Thanks for your post! I started this thread a year ago, and I am glad it is still gaining some reads. You are spot on with how Zwift can help our Para-athlete community! It is not a little deal. I believe it would make a community impact and broaden the awareness of other cyclist to the para-cyclist community and inspire them to get involved too.
When I did the research for this with Zwift they pushed me to use this forum to gain a consensus (I.e. a few thousand votes) as you can see we are way behind. If you can message those in your network to com into the forum and vote I will use that momentum to reach out to Zwift and reengage to see what else we can do to make this happen.
I would like to connect with you to discuss more about what you are doing and see if there are ways we may help one another. Let me know if you would like to connect?
Iām the Paracycling Head Coach in Norway and Iāve made a video for my athletes about setting up a handcycle on Zwift. Iāve figured out how to āhackā Zwift so that a handcyclistās avatar can compete with the rest of the riders. It involves using a basic trainer + speed sensor and adjusting the resistance as well as changing height and weight of the rider (to approx 2.5-3.5 w/kg). This is especially important for H1 or H2 riders or new athletes who produce less watts. With these modifications, handcyclists are able to have an avatar that can keep up with the pack and compete in C level races. Ride on!
I have organized a Paracycling Group Ride on Wednesday (22.04) at 19:00 CET. I made it so athletes can connect with friends, fans and competitors from around the world even though the races have been cancelled. [The at Home Cycling & Running Virtual Training App]
Another vote for recumbent bike and trike avatars! I ride a Bacchetta Carbon Aero 3 and also have a Catbike Musashi (profile pic). I have a ton of friends who ride bikes and trikes. Please add bike and trike avatars!
I really find that hard to believe that even though this has been on the feature request list since 2016, it still is not an option in the game for paracyclists - hopefully hearing about the work of @NorgesCykleforbund_P on the Zwiftcast this week will create more momentum in Zwift to look at this and take it into serious consideration.
This topic has been around for a few years, but STILL no handcycling avatar from Zwift. What the - ? How hard can it be to create and launch?? Zwift, and the cycling community in general needs to know that there are thousands of us around the world. That we need to be recognized. That able-bodied athletes do not own the road. Many of us are military vets, people with disabilities from birth, or from some type of accident/trauma (including being hit by cars while on our bikes as able bodied cyclists). The decent, human, intelligent, respectful thing to do is RECOGNIZE us; If for no other reason, so that in the āreal worldā we are given this recognition and acknowledgment as well. Cāmon, able-bodied cycling - get past yourself!
Yeah I totally agreeā¦the Paracycling community is big enough to be considering, we have world champions training on this platform, Iām quite sure they will consider it for the future.
Iām an able-bodied athlete, but I would love to see handcycles and recumbents in the game! With all of the technology out there, they should be able to make the platform more inclusive.
267 rode with Jens Voigt today. A lot of para cyclists joined.
It is great to see Zwift have a positive program like this.
All I can say is āMore please.ā
Please add a special handcycle Avatar.
I will cut straight to what matters most: user experience and dollars.
It will only add positive things to the platform as a whole and gain your brand positive attention which = free marketing dollars.
Though I am a fully able bodied rider, I have friends and clients that are handcycling indoors with controllable trainers.
Win-win situation.
Hi all,
This is my first post, but I have already contacted the Zwift āgodsā to ask about them developing a handcycle option for those of us that are paralysed or have conditions that mean we cannot use a conventional two wheeled pedal-cycle! Zwift mentions posting it on the forum might give the idea some traction!!
Iām not going to rant about this, but in a world that is gradually becoming both more accepting and adapted, would be great for my avatar to be able to hop into a handcycle!!
Your thoughts??
Thanks and stay healthy,
Tim
Also, mention it in writing or strava feeds to Eric Min and other Zwift executives. I feel this is a simple issue that needs to be made available as soon as possible.
I think making handcyclist a feature of the account, rather than just another bike in the garage, makes sense. That would perhaps make it less likely riders are going to be just doing joy rides on the āhandcycleā(pedaling a normal bike).
