Zwift Chat

[bridgy]

Is anyone up for trying to set up a "Meet-up" on Zwift on Thursday evening at 6.30pm to try doing a TT for the league?

I was thinking of doing the Figure of 8 forward loop on Watopia which should take between 45 minutes and an hour.

If people are up for trying this, you'll have to be following me on the Zwift Companion App - Paul Bridgman (cyclechat).

Here's a link to how meetups work - so you should be able to join zwift in advance for a warm up and as long as you've accepted my invite to the meet up you should get a notification that will automatically transport you to the start point just like joining a race - https://zwiftinsider.com/meetups/

Remember to change your bike to the TT bike beforehand so we're all on a level playing field and not benefiting from any drafting.

The start point should be about 100 metres before the start/finish banner for the hilly loop (which is part of the figure of 8) and this is where the Strava segment we can use for timings will start. Anyone who can't make it on Thursday can just go to the Watopia Figure of 8 (forward) course on Zwift themselves and do it - on a TT bike - on their own. We'll have to agree on a particular Strava segment to take the time from, so let's decide that after we've done it.

I will try sending the invite now...

 

[bridgy]

Is anyone up for trying to set up a "Meet-up" on Zwift on Thursday evening at 6.30pm to try doing a TT for the league?

I was thinking of doing the Figure of 8 forward loop on Watopia which should take between 45 minutes and an hour.

If people are up for trying this, you'll have to be following me on the Zwift Companion App - Paul Bridgman (cyclechat).

Here's a link to how meetups work - so you should be able to join zwift in advance for a warm up and as long as you've accepted my invite to the meet up you should get a notification that will automatically transport you to the start point just like joining a race - https://zwiftinsider.com/meetups/

Remember to change your bike to the TT bike beforehand so we're all on a level playing field and not benefiting from any drafting.

The start point should be about 100 metres before the start/finish banner for the hilly loop (which is part of the figure of 8) and this is where the Strava segment we can use for timings will start. Anyone who can't make it on Thursday can just go to the Watopia Figure of 8 (forward) course on Zwift themselves and do it - on a TT bike - on their own. We'll have to agree on a particular Strava segment to take the time from, so let's decide that after we've done it.

I will try sending the invite now...

SORRY!! I sent the invite first without amending date and time

So ignore/reject first invite - I have re-sent with time and date correct - Thursday 18.30 (UK time)

 

[Del C]

Is anyone up for trying to set up a "Meet-up" on Zwift on Thursday evening at 6.30pm to try doing a TT for the league?

I was thinking of doing the Figure of 8 forward loop on Watopia which should take between 45 minutes and an hour.

If people are up for trying this, you'll have to be following me on the Zwift Companion App - Paul Bridgman (cyclechat).

Here's a link to how meetups work - so you should be able to join zwift in advance for a warm up and as long as you've accepted my invite to the meet up you should get a notification that will automatically transport you to the start point just like joining a race - https://zwiftinsider.com/meetups/

Remember to change your bike to the TT bike beforehand so we're all on a level playing field and not benefiting from any drafting.

The start point should be about 100 metres before the start/finish banner for the hilly loop (which is part of the figure of 8) and this is where the Strava segment we can use for timings will start. Anyone who can't make it on Thursday can just go to the Watopia Figure of 8 (forward) course on Zwift themselves and do it - on a TT bike - on their own. We'll have to agree on a particular Strava segment to take the time from, so let's decide that after we've done it.

I will try sending the invite now...

Thanks for sorting this out Paul.

I should be ok for this so I’ll be signing up.

Is there an existing Strava segment we can use for timing?

 

[Del C]

SORRY!! I sent the invite first without amending date and time

So ignore/reject first invite - I have re-sent with time and date correct - Thursday 18.30 (UK time)

I saw that!

But then I read the invite as Tuesday............. so I’ll be keeping very quiet!

 

[bobinski]

Received and accepted

 

[bridgy]

Thanks for sorting this out Paul.

I should be ok for this so I’ll be signing up.

Is there an existing Strava segment we can use for timing?

I'm sure there will be - there's loads of segments already set up on Strava from slightly different start points so once we've done the ride we can just look at Strava and settle on an appropriate segment to use. In the unlikely event of there not being a suitable one, I'll just create one that covers the ride. I just tested going into the Figure of 8 course from the start screen and it puts you about 100m before the start banner for the hilly loop so hopefully the meet up should do the same. If anyone's unsuer of where things start/finish, just go like the clappers from the start of the meet up ride, and bear in mind the loop is about 30km/19 miles - hopefully should be clear on screen when you complete the Figure of 8 Loop.

 

[peterob]

I'm sure there will be - there's loads of segments already set up on Strava from slightly different start points so once we've done the ride we can just look at Strava and settle on an appropriate segment to use. In the unlikely event of there not being a suitable one, I'll just create one that covers the ride. I just tested going into the Figure of 8 course from the start screen and it puts you about 100m before the start banner for the hilly loop so hopefully the meet up should do the same. If anyone's unsuer of where things start/finish, just go like the clappers from the start of the meet up ride, and bear in mind the loop is about 30km/19 miles - hopefully should be clear on screen when you complete the Figure of 8 Loop.

Thanks for sorting this @bridgy

Couple of queries....
1. Is this TT replacing the H&H this week for the league?
2. As a relative Zwift newbie, if I can't make Thursday's meetup, how do I ride this course on my own in Zwift?
a) Do I have to wait for a race on this course?
b) Can I just ride the course on my own? How do I get to the correct start point? How do I know what turns to take to complete the course?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[Norry1]

SORRY!! I sent the invite first without amending date and time

So ignore/reject first invite - I have re-sent with time and date correct - Thursday 18.30 (UK time)

I've accepted - not 100% sure I'll be back from London in time, but a fair chance.

Well done for taking the initiative.

 

[bridgy]

Thanks for sorting this @bridgy

Couple of queries....
1. Is this TT replacing the H&H this week for the league?
2. As a relative Zwift newbie, if I can't make Thursday's meetup, how do I ride this course on my own in Zwift?
a) Do I have to wait for a race on this course?
b) Can I just ride the course on my own? How do I get to the correct start point? How do I know what turns to take to complete the course?

Sorry for all the questions!

1) That was the idea @peterob - if people are happy with it? (Bit of an experiment too!)
2) You just start up Zwift and from the start screen (after the pairing screen) you can choose a course to ride. Watopia is always an option now, so click on Watopia, and then look for "Figure 8". Select tis, click OK, and then click "Ride".
a) No, just do the above **ON A TT BIKE** whenever suits you, and post a link to your ride on Strava so we can get the time for the segment we use
b) Yes, on a TT bike. When you select the Figure of 8 course as above it will put you on course about 100 metres from where the start/finish banner is. You won't need to manually take any turns - the fact you've selected the Figure of 8 course at the start means you'll just automatically take all the correct turns for that route. The total route is around 30km/19 miles.

 

[mjd1988]

Is anyone up for trying to set up a "Meet-up" on Zwift on Thursday evening at 6.30pm to try doing a TT for the league?

I was thinking of doing the Figure of 8 forward loop on Watopia which should take between 45 minutes and an hour.

If people are up for trying this, you'll have to be following me on the Zwift Companion App - Paul Bridgman (cyclechat).

Here's a link to how meetups work - so you should be able to join zwift in advance for a warm up and as long as you've accepted my invite to the meet up you should get a notification that will automatically transport you to the start point just like joining a race - https://zwiftinsider.com/meetups/

Remember to change your bike to the TT bike beforehand so we're all on a level playing field and not benefiting from any drafting.

The start point should be about 100 metres before the start/finish banner for the hilly loop (which is part of the figure of 8) and this is where the Strava segment we can use for timings will start. Anyone who can't make it on Thursday can just go to the Watopia Figure of 8 (forward) course on Zwift themselves and do it - on a TT bike - on their own. We'll have to agree on a particular Strava segment to take the time from, so let's decide that after we've done it.

I will try sending the invite now...

cheers for doing this - any way i could get an invite?

 

[peterob]

1) That was the idea @peterob - if people are happy with it? (Bit of an experiment too!)
2) You just start up Zwift and from the start screen (after the pairing screen) you can choose a course to ride. Watopia is always an option now, so click on Watopia, and then look for "Figure 8". Select tis, click OK, and then click "Ride".
a) No, just do the above **ON A TT BIKE** whenever suits you, and post a link to your ride on Strava so we can get the time for the segment we use
b) Yes, on a TT bike. When you select the Figure of 8 course as above it will put you on course about 100 metres from where the start/finish banner is. You won't need to manually take any turns - the fact you've selected the Figure of 8 course at the start means you'll just automatically take all the correct turns for that route. The total route is around 30km/19 miles.

Thanks @bridgy - I really should research how to use Zwift, but I only ever do organised rides or workouts on it.

I did research Strava segments and found the following which is the whole lap of the Figure 8 forwards - https://www.strava.com/segments/12118421. If you can do close to 30 mph you can get the KOM!

 

[bridgy]

Thanks @bridgy - I really should research how to use Zwift, but I only ever do organised rides or workouts on it.

I did research Strava segments and found the following which is the whole lap of the Figure 8 forwards - https://www.strava.com/segments/12118421. If you can do close to 30 mph you can get the KOM!

No worries - if any of what I've said doesn't make sense, just say.

One further thought - if you are doing it spearately on your own as above, you'll probably want to warm up beforehand - in which case, after your warm up you'll have to exit Zwift and then re-start it and follow the above instructions. You'll have time to ensure your bike is changed to the TT bike etc before starting once you appear by the side of the road, as the Strava segment we'll be using won't start until you go under the start/finish banner just up teh road, so no need for a mad panic to ride off as soon as you appear on course.

 

[JuhaL]

I'm sure there will be - there's loads of segments already set up on Strava from slightly different start points so once we've done the ride we can just look at Strava and settle on an appropriate segment to use. In the unlikely event of there not being a suitable one, I'll just create one that covers the ride. I just tested going into the Figure of 8 course from the start screen and it puts you about 100m before the start banner for the hilly loop so hopefully the meet up should do the same. If anyone's unsuer of where things start/finish, just go like the clappers from the start of the meet up ride, and bear in mind the loop is about 30km/19 miles - hopefully should be clear on screen when you complete the Figure of 8 Loop.

If you want to have better start good idea is do a u-turn when you start to ride and climb up that 2-3% ascent and do a u-turn again and get some better speed when you approach start banner.

 

[bridgy]

cheers for doing this - any way i could get an invite?

Yes of course - do you follow me on the Zwift Companion App? (You'll need to for me to invite you). What's your name on Zwift?

 

[bridgy]

If you want to have better start good idea is do a u-turn when you start to ride and climb up that 2-3% ascent and do a u-turn again and get some better speed when you approach start banner.

I think that's a very clever and sneaky tactic that should definitely be banned for the purposes of our race! (We'll be able to check on Strava )