Took the liberty of re-watching the race from where it split. From what I can see it looked like a big push for the points at the top of the kom , lots of heavy sprinting going on. This seems to have caused a gap to those that weren't going for the points and it immediately went into the downhill. Sprinters group just naturally had a gap and it never closed from what I can make out
The Indoor Riding/ Zwift/ TrainerRoad etc. Thread
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Took the liberty of re-watching the race from where it split. From what I can see it looked like a big push for the points at the top of the kom , lots of heavy sprinting going on. This seems to have caused a gap to those that weren't going for the points and it immediately went into the downhill. Sprinters group just naturally had a gap and it never closed from what I can make out
Soldato
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- 23 Nov 2004
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The group dynamics do feel different to me the last few times I've been on.
Brought home a Direto XR tonight with my winter wagon set up so hopefully I get a more immersive ride feel than the old Tacx Vortex.
Brought home a Direto XR tonight with my winter wagon set up so hopefully I get a more immersive ride feel than the old Tacx Vortex.
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2004
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- 10,646
Enjoyed my first proper shot of the Direto XR, feels a lot more natural than the Vortex for sure and responds pretty instantly to short sharp kicks at high watts.
Setup isn't what I was wanting but it'll do for now. I pull out the side of the desk and sit the fan on that so it's quite close to me.
I'm looking forward to following the ZA workouts over a 6 week block with the odd outside ride, probably A80 fast ride and swap a recover ride for a steady Douglas bunch.
https://www.strava.com/activities/6113474592/overview
Setup isn't what I was wanting but it'll do for now. I pull out the side of the desk and sit the fan on that so it's quite close to me.
I'm looking forward to following the ZA workouts over a 6 week block with the odd outside ride, probably A80 fast ride and swap a recover ride for a steady Douglas bunch.
https://www.strava.com/activities/6113474592/overview
Soldato
If you're moving on your Tacx let me know. A few times recently i've thought it'd be nice to go out only for it to be peeing it down so a turbo might be quite handy. I tried one a few years back (Elite Direto) but never used it as i was using it purely as an indoor bike for exercise and found i would rather just go out running. However not i'm enjoying cycling a bit more it might be fun to do some specific bike training.
A cheap wheel based smart trainer probably makes more sense than going out and chucking £600 on a better one again!
Anyone use a tickr with zwift on pc, struggling to get mine working, connects up but then randomly says no signal. Whilst it's connected up fine to my garmin. It's only a couple of weeks old and my old cheap Bluetooth hrm worked fine with my set up. I've got an ant+ USB stick that I need to try but wondering if anyone else has had similar issues.
I pair my Tickr on ANT+ via USB dongle on Windows 10. Never had an issue with it.
I pair my Kickr as controllable trainer, power source and cadence over BLE.
Thanks, it seems to read occasionally, but never for more than a minute or two. Will give Ant+ a go.
So does everyone on here ride a power class below their true output? According to Zwift power I came 4th from last in a race last night for all power groups (wasn't aiming to set a record anyway) but was surprised by how many people in the class below were ahead of me when my power output for the race was exactly on the minimum of 'C'. I did win the little group of class D cyclists that I was in but took hitting a new record high heart rate.
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Soldato
Haha, good question. I've been zwifiting a while but a noob in races. The races I have done I have competed in C, which is right for my W/KG however I usually come last or near to in every race and when I look on the results on the Zwift power site my total power w output is usually far higher then the majority of people in my category - probably due to me being 93kg. If I dropped to D there are occasions where I would have won with literally minutes to spare which clearly means that category isn't for me.
Perhaps there should be a category for honest big lads. HBL category.
Soldato
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- 23 Nov 2004
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Races are hard and lots of guys that's should be B ride C etc. I've found C races as hard as B, A is a step up to me but generally they have less entrants as most of them sign as B.
I find the start is a case of going out really hard. Like 4.5-5wkg for a few minutes. A crit on downtown dolphin I was 380w for 2 minutes which is about 4.9wkg and every lap after was 4-4.2wkg for 25 minutes.
Longer races on open routes power are usually less power with 250-280w to stay in the bunch. I averaged 3.8wkg for 55 minutes but the amount of spikes due to small ramps and a climb thrown in meant the group went from 64, to 32 to a final split of 12. You can see the spikes here https://strava.app.link/IyyKc8Mu3kb
Being bigger means hills, wind and road resistance will hurt you more than smaller guys so it is a triple threat.
It can't be compared to the road either as half the folk that look good on zwift can't corner worth a **** or hang a wheel in the wind.
I find the start is a case of going out really hard. Like 4.5-5wkg for a few minutes. A crit on downtown dolphin I was 380w for 2 minutes which is about 4.9wkg and every lap after was 4-4.2wkg for 25 minutes.
Longer races on open routes power are usually less power with 250-280w to stay in the bunch. I averaged 3.8wkg for 55 minutes but the amount of spikes due to small ramps and a climb thrown in meant the group went from 64, to 32 to a final split of 12. You can see the spikes here https://strava.app.link/IyyKc8Mu3kb
Being bigger means hills, wind and road resistance will hurt you more than smaller guys so it is a triple threat.
It can't be compared to the road either as half the folk that look good on zwift can't corner worth a **** or hang a wheel in the wind.
The categories are a joke. They are based on 20min power which is utterly useless and pointless on Zwift,
1-5min power and recent results need to be used for categorisation of individuals. But Zwift are not interested in sorting this out.
You are expressing the main reasons I only recruit A riders and keep our team very small and specific because the whole sandbagging and category stuff is just something I refuse to take on because it is futile.
If it's not people abusing cats, it is people on ridiculous sources ruining races or on zpower ruining races. The entire thing needs addressing in a big way because it has always been a joke and is only getting worse now.
1-5min power and recent results need to be used for categorisation of individuals. But Zwift are not interested in sorting this out.
You are expressing the main reasons I only recruit A riders and keep our team very small and specific because the whole sandbagging and category stuff is just something I refuse to take on because it is futile.
If it's not people abusing cats, it is people on ridiculous sources ruining races or on zpower ruining races. The entire thing needs addressing in a big way because it has always been a joke and is only getting worse now.
Soldato
I can not imagine the satisfaction of winning a race on Zwift by cheating. What's the point? Can you picture yourself at the end of the day and the Mrs asking how your race was and you reply "Was great, I told the software I was a 40kg 5ft woman and finished 60 seconds ahead of all the losers behind me".
I guess that is another issue entirely.
I'm going to stick with 'c' even though current performance is definitely middle of pack 'D'. I'll enjoy climbing the ranks again as I was able to win a short 'c' race in the summer, hopefully I'll be able to do the same again soon.
I am right down at the bottom of cat a which is annoying as I dont have the kick to push on and keep up with the proper racers when it goes hard, but could plough on with the group power of 4.4-4.6w/kg for an hour or so, but soon as those guys push it up to the big powers even for short periods I can't keep with them, and yet B is probably too easy, I still dont have the big power that the guys racing it who shouldn't be in B but dont want to push themselves by going in A, so end up just racing hard and pushing for as long as possible. Better for what I want Zwift for when I do race it once CX season is done in Jan/Feb.
Associate
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- 21 Jun 2004
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I think they need more categories in Zwift as they are very broad. I went from D to C last year (sitting just below 3 W/kg with wheel on trainer so no athlete!) and you go from progressing nicely in the D group towards the front of the groups in races (think 3rd was my highest but I don’t race that often). Then when you enter C the rider quality jump is massive. Just feels faster throughout the race with bigger surges and even less forgiving if you drop off the pack.
3k/kg is well into C category. I averaged that in a 20min race this afternoon and came 42/50something. But I did the race Le Mans style (I was still putting my shoes on when the race started as a work call distracted me before the start).
Soldato
Thought I'd post a pic of the current set up before it goes the distance. Been thinking of upgrading for a while and eventually pulled the pin and bought a Tacx Neo bike in the click frenzy sales on Tuesday. 15% off and free delivery. Good a time as any, right?
Excuse the 90's built in joinery, we moved in earlier this year and are planning some renovations. Looks like a Travelodge. Kitchen and every bathroom in the house is the same. I don't know what they were thinking tbh.
Will advertise this full set up locally, hopefully get a bit for it although we are well and truly out of winter and lockdowns now so not the best time to sell plus that old ally bike needs a service desperately - was a $200 purchase from facebook marketplace as I didn't like my carbon bike on it, felt I was going to snap it right in half. I've absolutely abused it.
Tacx Flux trainer has 7,000kms on it from myself and the Mrs. It squeaks a bit these days until it warms up (as do I!) but been faultless over the years, one of the reasons I went for the Tacx bike over the Wahoo. I haven't actually ridden one but have used a mates Wahoo.
Probably going to re-orientate the setup 90 degrees when the new one comes - that's a 50" TV on the wall and I run Zwift through the Apple TV but I think the screen is too big. I have a spare monitor I brought home from work so will stick that in the shelves and see how that goes with a view to probably getting a new Tv when we pull out all that joinery and redo the floor. Think I may ask Santa for a rocker plate for it. Found a company that does custom mats too. Ride on.
https://velomats.com/collections/all-products
Excuse the 90's built in joinery, we moved in earlier this year and are planning some renovations. Looks like a Travelodge. Kitchen and every bathroom in the house is the same. I don't know what they were thinking tbh.
Will advertise this full set up locally, hopefully get a bit for it although we are well and truly out of winter and lockdowns now so not the best time to sell plus that old ally bike needs a service desperately - was a $200 purchase from facebook marketplace as I didn't like my carbon bike on it, felt I was going to snap it right in half. I've absolutely abused it.
Tacx Flux trainer has 7,000kms on it from myself and the Mrs. It squeaks a bit these days until it warms up (as do I!) but been faultless over the years, one of the reasons I went for the Tacx bike over the Wahoo. I haven't actually ridden one but have used a mates Wahoo.
Probably going to re-orientate the setup 90 degrees when the new one comes - that's a 50" TV on the wall and I run Zwift through the Apple TV but I think the screen is too big. I have a spare monitor I brought home from work so will stick that in the shelves and see how that goes with a view to probably getting a new Tv when we pull out all that joinery and redo the floor. Think I may ask Santa for a rocker plate for it. Found a company that does custom mats too. Ride on.
https://velomats.com/collections/all-products
Tacx bike.
Sounds insane, but check the cranks are tightened up. I know of 2 people who have had the left crank come off mid ride and it's a known problem they come from factory not tightened. One guy has had 3 Tacx bikes all have the issue alone!
The one guy I know is on his 5th tacx bike under warranty replacement and the other on my team is on his 3rd one on warranty replacement.
Another two riders on the regular group ride I do are on their second units.
I am not trying to annoy you I am just letting you know you may be in for a pain the arse before you get one that's fine. They are notorious for having issues but at least the warranty process seems decent.
Sounds insane, but check the cranks are tightened up. I know of 2 people who have had the left crank come off mid ride and it's a known problem they come from factory not tightened. One guy has had 3 Tacx bikes all have the issue alone!
The one guy I know is on his 5th tacx bike under warranty replacement and the other on my team is on his 3rd one on warranty replacement.
Another two riders on the regular group ride I do are on their second units.
I am not trying to annoy you I am just letting you know you may be in for a pain the arse before you get one that's fine. They are notorious for having issues but at least the warranty process seems decent.
Soldato
Will do, cheers. I have read that there were quality issues but thought they had ironed all that out since Garmin bought them? As I said above though, not a single issue with the Tacx Flux to date and have had excellent past experience with Garmin warranting my Edge bike computer even after the warranty period ended.
Fingers crossed it's not a Friday afternoon bike!