Zwift Rowing and Skiing

Out of interest Daren, what rowing app would you recommend for a PM5?

I don’t use enough of them to make a recommendation. Besides, it would depend on what you’re after. A 3D world like Zwift (e.g. EXR), video like Rouvy or the Sufferfest (I think Kinomap does something like that), led workouts like Peloton (Regatta would be the one I think), just the data like TrainerRoad etc.

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Just some visual stimulation while I row… A Zwift type world would have been ideal but even just a rowing video with my stats on would be good!

Im just looking at numbers at the moment

Give EXR a try. They offer a seven-day free trial. As a Zwift user EXR will be quite familiar for you. And you get all your rowing stats. It just lacks the population.

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I tried it but it didn’t connect (it recognizes PM5 but when I try to row it says that I’m not connected and therefore… not moving!) I would SO MUCH rather have rowing as an option ON WATER anyway!

Please add rowing… I’d use it past 2023 but also my main goal is to row 1M meters, I tried EXR but that just has TOOOO limited routes and Zwifting ON WATER would make it SOOOOOOOOOOO much better!

I tried but it didn’t work because my avatar is not moving… I’d rather have rowing on water as a separate sport anyhow.

You can’t directly connect the RowErg PM5 to Zwift. Yes, it broadcasts power in Watts but the datastream is tagged with “rower” as a data-type, which Zwift won’t allow to move a bicycle.

You need an intermediary app (on a second device) like Painsled or RowedBiker. Alternately, a hardware pod like the NPE-CABLE will do the same thing: alter the PM5 datastream so it reads “bicycle” instead of “rower.” (I’ve got 700km of “rowing” in Zwift using a combination of all of the above)

Album of connection through NPE-CABLE, here.

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I have been using Zwift for many years. It’s been great. I was very excited a couple years ago to find out Zwift was working on rowing, but recently I found out Zwift rowing was canceled. I know there is a way if using a Concept 2 rower with a pm5 to row your bike around Zwift. I think they should take a break from making new bike routes and get some basic rowing stuff in there. It would open Zwift up to many more users. Certainly a better return on investment than adding another cycling route.

Do you want them to take a break from bug fixes as well?

I like the idea of rowing but there is so much that needs development on cycling i don’t think they have anywhere near enough resource to look at rowing would be my guess. And the user base is much smaller compared to cyclists so I’m not sure how profitable it would be.

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It’s unlikely the team fixing bugs would be the same team to develop rowing. They could likely do both at the same time. My point is that we have an abundance of routes and different worlds to ride on now. They could take a break from creating more and bring in rowing. Adding more routes wont bring in new customers but adding rowing would. I would gladly pay a little more every month to have access to rowing as well. The ROI on a new route would be nothing at this point but would be significant by adding rowing.

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I’d be tempted to try it.

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Do you remember a little while ago (mid/late 2020?) there was a Zwift survey? The results of that survey indicated that there was not currently a large enough market for rowing to make it a worthwhile investment of resources.

Zwift therefore directed their resource towards other areas and shelved any progress that had been made on rowing.

There have been a couple of interviews with both Mayfield & Min that state that rowing is not a dead duck but it is on hold for the short-medium future.

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No less profitable than Zwift running I’d guess, since that’s free. :smiley:

Its fairly simple business rule, Ignore your main customer base at your peril / Dont take your cash cow for granted.

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Asking the current users is a poor way to do it. Zwift has runners and cyclists. The people that row wouldn’t be Zwift users yet.

The current users wouldn’t really be ignored. I’ve been using zwift since 2017. Back when there was 1 map and limited routes. I think we have enough routes and worlds now. If they didn’t come out with any more for a year I would be fine with that.

Not charging extra for zwift running was a huge missed opportunity. Zwift running vould have easily been a 5$ add on. They did raise prices for everybody though. Imo base price could be 15$ per month with running and rowing as 5$ add-ons each. People are paying much more for stuff like peleton and tonal.

In 2017 there was more than 1 map.

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Honestly, I’d pay $5 extra for rowing. :+1:t4:

But I don’t really need lots of water-based courses. I’d be happy with a “rowbike” model and a UI that works with rowing a little better (e.g. change cadence to stroke rate, and display pace in minutes/500m).

Sure, real on-water courses would be great, but personally I’d forego them for native support even if I have to row on land.

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