Zwift Chat

[Whorty]

I'm glad they're considering removing the decay element, I think that's sensible. Most riders, I'd assume, who go outdoors for the summer then come back for winter racing will be at a similar level so makes sense to leave their ZRS as it was rather than starting from the bottom again. Should remove some of the risk of strong riders coming through and dominating the lower pen'd races.

Obviously I'm a fan of removing the 30 second attribute

Some interesting points too around the (often seen) top half of races upping their ZRS and the lower half dropping ZRS. Resulting at times in riders who are way down the results but upper half, then getting promoted. Still think this is a flaw and I hope they do something about that and make it more results based, else there will end up being some riders who continuously flip flop between pens.

Anti sandbagging will be hard to detect as one person noted - how do Zwift distinguish between someone who has been dropped from the pack and then rolls around, from someone who purposefully tries to tank their score? Someone who's dropped will have to cruise for a bit to recover, so it could look like they are slowing on purpose. Didn't one of the race series try to manage this?

 

[mjd1988]

That is true. I think only Tacx bike has enabled steering

https://zwiftinsider.com/wahoo-firmware-20241028/

 

[alex_cycles]

Anti sandbagging will be hard to detect as one person noted - how do Zwift distinguish between someone who has been dropped from the pack and then rolls around, from someone who purposefully tries to tank their score? Someone who's dropped will have to cruise for a bit to recover, so it could look like they are slowing on purpose. Didn't one of the race series try to manage this?

The way zr.app does it is basically to look at the power efforts and detect if you didn’t do at least a certain number of minutes above zone 2. If you tried hard and got dropped, you probably did that effort before you got dropped.

The idea was never to make it impossible, but to make it inconvenient.

 

[CXRAndy]

On the back of Carl's comment DCR has a video about it

View: https://youtu.be/vxKFo0IvWCY?si=ADQq0rVMPyiv6yhU

 

[alex_cycles]

On the back of Carl's comment DCR has a video about it

View: https://youtu.be/vxKFo0IvWCY?si=ADQq0rVMPyiv6yhU

So the commentary I'm seeing about this is that it will hurt Zwift because the way TP works is mostly via coaches.
I've already heard of one coaching club in Wales that has 300 members and 70 of them are looking to ditch Zwift because all they use it for is ERG mode workouts - for which TP-iV will work fine (don't ask me why they weren't using the free iV already though? )

Another comment I saw from a coach of a US school/college road racing team with a studio of 15 Kickr bikes. They can now tell their students they don't need to spend $200 a year on Zwift because it will all be included in their TP subs.

I don't know much about TP, but apparently it's REALLY big and mostly works via coaching networks and coach accounts. Considering that only 15% of Zwifters race, this could hurt.

Not to mention that if they improve the graphics, iV has the potential to be a better racing platform than Zwift too (arguably it already is).

Competition should be good for the consumer.

 

[Whorty]

So the commentary I'm seeing about this is that it will hurt Zwift because the way TP works is mostly via coaches.
I've already heard of one coaching club in Wales that has 300 members and 70 of them are looking to ditch Zwift because all they use it for is ERG mode workouts - for which TP-iV will work fine (don't ask me why they weren't using the free iV already though? )

Another comment I saw from a coach of a US school/college road racing team with a studio of 15 Kickr bikes. They can now tell their students they don't need to spend $200 a year on Zwift because it will all be included in their TP subs.

I don't know much about TP, but apparently it's REALLY big and mostly works via coaching networks and coach accounts. Considering that only 15% of Zwifters race, this could hurt.

Not to mention that if they improve the graphics, iV has the potential to be a better racing platform than Zwift too (arguably it already is).

Competition should be good for the consumer.

From my looking the past 24 hours I'd agree - those already paying for TP and using Zwift, it's a no brainer for them to switch to TPV and ditch Zwift. The reason given by some for not using IV for free was because they weren't really aware of it, but they are now.

For those of us who don't use TP and have no interest in TP for the training aspect, the jury is still out - I want a riding platform that is fun and at a reasonable cost (well, what I consider reasonable but that's clearly subjective for everyone). I have until mid Jan when my Zwift subs run out to decide if I'll pay Zwift again, but I'm likely for now to just use TPV for free until April and make a decision then.

Be a big win for TP if they offered TPV for a discount or the full TP/TPV for the current price - that really could hurt Zwift (although the TP/TPV as an annual price is still cheaper than Zwift).

My only problem with IV/TPV so far is lack of real riders (I don't see the 40,000 riders that are quoted) and the lack of familiarity with the roads, but then I've been on Zwift since 2017 so that's not really a surprise.

Competition is good so 2025 will be interesting.

 

[alex_cycles]

From my looking the past 24 hours I'd agree - those already paying for TP and using Zwift, it's a no brainer for them to switch to TPV and ditch Zwift. The reason given by some for not using IV for free was because they weren't really aware of it, but they are now.

For those of us who don't use TP and have no interest in TP for the training aspect, the jury is still out - I want a riding platform that is fun and at a reasonable cost (well, what I consider reasonable but that's clearly subjective for everyone). I have until mid Jan when my Zwift subs run out to decide if I'll pay Zwift again, but I'm likely for now to just use TPV for free until April and make a decision then.

Be a big win for TP if they offered TPV for a discount or the full TP/TPV for the current price - that really could hurt Zwift (although the TP/TPV as an annual price is still cheaper than Zwift).

If you're in British Cycling already I think there is a 40% discount on TP, so that's also possibly a consideration.
I don't have any interest in TP myself at the moment. I'm doubtful I would get a coach either as I hate being told what to do

For me, half the fun is doing it my way and seeing what happens

 

[Whorty]

If you're in British Cycling already I think there is a 40% discount on TP, so that's also possibly a consideration.
I don't have any interest in TP myself at the moment. I'm doubtful I would get a coach either as I hate being told what to do

For me, half the fun is doing it my way and seeing what happens

Exactly the same as me - I like workouts, there are some 'fun' ones on Zwift, but I dabble depending how I feel that day. For me, to have a strict training schedule to follow it would turn my fun cycling into a chore. So TP from a coaching aspect adds no value to me personally.

Been some years since I last rode on Bkool, but I'm happy to see they're still going strong - I may even take another look there as that platform is one of the least expensive still for casual riding which is all I'm doing at the moment.

Will be interesting next year to see if Zwift are forced to look at their pricing model again if riders do migrate to TPV

 

[alex_cycles]

Exactly the same as me - I like workouts, there are some 'fun' ones on Zwift, but I dabble depending how I feel that day. For me, to have a strict training schedule to follow it would turn my fun cycling into a chore. So TP from a coaching aspect adds no value to me personally.

Been some years since I last rode on Bkool, but I'm happy to see they're still going strong - I may even take another look there as that platform is one of the least expensive still for casual riding which is all I'm doing at the moment.

Will be interesting next year to see if Zwift are forced to look at their pricing model again if riders do migrate to TPV

I've found recently that outdoors is so much better for my general well-being. I'm hoping not to get shut inside this winter.

I do enjoy my racing, but I need to not let it keep me indoors. I rode this morning outside in misty 8°C but it was low wind and I really enjoyed it.

A goal for 2025 I think needs to be to ride outside with you and @Norry1 . I already missed a chance to ride with Martin and @Legs a few weeks back.

 

[Whorty]

I've found recently that outdoors is so much better for my general well-being. I'm hoping not to get shut inside this winter.

I do enjoy my racing, but I need to not let it keep me indoors. I rode this morning outside in misty 8°C but it was low wind and I really enjoyed it.

A goal for 2025 I think needs to be to ride outside with you and @Norry1 . I already missed a chance to ride with Martin and @Legs a few weeks back.

I've been rubbish with outdoor riding this past 2 years, I've been far too lazy. Need to get my @rse in gear next year and head out more for sure.

 

[CXRAndy]

I've found recently that outdoors is so much better for my general well-being. I'm hoping not to get shut inside this winter.

I do enjoy my racing, but I need to not let it keep me indoors. I rode this morning outside in misty 8°C but it was low wind and I really enjoyed it.

A goal for 2025 I think needs to be to ride outside with you and @Norry1 . I already missed a chance to ride with Martin and @Legs a few weeks back.

If you want winter warmth Alex, go to the canaries. Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote all offer great cycling, almost guaranteed mid 20°C hardly any chance of rain.

 

[alex_cycles]

If you want winter warmth Alex, go to the canaries. Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote all offer great cycling, almost guaranteed mid 20°C hardly any chance of rain.

That's a good idea. But I think I may be about to blow my travel budget on a nice set of wheels

 

[CXRAndy]

Cheap climbing wheels for Canary's

 

[steverob]

You need to cross the border into Buckinghamshire and come riding with me Alex. I always try to get in an outdoor ride every weekend throughout winter unless it's a) tipping it down or b) below freezing and there's a risk of ice.

Zwift for me is for midweek evenings and the weekends when the weather is terrible.

 

[alex_cycles]

You need to cross the border into Buckinghamshire and come riding with me Alex. I always try to get in an outdoor ride every weekend throughout winter unless it's a) tipping it down or b) below freezing and there's a risk of ice.

Zwift for me is for midweek evenings and the weekends when the weather is terrible.

Yes you're even closer. We definitely need to do that.