The trio begins by diving into “Making Zwift Racing Great Again”. What could Zwift do to make the experience more engaging, more “indoor-only”, while keeping it all dead simple? From real-time points racing to elimination races without elimination to “Tantopia”, we dig into the possibilities.

Then it’s onto Zwift Clubs. Cycling, particularly road cycling, has always revolved around local clubs. Zwift’s Clubs feature tries to bring some of this to the platform. But how useful is the Clubs feature today, when it’s really just a container for events? Could Zwift build it out to enable better interaction and stronger communities, all within the Zwift ecosystem?

Next up: Rocket Espresso’s recent announcement of a limited-edition collaboration with Zwift. Feedback from the community was generally negative, with comments focusing on the machine’s price tag. Shane weighs in on how Starbucks drinkers aren’t interested, Eric confesses his espresso obsession, and we all gain a bit of perspective on the world of high-end collabs and influencer marketing.

Lastly, we hit on a fresh piece of news: Zwift is launching a North American junior team in 2027, with partners Canyon and Pedal Mafia. And this is no short-term project, with long-term funding secured and a 10-year goal of putting a rider on the Tour de France podium. What are the motivations here? Will Zwift need to change how it deals with junior accounts? And could this affect Zwift Academy?

Thanks for listening! Leave a review if the show is landing for you, and share us with your cycling friends. Word of mouth is how independent podcasts grow.

In this episode:

Shane just returned from China, and what he saw about the global indoor cycling market is not what you'd expect. That's where the conversation starts.

From there: Tim Searle's expanded Zwift levels are out in the wild — how is the community actually receiving them? And when the highest-mileage accounts on the platform start hitting Level 400+, how confident are we those numbers are clean? That question leads naturally into MyWhoosh's in-home anti-doping program — a competitor putting real money behind eSports integrity. What does it signal, and does it put pressure on Zwift?

Then the crew goes deep on Zwift's AI-driven Next Up feature — including a quiet but telling development: Zwift now lets users opt out. What does that say about where trust stands? And with outside rides factoring into recommendations, is Zwift trying to become something bigger than a riding platform?

The back half is all about the workout experience itself. Eric's VO2sday Micro Races pulled 371 riders on the first event — a community-built format designed to deliver real training stimulus inside a race structure. Shane makes the case for ERG mode on real terrain. And the group digs into HUD customization and what the execution layer actually needs to look like if AI training recommendations are going to mean anything.

Finally: the Rouvy acquisition dust is settling. The forums have had their say. The crew reads the room.

Music this episode curated by Eric Schlange. If you liked it, thank Eric. If you didn't — also thank Eric, but diplomatically.

Find us wherever you get your podcasts. Leave a review if the show is landing for you. Word of mouth is how independent podcasts grow.

We couldn't have scripted a better opening week. Just as Wattage Cottage launches, the indoor cycling world got rocked by one of the biggest business moves in the history of the sport — and we're breaking it down on day one.

Episode one of Wattage Cottage sets the tone for everything this show is going to be — honest, informed, and genuinely enthusiastic about the world of indoor cycling. Host Dave Towle is joined by Eric Schlange, founder of Zwift Insider, and Shane Miller — GP Lama — Australia's premier cycling tech reviewer. Together, the three tackle the Zwift-Rouvy bombshell and dig into two of the biggest ongoing conversations in indoor cycling right now.

What We Cover

🚨 BREAKING — Zwift Acquires Rouvy This just landed and it changes everything. Zwift — the dominant force in virtual cycling — has acquired Rouvy, the leading real-world video-based training platform. These are two very different products with two very different philosophies. So what does this mean? Is this about eliminating competition? Expanding the tent? Building something new? Dave, Eric, and Shane dig into the implications for subscribers of both platforms, what happens to Rouvy's identity, and whether this is good or bad news for the indoor cycling community as a whole.

Zwift Levels Beyond 100 & the Drop Shop Zwift is finally expanding its level cap — and updating the Drop Shop alongside it. For years, the level ceiling left some of the platform's most dedicated riders with nowhere to go. Dave, Eric, and Shane break down what this means, whether it's genuine progress or long-overdue housekeeping, and what it tells us about how Zwift thinks about rider motivation and retention.

Gravel on Zwift — Does It Actually Work? Gravel has become one of the most culturally vital formats in cycling. So what happens when you bring it indoors? Shane breaks down the physics and resistance modeling. Eric reports from the community side. And Dave asks the harder question — can virtual gravel ever really capture what makes gravel gravel?

Meet the Team

Dave Towle — The voice of American cycling, having called some of the biggest races in the country for decades. Now bringing that same sharp eye to the indoor cycling world.

Eric Schlange — Founder of Zwift Insider, the internet's most comprehensive and reliable resource for Zwift routes, updates, and platform intelligence. The guy who actually reads every release note.

Shane Miller (GP Lama) — Based in Australia, Shane is one of the most followed and trusted cycling tech reviewers in the world. If it connects to a trainer or measures a watt, Shane has tested it.

Find Us

 New episodes monthly  Find Zwift Insider at zwiftinsider.com  Find GP Lama on YouTube  Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts