That was Wednesday's update.
40000+ riders at peak times kinda necessitated it.
Had some connectivity issues on this morning's haute route round three.
I wasn't alone, seems the servers were having issues. Was only 3300 of us on the ride compared to yesterday's 6800 for adz
Not sure what was up. I abandoned at German village as it was unmanageable.
Maybe try again at 19:00 or 21:00 depending on how the little one is
Trail Rat – I’m doing stage 3 at 1000. It’s been good.
Couldn’t see any STW riders yesterday 5pm – but got a few STW ride ons. So weird, but thanks boys.
Same here was all fine on 10am stage 3 for me but yestersdays stage 2 was duff for me on two tries just crashed and when restarted launched me on the bike getting air before landing on road but not really able to rejoin event.
Dunno if there’s a way to rejoin event but does seem to be a need for It if not.
I've been very lucky with the Haut Routes, all 3 have worked fine for me. The HR day 1 ride at 5pm had 7854 riders - I was amazed that worked OK.
Tail Rat - sorry to hear you had problems today and hopefully it works OK for you second time around.
Did my first race since being promoted to a cat A today. Wasn’t supposed to be doing it, decided to enter the 3R Sand & Sequoias 12.5mile race just 10 minutes before the start. Didn’t have the ideal preparation for it either, was outside at first light this morning doing a solo 50 mile training ride then 20 miles on Zwift so the old legs were quite tired before I even started ! Told them to shut up though 😂 The start was as usual crazy but settled down and worked with a decent group, had nothing left for the final sprint unfortunately but all things considered happy with my result of 15th according to ZP (at an av. of 4.2w/kg 345w for 28min)
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=448369
Tried again at 7. Failed again.
Must be a connection issue at my end but had 4-6megabits
Been fine for weeks but packed in today for somereason.
Gave up came in Had some wine.
Pissed off as stage 1-2 went really well. 1:27 for three sisters and 1:22 for fire and ice.
Great job bjj
Cheers Weeksy ! Might have to re-evaluate my racing this year and do more races on Zwift. Due to all that’s been going on in the real world I can’t see any TT’s being held this season so might start my threshold training (that I’d put on ice) to help my racing on Zwift.
Did my first C cat race today after being bumped up from D, the Yorkshire Z Classic.
Went all out and came mid pack, 68th on zwift, 28th on ZP...happy with that! I was expecting to be left for dead at the back.
5 minutes down on the leaders so God knows where I'll find that speed.
5 minutes down on the leaders so God knows where I’ll find that speed.
Oop North, I think you'd be surprised, if you're getting mid-pack already you'll not take much more to get nearer the pointy end. Especially if you're looking at the ZP rankings not the App.
I had another decent result on the Alpe yesterday and my training programme is getting towards the end so hoping to fit in more races.
What's the best hilly race routes if your w/kg is pretty good but your not so great on the hang in the pack and sprint for the line?
I was chuffed to get a 3rd on ZP, I was 8th on the app for a rerun of stage 3 of the Tour of Watopia last week. My other 4 races have definitely been mid pack 🙂
Try and give me some notice next time you're doing a Crit City race and I'll try and jump in too. Help get you promoted to B ;0)
I'm at 3.19 now. One more race like that and i'm a B.
Interestingly, i did the race on a road bike as i've borrowed one for this weekend to ride with my lad. Power seemed VERY easy to come by. If i'd had a slightly slower group i'd have had a much better power output overall as i died a bit near the end.
Good effort Weeksy, think it was the position or the gearing of the Road bike that helped?
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49742827147_28ec2353d9_5k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49742827147_28ec2353d9_5k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2iMAZuP ]2020-04-06_02-59-51[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
think it was the position or the gearing of the Road bike that helped?
That sir is the £600 question isn't it LOL.
Cadence was 76rpm average, which is lower than my usual 82-85. But how much of that is a factor, i don't know. It just seemed when i asked it for a 350w push it was easier to both make the power and hold it than usual. Gearing or bike... i'd like to know. Do i need to know that much that i want to spend £600 on planet X or something, i don't actually know the answer to that.
nice one 😎 what's the increase since you first started Zwifting?Killer race today ! FTP increase to 291w
I did my first race this morning, D cat 3R flat route, gawd it was hard work.
I had a fair bit to drink last night though and I had about 6 hours sleep.
I wasn’t sure how it worked so I was surprised by the pace of the start, I was expecting to be with all of the other cats so I tried to keep up as long as possible, I had to throttle back when I thought I was going to be sick.
I carried on as hard as could for the rest of the race, settled into a couple of groups that split up. I struggled on to the end, and nipped past someone in the sprint that was in my group.
I was 27th on zwift and 2nd on ZwiftPower, quite pleased with that. I definitely need to start a training plan now though, I’m well over weight at 90kg and my ftp is 234w. Got some serious work to do, it’s really good motivation though, I always ride on my own so it’s hard to compare my performance, this and RGT will help no end.
what’s the increase since you first started Zwifting?
Oh i have absolutely no idea mate sorry.
From what i can tell i bought the Snap in 2017 Jan
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=5174
So about 260w i was putting out then... So only a 40w increase
not bad though, considering you've done no specific FTP training!
Don't forget too, i'd been Zwifting for 3-4 months on a dumb turbo before i bought the Snap.
Great result that Weeksy, some good power there! No wonder I couldn't keep up with you all haha
Great result that Weeksy, some good power there! No wonder I couldn’t keep up with you all haha
on a properly flat course i'm an excellent Zwifter... I make decent power that's for sure... But i'm way lardy for anything with hills
Nice result weeksy.
I did crit city this avo and got second on zp - out of two 🙂
It was 9th out of 14 total in B so must be quieter at that time? Rode most of it with just one other guy which was an interesting battle as he was nearly half my weight, about 53kg looking at the figures afterwards. Some skinny blokes on this here zwift. Pipped him on the line but would have preferred a busier race to try and hang in the group.
@weeksy if you can hold 3.3wkg up the Alpe in a race you'll be in mix for a win as you are top of category. Different on shorter climbs though. Volcano you'd need to find another 20 seconds IIRC from your last race.
@weeksy if you can hold 3.3wkg up the Alpe in a race you’ll be in mix for a win as you are top of categor
Not a chance mate... my 20 mins power on the flat and my 1 hour power on the hills are VERY different.... like really really.
I'd be happy holding 2.8 up the Alp and i think that's optimistic.
Calling all Direto owners using the 142mm bolt thru adapter (sorry, can't find the STW Direto thread)...
Thought I'd take the 11-32 cassette off the Direto while it is out of use and transfer it to my second wheel, except my lockring tool won't clear the adapter.
Others experienced same issue?
The adapter apparently needs a 17mm spanner to fit/remove, which I must have used to fit it ~28 months ago, but I'll be damned if I can remember what I used because nothing is 17mm in my PX Shimano tool kit!
It's not the end of the world, the original Fulcrum wheel has an 11-32 on it plus tube and old GP4000S II, just fancied running the Hunt Aero Light Disc for the first time in a while and have two sets of wheel/tyre combos ready to easily install with the current worn in drivetrain bits (new x11 chain/ 11-34 cassette/ r7000 rear mech in spares box ready to fit sometime soon).
Although I'm using QR not 142 the adaptors on mine have always just screwed out by hand.
On my drivo I tightened the adapter finger tight. I then tried to mount the cassette and discovered I needed to remove it. It took a lot more than just finger strength to remove it, quite possible you're in the same boat.
Cheers, will go hunting in the pandora's box hall cupboard, to see if there's a 17mm hidden away.
So I rode my third Zwift race this morning, first as Cat C after getting bumped up in Zwiftpower after my last race. Quite a step up for me so I wasn't expecting to get anywhere near a good result.
The race was the Yorkshire Classic. The main group quickly dropped me and I then got passed by a few more riders. I suppose the good thing is I didn't come last but still was a humbling experience 🙂
I will race all the Zwift classics so hopefully by the end I will be more comfortable in Cat C. It's a lot different from riding hilly sportives in real life!
Moving up a Cat is a horrific thing LOL. Try and enjoy, but you'll get there slowly.
How do you actually join the races? I'd signed up for the Yorkshire classic this morning, logged on in time (cut it fine though admitedly) but couldn't seem to see a join ride option or anything.
Might have to try again for tomorrow's but 6.30am for a solo ride feels a little excessive!
really like the sound of the upcoming anti-sandbagging feature. The exact formula for assessing who's sandbagging will be secret to stop people gaming the system. If you're determined to be in the wrong category you'll get a green "cone of shame", visible to all (genius, that!), plus your power output will be throttled back! Watch out @Weeksy 😂
How do you actually join the races?
Sometimes, even though I enter a race via Zwift Companion app, I launch Zwift and it does not give me an option to join the start line of the race. I have to go back to the Companion app, de-select the race and then enter it again while Zwift is still running.
Opened up my broken Direto the other night, the flywheel belt had sheared, need to contact Elite for a replacemnt. For all the use it had this past month, I should have cancelled Zwift at the start of March, rather than a few days before the April renewal!
I launch Zwift and it does not give me an option to join the start line of the race
I take it when it does, it's a join button like the group ride?
, the flywheel belt had sheared
Too much power or brittle from lack of use (thems the only options obviously)
yeah sand bagging is a big issue. - It doesnt bother me that much tbh as its a computer game as far as i'm concerned when i want to know how i am relative to other people i take to the IRL races - You cant know if you really broke someone till you see the whites of their eyes 😀
My FTP is 3.2W/KG on zwift power - firmly a lower end B
id have come second in the 1 hour A race last night (of 4 competitors) - which is shocking in its self.
we had a C winner who had a 3.8w/kg race ave - whod have been 9th in B
We had several Bs with 4.8-6w/kg averages who clearly should have been in the As. - and the winner of the race using a ****ing power curve not a power meter. - thatll be why such a huge power difference between him and EVERYONE else. Power curves should be fair enough for general use but should not be allowed into races far too easy to fudge - but also nice and easy to spot at least.
as it was once zwift power ****ed them all off and flagged one for a first offence (which in his defence might have just been a really good day for him as he was only slightly high compared to his normal - he is a regular ) i went from 24th in cat to 12th.
Lucky for us our league manager takes no shit and will punt you if it even looks suspicious.
we had a C winner who had a 3.8w/kg race ave
I assume that gets bumped in practice as the upper cap is 3.1?
In the bottom left of the screen you should get a button to the join the event. Usually appears up to 30mins before the event starts.
Zwift was really glitchy for me this morning, the companion app kept freezing and at the end it took an age to save my session, even then it didn;t record it. I had to log back on and start everything again to get it to do so, on the companion app it said I was still zwifting 10 minutes after I stopped.
Looks like the amount of users currently is causing issues.
I also tried the roubaix workout this morning, hated it and binned it, fast 30 seconds, faster 17 secs, really slow 1 minute...it wasn't for me, the segments were too short and I couldn't find a rhythm and was all over the place trying to keep to the suggested watts. I much prefer racing or general riding.
at the end it took an age to save my session,
Not just me then.
In the bottom left of the screen you should get a button to the join the event.
Hmm as I expected. Could be the above mentioned companion app issue possibly, that or my cutting it fine was less fine than I thought.
I assume that gets bumped in practice as the upper cap is 3.1?
well yes , but not before others have killed them selves trying to hold with them.
Unless you have ZP open on another screen and view it real time you have no way to tell if they are genuine C or just entered C .....
be good if zwift showed your tracked FTP in the same way ZP does - OR only let you enter races that your Tracked FTP(over your events) meant you were elligable for .
It can still be fudged , but it stops people doing 6watt/kg ave in the race and ripping it apart/towing the break away apart from the main field when without the tow they may not have etc.
but at the same time....****s will be ****s i just ride my own ride knowing my weight and FTP are accurate and my power meter dont lie.
In the bottom left of the screen you should get a button to the join the event.
Hmm as I expected. Could be the above mentioned companion app issue possibly, that or my cutting it fine was less fine than I thought.
ive found the joining of events to be really glitchy of late, i try to give my self 10 minutes now after missing a number last week.
Seems that zwift has got really fussy about connection speed of late.
well yes , but not before others have killed them selves trying to hold with them.
That Alex dowset video above was quite "amusing" on that front.
Opened up my broken Direto the other night, the flywheel belt had sheared, need to contact Elite for a replacemnt. For all the use it had this past month, I should have cancelled Zwift at the start of March, rather than a few days before the April renewal!
check its not just a fan belt as in off a car. i believe the kickrs are - if so there will be markings on it , phone your car parts store you might be able to get an off the shelf today to get you going asap.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=454651
Hilly one round Yorkshire, why i enter a hilly event is anyones guess
You still did it 3 minutes faster than me Weeksy and got a cup! Well done!
Turns out lock down saves a bit of money so I bought this for for the turbo set up. From Sigma, about £36 I think.
The Elite Sterzo.
I'm not doing the MTB section on Zwift yet but like the idea of this letting the bars move a little bit in the hope it helps my torn rotator cuff... From a crash almost exactly a year ago.
Not tried in anger yet really but the auto centering effect feels pretty "real"
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/0yCWDHFQ/IMG-20200410-235821.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/0yCWDHFQ/IMG-20200410-235821.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
I've not tried the mountain bike course, but I can turn the front wheel that gets supported by a "sandwich" of two bits of cardboard between a slippy hardback ~2cm thick book. 😉
* Still to contact Elite for a new belt. 😳
check its not just a fan belt as in off a car. i believe the kickrs are – if so there will be markings on it ,
Yep, the Wahoo ones are a standard automotive belt size. I've worn out two of them now. The genuine Wahoo item is 60 quid or something, they are a fiver each online. I'd be doing some googling as someone will have been through the same process already.
On the Sterzo front, I've been using the Kurt Kinetic turntable riser along with my rocker plate, but found that for actual steering, the lack of a self-centring mechanism meant it was quite tricky to use, so I bought a Sterzo as a lockdown present. Haven't used it yet as I'm still recovering from death lurgee, but first impressions are that it's quite noisy, which surprised me, the KK one is silent.
General principle though: bar movement is nice. It just feels more natural.
Edit: looking at the video on elite's web-site, it does look like a standard Gates-type drive belt. I used these guys for a Kicker replacement one, though to be fair, the genuine Elite belt doesn't seem to be as much of a rip-off as the Wahoo one.
https://www.bearing-king.co.uk
Went racing, died. Performance way down. Someone may be trying to tell me something
That elite thing looks good. Just ordered me one since I'm following my own open window passing car solution and riding on zwift.
Just done 3hrs with riding buddies on zwift in a group meet up on mega pretzel
Works well
Anyone use a seperate cadence sensor with their smart trainer? My Tacx Vortex is having real problems coping with some of the low cadence/high power ramp ups on the Dirt Destroyer training programme on Zwift - even though Zwift is controlling the power increase, it seems to throw the cadence calculation into a frenzy and I have to keep switching off ERG and trying to emulate the power increase through the gearing.
I wondered if adding a dedicated cadence sensor would help, but there seems to be mixed feedback on the forums about whether Zwift can cope with the additional bluetooth stream. I'm running Zwift off my IPhone and onto a TV via a cable link, with Companion running on my iPad Pro.
I always use a Garmin cadence monitor as I've never found the calculated one to make sense. I sense checked it against a cadence monitor displayed on my watch and yes there are certain conditions where it's out. Mainly climbing .
I use a separate cadence sensor. It was a cheap one of amazon and works fine. I use it on Bluetooth when I use the iPad and ant+ when I use the PC. I find it works a lot better with a separate sensor especially when using erg mode on workouts. This is with an elite direto by the way.
@n0b0dy0ftheg0at quite a while back someone in my zwift team posted a link to the group chat with a source for the direto belt. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a search on the chart however I've asked them to repost it. Will post here if they come back with anything.
@robbo1234biking interesting the a seperate cadence helps with the direto. Do you find it settles to the power level better in erg mode then?
In the elite shop belt page for the direto you can see yellow writing on the belt. https://www.shopelite-it.com/en/spare-parts-hometrainers-and-rollers/interactive-hometrainers-and-rollers/belt-and-black-pulley-direto-hometrainer-1
It says 1136j/447j. This post supports that http://52.212.236.181/viewtopic.php?t=2105 (says "Megadyne PV 1136J / 447J").
There do seem to be some hits for that code. E.g. the manufacturers page https://megadynegroup.com/en/products/multi-rib-belts/pv-rubber-ribbed
Got a reply, this is the belt for a elite direto.
https://www.bearingsrus.co.uk/review/product/list/id/60401/
Had to resync the wife's cadence monitor this morning
When I went to search. While pedaling.slowely -as you need the Garmin cadence to be active to be found.
Wahoo FC xxxx 29rpm
Garmin cadence sensor 20rpm
Manual counting 20rpm.
@nixie Thanks for the link, just caught up with thread since my last post, bit of a shock to see the belt costs £18.53 plus postage! 😮
Found this link the other day as regards changing belt and calibrating, one thing I noticed was that it says tighten the tension bolt before each calibration test and loosen before adjusting other bolt. The video I watched, the same as the one mooman linked to, only mentions the tension bolt at the very end and I only re-tightened it after several tweaks of other bolt.
https://elitesrl.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011361719-Change-Belt-and-Black-Pulley
I use a separate one with my iOS setup. Never had a problem.I wondered if adding a dedicated cadence sensor would help, but there seems to be mixed feedback on the forums about whether Zwift can cope with the additional bluetooth stream.
Anyone use a seperate cadence sensor with their smart trainer?
I used the Wahoo one that came with the Kickr - the more recent Kickr's will read cadence direct from the trainer, I think - it clips onto your shoe and works fine.
I use it with ANT+ mostly - based on doing cadence builds, there seems to be less lag that way than with Bluetooth on a MacBook, though that may be a reflection on my set-up rather than a general thing.
And ouch, that's quite spendy for the belt. The Kickr ones are a lot cheaper, which makes a change.
the more recent Kickr’s will read cadence
They don't read cadence. The software "calculates" it. Often wrongly as demonstrated above.
Another thing I was unaware of -and I'm sure it hasn't always been the case I'm sure. Your Garmin optical hr watch Can transmit into the zwift architecture via ant+ or blue tooth. You just search for it as you would a regular HRm. That said I'd always go for the chest strap preferentially as the optical HRM is pish at intervals /hard work outs it constantly underreads.
Newbury Velo road race for me, 70k Titans grove, Volcano and back with the Feugo flats to start, finish. I was fine until the first climb sitting nicely at about 3.6wkg not doing too much work then my lack of experience showed as we hit the first climb. I was late to change gear and shot out the back.
Not wanting to panic I sat with three others but by the time we reached the bottom of the descent the original group pulled out 35s on us. I was stronger on the flats but had to back off from doing all the work so the gap grew. The Volcano climb was of course tough especially with climbing not my forte. Titans grove reverse felt hard after 65 k and then I ran out of legs and cruised in for the last 5k to take 4th in C, with my club colleague taking silver both at 3.2wkg average over 1hr 50. I suspect we will both be bumped as we are over C w/kg.
I sat with another rider with STW in their name - black and yellow stripes - near the end for a little. I was in the bike and beer jersey - S.Hanks.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=506944
Post race analysis shows I’m tired from my current Build intervals, with this weeks no taper efforts leaving me at about -10bpm at watts during the race.
it’s all a learning curve!
Did the 4pm ineos 3.2-3.8 b ride with Rodriguez and moscon
Turned into a 50+ kph smash fest.
Lucky it was only 25 minutes 🙂
Not sure if it has been done before, but if you want some different jerseys:
https://zwiftinsider.com/kits/
New Zwift stuff
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49775969123_6d13c9b1f7_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49775969123_6d13c9b1f7_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2iQwRsc ]new zwift stuff[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr
I'm going to try the 4pm with anti-sandbagging enabled... but no idea yet what that entails.
ANyone doing any of the NHS fundraiser rides with G. Donated myself and will be doing the 15.30 one.
I'd have liked to but the timings don't work out.
Finish work at 4.30. wife's going out on her bike , I feed and bath the wee one. Wife puts her to bed while I jump out for the 7.30 dtcc Apr crit in the b class. Was tough work last week
weeksy Subscriber
New Zwift stuff
Just checked my zwift power and refreshed, it's saying Cat D (almost C). So previously for my last race I was bumped up to C, so should I remain in C or now drop down to D? I guess I'm on the cusp so think I might just take the pain of C, opposite of sandbagging!! 🙂
Sorry Nixie a bit late replying.
Yes I found it settled a lot quicker as it seemed to have the cadence quicker and you weren't fighting against cadence changes with the power output. I get a pretty good correlation on erg mode with the cadence sensor and using the small ring.
Not sure I get this whole Zwift Power change,
So is this saying Zwift's official cat for me is B, so won't get the cone of shame but I'll still get filtered if I enter B on Zwift Power
Given I'm barely in A Cat on twenty minute and no-where near on the others this could be good news for staying in B for any course other than the Alpe where I've been racing recently.
weeksy Subscriber
New Zwift stuff
Ohhhhh, I'll take a squiz at that in a bit.
Not sure I get this whole Zwift Power change,
Are all those bars on zp new or just new to me - having only done one race I'm not sure if I just couldn't see them before.
[Edit] ah, that screen grab is from ZP. I'm a wally. Alles ist klar. As you were. [/edit]
VERY disappointed with the "cone of shame" graphics. I was expecting an accessory attached to the avatars like a dog would get to stop him scratching 😂
Thanks robbo.
Hmm I'm a ZwiftHQ B apart from FTP which is A.
Well that went wrong, sorta.
jumped on the 15:45 with Slowpuncheur, the gun went and it exploded !!!! 6,7, 7.5w/kg everywhere... So i sort of hung in, grabbed a few wheels and was in lead bunch.... into lap 2, i thought "this is insane, its still 5w/kg off the front, so i looked back and decided to sit up... I did that and 2 guys passed me like i wasn't moving..
Starting lap 3, the next group came to me and looked more likely, high 3s off the front which is normal for C Crit... So jumped in that one and sat in till the end.
Went early, not too early, kicked OK, gained 3-4 places, lost 2-3 overall, i think i got 12th on the road, which wasn't bad and 303w average which is decent.
Good race, i think i needed that.
Nice shiny cup Weeksy! That was the first time I've done a Crit. That first lap was insanely quick and couldn't stay with your group. Found a decent group of about 6 in mid 30's spot. Hung in there and saved a feather til the rollers at the end. Outsprinted all but one of that little group. Finished 37th Overall and 6 in C on ZP. I don't have the out and out power for this type of racing but it was good intense fun.
I saw you early on, but as I said, that was an insane first few laps. I'd have been curious if they were all in the 4pm as to what would have happened as that was the new zwiftpower rules