Soarerv8
Über Member
Similar experience at the start Bill with ultra slow acceleration (not just my usual level of very slow acceleration) it feels a bit like it is taking a reading every 4 or 5 seconds rather than constantly which makes drafting almost impossible as I can't make small changes to speed. Seems to be a known problem but without a solution. I have tried placing the whole kit and caboodle into a digital Bluetooth free quarantine but to no avail.Well that was an interesting play around on Zwift. Today was the London loop apparently so as soon as I launched the simulator I found myself at the side of the road in some central London street with loads of other cyclists around. I then set off pedalling and my guy just stayed where he was. Then ever so slowly (like a Kickr at the start of a race) he started moving forward and slowly built up momentum even though I was pedalling like the start of a changing race. Built up some speed and seemed to be passing everyone with about 250w, built up to 350 or so and kept going for 10 or 15 minutes by which time I got a bit bored. No one seemed to be racing so I stopped. Went to settings and got some gear like a helmet and socks and a slightly different coloured frame. I wanted the deep carbon fibre rims but I was locked out of that choice. Anyway, went back into the London loop and changing my gear out hadn't made it any more interesting so I then wondered what to do and thinking at this rate I wouldn't even get round to doing my 50km free allowance. Then I noticed a board that listed some races about to start so I joined the first one which started in 10 mins. I waited for that to start and was on the start line and wondered whether I could be pedalling when it started or would I have to be not pedalling so to be safe I chose the latter. Everyone sped off leaving me on the line in last place and I slowly built up speed (like a kickr) and started picking them off. Soon got past the midfield and then passed a group which was apparently the leading group and my name went to the top of the listing. Looking down I was making about 500w and then a banner came up telling me I had made over 500w for 10 seconds so I think I got some points or something. I decided not to bother sitting with the lead group and trying to draft them and thought I'd just try to build up a lead over them. I tried 600w then 700w (these are easier than bkool watts BTW) I thought I must be building up a lead but it is very hard to tell where you are in relation to others (unlike in bkool where it's easy to see), but one of the leaders had decided to catch me up and draft me so whenever I took a slight break and dropped my watts by a bit, this guy would come up behind me and be drafting me. We then got to the end of a lap which was labeled as a warmup lap and there was one race lap left to complete the race. So with this guy on my tail I upped the watts further to 700 then 800 and was surprised how long I could hold this power. This dropped the guy behind me. Meanwhile there are still riders everywhere that I'm passing pretty quick as everyone is lumped in together. Then my name fell down the leaderboard to 3rd place and the guy who was drafting me and another had passed me and I couldn't even see where they were. I booted it up a bit more and saw 1000w and got in front again and I could see the race was near the end so I just nailed it to the line and a bar came up saying I got 1st place.
So conclusions:
1. Zwift seems much more complicated than bkool.
2.There seems to be only one place to ride each day (todays was London).
3. Most people just seem to be out there riding, and there are thousands of them.
4. Zwift gives you a lot of gold stars.
5. The graphics are better.
6. You won't get to know the other riders (I don't think).
7. Zwift riders are not as hard as bkool riders.
8. I would not give up bkool for Zwift.
9. I may end up with a monthly Zwift subscription but not sure yet.
Really like Zwift but still happy to keep both it and Bkool.
