The Indoor Riding/ Zwift/ TrainerRoad etc. Thread

Big update to the companion app coming in the summer where it counts your outdoor kms towards your xp zwift levels. Presumably it won't count towards in game bike upgrades.
I still fail to see the point on this... A gimmick to get lite or new riders up the levels? A way for the bigger outdoor riders not to be compromised on Zwift? Guess the main hook is tying riders into Zwift more, their Zwift progress and unlocks being more important, so they then consciously stay on Zwift rather than trying something else.

Used Mywhoosh for the first time last night since Indievelo has gone premium at last.

Was decent enough for my needs to get some structured training sessions in. Roads were quieter than any other platform which wasn't expected.
How was the stability and what hardware are you running it on?

Rouvy have brought in a feature where you can film your ride and create the route to ride it virtually and share it on the platform. Pretty cool. I'd assume it copies the gradients too otherwise whats the point.
I did a trial of it last year, it has one of my usual routes and probably most popular on it already. https://www.strava.com/routes/86829 I liked it but found the lack of other people and structured race options a bit of a let down, especially in my time zone.

The 'Magic Roads' of things like original RGT and I think IV even has a function for it. The old Tacx app did as well - basically load a GPX in and it easily replicates the gradients/resistance of the track. Great feature for Rouvy to be the 'first' overlaying it with video, might have to check that out - especially now I've got my 4K camera for decent footage...

I wish my FTP was that high. Its about 305. Well, I don't know what it is now but it was 305 when tested about 2 months ago. I am about to do another one in the next few days and I reckon it might be 315-320. This is also using a ramp test so lets be honest, its overestimating my real FTP by a bit but I have found that workouts based on my ramp test FTP work pretty well.

In my Z2 workouts my HR is at 120-130 and my max HR is about 190.
It might be your Z2 may needs to be lower & you need to be riding easier to really be in Z2 for it... At least while you figure it out... The recent trend/fad with z2 riding is all about increasing your z2 zone - really pushing your other zones higher so you fatigue less doing those harder efforts - ergo can do more of them as you need less recovery. Z2 is about being aerobic. For the general riders like us z2 should be all about building base - we don't have time to do the volumes of riding a Pro (or even old school club) rider does. So doing Z2 riding amongst other training is recovering enough from those, while still getting the training adaptions from base volume/fat burn without building extra fatigue.

So much of recovery-feeling can be what you're conditioned to. But as you've found the combination of things might mean the 'fatigue' feels more from the longer 'easy' ride than the short sharp intervals, your body needs to get used to getting the 'recovery' and adaption benefits from a Z2 ride. Until you do, all you're doing is adding volume/fatigue... Which might, or might not be what you need. Z2 should be when the metabolic switch for your muscles are burning predominatly fat and ketones rather than glucose/carbohydrates from your system. But as with anything you have to train it to really gain the benefits...

So a big amount of our feeling on the bike is what we're conditioned to, we're all individuals but so really are our hearts and likely the zones. So really one person's Z2 won't exactly match anothers... Our max HR's are very similar (190-ish), my intervals says my HR Z2 is 139-153 bpm which sounds pretty high to me. I tend to be pretty high HR anyway, can 'happily' sit an hour at 170-175 bpm avg doing a TT type effort on a rolling course, but ask me to hold a steady power over that period... Nope! I'm just not conditioned to it.

A 100km group ride steady at 2.0w/kg or 2.5w/kg for 2.5 hours does really hurt me until I'm doing them regularly on Zwift. That feeling of doing them regularly is likely just as much my Z2 range increasing, so I'm fatiguing less, alongside general fitness and form.

 
How was the stability and what hardware are you running it on?

No stability issues at all.

Some small bugs, like it shows my Gear number in the bottom corner, but changing the gear on my Kickr Shift doesn't change the gear displayed.

Then i did an endurance workout and it had 7x1 minute segments all at 169w. Not really sure why it didn't just have a 7 minute block!


Other than a few quirks it's perfect for me though. I'm not bothered about racing. Just something to give me some structured workouts which is also free!
 
It might be your Z2 may needs to be lower & you need to be riding easier to really be in Z2 for it... At least while you figure it out... The recent trend/fad with z2 riding is all about increasing your z2 zone - really pushing your other zones higher so you fatigue less doing those harder efforts - ergo can do more of them as you need less recovery. Z2 is about being aerobic. For the general riders like us z2 should be all about building base - we don't have time to do the volumes of riding a Pro (or even old school club) rider does. So doing Z2 riding amongst other training is recovering enough from those, while still getting the training adaptions from base volume/fat burn without building extra fatigue.

So much of recovery-feeling can be what you're conditioned to. But as you've found the combination of things might mean the 'fatigue' feels more from the longer 'easy' ride than the short sharp intervals, your body needs to get used to getting the 'recovery' and adaption benefits from a Z2 ride. Until you do, all you're doing is adding volume/fatigue... Which might, or might not be what you need. Z2 should be when the metabolic switch for your muscles are burning predominatly fat and ketones rather than glucose/carbohydrates from your system. But as with anything you have to train it to really gain the benefits...

So a big amount of our feeling on the bike is what we're conditioned to, we're all individuals but so really are our hearts and likely the zones. So really one person's Z2 won't exactly match anothers... Our max HR's are very similar (190-ish), my intervals says my HR Z2 is 139-153 bpm which sounds pretty high to me. I tend to be pretty high HR anyway, can 'happily' sit an hour at 170-175 bpm avg doing a TT type effort on a rolling course, but ask me to hold a steady power over that period... Nope! I'm just not conditioned to it.

A 100km group ride steady at 2.0w/kg or 2.5w/kg for 2.5 hours does really hurt me until I'm doing them regularly on Zwift. That feeling of doing them regularly is likely just as much my Z2 range increasing, so I'm fatiguing less, alongside general fitness and form.


Yeah, there is clearly something going wrong here. I guess I am still getting hung up on the idea of HR/power but even then the rpe of these rides isn't that high either.

I just did another ramp test despite feeling a little under the weather today and my HR went to 195. So my Z2 HR should be higher than where I sit when I am doing my Z2 rides (120-130bpm) and power wise, it would suggest I should be doing them at between 175 and 230ish I think. I tend to do them around 200.

I'm just about to do a 2 week VO2 max block so I might knock the Z2 rides down to 180w or so and see if that helps.
 
"They" say you should be able to hold a conversation in Z2. I have similar HR and power outputs. Not sure I could hold much of a conversation at 130+bpm without sounding like I'm gasping for breath.
 
Doing this one later. In the damn top bracket again but after only losing 1 Racing Score last week might just mean that's where I belong... 518 racing in 510-650 brackets getting my head kicked in!

 
Doing this one later. In the damn top bracket again but after only losing 1 Racing Score last week might just mean that's where I belong... 518 racing in 510-650 brackets getting my head kicked in!


Is there a weakness in the ZRS from just being consistent?

This morning I came 8th in range 2 ZRacing event (330-450) and got bumped up to 433. The morning events are normally 25 to 35 people and I'll be around the top third to halfway (8th of 25 today)

Go back to a race on 21st Feb this year and I was on 394, yet I very much doubt my power / performance stat's have improved. If anything, I did less riding and more running on March / April as I ran a 10k race. At this rate I'll be in Cat B for range 2 and that's 450 to 570, so I'll get smashed.
 
Does anyone know if you can buy a Zwift click separately? I lost mine. I took it off my bike and can't find it now.
Just the remote, or the hub thing itself? Best thing would be to message Zwift. Their Support are good and can advise, I've no idea if the 2 things are hardware ID locked together or it's just a standard BT pairing. Probably the former as not heard of people needing to re-pair the Click to the Hub but can only hope there is a way (of getting a spare remote)...

Is there a weakness in the ZRS from just being consistent?

This morning I came 8th in range 2 ZRacing event (330-450) and got bumped up to 433. The morning events are normally 25 to 35 people and I'll be around the top third to halfway (8th of 25 today)

Go back to a race on 21st Feb this year and I was on 394, yet I very much doubt my power / performance stat's have improved. If anything, I did less riding and more running on March / April as I ran a 10k race. At this rate I'll be in Cat B for range 2 and that's 450 to 570, so I'll get smashed.
Not sure if it's a weakness with being consistent or just the way things have matured now where riding regularly and consistently the same sort of events, you need a big result, to really see much change in score. Really the more people ride competitive events the more accurate their ZRS should be... But those who don't race much, or target low numbered for a good result will take several races to drop/gain score to be in the 'right place' again. Really when ZRL is going on and riders are regulars in it, their scores should be well matched to their abilities - or even lower due to high numbers and how close the competition is... Outside of that, or riders who don't frequent big/popular races, very hard to judge their measure. The modern sandbag.

After my 3 weeks in Florida end of April I figured I'd lose score... Nope - as hadn't raced to do so! A couple of hard ones back then, didn't lose badly enough nor race enough to tank many points. -1 there, +2 there... A month later now after that race above - when I managed to hold onto the A pack with my Race Score of 518 in the 510-650 bracket, finished 13th and gained 6 points - I'm now higher score than before my holiday. Without really feeling like I've 'got back' to that form...

Somehow got back into the wheels of the front pack (31 riders) over the top of the climb. With 2 teammates also there, did a crazy long 800m to go attack - a suicide move to see if I could finish further up than the end of the group (for 29-30-31st) and it kinda worked. No sprint left so got swamped, but as another rider or two had gone the same time it also made the finish 2 separate moves. I got caught easily but as they'd gone earlier they eased so I got carried along. Then the real end sprint from behind came through - lost my places there - but also didn't have any real kick or sprint for the line left.

https://www.strava.com/activities/14543187899 - check the start & then climb effort - consider my FTP is around 260W - over FTP for the first 10 mins, including 350W for 4 mins climbing!
 
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Just the remote, or the hub thing itself? Best thing would be to message Zwift. Their Support are good and can advise, I've no idea if the 2 things are hardware ID locked together or it's just a standard BT pairing. Probably the former as not heard of people needing to re-pair the Click to the Hub but can only hope there is a way (of getting a spare remote)...
Thanks for the advice. I reached out Zwift customer support and they are posting me a new click, free of charge. I can't say any better than that, although I feel they need to sell them separately.
 
Good news! Zwift and hardware just seems one of those things - usually some big business decisions driving it, but the 'nitty gritty' never seems well thought out - or profitable.


Brutal one again last night, racing A pen for 510-650 Racing Score with my 524. I was going to skip it as legs felt tired and ate late, so really a last minute jump in with very little warmup. Several 3R in there meant lots of chat/banter for distraction. Did probably just over my current FTP for the first 10 mins just hanging on & up the climb. But I got dropped pretty fast on it not able to hold much over 5.0w/kg, but then holding the effort clawed my way back up to a few wheels and made 1 token effort to bridge back to front group with a 3s gap over the top - but didn't make it. Sat back then for my friend (Fred) to make it onto our group (mega effort by him). Trying to play it smart in our 7up to sit in for the finish (to be the right side of any splits and let others make them), but Fred had other ideas following a solo move off the front. I bridged up and then we worked well together as a 3 up growing the gap to the 4 behind. Legs felt good but I got my timings & momentum wrong, a gap opened and I had no response - so just measured my effort so the chasers didn't catch me. Fred managed to out-sprint the other guy and had him on the line for 37th. Happy with my 39th and trimmed 4 Racing Points, so now down at 520.

A good race before ZRL Summer Showdown begins next week, my legs are going well. These long hard efforts and rolling short/tough courses are suiting me, but my sprint has been almost none-existent at the end after the earlier max efforts. Did some good sweeping in 3R True2.5 group ride afterwards, Fred there too. Touch course so a bunch of gaps - our own at the start, then helping others.
 
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The last three times Garmin has suggested a Sprint workout it's resulted in Base training effect.

Usually a warmup then 2 x (10x 10sec@420w, 20sec@80w) in fact that's what it suggestion for today as well. Why is it getting it so wrong.
 
The last three times Garmin has suggested a Sprint workout it's resulted in Base training effect.

Usually a warmup then 2 x (10x 10sec@420w, 20sec@80w) in fact that's what it suggestion for today as well. Why is it getting it so wrong.

How long is the full workout? If you are only doing 10 minutes of sprints in an hour of riding garmin seems to treat it based on the bulk.
 
Sorted ignored Garmin and did 12sec @ 620W / 1:30 @ 80w 10 times, 5 mins rest then repeated.

Increasing the rest between efforts seemed to be the key.
 
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My thought process that an indoor bike during summer would increase riding is falling apart. Jumped on last night at 10pm and even with fans on full i was dripping with sweat! Have ordered a portable A/C unit for that room so hoping that'll help.
 
My thought process that an indoor bike during summer would increase riding is falling apart. Jumped on last night at 10pm and even with fans on full i was dripping with sweat! Have ordered a portable A/C unit for that room so hoping that'll help.

Yeah, having the same here in the UK despite it not being that hot. Cycling outside just gives you so much more cooling and the cooling is full body rather than the more focussed cooling from fans. I have 2 pretty meaty fans but still get roasty.
 
The last three times Garmin has suggested a Sprint workout it's resulted in Base training effect.

Haha Garmin being Garmin. Did notice something similar with my Whoop recently though, manually trimmed the detected workout to lose a few mins of cooldown at the end - it transitioned from a 'base endurance' ride into a 'Z4 threshold' :rolleyes: :cry:

Good TTT last week - short on riders called it 1 B team. Maximum effort for me as didn't setup my steering and everyone else did... Ooops! Had to skip turns and flog myself due to losing so much draft. Still great training!

Jumped into another A pen race sunday afternoon, figuring just use it for 5-10 mins intensity warmup before a group ride... Promptly smashed myself to bits and hung on for grim death the first lap, then decided to ride more measured second lap... Then do an endurance ride.

ZRL returns tonight (4 weeks 'Summer Showdown') so at least a good sharpener. Race legs are pretty good at the moment! Only 4 riders per race and tonights TTT is a brutal course, going to be a good test of my leadership skills!

My thought process that an indoor bike during summer would increase riding is falling apart. Jumped on last night at 10pm and even with fans on full i was dripping with sweat! Have ordered a portable A/C unit for that room so hoping that'll help.
So much of it is airflow... Certainly in the UK at the moment I'm riding in 18-22 degrees in the garage and it's not bad. But I've 3 fans - a mini Honeywell at bar height, a Headwind at front wheel height, then a 'standard' (like Rob's but mine must be less than 20") at offset head height blowing down on me.

I still ride through the summer, warmest was 34-35 degrees I think. It wasn't pleasent and wouldn't do it many times over 30 degrees, but I'll happily in anything below that. Aim to sweat - so extra drinks & salts - lots of air moving for cooling. Sweat evaporation is our natural way of cooling after all!

I wear base layers designed for summer (Spatz Coolr), to stop puddles of sweat or being utterly soaked. They soak up and aid evaporation by catching air better than bare skin!
 
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