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Can someone explain how workouts work in ERG mode? Did my first this morning and was having trouble hitting some of the watt targets on the short sharp sprints.
I'm right that you just stay in the one gear and the ERG mode compensates for changes in speed etc? Just change my RPM as needed?
In the 30 second sprints it was telling me more power, then less power, almost a yo-yo effect until it settled down, by that time the 30 seconds was almost up and the star was not given.
Am I doing something wrong or is there a skill to getting it to settle faster in these short efforts?
Am I doing something wrong
Your understanding is correct but the issue is the intervals are too short for the trainer to catch up/down with the interval and hold you at the power. You should do 30s sprints and perhaps any intervals under a minute in resistance mode.
I don't like short sharp efforts in erg mode - my trainer changes resistance v fast so you can go from 100 W to a big number quickly. You need to spin your cadence up in advance or you can put a lot of unnecessary stress through the knees. If I use my power meter to control the trainer it's a bit better, as that seems to have a looser +/- around the target power, but it's still not ideal.
Is it easy to change modes on the fly in zwift? Erg mode is great for sitting at an interval value in general.
I enjoyed etape stage 2, got in with a good group after the first climb and hung onto them all the way round the second lap
Thanks Garry and Kryton, at least I know I am doing things right! Yes those sharp sprints are almost too short and it obviously cannot adapt, but I'm not sure if I can just chop and change out of ERG mode on the fly, I'll look into it.
Pretty sure you can turn it on and off. Think it is in the menus that you get at the bottom centre of the screen.
Another point on ERG is which gear you do it in.
It is easier in the smallest ring on the front as the flywheel isn't going as fast so changes in speed/cadence don't affect the power output as much and you don't end up chasing the power target as much (although erg mode controls it doesn't do it rigidly so you can vary the power target slightly).
Pretty sure you can turn it on and off. Think it is in the menus that you get at the bottom centre of the screen.
Its is, and also available in the mobile app as a switch on/off when you are in workout mode.
Thanks Chaps, some good help there! I'll try both the switching on/off, plus the smaller chain ring to see what results I get.
Smaller chainring is more akin to riding a MTB as well so if you are wanting to do a lot of road riding you might want to do it in the big ring!
Team Time Trial this week: Thursday, 6.30pm, 2 laps of Greater London Flat (28.9km total)
Riders, enter category D here: https://www.zwift.com/events/view/953161
I'll post the start delay etc later in the week.
Whats the deal with the TTT? I'm curious.
Well done @saoyad - I've entered
I'm out again this week unfortunately.
If anyone fancies, going to have a go at the Ventoux this evening at 7, if you join the group ride, wait for it to start then quit you can choose the directions to get to the climb.
Had a go yesterday but completely cocked up the pacing so need another go!
the info is in this thread, you might have to look back a fair few pages unfortunately as it's scattered amongst the general Zwift stuff - look for Savoyad's posts where he explains it all! They are great fun though (and normally hard work!!)Whats the deal with the TTT? I’m curious.
If anyone fancies, going to have a go at the Ventoux this evening at 7, if you join the group ride, wait for it to start then quit you can choose the directions to get to the climb.
Had a go yesterday but completely cocked up the pacing so need another go!
You're not shy with the climbing Kelvin. Saw you were on that last night but was just getting on for some sightseeing at the Casse Pattes route.
Read that there's no average power display for the climb like the Alpe? So could be harder to pace, you use the bike computer for avg power I guess.
Whats the deal with the TTT? I’m curious.
Basically we ride together every Thursday evening. We've settled into the 6.30pm time slot for now. It's a mixed ability thing, and we're usually in one of the two "Bs and Cs" classes, depending on whether we are mainly Bs or mainly Cs that week. We aim to finish together. It's fun (or at least "fun") and a good workout.
It's this series: https://wtrl.racing/ttt/TTT-Rules-and-Info.php (that link has a lot of boring practial info).
The best way to sate your curiosity might be to just join us:
- Sign up to Category D (whatever category you normally ride, this event repurposes the various categories, we are D this week) here: https://www.zwift.com/events/view/953161
and tell us you've done it in this thread; and
- Append "(STW)" to your Rider Name in zwiftpower, as the TTT system uses this as a tag to identify who is in which team.
If you (or anyone else new) signs up I'll post more detailed practical info later in the week (we use discord to communicate during the race so there will be a link, I'll explain the slightly weird start procedure etc.)
You’re not shy with the climbing Kelvin. Saw you were on that last night but was just getting on for some sightseeing at the Casse Pattes route.
Got booted just as the banner dropped with hundreds of others, which is pretty annoying. TBH did an ERG work out that was probably more productive but still pretty frustrating as I'd spent some time pootling round at 1w/kg waiting for the event to start.
Read that there’s no average power display for the climb like the Alpe? So could be harder to pace, you use the bike computer for avg power I guess.
No power guidance at the moment it seems, that does make the Alpe so much easier to handle. I don't have a head unit but really should sort one, can you take the power from the Turbo to a head unit and Zwift at the same time?
can you take the power from the Turbo to a head unit and Zwift at the same time?
Yes (use ant+)
Thurs TT is more viable this week for me, so i'm a highly possible.
I'm in for the TTT
Does anyone else find the FTP results from a ramp test quite high? I did one the other day and it gave me a result about 40 watts higher than I tend to average on a race, where I'll be clinging on for dear life to keep up.
I do tend to hang in the pack a bit when racing though and save myself for sprints/climbs, but still, seems optimistic.
I had the opposite, but my understanding is strong Vo2 = higher ramp results / stronger steady state better 0.95*20 minute average right?
Yeh Kelvin is right it depends on your make up. If you spend a couple of weeks training your VO2 max you should perform better on a ramp test but not necessarily be able to hold a power for 20 mins. Just remember it is only a benchmark of where to train. The race value is prob more accurate of where you can perform (unless sandbagging).
Ahhhh, makes sense. TBF I think I probably don't push myself as much as I could in the races, when you're doing a ramp test and you see the average value increasing, it spurs you on a bit more as you know it'll all be over soon.
Not done a ramp in a while but it always gives me a higher number than a 20 min test, and definitely higher than true hour power. Think the format is just effective at squeezing the absolute last drop of effort out of you. You'll soon know if the ftp is too high to train against.
Couple of average crits for me this morning - super short dolphin 4lap one I went too early last week, but today left it too late as around 5 riders got a 2 sec gap at the top of the climb which was enough to take them to the line. So still trying to get the timing right there.
Then in the second one (4 laps NY) my chain fell off shifting around at the start, race over, bolex.
tonights deeside is 12 laps of crit city
FYI anyone coming along - double draft is off for the first time so tactics and breaks might play more effect than normal.
I'm in all being well.
Not the best turnout but last weeks 2nd place (leading as winner is a B now) in C has finally signed up so hopefully a few more yet.
Should score well tonight 3 hard sprints up the hill for points.
The Zwift ramp test flatters me, I don't mind doing it for a short low fatigue workout, but I wouldn't use it to set my zones.
Not done it in a while (pre-Covid, so before late March), but if reasonable fresh and healthy, I'd expect to at least finish the 380W 1min interval which Zwift would tell me I have an FTP of ~290W+ (having got at least part way through the 400W interval).
Over the last ~2.5 years of having power readings, the best 95% of a 20min efforts gave me 298W in March 2019, ~294W in Feb 2020 and I finally got my first two 300W+ efforts over 20mins post-Covid in the past ten days to give me a 291W estimate outdoors on Sunday.
I wouldn't say my 5mins is that special at all, ~340-350W (~4.3W/Kg) on a very good day. Maybe my 20min LTHR of ~170-175bpm helps?
I'm going the to try for the Deeside crit. It's primes using the sprint banner on 3, 6 and 9 as well I think.
Are all groups on the road together do you know?
Should be all groups on the road together mass start.
Feed back on that has been positive.
Cool, sounds good. No idea how my legs will be. Came 5th in a 50k 'not a race' tour event yesterday where the pace was very hot then did a 10k run in the evening followed by half the night on my daughter's bedroom floor. Not a great combo.
12 laps is a bit of a marathon for me but will get on later. Sounds like a hard sprint uphill.
Got the 50T narrow wide delivered today so hopefully no more chain loss. Wanted a 46 or 48 ideally for max crit spin ups but it'll do.
Awww if I'd seen this I may have entered.
As it stands on 90 day performance I'm a C again.
Marked my return to C with a win.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=950875
Good win weeksy, the c crits are bloody hard work, it's easy to get to the last 100 meters but there are some fast sprinters that always leave me for dead.
Did the cycling weekly 10 mile tt tonight, pan flat so hardly suits my strengths but good practice for if the season starts again. I do the tts with my tt bike on the turbo to make it a bit more realistic. I lose a good few watts on the aero bars but my time was uncannily similar to what I'd expect outdoors.
Just as painful as the real things as well. I always find that the first 7 miles are horrific, but when you are in final 3 the end in sight makes it more bearable.
I was only 4th on the road mate... but few DQs and it's a win.
Yeap legs did not like that. Think I got 2nd on two of the primes. 6th overall though.
Hmm thought primes were based on road position rather than time. Not so good when time based. 3rd, and two 4ths.
Ignore that. Looking at the wrong prime. 2nd for all 3 measured ones. 😀
Are they I thought they were road position also.
Look like they were as the C winner got max points but I beat him on time on one lap.
Computer had issues at the start and sent me to the back of the field. First lap and a half was flying through the breaking up field but was left behind at least 2 legit Cs and they had 40 seconds at the top of the hill on the second lap.
Caught 2 and with 3 to go I thought we'd caught the leader but I got my names mixed up. Rolled over the top of the hill on the last lap with a 20m lead on my group so went for it and finished comfortably for the win. 2nd BOOO!
Got the max points I could from the position my computer dealt me.
Relatively easy race as couldn't push on to try and catch Bs with the only C.
Nixie came past us like we were standing still mid race.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=950928
That's annoying. Hate it when your on the back foot for no reason. Congrats on the second place.
I was confused why the order in the results had changed (ranked third now). Makes the prime efforts worth it as I was a good distance from the winner on the last lap.
If you taking about when I think you are Tom the lead pack had gone quite high power for that over take. I nearly got caught napping!
Just before the hill IIRC.
I'd thought about tagging on when we got lapped but forgot and was taken by suprise as you whoosed past. Wouldn't have held on long mind.
No TTT for me this week but I will train for next week