Aussie and Kiwi Community Rides – Join the fun!

We know cycling is more fun with your mates, and jumping on Zwift doesn’t mean you have to miss out on that awesome bunchie banter! Yes, that’s right! Riding from your living room (or wherever your home setup might be) can be social as well! Whether it’s that coffee shop ride you’re after, a scenic roll in the hills, Wednesday Worlds, or you feel like racing, there’s something for everyone! And even better, there’s some real beaut Aussie and Kiwi events too!

So what are these rides and how can you enter them?

We’ve got you covered! Our calendar is jam-packed with awesome events that everyone can enter, but we wanted to round up our Aussie and Kiwi ones for when you’re craving that local bunchie. See this as your one-stop-shop that highlights the pace of our Aussie and Kiwi rides, which group organises each, and most importantly, the day and time of each one! To make sure you’ve got entering an event down pat, here is a quick How-To.

As you can see, there’s a bunch to choose from (pun intended!) And all are super welcoming for new and current members to join in. After all, it means more wheels to sit on, right?

Still unsure? Don’t know which group ride you should choose?

If you haven’t jumped into a bunch ride on Zwift before, we know this can be daunting, especially if it feels like you won’t know anyone. So what better time to run through our amazing ride leaders and community. Yep, no gate crashing here!

Getting to know them, getting to know all about them…

Aussie Hump Day Ride (AHDR)

The AHDR is one of the longest-running bunch rides in Zwift, and we are proud it’s Australian. With at least one ride daily, it is a group ride that attracts a lot of Southern Hemispherians, and is led by Tim Searle. If anyone knows how to lead a group ride, it’s him! With over 150,000 kms clocked up on Zwift, he’s ridden more kilometres in-game than anyone else. He also has some awesome lieutenants who help him keep the crew behaved. Their Hump Day Ride on Wednesday night is their flagship ride, and definitely a fun ride to try!

Chicks Who Ride Bikes (CWRB)

This female-focused group is the largest community of female cyclists in Australia and they now have a big presence on Zwift too! Led by both their founder, Jordana Blackman, and previous World Champion, Olympian and now commentator, Kate Bates, the CWRB rides are all about inclusivity and helping to answer all your newbie questions too.

Cycling Mums Australia (CMA)

It’s always awesome to ride with people you can relate to, and as their name suggests, this group is targeted to all the mums out there! They get it, if your kid interrupts your session hungry or trips over your trainer cord and cuts out that connection! This group is female only, so another great one for the ladies!

HWC Pedal Mafia

With over 150 weekly rides ridden on Zwift, the HWC Pedal Mafia ride is another awesome regular ride, and the perfect way to get in that Monday night pedal! Dana Harris has been the ride leader for this group since the very beginning, and has grown it to what it is today. Over 200 people regularly join this cruise, which has a few intermediate sprints too if you want to bring home some bragging rights.

KOA Sports

If you have the need for speed, and want to get in that weekly racing fix, then this is the perfect event for you! Their racing league includes A, B, C, and D grades and they even broadcast all the action live on Zwift Community Live! Run by KOA Sports coaches Tim Ballentine and Greg McDermott, you smiling from the banter whilst grimacing from the effort! You’ll be counting down the days until that next race for sure (and maybe even start wanting to be a triathlete)!

Kiwi Crew

This ride is led by a man that needs no introduction. Greg Henderson is an ex-professional cyclist who has gone to 5x Olympics, been World Champion, and is one of our coaches at Zwift. When he isn’t coaching athletes or recording the Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast, he is leading the Kiwi Crew Rides in New Zealand. The first 30-minutes is always full of a good chin-wag, and they finish with a 10-minute riot at the end… just to make sure you woke up those legs!

PACK

If you want a steady social ride with support for beginners, but also some spice at the end, the PACK is a good ride for you. Originally created as a morning weekend social ride for the USA, this group now has rides for all time zones, because what group is complete without some Aussies and Kiwis!

SAS

Saints And Spinners have a great selection of rides to suit all fitness levels, from beginners right through to A-Grade. They are passionate about cycling both indoors and outdoors, but with a ride each day on Zwift, it’s clear they love to ‘Ride On’ in Watopia! Led by Colin Cooper, known as Sir Badger (or as his friends in SAS know him, the BADger), he created the SAS Cycle Group after seeing the light and moving across the pond to Australia from the UK. The group’s community quickly grew and these group rides are fun for everyone. You’re bound to be giggling at all the smack talk being laid down….and will even have dad jokes on tap too!

Team ZF

Team Zwift Fitness is a group aimed at improving your overall fitness, whether it be with a group workout or group ride it’s very welcoming to those who might just be starting out. Created by Pete Donohoe, in a period where jumping on Zwift got him through a difficult time, Pete’s presence in the Zwift community is enormous. Ideal for those on the West Coast, Team ZF is a must for anyone just trying to get that fitness routine going.

The Big Ring (TBR)

TBR is all about bringing the bunch together. With a great group of ride leaders, including Sharron Yaxley (aka the Mink) who has ridden more kilometres in Zwift than any female! Shane Elliott, Kev Wells, and James New join her as ride leaders, along with many more! TBR are about being inclusive, and if you have an epic challenge on your bucket list, they won’t just be there to encourage you, but will be riding next to you the whole way!

All these legends are marked with a yellow beacon above them to indicate that they are the Ride Leaders.  Remember to look for these avatars and listen to them too, as they’re like the person who pays for the round of coffees, you want them on your side! Join in with all the banter and give your mates a Ride On too!

So choose your crew, or jump in a few! We’ll see you in Watopia!