Why are there so many more bikers than runners in Zwift? Isn’t running just as popular as cycling outside of Zwift? Just curious.
Not all treadmills are compatible with Zwift. Ie I use iFIT with Norditrack. IFIT is far better than zwift for running. Much better graphics and course options. It’s great to run on roads at home that I have actually been on overseas.
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Much easier to run outside than bike outside, and I suspect good treadmills are more expensive/less convenient options than good indoor bike trainers.
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The reasons above are good ones. It’s also true that Zwift has put very minimal resources into running. Not a complaint, just observation. So there’s a bit of ‘if you build it, they will come’ going on here. If running was more rewarding (literally, with gamification), that would bring more people in.
The other thing about it, I would suspect, is the speed. A big part of Zwift’s appeal is that you’re not staring at the wall–you get cool scenery to look at as you zoom along. But for running–you’re not really zooming. You’re looking at the same thing, for long periods of time. That has been my experience with the limited Zwift running I’ve done–not nearly as visually engaging, because you’re looking at the same building, trees, etc, for minutes at a time. If the Zwift world were much more complex–pedestrians, animals, signs in the windows, etc etc–there would be more to hold your attention. I did a running race in Paris last winter…a bit of a snooze-fest, tbh.
So those are two more reasons that I think play a part in it.
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