We were on a team TTT in a race a couple of years ago (in London) when Zwift sent me left and the rest of the group right. It seemed then that I had been riding in London pre race, on a specific route, and Zwift still had that in it's memory so used that rather than the race route - I'm really careful now pre race to ensure I don't follow the bots, other riders or routes that are the same world as the race.
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We were on a team TTT in a race a couple of years ago (in London) when Zwift sent me left and the rest of the group right. It seemed then that I had been riding in London pre race, on a specific route, and Zwift still had that in it's memory so used that rather than the race route - I'm really careful now pre race to ensure I don't follow the bots, other riders or routes that are the same world as the race.
I'd be ok with the seed if my results would then let me drop to the correct level then when/if I get fitter I can start to climb again. Problem is, the seed has pegged me at 397, will a lower limit of 338 so I can't go below that. My real current level is almost certainly below 300, maybe as low as 280. This would be low C which is where my power is today (2.5 w/kg in a race).
I'm not the only one, lots in this situation. Equally lots with a ZRS too low, but of course they support the new scores as they're having an easy ride.
steverob
Guru
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
Well the great reset has boosted my score from 280-something to 330! Not quite sure what I've done to deserve such an upgrade, but it's still in the default D category for Zwift races, so it probably doesn't make any difference to me for now anyway.
Yep, that's true too - the chain was stretched and giving me extra power, all gone now
I'm definitely low C at the moment. I probably need to get a bit more cycle fit but even less incentive now as it's hard when the pack has gone in the first few minutes and it becomes an iTT
It's pegged you at 397 with a lower limit of 338 becasue that's what you've shown yourself capable of by your power numbers over the past 90 days - it's not permanently fixed there.
Your power numbers are much lower now in recent races than just a few weeks ago and that's obviously going to be a problem when the baseline is based on 90 days. I think the logic of using a baseline based on 90 days is sound, in order to stop people jumping all over the place, but if you carry on as you are your baseline will drop as those historic higher numbers drop off.
If your ZRS dropped to 280 (which it might in a few weeks for the reasons above) you would still be in exactly the same category for most races as you'd be if it was 338 (or 350) - which it will be again after a couple of low finishes in races just like what happened in the test events
You haven't done anything - they've just reset everyone to baseline.
280 is 15% below 330 so I assume your baseline was always 330 and has dropped after some ZRS races you've to the minimum it can go - 15% below baseline. Same as what's happened with Carl.
Everyone's been reset because they're rolling ZRS out to all races now so you'll probably drop back to similar to where you were quite quickly once you start racing again
Putting aside the fact that the category boundaries are 180-350 so a ZRS anywhere within that would be the same category anyway, how would you solve the problem Carl? As in the problem of your highest 90 day power being a fair bit higher than you're currently doing and therefore giving you a higher ZRS score than is right for you now?
steverob
Guru
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
Well that's the odd thing as I've never been anywhere near 330 previously.
When they first started the ZRS testing, I was given a figure a tad over 300, but then soon after that dropped to 230 because the one good race I'd done in April was now older than 90 days. Over the next two months, I hardly did any racing but got my number up to 280 mainly through getting better power results (especially my 30 second power). While I have done a little bit of racing since (most of it not ZRS events though), that has only ever shifted the dial by 3-4 points either way, so my assumption was that my base was somewhere around the 270-280 mark.
Anyway as has been said on here already, as more people start riding and racing on Zwift over the winter, the figures will settle to their correct levels and we'll be better able to judge where we all stand.
alex_cycles
Veteran
- Location
- Oxfordshire
That's exactly right. I've requested specific boundaries for Cyclopathon and they don't encompass the full range.
For October we have the "lower" alternate bands...
A: 650-750 (alternating 600-700)
B: 550-650 (alternating 500-600)
C: 450-550 (alternating 400-500)
D: 350-450 (alternating 300-400)
E: 0-350 (alternating 0-300)
It's important that race organisers do this or something like it because the default bands are too wide. For example the "standard" pen 2 band is 520-690 which is a horrifically wide range of ability.
What's your plan for the next set of races? Routes?
alex_cycles
Veteran
- Location
- Oxfordshire
Already here https://cyclopathy.com/cyclopathon/
October 2024 Routes
1st Oct: Sprinter’s Playground 2 laps (flat)8th Oct: Cobbled Climbs 2 laps (rolling)
15th Oct: Mayan San Remo 1 lap (hilly)
22nd Oct: Mountain Route ~15km (mountainous)
29th Oct: Something different TBA
Definitely can't do 29th as away. I'll try to do the first 2 although I have something next week I'm waiting on so not 100% sure I can make that yet. I'll be missing races 3 and 4 for obvious reasons
With the weather turning so badly at the moment you may get more riders signing up through October
alex_cycles
Veteran
- Location
- Oxfordshire
Definitely can't do 29th as away. I'll try to do the first 2 although I have something next week I'm waiting on so not 100% sure I can make that yet. I'll be missing races 3 and 4 for obvious reasons
With the weather turning so badly at the moment you may get more riders signing up through October
I've raced three consecutive days this week. I really need to get outside soon. The long outdoor rides have really helped me this summer.
