That looks the business but you need it painted black at the very least! Maybe with some Canyon, Tacx and Zipp logos on it?
Have you done a build log? Would be quite interested in reading about the pitfalls and what you've found out while building/testing
So that is the opposite of real life where everyone moans as I am so small and they get no break from the wind but I get a great break behind larger blokes as I am so small
Pretty much! Zwift play with the drafting algorithm occasionally too, just recently they screwed 'Double Draft' and it became more like 'quadruple draft' in some training group rides, with the 'normal' draft effect boosted to near previous DD levels. They've fixed it now but it does feel stronger than previously. When even previously it was too strong!
Thanks for the tips guys. I've never raced IRL so this 'racing' malarkey was entirely new to me. Sounds like my biggest mistake was underestimating the effect of drafting as I basically sat on the front of the groupetto for about 15 minutes trying to chase back to the main bunch! Think I'll drop down to 'D' until I get the tactics nailed then try again in a 'C' race.
I've never raced IRL either, wouldn't want to as can't justify the risk! but Zwift racing is fun and really pushes me harder than any training session. Although I seem to have more stamina reserves at threshold Zwift racing than I do when riding outside, which is slightly annoying!
Stick in C, just keep riding and learning. Takes me 3-4 races to get back into the tactical side of things after any longer break. D you'll find really 'easy' to ride at FTP and drop people, coming up to C from that is brutal. But I would say that B racing is 'easier' than C. Certainly seemed less brutal to me - maybe I just had such better fitness when I was a B! Some of my recent C races have been brutal efforts (see below).
Do not lose a wheel. If you lose the group you're done for.
I did half of the 62 mile ZHR (I think) training ride, and we were bolting around London at around 26-30mph avg. No way you'd catch up if dropped.
The first few races I did I under estimated how much people surge on the short stabby climbs, and lost groups a few times. (well the breakaway one)
All of this! Even group rides people surge up the climbs!
I rode the Sky NYC course as a race a week ago and it was utterly utterly brutal as I didn't really know what to expect. I expected it to be mostly flat!
Don’t start off from too far back in a sprint as gaps will open up and the front guys will be 3 seconds up the road while Zwift glues you to someone else instead of hopping off their wheel.
Getting a sticky draft is damn annoying. Sometimes takes over 1-2w/kg+ to the rider in front to break out of their draft and gain enough on them to overtake! The couple of seconds that takes can lose races/wheels of others who don't get stuck in the same draft as you.
Did a Zwift workout with a fan for the first time today (the Honeywell one that someone recommended). **** me! What a difference. HR was a good 10-15 bpm lower for the same effort as last week. I reckon if I retest my FTP it'll be a lot closer to my outdoor one now
Can't imagine Zwifting without a fan. Last winter even in the sub zero I was still using a fan. Overshoes, leg warmers, arm warmers, full fingered windproof gloves, but with a fan on to cool my torso. My extremities didn't need cooling!
Having a few issues with disconnects for my races over the break. Have had a more flaky home broadband connection too so figuring it's down to that, although the drop on Sunday (
with 300ft to go, just as the sprint ramped up!) didn't coincide with a broadband drop. It did coincide with the other half plugging in an Amazon Echo Dot Alexa thingy, so I'm blaming that.
Damn annoying to be disconnected when just starting my sprint with the finish line in sight!
Although loooking at that ride now, there's
a bunch of HR drops I hadn't noticed before. Maybe I am getting some interference from something. Hmm!
30/12.
3R Volcano race - disconnected 300ft to go.
Still came in 3rd but would've been troubling the lead without it! Was closer to 20th on screen.
29/12.
Team Italy Gladiators Race - disconnected 6 miles to go.
Would've been 3/4/5th. Brutal course on NYC 'Everything Bagel', defo not flat like I thought! Check that avg HR of 176,
disconnected at 185bpm!
29/12.
Xert Hardness test, but cut short as wanted to race.
26/12.
Xert training session - I won't back down.
Xert has estimated my current FTP at 266W, which is a little higher than I thought, but looking at power/intensity from those races it makes sense. Have been quite happy with it even though I've not used it as much as I wanted.
Anyone doing the Tour de Zwift?
https://zwift.com/tour-de-zwift
Stage 1 is 3rd & 4th (so finishes tonight) but it'll be too cold for me to ride in my garage later (trying to avoid/shake off illness!). Think I might try and ride the rest of it as it might just be the kick into fitness I need...
