Level up FASTER on Zwift // No Cheating Required!

I like to do a lot of climbing and wish Zwift would introduce XPs for ascent, not just distance, to encourage us climbers.

This is why we’re friends. Ride on, Lama!

Amazes me how when someone just posts a helpful little video like this, that is no way controversial or has any fuel for negativity, manages to somehow attract people with something negative to say. I'm enjoying reading most the comments that are grateful for the tips or have some nice suggestions to leverage some extra XP points, but of course you come across the usual people that just have to their negative little digs - the irony being some of the comments are about how Zwifters interested in XP points and levels are wasting their time, yet the time spent watching a video you have no interest in and then going to the effort of actually typing up a comment with your negative thoughts on the matter is somehow time better spent 🤷‍♂ Anyway - thanks Shane. I'll be implementing these tips over xmas to try and level up to 26 where I can get a couple of new frames I want. All part of the fun.

That worked well :) I split the 70 mins into 7x 10 minute interval blocks, and it gave me 119xp per block (not on fast track). Got the wheels at the top and spun big XP for 250xp, also picked up a 10xp on the way back down. Totalled 2473 xp.

10:26, I was a little caught off guard to see my name pop up giving you a Ride On!

Awesome video Shane! I commented over a year ago on one of your videos about using the prize wheel at the top of the climb as a way to level up faster than some of the more popularly discussed methods. Back then I thought the big bonus odds were increased by having an unused power-up when you passed through the summit arch. Your idea to switch to a workout to get XP by time on the climb instead of distance is pure gold!

Nice one! Big motivation to do more climbing for sure!

Good timing for me as been on zwift about 1.5 months so starting to dig in more to the details.

I’ve been doing the 90 minute riders choice workout which lets you pedal at whatever power you want. You will always get the star even if you stop peddling to take a break for a minute.

Excellent and informative as always 👌🏾

Great information GP, Thanks. Currently slogging my way through the 40's. Will definitely use this option. On a similar note. I think Zwift have missed an opportunity here to keep the long time Zwifters happy. Why not just add a multiplier x2, x5, x10 to routes. This could be as simple as showing the multiplier on the users achievement screen, or for those who like to show there wears perhaps a multiple stamp on the jersey pocket for the user when riding the route in game (ridden the route 7 times, then x7 on the rear pocket). From a game perspective perhaps match XP points to multiplier. eg: x7 + 1.7 XP points per km. The guys and girls at Zwift could create an infinite chase by letting users multiply their routes on an individual and set base, be that full set (PRL full..... eeeek) or by world, Watopia, Richmond, France, etc. Pinball machines were around when I was growing up and part of the draw to the game was levelling up, getting points faster or chasing a prize in the game that required a level of skill not ordinarily seen. Whilst there are some Zwift achievement badges based on this, speed, power, thumbs up for those who *chase* these it's easily obtained by level 30's. One other thought that comes to mind. Some video games have easter eggs. There are enough roads on Zwift to create a one off easter egg route. The user would not know where the route starts or finishes, thus for those who wish to search for the route it increases usage of a specific world or roads not popular. If the route is ridden within a specific set period of time say a month. Then the user collects that unique badge. Obviously with the internet word will get around, hence the short period of time to search and collect. Zwift can then recreate a new easter egg at a future date increasing the gamification and enjoyment for habitual users.

I clicked on the video, and. found out your method is . . . exactly what I've already been doing with the exception being that I'm not doing it in workout mode. I'm somewhere between 100 and 200 ascents of the Alpe at the point because I use it as an interval training game, picking either odds, evens, or every third segment and trying to pace them above threshold for a segment PR. I also do Fire and Ice (slightly less efficient) because I like the 20 something minutes of lead-in before the climb to get my music choice and fan angle dialed in.

Wow ! Thank you for working that out for us. You might want to try 'String Theory' next - should be a 'walk in the park' after this. 🙂

You should descend ADZ on a TT bike. You get those 10/20xp power ups. Times three for the descent this is an extra 30/60 xp. Do a few ascents/descents and this soon adds up.

Additional benefit of this method: double drops as well

Hi @gplama, I've heard a lot of conflicting numbers over the years on how much XP per minute an interval block yields, so I ran my own experiment to try and debunk all the conflicting info for myself and thought you might find the results interesting. I built nine different workouts using the smallest interval block possible (4 sets) that were comprised of the following durations: 0:58 x4, 0:59 x4, 1:00 x4, 1:00/1:01 alternating x2, 1:01 x4, 1:52 x4, 1:56 x4, 1:58x4, and 1:59 x4. I had heard somewhere that 1:52 blocks yield the same as 2:00 so I thought I’d try that out along with other durations close to it. I rode all nine workouts at the same power (170w) in ERG mode. The winner turned out to be 1:59 blocks where I earned 94 XP over the course of four 1:59 sets at 476 seconds total, which comes out to 11.97 XP per minute. The next two closest interval blocks earning 11.95 XP per minute each were 1:58 and 0:59. The lowest was 1:00 sets at 11.75 XP per minute, so we’re talking very marginal differences here, but gains are gains! It sounds like the most XP you can possibly earn per minute using zone blocks is around 10.8, so interval blocks definitely seem to be the way to go. If all of this isn't nerdy enough for you, let me know and I'll share my full spreadsheet with you!

At the top of the mountain, put in a massive sprint over the line to increase the chance of getting the wheels

Great, thanks for sharing.

Being able to sell bought, unused items in the garage would also be a great way to gain back points or add some additional XP

So much easier watching someone else climb the Alpe du Zwift, than dragging my fat butt up that mountain.