The leaves are turning, temperatures are dropping, and for cyclists that can only mean one thing: indoor riding season is approaching. Indoor riding platform Zwift is preparing for the shift indoors with a host of updates, events and new tools designed to keep training fresh and engaging through the colder months.
The Brompton World Championships come to Zwift
One of the season’s most distinctive additions is the Virtual Brompton World Championships, to be held November 17th–23rd. In real life, the Brompton World Championships are celebrated as the most stylish race on the calendar, with riders donning tweed jackets, ties and skirts to prove that “Tweed Is Speed” on their folding bikes.
The Zwift version brings that same spirit to the virtual world with races held on custom London routes, and the chance to unlock a special tweed kit. The iconic Brompton itself will also arrive in the Drop Shop, letting riders bring the iconic folding bike to their virtual quiver.
(Image credit: Zwift)
From November, Zwift is introducing AI-powered personalised recommendations. Instead of scrolling through endless choices, riders will see workouts, routes, events and Robo Pacer rides tailored to their fitness history and goals.
A new auto-adjusting goal system will also adapt weekly training targets based on recent activity, both indoors and outdoors, so progress feels both achievable and sustainable.
For those who already use Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead devices, connecting accounts will sync outdoor rides for extra XP and richer insights in the Zwift Companion app.
Better onboarding for first-time Zwifters
Starting this September, Zwift is also making it easier for new riders to get up and running. An improved onboarding experience will guide first-time Zwifters through connecting their devices, linking outdoor accounts and understanding core features like Fitness Trends and goal-setting.
The aim is to get users riding as quickly as possible and keep the stoke and motivation high by diminishing the configuration time.
To that end, the Zwift Ready program continues to expand, offering more entry-level trainer options from brands such as Wahoo, Elite, Van Rysel, JetBlack, and Garmin-Tacx, with starting prices around €250 / £279.99 / $299.99.
Zwift Ready trainers come ready to ride from the box with Zwift Cog pre-installed, providing compatibility with almost any bike.
Hardware updates: Zwift Click and Ready
(Image credit: Zwift)
Zwift’s user data shows that riders using controllers such as Zwift Play or Zwift Ride get more from their in-game experience, engaging more often with core features. With the Action Bar now hosting tools like Rider Teleport and lap splits, controller users are 2.6 times more likely to teleport and 1.7 times more likely to give a Ride On compared to those without.
To bring this level of interaction to more riders, Zwift is launching redesigned Zwift Click controllers, putting mid-ride control right at your fingertips. The new Clicks are compatible with any handlebar type, feature customisable button configurations and provide easy access to PowerUps, Ride Ons, in-game navigation and more.
Zwift Cog and Click upgrade kits for all Cog-compatible trainers are available to pre-order now at Zwift.com in the US ($49.99), UK (£49.99) and EU (€49.99), with units getting shipped starting September 9th.
Exploring new roads
(Image credit: Zwift)
This season introduces Zwift Unlocked, a brand-new tour replacing the Tour of Watopia.
Running October 6th to November 16th, Zwift Unlocked features ten new routes across multiple worlds and double XP rewards.
The final two stages showcase a major expansion of the New York map, launching October 27th. The update adds 31 km of new roads, including Prospect Park, accessed via Zwift’s futuristic subway network.
With the expansion also comes Power Segments, a new feature that measures riders purely on wattage output over short, intense efforts.
Racing highlights
Racing remains central to Zwift’s community. This season brings the return of the Zwift Racing League on September 16th, improvements to the ranking system to better match riders by ability, and new anti-botting technology to protect fairness.
Another update aimed at racing and group ride culture is the new event cooldown option, which allows riders to remain in the event world after finishing. It mirrors the way riders often continue spinning and chatting after outdoor events, giving Zwifters space for recovery laps, post-race discussions and connecting with others before heading back to the menu.
Zwift camp is back
(Image credit: Zwift)
Zwift Camp has been the platform’s most popular workout series of all time, and they’re bringing it back, bigger and better for 2025.
Zwift Camp will consist of three distinct camps throughout the year, titled Baseline, Build and Breakthrough.
Designed to follow the structure of winter training, Zwift Camp allows Zwifters to complete one or multiple camps to get ready for the spring season.
The Baseline kicks things off on September 15th with four workouts to set your baseline fitness and get ready for a solid winter of training.
