Tailor My Zwift

Abstract

Physical activity is entering the virtual realm. Zwift is an at-home cycling system that is enjoying increasing popularity, yet the specifics of the experience of a virtual cyclist have not been studied to date. Building virtual sports systems can make physical activity accessible to more diverse user groups. To understand how and why users engage in virtual cycling, we conducted n=22 interviews with Zwift users. Through charting the motivations behind using Zwift, we determined that it allowed users to engage in a range of cycling activities traditionally reserved for professional cyclists. Our work reports on key motivations and identifies five key strategies which Zwift uses to create an engaging virtual sports experience. Further, we discuss how Zwift creates a world of virtual professionalism. Our findings offer a structured understanding of the experience of Zwift which can be used to inspire the design of future virtual amateur sports systems.

Perceptions of Cheating and Doping in E-Cycling

“…Riders are represented by an on-screen avatar based on their physical proportions (height/mass). This affects in-game physics to simulate real-life cycling dynamics, such as uphill riding and aerodynamics, when riding solo and drafting other riders [26]. In a recent interview, Co-CEO Eric Min stated that Zwift has around 1 million subscribers [27].…”