Zwift Climb Portal [2023]

I’m not a fan of big climbs, I like the epic KOM and Innsbruck, which are like the climbs where I live, but the Alpe and Ventop are too much for me. Regarding the visuals, it’s not my thing, if I were a climber I would probably go for something like Rouvy or Open Road (bikethe.world). But I guess for a climbing lover it may be good. Like almost everything it’s a matter of personal taste, I didn’t like it but wouldn’t be surprised if you love it.

I was excited about climb portal. Now I just want skittles.

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Well, think on the bright side, for those velodrome lovers, in a velodrome there’s not much scenery, so just think of it as a huge, point to point, colorful, uphill velodrome (I say velodrome because the surface type looks kind of like a colored track)

So, ZI posted this calendar for climb rotations:


and said that the listed climb will be in both Watopia and France. So only 1 climb available at once.
IMO, :cry:. Well, it’s fine, but I’d just like to have more options available at once. Since we have 2 portals, I think we should have one portal be a short climb like Cote de Pike and the other one be a long climb like Tourmalet. :point_right: :wink: :point_right:
I guess that according to the calendar, there are long climbs fairly frequently. I can also see where Zwift is coming from by having riders from both Watopia and France being able to see each other in the same portal (thus the word “portal” is fulfilled). I just wish there was at least one longer climb always available.
Better yet, have 2 climbs for the week, but have them both accessible from either portal. Then if you want to do a big mountain adventure or an extended Big Foot Hills, you could. You could also keep the “portal to a new place” aspect by still having the riders from both worlds combined.

The Zwift Insider post about these climbs raises some questions.

“Once August begins, Zwift tells us climbs will rotate every 2 weeks, with the France and Watopia Climb Portals both hosting the same climb at the same time.”

Eric confirms that Zwift said one climb will be available for 2 weeks before the next is rotated into the schedule. With 8 climbs so far that means 3 months between each climb being available.

I’m speculating that some of these climbs are only going to be available for a limited time (ie the shorter TdF climbs only during July). It makes no sense to have a 2km 10% climb available for 2 weeks. Perhaps Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet will be the only climbs available after July and then we get a new set for Tour of Spain.

Of course, this is Zwift, so no one really knows what will happen from August (not even Zwift probably).

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Of all the things they could have done, they come up with this rubbish. Lets have something useful like virtual roads and be able to upload a route to Zwift - can do this on other platforms and is one of the main things that zwift lacks.
Am on a summer break from using Zwift - not sure if I will go back if this is how they are developing the platform.

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How can you call it rubbish when you haven’t even tried it? Give it a good kicking when you’ve tried it out. I can’t believe you would consider not resubscribing based off a screenshot! :rofl:

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You do have a choice. You don’t actually have to use the portal.
Let’s say that you’re currently a happy subscriber.
You are know threatening to leave because they’ve introduced a feature that you’ve never tried and don’t actually have to use it.

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When I watch YouTube videos of Zwift users, I often notice how little attention I pay to my virtual environment during a session. Sometimes I even wonder if I have already ridden that section of the course because I don’t remember the details surrounding it. I especially notice this on routes where I push myself to the limit, such as hill climbs. It seems that when I experience pain, my perception of details narrows :hot_face:
Therefore, I don’t think the new “Lane of Pain” will be an issue for me visually :laughing:

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Wow - guess an opinion other than this feature is next best thing to sliced bread is not welcome.
I don’t need to try it, I can assess it from the video reviews - it does looks like a child designed this feature - and the feature does not add anything else to Zwift functionality.
I can use my Garmin and smart trainer to replicate this feature - with the added benefit of being able to do this on any real slope that I can get/build a GPX file for.
It’s not a threat to leave - it’s a consideration of whether or not I return to using Zwift and whether the monthly subscription is worth the money.
If this toy town approach is how the development is heading, then it is not for me - plain and simple.
Why you seek to attack my opinion rather than accept I have a right to my view is also beyond belief.

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When will the climb portals go live?

Today. :slight_smile:

Yes, but today is 24 hours long :smiley:

ZwiftInsider mentions noon PST, which is 9pm for you if you’re in Denmark, @Thomas_Sorensen_eCKD

But I’m on the trainer (and the last day of my vacation) now! :joy:

Guess I must bow to the gods of Zwift and timezones and acknowledge my defeat. For now.

Because of your inflammatory language.

Toy town approach
This rubbish
A child designed this feature

There are real people with feelings behind all this yet you choose to use derogatory comments.

You could just have said that it’s not for you and you’re not a fan.

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Have you looked at Zwift or its UI? Ever seen a “Tron” bike? Zwift has always been on the “toy town” end of things. It’s not trying to be a realistic representation of the real world.

Your initial comments to me were derogatory - you said I am not allowed to have a view on this matter as it clashes with yours.

Have met people like you who hound people when they raise views you don’t like.

I don’t comment on your view of this subject even though I don’t agree with it.

Please do not comment on any more of my posts as your input is not welcome.

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… Just to lighten the mood a bit… :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Here is @GPLama’s take on the Climb Portal.

Personally, I choose to take the positive view - innovation and new features like these are good, its something new to try - so relax everyone… if you don’t like the idea of it, don’t go into the portal…

Looking forward to trying out this new feature. :+1:

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He said nothing of the sort :joy:

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