Getting Started

Zwift’s gamification makes it more appealing to all cyclist, especially kids. As a junior myself, I can say that I have had an amazing experience on Zwift, I have met tons of new riders, and my cycling has improved a ton. Read on to find out everything you need to know about Zwift kids accounts… For a list of the limitations for kids accounts, head over here.

In Zwift you can level up, unlock achievements, purchase new bikes and wheels, participate in events, ride with friends using the meetup feature, and more! All of these things make it great for kids who are into cycling. Zwift is great for kids who are looking to do more indoor cycling. I have been using Zwift as a junior myself since January 2019. Zwift helps me improve on the bike by keeping me motivated and interested in the game.

In order to get started on Zwift(This goes for all riders, not just kids), you will need a few different things. First, riders will need a smart trainer, power meter + dumb trainer/rollers, or a speed sensor (cadence optional) + a dumb trainer/rollers. If you are just using a speed sensor then you will have estimated power, also called ZPower. ZPower is a great way to start on Zwift, but if you are looking to do more racing in the future, I would recommend getting a trainer that has a built in power meter. This is because Zpower can be unrealistic, and you could get DQ from some races. Before purchasing any of these items, make sure that they are compatible with your bike and Zwift. All trainers are compatible with Zwift if they have Bluetooth smart or Ant+.

If you aren’t sure if your device is compatible, just leave a comment below with the model name of your device and I will do my best to find out. You will also need a device that is compatible with Zwift, for more information on compatibility, head to this article: https://support.zwift.com/en_us/supported-devices-to-run-zwift-H1Cj9QbeB.

A stable WiFi connection is also recommended to make sure the app runs smoothly. If you do not have a strong Wifi connection, some riders may be displayed as Invalid and there could be a risk to failure in saving. One way that makes Zwift a great option for kids riding indoors, is that through the meetup feature, you can ride with your parent/child at anytime! You can even invite up to 100 riders to join you on that ride too! Setting up a meetup can seem confusing, but once you get the hang of it, it is really quick. For a quick tutorial on how to create a meetup, head over to this article: https://zracecentral.com/2021/08/31/how-to-create-a-meetup-on-zwift/.

Some things that will make your Zwift experience better are a fan, a towel, and some friends/groups to ride with.

Some things that will make your Zwift experience even better…

• A elevation riser device like the Wahoo Kickr Climb Elite Rizer will definitely boost your experience. A bonus, the Elite Rizer can steer too!
• A steering device such as the Elite Steerzo
• For those of you who want an even more realistic ride, get a rocker plate! One example of a very well rated rocker plate is the KOM cycling rocker plate.
• If you are looking for a simple Zwift setup that is cost friendly, I would look into the Wahoo Speed and Cadence sensors. They can pair to both bluetooth and Ant+!
• Upgrade your device to one with better quality so you can really soak in every detail of Zwift!
• A heart rate monitor to ensure that you do not get disqualified in Zwift races, it is also a great training tool to use for indoor and outdoor riding! A Heart Rate Monitor like the Polar H9 can go very small which is great for kids to use. Another great Heart Rate Monitor is the Wahoo Tickr.
• I would also highly recommend something to hold a device, like a trainer desk, or a music stand(Which is what I use, and it works great!). Some well reviewed trainer desks are the KOM indoor Training desk, and the Wahoo Kickr Training Desk.
• Zwift Play Controllers – these add a new dimension to Zwift, and I have seen that kids seem to enjoy these as they make them more video game-like.

Restrictions/Limitations

Zwift has added a few restrictions to kids accounts to ensure that kids on Zwift are as safe as can be.

Firstly, riders with a kids Zwift account will not be able to chat with other riders when riding in game, when in group rides they can only see the leader and sweeps chat.

Secondly, other users also will not be to see kids ages, height, and other data. Their profiles will also be set as private so users will have to request to follow them, in order to see their activities, ride stats, and more.

Third, all activities are automatically set as private, so nobody can view the activities of juniors, not even followers.

Finally, kids cannot join clubs until they are 16 years of age.

Here is what a users profile will look like if it is a juniors account. Zwift also recommends that you do not add your age into your name, to help keep your account more private. The only information shown is you gender, nationality, and your name.

Once a child reaches the age of 13, they will be able to see the chat and participate in the chat. The first image is from another riders perspective. The user itself will see it slightly differently(as shown by the second image). The last restriction is that kids will only have a free account until they are 16. Once they reach the age of 16, they will no longer have a free account and will have to pay the regular price, $14.99/month.

Kids will be able to participate in all events on the official calendar, and they will have access to the meetups feature. There are no limits for how much you can ride, you can ride as little or as much as you want, as long as you make sure you renew your account yearly. Zwift also recommends that you do not add your age in your name to make sure that you stay safe on the platform.

Account Expiration

This is very simple if you are on Mac or PC, but there is no real way to check on iOS/tablet. If you do not run Zwift on a computer, then I would just recommend contacting Zwift support, usually they respond within 24 hours of the contact.

Registering for an Account

Once you have every ready to go, just fill out this form: https://www.zwift.com/kids, and Zwift will get the account created for you. For me I did not have any delay, we got our accounts renewed within the hour. Zwift will give you a default password, you can then change it once the account is up and running. Zwift’s kids accounts last for 1 year, then you will have to contact Zwift support to get it renewed for another year. I would recommend getting the account renewed 1-2 weeks prior to the expiration date so that Zwift has time to process your request. If you are looking to get Zwift for kids, be sure to request an account before the date that you want to use it so that it will be all set up in time.

I also have some cool new events for juniors that I am organizing, for more information on these events, head to the events section of the website. If you are looking for some buddies to ride/race with, I would look into Bikely Youth Team. To read a bit about them, head over to this article that I put together: https://zracecentral.com/2021/08/03/all-about-bikely-youth-team/. Thanks for reading! Other platforms like RGT, BKOOL, FulGaz, and other training platforms do not have things for kids. I believe for Zwift Kids accounts for riders under the age of 13 you will have to donate 1$ to charity. I think that Zwift is by far the most kid friendly training platform out there and I highly recommend signing up for a Zwift kids account. There is also a team for kids that you can join, called Bikely Youth Team, and they run weekly events that are open for anyone to join.