I feel it’s really hard to find populated rides these days as opposed a few summers ago. It goes without saying 100% of my time in Zwift is doing custom workouts. I haven’t done a group ride in over six months!
I’ve noticed a drop off for the Northern Hemisphere summer… things should pick up again in September/October when the weather gets cold and wet. I’m also seeing most folks join the pace partners so there will likely be fewer riders out on their own.
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I certainly think that the PPs might be leading to a decline in numbers for group rides, since there are a number of PP paces available and you can join them at any time. This just makes it simpler to find a pace you like at a time you want.
I also would not be surprised if another factor is just the decline in COVID. A couple of years ago we were all being encouraged to stay inside and avoid other people. Not so much the case anymore.
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Add in feature rich Clubs, Meet-ups, over-populated event calendar, confusing racing Cat systems. Seems like a confluence of a load of things. Was having the same discussion with someone last night that is used to leading group rides with 200-400 riders at this time of the year and currently only getting 40-80.
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Certainly has been a drop off but as mentioned i think certain events take up a lot of the mass of riders. Things like pace partners and the Maap series, zwift classics really concentrate a lot of riders into the same events away from the community hosted events.
It should pick up again in a month or two once riders return from summer riding.
what time zone do you usually ride?
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What is happening is the same what is happening industry wise - those platforms / services who gained massive userbase due to lockdowns and such, now “readjusting”. Zwift peak was 14k+ Zwifters during 2019/2020 Zwift season (Zwift season peak usually happened during Northern hemisphere winters), and ramped up to 34k and 43k in 2020 and 2021 respectively, when the lockdowns were in place, and many had to train/ride indoor instead of outdoor. Now most of these fellow riders are returning to oudoor.
I believe the peak will be way below 34k Zwifter for next season (2022/2023 Zwift season), so you’ll not see the same crowding like you did when you have started in 2020 december and afterward. I expect somewhere between 25-30k, if you take natural growth into effect from 2019/2020 14k+.
Depending on your point of view in the business, it is technically speaking loss, however, it was an “unwarranted gain” because of outside circumstances, not a natural growth of the platform, hence the term “readjusting”.
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I suspect the adjustment is that the Covid related lockdowns have gone.
Pace partners were very popular last time I was on Zwift. I find the group rides usually aren’t on courses that I like to ride.
Lockdowns are over, it’s summer for the northern hemisphere, and compared to a couple of year ago Zwifters have a more routes and world’s to spread out over. So maybe ignore the sky is falling conspiracy theory thinking.
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It’s a seasonal thing. It’s the summer for the northern hemisphere, so natural rider drop off as the pandemic is officially been ruled over (I believe) contrary to what Zwift, Saris and everyone else thought was going to happen. People are returning to sport in the real world and getting away from their overstimulating and blue light screens. Thankfully Zwift is supposed to release a major update in 5ish days so we can beta test it and work most of the bugs out before the winter population join us again.
Plus with other platforms coming online surely some former Zwifters are giving those a try to save some money.
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Is it? Where did you hear that?
Mentioned elsewhere, it’s out on the 10th and there’s a whisper it includes new roads.
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Given the recent Tour de France femmes avec Zwift, maybe just maybe we might get Super Planche Des Belles Filles. 
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On behalf of all of us who have paused Zwift until the fall I thank you for you working out (at least some of) the bugs for us 
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Yeah, I think you actually hit the nail on the head! when I see so many options, and all pretty much empty, I lose the interest of joining. It pretty soon becomes a solo ride, so a customized workout makes more sense to me… like the BMTR 100 on Saturday from +500 to 50…, and don’t make start with the Zwift cats… I raced enough in real life in so many sports that I have zero interest of getting involved in all that nonsense…
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Awesome latest update: font changes! lol
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