Workout Mode Observations

I have been using workout mode for several days now and went to provide my feedback.  FWIW, I have been a trainer road user since early BETA and use it 4-5 times per week in the winter months and 1-2 when its nice out.

  • Workout creator is very nice, but the ability to copy and paste and adjust would be big help.  (Workaround - I  edit the xml file when repeating sections).

  • I would like workouts that I create tied to my account somehow like through dropbox so I dont have to create and move manually.  Currently I created, move to Dropbox and then move to Zwift directory on other machine.

  • {BUG?} When you have LOTs of steps in a workout, it does not scroll through the steps while riding.  I created a workout for Sufferfest Angels and there a lots of steps - they go past the bottom of the screen.  Instead of scrolling when you get to the bottom, you just dont get to see whats coming up.

  • I would much prefer the power grid on the bottom of the screen to show a little bit of whats coming vs only what I have done.  I dont find seeing what I have done as useful and showing what is coming up in watts on the left is nice, but a grid (similar to TR) would be better for me for sure.

  • I tried to SYNC with Sufferfest video.  Its tough if you have to pause for any reason since you have to try to pause the video and the workout at the same time.  Zwift does not have a good, quick way to pause so it is much harder to get things back in sync if they are off.  A simple pause button would be nice.  Ideally, it could just SYNC to SF video like TR does but I know that really isn’t the point.  I LOVE having the Zwift ride in addition to Sufferfest Video (mostly for the music) since it provides some pretty sweet immersion into the workout.

  • I LOVE that Zwift  just drops you into normal Zwift mode at the end of the workout for extra cool down or just to lengthen a ride.

  • As mentioned in other posts, an intensity adjustments needs to be included so if you cant handle the workout you can EASILY lower intensity - similar to trainer road up and down arrows.  Going in and changing FTP to make it harder or easier is just too many steps.

  • Taking a picture on the MAC os a PITA.  The Fn key is way to the left of the keyboard and F10 is way to the right so I have to basically stop and use both hands to take a picture (if I dont have the companion app with me).

  • I DO like that you drop of of ERG mode when you pause and pop back in it when you match power.  That makes it easier to start riding again.  Pausing at super high watts and trying to start up from scratch is almost impossible on a KICKR in ERG mode.

All in All, I like the first iteration of Workout mode.  I am someone who does structured workouts much more that riding in normal Zwift mode - although I like to do both and before Zwift I only did structured stuff inside.  But, I really dont want to have to keep Trainer Road AND Zwift.  I would love to start using Zwift for structured workouts and even Sufferfest stuff but it just isn’t quite there like TR is for that.  I love have the Zwift ride and graphics during structured workouts but without some of the other things it will be tough.

Three of your requests are already in the mobile app.  

  • There is a screenshot button.
  • There is  a ‘resistance up’ and resistance down’ button on the actions page (in workout mode)
  • There is a “Pause” button (in workout mode)

I also agree with your suggestion about having the full workout across the screen, showing the various steps of the workout, with a vertical bar tailing your power/HR/Speed, etc… behind it as the workout progresses.  

PerfPro has this, and it works well.

I’m not sure about the ‘sync with sufferfest’ thing.  They would have to add a third party video player into the Zwift app in order to sync that video with your workout.   While I can see why someone would want to do this (I’ve used it in PerfPro Studio), I’m just not sure it’s realistic for Zwift to do it.  Zwift’s thing is the 3D (social) world your are riding around in.  Putting a video overlay over that seems kinda contradictory to what they do here.