Zwift Chat

[bobinski]

Well I think I'm about to become a splitter!

One day left of my 7 day trial. I've ridden solo flat routes in London, London plus Box Hill, done 2 group rides in Watopia and today rode the Surrey Hiils course for nearly 2 hours.

I'd always been suspicious that I'd find the variety of routes limiting and that maybe the ethos of Zwift wasn't for me, but I feel spectacularly wrong on both counts. There's more route variations than I'd realised. Riding the Surrey Hills today for 2 hours without getting bored was a bit of an eye opener. And I've found the group rides good fun and a good workout, even though it seems that quite a few people want to ride beyond the advertised w/kg.

I've done the trial at the same time as changing to Tacx Neo trainer, which I'm really enjoying. Much more realistic in terms of ride feel and combined with Zwift it just feels more realistic in terms of ride and gradient changes and better when standing.

As I don't intend to alternate between the Neo and the Bkool Pro, I'm going to have to accept my Bkool times will suffer, or just give up riding Bkool altogether. That's disappointing as Bkool was fun and certainly way better than riding an old style classic turbo with a Sufferfest video running on a laptop.

I think I'll miss some of the video options on Bkool, but there are alternatives such BRVR. And it would be nice to carry on with the leagues, despite the Neo handicap, and the Handicap races, but its hardly worth keeping the subscription just for that.

I thought I saw somebody post of a rumour that closed group rides may be coming to Zwift, which could make leagues or handicaps possible. Is that so, or did I imagine it? Otherwise, do you guys ride together or race at any time?

I am really glad you have enjoyed Zwift. It is, despite the relatively few full courses, quite varied in what it offers and as a result has surprising depth. That Surrey hills course is fab. The upcoming UCI course sounds great too.
Rumour is closed group rides coming so fingers crossed. Even if they don’t I think we are reaching a point where we can find a way to race together even if it means joining other races.

 

[Del C]

It's great to see you've given a lot of time, it a shame others don't.
It's the group rides and races that for me make Zwift soon as they get Zwiftpower backup and more near to Autumn we should be on zwift alot more

I wouldn't normally ride a trainer this much at this time of year, but I wanted to give it a real go and to make sure I'd properly understood what Zwift offered.

I do end up riding the trainer once or twice a week now as a couple of days each week are taken up babysitting our granddaughter, so I'm not out on the road as much as I was last year.

Feels like the Neo and Zwift are a more viable option to replace my missing road days!

 

[uclown2002]

Closed group rides already exist; it's down to the organisers to request it.

 

[berty bassett]

@Del C Did you have chance to try a race out ? , really adds another layer to it !

 

[bobinski]

Closed group rides already exist; it's down to the organisers to request it.

Dave, I asked about this elsewhere and was told we need to contact Zwift, set up a group and rides and then ask them to authorise the races/rides? I am happy to make the enquiry. Do you know the Zwift contact email address?

 

[Breedon]

I wouldn't normally ride a trainer this much at this time of year, but I wanted to give it a real go and to make sure I'd properly understood what Zwift offered.

I do end up riding the trainer once or twice a week now as a couple of days each week are taken up babysitting our granddaughter, so I'm not out on the road as much as I was last year.

Feels like the Neo and Zwift are a more viable option to replace my missing road days!

Wait till you do over 100 miles on zwift

 

[CXRAndy]

Wait till you do over 100 miles on zwift

Try out the 160@3W/kg. absolutely brutal. 4hours non stop pedaling

 

[Del C]

@Del C Did you have chance to try a race out ? , really adds another layer to it !

Joined a race without intending to finish it as I'd already done a ride round Watopia.

I got left at the line. I suspect you need to be pedalling already, because I did a standing start and got left with 2 other riders? Chased for a while but wasn't really closing the gap, so bailed out after around 2km.

I'm going to try out another one soon.

 

[Breedon]

Joined a race without intending to finish it as I'd already done a ride round Watopia.

I got left at the line. I suspect you need to be pedalling already, because I did a standing start and got left with 2 other riders? Chased for a while but wasn't really closing the gap, so bailed out after around 2km.

I'm going to try out another one soon.

Yes you need to pedal before it starts otherwise forget it.

 

[Perky77]

Dave, I asked about this elsewhere and was told we need to contact Zwift, set up a group and rides and then ask them to authorise the races/rides? I am happy to make the enquiry. Do you know the Zwift contact email address?

This would be excellent if we can recreate the bkool races in Zwift

 

[CXRAndy]

I got left at the line. I suspect you need to be pedalling already

Yes you must be pedaling. I usually have about 400W just at the start and depending on what type of race it is up the watts to over 500W If it's really fast hard start you might need to try and sustain that power for upto 1 minute to stay near the front and with a pack. Drafting is not as obvious compared to Bkool. The advantage you see is increased speed whilst in a big group. If you let 2 metre gap develop you will have to work extremely hard to get back on. 5metre gap and most likely dropped from pack . You will then need to see who is around and form a new group

 

[Del C]

Yes you must be pedaling. I usually have about 400W just at the start and depending on what type of race it is up the watts to over 500W If it's really fast hard start you might need to try and sustain that power for upto 1 minute to stay near the front and with a pack. Drafting is not as obvious compared to Bkool. The advantage you see is increased speed whilst in a big group. If you let 2 metre gap develop you will have to work extremely hard to get back on. 5metre gap and most likely dropped from pack . You will then need to see who is around and form a new group

I agree the drafting effect isn't so obvious, but noticed it a bit more when a slight gap opened. Then as you said, noticed I had to work harder to close the gap.

Also experienced getting dropped from the pack in my second group ride. I was right at the front on a Watopia ride, then dropped back a little on the first climb, but thought I was ok and could close the gap, then actually got dropped on the descent. Formed into a new group with others and rode with them for the rest of the ride. It was strong, but we never closed the gap on the group I'd been dropped from.

I was reading about climbing and descending on Zwift Insider and read about the difference between how Zwift handles Smart and Classic trainers. He suggested that some racers with smart turbos move their turbo realism setting from the 50% default to between 30 and 40% to try and give them greater resistance on the descents, so that they are at less of a disadvantage compared to classic trainers. Has anyone tried this?

 

[Breedon]

Oh tactics play a big part

 

[CXRAndy]

He suggested that some racers move with smart turbos move their turbo realism setting from the 50% default t between 30 and 40%

Dave Ransom(sticky bottle) I understand uses a Neo and has it set at 10% - note he is a serious/talented racer at the pointy end of category A . This makes the climbs seem much less, flattening the course. Zwift works out the speed from the power numbers you produce, these do not alter. The sensation you will have is you will be using a much bigger gear to climb with to create resistance for you to develop the power. Not so much resistance to kill your cadence though. A tactic to reduce gear shifts to absolute minimum

Ultimately if you're observant in races you will select gearing to predict pace changes and climbs


I have left my setting at 50% because it allows me to use a 53/39t crank up the Alp climb with a 28t sprocket. I then don't have to faff changing gears over for any event in Zwift

 

[bobinski]

For groups or occasional races I am at 40% now to minimise risk of being dropped by pack when changing gears. Back to 100% when riding alone especially for mountainous rides- I need to feel the right resistance and stand when necessary to better prepare for irl rides.