Detailed Stats
Months Taken: 2
Reverse KOM + Radio Tower Repeats: 90
Average grade across total distance: 6.9%
FTP Increase: 24 W
Remaining sanity: None
What’s the shortest distance you can ride to unlock the Tron Bike?
The Strategy:
Level 1-5: Innsbruck Reverse KOM repeats (x12)
Level 5-8: Reverse Epic KOM + Radio Tower (x90)
- Beats out ADZ in terms of efficiency because of ADZ’s long lead-in
- Ending the ride at the top and spawning back in at the bottom instead of descending like a normal person saved ~3.5 miles each time
An effort was also made to minimize experience points and keep my rider level as low as possible. Each ride was ended at 3.9 miles – the whole ride is about 4 so the radio tower elevation was essentially free each time. All rides were done in imperial, since miles are slightly more experience efficient than kms. Achievements were avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Future Improvements
Sub 400 is absolutely possible if some improvements are made. In the beginning I was riding the descents of the Innsbruck Reverse - re-spawning and re-doing the lead in instead of descending would save you about 4 miles each time. There’s an interesting article on Zwift Insider that implies using the new steering functionality could save significant distance by taking the most efficient lines up the climbs.
As far as rider level goes, if someone is totally crazy, the Tron Bike could be unlocked at LEVEL 1 by ending each ride at 0.9 miles. I experimented with this for the last ~1,500 ft of this challenge using the Reverse Epic KOM and the Jungle Spawn – I got ~200 ft of elevation gain each time, but it took just as long to exit/reload the game as it did to ride the distance. Totally insane.
Closing Thoughts
Zwift is full of cool and fun ways to enjoy indoor riding - if you want to avoid all that, this is a great way to spend the off-season. I haven’t seen a Tron Bike unlocked at a shorter distance or lower rider level… I welcome any and all challengers 
