The maximum a score can decrease depends on a few factors, but for most people the maximum decay is somewhere around 150 points. This will allow some racers to drop 1 category depending on their floor, where they are at in their range, and how many races they’ve participated in.
1 Like
We’re currently only considering personal bests on Zwift activities, but we’d like to consider outdoor rides eventually.
We plan to test using 30 day max score categorization in Zwift owned races next month, before hopefully expanding more broadly.
1 Like
We have al been shocked on how much Decay can decrease the Score and this is why we suggested that decay is not working properly.
But you explain that max decay is around 150 all makes sense now.
What we are noticing is that Decay and Max are not working as expected.
For example
- September 1st 2025 is the last day of 30 Day without ZRS Enabled Race…Score is 500.
- September 2nd 2025 is day 1 of Decay.
- Max Score until September 30th 2025 should be 500 because that is a 30 day window of highest ZRS and not Max = Decay Score starting September 2nd 2025.
Max Score should always be higher than Decay until you hit that Decay Floor and 30 Day window has passed and your Max is same as Decay Floor.
This is from ZRS Feedback Discord Channel…we believe Decay and Max are not working correctly.
@Ryy There is a nuance & detail that doesnt come with that statement..
As a starter, the comment about 150 for most riders, surely it should be specific parameters for all riders?
But the main query is, 150 points loss for a rider at 800/850 points is no great shakes, a 150 points loss for a rider at 400 or even 300 is a significant change and changes the entire race landscape for them. There are plenty of 400-500-600 riders who could easily sit in during those easier races, not set significant 5min PBs and keep winning for a long time whilst ZRS catches up.
You have a chance to improve the returning riders scenario in September & October and you have introduced a new way to keep that issue alive. There seems very little sense when balanced against the term ‘fair racing’ as this doesnt improve fair racing..
My feeling is, Its just a marketing ploy to try and shortcut engagement for users to stay an extra month or not try another platform as you want them to win an easy race punching down on lower category users. If it is, just be honest about it.
1 Like
Are you going to review the just ZRS races to start decay?
Currently, you have WTRL on for 4 weeks, FRR running along with Zwift training block that has been released, there is strong chance some users might not do a ZRS ranked race in that period whilst racing in other races or training sessions.. But ZRS and this changes presumes they are getting weaker through the period and would introduce decay on day 31. There is very little that makes sense in that change..
Above you said you would review this impact, has there been any thought on this change? Or could you advise why this was considered the best way of dealing with decay as no matter which way you slice and dice this, it seems odd and its impacting beyond the intended beneficiaries of this change.
Hi Ryan, on similar subject => has Zwift already corrected the error in the “Outdoor rides” feature with it importing all rides, including indoor rides?
Last time when I connected Garmin to Zwift a few months ago, it imported everything including activities recorded as “Indoor Ride”. Some of us do dual-record on the head unit. It resulted in duplicate activities for X months in past. I have not reconnected it since then.
Thanks for the update!
I connected Garmin but my Indoor Duals are not Sync to Zwift.
I also don’t have Zwift Activities Sync with Garmin because that is making dual activity on my Garmin. Maybe this is the Issue?
Really depends on the race - terrain and expected race time. Early hills = more DNFs. Smaller fields = more DNFs. Longer race time = more DNFs.
It was ZRacing on triple twist. Jarvis early and Hilly at the end.
Just to do the detail - You lost 80 points through decay, won the first race back and gained 15 points back?
Im presuming Zwift HQ can see how this could be an issue and impact both lower tier riders )stronger riders remain lower scored for longer) and those who remain on the platform but are choosing to ignore this consequence.
Correct.
IMO decay needs to go away if a person has actively been on the platform at all whether that’s racing, group rides , workouts, or free rides. Not get dropped a category just because they’ve been doing non-ZRS races. Or just eliminate it completely again, I’m not sure the problem it’s trying to solve and see only problems caused by it.
3 Likes
I would guess the early KOM is the main reason on that route and the second KOM adds even more, but you can see in the live ZwiftPower data where they decided it was time to wash their hair instead of race
Looking at vELO for the category that Zwift recommended I join (there’s a number of people not here that are in the Companion results)
Ok, thanks. That clears up some things. Got another question though.
If I read it correctly the only thing stopping the decay is a race with ZRS active. Is that correct ?
I suppose this is mainly to help people who are off Zwift and people injured. So lets exclude group rides or free rides cause those will probably be used to get back in shape.
But I really think any race on Zwift and any workout on Zwift should stop the decay also. And besides that every 90 day PB should also stop the decay if it is done on a groupride or freeride.
3 Likes
I asked this question already, its the very first reply at the top of this thread
Great minds think alike. Lets just hope they come to the same conclusion. Cant be that training your &%^$ off doing Workouts/ZRL/FRR/SISU etc gets your score to decay just because you dont do any ZRS races.
what’s crazy is that no one at Zwift thought of this… it was literally the first thing that came to my mind after reading this post.
1 Like