Your watts for Taylor
Meet Taylor
Taylor is the step most Zwift riders take without really noticing. One week Sofia feels fine; the next it starts to feel like a warm-up. Taylor is what comes next — 1.1 W/kg, enough to need some actual pedalling, not enough to cause anxiety. Her group tends to be the busiest transition zone on the platform: people arriving from Sofia who want a bit more, experienced riders using her for true recovery, and a surprising number of stronger cyclists who've gone out too hard and dropped down for a lap. Taylor is patient like that. She keeps showing up regardless of who needs her today.
Who suits Taylor
Taylor is the natural first step for riders who want more than a recovery spin but aren't ready for real training intensity.
- Beginners who've got a few weeks on Zwift and find Sofia too easy — Taylor adds a little bite without being intimidating.
- Riders returning from injury or illness who are past the pure-recovery phase and want to rebuild gently.
- Experienced cyclists on complete rest days who still want to move. At 1.1 W/kg it's Zone 1 for most trained riders.
- New Zwift subscribers still working out the platform — Taylor's pace is forgiving enough to let you look around, fiddle with settings, and figure out how everything works.
What to expect in Taylor's group
Taylor usually runs one of the larger groups on Zwift, often bigger than Sofia's, because she catches riders in both directions — stepping up and stepping down.
The vibe is sociable and unhurried. Ride Ons fly around freely, the group expands and contracts as people join and drop off, and there's no pressure to be at the front. Like Sofia, Taylor uses dynamic pacing — slightly harder on climbs, easier on descents — which gives you a small taste of how Zwift terrain works without the numbers getting scary.
See your watts for all 10 RoboPacers at once — useful for mapping your progression from Taylor upwards.
Full Calculator →Common questions about Taylor
How many watts do I need to ride with Taylor?
Multiply your weight in kg by 1.1. A 70 kg rider needs 77 W; an 80 kg rider needs 88 W. The calculator above gives you the exact figure. That's the flat-terrain front-of-group number — mid-pack in Taylor's large group typically reduces effort by 20–25%.
Taylor vs Sofia — which one should I start with?
Start with Sofia (0.8 W/kg) if you're brand new to cycling or Zwift and not sure what to expect. Move to Taylor (1.1 W/kg) when Sofia starts to feel like a spin rather than a ride. For a 70 kg rider the difference is 56 W vs 77 W — noticeable, but Taylor is still very accessible. Most riders progress from Sofia to Taylor within their first month.
When should I move from Taylor to Bernie?
When Taylor feels easy for a full session — meaning you finish without real fatigue and feel like you could have gone harder. Bernie rides at 1.5 W/kg, a step up of 0.4 W/kg. For a 70 kg rider that's 77 W vs 105 W. The jump is noticeable but very manageable once you've built a few weeks of consistency with Taylor.
Is Taylor good for weight loss?
Taylor burns calories, but for effective weight loss you'll likely want to progress to Bernie or Miguel over time. 1.1 W/kg is low intensity, which is fine for building the habit and the base fitness, but higher intensities burn more calories per hour and improve your metabolic rate more efficiently. Use Taylor to get consistent, then build up.
What is Taylor's watt output on Zwift?
Taylor produces 83 W on flat terrain. All RoboPacers weigh 75 kg — 75 × 1.1 = 82.5, rounded to 83 W. On climbs this increases by up to 10%; on descents it drops by up to 20%.
New to Zwift? Taylor's a perfect starting point.
Easy enough to build consistency, hard enough to feel like a real ride. Get on and see where you are.
Get Started on Zwift →Check where Taylor is riding today. Routes change week to week.
Today's Routes →