The Indoor Riding/ Zwift/ TrainerRoad etc. Thread

Shadowness said:
Welcome to the club! Make sure you have a fan!! (and something to pass the time too)
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Cheers! I'll definitely will pick up fan as after my first ride last night, I was sweating a fair bit. As for something to pass the time, at the moment the scenery in Rouvy is keeping me engaged. I did have a moment last night, whereby I turned around to look at our dog making noise, turned back to the screen and slammed the brakes on because a 'car' was pulling out in front of me! :p
 
If you have a Zwift subscription, check your recent emails from them, you might have an offer to get a pair of Zwift Play controllers for free besides postage.
 
I most be loving the Wahoo Kickr and Rouvy as I've rode a total of 106 miles in a week! Who said I wasn't a cyclist?
What I've found so far, is how unfit I am, but that gives me a goal to work with. Currently Rouvy has estimated an FTP of 114 watts, when the best time to do a FTP and which is better the ramp or 20min?
 
Junglist said:
Depends who you ask. I found the 20 minute test harder and people seem to suggest you can ‘game’ the ramp one a bit easier.

Both will give you a number to work with though
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Yeah, the best way to think of them is just as a comparison of progress rather than the actual output. Just pick one and be consistent.
 
I'd do the ramp if I were you. I think a beginner may struggle to pace themselves for 20 minutes, it's hard enough when you know your baseline and you are trying to improve it. If you went too hard early then power would tail right off and it likely wouldn’t be a true reflection, conversely a ramp may end up slightly above the FTP but then it can be dialled down if workouts are proving too hard which I think is a better strategy than posting a low number and then dialling it up.

Does anyone know why when viewing a zwift strava segment, you can't compare your times to people you are following like you can for real world segments?
 
Vandle said:
I think a beginner may struggle to pace themselves for 20 minutes
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This was my thought for a newbie. Whilst 20 mins is probably a little more accurate, it can also go wrong I guess.
Junglist said:
Never. They’re horrendous.
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They pale in comparison to a 4DP test tbh... the only time I've been brave/stupid enough to do one, I honestly thought I was going to pass out.
 
I just do a ramp test. Its always left me with an FTP that works for all the workouts that are based on in in the popular apps. I think thats the main thing. Some people get tetchy when it comes to FTP unless its been done under X conditions. Fundamentally FTP is just a number. Its not actually representative of your fitness as its just a single number. Its useful but isn't quite as be-all end-all as some suggest.

The 20 minute test is likely the best way to do it but I think you need to be quite experienced to pace that (and also, strangely enough, know your rough FTP in all likelihood otherwise you are just going off feel).

I think there are some outliers where the ramp test doesn't work for them (I think its people with a really good anaerobic engine that tend to score better than they should).

Oh and don't listen to Junglist, hes being a big pansy. :p

Ramp tests don't last long enough to be that bad.
 
Thanks for all the FTP test comments. Over the next few weekends I've got my stag parties. Yes, I said plural, god help me! And then a half marathon at the beginning of April, so I'll probably wait to do the FTP.
 
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fez said:
Oh and don't listen to Junglist, hes being a big pansy. :p
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While I can't argue against this and AI FTP in Trainer Road being one of my preferred features. It's true. the 20 minute test is nasty work!
fez said:
Ramp tests don't last long enough to be that bad.
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And that's why they're the easier option than the 20 minute one. Just going until you can't may be taxing physically but mentally, the ramp test is a walk in the park.
It's different gravy when you feel like you're at the limit and smashing the test until you see you've still got 13 minutes left!

They're both just about getting a number to work with though. You could also throw in Zwifts 'The Grade' but I've not done that.

I think it's just a case of pick a test, get a number and work from there. If you want to check your progress, do the same test again... Or be like me and use TR and hope the AI is close enough :cry:
 
Blackvault said:
Thanks for all the FTP test comments. Over the next few weekends I've got my stag parties. Yes, I said plural, god help me! And then a half marathon at the beginning of April, so I'll probably wait to do the FTP.
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Dont wait, just get it done, better to give you a baseline now especially if you plan on starting a workout plan you will get a better indicator of what your FTP is for them. An alternative is to do a route on zwift that includes the grade, this gives you a FTP at the end of the grade once you cross the finish line and is reasonably realisitc, so you have 3 options. Personally as a beginner though i would just hit up the ramp test (not the lite version thats for super light weights and ladies)
 
Felt a bit crappy for the past week with some gastro issues but did an FTP test on Friday anyway. Felt sick afterwards but have managed to improve my FTP to 303 from 285 over the past 8 weeks which I will take quite happily. Not sure if it would be a little higher if I wasn't a bit under the weather but I dug pretty deep so not convinced it would be.

Hopefully a couple more blocks like this and I will hit that magical 4w/kg and have completed cycling.
 
Ooooh been a while since I checked in here. I've ended up racing in 'A pen' of Zwift Games as my damn Racing Score is 513... Top pen for 'Range 1' of the Games is 500-650 score! :cry:

Needless to say I got my head kicked in (I'm a mid or upper Cat B at best) last Tuesday. Somehow holding onto the Pack all the way, fumes and chasing dusty shadows on the climb, managed to the close the gap and get back onto the back of the group for the finish. 75th place! But only as it was a short and flat one... Annoyingly I didn't lose any racing score, so I'm ready for more of the same later, this time up the Volcano so I'm expecting to come dead last...! :eek::cry:

I'm aiming to hold 4.0w/kg up the Volcano as a test... Should be just above where I'm at and might keep me with some riders (approx 300W @ 75kg). I'm expecting the front to do 5.0 up there!

Vandle said:
I'd say 195 was amazing for a 61 year old. I'm 47 and cap out at about that.
At least you are doing something, which is positive. Not sure if you are aware but you can create custom workouts in Zwift, they are really simple to do. Maybe you could try one that has you working in zones 1 and 2 for now?
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Yeah but what he's saying is the chemo is having such a massive strain on his body the massive effort it was taking his heart when riding hard was pushing it way over what he would expect. Even the 150/160bpm on a 2w/kg ride is pretty high. I've got guys I ride with similar ages and they max out at 140-150.

Hitting 195 wouldn't be 'normal' for the vast majority of anyone over their 20's or 30's - but HR is such an individual thing, so always exceptions... Like this guy I've Zwifted with - he's in his early 30's and regularly hits 200bpm.

But totally right about doing something, great effort! Take things steady @dod - but also fantastic you're feeling well enough to want to ride your bike. No pressure on any performance while going through chemo! It'll be brilliant if you just keep your legs spinning. Goodluck!

Blackvault said:
I've just bought the Wahoo Core Kickr and Zwift Click/Cog.
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Welcome! Sounds like you're already on the right track - getting a fan.

Any other questions most of us have been doing this a while (I've been on Zwift since the start!) so should be able to answer. Good luck with your Stag do's and Wedding (& marathon). You must be mad! :D

Blackvault said:
I most be loving the Wahoo Kickr and Rouvy as I've rode a total of 106 miles in a week! Who said I wasn't a cyclist?
What I've found so far, is how unfit I am, but that gives me a goal to work with. Currently Rouvy has estimated an FTP of 114 watts, when the best time to do a FTP and which is better the ramp or 20min?
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Good start - enjoy your 'newbie gains'! ;)

Once you're at the point you feel 'ready' to ride hard and can sustain a good hard effort for 15 mins do a 20 min FTP test. All it is, is a measurement to base your training efforts against - doing it early will just show earlier progress. But they do hurt... Much of it is being ready mentally to sustain it.

The ramp version is easier and a great 'snapshot' but not the most accurate. I'm a punchy rider so can get a big FTP from it, can't get near it with a 20 minute, then a full 60 mins effort is way off that as well...!
 
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