Drafting and Power-Ups

There are two areas that you'll want to master when riding in Zwift. They are Drafting and Power-Ups.

Drafting

Just like in real life cycling, when you tuck behind other cyclists, you gain the advantage of riding in their draft to conserve energy while maintaining speed. You can take advantage of the same technique in Zwift. Drafting is an essential skill for the cyclist–both indoors and out.

Why Draft?

The goal of drafting in Zwift is to conserve energy, just as it is outdoors. The amount of energy saved by drafting is no “marginal gain”. It is literally can be the difference between winning and losing in every bike race. Estimates vary, but the number most often thrown around outdoors is a 30% power savings when drafting behind just one other rider. Riding in a large pack will reduce wind resistance even more, resulting in greater power savings. Scientists studied the draft affect of a large peloton (121 riders) and found that wind resistance in the “sweet spot” of this large group was only 5-10% what a solo rider would experience. On Zwift, you’ll save even more energy when you’re in a group of four or more riders.

Mastering the Draft

When you approach another rider’s rear wheel, Zwift pops up a “Close the Gap!” message which helps you see how near you are to the rider ahead. You’ll know you’re in prime drafting position when the message changes to “OK” and disappears. Your avatar also will usually “sit up” when you’re in the draft. When you’re not drafting, it will lean forward if you’re over a speed of 33 kilometers per hour (20.5 miles per hour). The Zwift Concept (Tron) bike has no “sitting up” animation, so even though you are experiencing the draft effect, your avatar will never change position on the Tron.

If you fall too far behind the rider in front of you, the “Close the Gap” message will appear again. Don’t panic! You still have some help from the draft up to 5 meters away. React quickly but steadily, increasing your power until the gap starts to close again. Keep it even until you’re almost on the wheel. Then ease up.

Note: You cannot use the draft while riding a time trial (TT) bike in Zwift!

Drafting in Larger Groups

In a large group, focus on keeping your power as steady as you can. A quick burst of speed can help you move up in the pack, but it also can shoot you off the front and out of the draft! Be ready to close gaps in front of you. All of you can save energy by rotating the lead position. Stay close behind the rider in front of you and try to match their speed. When you notice their w/kg number drop and they slow down, start pedaling a little harder and faster to come around.

Once you’re in front, try to keep the same speed. It will take a bit more effort now. This is called “taking a pull” because you’re “pulling” the riders behind you. When you need a rest or you’ve been on the front for a while, ease off the power. You’ll start to drift back. Carefully slide behind the last rider and wait for your next turn.

Drafting Tips

Here are a few tips about drafting on Zwift:

• TT Bikes - Drafting is not in effect when riding a Time Trial (TT) bike.
• Drafting is in effect in workout mode, however, the 'close the gap' message will not be displayed.
• Double Draft Mode - Some events have enabled a feature called “double draft,” which doubles the normal draft effect in Zwift. It’s closer to the strong drafting benefit that riders experience in real life.
• The “elbow flick” tells other riders that you’re about to end your turn at the front. You don’t have to use it, but it’s a fun signal.
• Feel like you’re getting stuck behind another rider on Zwift? Try backing off your power for a moment, then quickly increasing your cadence and power. This should pop you off their wheel and let you pass.
• The draft truck Power-Up doubles the strength of the draft for 30 seconds. Use it to save some energy, get extra help in a sprint leadout, or hold the wheel of an attacking rider.

Power-ups

Power-ups are performance boosters to add some variety and strategy to the game. When you pass through any course arch, you may see a random power-up icon appear in the circle at the top-left corner of your screen. This means you’ve earned a Power-Up. Power-ups give a small bonus to either your performance or Rider Score. As you’re Zwifting, you should get a new Power-up each time you pass through an arch—as long as you don't already have one. If you have a Power-up that you haven't used and would like a chance to get a different one as you approach an arch, you can discard the existing Power-up. Bring up the Action Bar on your screen and select the Dump Power-up icon. An explanation of each power-up and when to use it is shown below.

To use the Power-up while riding, use one of these options:

• Using your mouse, click on the Power-up icon in the circle on your screen
• Press the Spacebar button on your computer desktop keyboard
• Select the Power-up icon on your iOS or tvOS
• Tap the Power-up button on the ZC app

Power-Up Icon	Name	Usage Description
	Feather	The Feather power-up reduces your weight by 9.5kg, making it ideal for launching an uphill attack or avoiding getting dropped on a tough climb. When to use it will come down to experience and strategy, as it lasts for just 30 seconds. Pro tip: You guessed it: the feather only really works on steep, steep climbs. Use it to your advantage on sections of road that point skywards.
	Draft Boost	The Draft Boost power-up is best used when tucked behind other riders in the bunch. It increases the effect of drafting by 50 per cent, so you can take a small rest while maintaining the same speed as those ahead of you. Again, a strategy is very important here. Some Zwifters will use it to launch an attack from the back to double-up on the drafting effect of the bunch – but be smart, as it only lasts 40 seconds. It can also be a great tool to close those final few meters when bridging to a break, or it can help get you back into the bunch if you're on the verge of being dropped. Pro tip: The Truck Draft Boost only works when you're drafting somebody – it's useless if you're out solo or you've been dropped. Save it for the right moment.
	Aero Boost	The Aero Boost power-up lasts for 30 seconds and is a sprinter's secret weapon. Not only is it handy for going on attacks off the front and bridging to the group ahead, should you experience a dead wheel, but it also helps for going faster on the descents. However, the Aero Boost powerup is ideally suited for contesting the sprint. Pro tip: Use the Aero boost on fast downhills (it may catch out the bunch by surprise), for bridging to the breakaway or even when it comes down to the sprint.
	Small Bonus	Adds 10 experience points or the equivalent of riding .5 kilometers. Not available in competitive events.
	Large Bonus	Adds 250 experience points or the equivalent of riding 12.5 kilometers. Not available in competitive events.
	Invisibility	This power-up is used in events only. The Invisibility powerup is great for a sneaky breakaway attack thanks to the cloaking it provides for 15 seconds. Again, this can also work in your favour to bluff your breakaway companions in certain situations. Note that you can't use this powerup with less than 400m to the finish line. Pro tip: Best used on specific courses with sharps corners and ups and downs. If used correctly, you just might get away – just don't hold up on the power.
	Steamroller	This power-up is used in events only. The Steamroller reduces the CRR of your bike for 30 seconds. CRR stands for Coefficient of Rolling Resistance which is used to measure how quickly your tires roll over a given terrain and this Zwift Powerup will mean that for 30 seconds, your tires will roll as fast as road tires on pavement, no matter your choice of equipment, or the terrain you find yourself on. Therefore, it would prove fruitless to use the Steamroller whilst using your road bike on pavement already. In order of rolling speed, the Zwift surface types are listed as Pavement, Brick, Cobbles, Wood, Ice/Snow, Dirt, then Grass. With this in mind, if you're racing a mixed-surface course, wait until the slowest surface to launch your Powerup. Pro tip: In a road race, wait for the bridges or cobbled sections, as this is undoubtedly where you'll get the most use of this powerup.
	Burrito	This power-up is used in events only. The Breakaway Burrito is another clever powerup that can be cunningly used at a pivotal point in the race – just before a climb or in the lead-up to the sprint finish. Essentially, what it does is make you undraftable for 20 seconds for riders in the 'cone' behind you (not a radius around you). You will still be able to draft riders in front of you. Use it wisely, especially when rivals are sitting on your wheel and taking advantage of the draft. Pro tip: As you activate the burrito, give a flurry of watts and dig deep for a few seconds to fully exploit its benefit.
	Anvil	This power-up is used in events only. The Anvil power-up adds a percentage of your body weight on descents for 15 seconds, so you can descend faster. However, the percentage increases significantly for lighter riders. For example, a 50kg rider will get a 40kg Anvil (80% of their weight), while a 100kg rider will get a 22.6kg Anvil (22.6% of their weight). Pro Tip: Use this on downhills. Pair it with a supertuck to go extra fast with zero effort!