FTP value when you save your ride.

While this method of FTP detection doesn’t quite match the standard testing protocol, it’s a simple proxy for an actual test.

Most cycling data platforms will compute an estimated FTP based on your ride data, even if you never take an FTP test. These calculated FTP figures are arguably more accurate than an FTP test, but it depends on how they’re calculated and what sort of efforts you’re feeding into their algorithms. Some of these platforms are free, while others may carry fees. Popular platforms include intervals.icu (free, plugs into your Strava data), Xert, and WK05 software.

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ZwiftPower.com is a website originally created by the Zwift racing community to help race organizers set up custom race rules which could be applied after an event in order to produce final, fair race results. Racers quickly adopted the mentality that ZwiftPower is where you go for the final results of your Zwift race, because ZwiftPower’s ability to automatically remove out-of-category riders and other cheaters from post-race results meant its final race results were much more legit and fair compared to the results provided in game.

The site was later purchased by Zwift, who are now responsible for all site hosting and maintenance.

Everyone Should Sign Up

In our opinion, all cyclists on Zwift should sign up for ZwiftPower, even if you aren’t interested in racing. Here are four reasons why:

1. The site has various handy free tools including a powerful event search, personal power curve, rider phenotype graphs, dual recording analysis tool, ability to download an archive of your Zwift activities, and more.
2. It’s easy to sign up.
3. Most Zwift race organizers use ZwiftPower to manage race results. That means if you aren’t signed up for ZwiftPower, you’re being removed from the final results of just about every race that happens on the platform!
4. There’s no cost to sign up.

How to Sign Up for ZwiftPower

Signing up for ZwiftPower is most easily done on a computer using your Internet browser, but it can be done from your phone as well. The entire process takes only 1-2 minutes and all you need to know is your Zwift account login details.

Step 1: Opt In to Share Zwift Account Data with ZwiftPower

Due to privacy regulations, you must consent to sharing your Zwift account and activity data with ZwiftPower since it’s technically a “separate” website/database from Zwift’s (even though Zwift owns it). Opting in is easy:

1. Sign into zwift.com/settings/connections using your Zwift account email and password.
2. Scroll down to ZwiftPower and click Opt-in. The logo will light up and “Opt-out” will appear below, signalling that you are now opted into ZwiftPower.

Step 2: Create Your ZwiftPower Account

Now it’s time to create your ZwiftPower account. This is quick and easy, since it all happens using single sign-on with your Zwift account:

1. Visit zwiftpower.com and click the big “Login with Zwift” button (clicking “Create an Account” below that will take you to the same link)
2. Log into your Zwift account with the same credentials you used in step 1 above. You will be redirected back to ZwiftPower.

Step 3: Agree to ZwiftPower Terms & Conditions

There is one final step that’s easy to miss: you have to agree to ZwiftPower’s Terms and Conditions in order to finish registering your profile. Until you do so, you won’t be included in race results, and you will see this message at the top of your ZwiftPower pages:

Please agree to our new Terms and Conditions to register your profile.

The challenge is, Zwift doesn’t link that text to anything, so you’re left trying to figure out just how to agree to the T&Cs! The place to do it is on your ZwiftPower profile page. Click “Profile” at the top of the page (or just go here), check the boxes on the consent form, and click “Agree”.

Now you’re all signed up!

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For me, Zwift season is all year long – I swap indoor and outdoor riding throughout the year, heading outside for social rides and exploration with local friends while staying indoors for competitive racing and structured training. But many Zwifters cancel their account in the spring, then reactivate it when foul weather and short days return.

Zwift knows this, and while I’m sure they would prefer we keep our subscriptions active all year round, they have made it easy to stop and restart our subscriptions.

Re-Activating Your Zwift Account via the Web

If your saved payment info is still valid, you can reactivate your Zwift subscription in less than a minute using any web browser:

1. Go to my.zwift.com/join (you’ll need to log in)
2. Verify your payment info and check the acknowledgment
3. Click the “Join” button

All done!

iOS or Apple TV Subscriptions

If you originally signed up to Zwift via your iOS device or Apple TV you can restore your expired subscription easily. Just open the Zwift app on the device and click “Restore Purchase” at the bottom-left of the home screen after signing in.

Alternatively, you can manage the subscription from the main Settings screen of your device:

• iOS: from the Settings screen, tap your name at the top, then click “Subscriptions”. Tap Zwift in the list of expired subscriptions to edit your sub.
• Apple TV: from the Settings screen, tap Users and Accounts > [account name] Subscriptions. Tap Zwift in the list of expired subscriptions to edit your sub.

And there’s a third option: if your Zwift subscription was created on your iOS or Apple TV device, you can restart your subscription via a web browser using the instructions above. You’ll just need to enter fresh payment info.

Want to Start Fresh?

If you want to start with a fresh account, or never signed up for Zwift before, just visit Zwift’s Create Account page to get started.

Need Help?

Visit support.zwift.com and click “Contact Us” for recommended support articles, live support chat, or support via email.

Questions?

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