The Indoor Riding/ Zwift/ TrainerRoad etc. Thread

Soldato
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The bolt v2 is pretty good, had a 64 bit color screen has maps built in and had the ability to do turn by turn directions and will reroute you should you stray off course.
Yeah my bolt is really good, tbh it's more the hassle of having to record on 2 devices if I want mtb route navigation on the bike, and my rides in garmin which is where all my main fitness stuff is kept (running/riding/training status/v02 max etc etc).

Plus having trailforks on the mtb GPS would be brilliant. :D
 
Soldato
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Me. I bought a 58" frame Tiagra group-set bike for £130 off of the bay - works brilliantly. Tiagra is ample for a turbo bike. Now a permanent fixture on my Wahoo Kickr turbo and frees up both summer and winter bikes for use depending on the British weather.
Was this before lockdown? Anything 9 speed or above seems very thin on the ground under £250 especially as I need a size XL frame. I'm eyeing up a 2017 alloy frame 105 groupset bike on the bay at the moment, listed at £300 with zero bids and has just been relisted - thinking of putting in a low offer around £250 :p

Thinking that something nice will make me use it more and if I ever wanted to take it on the actual road... :eek: :D
Being a mountain biker that's sacrilege, but I did enjoy the gravel bike rides I did, partially on road.
 
Soldato
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Anyone doing Zwift Academy this year? I've done the baseline group ride, all the workouts, two recovery rides and only have the finish line ride to go however its showing up that I have only done 2 of 4 group rides. :confused:

Also if you experienced any random Bluetooth drop outs this last few days the fix is to update latest companion app.
 
Soldato
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I've left it at the default. All it does (I think) is alter the number of gear changes you have to do at changes of incline. It doesn't make it easier in the amount of effort (power) needed to go at a certain speed. Setting it low does seem to let you keep the power on more consistently though as you don't find yourself in the wrong gear as much.
Kindof...

It 'reduces the amount of incline feel' or something, more accurately the changes in incline are dampened, so at 50% any slopes of 8% will feel more like 4%. It doesn't make them easier, just means you progress up them 'slower' (on screen) for the same gear ratio (it feels easier) as the effort at that ratio is reduced. You have to push bigger gears for more torque and higher power.

Think of it more like changing gear ratio and how it effects your riding on terrains - so you have more lower gears at low difficulty setting, so climbs 'impact you less', so you find them easier to maintain cadence and not run out of gears. But you're still outputting the same power, so your progress is the same up them for the same efforts, you're just in higher gears with more lower options.

For me riding TTT's I have it around 20-30%. I want lots of gear options there, without needing to grind/stand too much. So I have to surge/push less to maintain speed when I reach any inclines. When I'm racing I like it higher, around 60-70% as I'm a punchy rider and my kick and surges up short ramps are some of my main strengths. With a lower difficulty slider they're a little 'dampened' so I lose one of my main tactical advantages...

The way I look at it, it effectively changes your cassette. So, if previously you hit a 10% hill and it was crazy hard and you're going 7mph... with an easier setting, it's a little easier, but your going 4mph. To go 7mph you'd have to change up a little to get it to the same difficulty.

In other news, unlocked the Tron bike yesterday :cool:
Pretty much it, although it's called 'difficulty' its more accurately a 'hill simulation amount'. Low settings you're running a compact and wide range cassette with a 32T. High setting you're riding a big gear and low range cassette like a 25T.

Congrats on the Tron! I just ride mine all the time still. Just 'easier' to always be riding one of the top 3-5 frames and wheels regardless of course...

It's only recently with the disc wheels and the new DT ones that the S5 & Venge have been more aero than the Tron on flat courses.

just had my kickr core replaced was making a weird clunking noise when I put the power down. They said I needed to lube the paws on the hub but it didn’t help.
Good work getting it sorted, unsure of the exact mechanicals of the KICKR but likely flywheel/magnet related if it's a physical noise.

Who went down the route of buying a cheap road bike to use on thier trainer, and how much did you have to spend?
I'm using my 'old' bike, a £900 Giant Defy 1 (2015). Probably worth about £2000 now! But for me after a couple of years commuting it had 'paid it itself'.

I would happy buy an old frame/bike to use on a turbo. But I would also likely expect to upgrade components to 10/11 speed on it - very expensive at the moment.

might be worth seeing if you can find some snapped carbon that maybe salvageable for some indoor riding!
Probably not the best for a frame with arguably more torque being put though it... But then easy to find a cheap new chinese carbon frame - that would be recommended. Doesn't cause too much of a problem if it rides like a pig and won't kill you if the fork snaps off while Zwifting! ;)

But aluminum is king for a trainer bike. I'd always recommend that over carbon. Some of the Halfords/PlanetX/Ribble/Decathlon well known brands, good frames but not the lightest. Shop by the groupset on it, not the wheels or frame.

@TallPaul_S Do you have any HR sensor that uses bluetooth as you may run out of bluetooth connections on an apple tv as the remote takes one and depending on the trainer that may take one or two connections. I know someone who has a wahoo kickr core like me and they couldnt use their HR monitor on bluetooth. I just used my usual bike it takes less than a minute to swap them over after it's been done a few times, it helps as well on the trainer if i want to adjust my saddle fit as the bike is stable.
Remote works alongside BT from HR & Trainer to AppleTV/iPads.

The problem most people hit is their trainer not embedding cadence data into the power stream - or wanting to use an external cadence sensor. Or advanced riders needing to run a second power source for race data verification - but most record seperate streams then combine the data when needed. Just a bit of an extra faff. Also good for testing and calibrating trainers (I still dual record a bunch of my rides after trainer issues, just don't combine the data streams to compare unless I have need to).

Anyone doing Zwift Academy this year? I've done the baseline group ride, all the workouts, two recovery rides and only have the finish line ride to go however its showing up that I have only done 2 of 4 group rides. :confused:
Weird, hadn't heard of that issue so can't advise sorry. A bunch of friends are doing it - many use it this time of year to increase performances as they switch from outdoors back to indoors. Not heard of any issues.

Main change this year was 1 workout per week, I actually registered and thought it would give me good volume to get 1 workout alongside the TTT and races I'm regularly doing but not had the time to even do 1! Just always seem to find myself racing... Joint captain of a TTT team and now have ended up captain in a ZRL team for this season. Any C and/or good D riders wanting a team get yourself into 3R and come my way (R3R WASP)! TTT Prologue last night saw 2 of my riders upgraded to B already... Typical - I told them to take it easy and watch their numbers! :cry::rolleyes:
 
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Soldato
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Probably not the best for a frame with arguably more torque being put though it... But then easy to find a cheap new chinese carbon frame - that would be recommended. Doesn't cause too much of a problem if it rides like a pig and won't kill you if the fork snaps off while Zwifting! ;)

Been using my downtube cracked Felt for a year now with 0 issues, gaffer taped it up, probably should have phrased it cracked carbon rather than snapped, end of the day you're only putting power through the rear, the rest of it is pretty much static and has very little load, plus no hits or vibrations.
 
Soldato
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I'm using my 'old' bike, a £900 Giant Defy 1 (2015). Probably worth about £2000 now! But for me after a couple of years commuting it had 'paid it itself'.

I would happy buy an old frame/bike to use on a turbo. But I would also likely expect to upgrade components to 10/11 speed on it - very expensive at the moment.

I got myself a bargain of a 2014 era Giant Defy 3, 9 speed sora but with the Zwift difficulty at 50% I'm generally in the big ring and 6 or 7 gears. Came with a set of ultegra wheels plus the originals plus mudguards, for £125 :D



Apple TV 4K, Vacmaster fan, projector stand side table, sorted!!
 
Associate
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Anyone doing Zwift Academy this year? I've done the baseline group ride, all the workouts, two recovery rides and only have the finish line ride to go however its showing up that I have only done 2 of 4 group rides. :confused:

I would imagine you have to do the 2nd recovery ride after the Finish Line ride. Could be wrong but I did a couple of recovery rides after the first 3 workouts and only one showed up as a group ride to count
 
Soldato
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I would imagine you have to do the 2nd recovery ride after the Finish Line ride. Could be wrong but I did a couple of recovery rides after the first 3 workouts and only one showed up as a group ride to count
Yeah think you are right. Would have thought the second recovery ride would have more beneficial between completing the last of the block and doing the finish line ride. Hopefully get it done in next couple of days, been a bit below the weather lately.
 

SPG

SPG

Soldato
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Done bloody much nothing since my Ironman in July, next year's training started again last night so a ramp test on trainer road and holy **** Lost so much fitness even my legs are sore this morning
 
Soldato
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You mechanical doping with that drill??


I need to get mine in order, will take an Elite Direto Xr from work in the next week. Wish I had a garage like you and I don't even have a shed yet :(
 
Soldato
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Yep I saw the mens race and it looked brutal , big watts to stay with the front split

The split was silly. It happened in the descent and was buggy/artificial and made no sense. The half that got "dropped" were not on the limit at all it just bugged the hell out and that gap appeared and nobody could do anything.
I was on the wrong side of it with guys who have even won PL races all wondering what the hell happened.

Not sure if it is the pack dynamics of the game in general or if it is that new Makuri Island map.... but either way it is damn annoying!
 
Associate
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The split was silly. It happened in the descent and was buggy/artificial and made no sense. The half that got "dropped" were not on the limit at all it just bugged the hell out and that gap appeared and nobody could do anything.
I was on the wrong side of it with guys who have even won PL races all wondering what the hell happened.

Not sure if it is the pack dynamics of the game in general or if it is that new Makuri Island map.... but either way it is damn annoying!

The dynamics have been off for a while , I guess they've been tinkering with them for a few months now. You can go from front to back in no time at all without even dropping your watts.

I saw some of the names that missed the split and did wonder what happened , I figured someone let a wheel go and that was it done. Extremely difficult to close that gap on that course as it was pacey. No one was resting up like youd find after a big climb which would normally allows the bridge to be made
 
Soldato
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The dynamics have been off for a while , I guess they've been tinkering with them for a few months now. You can go from front to back in no time at all without even dropping your watts.

I saw some of the names that missed the split and did wonder what happened , I figured someone let a wheel go and that was it done. Extremely difficult to close that gap on that course as it was pacey. No one was resting up like youd find after a big climb which would normally allows the bridge to be made

Pack dynamics 2.0 was even worse, 3.0 we using now is better but still has a lot of issues for sure. Especially on downhills in large packs at speed.

6.5 pulls would have taken us back across to front group for sure but every single person in the back of the split had someone in the front of the split. So nobody was going to ride and close that haha.
 
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