The Indoor Riding/ Zwift/ TrainerRoad etc. Thread

Soldato
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Doesn’t it display when you start Zwift and it connects the sensors, in the top right or left corner what method it is using?

Having both setup at once might be confusing for the application, I could be wrong but I’d stick to one method.

ANT+ get the dongle as close as possible.

Some trainers light up depending on method used to communicate. The Neos have a blue LED for Bluetooth.
 
Associate
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Outside the asylum
Doesn’t it display when you start Zwift and it connects the sensors, in the top right or left corner what method it is using?

Having both setup at once might be confusing for the application, I could be wrong but I’d stick to one method.

ANT+ get the dongle as close as possible.

Some trainers light up depending on method used to communicate. The Neos have a blue LED for Bluetooth.

Hi, thanks for that. I did a bit more playing last night and this morning and have learnt a bit more.

On the pairing screen in Zwift it has both ANT+ and Bluetooth icons flashing in the top left of the window, which seems to be saying that both are available. It doesn't show which is being used for each paired device unless you unpair and reconnect - you then get both options showing as available.

It seems that BLE can be more resiliant than ANT+, so I have swapped the bike over to connecting using BLE, but couldn't get my fenix (which I'm using for HR) to properly connect using it - Zwift says connected on the pairing screen but was not getting data, so have left that on ANT+ for now.

I did about 55 minutes around Harrogate this morning without noticing any glitches, so fingers crossed it won't be a recurring problem.
 
Soldato
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Hereford
I like your thinking. My pre-breakfast turbo sessions start off with no fan / fleece (jumper) on, then fan on and fleece still on and eventually fan on and fleece off.

I think I've linked to it before, but I use a cheap projector tripod table for keyboard / mouse (my TV is wall mounted) - I expect it would be okay for a laptop as well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07D5CCMDN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
That's a very neat way of doing things, good height adjustment too!

Yeah garage riding this time of year is tough. Most of the endurance rides I'm doing I have thermal shorts, socks, toe warmers, 2 thermal jerseys and even a windproof top on over. One good thing about turbo riding is being able to strip stuff off, then also put it back on as you go! :D

Plus... making one means I get to play at woodworking ;).
You're doing more than 'playing'! Looks more professional!

Converting my garage to an office worked really well, as the underfloor heating I installed has a wifi connected thermostat.
Don't even have expensive gadgets like that in the house! ;) :D

This is issue I have, I sweat so much on the turbo but feel the cold so the fan I have I have to move down from my head to my body then back off again at various times and open the garage door and I still end up absolutely dripping as I've not had enough airflow over me for the course of the workout because I get too cold with the fan blowing directly.
Yup, airflow regardless of the air temperature is quite key. My endurnace rides at the moment I'm generally wearing a base, normal jersey, thermal jersey, with a windproof layer over top. Windproof so I'll be running the fan within a few minutes of starting, then after 15/20 mins the windproof comes off. As I'm sweeping quite a few threshold efforts I'll be down to the normal jersey for any longer efforts, otherwise with the thermal overtop which I'll unzip as I heat up, then zip back up before I cool too much. Then later part of the ride (as it's got dark outside and temperature drops) I'll put the windproof back on (in place of the thermal) to keep my core temperature that bit higher. As the group was so tidy yesterday I even put the thermal back on under it the last 20+ minutes.

I've only been doing free rides so far - the intention was to join a race this morning but something went wrong. The variability of effort seems to be having a positive effect on VO2max according to Garmin, and although the legs weren't feeling too fresh this morning I got a new FTP of 318W... probably not too shabby for my age.
Age has very little to do with it, but that's a good FTP regardless! Well done and good to hear you're progressing so well. Would be good to hear back once you've done a few races on how absolutely nuts and engrossed you get with it! :D

Hm did a ride this morning that hasn't synced from zwift to strava; not that bothered about it but it means I'm 50km short on the festive 500. I know I can upload the fit file but then won't get the credit. Is it gone?
If you're on Windows then Fit files for all Zwift activities are stored in your Windows profile 'Documents' folder, in a 'Zwift' folder and I think 'activities' within there. No need to export them from Zwift website or companion app. Screenshots are also auto-saved in a 'Zwift' folder within your 'Pictures' folder. One with the UI and one without.

Anyone with Elite trainers had BT issues on Windows? Direto XR only visible as power/cadence on Zwift not as a "controllable". Oddly a Direto X was absolutely fine. I guess maybe they changed chipset but seems unlikely.
Don't know about Elite trainers specifically, but hear lots of dropouts caused by inbuilt bluetooth across lots of laptops. Generally advised to get an additional/external USB adaptor and turn off power saving on USB ports etc.

Otherwise possible faulty hardware..,? Nothing changed in 2-3 years though.
All the issues you've had and the fact you've been through a full reinstall I'd say it was hardware. But I am in the enviable position of never having any issues with my cheapy hardware! :o

Hehe it wasn't actually too bad. I didn't push it too hard, just sat at around 220W and put some chow yun fat films on. Whats more bizarre is that I don't actually feel like my legs are tired! My hips on the other hand...
Riding position? Although I've found the same myself if I don't stand up enough. A TTT on the Sand and Sequoias course recently really hurt my hips as I was that focussed I was sitting down surging up a bunch of the kickers when I would normally have been standing them.

I've signed up to the tour de zwift starting on 4 January, but as a total newb, I'm not sure how it works.

There are several stages and each stage has an option of a, b and c rides to choose from. If I just choose the c ride for each stage do I still qualify as completing it? Or do you have to do all three options of a, b and c?

Also, do you get any further in game goodies or benefits from doing all three options of a, b and c?
You'll get 'reward' for just completing 1 of each stage, regardless of the ride type. Probably no extra rewards for doing them all! There will also likely be 'catch up' rides for a week or so afterwards where you can ride again any you've missed.
 
Caporegime
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Riding position? Although I've found the same myself if I don't stand up enough. A TTT on the Sand and Sequoias course recently really hurt my hips as I was that focussed I was sitting down surging up a bunch of the kickers when I would normally have been standing them.
May well be. Beginning to think I need another bike fit, though nothings moved or changed, that I know of.
 
Soldato
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Wigan
You might be right Roady.

I had the game hang on me at 40 mins and recover, then crashed (Zwift froze but whole computer none responsive) at 70 mins just as I was climbing off.

Ran Prime95, CPU was getting to 88c very quick, left it running and computer thermal shut down after 15 mins.

It’s running a factory overclock from 2.67 to 3.2ghz. It was stress tested when built (10 years ago! I’ve added and amended it since then). So I undid that and backed everything off to stock. Ran Prime95 again and was solid for 25 mins, max temp 70c.

I’m a little worried as the ambient at the moment is obviously sub 5c, but at least I have some time to resolve this. I don’t know how much stress Zwift places on the CPU cores while running, it’s not 100% load but will be fairly high.

The cooler didn’t look too dusty and the fan runs. Maybe old thermal paste on stock cooler perhaps. PC components have gone through the roof thanks to Brexit and Lockdown...
 
Caporegime
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Was thinking of trying Trainer Road, I don't use any of the main stuff from zwift - mainly workouts. Does anyone have a code to try for a month? Or is that not a thing with Trainer Road?
 
Soldato
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Wigan
You might be right Roady.

I had the game hang on me at 40 mins and recover, then crashed (Zwift froze but whole computer none responsive) at 70 mins just as I was climbing off.

Ran Prime95, CPU was getting to 88c very quick, left it running and computer thermal shut down after 15 mins.

It’s running a factory overclock from 2.67 to 3.2ghz. It was stress tested when built (10 years ago! I’ve added and amended it since then). So I undid that and backed everything off to stock. Ran Prime95 again and was solid for 25 mins, max temp 70c.

I’m a little worried as the ambient at the moment is obviously sub 5c, but at least I have some time to resolve this. I don’t know how much stress Zwift places on the CPU cores while running, it’s not 100% load but will be fairly high.

The cooler didn’t look too dusty and the fan runs. Maybe old thermal paste on stock cooler perhaps. PC components have gone through the roof thanks to Brexit and Lockdown...

Just over an hour on Zwift tonight with the machine running stock voltage and clock settings: max cpu core temp logged as 50c.

FPS averaged 44 which wasn’t too bad, a little slow down when I had a huge pack of riders on screen. Riding sand and sequoias, London always seem the worse map for FPS. I’ll have to do some bunches and see.

I bought some thermal compound so I don’t think it will hurt to remove the cooler and check/renew it at the weekend.

I Don’t really want to have to upgrade, someone suggested going for a Xenon or i7 880 and keeping the rest of my build, but the used prices of them are crazy, can buy a new i3 10100 chip for less which is faster too (but I’d be up for the mobo and ram then too obviously, but future proof and warranty!).

Update: new thermal compound, gone from 70c max running prime 95 to a max of 58c after 20 minutes.

Ambient temperature obviously low, but it doesn’t seem to have been working effectively before, very old thermal compound. I’m not sure if I’ll restore the overclock or not. Do some more testing first and see how ambient temperature affects the cpu core temp.
 
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SPG

SPG

Soldato
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28 Jul 2010
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Was thinking of trying Trainer Road, I don't use any of the main stuff from zwift - mainly workouts. Does anyone have a code to try for a month? Or is that not a thing with Trainer Road?

Drop me a trust, I have another code now if you still want it.
 
Soldato
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25 Oct 2006
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5,386
I stupidly picked a random Zwift workout the other day. Wave Rider. I thought... let's try erg mode. Turns out with 15s efforts erg mode really didn't work well. One moment I'm spinning 130rpm not meeting target power (495w) and the next I'm struggling to turn the cranks at 40rpm. It was a really hard session in the end. Pretty sure I epic failed the efforts but the 5 min threshold efforts were OK. Not the best idea just after recovering from a cold!

I was a bit confused that there were no other riders during my session. Is that normal for workouts?
 
Man of Honour
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Cambridge
I stupidly picked a random Zwift workout the other day. Wave Rider. I thought... let's try erg mode. Turns out with 15s efforts erg mode really didn't work well. One moment I'm spinning 130rpm not meeting target power (495w) and the next I'm struggling to turn the cranks at 40rpm. It was a really hard session in the end. Pretty sure I epic failed the efforts but the 5 min threshold efforts were OK. Not the best idea just after recovering from a cold!

I was a bit confused that there were no other riders during my session. Is that normal for workouts?

Depends if this was the ERG Death Spiral (as you tire, cranks spin slower and resistance therefore increases, further slowing the cranks, etc.), or a clunky "kick in" of the ERG...

As to other riders, not seeing any is unusual...
 
Soldato
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I think it was more likely slow ERG kick in. I would tire after it (500w 50rpm ain't fun) and then have to release completely before Zwift would turn off ERG mode so I could get going again.

Decided to do a group ride last night at last minute. Jumped in with no warm up and thought "Well, it's not a race is it?". How wrong was I. Probably some power PBs beyond 30 mins. Got dropped up the first hill and then was in no man's land for a few minutes before a smaller group formed. That group got split up again next time on the hill. Kinda good fun though. My face was on fire afterwards from sweat stinging it.
 
Soldato
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Southampton
Decided to do a group ride last night at last minute. Jumped in with no warm up and thought "Well, it's not a race is it?". How wrong was I. Probably some power PBs beyond 30 mins. Got dropped up the first hill and then was in no man's land for a few minutes before a smaller group formed. That group got split up again next time on the hill. Kinda good fun though. My face was on fire afterwards from sweat stinging it.

Last year we had seperate official Tour de Zwift race events, this year it's group rides only, some are treating them like races... But often the entry numbers are so high, there will almost always be some going at the power you want to ride at.
 
Soldato
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I got carried away I guess :D Hadn't expected to ride so hard! I was faffing about with fan at the start so almost got dropped right away. I guess that got me going.
 
Man of Honour
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20 Sep 2006
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Hi, I'm looking for a bike for me and the mrs to use. We already have (and use) Apple Fitness+ so we don't want to end up with one where you're tied into the particular vendors ecosystem. Any suggestions? Budget up to £2k for the right bike but would prefer to spend less with an impending house purchase.

I do have a road bike and (cheap) turbo, but I'm not wanting to go out on my road bike as the last time I went out on it I got attacked by a man with a hockey stick. Plus my mrs is too small.

I like the look of the Echelon EX3, but I'm still reading up on it to see if I could use my iPad with it and not have to use their screen/subscription system.

A lot of my friends have gone with Peleton but it looks mega expensive and you're locked into them from what I can see.
 
Man of Honour
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20 Sep 2006
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33,993
Do they make them to order?! It was the same when I ordered one a few years ago.

I'm not sure, I assumed it was due to Covid. It's showing 15-17 weeks on their site. I would go second hand but I don't really want to venture out to pick one up with current restrictions and no one (from a quick glance at least) is offering delivery.
 
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