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As winter draws in I plan to use my shiny new smart trainer (Kickr Snap) and Zwift to lose weight and become heroically fit while listening to the rain outside.
So far I have 1x11 mountain bike on the trainer facing a big fan and a TV linked to a laptop showing the Zwift App. I have the companion app on the phone and somewhere for the phone to sit while I am riding. I have completed the 10Km intro loop so am almost fit already.
What next?
You running slick tyres? Do you spin out at max power?
You might want to do an FTP test (under the workouts) to establish some sort of baseline fitness, assuming you want to do workouts and race.
The FTP will give you a watts per kilo value which is key to most Zwift related activities.
You have the choice of Everest or California challenge, go with Everest, stay on that once you've done the challenge to get the Tron bike at 50K m ascent. They look cool.
Ride routes, you get double XP which gets you up levels faster, the higher level you are the more choice you have on frames from the drop shop. It also unlocks other parts of Wattopia, you can't go to the jungle or up the alpe without being a certain level.
Climb hills and enter races, you get drops faster, use them to buy frames and wheels.
Enter races, they're fun honest, enter the STW races they're the best. Sunday hills rides are good craic too. I find these are more condusive to putting in effort and training than the workouts but you may find differently so try a workout.
Slicks - yes
Spin out at max power - not sure what this means but I can get to the point where I can't spin the pedals any faster if that is what you mean.
I will do an FTP test in the near future. I didn't want to do one today as I had just finished a 20 mile real ride so legs were not at their best.
I chose California instead of Everest but I guess I could change.
Any actual benefits to buying different bikes and wheels etc other than bragging rights?
I will ride some routes and then possibly join a STW race.
The better bikes are fractionally better in races.
Definitely change to the Everest challenge, all your hills count towards to firstly a trek bike, then continues towards the tron bike. It takes a while but bear with it.
Join some of our STW rides, best thing I did on Zwift, great group rides and races. You will find the threads on here if you search for Zwift.
We have a ride most sunday mornings and only go at the slowest pace. A race event every Tuesday evening, TT on Thursday evening and commutes some mornings.
Just get on zwift and start riding routes, the more you ride the more you will level up and gain better bikes etc.
Switch to Everest Nick, it's the only challenge that gives a reward worth it. The tron is very cool. Only problem is it'll probably take you over a year to get it unless you spend a lot of time climbing.
Other bikes etc do make a difference (more aero or lighter) but that is unlikely to give you a huge benefit.
Have you got a HRM yet? Not essential but gives a better indication of effort.
There are badges for all the game routes. You can see in game which you have and there is a third party site that lets you (manually) track them. Common goal is to complete the set.
The racing is also slightly addictive.
Its like porn. You pretend to do it in front of the screen, but its not really real and ultimately unfulfilling.
Ditch Zwift and get RGT
Ditch Zwift and get RGT
40 odd STWers riding/racing together on Tuesdays suggests this is not the best advice.
@worldclassaccident said
Any actual benefits to buying different bikes and wheels etc other than bragging rights?
You say that like it's a bad thing! They go a bit quicker, they climb a bit easier, they look a bit better. I go noticeably slower on the flat with the climbing set up than my racing set up and vice versa.
Will switch to Everest although riding on worse bikes will probably get me fitter.
HRM on my Garmin watch apparently doesn't connect to Wahoo.
I might try RGT as I am only dabbling in the light drugs of fake riding
Never said pointless bragging was a bad thing, yo momma loved my extra length!
Can you connect the Garmin to zwift as a source?
Set the fan(s) up to blow towards/across your back while wearing a baselayer.
Have at least two bottles of fridge cold water ready to use for a turbo session 30mins+.
Resist the urge to z4+ interval workouts and/or races everyday.
Make sure you get some carbs in; due to absence of micro rests it’s much harder than actual riding and in my early days of Zwifting (a whole six months ago) I had some horrible headachy post-Zwift afternoons.
The SIS Turbo+ powder is minty blueberry and surprisingly not foul.
[i]Can you connect the Garmin to zwift as a source?[/i]
Not with a Vívoactive 4. This is an activity watch and not a multisport watch apparently. I can record that I am riding an indoor bike and measure my pulse rate but not link it to the bike or to Zwift on the phone even though it sync's to the phone for Strava etc
40 odd STWers riding/racing together on Tuesdays suggests this is not the best advice.
Depends what you want to do.
You may be spinning out due to the gearing, I'm not sure what the difference is between the snap and the core but I had to admit defeat with my 1 x 11 mtb on my kickr core on zwift due to the gearing being too low.
Ended up with a roadbike that my friend had ridden once since purchase in 2013 gearing is 7 speed cassette with a 50/34t front crank.
Has made all the difference for zwift for me rarely off the 50t front apart from the steepest of climbs then down to the 34t, no longer spinning 100rpm on the flat and going nowhere fast!
[i]You may be spinning out due to the gearing, [/i] - Based on the one ride I have done I think your right.
I have a 40T front on mine. It's the biggest i can get as a Single N/W and clearance for chainstays on a MTB crank. This is on an on-one parkwood. Obviously this bike doesn't go outside though.
Zwift are aware of the issue of mtb gearing especially with modern 1 x systems, you would of thought an easy fix would be adding some kind of resistance if a mtb is used.
There is a work around which I never got round to trying but apparently works.
Load up the wahoo app first and go to start a workout in the settings you will find wind resistance as you scroll the screen across or something, default is zero but people reckoned between 5 and 8.
Open zwift as normal leaving the wahoo companion app open and resistance should be increased in zwift.
I never tried it as I got donated a roadbike, more annoyed that I now have a spare 1 x 11 46t cassette which I bought for zwift!.