Just caught up with all the replies and I think my brain hurts!
Let's go with
@IrishAl 's Google doc spreadsheet to capture times. That's a great idea and allows everyone to enter their time regardless of when they do it.
Then, let me explain why I initially suggested using a Meet Up to set the handicaps, and then I'll suggest an alternative approach. People can then choose.
Firstly, I thought it might be a bit more fun to do it as a Meet Up, rather than just going off and riding by ourselves, and I thought that adding groups might just add a bit of extra competition and motivation. However, it's true that the 2.5km lead-in undermines the group start, so we may as well go with a mass start. That's what we used to do on my road club TT.
Secondly, I thought if we do it on TT bikes in a Meet Up there's no drafting and its a level playing field. And if we used a Meet Up its more like race conditions, as we can all see the other CC riders and I thought the motivation to ride hard would be greater.
I thought these 2 things would ensure the handicaps were as accurate as could be. The point was made that for the first event how do we cover the fact that the first 2.5kms isn't included in the Strava segment. Well there are 2 options. Either ignore the 2.5kms and just take the handicaps from the 2 laps of the Strava segment. Or, just extrapolate the time to cover the extra 2.5kms. The segment is 10.49 miles or 16.88 kms. 2 laps is 33.76 kms. So the formula for this would be Time for 2 laps + 2.5/33.76 (Time for 2 laps) = Adjusted Handicap.
An example for this. Say it took 50 minutes to complete 2 laps of the segment, then the adjusted time is 50 + 2.5/33.76 (50) = 53.7 minutes
We could even put the formula for that into the spreadsheet, which would make huge numbers of people very happy!
I didn't suggest using the Companion App time because we've discussed that before and rejected it. We thought using a Strava segment was more accurate and less subject to variability than relying on timing from Zwift. But if people now want to take the timing from the Companion App we can do that instead?
What's the alternative approach?
If we stay with doing CC events every 2 weeks, our next Meet Up event will be July 10, so we've got nearly 2 weeks to collect handicaps before then.
We all take responsibility to set up a Meet Up using a TT bike, so that it's a level playing field. Those that want to ride alone can do so (but remember you'll still have to invite someone or else the Meet Up doesn't work). Those who want to ride with others, can invite others or post up here if they want company. Whatever option you choose, it just has to be completed before July 10 and entered in the spreadsheet.
I think on balance, based on the replies here I'm tempted to go with this alternative. Everyone can set a time when it suits them and then July 10 is a proper handicap race.
So, in summary:
1. Can we all agree to use Al's spreadsheet. I can't see any downside to this.
2. Do we agree to set our own handicaps before July 10, in our own time or with others, and then make July 10 a proper handicap race?
3. Do we all agree to use the Meet Up function and a TT bike then when setting our handicap so that it's a level playing field?
4. Are we using the Strava segment of Companion App timing to set the handicaps? I'm assuming here that the Companion App time is the same as the on screen time? I don't know what happens if you keep on riding? Does that become another ride or does that time get tacked on to the on screen Meet Up time?
