Zwift Chat

[bridgy]

View: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wtrlzwiftracingleague/permalink/1083254172459270/


From what I can see apparently people have been changing their height and weight mid ride during races then changing back! Mad that you can do that?

Interesting...and looks like WTRL have deleted the post now.

I'm thinking- would this explain some of those races where the winner (or high finisher) of a race that includes a long climb has surprisingly low average or 20 minute w/kg? I know riders can show lower watts than others quite innocently on a flattish stage because some riders are better/more efficient at drafting, but when there's a long 20+ minute climb it's a bit more 🤔

(I have seen exactly this by the way quite recently but won't name it because obviously I have no evidence at all that the guy was cheating. But the power figures did look strangely low considering the course profile and all those around him who were very similar weight)

 

[Norry1]

Interesting...and looks like WTRL have deleted the post now.

I'm thinking- would this explain some of those races where the winner (or high finisher) of a race that includes a long climb has surprisingly low average or 20 minute w/kg? I know riders can show lower watts than others quite innocently on a flattish stage because some riders are better/more efficient at drafting, but when there's a long 20+ minute climb it's a bit more 🤔

(I have seen exactly this by the way quite recently but won't name it because obviously I have no evidence at all that the guy was cheating. But the power figures did look strangely low considering the course profile and all those around him who were very similar weight)

I read the post when it first went up. It is surprising that the Zwift game allows this obvious anomaly to happen.

 

[Milkfloat]

I read the post when it first went up. It is surprising that the Zwift game allows this obvious anomaly to happen.

Zwift won't let me adjust trainer difficulty more than once in a session, so I am surprised it would let anyone do something that actually effects the result so fundamentally. I am actually surprised that you can change height and weight over the full range even outside a session - after all, how many people can drop from 100kg to 50kg in a lifetime, never mind instantly.

 

[Norry1]

Zwift won't let me adjust trainer difficulty more than once in a session, so I am surprised it would let anyone do something that actually effects the result so fundamentally. I am actually surprised that you can change height and weight over the full range even outside a session - after all, how many people can drop from 100kg to 50kg in a lifetime, never mind instantly.

Yep - I agree.

PS - where in Midlands are you?

 

[Milkfloat]

Yep - I agree.

PS - where in Midlands are you?

Just off Myton Road

 

[Norry1]

Just off Myton Road

I thought you were Warwick. You in WLRCC?

 

[bridgy]

Zwift won't let me adjust trainer difficulty more than once in a session, so I am surprised it would let anyone do something that actually effects the result so fundamentally. I am actually surprised that you can change height and weight over the full range even outside a session - after all, how many people can drop from 100kg to 50kg in a lifetime, never mind instantly.

I agree - I'm no IT expert but disabling the ability to change things like height/weight after an event has started doesn't seem to me to be the hardest of fixes for zwift- but apparently they've been aware of the loophole for at least 2 years

 

[Peter Salt]

I read the post when it first went up. It is surprising that the Zwift game allows this obvious anomaly to happen.

Zwift won't let me adjust trainer difficulty more than once in a session, so I am surprised it would let anyone do something that actually effects the result so fundamentally. I am actually surprised that you can change height and weight over the full range even outside a session - after all, how many people can drop from 100kg to 50kg in a lifetime, never mind instantly.

I agree - I'm no IT expert but disabling the ability to change things like height/weight after an event has started doesn't seem to me to be the hardest of fixes for zwift- but apparently they've been aware of the loophole for at least 2 years

Yeah, surprised you can do that as well. I would just outright disable weight/height change within a session. I.e. make it so that you have to start a new session or even restart the app for the changes to be applied.

 

[bridgy]

Turns out this issue was highlighted in a blog post by someone who became aware of it, was aware that zwift had known about it for 2 years and done nothing about it, so tested it himself and published the results here https://zweight241477032.wordpress....table-weight-cheat-to-win-all-races-on-zwift/ - not to "market" it as WTRL said, but to highlight it to the community in the hope Zwift would finally sort it out.

Zwift's response is to suspend his account for 30 days - terrible reaction from them in my view - see discussion on the forum here for more context https://forums.zwift.com/t/exploit-found-which-can-lead-cheating/578665

 

[Peter Salt]

Turns out this issue was highlighted in a blog post by someone who became aware of it, was aware that zwift had known about it for 2 years and done nothing about it, so tested it himself and published the results here https://zweight241477032.wordpress....table-weight-cheat-to-win-all-races-on-zwift/ - not to "market" it as WTRL said, but to highlight it to the community in the hope Zwift would finally sort it out.

Zwift's response is to suspend his account for 30 days - terrible reaction from them in my view - see discussion on the forum here for more context
https://forums.zwift.com/

Appalling reaction. Taking it out on the whistleblower. Writing a ticket to support right now with my objection. Might cancel the subscription if they don't fix it.

 

[bobinski]

Turns out this issue was highlighted in a blog post by someone who became aware of it, was aware that zwift had known about it for 2 years and done nothing about it, so tested it himself and published the results here https://zweight241477032.wordpress....table-weight-cheat-to-win-all-races-on-zwift/ - not to "market" it as WTRL said, but to highlight it to the community in the hope Zwift would finally sort it out.

Zwift's response is to suspend his account for 30 days - terrible reaction from them in my view - see discussion on the forum here for more context https://forums.zwift.com/t/exploit-found-which-can-lead-cheating/578665

A ridiculous corporate response they will surely regret.

 

[<Tommy>]

I’m honestly more surprised that this stuff still actually surprises some of you.

In a few weeks time someone will post on here about some new idea zwift are proposing, due to happen at some point between never and not going to happen ever. And no doubt it’ll get a bunch of ‘likes’.

 

[Milkfloat]

I thought you were Warwick. You in WLRCC?

Nope - have ridden with RLSCC and the Wheelers in the past - but am now part of an unaffiliated group of splitters mainly because nobody else rides at 7.30am on Sunday, which is my main ride time.

 

[Norry1]

Nope - have ridden with RLSCC and the Wheelers in the past - but am now part of an unaffiliated group of splitters mainly because nobody else rides at 7.30am on Sunday, which is my main ride time.

ah, I was in RLSCC for a while - also was second claim with Banbury Star for 2 years over lockdown due to their TT's.

I don't do many group rides with WLRCC as like you, I prefer to pick my times - but I do like the Bash ChainGang when that starts after the clocks change at the end of March.

I tend to avoid early morning rides - but if you fancy a daytime ride sometime preferably in the week, just give me a shout.

OK, I'll stop hijacking the thread now

 

[bridgy]

I’m honestly more surprised that this stuff still actually surprises some of you.

In a few weeks time someone will post on here about some new idea zwift are proposing, due to happen at some point between never and not going to happen ever. And no doubt it’ll get a bunch of ‘likes’.

The only thing I'm slightly "surprised " about is the rather aggressive response towards the whistle blower from Zwift HQ.

People highlighting potential "cheats", bugs or loopholes isn't "promoting" them, it's usually the opposite. We've done this many times on here with zwift and wigh bkool before that. Not because we want to cheat, but because until the platform fixes it, it's better to have it out in the open so that maybe the community can find a workaround at least. It's better everyone knows, rather than just a small number of cheats getting away with it while everyone else is oblivious