[Closed] STW Zwift Autumn Race Series 1

I thunk there’s something very odd with the numbers, that or zwift really does hate me

Have you not turned off the "zwift bully me" function? DO that first... 😉

Do you think different wheels/bikes make a BIG difference too?

I was reading on zwiftinsider about the different frames etc..and they hark on about "frame X had 16 seconds over frame Y, on a 90 minute flat ride" etc etc... I eman, YES, that is faster, but it's not ground breaking???
I guess every little helps!

DrP

Do you think different wheels/bikes make a BIG difference too?

Probably less than whether my lunch consisted of pie with salad or pie with pie.

Have you not turned off the “zwift bully me” function? DO that first… 😉

Whoa, you can turn that off? Every time I mouse over the slider the damn thing moves to somewhere else on the screen

Pretty much there is one attack point where it kicks up for a little bit on each lap from the strava segment. Is that pretty much it. Sorry didnt do much homework

Yeah, essentially speaking that'll be where the light guys go. The heavy guys will go 1.5km earlier when leaving volcano on the run down to the S bend and Spanish galleon

Two surges per lap. Presumably Downhill less than up woth aboutba k in between. Got it cheers weeksy

Is that before or after you kill your legs with a 10 mile run :D.

Well I took the slightly less flat short cut as I definitely didn't have the extra in my legs so a bit over 9mi in the end. It hasn't actually killed me or my legs but I was slow may have been over confident thinking they'll be fine tomorrow.

Proper enjoying the series and looking forward to tomorrow. I'll be implementing my usual careful strategy of slogging my guts out until I get dropped, then repeat with the next group, and the next, and so on.

I tried something slightly radical last night and jumped on a road bike for it to test handlebar position. It was better in some ways worse in others, but i do like the way i can seem to respond to surges better on the roadie over the MTB. However i still had issues at 11km with the pace, i just couldn't hold it and didn't want to totally fry my legs before today, so called it a day.

It was lucky i tried the bike as it's a mates bike and i found this.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50343697073_2c212dd437_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50343697073_2c212dd437_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2jGGBc8 ]2020-09-15_07-53-33[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

Properly seized headset, but happily one of my spare headsets was a nice flush fit, so installed that and it's silky smooth again.

However, i'll be back on the 29er tonight.. But may fit a new tyre on the turbo as the Tacx one is very much worse for wear. I don't think it'll help anything in a perofrmance context, but it'll be a nice shiny one.

Don't think I'll be racing tonight, woke up feeling rough, jumped on the bike to spin the legs and I had no energy, felt empty. So I binned it.

Think I need a few days off, a lot going on with 70% redundancies at work which isn't helping. I definitely don't have the energy to keep up with you lot! Maybe some time off will get the fire back.

I'll see how I feel later and if I dont ride I'll see if I can watch live.

Remember race to the blue banner – the meetup distance countdown is accurate in this respect – it is just under the level indicator bar. As I have to plug in the distance it may not correspond with the actual banner which is typical on the Volcano circuit.

Race start - neutralised as below but more time to congregate this week. I will say go at some point between entering the volcano but before the line so be ready. Congregate on the beacon prior to this (I may be behind you based on last week!)

STW Series Rules/Information

1. This is a handicap race series. The race will be a mass start with the handicap applied to the results at the end of the race. Your handicap can be found at link a few posts back.
2. Any bike is allowed – choose what you think best suits the course. Also wear what kit you want. Traditionally we have worn the bumblebee for Zwift meetups on STW so if you are unsure that would be a good choice.

3. Race starts – as the meetup function is being used we will have a rolling neutralised start. Once the meetup starts I will gently pedal at about 100W. You should adjust your position to congregate on me (I will be very visible with a bright yellow beacon if you haven’t used the meetup function before). As soon as everyone is in a swarm/peloton I will type GO GO GO which will appear across everyone’s screen – then race how you want!

4. Race finish – the race ends when you cross the blue banner. Make sure you race until the blue banner not any other finish lines/sprint line etc on course. Because meetup view is being used this may be a few hundred metres past a sprint line or similar. It is clearly visible on both the map, the distance countdown on the top bar and in view on the screen. Once you finish you will get a results screen displayed. Once this happens you can choose to leave the game, cool down etc. I will stop short of the race finish to remain in the game (my time isn’t counted anyway to any points finish) and provide encouragement and ensure everyone gets across the line (I might just be last anyway!).

5. Results – I will publish the results on the forum within an hour or so of everyone finishing. There will be the overall results. Top 3 from A, B, C and D and then the handicapped results. Points for the series title (and prizes) will be based on the handicapped results. Zwift Cats are based on the cats from Zwift and the FTP and weight you provided me so might not match historical data in ZP etc.

6. Points – points will be awarded for 1st through to 30th so the series will award consistency and hopefully give everyone an opportunity to score results.

7. In game comms – It is a meetup so only messages sent in the race will be seen. I will prob type some messages etc and reminders for encouragement during the race but feel free to join in with any banter, let us know you have fallen of your turbo, the cat has run through the spinning rear wheel and got its tail caught in the chain, you need another frozen sausage etc!!

8. HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOURSELF!

Awwwww mate, i enjoy racing you ! GWS and recover well.

here

Just a reminder that you have the option to thank Robbo by donating to a good cause - if everyone riding tonight donates just £1 we'll hit the £200 target.

You can be official event photographer if you want @oop north?

Surf the wheels using the companion app and get some decent angles of the bunches etc using the photo button at the bottom of the screen. You get a clean (hudless) image and one with the hud on.

Hope you get your mojo back soon!

Sorry to hear that Craig. We all need a bit of time off every now and again, [crikey I take more time off than on I think]. It'll do you good to have a rest day or two and to get out side and clear your head in the fresh air whilst that strange yellow thing is in the sky.

Well today just got a hell of a lot better!! I got a call earlier to say I won the Dreambike weekly competition in last nights draw...whoop!!! Won the Exposure light bundle, a sixpack, a diablo and a blaze...how cool is that!! I think these lights will be worth more than my bike haha!

Never won anything before, so I'm buzzing!

And thanks guys, just need a rest this week as I've run myself down, I'll definitely be back for the next one.

Good news mate - Cant believe how bright your paincave is going to be 🙂

Do all 6 races count in the series?

If it was only best 5 then I reckon many more folks would have a final position. That said probably a pain in the ass to work out scores at the end.

If it was only best 5 then I reckon many more folks would have a final position

I'm quite happy with my final placing being "joint last" as opposed to just "dead last" thank you!

So what's your hopes, aims and goals for tonight then fellas ?

I'm currently lacking in form, but my target for today is to get in the points and not lose pace in the last 1/3 of the race. This will mean i potentially have to pace myself better than usual and not realistically chasing the guys i wish i could stay with on my best days. But also i don't want to let a fast bunch go i can potentially be dragged along by.

I think the first 3 mins will make or break rides for people depeneding on how well they get the start with Robbo calling it.

But also i don’t want to let a fast bunch go i can potentially be dragged along by.

I think the first 3 mins will make or break rides for people depeneding on how well they get the start with Robbo calling it.

PUs around here play a massive factor i agree. I need 10 feathers.

I did realise though it's clockwise.... Which changes the dynamics a bit for sure, it means we go up the S bend and the run to the line is less steep and more gradual than the CCW route.

I did realise though it’s clockwise

Didn't notice that, more attack opportunities :D.

So what’s your hopes, aims and goals for tonight then fellas ?

Pedal like stink out of the gate, hang on for grim death and hope I get a better spin of the dice on PU than yesterday (5xXPs in an 8 lap crit race and 4 of them on the last 4 laps).

It's a good circuit for me in theory and I seem to be doing Ok just now. Handicap is favourable too so I'm hoping to be able to hang with the group around 300W. Positioning on the 2 minor rises will be key today I think.

So what’s your hopes,

To actually manage to get on the bike, as I can't lean it over on the turbo I think that's the biggest challenge for me this evening.

aims

[s] The same thing we do every night weeksy, try to take over the world.[/s]

To get clear enough of the rest of you lot that after I fall off the front group I'm not swallowed by the chase like race 1.

and goals for tonight then fellas ?

To put a point on the board

So what’s your hopes, aims and goals for tonight then fellas ?

Being realistic to get more points than last week and finish ahead of the others with the same handicap.

So it's the volcano circuit clockwork we are racing on yeah? I may do a lap as my warm up as I have no idea what the route is like

How do you use power ups, never bothered with them before. I assume you can't store them up and use when required by toggling between them..ie you only have one for use at any one time right?

As with any zwift flat race it'll all come down to the start. Goal is to not get caught behind a split in the group in first mile which is what usually happens to me. If I can manage that then I'm hoping for a top 10 finish.

How do you use power ups

There's a button on the map screen on companion (android at least) or space bar Iirc. Regrettably though there are no red shells just lots of "+" so I don't think it makes much odds.

@tpbiker You can only hold one at once though it you are using it as you cross the line you will get a new one once the activated one expires. You can store the one you have for as long as you like but you will not get any more. You can also throw it away if you want (though in reality this is pointless unless its one that effects others and its a team event). To activate click the power up icon onscreen or via the companion app.

looking forward to tonight. Stupid question from someone who is rubbish, but when you fall off the back of one group (assuming you cant get back and are not dead last) are you better to
ease up and wait to join the following group or soldier on without any draft. it feels like being 40 love down in tennis (i was crap at that to!)

Don't kill yourself but keep going. Depends what the gap is like to the group behind and if you think you can stay away solo for the remainder of the race. Remember to ramp the power up before they catch so (e.g. when a few seconds/50m or so back). The catching group will be quicker and if you don't build your speed up they can blow right past you.

are you better to
ease up and wait to join the following group or soldier on without any draft.

It'll depend where you are, the size of the gap back and whether you are confident you can hold the group. Early doors and small gap I'd probably drop back. Late on I'd keep on pushing unless it's clear you're getting caught before the finish line.

I’d say a bit of both previous answers:
1) Assess if the group behind is close/fast enough to catch you before the end. Monitor the time gap vs rate of being caught vs distance to the end.
2) If they will catch you then drop back to a recovery pace until they close on you. You are better spending lots of time in the chase group rather than some of the time out front.
3) As Nixie says, go hard as they get into the last 50m behind you, so they don’t drop you.

volcano circuit clockwork

I meant are going clockwise..or anti clockwise?

thanks - let's hope i can put the new tactics into action and do better than 3rd in Group D tonight

Goals for tonight eh...
A nice long leg stretch warm up.... spank it out the gate (well.."go" phrase), then to try to stick with a fast group, use their draft, not fall out the back, and get round without blowing up.

If I do lose the pack, it's game over as I can't maintain >300w on the flat, solo, for too long!

DrP

@jaminb regardless of which tactic you choose bear in mind that the time gap can be utterly nonsense as per a few folks earlier in this thread so it's entirely possible you'll be caught by a bunch which should be noticeably behind (or indeed well in front).

The result being the gap per se isn't important, it's the rate of change that you need to pay attention to so you need to do a bit of basic calculus on the fly.

If you can do that obviously you should be pedaling harder instead.

^^ look at the map, not the list, as this'll show where people actually are in relation to you...

DrP

I'll be doing my usual mash the pedals until near death, with minimal finess or tactics. I also plan to activate the wrong power up at the wrong time as per normal.
If the trainer craps out for 35 secs again I will not be amused.

hoping for a good start,catch a wheel or two and a power up other than + which I seemed to only get in the last race. Wheres a feather when you need one.

failing that the torpedo which as you racing around the track with no input would be good

^^ look at the map, not the list, as this’ll show where people actually are in relation to you…

But we're racing in circles. That hurts my brain. I guess thats why you're a Dr and I'm not.

weeksy
Full Member
So what’s your hopes, aims and goals for tonight then fellas ?

Not quite sure what to do for the best to be honest.
I know there is lots of talk of going fast out of the gate & hanging on for grim death, but I struggle to hang on when going as hard as possible. Then I drop off the group & have run out of puff.

Last week, I just went as hard as I could for as long as I could. I think this one will be different, as it might be possible to tag-along with lapping riders.

It's gonna be a warm one, that's for sure and I've had to come in to work today. Plan to leave at around 4:30 - home for just before 5:30.
Jump on turbo by around 7pm for a decent warm-up. I felt much stronger out of the blocks for race 2 where I had a good warm-up, than race 1 where I had about 6 mins of spinning.

But we’re racing in circles. That hurts my brain. I guess thats why you’re a Dr and I’m not.

Ah.. i mean "if you want to know when the group behind you is nearly upon you, look at the map"!

DrP

Well my tactical considerations for tonight have far outstripped any previous efforts.

I've borrowed another fan from the office.

i REALLY benefited from having a second, decent fan...

YMMV

DrP