Zwift volcano route

markhewitt1978
markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
Zwift finally dropped the Watopia expansion this morning. A loop around and inside a volcano. There's a road up the volcano too but that's blocked off for the moment.

16266288_10154421228273095_1572078992855006361_n.jpg?oh=f04d8a9a1c26281ea92802a1cf1a3084&oe=5923DBA7
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Comments

  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    typical ...... been checking every 30 mins since Eric posted that 1st ride on Strava ..... the one day in the last too months I didn't log on to Zwift for a ride this morning AND its finally arrived.

    .. still I suppose its a good thing, getting up at stupid oclock in the morning to ride then having to wait 30 mins whilst my PC gets stuck updating is rather annoying, now I know its live I can go and update when I get home tonight

    Thanks for the heads up


    EDIT: hopefully the WBR igniter will do a ride that way, it will be ahwhole new place to get dropped by the pack :D
  • It isn't massively long 2.5 miles not including the connecting roads.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    I am guessing its all flat as well :|
  • fat daddy wrote:
    I am guessing its all flat as well :|

    don't know only got part way round before it crashed.
  • fat daddy wrote:
    I am guessing its all flat as well :|

    There's a few slight inclines but yes, it's flat. The road up the volcano exists, you can see it on the long range shots. I guess they are saving it for a new update.

    16195119_10155337532762971_7147586472893077416_n.jpg?oh=c6a3d2427c5af8d24cf410ea79af0b0e&oe=5916A30E
  • Gimmicky, will get old very soon.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Do you think this will see some really short sprint races appearing as such?

    Could maybe elimiation races possibly be done with last place going each time? Think a short track to allow something like this could appeal. Just like another long climb up the Volcano in the future could as well.
  • I tend to race on Zwift so the scenery is irrelevant because I'm trying too hard to really focus on any scenery.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Zwift is great for racing and group rides in fairness. it surprised me how good it was as I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I do.

    I would like something short in the racing though, where some of those velodrome style events could maybe be done outdoors on the road. It would be cool to have some short , sprint races - maybe pair people up with similar ftps and they battle it out in a league over an evening. Just something short and qwirky could add something else new.
  • The real main purpose of the volcano is to create a crit course, 2.6miles for a lap with a lap board to count the number of laps to go. So I think you'll see a lot of racing on that circuit now - would make a difference from Watopia flat forward all the time.

    I don't do racing so for my riding it's just another place to ride through - although I'm looking forward to them opening the climb to the top which should be good for a hard effort.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    I am liking it ...... man flu this week, so only managed 14miles this morning at a mere 160w average .. but I think I will like the volcano, I wasn't loking forward to the borningness of it, but the short loop and lap counter are really good fun, even if not racing I can see myself doing a crap load of progressively faster loops and threshold laps on it .... nice gradient as well did a brief bit of a play with another cyclist and the rise and descent are just right for a bit of torture
  • It's already a suggestion in the facebook groups but the thing which would make Zwift 'complete' in terms of routes is a 100km loop with no repeats. Would satisfy those who just want to go for a long ride without having to do laps.
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    edited January 2017
    I'd ride volcano laps over Richmond, in fact I schedule something else to do on Richmond days.

    Looking forward to riding the new climb though, looks lengthy and steadier avg % than mountain perhaps
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • NeXXus wrote:
    I like it but I also like the look of the closed climb,looks to be a steadier climb without the kicks of the mountain.

    I'd ride volcano laps over Richmond, in fact I schedule something else to do on Richmond days

    I'm planning on riding tomorrow morning, but the schedule says it's Richmond - which is madness considering they've only just released the volcano route. I plan to ride Watopia anyway http://zwiftblog.com/world-tag/
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    NeXXus wrote:
    I like it but I also like the look of the closed climb,looks to be a steadier climb without the kicks of the mountain.

    I'd ride volcano laps over Richmond, in fact I schedule something else to do on Richmond days

    I'm planning on riding tomorrow morning, but the schedule says it's Richmond - which is madness considering they've only just released the volcano route. I plan to ride Watopia anyway http://zwiftblog.com/world-tag/
    Yep good chance to snap yourself in the volcano jersey, unless everyone else has the same idea
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    might see you there then ..... what with being under the weather I am staying away from the WBR igniters this week and there is no way I am doing Richmond on my own, that bordom is enough to kill a man
  • NeXXus wrote:
    Yep good chance to snap yourself in the volcano jersey, unless everyone else has the same idea

    Way ahead of you 16195971_10154420985128095_6663207932096086035_n.jpg?oh=a405bae0d0298fe78a982b8a12949c4a&oe=59149087

    I think I was the first one through on Monday morning as it had just appeared on iOS and the PC version wasn't even released.
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    Haha
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,612
    Zwift finally dropped the Watopia expansion this morning. A loop around and inside a volcano. There's a road up the volcano too but that's blocked off for the moment.

    16266288_10154421228273095_1572078992855006361_n.jpg?oh=f04d8a9a1c26281ea92802a1cf1a3084&oe=5923DBA7

    The road surface looks a bit ropey!
  • MrB123 wrote:

    The road surface looks a bit ropey!

    I might need to change my trainer tyre for a 28.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    the course designers do like the dilapidated look ... I don't think a single new route has been added that hasn't been falling apart.

    The pass at the top of the mountain opened up with the barriers missing
    the ocean tunnels have concrete arches that are broken

    fully expect the next course to be in Syria
  • BrandonA
    BrandonA Posts: 553
    I tend to race on Zwift so the scenery is irrelevant because I'm trying too hard to really focus on any scenery.

    The gradients are more important to me than the appearance, as like you, I am too busy to look around and admire the surroundings. I'm looking forward to trying it this evening though.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    MrB123 wrote:
    Zwift finally dropped the Watopia expansion this morning. A loop around and inside a volcano. There's a road up the volcano too but that's blocked off for the moment.

    16266288_10154421228273095_1572078992855006361_n.jpg?oh=f04d8a9a1c26281ea92802a1cf1a3084&oe=5923DBA7

    The road surface looks a bit ropey!

    To be fair it looks better than the roads I normally ride in the real world...

    Looks fun though, I've seen a few people on Strava using this already
  • dyrlac
    dyrlac Posts: 751
    Gave it a spin this morning. Something new I guess, although I didn't manage to trigger the KOM/sprint, so I must have been going the wrong way. I really would like an on-screen map, I can never work out/remember what the turn icons are supposed to mean.
  • tenohfive
    tenohfive Posts: 152
    Couldn't get on this evening, annoyingly - it kept telling me there was no road for me, or something to that effect. Enforced rest day when I wanted to have a go on The Wringer.
    Wondering if the volcano update has increased the numbers.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    You need to be on FB Zwift Riders or Racers for any latest on issues.
    Volcano schmolcano .. if they do keep their revenue stream up on target, lets hope for perhaps a Belgian course , the best bits around Oudenaarde.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Oh is that why I couldn't get on?

    Thought the app had knackered up my iPad as really slow loading and no riders near by.

    Zwift need to sort asap as in danger of damaging them before they really get properly going. If they don't get it sorted some rival will soon appear.
  • The real main purpose of the volcano is to create a crit course, 2.6miles for a lap with a lap board to count the number of laps to go. So I think you'll see a lot of racing on that circuit now - would make a difference from Watopia flat forward all the time.
    A crit course is a good idea, but they work in the real world because riders have to back off, and brake, to get round tight turns, which allows several 'oh my god' accelerations each lap. Zwift's only failure is that it allows riders to take hairpin bends flat out. Fix that, add some hairpins and it would be epic.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    The real main purpose of the volcano is to create a crit course, 2.6miles for a lap with a lap board to count the number of laps to go. So I think you'll see a lot of racing on that circuit now - would make a difference from Watopia flat forward all the time.
    A crit course is a good idea, but they work in the real world because riders have to back off, and brake, to get round tight turns, which allows several 'oh my god' accelerations each lap. Zwift's only failure is that it allows riders to take hairpin bends flat out. Fix that, add some hairpins and it would be epic.

    Their software people do have to work on this aspect if they want to keep realism.
    Also .. lets stop an overweight rider going faster downhill just because physics dictate it... we all know, that descending is about skill and having the wotsits to do it...

    Realism in gaming is not new... that Grand Prix pc game long time back .. with feedback steering wheel etc etc... I couldnt even get the Lotus 49 out of first gear without stalling.

    Of course it begs the question of why there are so many World Tour class riders knocking about in basements all over the world...
  • I wondered if after releasing the volcano they would still switch to Richmond today - and they have!