Zwift Chat

[Brendan Parker]

Thanks to the nudge from @mjd1988 I've just found this huge thread!

I've recently started Zwift racing (started in the wrong group but now 4 races in @ Cat B), got a little series on Youtube of my progress if anyone is interested (subscribe too :P)


View: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbWAx2Wt1bjjP3yJqVnMGcmrHe26J5aJ8


I'm really enjoying it so far, it is shocking how much you have to push yourself and the training benefits of racing are huge. My real road rides feel so easy now

Well this is actually quiet spooky as I came across one of your videos whilst “working from home”🤨. Quiet refreshing to see honesty on these videos. Nice and welcome. 👍🏼 Get lots of honesty here also I’m afraid 😂

 

[jenic]

Well this is actually quiet spooky as I came across one of your videos whilst “working from home”🤨. Quiet refreshing to see honesty on these videos. Nice and welcome. 👍🏼 Get lots of honesty here also I’m afraid 😂

Thanks, working from home has it's perks

I guess the thing I'm trying to do in the channel is just be normal. So many people out there are fairly 'pro' or think they are and I just wanted an honest channel, with videos that are just realistic to what most people will experience as a normal, amateur cyclist.

 

[Whorty]

Back in the old, old Bkool days when this all started we didn't have different Cats and it seemed to work fine and everyone enjoed their own personal battles wherever they were in the league table. And for those of you who weren't around back then, the people that now win races weren't winning them when they started out in those Bkool leagues, they worked their way up (I mean, I can remember when Tommy and Lee were distinctly mid-table - happy times )

I'm not saying separate Cats are right or wrong but they're a Zwift thing we've just all got used to and if it makes things over-complex or divisive for our own races I think we can happily manage - and have fun - without them.

Having said that, I do think we all agree that handicap races where everyone has a shot at crossing the line first are REALLY good - the problem with them is they're really reliant on getting the handicaps right which can be a bit tricky and complicated.

Oh I remember those days Paul ... I was always last man across the line We did do the handicaps then too, so I'd go off first and be chased down by everyone I still don't think I ever managed to cross the line first Always good fun though

 

[<Tommy>]

I can remember when Tommy and Lee were distinctly mid-table - happy times

I’m afraid my memory isn’t good enough to remember that far back

I can just about remember last nights race. I can just about remember though Paul and lee, don’t worry

Regarding the handicaps I think they’ll be just as hard if not harder to get right than on bkool. But I’ll try my best to get them close. And if you guys aren’t happy with your allotted times just let me know I’ll be my usual sympathetic self

 

[mjd1988]

Home from work at a reasonable time and wife on the mend so might try a horrible crit race at 1855 if anyone isn't TTTing it tonight.

 

[Aleman]

Are you going to do the Monday Irish thing? How about the other D chaps? @JLaw @Aleman (Have I missed anyone?)

Can't do Mondays, can't really do before 19:00 realistically ... So, as the dragons would say "I'm Out"

 

[mjd1988]

Thanks to the nudge from @mjd1988 I've just found this huge thread!

I've recently started Zwift racing (started in the wrong group but now 4 races in @ Cat B), got a little series on Youtube of my progress if anyone is interested (subscribe too :P)


View: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbWAx2Wt1bjjP3yJqVnMGcmrHe26J5aJ8


I'm really enjoying it so far, it is shocking how much you have to push yourself and the training benefits of racing are huge. My real road rides feel so easy now

You are very welcome! We are just discussing when to do club races. We aim to do these once every couple of weeks.

At the minute a fair few of us are signed up to do a race series starting on Monday at 7pm and others are doing team time trials on Thursdays. Feel free to get involved!

 

[CXRAndy]

Everyone likes to have a good result or victory.

I've only ever won two events.

Most of my 'victories' are minor placing with a win over those near me racing for the line.

Category and handicap racing offer opportunity to some that would be no match for varied ability group races.

 

[Brendan Parker]

Oh I remember those days Paul ... I was always last man across the line We did do the handicaps then too, so I'd go off first and be chased down by everyone I still don't think I ever managed to cross the line first Always good fun though

Team beige 👌

 

[IrishAl]

You are very welcome! We are just discussing when to do club races. We aim to do these once every couple of weeks.

At the minute a fair few of us are signed up to do a race series starting on Monday at 7pm and others are doing team time trials on Thursdays. Feel free to get involved!

Welcome Mike! Would be great to have another B in the cyclechat gang. As @mjd1988 says a lot of us are ’signed’ up for the Team Irl race league which starts on this coming Monday. I think we had 4, maybe 5 in Cat B last week. Poor Nick (aka @BurningLegs ) went and got himself upgraded to A a couple of weeks ago- we will see him in 3 months 😀. We have a good team ethic going whereby the team help me win, sledge the opponents, and in turn I compliment them Profusely and share the prize money equally just like I’m real life 😂

Here is the link to the IRL race - https://www.zwift.com/events/view/931755

 

[IrishAl]

Back in the old, old Bkool days when this all started we didn't have different Cats and it seemed to work fine and everyone enjoed their own personal battles wherever they were in the league table. And for those of you who weren't around back then, the people that now win races weren't winning them when they started out in those Bkool leagues, they worked their way up (I mean, I can remember when Tommy and Lee were distinctly mid-table - happy times )

I'm not saying separate Cats are right or wrong but they're a Zwift thing we've just all got used to and if it makes things over-complex or divisive for our own races I think we can happily manage - and have fun - without them.

Having said that, I do think we all agree that handicap races where everyone has a shot at crossing the line first are REALLY good - the problem with them is they're really reliant on getting the handicaps right which can be a bit tricky and complicated.

I remember these too. It was first experience (very intens) of virtual racing. I do recall sprinting for a result in one of our first races and nearly dying on the handlebars. Also the mountain goat league up the famous climbs where I battled Ryan...oh how I wish I could still put out the bkool wattage 😀

 

[Whorty]

Team beige 👌

Always and forever

 

[mjd1988]

Self indulgent post alert

First B group crit city race. Went pretty much perfectly for me, albeit in a small race over only 16km

New FTP, 20 minutes all out, a few attacks but generally a group of 17 broke away from the first lap and pretty much stayed together until the end. Drafted as much as I could then sprinted up the cobbles each lap and just piled on the power over the top and for the rest I was confident enough that the group wouldn't splinter aside from maybe the rollers just before the finish, so just sat in.

First bunch sprint since moving up from c...really missed the shot of adrenaline of being at the business end. Top 11 on zwift power contested the sprint, came third but with the lowest power across the race in that group.

Felt great after getting a bit of a kicking on the last Irish league stage up the volcano. Definitely not going to be troubling the front of the proper races but a bit of confidence that I can stick with the front group for longer.

I have decided to do a proper weigh in before the Monday league though as I suspect I may have put weight on as work has been a bit stressful (it's hard to tell if I'm fat or not because I wear scrubs at work and straight into a dressing gown when home...)

 

[Marino.g]

Always and forever

They were the days, team beige getting there asses whipped (whorty, Jim, marino.g, and goldwolfie).

 

[BurningLegs]

Poor Nick (aka @BurningLegs ) went and got himself upgraded to A a couple of weeks ago- we will see him in 3 months 😀.

Might be longer considering my imminent lull in riding!

Who has taken on sledging responsibilities in my absence? I reckon @<Tommy> could do a good job?!