Zwift Chat

[ColinJ]

I just reread an old DC Rainmaker review of the Quarq Riken power meter crankset that I have had fitted to my bike.

In the review he states that it can take a few rides for the meter readings to settle. I assume that there must be some micro-movements taking place between the chainring and the spider, and/or the left crank and the spindle? Sounds a bit odd, but he does usually seem to know what he is talking about!

The other thing was the mysterious case of the missing magnet! In the review he goes into great detail about the requirement for a cadence sensing magnet. My crankset doesn't have one! I searched online and discovered that the Quarq programmers worked out how to derive cadence without the need for the magnet. A firmware update was issued and obviously my crankset has had it.

 

[Whorty]

What I'm hoping will happen from now on is that organisers will vary pens so there will be a decent selection for everyone.
I'm very pleased to see Zwift are going to be doing that with their ZHQ zRacing events in Jan. I don't know if you've all seen that yet but some of the January races are set up and they're using...



ADVANCED CATEGORY = 650+
CATEGORY RANGE 1 = 0-159 | 160-269 | 270-389 | 390-509 | 510-649
CATEGORY RANGE 2 = 0-209 | 210-329 | 330-449 | 450-569 | 570-699


You can see the info in the race description of the events https://www.zwift.com/uk/events/view/4692643

They're essentially using the idea we used in Cyclopathon, but having the overlapping categories on alternate hours. Should be good. Means everyone can find a race that should suit.

I don't know how others look at the ranges, but I'm always going to aim for a pen where I'm mid table. I think being in the middle gives the best race experience. May not win, but should always have riders around to either chase or try to hold off.
The Zwift forum chat thinks people will look to put themselves at the top of pens. So maybe I'm an outlier in my own race experience and what I'm looking for?

 

[Whorty]

Been on Zwift for over 3 years and not once did an FTP test, everyone to their own but I think they're useless. Definitely agree going up a long enough hill (Grade is too short IMHO) or doing a Bologna TT is much better.

The only benefit for me of an FTP test is to give me a rough guide where to set the power levels on workouts. But if not doing workouts then agreed, doing a test isn't massively insightful as races give a good indication of 20 minute power.

 

[CXRAndy]

I like to be top 20% in events, so I feel I'll have a good competitive event.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Looks like Hardknott Pass is coming to the climb portal:

https://zwiftinsider.com/portal/hardknott-pass/

I did Gotthard pass earlier, 3,000 feet of climbing at just under 10 miles, most of it was around 7-8% but did peak at 24% on one bend.

Enjoyed a nice cup of tea from the local cafe on the descent, was delivered to me 10 minutes from the top, so perfect temperature for the 30 minute plus effort free descent. Been on the heavy side has it's advantages, I caught a skinny bugger up who was pedalling down the descent about half way down, I free wheeled the whole way and took 2 minutes on them.

 

[13 rider]

Looks like Hardknott Pass is coming to the climb portal:

https://zwiftinsider.com/portal/hardknott-pass/

I did Gotthard pass earlier, 3,000 feet of climbing at just under 10 miles, most of it was around 7-8% but did peak at 24% on one bend.

Enjoyed a nice cup of tea from the local cafe on the descent, was delivered to me 10 minutes from the top, so perfect temperature for the 30 minute plus effort free descent. Been on the heavy side has it's advantages, I caught a skinny bugger up who was pedalling down the descent about half way down, I free wheeled the whole way and took 2 minutes on them.

If you do it on zwift does make you want to do it in real life 😁

 

[Supersuperleeds]

If you do it on zwift does make you want to do it in real life 😁

No. Climbing on Zwift is so much easier than real life, God knows what my virtual gear is, but being able to do a cadence of 90 on 20% plus gradients isn't realistic.

 

[CXRAndy]

No. Climbing on Zwift is so much easier than real life, God knows what my virtual gear is, but being able to do a cadence of 90 on 20% plus gradients isn't realistic.

You can if you gear your bike correctly.

Maybe not 90rpm but towards 80rpm . My lowest gearing was 17 gear inches

 

[Supersuperleeds]

You can if you gear your bike correctly.

Maybe not 90rpm but towards 80rpm . My lowest gearing was 17 gear inches

Yeah, maybe with that gearing. my lowest gear on my road bike gives me a 1:1 ratio which i think is 27 gear inches

 

[Whorty]

No. Climbing on Zwift is so much easier than real life, God knows what my virtual gear is, but being able to do a cadence of 90 on 20% plus gradients isn't realistic.

If I'm only climbing on Zwift, not racing, I set the reality/virtual gears, to 100% . If I'm training for outdoors I figure it's better to see how hard it it before I actually get outdoors lol
For racing though, gearing at 25% for sure

 

[13 rider]

In all honesty @Supersuperleeds would rather do 40 miles to avoid it 😁😂

 

[Supersuperleeds]

In all honesty @Supersuperleeds would rather do 40 miles to avoid it 😁😂

So true

 

[alex_cycles]

Been on Zwift for over 3 years and not once did an FTP test, everyone to their own but I think they're useless. Definitely agree going up a long enough hill (Grade is too short IMHO) or doing a Bologna TT is much better.

I'm with you on that one. I did a few ramp tests and concluded that the results are inconsistent. I stopped doing them about 18 months ago after I realised this.

If you do enough long hard efforts, the values you get from your data should be good enough. Anyone who races regularly and properly with decent sustained hard efforts should have good enough data for intervals to give a good estimate.

 

[alex_cycles]

I don't know how others look at the ranges, but I'm always going to aim for a pen where I'm mid table. I think being in the middle gives the best race experience. May not win, but should always have riders around to either chase or try to hold off.
The Zwift forum chat thinks people will look to put themselves at the top of pens. So maybe I'm an outlier in my own race experience and what I'm looking for?

In my experience the vast majority of Zwifters just ride in whatever pen Zwift puts them in, don't read instructions and don't care much about results. Very few people decide the day/night before and sign up in advance like I do.

Us hardcore racers are freaks. I will be more likely to choose a race that starts at 1000 or 1030 than care too much about the range - as long as it's not 520-690 when I'm nearer 520. The fact that the new pens are only 120 wide should make it more fun once everyone gets "settled". But that settling will take some time.

I've been avoiding 520-690 races because they were worse than CE cat B races which I hated.

 

[alex_cycles]

If you do it on zwift does make you want to do it in real life 😁

How does Zwift simulate the "falling off on the 30% bit"?