Zwift Chat

[Legs]

Urgh, the Workout of the Week (Spaded Sweetie) is not sweet, but does feel like being hit with a spade! It's not the power that got me this morning, but the cadence targets. I feel that I tick over nicely at 85-90rpm - however, 95rpm for 4 minutes followed by a minute at 105rpm almost had me crying by the fourth rep...

 

[Whorty]

It’s only just in the early stages of testing. There’s been two ’ride with james’ events and last weekend’s tiny races so far.
Some people hated it, others found it weird. There was talk of an enhanced slingshot effect. Others said they got no draft near the back. But pretty much everyone agreed it wasn’t done yet.

I had a very odd experience in race 2, getting left further and further behind on the downhill, but then clawing my way back from 98th to the front in 1km (2 to 3) then getting in a small breakaway for 7th. It's hard to tell if this was the "enhanced slingshot" or the advantage of a gravel bike on dirt that enabled this to happen.

View: https://youtu.be/38yOC0CLzMk


There are more test events coming up. List at the top of this thread.

ZI did a write up following the Tiny races and he concluded it's definitely not working as planned. He noted one rider sling-shot past at 543kph

He didn't think the pack was any slower, and he also noted that if you wasn't at the front end of the pack then you were working very hard just to stay in the draft and easily dropped (probably what Hivey was complaining about as drafters like him tend to sit way back in the pack under PD3 for maximum draft/minimum effort).

I think the idea of what they are trying to achieve with PD4 looks good, it's just they haven't got there yet.

What I'd love, and those who used to ride on Bkool will recall, is the reduction in resistance when in draft (so you could feel less effort was needed to stay in the draft). This also meant if you put you nose in the wind, you felt the resistance change ... that in itself could effect the blob and stop the surging to the front. Drafting was one area that Bkool got spot on

 

[alex_cycles]

ZI did a write up following the Tiny races and he concluded it's definitely not working as planned. He noted one rider sling-shot past at 543kph

I was hoping that was a typo.

The idea of slowing the pack down to a) make breakaways at least remotely feasible and b) make life a bit harder for the "cruise and smash" brigade is a good one. But yeah - some people said they experienced a "wall" when more than a few rows off the front.

Whatever they change, people will find new and creative ways to use and abuse it. Those who benefit will love it and those who lose out will bleat. I'm glad they're trying to make it better, but it will take a while and a fair bit of tweaking, I think.

 

[mjd1988]

ZI did a write up following the Tiny races and he concluded it's definitely not working as planned. He noted one rider sling-shot past at 543kph

He didn't think the pack was any slower, and he also noted that if you wasn't at the front end of the pack then you were working very hard just to stay in the draft and easily dropped (probably what Hivey was complaining about as drafters like him tend to sit way back in the pack under PD3 for maximum draft/minimum effort).

I think the idea of what they are trying to achieve with PD4 looks good, it's just they haven't got there yet.

What I'd love, and those who used to ride on Bkool will recall, is the reduction in resistance when in draft (so you could feel less effort was needed to stay in the draft). This also meant if you put you nose in the wind, you felt the resistance change ... that in itself could effect the blob and stop the surging to the front. Drafting was one area that Bkool got spot on

That bkool draft effect sounds a good way of doing it. I'm glad they are thinking about draft - it would be great to see more realistic chances of breakaways, but must be a very complex thing to get right

 

[Brusgaard]

what days are Primor running Steen?

Only Friday (6 PM UK), which is the day he suggested for a club event.

 

[alex_cycles]

Thanks Alex.

I did Stage 1 today and quite enjoyed it. I came 5th of 60 starters. I made the lead group of 12 which formed a split up the Castle KOM and this stayed together until the sprint at the end. My sprint is poor currently but I managed to get 5th.

Very happy to join CCC if/when I'm good enough

Good to see a fair few of us taking part in Race Makuri
League table here https://zwiftpower.com/league.php?id=1316

 

[<Tommy>]

If anyone fancies a free ticket to Rouler live on Saturday 5th of November in London, let me know. I have “won” a free ticket which can be redeemed by buying online and adding a discount code at checkout. PM me if you’d like it and I can forward the email 🙂

@<Tommy> @bobinski @berty bassett

Thanks for the offer Nick, I’m busy Saturday or I might’ve been tempted.

 

[<Tommy>]

But must be a very complex thing to get right

I’m sure you’re right. It’s just odd that a company as deeply flawed as bkool used to be, could achieve something that zwift seem to struggle with.

 

[CXRAndy]

View: https://youtu.be/FdLNhZ7u4xc

 

[Peter Salt]

Went for a cheeky sprint check after a pace partner ride today. Nice little surprise

 

[alex_cycles]

Went for a cheeky sprint check after a pace partner ride today. Nice little surprise

View attachment 666752

Did you get your rocks off while crossing the finish line? Didn't we decide that's sandbagging?

 

[bobinski]

If anyone fancies a free ticket to Rouler live on Saturday 5th of November in London, let me know. I have “won” a free ticket which can be redeemed by buying online and adding a discount code at checkout. PM me if you’d like it and I can forward the email 🙂

@<Tommy> @bobinski @berty bassett

Nick, ta for the offer but I can’t go this year.

 

[Joffey]

Anyone doing the Primor League tonight?

 

[mjd1988]

Anyone doing the Primor League tonight?

I was hoping to but change in time to 6pm has probably killed it for me. @Brusgaard has done all the stages so far I think.

 

[alex_cycles]

I've noticed this week a lot of the top guys in C are racing the new World Indoor Cycling Rankings series, which I completely missed when it was announced last week

They do team and individual and it seems to work a bit like the FRR via private event links that they email out each Sunday. It's running for several months.