New Zwift Ride Connection Issues

I’m a long time Zwifter and technically competent. I just received my new Zwift Ride system and set it up today. It was pretty easy to set up but I cannot get the controllers to connect to the game. I am running Zwift on a new iPad Pro 13. I updated the firmware on the Wahoo. I was able to connect both controllers to the Companion App and update their firmware without issue. It works exactly as expected. When I launch Zwift, I can see and connect the Wahoo. I then select controls and it finds “ZWIFT Ride ADF5” and there is an open box next to it that I’m suppose to select. I cannot select it despite tapping or holding. It simply will not let me select it. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is only the left controller. Lastly, I’m running the latest Zwift App, which is 1.68 I believe. It updated about a week ago. Any help would be appreciated.

I would contact support directly. That equipment is very new so the community may not be much help, but I hope you will let us know how you resolve it.

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Not sure how to contact them directly but did send them a message in their chat system. This morning I tried my wife’s older iPad Air and it worked. I’m guessing it’s an integration issue with the latest iPad Pro which was released just around the same time as the bike. Probably will get fixed soon but I’m out of business until that happens. Seems like a cool system.

If you got to the point in the chat where they prompted you to file a support request, they should get back to you probably after the weekend.

Have you tried pairing via the Companion app to see if you get a different result?

I actually just got it to work using my iPad Pro 13. I had to select 3 different devices, all within the Wahoo on the pairing screen before I could select the controls. I had to select the Power device, Cadence and Resistance devices. Once all 3 were selected I could select the check box next to controls. It works!

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Did support get back to you? I am having this exact problem. I have tried 2 different windows laptops. Both won’t let me check the box. Everything else is paired prior.

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I am having the same issue with Samsung tablet, can connect wahoo kickr in 3 slots but cannot connect the ride handlebars. Shows the one but cannot click the box.

Just got my Ride today and I’m having the same issue. I’ve started the Zwift Support process.

I just got my zwift ride yesterday. My v6 is paired via Bluetooth (power, resistance, and cadence). Tried a million times to get the controllers to connect with no luck. They show up as an option, but I can’t select the little box. I tried on my PC and an older iPad.

Did any of you find solutions? I’m fairly bummed because I ride daily and had already put the old busted frame out to pasture. I don’t want to have to drag it back in, swap the saddles and pedals back over because of this.

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Same here. No way to tick the checkbox. Mac and iPad tested. Updating the firmware of the controllers worked flawlessly (1.1.0)

Make sure to select every device available and see if you can then select the controllers.

Exactly the same issue. Any guidance would be great. This is infuriating as you can’t train

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Same problem. Got my Zwift bike yesterday. Easy to assemble but unable to pair for the same reasons. Tried with iPhone and two different iPad. No way to select the box. Wrote to zwift support but didn’t get any answer so far

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In looking at my setup, my trainer is a Wahoo Kickr v5. My version does not support virtual shifting and that is the most likely reason the Ride won’t connect.

I have the same kickr v5, you can’t control the shift at the moment but the rest of the controls should work as they control the game not the the kickr. I did contact support, they said try the usual - uninstall zwift, the companion app and re-install and re-sync. That didnt work. They dispatched new handlebars to me, they arrived today and surprise surprise, this didnt work either, still the same issue. I have tried on Samsung tablet andriod 13, samsung phone andriod 14 and PC and no joy on any, so pretty bummed out by it to be honest. Must be a software issue.

It’s a firmware issue with the Kickr v5. Wahoo have said it will never support virtual shifting. There’s no point in replacing the handlebars or trying other devices to run the game. Either replace the trainer or send back the Ride frame.

Hello to everyone on this thread! Shuji at Zwift HQ here.
I looked through the server histories for everyone on this thread, and all of your issues are covered in this boiled-down Virtual Shifting Issues support article which outlines the prerequisites for virtual shifting to work.
This also means that the checkbox for your Zwift Ride controllers may not be selectable, even through Zwift can “see” them.
For those who google their way to this thread in the future - please read this article and make certain that the prerequisites are met.

@Andrew_Suhy
Thank you for starting this thread - glad to see you discovered your solution. Yes - the trainer’s Power, Cadence, and Resistance signals must be paired over Bluetooth before the Ride controllers will pair to them. During pairing - the game is checking that your trainer’s firmware supports virtual shifting, and it does that by pairing Power and Resistance signals at miniimum before completing the pairing for the Ride controllers.

@Joy_Murphy
I looked through your server history and it appears you have a Tacx Neo 2T, or did you buy a new trainer when you ordered the Zwift Ride?
Tacx has not yet released firmware for their trainers to support virtual shifting, but Zwift is in conversations with all the major trainer brands. Assuming you did buy a KICKR Core, KICKR v6, or some other trainer that supports virtual shifting - your fix is to unplug the ANT+ dongle from your computer. Virtual shifting only works over Bluetooth, and the ANT dongle is getting in the way of things pairing correctly. Please try that and let us know that solves it?

@Liam_Hadley and @Jon_Marhoefer_TREK_P
As you discovered, your issue is that Kickr v5 and older generations do not support virtual shifting. Please see Wahoo’s support article on Zwift virtual shifting with Wahoo smart trainers for more detailed information.

@Dan_Fox_Rowe_King_26
I scrolled back through your server log history and it appears the last successful sessions were done on a KICKR v5 using firmware 1.3. As with Liam’s and Jon’s v5 - it is not compatible with Zwift Ride.

@Francesco_Becchelli
It appears you have a KICKR v4 judging by its firmware version 3.5.2? Only KICKR v6 (and future generations) support virtual shifting. Please see the link above to the Wahoo support site.

@johannes_Schmitt welcome to Zwift forums
Nicely done! Upgrading the firmware on your Ride controllers is important. If you use the Zwift Companion app, it wlll notify you when firmware updates release.

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Hi Shuji,

Thank you for answering everyone!

I am using a Tacx Neo - while I knew it was not listed as compatible I had the impression that virtual shifting doesn’t work but it would pair and I can use the controllers for navigation.

Cheers
Johannes

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I had that issue too after getting my Zwift ride this week. Everything is paired - kickr, garmin watch, but the controller of the Ride get no signal. In the campanion app the pairing is no problem. I send a message to the zwift support, but I get no answer.

I have a Elite Direto XR (not Zwift ready as of today). I was well aware that I need to wait for an Elite firmware upgrade for the virtual shifting. But I needed a new frame anyway, so I figured I could at least use the frame and the controlls for the app.
But did I get this right: As long as my trainer’s firmware does not support virtual shifting I won’t be able to connect the controller at all?
My Zwift Apps are showing the same behaviour as described above: updating firmware via companion app works fine. Zwift app just shows one controller (I think the left one) but I can’t check the box next to it.
If this is a fact, I would guess that’s something that could easily be fixed via updates. Why shouldn’t I be able to controll the app - without virtual shifting…?