Zwift Ride and TrainingPeaks Compatibility

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1

Hi everyone,

I’m new to cycling and excited about my first winter season. I’m considering purchasing the Zwift Ride and would like to use it with TrainingPeaks. Is it possible to follow training programs set up by my coach on TrainingPeaks and ride them with the Zwift Ride?

Additionally, if I plan to buy the Zwift Ride Frame and a Wahoo KickR (not the Core version), do I need anything else? As far as I understand, I will need:

  • Zwift Ride Smart Frame
  • Wahoo KickR

Is that correct? Does the Zwift Ride Frame come with the necessary components like the cog?

Many thanks and best regards,

2

Hello @freez welcome to Zwift forums and Zwift more generally!

Shuji at Zwift HQ here. I see that you have not yet ridden in Zwift, so I hope I can provide the guidance you’ll need without overloading you!

First: the Zwift Ride is sold two ways: as a complete kit including the KICKR Core trainer, or if you already own a trainer that supports virtual shifting - you can buy the frame only + Zwift Cog. It sounds like the first option might be better for you?

The Zwift Ride must be paired to the Zwift app as your training platform. You can’t use it without the Zwift app because you won’t be able to change resistance

If you like Training Peaks as a coaching platform and use it to generate a workout plan that your (or your coach) creates - good news! You can sync Zwift’s servers to Training Peak’s servers and your workouts will automatically sync when you launch Zwift. More information on how to connect to third party partners like TP here.

The Zwift Ride requires a smart trainer (see our FAQs here), and that smart trainer must have a single-speed Zwift Cog installed on it. That’s because the Zwift Ride frame does not have a physical derailleur, and instead electronically shifts “gears” on a smart trainer that supports virtual shifting. The KICKR Core is an excellent choice with all the crucial features at a reasonable price. Unless you’re a super-strong rider and need the trainer to generate more resistance, or if you’re an elite racer and need a trainer that reads your power output more precisely, you might not get enough value from a higher-end smart trainer to justify its higher price.

Additionally, you’ll need a laptop / tablet /smartphone / Apple TV to run the Zwift app. The trainer will pair to the device of your choice over Blueootth. Technically - it will pair to the Zwift app, not the device’s operating system.

The Zwift Companion app is a useful option. It will run on your smartphone and pair to the main Zwift app (running on a separate device) over WiFi. Info about ZC here.

  • You’ll want a fan nearby to cool you off. Very important!
  • You’ll want a towel draped over your handlebars to keep sweat off your bike / handlebar controllers / tablet or smartphone.
  • Keep some water handy. Hydrate!

That’s the basics.There are other helpful articles you can read on our Support site, here.