Rowing in Zwift (high quality software) who's interested?

[j450n]

Hey all

I'm a long term cyclist/zwift user who has just purchased a C2 D rower for upper body cardio, loving it so far!
One thing I feel lacking is a high quality, community based rowing software. The developers at Zwift have indicated that if there is enough interest in rowing they will look further into it.

Here is a quote from a post on the Zwift forums (2 years old now)

Interesting idea that a few other people have mentioned to us as well. We're focused on cycling at the moment but we always have little side projects we investigate here at Zwift so you never know.

If we had more concept 2 users writing in we could more easily justify the research sooner rather than later.

So if you're keen please put a like and a comment to the post so we can make it happen!
https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/comm ... 5004974366

Cheers guys!
Jason

[Carl Watts]

There is software already out there with a great community its called RowPro.

Believe it or not rowing software appeals to only a very small percentage of people rowing. It is not like cycling where a peloton is normal so I would expect cyclist to be interested in software.

The misconception about rowing software is that it is all about racing when in fact it is all about training and having someone to row with.

Depending on your time zone and hence the population of the world in the same zone as you the numbers online can be big enough to get 8 to 16 rowers.

If you schedule rows in advance and have a strict and regimented training program, other will join you as there are too many sheep who just want to follow the leader.

Multiple similar software packages are bad news, it just splits the few that are interested in online rowing and you will find your rowing alone.

In terms of "Quality" you discover its less about the graphics and more about a rock solid connection that doesn't crash on you in the middle of every row and the longer the row the more likely it is to crash.

[j450n]

I'm regretting using "high quality software" in the title, it wasn't intended to take away from existing rowing software but to describe Zwift to the guys who haven't heard of it.

Zwift's popularity has been growing extremely fast, cyclists who a few years ago would've scoffed at the idea are now using it. Zwift has now added running and as a result there are cyclists looking at buying treadmills. The funny thing is I purchased the C2 rower because I was initially looking at treadmills, I decided a full body cardio workout would be much more beneficial.

I don't think the introduction of rowing to Zwift will dilute the rowing software market but will introduce more people to indoor rowing.

Anyway here's an update from Zwift

Guess it's been a couple of years since I replied, but the update is:

1) I have a concept 2 rower at Zwift HQ

2) I have a 'test device' sitting here on my desk from Concept 2 so I can test my code without having to be rowing

3) I have all the protocol info from Concept 2

All we don't have is time at the moment. If I can sneak it in as a weekend project soon I will, but as a company we are focused on Cycling and running at the moment, so I expect if anything shows up it'd be super primitive.

Cheers
Jason

[Citroen]

You're allowed to ignore Carl, he won't accept that there are other solutions than RowPro for software that works with your ergo and laptop or ergo and phone that that RowPro doesn't have a monopoly.

[exerscreen]

Hey everyone,

I have a version of PainSled up on Testflight that connects to Zwift. Drop me an email at rick <at> exerscreen <dot> com if you'd like to help test.

Cheers,

Rick Terrell, AKA "A. PainSled"

PainSled-Zwift small.jpeg (83.02 KiB) Viewed 28327 times

[dr3do]

Drop me an email at rick <at> exerscreen <dot> com if you'd like to help test.

Droped you an e-mail, Rick.

[exerscreen]

Drop me an email at rick <at> exerscreen <dot> com if you'd like to help test.

Droped you an e-mail, Rick.

You're in!

[DJL]

I’ve been using Zwift, since being a beta tester. It’s fun and has a huge commmunity. Makes winter cycling in the basement enjoyable. In fact when I was pairing my power meter yesterday it picked up my concept2, and got me to thinking. Then just found this post
E-mail sent Rick
David

[mitchel674]

Any updates??

[exerscreen]

Any updates??

The second beta just dropped, If you didn't already sign up, send an email to support@exerscreen.com.

Rick.

[exerscreen]

FYI, there is a new version of iOS PainSed in the App Store that supports connections to Zwift. Give it a try and let me know what you think! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/painsled/id1069679171

[eleanorsbee]

since Zwift came a long. I kind of gave up with the rower and on average was putting around 2000m a week on the C2 .... it just doesn't appeal to me compared to the interactive nature of zwift.

Happened across Painsled thanks to a rogue post on a zwift facebook group so thought I would give it a try.

Perfect experience, downloaded, configured and rowing in under 3 mins this morning .... rowed 10k of drafting, sprinting and trying to stay with a pack ride before being dropped. Loved it. thanks for the software ... please don't break it !!!!!

Been on zwift now since Beta and the rower does give a different power profile compared to the bike, but very very useable


Hopefully this will re-motivate my ex-love for rowing and I'll start doing some more formal training again as well

[dr3do]

Same for me, @eleannorbse. Sliding up and down, with full concentration on every single stroke, starring allt the time at the PM and the walls of the very same room… ohhhh boy, that drove me crazy.

Since I found a way to use it with Zwift, I have fun again on my RowErg. The RowErg on Zwift definitively makes time pass better/easier. Benefit: I find it motivating to be able to keep up with cyclists.

[dr3do]

https://zwiftinsider.com/rowing-on-zwift/

[cyqle]

Just send You an e-mail, Rick.

Generally, it would be awesome, if the team from Zwift would involve the possibility of indoor rowing at Watopia. It's really the best modern game for indoor cardio activities.