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Yup, you've added me matey.
not seen any notification.
Nathb, I'm still a Zwift virgin, yet to sign up. I'll give it a go when the Neo turns up.
Anyone doing the 8pm race tonight? Probably a bit late for me, might do a workout instead!
The 2nd base race? not sure. was thinking about it, my tacx flow has just turned up but I had tired legs when I rode last night and its a 3 lap race.
Ah, so I did need an ANT+ dongle for the 2240 & Mac....should be here tomorrow.
codybrennan -
Ah, so I did need an ANT+ dongle for the 2240 & Mac....should be here tomorrow.
You don't have to, download the Mobile Link app and use your iPhones bluetooth. Providing your speed/heart rate and cadence sensors are also bluetooth..
https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/articles/206576683-Bluetooth-LE-BLE-Support-in-Zwift
says mac supports direct bluetooth connection. although the mobile link works well as long as both devices are on the same network.
As long as the iMac or MBP is 2012 or later you should be able to use built in BT. I had to click on a cog icon on the Zwift setup screen and select built-in bluetooth (rather than mobile link) for it to work IIRC.says mac supports direct bluetooth connection. although the mobile link works well as long as both devices are on the same network.
Anyone using the iOS Zwift app yet?
Applied for the beta but not heard anything yet!
Right, I'm all set up and working. Proper workout, even the 3km I rode as a test of the setup, and very more-ish!
Quick question - when I leave a ride, the program always quits (on my MBP...) and needs a fresh login and password. Is this normal?
Yes, the interface could do with a bit of work IMO! There's a box you can pick to remember you & login automatically, sometimes it works for me sometimes not. They must've developed the software in conjunction with STW. 😀
Anyone tried one of the group rides with a race on the final lap e.g. the 6pm SZR one tonight?
Quick question - when I leave a ride, the program always quits (on my MBP...) and needs a fresh login and password. Is this normal?
Yes this has always been a PITA.
Anyone tried one of the group rides with a race on the final lap e.g. the 6pm SZR one tonight?
IME all events are a race in the last lap, you'll almost certainly die.
Just put my tacx 2240 together, it's a bit flimsy compared to my kinetic...
Not really surprising! Bargain basement smart trainer vs massive lump of steel. Shame Kinetic haven't come up with a decent smart option, I'd definitely have considered it!
Speaking of flimsy, one of the lads texted to tell me he had an accident and binned it in the lounge as he couldn't unclip.
ta for the Ride On! Was doing FTP test tonight
Second ride tonight, managed another 50 minute session on the day 2 ftp training.. not sure I'd have managed much more in an actual ftp test though - however 50 minutes went fast and I was wasted. The screen really does help keep you engaged with little bits of information when you need it.
I feel my ftp is going to be pitiful when I get around to it after these training rides, least it's something to improve upon!
Question... does it matter if I'm not doing the days 1 after another?
I'm doing the "Zwift - 6wk Beginner FTP Builder" but I did the first day last Thursday and the second day today?
I don't want to turbo every evening, but I do want to do 3-4 sessions a week
Thanks
If you plan to do any IRL riding you may find 3/4 turbo sessions is too many. I'm doing a couple of one hour races or pace events, one evening run, one weekend run and Sunday ride and that more than enough for an old fella like me.
Edwald Boassen Hagen was on tonight, I let him drop me. 😉
Yeah, I do a sunday mtb ride and a thursday night ride so thinking realistically I should only do 2-3 sessions (or 4 if I don't do the night ride). Other than that my only movement is climbing 1 night a week and then I just sit at a desk...
Any thoughts appreciated.
Also does Zwift calculate a FTP even if I don't do a FTP test? It says mine is on 207 at the moment
Thanks for the advice above on Mobile Link, all- what I'd been finding on my MBP (only 3 years old, so reasonably up to date) was that BT to the 2240 only found it if I asked it to look for 'classic trainers'; I assumed it needed ANT+ for the funkier stuff.
Not to worry. Cheers.
Missed the start of the 2nd base race faffing with new trainer, which was good because I really didnt have the legs for it.
Smart trainer is good. Feels flimsy putting it together but pretty solid on. What's everyone doing with the trainer difficulty setting. Ran it at 100% which felt fine but had to go up and down the gears a lot. Might try 50% next time.
Cranked out 500w on the sprint and it smelt a bit hot....
I'm commuting at the moment (6.5 miles each way), then jumping straight onto the turbo - working quite well as I'm already warmed up and it's keeping my mileage at an average. Aiming to do 3/4 weekday sessions of which only 1 is intense, the rest I'm trying not to go beyond zone 2.
@alexx have you done a FTP test to begin with? I'd probably do one before starting the training program so you have it on record how much you have improved by in the 6 weeks?
Just finished the KISS second base race. I am completely and utterly shagged, and not in a good way.
I'm certainly going to feel it in the morning. Again, you mucky minded people, not in a good way. 🙂
Good work Adam 🙂 any good battles ?
One with someone called B.Krauss from the US. We sort of stayed with each other for about 75% of the race until he shot off towards the end. 🙂
EDIT: I came waaaaaaaay down the list, the first time I've tried something like this and I'm really unfit. Still - the only way is up (except for a few below me and they were *miles* behind).
Have to admit I haven't done anything with my Tacx Flow just plugged it in and rode. Power is very similar to my dumb trainer but I get resistance on he hills.
If calibration requires Bluetooth it may have to wait as I find BT very frustrating and would rather use ANT+
A slight update - I made an error, looking on Strava the rider I was with was a lady rider called Barb from Montana. So I sent her kudos and hope she doesn't think I'm stalking from the UK!
*owmylegs*
Zwift constantly monitors your best 20minute power and will recommend you a new FTP when you save your ride if you have achieved a new high number.
Shake your mobile device whilst viewing riders on a shared activity and it will give you the option to Kudos all. That way you can stalk everyone!
I've had that - every time it's popped up just as I've closed down the session, so I've never done itZwift constantly monitors your best 20minute power and will recommend you a new FTP when you save your ride if you have achieved a new high number.
#nobodyknowsI'm5w/kg
A slight update - I made an error, looking on Strava the rider I was with was a lady rider called Barb from Montana. So I sent her kudos and hope she doesn't think I'm stalking from the UK!
Don't worry about it, it will be a hairy truck driver from Birmingham in reality.
it's gone back up to £1k on Amazon, hopefully that means they'll be restocking soon 🙂Nathb, I'm still a Zwift virgin, yet to sign up. I'll give it a go when the Neo turns up.
was just looking at the results for the race I missed last night (KISS 2nd Base). the 'winner' averaged over ~5 W/Kg, there are numerous > 4 W/kg in a Cat C/D race. Zwift must be able to restrict entry to an event based on FTP & weight figures entered.
jam bo -
was just looking at the results for the race I missed last night (KISS 2nd Base). the 'winner' averaged over ~5 W/Kg, there are numerous > 4 W/kg in a Cat C/D race. Zwift must be able to restrict entry to an event based on FTP & weight figures entered.
They should be DQ'd soon.
Those pushing out over 5w/kg will be DQ'd & Zada'd soon too: http://zwiftblog.com/zada/
That's why I was asking my earlier question, about them just sitting at 2.49w/kg. I agree the FTP should automatically put you into the correct cat.
i know they'll get DQ'd on zwiftpower, but about 1/4 to 1/3 of the field get DQ'd on every race i've done so far.
It's a bit harder than blindly following FTP for categories - the chart at the bottom of the results page - note the secondary condition.
A 4.0wkg+ and 270w+ (20min)
B 3.2wkg+ and 225w+ (20min)
C 2.5wkg+ and 175w+ (20min)
D 1.0wkg+ and 135w+ (20min)
For very light or very heavy riders they can easily trigger one of the conditions without the other. I could ride at 3.7W/kg and still not trigger the second condition for Cat B. Its not outside the realms of possibility that someone shorter than me could break 4W/kg and remain classified as 'C'
This is why the results as such don't really worry me.
I just ride the best race i can at the time, try and beat whoever is the rider close to me at the line and hang on in front of whoever is trying to close me down.
Sure, it's nice to 'win' a race, but unless you actually finish first, IMO it's not a win. I won a race 2 weeks back and i think i finished 5th. But the rest were DQ'd.
I base my performances more on w/KG over the overall distance rather than anything else.
I think my issue is then it's really just a time trial with drafting then rather than a race.
Some races EVR last night for example require you to wear a HR strap and exceptional power from dumb trainers will be DQ'd.
They remain open to weight doping so its not perfect but close enough for me to feel like I'm in a proper race.
Zwiftpower race results also start to develop useful trends which can be used for analysis once you have sufficient races logged.
I think the cats are flawed for anything other than grouping a bunch of clones together. People's power curves and of course weights and heights are subtly or significantly different so it's possible to be a B for a 20 min race but a low C for a 1h30 climb up the Pretzal.
There's loads of threads on FB but Glen Knight from KISS gets pretty defensive and says 'it's the best we've got'.
For the Friday Criterium, I actually had a higher average power for the race (3.3) than my best 20minute power (3.1) despite it being a short race but this was because I blew up hanging with the A race (it's a mass start still), then sat up and waited for the next group for most of a lap, then attacked the final lap to secure the C cat win. But because the cats are based on best 20minute power x 0.95, this was absolutely fine.
Now racing is getting big numbers, I don't see any problem with raising the bar for entry a little in a few of the races. You could say that people need to have racked up at least 3 KISS races logged on ZP within the past month to get a genuine picture of their current ability and then keep the same 20 or 30 people grouped in a cat for the next month for example. At least that would give people a chance to improve without getting DQ'd.
The other, simpler option, is just to scrap cats and race the race for what it is! Then let people filter results however they like (like a Strava segment). Then you could keep adding filters until everyone's a winner 😀
What your suggesting would mean it takes longer to move up categories similar to how it works IRL. That would be frustrating for newbies so you would need some thing else for the first few races.
but equally its pretty demoralising in a Cat D race to be riding at the power limit so in theory competitive and have most of the field vanish up the road