Hi all,
New to Zwift, been cycling (properly) a few years.
I’m doing the virtual Ambitious 220 Rapha charity ride this year on Zwift and am looking for advice re:route.
Can I plan a 300k route? Do I just pick a route from the availables and just keep on going?
How would you all go about route planning a 220 mile route?
Thanks in advance,
James
You can’t plan your own unique route that won’t involve manual turns, though it is a commonly-requested feature.
So you’ll have to pick a route and keep going, yes.
Others who have done very long tired will have more detailed advice, but one thing to consider is doing your ride when the route’s world is a guest world (or is Watopia), so you’ll have more company on the ride.
Use a pace partner (D or C) so you have a nice group and big draft on a relatively flat route. C Cadence is probably the best choice if you can hang in the group.
You can pick and just keep riding. Depending on the route, it may loop you back around the same again.
A resource I often use while riding: ZwiftMap (you can switch world maps, search routes by name, click links to view more info on ZwiftInsider etc)
The PDF map of Watopia is useful too: Download or Purchase a Watopia Course Map | Zwift Insider
You might select a route that’ll earn you some other achievement badges. “On Fire!” is one you get for 25-laps of the Volanco Circuit, each lap being about 4km - several routes will get you there, and you’d get the Metric Century badge after 25-laps. If you haven’t done that circuit already, you’d get “Warmed Up” and “Hot Head” on the way to “On Fire!” All About Zwift’s Volcano Circuit Lap Badges | Zwift Insider
I’m loathe to suggest a route with a lot of climbing as you’re already in for a grueling ride if you’re shooting for 300km - best stick to flat routes. If you’re really in for pain, you could add an AdZ climb as you get the prize-spinner and it’d could toward several of the climbing badges. (Avid Climber for 5x, Masoch!st for 25x) Free kilometers while coasting back down.
You’ll have to pick a longer route that loops or navigate manually. For a long (100+ mile) Zwift ride, flat routes are actually the most brutal. You can’t coast, there are no stop signs or red lights, you’re just in the saddle pedaling nonstop for the whole thing. I prefer a route with a moderate climb - you can get out of the saddle, change up your cadence, and coast downhill. Even a 1-2 minute break makes a big difference. Some routes I’ve done long (161-200 km) rides on:
Watopia’s Waistband & Sand and Sequoias (alternating laps)
Chasing the Sun (but skip the Forest Climb)
Wandering Flats
Out and Back Again (probably my favorite one - Volcano KOM is just long enough to break the monotony and isn’t too difficult)
Tick Tock with C. Cadence (can be fun with a group but wouldn’t do this one solo)