Zwift Chat

[<Tommy>]

The wheels are an after market upgrade so don't worry about them as you can get what you want after you've got the bike. Plus you then have a spare set. The gearing concerns me the most, it comes with 52/36 and 11-28. To go 32 you may need a medium cage derailure , although I don't know much about Shimano. I think you'll be ok with 52/36 with a 32 on the back.

This

wheels are on of the easiest things to upgrade. Although if it’s a choice between hunt and dt Swiss then dt Swiss haveway better hubs generally. All wheels aren’t equal I’m afraid. Contrary to aero benefit climbs there are other criteria to think about. I have had a few sets of wheels so have formed opinions based on that rather than the interwebs.
I’m begrudgingly doing a days work today but I’m happy to get into it later.

also agree with what kip said regarding the bb. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

 

[kipster]

Press fit bearings are utterly rubbish

Personally I've had more issues with an external BB than with pressfit, although the external is on the winter bike. Like I said above over 10k miles on a pf30 system (campag bearings) and no issues, all running super smooth.

 

[Whorty]

Personally I've had more issues with an external BB than with pressfit, although the external is on the winter bike. Like I said above over 10k miles on a pf30 system (campag bearings) and no issues, all running super smooth.

10k miles for me will be 10 years of riding so I think for now they'll be fine for me.

 

[berty bassett]

I have a pair of hunt wheels and had a pair of Chinese ones. I used the Chinese about 10 times before I decided I didn’t like them at all
May have just been in my head but they had the same tyres and tubes and were noticeably slower on the same course
Just my opinion
The hunt and campag I really like

 

[<Tommy>]

I have a pair of hunt wheels and had a pair of Chinese ones. I used the Chinese about 10 times before I decided I didn’t like them at all
May have just been in my head but they had the same tyres and tubes and were noticeably slower on the same course
Just my opinion
The hunt and campag I really like

It should be noted that hunt wheels are in fact made in China. But that’s not a problem of course. Not all things are equal. Like bob says hunt have a decent enough rep. But you’re paying for branding and convenience over value a little bit. Relative to other wheels in the same quality range.

 

[Whorty]

Really appreciate all the help guys.

Might be a bit morbid, so apologies if it is, but wife wants me to have the right bike for me irrespective of cost as she wants to leave me something that always reminds me of her. The way her illness has progressed this past 18 months we're not sure how long we have left together and she's trying to get everything sorted before it is too late for her to be a part of it. We hope we have 5+ years left, but worse case could be a lot less; we're hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.

We're mostly good, so no need for sympathy, just trying to explain why we want to get the bike right and so why I'm so appreciative of your help 👍

 

[JuhaL]

Then it's no need to hurry Carl. Most important is that you have a right bike, no matter how long it takes. I guess it's out of a question that you are not gonna order from online store, even if you know the right size. If you gonna use your new bike with turbo trainer i would recommend to find out how well the frame can take the stress, especially dropouts and rear fork are often weakest part. I have noticed when i ride on Zwift with my Cervelo derailleur hanger get loose sometimes. Last time i put some thread lock, hope it work better. It's always better that hanger will give up before something serious happens.

 

[CXRAndy]

A agree about the aero to a point, but arent the hubs a bit rubbish on these though?

They are usually formula hubs, not the best, but its really down to bearings, setup and adjustment. Its really down to aesthetics..

 

[CXRAndy]

Hambini explains aero wheels and a damning comment right at the end about dimpled surfaces.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUih_emc54M


He does do an in depth analysis of dimpled wheels in another video- to say he hates the marketing is putting it lightly

 

[Whorty]

Then it's no need to hurry Carl. Most important is that you have a right bike, no matter how long it takes. I guess it's out of a question that you are not gonna order from online store, even if you know the right size. If you gonna use your new bike with turbo trainer i would recommend to find out how well the frame can take the stress, especially dropouts and rear fork are often weakest part. I have noticed when i ride on Zwift with my Cervelo derailleur hanger get loose sometimes. Last time i put some thread lock, hope it work better. It's always better that hanger will give up before something serious happens.

No, won't be putting the new bike on the turbo. My Boardman is fine for that and, if it ever dies, I could replace the whole bike for a few hundred £

 

[<Tommy>]

They are usually formula hubs, not the best, but its really down to bearings, setup and adjustment. Its really down to aesthetics..

Andy thIs isn’t correct mate. I wouldn’t normally labour the point but if we’re trying to give Carl and informed opinion here then it’s worth saying.

 

[bridgy]

I've done some research this morning and I still can't find much/any definitive info on exactly what's going on with this gravel section tyre resistance thing on Zwift (feel free to link to/share any NEW info you may have found). I have found lots of people complaining like us though! As well as spoiling races, it apparently also spoils group rides because you can't keep consistent watts compared to other people and stay together on the gravel sections!

So I'm going to set up tomorrow and Thursday's race for a New York course so we can avoid Watopia gravel for now (I can't find a definitive list of where gravel sections are or which courses include them - another problem! But a lot of Watopia routes do have gravel sections somewhere).

Hopefully it'll either be fixed or we'll know more by next week. A TT might be the answer, although you can change wheelsets on TT bikes so if different wheelsets are performing differently this may also be unfair - who knows as we have no info!

Hoping we get a zwift update soon, reversing the gravel resistance change thing as I think it's a huge c0ck up

 

[CXRAndy]

Andy thIs isn’t correct mate. I wouldn’t normally labour the point but if we’re trying to give Carl and informed opinion here then it’s worth saying.

Ive had formula hubs on a variety of wheels, Ive not had failures or poor performance. Some are obviously cheaper than others, but I'd reckon anyone would be pushed to notice the odd extra watt drag from a standard hub and a super duper hub. Formula are used by many bike manufacturers. They use cone and up bearings in a lot of their hubs, but so do Shimano. Its like ceramic v steel bearings, extremely marginal gains.

https://www.formulahubs.com/product.php

 

[JuhaL]

I've done some research this morning and I still can't find much/any definitive info on exactly what's going on with this gravel section tyre resistance thing on Zwift (feel free to link to/share any NEW info you may have found). I have found lots of people complaining like us though! As well as spoiling races, it apparently also spoils group rides because you can't keep consistent watts compared to other people and stay together on the gravel sections!

So I'm going to set up tomorrow and Thursday's race for a New York course so we can avoid Watopia gravel for now (I can't find a definitive list of where gravel sections are or which courses include them - another problem! But a lot of Watopia routes do have gravel sections somewhere).

Hopefully it'll either be fixed or we'll know more by next week. A TT might be the answer, although you can change wheelsets on TT bikes so if different wheelsets are performing differently this may also be unfair - who knows as we have no info!

Hoping we get a zwift update soon, reversing the gravel resistance change thing as I think it's a huge c0ck up

I need to check that too and see if it gives more information. I believe road to ruins might be the one course where is difference with rolling resistance and actually every segments where the road change to virtual gravel should be cause that effect. Thats how i get it.

 

[bridgy]

I have read a suggestion that ALL road wheelsets are equally affected by the dirt/gravel, and situations where people have been zooming past is where for some reason they haven't yet updated the version of Zwift they're using. If this is the case, it would be good (although does still beg the question of what the point is?) as we could at least continue racing on courses with gravel sections (most if not all the suitable Watopia ones) knowing it's still a level playing field. Need to wait and see for confirmation though...