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Doing the ZZRC Sub 2.0 ride tonight, it is the only way I can force myself to do an easy ride. My legs are still suffering after last night's ZTR Race and I have a bit of riding planned over the weekend.
Muddydwarf, first thing is to check that your laptop runs Zwift. You can do that now. Then you will need a USB ANT+ sensor for your laptop, I use a Garmin one. Your speed sensor will then communicate with the USB sensor and feed the wheel speed into Zwift. As you have a dumb trainer you will have to change into a harder gear when you go up hill, or keep it in the same gear - upto you really
Zwift has the info for my trainer, i have an ANT+ wireless speed/cadence sensor on the rear wheel so no problems there.
Apparently Win7 is the minimum requirement for Zwift, may have to clean the laptop up & regain some memory though.
Two different opinions there, reason i asked about changing the resistance on prompting is that the bar mounted resistance dial is ****ed & i can't seem to find a replacement.
I used a dumb trainer for a few months on Zwift, and the realism sucks you in, so you do feel obliged to change gear on the hills. Also everyone generally puts out more power on the climbs, so if you want to keep up you change gear anyway.
I am guessing that the Zwift profile for your trainer is based on a certain resistance on the dial. If that is broken you might find your power is off.
Changing gear isnt a problem - i do intervals in each gear anyway.
I'm not really bothered about a power reading, its more about making a turbo session more bearable!
Ah, it's mostly about the graphics rather than other aspects. As Jason said, download the sotware and see if it runsApparently Win7 is the minimum requirement for Zwift, may have to clean the laptop up & regain some memory though.
ANT+ dongle, do you need a Zwift branded one or will any version do the job?
Any
I did the short FTP test as my first Zwift session and really should have put a fan in the room first! The FTP from that was quite a lot (40-50W) lower than I tend to average for 20 minutes outside (based on my power meter) however I'm at the moment I'm not sure if Zwift was using the power readings from the trainer or from the power meter. Next time I'll need to have my Garmin running as well so I can compare that with what I'm seeing on the screen.
The FTP test was pretty hard work though, not helped by me struggling to find the ideal gear given my bike is 9-speed and running an MTB rear mech at the moment.
Oh bugger...... I'm getting sucked in.
I'm typing this from an old, but acc to spec Windows 7 with 4GB RAM Sony Vaio. Not sure on graphics properties.
I have a Tacx 2240 from Halfords in a box at my feet.
And the postie brought my ANT+ dongle today.
Other than getting a speed and cadence sensor so i can get accurate data for that as opposed to Zwift/Tacx's estimations (as per my earlier posts) I think I have everything I need. Which means I now have no excuse, and from what i glean, a FTP test awaits me.
Thankfully I've just had tea, so it won't be just yet.
Is setup obvious even to a dick like me? Any experienced users sitting around near the internet this evening in case of any questions?
I'll be here but I'm not an expert. But, btw, you hitting Swinley for an easy one with me and my ex-bob mate? 9.30 car park
No can do tomorrow, taking girls ice-skating. Yay!
Jon, just so you know, your FTP test will come from your default in profile.
That may be high as default so FTP test can be crazy tough
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See below
Is setup obvious even to a dick like me? Any experienced users sitting around near the internet this evening in case of any questions?
I've just set-up a very similar set-up to yours - cheap ANT+ dongle from Amazon and a the T2240 trainer from Halfords. After plugging the ANT+ dongle into my laptop (which is a few years old but is an Alienware so didn't seem to struggle with the graphics etc.) it picked up all the ANT+ stuff I'd expected including the turbo (including as a cadence sensor), my Garmin HRM belt and my power meter. I do have a speed/cadence sensor on that bike but it's not enabled at the moment (remove the wheel magnet as it was fouling the clip-on mudguards and haven't refitted the cadence magnet to the new crank arm the power meter is attached to). All very straightforward thankfully!
Tagged into the Friday Night Crit race tonight to use it as an excuse to push myself for another proper go at an FTP test.
Had a crappy week back at work so wanted to take some anger out on the bike.
Hit a new high, 330w, which pushes me over 4w/kg. It was horrific though. I nearly fell off the bike at the end.
I know some of the gains are coming from being better at pacing over the 20 mins, but there is no way I was able to hold +/-350w for 20 minutes to 95% out at 330 when I started this back in November. Something is working, and the results are pleasing.
Next goal is 350w. It's getting harder though.
Well done Hob Nob! I was probably a couple of mins down on that.... 😉
Wow, brilliant work. Well done.
My ride today showed my improvement, back 3 ish months back I struggled to maintain 200w for 30 min, today, that figure only gave me 130bpm. I can now maintain 290w for 30 min.
I did the short FTP test as my first Zwift session and really should have put a fan in the room first! The FTP from that was quite a lot (40-50W) lower than I tend to average for 20 minutes outside
Suspect this could be down to me not calibrating the turbo first - I've done that now and the tension was quite far out. Not sure I'm looking forward to doing another FTP test though!
Everyone is going in the right direction - pats on backs all round!
I'm going to stick at it until the spring at least when proper racing starts & see where I am - if I can get to 350 & lose the last 5kg down to 75 overall, i'll be the fittest i've been probably all my adult life.
It will be nice to see how (if) it actually translates to proper race results this year.
Looks like I'm excused because my laptop is utter shite, can barely run the program without it falling over. Will have to wait until Monday when I can bring the work one home.
Ah well.......
My 4th ride tonight. I've not done any FTP nor racing yet, just enjoying diving straight into a ride. Really enjoying it though. Zwift's a right laugh!
theotherjonv - Member
Looks like I'm excused because my laptop is utter shite, can barely run the program without it falling over. Will have to wait until Monday when I can bring the work one home.Ah well.......
From memory when I was running it on a slow PC if you go into the config files and turn anything graphics related with a 1 or 2 to 0 then it should run a lot faster. Even the low res mode runs a few extras which slow things down.
Or this might balls things up entirely but worth a punt!
config files? on the PC or in Zwift itself?
On the PC, go to the folder where Zwift installed itself and open up one of the txt docs (there might only be one to be fair). The right doc will have things like "bike lights=2" and "reflections=1". Turning them all to 0 should help. Hopefully.
A few more details on the config file stuff here:
https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/201559235-Graphics-Quality-
Yeah, I suppose you could use that if you prefer to use like, actual facts and stuff!
nope, only on txt doc and that's got virtually nothing in.
Welcome to A Cat @Hob nob 🙂 The problem with this category is that it's unlimited as long as folk are Zada'd.
Tried to join you earlier @crosshair, but Zwift stuck me in right next to you at 0mph (I thought they had fixed this!!) and you went shooting passed - I wasn't up for trying to catch you. 😆
OK, what's a good race type to do as a first attempt? - I guess decent numbers, mass start of all levels in case I guess wrong about what I can achieve and no daftness in terms of rules (I haven't learnt about using the add-on things that you press the space bar for, for example, and I have no idea how I'd type a message or even hit the right single key for taking turns while riding hard).
I can do 3.5 w/kg for 20 min, so I think my FTP is 3.3 or so but I've never done an hour at full whack - what cat do I pick ? How do they all punish you for being better than your chosen level (I was sort of thinking I'd start with D)?
I don't really care about losing my place as long as I can stay in the race at the time and they don't totally wipe my ride or something; I'm not looking for trophies, so should I say I'm a C anyway? Presumably I can see the "D" riders as well so could drop back & ride with them if I get knackered?
Also want a relatively short one - don't ever really have more than about an hour and a half at a time (inc warming up)
If you're not sure on category then Zwift racesas they're uncategorised (there's 3 tomorrow 7am, 8am, 5pm) or BRS race (7pm)
I'm aiming to do the 7:30pm BRS race on Sunday evening.
OK, what's a good race type to do as a first attempt?
I'd suggest you check which ones are published on Zwiftpower, otherwise you won't get to see your results.
With those w/kg figures, you'd be cat C.
If you are DQ'd, it happens after the race anyway, so you won't be pulled mid race.
Check the courses and distances. 4 laps of the highly London course won't be pleasant unless you pace yourself and have plenty of water...
Doh,
= hillyhighly
Bah !
I blew that then - should be on this morning's 30km zwift race, shouldn't I ?
Lazy, lazy boy. 'nother round of toast anyone ? 😳
First FTP test done. I did the short one and as I've never done anything like this before (only got the turbo Thursday) I was unsure what I could maintain for 20 mins. I finished with an average of 248w. Certainly think I could up that 15-20 Watts straight off now I know what to expect. It was still tough though, as my legs aren't used to pedalling non stop. Most of my riding is bursts of power up a short steep hill then down a bit of Singletrack and stop then repeat for 2-3 hours.
don't really blame you, not sure I'd ever be up for an 8am race!!Lazy, lazy boy. 'nother round of toast anyone ?
Will probably have a go at the P Race @ 3, not done that (or even seen it before - only 2 cats) and on a course I like (although longer than I've done before so will have to pace myself a bit)
Yeah, I wondered about that P race zilog but mid-afternoon's almost always got me taxiing one or other of my kids somewhere
Down for a BRS crit race tomorrow evening instead, if I can make the time
I think I may be able to find a few more watts quite easily!
This is of course now I'm not grinding my way through a crank arm:
[url= 
]OOPS[/url]
May have forgotten to put a washer there!
Luckily I have one and was able to use a PM today [url= 
]SHINY[/url] - unfortunately the battery was dead 😆
Anyone on for 5.00 Zwift race?
I expect to be hanging on to the back-markers for dear life.....
Don't normally Zwift on a Saturday but I did today and there were more than 3,100 people on at one point! Most I've ever seen by a long way.
Just did the PAC social ride. Not much socials, blew apart at the first small climb. Lost the ride leader as it doesn't show you if they are ahead or behind if they aren't in the immediate rider list. Set a new PB up box hill chasing the lead group...only to find I think the ride lead was way behind.
Had to laugh yesterday afternoon as someone climbed box his in 4min 0. He went past me at 13.2w/kg. I mean seriously! I'm not having that.
And I thought going under 9m was good....
Well thats the first and last time I've entered an open category race, blew up after the first lap.
The urge to chase is just too great!
Should be an Eye-spy book really but Eric Schlange has updated his list of pro's using Zwift.
Was passed by B Julich the other day - no idea if it was the "real" one
What a start to a Sunday morning!
60km zwift race at 8.10am!
Nearly didn't make it as when I went down to the garage to join the event, came back to it with 5 mins to go and the laptop had crashed! Quick panic to reboot and log in with 1.30to go before start!!
Glad I made it as it was a really fun race, wasn't sure if I'd be able to go the distance to be honest as it's the longest I've ever riden (2 laps of the figure of eight course)
Got stuck in with a good group of about 10 riders all going well. After the first big climb it slowly split down to 5/6 of us and then 20k out was down to just 3 of us. I managed to push on and jump the gap to a UK rider up 20secs ahead and eventually finish 10th! Out of around 100 riders!
Wow. Really didn't expect that kind of result at all.
Time to try and recover now....