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Zwift question re zPower
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I am very new to Zwift having just started using it seriously at the beginning of the year. I have yet to do an actual race, just group rides and solo rides around various worlds. Every once in awhile I look at the description of a race and see this sentence:

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In order to make the racing as fair as possible, racers on zPower, lacking heart rate monitors, riding and inappropriate category, or riding very unrealistically may be disqualified.

What exactly does the part that I put in bold mean? I'm registered on Zwift Power - is that the same thing? Am I doing something wrong for when I eventually do sign up for a proper race?

Thx.
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Re: Zwift question re zPower [logella] [ In reply to ]
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logella wrote:
I am very new to Zwift having just started using it seriously at the beginning of the year. I have yet to do an actual race, just group rides and solo rides around various worlds. Every once in awhile I look at the description of a race and see this sentence:

Quote:
In order to make the racing as fair as possible, racers on zPower, lacking heart rate monitors, riding and inappropriate category, or riding very unrealistically may be disqualified.

What exactly does the part that I put in bold mean? I'm registered on Zwift Power - is that the same thing? Am I doing something wrong for when I eventually do sign up for a proper race?

Thx.

No, zPower (as opposed to Zwift Power) is used if you don’t have a power meter or smart trainer. Zwift is estimating your power based on a speed sensor which is reading your rear wheel speed, combined with a power curve from your dumb trainer. It doesn’t apply if you have a power meter or smart trainer.

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Re: Zwift question re zPower [logella] [ In reply to ]
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Zwift calculates in-game speed based off power data that it obtains from either a smart trainer (e.g. Wahoo Kickr), which measures it directly and sends it to the game, or from an on-bike power meter such as a crank or pedal based system. These are direct, real measurements of someone’s power output in real life which are then sent to the avatar in-game who moves proportional to the power output. Zpower on the other hand, is an estimate of power based off of assumptions that the game makes for certain types of turbo trainers (non-smart trainers). Because it is an estimate, it can be wildly off, often in favor of a rider in-game. In other words, your z-power estimate might make your avatar much faster than your actual power (if directly measured) would be. Consequently, for most races, it is not an acceptable. You are certainly free to cruise around the world and workout in z-power, but many races will be off limits until you can provide direct measurement of power.
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Re: Zwift question re zPower [logella] [ In reply to ]
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zPower is math driven. Rear wheel speed from a speed sensor, plugged into the power and resistance curve of a particular fluid trainer the user is on, self reported of course. Here is math for Kurt Kinetic for example:

Kinetic inRide Power Sensor Tech Explained-Kinetic - Bike Trainers (kurtkinetic.com)
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Re: Zwift question re zPower [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Awesome. Thanks. I'm all good then since power is derived from my Neo2.
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Re: Zwift question re zPower [eblackadder] [ In reply to ]
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eblackadder wrote:
. Consequently, for most races, it is not an acceptable. You are certainly free to cruise around the world and workout in z-power, but many races will be off limits until you can provide direct measurement of power.

Are they actually off-limits? I don't think they are. Same with using heart rate monitors or not

I think you just won't show up in final results, perhaps.

Certainly worth checking out though, if you're interested in seeing what the races are like.
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