Are dd turbos harder to cycle on? Or is it just me being weak? I swear I really have to concentrate to maintain a decent cadence and my power output feels like it’s more work.
Impressed with the Zwift hub though, nice bit of kit.
Yes they are. There's 'nowhere to hide' with a DD, no easy miles as gotta keep that chain tight!
The Vortex (like any other Wheel On) are not accurate. I know they quote accuracy levels like 5%, but that is taken at a steady state over a long period. Without being able to quantify/measure it otherwise you can't compare. My experience on the Vortex for example I could do massive 800-1000W surges by spinning it up and overpowering the resistance unit, then while the thing tried to catch back up it kept the power up probably quite a bit higher than I was putting out. Hardly anyone on a DD could match it (racing Cat B early days). My FTP was around 270-280W on it. When I came to a DD my FTP was 240W and my sprints not much over 650W... But your YMMV!
I guess so I just, wan to
know 
. I've done FTP tests
with a power meter (borrowed) and am reasonably confident my FTP is right, I think I'll borrow a pwm to just try and compare numbers.
I still feel like vomiting after a race, so I think its working
.
A Stages crank arm, or some pedals are quite an easy thing to borrow and verify against.
Can confirm, vomit feeling does not go away. Won TTT in part of the 'ZRL Finals' and had to do height & weight verification for WTRL last week. Passed it so have a cool 'ZRL Winner' helmet in my wardrobe.
As you say, gaining power and losing weight is a bugger of a combo!
Definitely, almost impossible to do both as a 'leisure' cyclist like us (unless using some specific focussed training for it)...! Yourself excluded
@Shadowness as I consider you a semi-professional
Surely the point if W/kg is the weight is less important. In fact, if we was really heavy it would surely be more impressive than if he was very light? Someone weighing 50kg pushing 125W all the way up a climb surely isn't impressive. Someone weighing 140kg pushing 350W all the way sounds better I would say
Someone at 50kg outputting 125W may take marginally less 'effort' than someone 140kg outputting 350W, but it is marginal and the energy required should be considered equal. The two 'ends' of the spectrum like those, things do tend to 'muddy' - just as you saying not a really 'heavy' rider where 125W seems far less than 350W, for you, because it is. But 375W (3.75w/kg) for someone at 80kg, should be a similar 'effort' as 262W for someone at 70kg (3.74w/kg).
I regularly TTT with a guy weighing 53kg. He's a monster, as he's able to sustain some good power and even stay with us heavier 70kg+ guys when sprinting. His climbing is impressive - but equally I only find it impressive as largely the stuff he's riding in TTT's is not sustained long gradient stuff where his low weight gives him a massive difference to the rest of the team. It's all mostly 'power' climbs - short steep ramps and the momentum heavier riders have compared to him, he is able to match. But I still need to call him back sometimes as he just floats away up anything without really 'attacking' it like heavier riders need to. His
~200W off the front (3.77w/kg) and holding himself back is fairly equal to my
~300W chasing (3.94w/kg) in a climbing situation on TT bikes...
Pre-baby I was up to 2.8 but now I'm at 2.4. Hoping now I can get more regular cycling in I can get close to 3 again. I'll never be racing but I just want to be competent.
Finding a 'level' and being consistent with performances, nailing your recovery and having repeatable efforts is a big thing. That doesn't have to be a high level - you don't need to be pushing big number or high W/G. The numbers will come back with 'training' but as for anything prior to that riding regularly and 'finding the level' you're at should be the biggest aim/concern. When you are, do a Ramp/FTP test to get a number (or a maxed out 20+ minute effort somewhere) if you 'need' one. Then figure out what you wanna do with it!
A word of warning about Best 100 Climbs #89, the section
https://www.strava.com/segments/32769421 is brutal, while using my easiest gear (34/34) an awful lot to take it almost as easy as possible it was a nasty ~10mins
https://www.strava.com/activities/7742432671/analysis/5031/5647 ... The good news is that after this most brutal section you have ~1 mile of descent including
a crossroads where you don't have way as the road levels out before you need to find your legs and lungs again.
The Rouvy AR version is pretty decent, a fraction easier than the real thing, but good for recce and training
https://my.rouvy.com/virtual-routes/detail/36075
Tenuious link, almost thought you'd got the wrong thread!
It looks a good climb, but doesn't look that tough in isolation, but when you
consider it as part of this segment ('road to hell') it's quite well known as a tough combination of climbs and route.
The top of the belt on my Kickr 2018 seems to be wearing. Is this normal?
Replacing belts on the KICKR is not uncommon. I've not dug into it yet but looks easier to do than on the TACX Flux I had. There must be guides and sources online, usually my first port of call is trawling FB 'owner' groups.
Saw this fluid turbo trainer on sale so thought i'd give Zwift a go, had to build up a rear road wheel to use it but it's working well now, just did a 20k ride on it and felt like i was going to die and i have never sweat so much in my life
Only issue is im just out of gear to hit anything over 350w
View Kyle Williams's virtualride on March 18, 2023 | Strava
www.strava.com
Welcome! Sweet setup!
My only comment would be using 'off road gearing' on Zwift which is largely road focussed. The drivechain you're using just lacking the 'speed' of a road groupset. So you're unlikely to use 75% of your gears and finding you've 'not got enough' when things get faster. It really only matters when not using ERG and gears more, so really when you try to compare to others on the platform - group rides & racing, you'll come up against it.
Just did a ramp test before I start a zwift training program and got and FTP of 241. Much higher than I expected. Was expecting 210-220. Unfortunately I am about 85kg so not particularly impressive. Just in time for a couple of babies to turn up and ruin everything!
Hows your FTP doing these days
@Junglist ?
Nice work and good number to work from. Hell I don't mean that as a silly comment either - I've barely increased my FTP the last season - 255W ish to around 265W so not massive. But I am probably at a power level now I've not seen since 2016-17 when I was quite new and the powermeter possibly not that consistent, nor the smart trainer I also measured against. BUT the level I'm at now is at 76kg. Around 5+kg lower than back then, with a much more rounded 'power profile' I'm finding it lots of fun racing at around 3.4w/kg. My efforts are very consistent now and seem to be Recovering properly, feel that matters quite a lot too.
Seems silly to say but I think I'm at 'the best I've ever been', but that is largely Zwift based comparisons. Need some work to find my climbing legs outside, but I always do this time of year...
Also, saddles. Jeeeeeezus, my poor nether regions! Does it get better?
Yes, but the saddle and shorts combo you'll find the 'best' is quite unique to you. Padded shorts (no underwear under them!) is probably the first massive revelation to new riders & comfort.
You're overcomplicating things
At this point you will get quick gains. Understanding zones, heart rates etc requires quite a bit of knowledge and more importantly, you have to have accurate data to be able to use it. For example, if your max heart rate is wrong then your zones will be wrong. If your FTP is wrong then workouts will be too hard or too easy and you won't get the correct training effect from them.
At this point, just ride. Do what you fancy. Follow and program and you will get those noob gains. I'm still very much in the same arena of getting gains and losses quite quickly and I'm trying not to get stuck in the weeds too much. Time in the saddle will benefit you massively. Micromanaging won't do you any good. Once the weather gets nicer, get out on the trails as much as possible.
^^^ This is quality sound advice for anyone starting out!
'Newbie gains' are massive. You'll get them regardless of what you're doing, providing you settle into riding fairly regularly and for the 'right reasons' you'll find them. So just have fun, do what riding makes it fun and repeatable, at least until you want different challenges or find yourself not improving (plateaux) then focus on more structure and specifics (if that's what you need).
