Zwift Chat

[<Tommy>]

@JuhaL , @<Tommy> which "S-Works" exactly are you talking about? I was thinking you meant a Tarmac S-works but I can't see that listed as a Zwift bike - am I missing something or do you mean another S-Works like the Venge?

Im doing the California challenge and for that you get the s works tarmac. Dean has it. It’s the sl5 rather than sl6 which is the latest version. Don’t know if that’s available somehow too.

 

[bridgy]

Im doing the California challenge and for that you get the s works tarmac. Dean has it. It’s the sl5 rather than sl6 which is the latest version. Don’t know if that’s available somehow too.

Ah right - I see where my confusion is, Zwift Insider usually just refers to this bike as the Tarmac but he means the S-Works version that you unlock with the Ride California challenge. So in answer to your and Juhal's questio earlier no, the Tarmac S-Works isn't faster than the Tarmac Pro - the Tarmac S-works is only the 9th fastest climber in the speed tests. See here (listed at just Tarmac but he means Tarmac S-Works) - https://zwiftinsider.com/charts-frames/

 

[bridgy]

Personally, I think the Tron bike should be excluded from all races. It's a bit too easy* to get and once you have it rarely is there a race profile that it's worth switching to another bike (a race up the Alpe being one of the exceptions). But, whilst it's allowed I'll continue to use it


* By 'easy' i mean it requires you to 'climb' a lot, but actually you don't really need to 'climb' to get the ascent metres. You could just set up workouts and aim for the hills - you climb but without the real effort.

Are you having a laugh???!!!

 

[Marino.g]

Now that would make a great Top Trumps card pack- CC excuses 😁

Are you not due an artificial knee yet? A colleague in his sixties has 2 and while he doesn’t cycle does go skiing 3 times a year.

That’s obviously beyond my experience and knowledge. One leg drills? One leg weighted squats? I had to do that to get my muscle wastage back post op. I have some arthritis in the knee and it has become much less troublesome as the muscle bulk and strength has improved. Ice and ibuprofen for the inevitable dons. Perhaps this will work for you too, taking some strain off the knee joint itself and allowing you to cycle more and improve fitness? Other than that fair play to you. My consultant and physio talked about cases like yours when warning me the operation could lead to significant arthritis so I do feel lucky. Writing this also reminded me of a guy I met on a Pyrenees trip, who has a withered right leg as a result of a birth defect .He was, bar me of course, the strongest on the flat, struggling a bit when the road went up because he couldn’t clip the damaged leg in. Which now allows me to play him as a top trump card 😁
Good luck mate👍

It sounds odd but the last consultant thought a new knee would not be successful because of all the damage surrounding and supporting the knee.
So he said unless I crawl into his consultancy begging for mercy he would not agree to it

 

[JuhaL]

Just bought the Cannondale and the Enve's... I'll be flying up those climbs now...

Welcome to club

 

[theboxers]

I have a bad habit that i don't warm-up properly and not hydrate myself before the sessions. Especially harder and longer session hydration before ride probably gives benefits. I have a fan what feels powerful enough but for example yesterday after stage3 my shirt and bibshorts was soaking wet, so my body clearly overheat.

What the saying when indoor cycling, to paraphrase Brody.

'You're gonna need a bigger fan'

18 inch floor standing fan

 

[JuhaL]

@JuhaL , @<Tommy> which "S-Works" exactly are you talking about? I was thinking you meant a Tarmac S-works but I can't see that listed as a Zwift bike - am I missing something or do you mean another S-Works like the Venge?

Good note. I was talking about Tarmac and Tarmac Pro frames. Those suppose to be lightest Specialized frames in a dropshop but i also noticed that there is also Amira S-Works in a dropshop. All those frames are 4-stars frames of weight and 2-stars of aero.

 

[bridgy]

Good note. I was talking about Tarmac and Tarmac Pro frames. Those suppose to be lightest Specialized frames in a dropshop but i also noticed that there is also Amira S-Works in a dropshop. All those frames are 4-stars frames of weight and 2-stars of aero.

Yeah the star system used by Zwft is a bit vague isn't it?! Thankfully we have the speed tests conducted by Eric Schlange of Zwift Insider showing that the Tarmac Pro is the fastest climber, with the Amira S-works 4th fastest and the Tarmac S-wrks only down in 9th. In reality there's only a few seconds between them of course

 

[JuhaL]

What the saying when indoor cycling, to paraphrase Brody.

'You're gonna need a bigger fan'

18 inch floor standing fan

I have a 14" floor standing fan which feels powerful enough,. I have use it in a medium speed so there is still one stronger speed left. I believe that i just sweat doesn't matter what kind of fan i have.

 

[BurningLegs]

Yeah the star system used by Zwft is a bit vague isn't it?! Thankfully we have the speed tests conducted by Eric Schlange of Zwift Insider showing that the Tarmac Pro is the fastest climber, with the Amira S-works 4th fastest and the Tarmac S-wrks only down in 9th. In reality there's only a few seconds between them of course

This was the main point I took from reading his test results.

For me there are clearly larger gains to be made by losing weight, increasing fitness, and improving race tactics!

 

[JuhaL]

Yeah the star system used by Zwft is a bit vague isn't it?! Thankfully we have the speed tests conducted by Eric Schlange of Zwift Insider showing that the Tarmac Pro is the fastest climber, with the Amira S-works 4th fastest and the Tarmac S-wrks only down in 9th. In reality there's only a few seconds between them of course

Yup, that's the way it is. I think riders who are good or very good shape those speed test can give valuable information than cyclist who are novice or moderate as me, i think those test are irrelevant for them. I have much enough to do with my physical shape before those fastest frames are useful for me.

 

[<Tommy>]

This was the main point I took from reading his test results.

For me there are clearly larger gains to be made by losing weight, increasing fitness, and improving race tactics!

This is very true. We are talking about marginal gains here. I’ve had the same conversation about deep rim wheels in the real world. As in, deep rim wheels are good, but how relevant are the handful of watts you save versus fitness, power meter, improving position on the bike etc etc.

It is reassuring to know you’re giving yourself every chance though. And in the real world I’m sure there’s very little difference between my 50mm and 60mm wheels. But I feel like I can go faster on the 60’s and I honestly think that in turn that makes me go faster.

 

[Norry1]

This is very true. We are talking about marginal gains here. I’ve had the same conversation about deep rim wheels in the real world. As in, deep rim wheels are good, but how relevant are the handful of watts you save versus fitness, power meter, improving position on the bike etc etc.

It is reassuring to know you’re giving yourself every chance though. And in the real world I’m sure there’s very little difference between my 50mm and 60mm wheels. But I feel like I can go faster on the 60’s and I honestly think that in turn that makes me go faster.

The placebo effect is very real

 

[bridgy]

This was the main point I took from reading his test results.

For me there are clearly larger gains to be made by losing weight, increasing fitness, and improving race tactics!

Oh yeah definitely - I'd still take the 10 seconds that the Tarmac Pro is quicker up the Alpe than the Tarmac S-Works in a race though! It's just a virtual bike avatar so nothing to lose in using the (slightly) quicker one? What if you lost a place in the league by 9 seconds using the slower bike

 

[CXRAndy]

What do you use for flat/rolling/mixed stages now Andy?

I use an aero canyon bike with 88mm wheels for all races whether up hill or flat. I trundle around on a TT bike the rest of the time. Its to do with being able to see when I'm in the draft position. I like the Tron looks, but it would be useful to get an indication