The Indoor Riding/ Zwift/ TrainerRoad etc. Thread

I restarted my Gym membership a couple of weeks back but thinking it is not for me just yet and maybe Zwift will be the way to go to keep up my winter fitness.

Current kit:
Main bike (Canyon Ultimate, not going to use this for Zwift)
Old bike (Specialized Allez Sport)
Cycleops Jet fluid Pro Turbo Trainer (barely used, too boring on its own and I get too hot).
Garmin Vivoactive 3 watch (which I use for recording on Strava with heart rate)


The hot thing is easy to fix. I'm thinking this or this as suitable fans.

Actually getting data into Zwift seems to be more of a challenge of choice. It looks like a power meter would be better as it seems a bit dubious from Googling whether my trainer is supported (or will be accurate) with just a speed sensor?

I'd like to focus on purchases that can continue to provide value. Next year I wish to be more adventurous so would like a Garmin Edge. I can get Garmin Edge 530/830 with a nice discount through work, but there is a long wait for the sensor bundle, and the unit on its own is pretty pointless for Zwift? Otherwise is there a good lower cost power meter? 4iiii Precison? The Garmin Vector 3s? I wouldn't mind being able to do training with power to further improve next year. Can I get a power meter now and continue to use my watch for heartrate?

Thanks.
 
Your wrist heart rate is utterly inaccurate when exercising. Its only good for resting heart-rate and very very light activity, i would get a chest strap before a power meter.
 
New to Zwift and just have some quick questions:
1) I’ve got a hybrid mountain bike, is there anyway to run with a higher level of resistance so I don’t spin out on flat sprints/descents? The cadence needed to keep my power up is difficult to maintain. I can always stick to courses with hills
2) do I need to get a heart rate monitor/zwift power account? I took part in my first race yesterday as I thought it would be more fun than a training session. I was able to take part but it looks like I need a zwift power account to be ranked and then it mentions heart rate monitor for certain groups. Being honest, I finished 8th in D class with a W/kg of 2.5, so I don’t think I’m in danger of being flagged/podium..etc, but is it something you need to have?
3) Why has strava doubled my power average? Has it thought I completed my virtual ride on my 15kg mountain bike?
 
PikeyPriest said:
New to Zwift and just have some quick questions:
1) I’ve got a hybrid mountain bike, is there anyway to run with a higher level of resistance so I don’t spin out on flat sprints/descents? The cadence needed to keep my power up is difficult to maintain. I can always stick to courses with hills
2) do I need to get a heart rate monitor/zwift power account? I took part in my first race yesterday as I thought it would be more fun than a training session. I was able to take part but it looks like I need a zwift power account to be ranked and then it mentions heart rate monitor for certain groups. Being honest, I finished 8th in D class with a W/kg of 2.5, so I don’t think I’m in danger of being flagged/podium..etc, but is it something you need to have?
3) Why has strava doubled my power average? Has it thought I completed my virtual ride on my 15kg mountain bike?
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1) what turbo etc are you using? Cadence isn't completely related to power, so if you're having to peddle faster to increase your power then something's wrong.

2) Yes you need a HRM to be included in race results. Mainly do prove you're human and were doing something.

3) Your bike weight won't have any effect on power (In Zwift), so again might be related to issue no 1.
 
SPG said:
Your wrist heart rate is utterly inaccurate when exercising. Its only good for resting heart-rate and very very light activity, i would get a chest strap before a power meter.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't go quite that far.

My Fenix 6 is not too bad on the few times I run without a HRM. I find it takes longer to get to the proper HR, and it reacts slower than a proper HRM too.
 
Shadowness said:
1) what turbo etc are you using? Cadence isn't completely related to power, so if you're having to peddle faster to increase your power then something's wrong.

2) Yes you need a HRM to be included in race results. Mainly do prove you're human and were doing something.

3) Your bike weight won't have any effect on power (In Zwift), so again might be related to issue no 1.
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I’ve got a kickr snap. My bike is a £200 halford hybrid. I’ve tried adding a second bike in strava to see if that stops it thinking I’m riding a virtual ride on a real bike.

I have the same problem in real life. I’m faster than my friend up hills, but spin out down hill at about 30mph while he pulls away.

The virtual ride was great though. Was 14th for ages with a group of three taking the front in turn we caught lots of people then ramped up speed on last lap before sprint finish. I managed average 220W, but feel I could have paced myself better rather doing the last lap at 300+ and 500+ edit 500m (felt like 1000m!)
 
Your bike details in Strava etc won't affect the power readings. Power is power. Doesn't matter what you're pedalling on (of course the speed you do will be affected though)

Might just be your gearing then. If your bike is geared quite low, you'll climb easily but run out of gears on the way down.
 
SPG said:
Your wrist heart rate is utterly inaccurate when exercising. Its only good for resting heart-rate and very very light activity, i would get a chest strap before a power meter.
Click to expand...


In terms of getting started on Zwift a heart rate monitor adds very little and is non essential though? Especially, if I could use my watch at the start. Whereas getting some data (speed or power) is essential. I think the point of the post was to ask, is my turbo trainer with a speed sensor usable? Or would I be better with the trainer and a power meter? Bearing in mind a speed sensor adds very little value for summer riding, whereas a power meter adds a useful additional metric (and post cycling interest in analysis). And then, if my thoughts follow, is a 4iiii Ultegra left side power meter a good place to start, or would another power meter be better (reliability in terms of functionality more then say being 99.9% accurate).


https://forums.zwift.com/t/cant-find-cycleops-jetfluid-pro-what-to-do/870 This makes me think it is not suitable without the separate power data.
 
For Zwift, a power meter is pretty much essential.

And as you say, it will bring benefits riding outdoors as well.

And no, a HRM for Zwift isn't essential, unless you want to be classified officially in race results.
 
Trifid said:
I'd like to focus on purchases that can continue to provide value. Next year I wish to be more adventurous so would like a Garmin Edge. I can get Garmin Edge 530/830 with a nice discount through work, but there is a long wait for the sensor bundle, and the unit on its own is pretty pointless for Zwift? Otherwise is there a good lower cost power meter? 4iiii Precison? The Garmin Vector 3s? I wouldn't mind being able to do training with power to further improve next year. Can I get a power meter now and continue to use my watch for heartrate?
Click to expand...
You've pretty much answered your fan/bike/trainer questions, but one point would be checking the crankset on the Canyon and the Specialized, if they're 'modern' type Shimano cranksets (Hollowtech? 105-5700/5800/R7000/Ultegra 6700/6800/R8000) then getting a single sided PWM (4iiii Precision/Stages) is really going to be the purchase for you at this point - it will be (probably) cheaper than switching to a smart trainer, it will be more accurate than speed/cadence sensors on an old dumb trainer like your fluid, giving you an actual power output. Then providing compatible with both bikes being capable to be swapped to the 'outside' bike for outside riding. You can get more swappable going the pedals route but really unless you're swapping every week then a crankarm is not hard or time consuming to swap (considering the price hike and problems with pedals).

PikeyPriest said:
New to Zwift and just have some quick questions:
1) I’ve got a hybrid mountain bike, is there anyway to run with a higher level of resistance so I don’t spin out on flat sprints/descents? The cadence needed to keep my power up is difficult to maintain. I can always stick to courses with hills
2) do I need to get a heart rate monitor/zwift power account? I took part in my first race yesterday as I thought it would be more fun than a training session. I was able to take part but it looks like I need a zwift power account to be ranked and then it mentions heart rate monitor for certain groups. Being honest, I finished 8th in D class with a W/kg of 2.5, so I don’t think I’m in danger of being flagged/podium..etc, but is it something you need to have?
3) Why has strava doubled my power average? Has it thought I completed my virtual ride on my 15kg mountain bike?
Click to expand...
As noted, power is power. Zwift speed is calculated from estimated power from your trainer. As yours is a 'wheel on' and although a good one (KICKR Snap) it is still calculated from wheel 'speed'. Your hybrid may have 700c wheels (probably has else you may have issue fitting it to the hybrid) but it will have very slow/low/leisurely gearing on it. So very limited wheel speed due to the gearing.

HRM is recommended if you're serious about training and racing. You don't need one, but as you've found most race organisers require one. Same for a Zwiftpower account really, if you want to see your race results then register for one... They are free! But then that does also link slightly back towards your trainer... If you're riding with just Speed & Cadence sensors (then Zwift calculates to 'virtual' power - zpower) then some/most race organisers will remove you from race results anyway, certainly podiums higher up the categorisations...

Strava doubling your power average is probably just miscalculation. It's used whatever data it has to calculate what it thinks the specific power for rider at x weight would require riding x bike along that course and that elevation. It's not 'clever' enough to calculate it from you being in a group, or along a virtual world...

Trifid said:
is a 4iiii Ultegra left side power meter a good place to start, or would another power meter be better (reliability in terms of functionality more then say being 99.9% accurate).
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See above, answered quite a bit of it. HRM non 'essential' but if you want to be 'seen' in most popular race results then organisers prefer the podium/top riders to be using them. Same with power really.

No problems with a single side crank arm, my day to day is a 4iiii Precision and I love it. Amazing for the money and I have considered multiple times getting another one to even replace the power figures from my £600-700 smart trainer.

Shadowness said:
And no, a HRM for Zwift isn't essential, unless you want to be classified officially in race results.
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This. Also worth noting the further up the results/categorisations (or popular race series) that you also won't be included as a zpower rider (non-smart/non-pwm data).
 
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Roady said:
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Many thanks. I think it is just a limitation of the crankset and gearing then. Oh well, it can wait until next year when I look to get a road bike. Even 1-2% resistance is enough to allow me to push against resistance so I can avoid races that are mostly flat and can use the ERG training modes still, so not the end of the world. I will hold off buying cadence/speed/HR until next year as I don’t have a bike computer either, so kind of need to go all or nothing and hard to justify the cost for indoor riding in zwift.
 
Chaps, does anyone here use a real basic turbo?

I've entered a full ironman next year, and although I can get my WattBike to a similar geometry, I feel it would be wise to do most winter training my TT bike.

So I'm after the most simple bit of kit possible really. It doesn't have to be smart as I have a PWM on the TT rig. As long as I can change the resistance at set intervals (manually) then that's all I'll need.

I'm looking at this at the moment: https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Tacx/T2650-Blue-Matic-Folding-Magnetic-Turbo-Trainer/1QFL

Cheap (relatively) as chips and seems to get good reviews.

Anything else to look out for?

Presumably it would be prudent to fit a turbo tyre too?
 
Pretty much unbeatable price, but it is very 'simple' a trainer. Especially after riding your WattBike. Although I'm fully aware now is not the time to be shopping around for trainers that's a good price. Equally trainers of that type are very 'simple' and I'd say ask around your club for anyone with an old one they'll happily let you borrow over winter, or even buying one second hand locally. Unsure if you can still get the Tacx Flow Smart, or Vortex Smart and what prices they are, but they would give you that resistance 'feedback' if you could track one down without the manual part. Just more engaging for Zwifting and such if you can find one for prices near that... Obviously you'll be using your PWM data so not worried about it's accuracy.

Fairly sure I've got a trainer tyre you can have, a Tacx blue one, have been meaning to shift it (with the bunch of tyres hanging up in my garage) but never got around to listing it.
 
Back on the interval group rides, different leader tonight, did what I probably need/lack.

Lots of short intervals with frequent power changes up to FTP with high cadence, throw in a few 160-180% FTP short on/off efforts with limited recovery at the end. Really shows how hard the trainer can be, an hour nonstop even working at about 3.2wkg with NP coming in around 3.5, my FTP is just under 4 on the road, ZP has me about 3.8 on the trainer.

I was really holding on at the end of the session with sore legs.

Usually the sets are longer interval duration with more recovery and I can do these easily, but these short on/off pace changes really killed me with the hard efforts in there too!

I guess targeted just the right workout level, completed the session in the group and hit the target powers but sure felt it.

It would be nice to ride in erg mode to be sure you’d hit them and not be altered by the terrain, but that doesn’t reflect really life and riding in a group makes it more enjoyable and interactive.
 
Cheers for the help @Roady

I've actually seen quite a few on ebay, some are quite local, so I can collect.

I'm not really interested in any smart trainer, I don't need it to adjust power automatically or anything like that. I just need something to hold my TT bike, while I ride at set intervals (to the power from my PWM)

I probably won't even be on Zwift or online at all, as I'd be riding in my parents garage which would be out of wifi range, and ca't be bothered using loads of data over phone data.

Plus, the booster model is one of the main trainers TTers take to warm up before events, so I can look super pro and do that if I ever get more serious about TTing ;):p
 
You can run internet through the mains power using a plug adaptor if your shed has power. That’s how mine is run as like yours it’s outside WiFi and quite a long way to run cable.

My wife had a few issues using it, there’s an advanced power saving mode you have to turn off otherwise it was dropping connection, but it’s just done in the software and very simple.
 
Berger said:
Back on the interval group rides, different leader tonight, did what I probably need/lack.
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Which ones are these? I know lots of the 3R ones are great but all morning based so I can't do them (start work too early @8 for them!), but I could be tempted by an evening lead interval group ride to replace one of my evening racing sessions.

Shadowness said:
Plus, the booster model is one of the main trainers TTers take to warm up before events, so I can look super pro and do that if I ever get more serious about TTing ;):p
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Haha, of course the Tacx Neo is 'self' powered with resistance you can control from a phone/head unit... So you could look even more Pro pulling out one of those! ;)

Berger said:
there’s an advanced power saving mode you have to turn off otherwise it was dropping connection, but it’s just done in the software and very simple.
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Good shout, My Netgear ones do seem to cut off sometimes so it's probably that... Although I've never installed or used an app for them. Never found it with my gaming PC attached, but the other half working from home had a lost connection once or twice over the several weeks of WFH... We just turned them off & back on! ;)
 
I’m doing a little Vo2 block before starting back into sweet spot base as I know my VO2 sucks. It’s a suggested plan from TR’s Coach Chad you can find on the forum but effectively builds from 30s on / 30s off up to 3 minutes by the end. I’m “enjoying” it so far but it is getting harder!
 
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