Zwift Chat

[ColinJ]

Well, at least the question of running Zwift on my tablet has been resolved... It apparently is not up to the job! It is not shown in the Play store for that device. The companion app is though, so the tablet might become a controller.

I have been toying with upgrading the tablet at some point but buying the trainer obviously comes first.

Another question... Q: Power ups! Yay or nay? (I think I would want to minimise the game aspect so probably nay for me.)

Oh, and... Q: Swapping bikes/wheels etc. Yay or nay? (That at least would be more true to life when racing, but I'm not sure that I would actually get into racing. I'm wary of going beyond 90-95% effort now because of health problems and holding back in races sounds like a recipe for getting dropped!)

I am doing up my turbo singlespeed bike and had an idea. I used to use 25C tyres because that is the biggest size that fitted. It dawned on me that I could put a bigger one on the front wheel since it doesn't actually have to turn. I had an old 32C tyre which I have put on and inflated to a moderate pressure so the front of the bike now has some extra 'give'. The bike has a steel frame so that has some 'give' too. I'm thinking that would provide a (possibly minimal, but maybe useful?) comfort boost.

I'm going to try Zwift on this laptop now... I'll report back at some point!

 

[ColinJ]

I'm going to try Zwift on this laptop now... I'll report back at some point!

I was thinking that it was a quick download on my slowish (7-8 Mb/s) BB connection, but it then immediately started a VERY long update. It has been going for an hour and is still only about 55% complete!

While I am waiting... Q: Why use a heart rate monitor? I was thinking of just gauging effort by power output, but maybe monitoring my heart rate too might help avoid overstressing my iffy body?

 

[ColinJ]

Phew - the laptop finally finished downloading the Zwift update.

I've had a quick play with Zwift. It did what I wanted which was to let me watch what was going on without having to subscribe.

When I do subscribe I will appear to y'all as ColinJ(Tod). I will wait until I buy a trainer though because I would then get either free months or a discount. I will probably buy a 1 year subscription and decide at the end of that whether to stick with Zwift or switch to something else such as Rouvy even if that means changing the bike and fitting a cassette to the trainer.

The laptop coped pretty well in HD but for the first time since I bought it about 7 years ago I noticed it heating up so the hardware is obviously having to work quite hard; let's hope that it doesn't overheat after extended use!

I heard a few sound effects which were ok but I haven't had the chance to hear the annoying ones yet. Still - I know where the volume controls are now.

 

[CXRAndy]

I was thinking that it was a quick download on my slowish (7-8 Mb/s) BB connection, but it then immediately started a VERY long update. It has been going for an hour and is still only about 55% complete!

While I am waiting... Q: Why use a heart rate monitor? I was thinking of just gauging effort by power output, but maybe monitoring my heart rate too might help avoid overstressing my iffy body?

So Zwift can tell if you're cheating in races. Also once you know your max HR and resting HR you can reasonably accurately workout your HR zones for training. Most training done in Z2 with a sprinkling of Z5/6 to peak those HIT numbers

 

[CXRAndy]

You can share your username on here once you've created your account. Also Strava if a different name. Join Zwiftpower.com to collate your races and group events. One of our admins will add you to the Cyclechat team list. You can when ready join in Cyclechat team events or just join in mass races, so we know who you are and get an orange markers to indicate we are following you

 

[CXRAndy]

Well, at least the question of running Zwift on my tablet has been resolved... It apparently is not up to the job! It is not shown in the Play store for that device. The companion app is though, so the tablet might become a controller.

I have been toying with upgrading the tablet at some point but buying the trainer obviously comes first.

Another question... Q: Power ups! Yay or nay? (I think I would want to minimise the game aspect so probably nay for me.)

Oh, and... Q: Swapping bikes/wheels etc. Yay or nay? (That at least would be more true to life when racing, but I'm not sure that I would actually get into racing. I'm wary of going beyond 90-95% effort now because of health problems and holding back in races sounds like a recipe for getting dropped!)

I am doing up my turbo singlespeed bike and had an idea. I used to use 25C tyres because that is the biggest size that fitted. It dawned on me that I could put a bigger one on the front wheel since it doesn't actually have to turn. I had an old 32C tyre which I have put on and inflated to a moderate pressure so the front of the bike now has some extra 'give'. The bike has a steel frame so that has some 'give' too. I'm thinking that would provide a (possibly minimal, but maybe useful?) comfort boost.

I'm going to try Zwift on this laptop now... I'll report back at some point!

Power ups are part of Zwift, they add a little tactics to when to use them to either maximise a break or getting back on when struggling.

Most races you only touch 95+% for a few seconds per event. But if health precludes you from going near those maximal efforts, choose more group events for social and base training.

Bigger tyre will lift the front a little, but a V shape block of wood helps give your position a more touring stance, more comfortable. You dont need to be physically aero position indoors.

 

[alex_cycles]

My sprint.
View: https://youtu.be/MI9ciSdOjDQ?t=2736

Very nice. You didn't fall for his fake sprints and then passed him so quickly he couldn't latch on. Perfect.

At 1400 the new seed recalculation is taking place. It's expected to take a couple of hours. So after around 1600 we might all have changes in our ZRS. They are recalculating all the results since September 25th as well. (New forum thread. https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-racing-score-seed-v2-release-december-2024/640588 )

So I take this to mean that your current score will now be the score that it would be if the new seed calculation had been implemented on 25th September. I'm making a note of my current score which is 541. It was 524 after the reset on 27th August.

What I am hoping for from this is that the scores will better reflect people's ability. We'll see.
@Whorty will be pleased they've completely dropped 30s. It's now based on 10-minute power and weight, but they haven't said how.

 

[Mo1959]

Does anyone else just use Zwift for gentle paced rides and not race? I feel like I am in a minority.

 

[alex_cycles]

Does anyone else just use Zwift for gentle paced rides and not race? I feel like I am in a minority.

I think most of us do that as well and according to some stats I saw, less than 15% of Zwifters actually race. But the racers tend to be the ones who talk about it the most online.

 

[CXRAndy]

Does anyone else just use Zwift for gentle paced rides and not race? I feel like I am in a minority.

Yes I know quite a few riders who just do endurance events or even solo rides. That's what Zwift is for it caters to everyones needs. If riding solo and the competitive spirit gets you as a group goes by, you can jump on the pack and ride with them. Just enjoy, try different aspects of Zwift-you never know 👍

 

[CXRAndy]

Very nice. You didn't fall for his fake sprints and then passed him so quickly he couldn't latch on. Perfect.

At 1400 the new seed recalculation is taking place. It's expected to take a couple of hours. So after around 1600 we might all have changes in our ZRS. They are recalculating all the results since September 25th as well. (New forum thread. https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-racing-score-seed-v2-release-december-2024/640588 )

So I take this to mean that your current score will now be the score that it would be if the new seed calculation had been implemented on 25th September. I'm making a note of my current score which is 541. It was 524 after the reset on 27th August.

What I am hoping for from this is that the scores will better reflect people's ability. We'll see.
@Whorty will be pleased they've completely dropped 30s. It's now based on 10-minute power and weight, but they haven't said how.

This will potentially benefit me also, I have slightly better than average 30s power than my equivalent ranked riders

 

[alex_cycles]

This will potentially benefit me also, I have slightly better than average 30s power than my equivalent ranked riders

Yeah it will be nicer for me if I don't have to share a pen with guys who can do 5.0 for 20 (like happened on our Epic KoM race in 500-600 in October). I wouldn't be hugely surprised if the new score drops me down a bit. My aerobic power is relatively poor compared to anaerobic.

 

[Cirrus]

Does anyone else just use Zwift for gentle paced rides and not race? I feel like I am in a minority.

I definitely do, far more plodding than pursuing .

 

[ColinJ]

Does anyone else just use Zwift for gentle paced rides and not race? I feel like I am in a minority.

Ha ha - I was wondering the same thing!

I was just over on Zwift forums and some of the things I read reminded me why I have never joined a real life cycling club (or any other type of club).

I do like riding with other people from time to time though - see CycleChat forum rides.

I will start off solo on Zwift, then check out robo-pacers. Then I will see what CC group rides are on. Whether I branch out into open rides or races later remains to be seen.

So Zwift can tell if you're cheating in races. Also once you know your max HR and resting HR you can reasonably accurately workout your HR zones for training. Most training done in Z2 with a sprinkling of Z5/6 to peak those HIT numbers

Ah, that makes sense!

You can share your username on here once you've created your account. Also Strava if a different name. Join Zwiftpower.com to collate your races and group events. One of our admins will add you to the Cyclechat team list. You can when ready join in Cyclechat team events or just join in mass races, so we know who you are and get an orange markers to indicate we are following you

Thanks.

Power ups are part of Zwift, they add a little tactics to when to use them to either maximise a break or getting back on when struggling.

I will check them out at some point but they remind me of other computer games features that I try not to use. Hints while solving online crossword puzzles, for example.

Most races you only touch 95+% for a few seconds per event. But if health precludes you from going near those maximal efforts, choose more group events for social and base training.

Maybe when I get fitter I might get away with those short bursts. The problem is that my heart rate sometimes doesn't settle down again properly. The rhythm can be iffy for a long time afterwards and that obviously is not a good thing!

Bigger tyre will lift the front a little, but a V shape block of wood helps give your position a more touring stance, more comfortable. You dont need to be physically aero position indoors.

The dumb trainer has a plastic block shaped like that. I just didn't like how the bike was so static. That's why I was interested when I heard about rocker plates. The big soft front tyre will give a subtle amount of movement. I will find out later if it was worth doing.

Yes I know quite a few riders who just do endurance events or even solo rides. That's what Zwift is for it caters to everyones needs. If riding solo and the competitive spirit gets you as a group goes by, you can jump on the pack and ride with them. Just enjoy, try different aspects of Zwift-you never know 👍

Do people ever do what they do in real life and tell you to, er, venture elsewhere ASAP?

I have been on group rides on cycling holidays where outsiders were shunned. Mind you, fair enough - the rest of us had paid to be there. I remember one outsider coming to a deal to join our rides for a fiver a day!

I have to put a new bottom bracket in the turbo bike. I want to get it ready before the next spell of foul weather.

 

[Mo1959]

Ha ha - I was wondering the same thing!

I was just over on Zwift forums and some of the things I read reminded me why I have never joined a real life cycling club (or any other type of club).

I do like riding with other people from time to time though - see CycleChat forum rides.

I will start off solo on Zwift, then check out robo-pacers. Then I will see what CC group rides are on. Whether I branch out into open rides or races later remains to be seen.


Ah, that makes sense!


Thanks.


I will check them out at some point but they remind me of other computer games features that I try not to use. Hints while solving online crossword puzzles, for example.


Maybe when I get fitter I might get away with those short bursts. The problem is that my heart rate sometimes doesn't settle down again properly. The rhythm can be iffy for a long time afterwards and that obviously is not a good thing!


The dumb trainer has a plastic block shaped like that. I just didn't like how the bike was so static. That's why I was interested when I heard about rocker plates. The big soft front tyre will give a subtle amount of movement. I will find out later if it was worth doing.


Do people ever do what they do in real life and tell you to, er, venture elsewhere ASAP?

I have been on group rides on cycling holidays where outsiders were shunned. Mind you, fair enough - the rest of us had paid to be there. I remember one outsider coming to a deal to join our rides for a fiver a day!

I have to put a new bottom bracket in the turbo bike. I want to get it ready before the next spell of foul weather.

I must admit I do enjoy the robopacer rides. Just the easiest ones for me. Great way to keep the heart rate down.

I do a few group rides at easy paces too, the likes of EZR, The Herd and slower Pack ones.