Road Cycling

[doodah]

This is what gravel and cross bikes are for!

Sorry to break it to you there is n+1

Haha don't worry I have also eyed some gravel bikes for further down the line, Ribble make some lovely bikes by the looks of it. My Boardman has done a stellar job so far and think I have awhile yet before I might outgrow it.

Edit - how have people managed and defined 'local' on their rides? I ride alone, don't use amenities and usually hold a pee until I get back. Guidance seems a little vague and getting bored with SW London.

 

[resurgam]

how have people managed and defined 'local' on their rides? I ride alone, don't use amenities and usually hold a pee until I get back. Guidance seems a little vague and getting bored with SW London.

If I set off from home and return home I'm classing that as local - I think the policing minister used that definition when there was all the fuss about Boris going for a ride.

The only thing I do is make sure I can get back under my own steam if I have a mechanical I can't fix. In the past I'd have gone to the nearest station or found a taxi from somewhere, but I wouldn't be too happy doing that at the moment.

 

[Lethal`]

Edit - how have people managed and defined 'local' on their rides? I ride alone, don't use amenities and usually hold a pee until I get back. Guidance seems a little vague and getting bored with SW London.

I cycled 90 miles from Sussex from Surrey on Saturday. I was self-sufficient merely out of convenience. Didn't really have time to stop for food/drink. There's no law to say stay local... only guidance. Plenty of people are driving miles and miles + biker groups out etc.

If the government will allow cafes and businesses to stay open for takeaway/click and collect then it's no surprise people will use them for that purpose. Some cafes are busier than ever.

 

[doodah]

Thanks for the replies . I have a day off this week and just fancied going somewhere different whilst staying away from other human contact.

 

[platypus]

Any one able to recommend a QR seat post clamp?

 

[Lethal`]

Any in the right size should do?

I can't tell you what I have on my MTB as I've never paid attention but it's never slipped on me. Those guys might have a better idea though. Doubt many run QR seat clamps in here.

 

[Roady]

Unless you've got a known stable source you're just guessing. No one near you locally in the club that could lend you a kickr or neo for an afternoon, only needs a 30 minute ride to get good numbers to compare using the zwiftpower tool.

That's a good point. Will speak to my LBS as they had a KICKR setup at one point for demoing Zwift in store, doubt that's continued through COVID!

Thanks for pointing me back to the ZP tool.

@Roady - Zwift Power. On your profile go to Analysis tab up top and "create a new dataset". Let's you create datasets for comparison between fit files and pull over zwift event data as well if you have a dual from a zwift event.

Legend! I had seen it a while ago and then couldn't find it this time so thought it had changed into an 'event only' type tool.

I'll try your mates tool too. GC I couldn't seem to get them on the same graph to directly compare, CP looks more like just a power chart, I want an overlay of the course so I can track the powers against each other over time throughout the activity.

Hence my point about sleeveless jerseys...

We're very different people then in 30 degrees last year I was in the thinnest vest I could find, lycra shorts (didn't have bib shorts at this point) and ankle socks

And I was still far too warm.

Haha I'm not saying I wasn't warm! Equally I seem to ride well in the heat, but knowing on a planned ride I had a climb to do I dressed for the ride there & back in case any cloud cover came so I could ride tempo and still be warm. Obviously stripping off everything for the ascent and then using them on the descent. Although I did get utterly scorched on the way home with a hot headwind! Straight into the lads paddling pool when I got back!

I'm very the same, I overheat too easily and I went out last week in shorts, long socks and sleeves. This is why I use arm foils though, I can whip them off if I need to. I can't remember the last time I ever completely covered my legs though.

I'm in full leg warmers still, although did break out the knee warmers a couple of weeks ago. Once.

I'm still wearing toe warmers on the turbo trainer...!

 

[Lethal`]

I'm still wearing toe warmers on the turbo trainer...!

I bet you have a saddle bag on too!

 

[Roady]

In terms of your sources being out. I've no idea on specifics of the flux but you need to ride it for 10+ mins, then do a calibration on both the trainer and the PWM. Then do a dual recording of some kind. It's all about proper calibration.
Sorry to say it, but 4iii for the majority of cases is a random number generator. They are ****. There are some good ones, I have a mate who has one that tracks well but for the most part in what I see on those single sided things is they are cheap for a reason and that's because they're mostly terrible.

I've not found them terrible, but with the trainer issues I've had probably related to cold weather was just after something to give me some consistency. Can't justify changing the Trainer at this point (due to price & availability still a shocker), but S/H PWM prices have not had the hike that most other components seem to be seeing. I figured it was an easy choice to spend ~£200 now for 'ease' on something until I can get the trainer more reliable, then could sell the Stages on. But in reality with Operation New Bike, delayed but firmly in the planning stage until the market recovers it would get used there. Or continue life on the Turbo bike. Could always sell it in a few years time and not lose much on it.

First comparison from the long endurance race saturday. Cold start and Flux over-reading slightly - https://www.zwiftpower.com/analysis.php?set_id=123825
No calibrations that time. 4iiii

TTT with calibrations on the 4iiii. Bit warmer but you can see they're tracking much closer -
https://www.zwiftpower.com/analysis.php?set_id=123857

Spinning around with the new Stages, couple of calibrations. Tracking similar but slightly higher, but think that it was colder in the garage -
https://www.zwiftpower.com/analysis.php?set_id=123860

Mostly tempo, couple of climb efforts and then a 3 minute effort at 36 mins. Steady state it seems accurate, but on the climb efforts the Flux really under-reads by a good 50W+. The 3 minute threshold/FTP type effort it's 10-12W out on the average (so well within margins).

Flux vs Stages: 1st climb -65W avg over 60s. 2nd -5W avg over 2m30s. 3rd -30W over 30s.
Calibrated.
Tempo -38W over 4 mins. 1st climb -3W over 2m30s. 2nd -20W over 32s. 3rd -5W over 2m42s.

So it seemed to settle down after that initial 4 minutes off. Harder sustained threshold/SST seems to be better.

Shorter efforts/sprints/standing push it off, but the peak from the PWM 1s-5s power is around 100W higher than the turbo, so compensating for that really probably pushes the average out on those short efforts. See the same with the 4iiii though.

Flatter TTT course tonight with a couple of longer climbs in there. With a very fast group so I'm going to be at my absolute limit hanging on them. We'll see what the numbers show as I'll dual record that too.

I bet you have a saddle bag on too!

No! But do have a clip on there so I could switch my bag over as required.

I do have a mudguard fittings on there though!

 

[Lethal`]

https://zwiftpower.com/analysis.php?set_id=25541 This was my 4iiii vs Elite Direto X last year.

 

[Roady]

https://zwiftpower.com/analysis.php?set_id=25541 This was my 4iiii vs Elite Direto X last year.

Good to see, as that's pretty poor, yet consistently out by 5-6%. Both warmed up and calibrated before the data starts?

Worth pointing out on that slope your slow cadence may not have helped it. Low cadence = slow flywheel = less accurate. But even zooming in the last 10 minutes when your avg cadence is near 80rpm it's a very similar offset of 5-6%.

On mine with the Stages, if you zoom to 19min 30s to the end (after it'd warmed up and did a calibration) the avg power is less than 3% out (4% normalised), yet the max out by nearly 9%. It's those shorter efforts which are the noticeable ones. Varying slopes, some downhill, varying cadence and efforts. Anything over 30s things seem to come in line, just those shorter efforts seem such a hike on the crank based compared to the Flux.

But at least I'm seeing very similar between the 4iiii and Stages. But does also look like my Flux is being a little more consistent... Hopefully!

 

[platypus]

Any in the right size should do?

I can't tell you what I have on my MTB as I've never paid attention but it's never slipped on me. Those guys might have a better idea though. Doubt many run QR seat clamps in here.

I had a quick look and there seem to be a lot of no name chinese ones about - not sure whether to trust them or not.

To be honest I'd never use it on the road - I finally, unbelievably and beyond all reason got my wife to start turboing, and its just easier and convenient to leave my winter trainer on there (it's a little big for her but not by much) and swap the saddles over when she wants to use it.

Edit: I found a Hope one, and I trust their quality entirely so going to buy one of those!

 

[Roady]

Good choice and good reason for it. Congrats!

Mine just looked at me funny when I suggested it to shift some of the baby weight. To be fair she's back to a size 8 so can't use that excuse anymore, don't think she'll ever forgive me for the word 'porky' though...

 

[platypus]

My wife is a swimmer and runner, and hates cycling. She's desperate to lose weight after number 2, not that she needs to when all is said and done, but she's no longer able to run due to post birth complications, and obviously hasn't really been able to swim properly for almost a year, so she just needs general fitness. She's doing those goddawful les mills rpm videos which seem to keep her motivated. Zwift would be a step too far!

 

[Roady]

Sufferfest? Although maybe more geared towards cycling and those of us who enjoy watching it. To be fair some of the earlier GCN spin along ones where quite good if she liked the more 'spin class' kinda stuff.

 

[SoliD]

Good to see, as that's pretty poor, yet consistently out by 5-6%. Both warmed up and calibrated before the data starts?

Worth pointing out on that slope your slow cadence may not have helped it. Low cadence = slow flywheel = less accurate. But even zooming in the last 10 minutes when your avg cadence is near 80rpm it's a very similar offset of 5-6%.

On mine with the Stages, if you zoom to 19min 30s to the end (after it'd warmed up and did a calibration) the avg power is less than 3% out (4% normalised), yet the max out by nearly 9%. It's those shorter efforts which are the noticeable ones. Varying slopes, some downhill, varying cadence and efforts. Anything over 30s things seem to come in line, just those shorter efforts seem such a hike on the crank based compared to the Flux.

But at least I'm seeing very similar between the 4iiii and Stages. But does also look like my Flux is being a little more consistent... Hopefully!

Got to think about where the power is being recorded, end of the day the absolute numbers don't matter, it's just that you're using the same standards across whatever power platform you're using. If you know you're 6% overreading on one PM great, move it down accordingly.

 

[Jonny ///M]

I'd just scale one to match the other if it bothers you really is about it.

Having a quick look the stages seems more choppy as you stomp the pedals vs the smoother turbo that gets both readings.

 

[Lethal`]

Good to see, as that's pretty poor, yet consistently out by 5-6%. Both warmed up and calibrated before the data starts?

Worth pointing out on that slope your slow cadence may not have helped it. Low cadence = slow flywheel = less accurate. But even zooming in the last 10 minutes when your avg cadence is near 80rpm it's a very similar offset of 5-6%.

On mine with the Stages, if you zoom to 19min 30s to the end (after it'd warmed up and did a calibration) the avg power is less than 3% out (4% normalised), yet the max out by nearly 9%. It's those shorter efforts which are the noticeable ones. Varying slopes, some downhill, varying cadence and efforts. Anything over 30s things seem to come in line, just those shorter efforts seem such a hike on the crank based compared to the Flux.

But at least I'm seeing very similar between the 4iiii and Stages. But does also look like my Flux is being a little more consistent... Hopefully!

Yes both were "calibrated". For the Elite Direto X it's a case of using their app and then checking the value matches what is written on the bottom of the trainer. I think if it's out by some amount then you have to tighten belt but mine was pretty similar at the time.

I don't think 5% difference is that surprising. Didn't DCR or someone else do a massive power meter comparison and show that they're all quite incomparable to each other?

TBH I don't even know why I have a power meter. I ignore the numbers 95% of the time but whatever. I could scale the 4iiii to match the Direto but I'm really not too fussed. I'll try remember and do another double record next time I Zwift.

Worth pointing out on that slope your slow cadence may not have helped it.

Worth pointing out on that slope your slow cadence may not have helped it.

Real Valley of the Tears is even worse for cadence. I think I did something like 50-60 for most of it in the real world!

Edit: I found a Hope one, and I trust their quality entirely so going to buy one of those!

Yep. Hope should be decent and bonus is it's probably some fancy anodised colour?

 

[platypus]

Sufferfest? Although maybe more geared towards cycling and those of us who enjoy watching it. To be fair some of the earlier GCN spin along ones where quite good if she liked the more 'spin class' kinda stuff.

Nah she hates the pro cycling vids .

 

[platypus]

Yep. Hope should be decent and bonus is it's probably some fancy anodised colour?

Sadly not, they only had black in stock!