Zwift Chat

[Mo1959]

working for me on the website

Hmmm. Maybe needing to clear my cache/cookies, etc.

 

[alex_cycles]

So your saying if I hadn't gone gravel I would have beaten Andy 😂

Probably yes. In my bot test at 260W on the climbs and 200W the rest of the time for 67kg 166cm the Tron is 20s faster than the Crux + Enve on one lap of City and the Sgurr

 

[13 rider]

So your saying if I hadn't gone gravel I would have beaten Andy 😂

I said in the pens genius move or stupid , now we know it was stupid 😂

 

[alex_cycles]

I said in the pens genius move or stupid , now we know it was stupid 😂

It's a bit silly when a gravel bike is slower on gravel than a road bike. Makes you wonder why they bothered having them?

 

[bridgy]

It's a bit silly when a gravel bike is slower on gravel than a road bike. Makes you wonder why they bothered having them?

Based on this article, the gravel bike is still quicker on the gravel surface of the Sgurr, but the difference is much smaller - https://zwiftinsider.com/update-1-51-0-122036/

 

[bobinski]

A race up CG at the end of the month could be just what this forum needs… and possibly drag @berty bassett and Tommy back for one ride at least. You know, pride before a fall 😁

 

[alex_cycles]

Based on this article, the gravel bike is still quicker on the gravel surface of the Sgurr, but the difference is much smaller - https://zwiftinsider.com/update-1-51-0-122036/

That is actually correct, but a bit misleading. The Crux in my test was 4.2s faster up the Sgurr North segment than the Tron, but that's not the whole story.
From the start in Glasgow to top of Sgurr North first time it was 8s slower.

Based on my 'bot testing tailored for my height, weight, and power profile the Tron bike was 20s faster over the full lap of City and the Sgurr.
Ask Phil if he'd go gravel again after today

ZI testing and Zwifterbikes are a good general guide, but they are not adequate if you want precise info on a specific course.
The best way is to test the exact course in a way which is as similar as you can do to the way you will ride it.

 

[CXRAndy]

Lucky choice by me never even considered anything but the Tron

I do remember last time we did it in ZRL folk were changing the bike at the top of the climb, too much time lost swapping over

 

[alex_cycles]

Lucky choice by me never even considered anything but the Tron

I do remember last time we did it in ZRL folk were changing the bike at the top of the climb, too much time lost swapping over

Yeah definitely if it was a "segment only" race like the HERD Climbers Gambit it would be worth going for gravel. But for City and the Sgurr and Muckle Yin, since they nuked the Crr of gravel back in the autumn, it's a no-brainer to use a road bike.

 

[bridgy]

That is actually correct, but a bit misleading. The Crux in my test was 4.2s faster up the Sgurr North segment than the Tron, but that's not the whole story.
From the start in Glasgow to top of Sgurr North first time it was 8s slower.

Based on my 'bot testing tailored for my height, weight, and power profile the Tron bike was 20s faster over the full lap of City and the Sgurr.
Ask Phil if he'd go gravel again after today

ZI testing and Zwifterbikes are a good general guide, but they are not adequate if you want precise info on a specific course.
The best way is to test the exact course in a way which is as similar as you can do to the way you will ride it.

Well ZI has done another test of different bikes on the whole course (that previous one just had times for the gravel climb) and he still finds the gravel bike quicker - https://zwiftinsider.com/city-and-the-sgurr-bike/

No disrespect to your own testing, but based on these tests I'd go with gravel bike.

So what weight and power did you use for your bot tests? ZI ones are based on 75kg rider @ 300w

 

[13 rider]

That is actually correct, but a bit misleading. The Crux in my test was 4.2s faster up the Sgurr North segment than the Tron, but that's not the whole story.
From the start in Glasgow to top of Sgurr North first time it was 8s slower.

Based on my 'bot testing tailored for my height, weight, and power profile the Tron bike was 20s faster over the full lap of City and the Sgurr.
Ask Phil if he'd go gravel again after today

ZI testing and Zwifterbikes are a good general guide, but they are not adequate if you want precise info on a specific course.
The best way is to test the exact course in a way which is as similar as you can do to the way you will ride it.

Answer No 😂
I actually chose the gravel for 2 reasons ,1 the tarmac to the sugrr in our race was neutralised so didn't come into the equation ,2 I was hoping the gravel set up would cancel out Andy weight advantage on the gravel downhill leaving me nearer to him so I could put climb him on the last ascent

 

[alex_cycles]

Well ZI has done another test of different bikes on the whole course (that previous one just had times for the gravel climb) and he still finds the gravel bike quicker - https://zwiftinsider.com/city-and-the-sgurr-bike/

No disrespect to your own testing, but based on these tests I'd go with gravel bike.

You'd still beat me anyway as you're a better rider

So what weight and power did you use for your bot tests? ZI ones are based on 75kg rider @ 300w

Here's exactly what I did. Single person event, so no draft influence.
My weight and height parameters 67kg 166cm rider. 200Watts constant except on the three climbing segments Sgurr North, Sgurr South, Sgurr North. For those I had 260 Watts constant.

It's a bit closer to how I would ride that route IRL than a constant Wattage. Here are the full results...

To start Sgurr N segment: 2:12 Tron, 2:20 Crux
To top Sgurr N segment: 6:19 Tron, 6:23 Crux
To Sgurr S start: 8:14 Tron, 8:26 Crux
To top Sgurr S: 10:30 Tron, 10:53 Crux
To Sgurr N2 start: 12:51 Tron, 13:16 Crux
To Sgurr N2 finish: 17:00 Tron, 17:20 Crux


All credit to Zwift Insider for doing such a fantastic amount of testing. But he can't find the time to sit and watch the progress and change the Wattage precisely at the segment starts like I did. For a race I care about, I will go the extra mile to get precisely tailored data and sometimes it pays off.

 

[CXRAndy]

Answer No 😂
I actually chose the gravel for 2 reasons ,1 the tarmac to the sugrr in our race was neutralised so didn't come into the equation ,2 I was hoping the gravel set up would cancel out Andy weight advantage on the gravel downhill leaving me nearer to him so I could put climb him on the last ascent

You did, I think you took back 10-15 secs.

It was the reasonable gap I got on the middle climb which extended on the descent, to be clawed back by you a little

If you've got Strava premium, you can compare our event and see graphically how I took the lead, lost it, caught you and edge in front

 

[alex_cycles]

Answer No 😂
I actually chose the gravel for 2 reasons ,1 the tarmac to the sugrr in our race was neutralised so didn't come into the equation ,2 I was hoping the gravel set up would cancel out Andy weight advantage on the gravel downhill leaving me nearer to him so I could put climb him on the last ascent

Strangely enough if you look at the numbers...

To top Sgurr S: 10:30 Tron, 10:53 Crux

At the top of the Sgurr South climb, the Tron was 23s ahead

To Sgurr N2 start: 12:51 Tron, 13:16 Crux

At the start of the final Sgurr North climb, the Tron was 25s ahead

So it looks like the Tron was 2s faster on the gravel descent plus the turnaround.

 

[mjd1988]

Love It when you enter a last minute race and it ends up being good. One guy with big 5 min power and poor sprint versus several others with a sprint and one decent climb. Managed to glue myself to his wheel in an eleven two man breakaway whilst 3 others later broke away from main group and bridged, then a bit of attacking and then fun sprint. Very happy with the relative w/kg efforts