Steering: Get Where You Want To Go

Enjoy all the twists and turns Zwift has to offer with a steering device! Not only is it fun to steer, but it can help you ride faster, too. Want to know how? Here are some tips to get the most out of steering on Zwift.

Get a feel for it: Different devices will feel different to steer. Practice moving within groups and around corners to get used to the feel of your steering controls. You can make small movements with short taps on the Zwift Play controller buttons, while longer presses will quickly send you across the road. Other devices like the Elite Sterzo Smart might take more input to make a large movement. Repack Rush is a great place to test your skills!

Take the inside line: If you’re on a twisty crit course, try to move to the inside before each corner and stay there until you come out of it. You’ll take a shorter path around the turn. Be careful not to steer too far, because this could pop you out from behind other riders, and you won’t be drafting them anymore.

Cut those switchbacks: Cutting corners works on climbs, too. If there are switchbacks, like on the Watopia Hilly KOM/QOM or the Alpe du Zwift, you can reduce your total distance by moving to the inside through the turn. Be warned: you might hit steeper gradients, so be ready to power through them!

Get the most draft: Try to stay directly behind another rider to maximize the draft benefit. Zwift’s auto-steering will move you behind other riders automatically, but with manual steering, you have more control over where you are and how quickly you react to moves. This leads to…

Grab the right wheel: With steering, you can control exactly whose wheel to follow. When a rider in front of you is struggling and you notice another rider is passing, try to steer behind the passing rider to get in their draft and avoid being blocked.

Shake them off: Making an attack and don’t want others to follow? You can watch for riders coming up behind and steer away, making it harder for them to quickly latch onto your wheel.

Now that you’ve read these tips, it’s time to show off your moves! Take a plunge down Repack Rush to see if you can beat your best time, try for a PR up the Alpe du Zwift, or join a race that has steering enabled.