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7.00?
*instantly regrets typing
I suspected he meant earlier than that @slowpuncheur.
@robbo1234biking there's no chance of me even pretending I'd ride the whole thing. But I'll join you for an hour or so to add some company, a fresher wheel to follow for a while etc.
I'm out for Saturday sorry. Planning to get out on the new bike all being well for a shake down and leg stretch.
I'll be thinking of you all though, suffering in the warm and dry as I'm trudging round in the cold and wet with big draggy tyres and suspension. Admittedly I'll be doing about half the distance and climbing mind.
(I wonder if i stuck a powermeter on the MTB I could run zwift from my phone and kill two birds...)
Me too @savoyad;) It's just an opening gambit in what will surely be the easiest deal in history.
Awaits counter offer with trepidation....
@dangeourbrain - New bike? What you got?
I was thinking maybe 6.30 and hoping that we could spend the first 30 mins gently spinning but making some progress (always moving forward is my motto on long rides even if it is very slow) but we head straight up the Epic KOM and the radio tower! That will be slow progress I think!
It's a (new to me) Kona process 153 29.
I decided if I'm going to do silly things like (attend) enduro races I could really do with a bit bigger a bike than my evil as I need a lot of skill compensation.
If nothing else I've had an enjoyable weekend in the garage building it.
Nice Brian!!! My only chance of a new bike is if I win one, there won't be a purchase in the near future that's for sure!
@robbo1234biking Is there any chance I can join later on the ride, to keep you company later on? I know I can join up to 30 minutes late, but what about after that? I don't see me joining at 6-30am but would be happy to do some km's with you for company, say 8am, I'm not sure if that is possible though or if I would be in the messaging group for banter.
I'm not sure if Zwift lets you do that...
@oopnorth. Can't you just select 'ride with'? We could always agree to meet at a spawn point at a pre-arranged time if not. Neither option would allow messaging though. But it would be good to have more company.
6.30 is doable for me @robbo1234biking
Can just use ride with and then use an alternative messaging medium? Perhaps use a new channel on the Discord server or set one up and then people can pop in and out as time allows on Saturday.
I’m not sure if Zwift lets you do that…
Would it be a useful feature?
My only chance of a new bike is if I win one, there won’t be a purchase in the near future that’s for sure!
Well the plan was sell one to fund one.
I'm still selling one.
It was more the messaging issue I was alluding to, yes I can select "Ride with" but it has it's limitations for a group ride / conversation.
Oh and when I used the Ride with function last week when I got dumped out of the Tuesday night KOM race, I used the ride with to try and join back with Robbo, but it just dumped me back on the Epic with no one around, no Robbo or anyone else in sight. Maybe it was because it was a meetup only event??
Hey all... I'm going to be riding Greatest london 8 this eve, at 1900...
I'm feeling a bit coldy, so likely recovery ride pace..just 25km plodding round...
Anyone want an invite?
DrP
oopnorth
Full MemberIt was more the messaging issue I was alluding to, yes I can select “Ride with” but it has it’s limitations for a group ride / conversation.
Could setup an STW discord group (if there isn't one already)?
Anyone want an invite?
Would love to but this evening I'm doing an online chocolate tasting. It'll be very difficult, pray for me whilst you're zwifting.
robbo1234biking
Cheers @stumpy01 and @oopnorth for joining me this morning. Was good to suffer with someone else! See you in the morning for VO2 Max fun!
It was actually good fun!
It will be interesting to see how tomorrow goes, given that I normally avoid any 'short sharp shock' type training!
I keep thinking about the uberpretzel, but it's an awful long time to be sat in the garage for. I just don't think I could do it.
If it's an early start, I suppose there's nothing to stop me joining in for a couple of hours before chickening out dropping off....
There's already one @mashr - click here https://discord.gg/XrdQcDKt
There's a text channel and a voice channel in place for Saturday. (But no obligation to use them @robbo1234biking / @slowpuncheur).
Cheers @savoyad that means that people can drop in and out as they want or what time they can make and use the ride with feature but still join in the banter.
I will get an invite out for a 6.30 start but if anyone has a strong preference to start later let me know - it isn't set in stone but I like to start my suffering early!
I'll definitely be starting later, 6-30am on a Saturday...madness!!! It will totally affect my Friday night drinking.
I'll accept the invite and drop in if I can at some stage, definitely before the Alpe 🙂
I'm tempted (sort of) for the Uber, just to get it done, but will have to decide nearer the time - part of me would prefer to be up doing it even earlier as it'll eat into so much of Saturday otherwise, but then the thought of getting up at say 5am to then sit in the garage until lunchtime is not exactly appealing either. hmmm.
I’ll definitely won’t be doing the Uber again do soon after the last time 😂. Good luck to those doing it and enjoy.
I’m tempted (sort of) for the Uber, just to get it done,
Oh I'm tempted too, no doubt, but then I remember how knackered I was after the Mega and there is no way I could have gone up the Alpe after that... I just keep forgetting how hard it was...plus I'm not that desperate to do it haha.
But again, it's also the time factor, I don't have 6 hours spare right now to sit on the turbo.
Ruddy hell.. just spent 25 minutes fishing balloon rubber out of my rear mech jockey wheels!
One wafted into the kitchen... popped and got proper tangled up! Had to flip the bike and take apart the mech, slicing my finger in the process...
Blood and oil everywhere!
DrP
If any of you guys will still be cycling around Watopia come 3pm on Saturday, I’ll join in after work 😂
If I'm still on Zwift after 3pm on Saturday @giggsmaster, I'll need an intervention.
..and a rubber ring🤣
So looks like it is me and @slowpuncheur going for the uber with various other supporting throughout the morning. 2w/kg gets you up the Alpe in 90 mins which means me averaging 180w - hopefully I can manage that!
@stumpy01 and @oopnorth thanks for joining again this morning. Easier day tomorrow. Next weeks planned workouts (if you join again) will be a little harder! I wont be doing any workouts on Thursday and Friday due to TTT and rest for uber on Saturday but I have a good cadence triangles workout if you want to give it a go.
Yeah thanks Robbo and Stumpy for this morning, it wasn't as bad as it looked when we started.
Send me the cadence triangles Robbo as I might use them at some point
See you for the recovery tomorrow am
I can do 7am if that works better for you guys in the morning (less of a rush) - I am using a days holiday so less rush! Not sure what your work schedules are though so happy to keep it at 6.45
6-45 is better for me.
Yeah, it was another good session this morning, apart from 3 Zwift restarts before getting the meet-up icon!
As painful as it is, earlier is better for me. I really need to be at my desk working not too long after 8am, or I end up working later into the afternoon.
I'm a bit annoyed actually that I haven't been getting up & riding all the way through lockdown! Yeah, it's a struggle to get out of bed, but once out & moving it is a great way to start the day!
Yeh I find it sets you up for the day. its a bit like the army general who said to make your bed when you wake up as then you have achieved something. Get the workout done early and then if other stuff gets in the way later in the day you haven't missed out.
Will stick with 6.45 then.
I will try and remind you to load up the workout before the meet up starts!
Hardest bit of the workout is getting out of bed...that's the first battle! Sometimes you win sometimes you don't...especially during the dark winter period.
Light summer mornings are easy.
@stumpy01 it sometimes works (and avoids the zwift restart) if you un-join and then immediately rejoin the event in the companion app. 9 times out of 10 (for me at least...) that prompts the absent "join event" button to pop up on the ride screen.
savoyad
@stumpy01 it sometimes works (and avoids the zwift restart) if you un-join and then immediately rejoin the event in the companion app. 9 times out of 10 (for me at least…) that prompts the absent “join event” button to pop up on the ride screen.
Great! I'll give that a whirl if it happens again. Weirdly I haven't had an issue with this before (no meet-up button), but it's happened 2 days in a row now for these early morning workouts!
Maybe Zwift dislikes early starts as much as me!
@stumpy01 Just so you know, in normal meetups (arranged by general public) the join button doesn't usually appear until 5 minutes before it's due to start. In proper organized Zwift events and meetups its a lot earlier.
Just keep it in mind, I've fallen for it a few times, if it's not there within the 5 minute period then yes you need to rejoin somehow.
@robbo1234biking. I'm happy to stick to sensible w/kg up the climbs. It's the long flatter sections that'll sap the energy (and the Jungle...Volcano, Hilly KOM ...) so not going mad up the first climb is key I think. Those flatter sections would definitely be easier if there was a few of us (hint hint;))
Ref: Join Event. I have found that its only ever an issue if you use your companion app. I use the laptop and it seems OK (I appreciate not everyone has the option but that's were the bug is I think).
oopnorth
@stumpy01 Just so you know, in normal meetups (arranged by general public) the join button doesn’t usually appear until 5 minutes before it’s due to start. In proper organized Zwift events and meetups its a lot earlier.
For the RobboRaceSeries, I was getting the join button relatively early; definitely 10mins or so before the start time because I used to aim to join around 6-7 mins before in case it all went wrong & I needed to restart Zwift.
Tomorrow I will see what happens & perhaps leave it a bit later before re-starting.
I'll also try savoyad's tip above if required. The join button appearing did seem to coincide this morning with me opening the companion app to send Robbo a message that is wasn't going well, so perhaps the companion app did 'push' it through.
slowpuncheur
Ref: Join Event. I have found that its only ever an issue if you use your companion app. I use the laptop and it seems OK (I appreciate not everyone has the option but that’s were the bug is I think).
Yeah. I use my laptop for Zwift with just the companion app to make sending messages easier.
It does generally work OK - just having a few glitches this week! Normally it's Wi-Fi connectivity that is my downfall! 🙂
I think we do quite well considering the hardware requirements, the need for a stable and fast broadband/wifi and the idiosyncrasies of Zwift's UI.
So what locations are suggested for rest breaks? Top of the Radio Tower is prob too early other than to regroup as you get a good rest on the way down.
@Forge197 and @Garry_Lager might be able to offer some pointers on what worked for them? Maybe after the Volcano KOM and then once we get to the foot of the Alpe?
Did a stop top of Radio Climb then I think we did one just over the 40 mile mark as over half way and I did another just before the Alpe Climb but Garry kept going for that one. Then I had a two or three short rests on the Alpe
I don't know what's best for breaks etc, not done enough long turbo sessions to really get the experience of what works - the faster you do the ride, then the less time you're on the turbo. But the more breaks you have then the better you can dissipate mounting discomfort, so people will square that circle different ways.
One thing I was wondering about is whether to push the climbs a bit more - I took them very steady on the Uber (and forge kindly waited for me at the top of them), solid zone 2 until the last zwiftKOM and the Alpe, when you can see the finish line so just go with whatever you can sustain. But there's an argument for going a bit harder on them as you'll see the most time gains - that is a basic timetrialling tenet of how you raise average speed, most effort at the slowest points.
I find HR helpful on these sort of rides - 140 is top of zone 2 for me and a clear demarcation between going steady and putting a bit of effort in. Pushing the climbs up to hr 150 would have speeded things up for prob not too much of a cost overall (famous last words...)
Yeh I have been having that same debate internally Garry - the Epic KOM is very early on in the ride as well so in theory lots of time to recover. Think we will just play it by ear and see how it goes and how fresh I feel on the day.
Thanks guys. I really don't like stopping for longer than 5 mins or so - I've done too many sportives when my mates have taken ages going to loo, filling bottles, eating cake, chatting to St John's, washing their hair... 5 mins is enough to use the loo, stretch and have a bite to eat. My only thought on hills is to take it reasonably easy on the Epic and Volcano
I think you are faster than me on the hills @slowpuncheur so will likely be waiting for me. Shouldn't be too bad on the volcano but likely on the Epic plus Radio tower!