Zwift Chat

[Whorty]

Lets not exaggerate ,it was century number 95 , number 96 should be done when I do the Lincoln GP sportive on May 13th . Also my Eddington number is at 99 so I have ridden over 99 miles 99 times within 24 hours ,but single ride centuries number 95

I think I've managed 2 or 3 .... I need to check ... maybe I need to set a target to reach my age in century rides ...

I already have a life target of visit (and stay at least one night) in as many countries as my age. I was 53 this year, and visited 31 countries so far ... I reckon if I can visit 3-4 a year I can get there before I get too old and decrepit!

 

[Peter Salt]

I know you are waiting with bated breath - so here is my April Review Blog

https://norryscyclingstuff.weebly.com/blog

No FTP and weight, and W/kg graphs. Very disappointing

The more I race, I think the more I am tending towards this position as well. There's nothing quite as dispiriting as hanging onto a small breakaway group of 4 all race, to be the only one who gets XP just before the Clyde Kicker and everyone else gets a feather.

I've really enjoyed the "no powerup" races in DRS. It makes it more about the race than the game. Was also happy when the Chasing series switched them off. But I still think there's a place for both types of race. Would be nice if you could control powerups in "Club" events too.

Yeah. Group rides, free roam, etc. Maybe club events like the Splitters series - for added cheekiness. But races - nah, not for me. I'm actually not sure what this means for future ZRL for me. If they keep the powerups, and they remain random, I'll be definitely less interested.

 

[alex_cycles]

No FTP and weight, and W/kg graphs. Very disappointing


Yeah. Group rides, free roam, etc. Maybe club events like the Splitters series - for added cheekiness. But races - nah, not for me. I'm actually not sure what this means for future ZRL for me. If they keep the powerups, and they remain random, I'll be definitely less interested.

DRS for you mate

 

[Legs]

I think I've managed 2 or 3 .... I need to check ... maybe I need to set a target to reach my age in century rides ...

I've not kept records but I'm pretty sure I've only done around 30. Does it count double if you do more than 200 miles in a day? Do Zwift rides count? I've done that once (and probably never will again!)

I already have a life target of visit (and stay at least one night) in as many countries as my age. I was 53 this year, and visited 31 countries so far ... I reckon if I can visit 3-4 a year I can get there before I get too old and decrepit!

I think I'm on 24, if you count England, Wales and Scotland separately. Going up to 25 when we go to the US in the summer. I haven't counted Hong Kong separately from China (although we visited in 1995, before the handback).

I've got seven that I've passed through without overnighting (Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Andorra, Lesotho, Dutch Antilles and Malaysia).

 

[Norry1]

No FTP and weight, and W/kg graphs. Very disappointing

Fair cop, but there hadn't been much movement on that front so I thought it a bit superfluous. Coincidentally, Roy has raised my FTP today to 275W and my weight has returned (back down) to my pre-Calpe level. So just for you, here is the current graph.

 

[Legs]

Yeah. Group rides, free roam, etc. Maybe club events like the Splitters series - for added cheekiness. But races - nah, not for me. I'm actually not sure what this means for future ZRL for me. If they keep the powerups, and they remain random, I'll be definitely less interested.

I really can't see the point of using powerups on freerides - it blurs the distinction between what your performance is and what's just been artificially gifted to you. I only ever really do freerides to segment-bash, or to try to hit specific power-duration targets, but I won't go out of my way to find, for example, a large group that I can sprint through in the draft to enhance my time on a segment.

I did a massive PB up the volcano in last night's race, but I was more pleased to have increased my power on the segment by 46W (346W) than to reduce my time by 49s (7:02) - segment times are so affected by draft (and yes, I did use a feather PU, too.)

 

[Whorty]

The more I race, I think the more I am tending towards this position as well. There's nothing quite as dispiriting as hanging onto a small breakaway group of 4 all race, to be the only one who gets XP just before the Clyde Kicker and everyone else gets a feather.

I've really enjoyed the "no powerup" races in DRS. It makes it more about the race than the game. Was also happy when the Chasing series switched them off. But I still think there's a place for both types of race. Would be nice if you could control powerups in "Club" events too.

I think it should either be no powerups, or everyone gets the same ones and it's a tactic how it's used. For me the randomness can make it unfair so someone can win or lose because of a random allocation of a PU.

 

[Whorty]

I've not kept records but I'm pretty sure I've only done around 30. Does it count double if you do more than 200 miles in a day? Do Zwift rides count? I've done that once (and probably never will again!)


I think I'm on 24, if you count England, Wales and Scotland separately. Going up to 25 when we go to the US in the summer. I haven't counted Hong Kong separately from China (although we visited in 1995, before the handback).

I've got seven that I've passed through without overnighting (Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Andorra, Lesotho, Dutch Antilles and Malaysia).

I've counted HK as it was still independent (ish) when I visited ... and I've not counted the UK at all (maybe I should lol).

 

[Peter Salt]

I really can't see the point of using powerups on freerides - it blurs the distinction between what your performance is and what's just been artificially gifted to you. I only ever really do freerides to segment-bash, or to try to hit specific power-duration targets, but I won't go out of my way to find, for example, a large group that I can sprint through in the draft to enhance my time on a segment.

I did a massive PB up the volcano in last night's race, but I was more pleased to have increased my power on the segment by 46W (346W) than to reduce my time by 49s (7:02) - segment times are so affected by draft (and yes, I did use a feather PU, too.)

All PBs come from races anyway, right? And at the end of the day, when you get powerups in a free ride - you can use it to get to the desired segment a few seconds quicker

I guess my point is that I'm not happy with powerups when they have a tangible impact on someone else's experience.

I think it should either be no powerups, or everyone gets the same ones and it's a tactic how it's used. For me the randomness can make it unfair so someone can win or lose because of a random allocation of a PU.

Spot on.

 

[Peter Salt]

Fair cop, but there hadn't been much movement on that front so I thought it a bit superfluous. Coincidentally, Roy has raised my FTP today to 275W and my weight has returned (back down) to my pre-Calpe level. So just for you, here is the current graph.


View attachment 688239

That's nearly a 50% increase in raw FTP, and a 10kg weight loss in 6 months. To say you're smashing it would be an understatement. Hats off

 

[Norry1]

Last night my club, Warwick Lanterne Rouge CC, had a race training night at the Evesham Velopark. This is a pretty new facility and it worked well - nice tarmac, fenced off from the riff raff.

As you can see from the pic, it is pretty nadgery for a 1.0km circuit and I'm not sure I'd like to race on it for real. Luckily it is quite wide.

Thoroughly enjoyed the evening and it was great getting back on track - I also set my best max power numbers for 2023 in the sprint practices at the end - 974W so didn't quite get the 1,000W and still nearly 10% below my 2021 numbers - but we're getting there.

 

[Joffey]

Power ups have never bothered me weirdly. As they have always been there I have kinda just accepted it as part of the game.

Totally understand why people would be unhappy losing cos your opponent got an Aero PU and you didn’t, I see how that isn’t really fair. IN stuff like ZRL they should probably be turned off.

 

[Norry1]

I quite like Powerups (apart from the Burrito) but think all even organisers should have the option of not having them.

They do kind of replicate the sort of random things that happen IRL and give you a bit more to think about. As for segments, I bet most Strava KOMs are set with an assisting wind or in a fast group of riders - which again is similar to using a helmet or feather.

 

[Norry1]

I've just had a look at the website for the Evesham Velopark that I rode on Wednesday. It looks really cheap and easy to book either as an individual or as a group.

Probably unlikely, but if anyone fancies a couple of hours on track, give me a shout.

https://eveshamvelopark.co.uk/about-evesham-velopark

 

[alex_cycles]

I quite like Powerups (apart from the Burrito) but think all even organisers should have the option of not having them.

They do kind of replicate the sort of random things that happen IRL and give you a bit more to think about. As for segments, I bet most Strava KOMs are set with an assisting wind or in a fast group of riders - which again is similar to using a helmet or feather.

Or in my case, one of mine where a gate that is normally closed was left wide open, so I was able to start the segment with a flying start.

I have to admit, there are very few things in Zwift that are more enjoyable than dropping a feather on a 10%+ slope on zwift and hitting 7w/kg and blowing through the pack. It just isn't quite as funny when you're the one being blown past because you got XP.

As long as there are choices, I'm good with it. The new burrito sounds much better to me, but I expect we will still hate it.