The Indoor Riding/ Zwift/ TrainerRoad etc. Thread

[Berger]

Ah zwift racing. Still work to be done. Stupid race though I entered B. Sets off the A & B together which is normal, then the C & D filters in from the right ahead of us so everyone gets mixed up.

On the flat Watopia course, coming up out the underwater section you get the dirt and then the boardwalk past the boats, it kicks off, I’m sat on the back of a big snake doing 3.5-4w same as the guys infront. Waiting for the elastic to break and the pace ease when the guys infront just pull away from me, with no power increase! I’m pretty much on my limit and not much can be done, once it opens you need to do 6+ to close it down!

Fall back and end up in what is the third group of B & C guys, we went hard, the first two groups came together and we dangled 20 seconds back most of the race.

Beaten by 52, 56 and 62kg riders on a flat course. I did almost 280w NP, it just wouldn’t happen. Someone riding 210w wouldn’t pull away from a bigger rider doing that many more watts.

 

[merlin]

You need to keep a close eye on the gradient top right hand of the overlay, sometimes you think you're on the flat but you're on a 2% or whatever and the lighter guys will drop you for seemingly no reason.

That said, I'm in agreement the dynamics of Zwift racing aren't 100%, I'm not convinced they have the aero dynamics right. IRL if I drop slightly off the back of a group through not paying attention, not noticing a surge for example, I do 300W-325W for a few seconds and I'm back on, in Zwift if you drop off the back of someone through not paying attention you gotta ready yourself to be doing 375-400W or you're getting dropped like a BRICK

 

[merlin]

I did a hilly race last night - remind me never to do this ever again:

https://www.strava.com/activities/2814367786/overview

Average power down probably 10W or so because I was paired with one other rider on the downhill section who absolutely didn't want to share the work so I largely coasted it to save my legs and drop him on the final climb, I think I pushed out 170W on the long downhill which sunk my average a little. Quite a few riders bailed by the looks of it, probably didn't realise the gradient.

HR data is bonkers - over an hour at threshold, it hurt, at the end I felt punch drunk and virtually slumped off the bike

 

[Roady]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001VEJFT6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm actually getting on well with my Honeywell, but during the hot weather indoor sessions I did pair it with another free standing fan. My honeywell is around 30cm from my bars at about the same height, just below the screen I'm using. Generally have it directed towards my upper body/face but with cold air (like last weekend) I had it pointed more at my torso/waist kinda area. It's easily become my primary, although the way I have it mounted isn't great (base is flat on a shelf) as it doesn't have enough angle to be directed down to my legs. It probably needs to be mounted flat like against a wall.

I'm considering a smart plug kinda thing for it though as the adjustment thingy on the back is a PITA to operate and the orientation I have it (control on the top) seems counter intuitive at arms length.

During the summer I also used a pedestal type but quite low, more like that floor standing fan at knee height with large airflow. Think it was £20 from Aldi. It's too much airflow and noisy for night use in the house but did use it a couple of times to circulate air between floors during the really warm weather (to get cool air upstairs to our bedrooms).

I do another another of the 'pedestal type' I have at head height off to 1 side. It was my primary fan before the Honeywell. Much less airflow than the one at knee height so in cold weather would use that one more (so more general airflow over the whole of me than directed coldness). It's another supermarket fan but is silent enough so we used that in the house at nighttime during the summer for a couple of weeks.

Good hard Zwift race last night. Nice 2nd place in C from a huge group of B's and C's. Tried several times to split things, only succeeded once and the escape attempt with a friend half way through didn't work out. Everyone else just sat there = boring!

The hilly ramp into the volcano every lap stretched out the group each lap is an interesting comparison and just shows how 'easy' the group was riding the decisive part of the course:

• Lap 1 - 1.58 just following the group.
• Lap 2 - 1.59 riding it easy in group.
• Lap 3 - 1.59 quite hard, stretching out group testing them.
• Lap 4 - 1.56 huge 2up breakaway attempt.
• Lap 5 - 2.01 sat in group recovering.
• Lap 6 - 2.01 sat in recovering still.
• Lap 7 - 2.02 couple of big kicks to close gaps as they opened.
• Lap 8 - 1.57 big effort to keep with the front group when things split.

Do think I maybe should be racing flatter routes and crits in B. Would've been 15th!

 

[Berger]

That was my thinking Roady, try and jump up to B. I usually end up doing TT and road all summer, have a break from the bike, start in C and work up to B by the end of winter ready for road season again!

 

[merlin]

Newly acquired screwfixdirect floor fan is the business, I was almost dry of sweat after an hour session last night and that was on the slowest setting (slow setting makes very little noise), it gives such a large delivery of air it doesn't matter much where you point it - it hits head torso legs all at once. £30 well spent, god knows why I bothered with weedy small fans up till this point.

 

[Berger]

I have one of those generic 18” steel floor fans with three speeds, but you only ever need it on high!

 

[Roady]

Fall back and end up in what is the third group of B & C guys, we went hard, the first two groups came together and we dangled 20 seconds back most of the race.

Beaten by 52, 56 and 62kg riders on a flat course. I did almost 280w NP, it just wouldn’t happen. Someone riding 210w wouldn’t pull away from a bigger rider doing that many more watts.

There's times when C is harder to race than B, certainly on those 'flat' courses it's all above threshold on the climbs then tempo on the flats, B races tend to be more 'steady' efforts at low-threshold all the way around. Less surging unless at the finish or someone is making a move. C races seem to surge all the time.

Nice 3rd place on Tuesday in C but then 22nd in B last night. Brutal 184bpm average there mate, no surprise that hurt!

You really can't compare Zwift racing to 'actual'. There's far less tactics and clever riding determining results and more raw power, luck of draft/wheel you end up following. Too much variation in equipment and setups too - power curves/delivery of resistance really making a big difference across riders of differing weights/heights/bikes for Zwift to calculate their 'progress' against.

HR data is bonkers - over an hour at threshold, it hurt, at the end I felt punch drunk and virtually slumped off the bike

The Lutscher course is utterly brutal to race, the times I've done it have always been some of the hardest races! Think I'd almost prefer to race the Alpe! Aero-tuck is the best on this descent, the couple of times I've ridden the descent hard, the times are only a handful of seconds difference to those I've tucked. Although that just means being able to ride the second climb just as hard as the first as you feel like you've rested lol.

Good work on coming 6th!

 

[Berger]

I’d be upgraded to B based on power on the flatter courses I think, last night 3.4wkg would see me being bumped up so I thought I’d at least try it!

Got to keep pedalling all times rather than the punch and ease off on the lumpier courses which brings the average down.

 

[#Chri5#]

DCR smart trainer recommendations for Winter are out if anyone is looking to purchase

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/the-smart-trainer-recommendations-guide-winter-2019-2020.html

 

[Roady]

Got to keep pedalling all times rather than the punch and ease off on the lumpier courses which brings the average down.

Yup and I think that's part of the 'knack' of turbo racing when you switch from outside where you need to get 'back into it' before you feel comfortable. You ease, rather than freewheel and the times where you'd be riding Z2/low tempo and lower cadence on the road are bang in your Z3 and high tempo & high cadence to try and keep the strain/fatigue down on Zwift.

DCR smart trainer recommendations for Winter are out if anyone is looking to purchase

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/the-smart-trainer-recommendations-guide-winter-2019-2020.html

Pretty good, slight tweak of his pricing splits and interestingly he's dropped the KICKR from his recommended high end, although with the glowing H3 review/experience it kinda makes sense. Especially with the Core being so compelling in the mid-high end (there's only a few extra minor things the full blown KICKR offers over the Core).

Had another great ride sunday morning, 3R 100km Steady 2.5wkg. Keeping/sweeping again. Actually had an ANT+ drop (I think it was a windows update) soon after starting so had to quit & late-join to get back in. Did some early big strong efforts but as the group thinned things got loads easier. We actually practised sprints and then leadouts in the latter laps. Really good fun and I was surprised how well I seemed able to recover and repeat the effort @ around 10w/kg, but equally couldn't get any of my power figures higher than my first effort or time any closer to 10s. I think I'm just too heavy (78kg) and although I seem to be able to sustain 10w/kg I can't kick much above that. Good fun and finished the ride feeling strong! Again this ride really helped to kick my fitness and seemingly keeping me in some form!

 

[Roady]

VirtuGo is no more. Shame. I never got around to trying it though!

 

[UTmaniac]

VirtuGo is no more. Shame. I never got around to trying it though!

It had potential, plenty of ERG training sessions, but there were only three routes and no racing (albeit the biggest climb Col de Soller could be ridden sub 20mins at ~4W/Kg). Shame they didn't start pushing the adverts until winter turbo season was over in the northern hemisphere.

 

[Trox]

DCR smart trainer recommendations for Winter are out if anyone is looking to purchase

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/the-smart-trainer-recommendations-guide-winter-2019-2020.html

My well used 18 month old KICKR Snap started to develop bearing issues, it's so loud now I can't use it in the mornings. I sent an email to wahoo to see what the support was like...

Very fast responses to the emails and the next day they told me that I should receive a new unit assembly for me to fit to the frame at no expense within 2 days.

It's been dispatched from the Netherlands and is in transit with DPD right now.

Excellent support

 

[Roady]

It had potential, plenty of ERG training sessions, but there were only three routes and no racing (albeit the biggest climb Col de Soller could be ridden sub 20mins at ~4W/Kg). Shame they didn't start pushing the adverts until winter turbo season was over in the northern hemisphere.

I'd seen a couple of comments which hinted the training sessions where really good (better than Zwift?) and had real potential. Such a shame, but maybe it'll strengten some of the others like RGT (that I've still yet to try!)

It's been dispatched from the Netherlands and is in transit with DPD right now.

Excellent support

Fantastic support, fingers crossed DPD came through for you!

 

[Roady]

Really struggled to get the time last week to ride (illness & little one) so was looking forward to the 100km 3R sunday morning group ride. Then my little monkey actually had a lie in, only waking up at 7.15am! First time in ~10 days he's slept any later than 6am! Typical!

Still jumped on the turbo and decided to abuse myself with a couple of races. Settled into a Volcano flat to start with, hoping to jump into a hilly afterwards. Volcano took longer than planned, so rather than jump straight into a hilly Fire & Ice (<2 mins rest between!) I went for another flat ride with a bit more of a rest. Slovenian Zwift League.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2837169475 - 1st in C but promoted to B, 6th. https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=241838

Team Italy Specialissima Race - 1st in C. Good hard start as usual, made the cut into the front group, mostly B riders with a handful of C's. Around the flat and rolling parts I could easily keep the group, but as soon as we hit any ramps I knew I couldn't stick things. I eased into the larger chase group of mostly C's and surfed wheels for a while. Recovered well, putting digs into each of the ramps and Volcano switchbacks. Knew there I could really dictate things but didn't bury myself too much, just used it to try and thin the group and make others work a little. The last lap came around far too quickly and the pace ramped up as usual. I found I could easily match things, the group now being mostly comprised of B's. When the Volcano ramp came I followed wheels and ended up going over the top of someone and going off the front, which I hadn't meant to do! I eased slightly but the gap remained, so when the second ramp hit I went even harder, distancing them further, but knew to save something in the tank for the final sprint. Into the volcano I got caught by 1 rider, used him for a bit of a slingshot as could see he was going hard. The little rest helped and I went long just as we where about to be caught from behind, retaining a gap, when they kicked it almost closed again but I was able to dig out my sprint and hold them off. Unsure how I had the legs for that finish but quite a convincing finish (win!) regardless from a group of B riders, it was quite right I got bumped up into B... Where I came in 6th.
Bit annoying as I wasn't 'racing' against any of them above who where all in the front group, maybe if I'd held onto them earlier I could've.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2837351788 - 8th place in C.

Slovenian Zwift League - Autumn Series (C). Big ride which was quite quick out the gate which caught me out. Riders all in 1 big line which soon formed into small groups of scattered riders, then they formed into larger groups the gaps where huge. Had a good little group working well but too small to catch the one infront. Did some work to keep an Irish rider in but when a rider I know (Juanjo) dropped back from group infront (ANT+ dropout) I rode with him. We pushed things onwards and shelled a bunch of riders, he then put in a huge pull up the second climb and I did my best to hang on. But just couldn't keep his wheel! A good solid above threshold/FTP type effort at that stage felt good hard work! We'd dropped group very early in the climb and must have passed another 5-10 riders shelled from the group up front. I settled into a 2 up with one of them and picked up a couple of others. Good hard long sprint, taking them all in the sprint again.

 

[Roady]

Brian Rhoden completed his 200th climb of Ale du Zwift last night. Gotta be the first person to do so?!

 

[Trox]

Fantastic support, fingers crossed DPD came through for you!

Yea delivered and installed, can't believe how slick and quiet it is in comparison. With the weather changing having a silent trainer will keep the neighbours happy! Heh

 

[Jobe]

Right gents, need some advice if you will.
Looking to get some structured Zwift training in till spring.
50 soon and 84kg with an ftp of 289.
Was initially looking to increase my 1hr ‘power’ but now just signed up to the Keswick mountain festival ride at 72km and 1500m climbing. I’ve done sportives at 160km and similar elevation but this one is a bit different. It does Honister (E to W), Newlands, Whinlatter then Honister ( W to E).
Now those are some tough climbs for anyone let alone me so would the 1hr training complement the climbing or is there something better to help me prepare for this?

What do you think?
Thanks

 

[One More Solo]

What is your training history like? How much structured training have you done in the past? How tall are you?