The Zwift Ride V2 is here!
Zwift updates its indoor bike mainly where the previous model still had room to improve: bike fit. A more compact frame, five adjustable crank lengths and a new seatpost aim to make the Zwift Ride much easier to adapt to different riders. Particularly interesting is that the price stays unchanged despite the improvements. The complete Zwift Ride V2 with Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 still costs 1,199.99 euros. I find this interesting mainly because the Zwift Ride is not being reinvented completely. Instead, Zwift improves precisely the points that matter to many road cyclists in a permanently installed indoor bike.
Zwift Ride V2: price, equipment and availability
The Zwift Ride's basic principle remains for the second generation. You get a frame designed specifically for indoor training, Zwift controllers, virtual shifting and, in the complete package, a matching smart trainer. The biggest changes concern ergonomics rather than electronics.
Price is probably one of the most important announcements. Despite the revision, the complete Zwift Ride V2 remains at its previous price level.
Five crank lengths instead of one fixed length
One of the biggest changes to the Zwift Ride V2 is at the cranks. The previous Zwift Ride had a fixed crank length. On the new model, you can choose 160, 165, 170, 172.5 or 175 mm. This is an important update for road cyclists, since many of us try to match our indoor position as closely as possible to our road bikes.
If you ride 165-mm cranks outdoors, for example, you no longer necessarily need to adapt to a different crank length indoors. The extra adjustability also makes the system much more interesting for households sharing a Zwift Ride. Short cranks are no longer relevant only to particularly small riders either. More road cyclists deliberately experiment with shorter cranks to alter hip angle or better achieve a particular riding position. The Ride V2 offers considerably more options than before.
New frame for riders from 146 to 198 cm
Zwift has also adjusted Smart Frame geometry. According to the manufacturer, the Zwift Ride V2 suits riders around 146 to 198 cm tall. Its range has expanded particularly at the lower end, good news for smaller riders who could not adjust the first generation ideally. The Ride concept remains: rather than mounting your road bike on a smart trainer each time, the Zwift Ride stays assembled. In my view, that is one of this system's greatest advantages. Put on shoes, launch Zwift and ride, without removing a rear wheel, mounting a bike or repeatedly changing settings. Anyone training on Zwift several times weekly through autumn and winter quickly appreciates this convenience.
Revised seatpost with more adjustment
Alongside frame and cranks, Zwift has revised the Zwift Ride V2 seatpost. The saddle can now move further forwards or backwards, intended to make achieving the desired position easier. It sounds minor but matters for bike fit. Saddle height alone does not establish a good position: horizontal distance between saddle and bottom bracket or handlebar matters too. The larger adjustment range therefore allows the Ride V2 to match your personal position more precisely.
What does this mean for Zwift Ride V1 owners?
There is good news for first-generation owners too. You do not automatically need a completely new Zwift Ride to benefit from some improvements. Zwift intends to offer both adjustable cranks and the new seatpost as accessories, allowing existing owners to upgrade. I consider that far more sensible than forcing first-generation users to buy a whole new system for relatively small ergonomic updates. Anyone happy and comfortable on the existing Ride has little reason to change completely anyway. Those experiencing crank length or saddle position problems should examine the upgrade parts.
Find the accessories here: 👉 Zwift accessories*
Zwift Smart Frame V2 also available separately
The Zwift Ride V2 also interests anyone already owning a compatible smart trainer. The Zwift Smart Frame V2 is expected to cost 799.99 euros separately. According to information supplied to me as a Zwift partner, the new frame remains designed for the Zwift Ready trainer ecosystem. You therefore do not necessarily need the complete bundle. The complete Zwift Ride continues to be offered with the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2, however. Anyone starting from scratch who wants minimal setup planning gets a complete indoor system directly.
👉 Check availability on Amazon*
Zwift introduces new software features too
The Zwift Ride V2 is only part of the current Zwift announcements. The software also receives interesting updates for the coming indoor season. I find Watt Lock particularly exciting. It is intended to let you set fixed power during an ordinary free ride. You could ride through Watopia at 200 watts, for example, with Zwift holding that power steady similarly to ERG mode, without first creating or selecting a structured workout. Watt Lock could be especially practical for easy Zone 2 sessions. Riders using Zwift Ride, Zwift Click or Zwift Play should be able to adjust power directly through their controllers. Watt Lock is expected in October.
WHOOP connects to Zwift
Another new feature is direct WHOOP integration with Zwift. Zwift can consider the WHOOP Recovery Score and adjust personal activity recommendations accordingly. Poor recovery, for example, can receive more consideration rather than simply suggesting an intensive workout regardless of recovery. For athletes already using WHOOP daily, this is an interesting connection between the training platform and recovery data. Zwift activities are also intended to appear in greater detail within the WHOOP app later.
New Zwift home screen and Companion app
The interface is also being redesigned. Zwift's new home screen is intended to highlight planned activities and your training progress. A new Progress widget shows, among other things, how far you have progressed towards weekly goals.
The Zwift Companion App also gets a redesigned home screen in October. The aim is clear: Zwift wants to become more of a central training planning platform, beyond simply showing where you can ride today.
Watopia Gets Around 18 Kilometres of New Roads
The virtual world is changing too. On 26 October, Watopia gains approximately 18 kilometres of new roads. These sections are intended to connect Jarvis with the Jungle, alongside a flatter alternative around the Epic KOM. Two new circuits are also planned, particularly aimed at racing.
The roads open in time for the Tour of Watopia, running from 5 October to 22 November. Regular winter Zwifters therefore get some fresh roads to explore instead of riding exactly the same Watopia loops for the hundredth time.
First Impressions of the Zwift Ride V2
The Zwift Ride V2 is not a completely new generation in the traditional sense. Zwift has kept the basic concept rather than reinventing the entire product, mainly addressing bike fit weaknesses. On paper, that makes sense to me. Five crank lengths, greater saddle adjustment and support for shorter riders make it more flexible. The complete package stays at €1,199.99, making V2 clearly more interesting for new buyers.
Existing Zwift Ride owners need not worry immediately: the crank and seatpost are expected to be available separately for retrofitting. I have not yet completed a full real-world test of the new Zwift Ride V2. Once I can ride the new model or components extensively, I will add my experience here on Rennradguru.de. Until then, one thing is clear: the Zwift Ride is not spectacularly reinvented, but improved in some of the right places.
👉Check availability on Amazon*
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