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Zwift, my journey, my weight and my fitness.

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Use the mobile link app, list of events and press the plus icon on the one you want. Once your in zwift you'll get a reminder pop up to take you to the event.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:06 pm
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Super. Sounds easy. So I don't need to make sure I'm on some part of the course at a specific time?


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:07 pm
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It puts you in a start pen. Start ride as normal and you'll see a button bottom left, join event. Anytime from 30 min to race time

Click it.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:13 pm
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@MrBlobby No, those days are gone 😉

When you log in, after you've paired, there's a course calendar on the right hand side with a list of the closest events above 🙂


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:15 pm
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Smashing, thanks guys... though it is sort of starting to dry out a bit out there.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:28 pm
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just did the sub2 group ride at 2pm.
not being much of a road rider it took a bit of getting used to in terms of the constant pedalling and keeping in groups which i was particularly bad at. however it was kind of fun and a good guide post to where i'm at. lots of room for improvement.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:29 pm
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I just joined, 2nd at the front oh ****...

Reminds me in real life of a team i put together for Mountain Mayhem BITD when there were thousands of riders. We persuaded a mate to do the first lap including the run. Thing is - he really is an excellent middle distance runner so was about 2nd or 3rd onto the bike after the round the field and round the tree start.

Conversely, he's quite a shit cyclist and watching him being swamped like a baby antelope being run down by a pack of hyenas was possibly the best part of the weekend.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:35 pm
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Jeeez.

Not help by the fact I seem to have been grouped with the A riders. Took the advice above and flew off the line at 700w... only to find myself back on the line 30 seconds later as I was trying to avoid puking to have to do it all again.

This mornings 50k didn't help me much, i decided to back off halfway and just TT round relatively easily at 230w to the end.

No idea of the result, where do I find those?


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 5:59 pm
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Zwiftpower.com


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 6:00 pm
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Hey? How did you manage to get over the line before the start?? Confused.com


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 6:03 pm
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I can't see my race on there at all (16:00 ZHR Great Watopian Mountain Goat Race) 🙁

Hey? How did you manage to get over the line before the start??

Me? I did find my self alone on both starts. I took the advice above and was wound up to 700w with 5 secs to go, at 0 I was gone...

On the second - my actual designated category race - I sat up and waited for the first bunch to catch up so I could draft a bit.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 6:46 pm
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So you started with the A's and then managed to get back in to the correct Cat start pen in 30 seconds? I couldn't get logged out and in again that quickly on my laptop.....

Sorry if I sound thick- I've re-read your post and still don't really know what you mean happened 🙂


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 6:55 pm
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Hi,
Just got a quick question. So does someone on a dumb train have an advantage over someone on a smart trainer in a race because the resistance doesn't kick in on the dumb trainer ?

Cheers Shaun


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:07 pm
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I started at 16:00 - I assume with the A's. I rode hard for 30 seconds, then a window popped up and said my event was about to start. After the countdown, I was put back on the startline with about 5 mins to go. I started according to Strava my race proper at 16:10.

I didn't have to log out/in it did it all for me.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:09 pm
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shaun, works both ways - you're more consistent but at the bottom of a hill they all suddenly ramp up the power. You'd need to change up a few gears to make it "the same" for you. At the top of the hill, their resiatnce (and so power) drops off and they have to change up some gears wjile you just charge on at full power

On the flat - same for all pretty much


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:11 pm
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Ah I see- gotcha. So you must have joined two categories at once!
Every day's a school day!!!!


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:15 pm
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Ah, great. Yeah that makes sense so it's not really an advantage for anyone it's just bit more life like for the smart turbo ?
Cheers scaredypands


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:17 pm
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Kryton- I've just tested and it won't let you join different cats in the same race. You must have joined two different races!!


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:20 pm
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That's right Shaun. Watts are Watts which = speed. Doesn't matter if your turbo is dumb or smart. Smart trainers just change resistance and not the watts. You create the watts


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:29 pm
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Well, except when watts aren't watts.
Doesn't take much imagination to cheat the system on a dumb trainer.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:35 pm
 myti
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Bit late to the party and not got time to read all the pages. But today I got a tacx flux smart. Need to get the dongle thing for zwift but a bit confused about which one. Any recommendations? Managed to create a workout on my mobile using the tacx app and it turned out to be rather brutal for a first go and the kitchen floor ended up with a pool of sweat!

It automatically sent the workout to Strava but recorded 0 elevation despite showing 1800ft on the app. Anyway to get elevation to log to strava or does that only happen with zwift?


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:36 pm
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Zwift feature suggestion: before starting the session, riders must provide a photograph of themselves standing on a set of scales with their weight clearly visible... 😉

Substituting other people / children / pets or leaning on the wall will result in immediate disqualification.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:37 pm
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myti - I bought the cheapest "mini" dongle I could find on Amazon. About £12 IIRC, worked first time with no drivers needed and unlike some doesn't need to dangle on the end of a USB extension cable.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:38 pm
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Kryton- I've just tested and it won't let you join different cats in the same race. You must have joined two different races!!

Not according to [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/833025320 ]strava[/url]


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:40 pm
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Kryton- I mean, the one you briefly entered initially couldn't have the A's from your race. It must have been a whole separate race. Try it now- the event module won't let you enter more than one Cat of the SAME race.

You TrainerRoad boys don't half need your hands holding 😉 😀 (Joke!)


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 7:50 pm
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You TrainerRoad boys don't half need your hands holding

😆 I managed to join a group ride without any problems! Quite enjoyed it too. Bit lonely after a couple of laps though as the pace increased and I didn't want to go over z2.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 8:56 pm
 myti
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Flaperon can you link me the one please. Had a look on Amazon and still confused. Does it not have to be an actual tacx dongle then?


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 9:10 pm
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http://amzn.eu/3jMgfgR

Price has gone up a little bit though 🙁


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 9:12 pm
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What ride was it MrBlobby? ZSUN is quite a sprightly one- makes 30miles fly by though!


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 9:12 pm
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Crosshair, t'was the US Sunday Spin Ride at 5pm.


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 9:19 pm
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You TrainerRoad boys don't half need your hands holding (Joke!)

Maybe stick a blue line on the road for them to follow...


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 9:21 pm
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Well, bit the bullet today and bought a t2240 tacx and a new laptop to run it on. Laptop initial install was super quick but immediately wanted to 'update' which is taking hours?? Did anyone else have this issue? Also stuck it on my iPad and had a quick spin round. Trainer is excellent for the money, only had a brief ride but I can see it being quite addictive


 
Posted : 15/01/2017 9:45 pm
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Can't quite work it out - either turboing/zwifting is amazingly good training or else I've been finding it hard to put effort in consistently

Just had a half hour thrash round and my FTP has apparently been pushed up again. It's now gone up at least 25-30% over 10 weeks. Genuine gains due to consistent output or just learning how to "do" the effort ?

I'm [i][b]almost [/b][/i]wanting to get out and, you know, actually ride outside ( 😯 ) to find out how I compare to me in October


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 12:27 am
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myti, does the flux smart have a bluetooth connection. If you want to use it with Zwift you can use the zwift mobile link app as a connection between your trainer and laptop (the laptop and mobile have to be connected to the same network).


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 7:28 am
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Certainly beginning to feel the real world benefits of zwift after just over a week. Felt really strong on the mtb yesterday and it really helped on the wet, muddy, rooty, techy climbs where I was able to power over the obstacles. where as before I might have just stalled. I was also keeping myself amused on the fireroad climbs by dropping back a bit and leaving a big gap then really going for it to catch back up again.


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 7:42 am
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Just had a half hour thrash round and my FTP has apparently been pushed up again. It's now gone up at least 25-30% over 10 weeks. Genuine gains due to consistent output or just learning how to "do" the effort ?

I'm almost wanting to get out and, you know, actually ride outside ( ) to find out how I compare to me in October

I think we're finding that what we used to think was 'training hard' actually wasn't and a lot of us are reaping the reward for that. I always thought i trained a fair bit, but i think my hours have doubled in the last few Zwift months.

Out on the roads/trails, i'm stronger, fitter and faster (although not always on the tech sections, but that's skill and ability). I can ride and climb now with so much more ease than previously.


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 7:44 am
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Spot on weeksy - yesterday my goal was to complete the 100 miles non stop - that would not have happened six months ago. Zwift has helped me build my strength and endurance but I have not lost an ounce (I have been stuck on 65kg for the last 10 years)

Looking forward to the summer, have a week booked in the alps for huez area and then the big one.... Etape on the 16 July (gulp)


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 9:20 am
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I did my first session last night on the new Flow Smart trainer.

It was quite impressive....I didn't bother tinkering with the 'real resistance' thing in the Zwift menu (I forgot about it) but zwiftblog reckons it defaults to 50% and I'll probably just leave it there. It felt fine.

It definitely felt more like a 'proper' ride than just sticking the dumb trainer on a certain resistance & keeping an even pace.

Interestingly, at the end of the ride the power stats displayed were within 1 watt (for the longer durations - is it 10 & 20 mins) of the other info held in that window - I can't remember if it's previous best or average (I think it's previous best).

The one thing that took a while to get used to was that the resistance comes on instantly, whereas on the road if there's a hill coming up you can use a bit of your momentum to keep you going before it starts to get harder.....

And the other thing - I need to sort my gears out! I knew they weren't shifting very well, but with a dumb trainer it didn't really matter because I rarely changed gear - perhaps for the sprint KOM's etc. But I was changing gear loads yesterday & realised that I could probably do with cleaning my bike & sticking some new cables on!!

Now my Wife wants her mtb setting up on the old turbo trainer so she can get some easy evening exercise done!!


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 9:43 am
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I could do with some diagnosis. I'm wondering and think it's likely just generic fatigue from riding... but throwing it out here just in case it's something else.

But my calves are exceptionally stiff.... stiff, tired, aching.. Almost feeling like borderline 'pulled' and seem quite easy to cramp up.

I had Sat with a gentle ride in FoD and then Sunday morning they felt pretty good pre-zwift, they also felt fine post-zwift, but again are quite stiff. My thighs can feel i've worked and trained, but no more so than that.

Calves have been this way for about 10 days now... Stretching seems to make them stiffer rather than better, same with foam roller.

I'm debating having today off, but i don't want to just be doing alternate training days, i like doing back to back quite often.

Looking at my Strava calendar i've only had 3 days not riding this month up to now... (one last Fri)....Maybe i'm just simply over-doing it.

I did adjust my saddle forward about 1.5" as i felt i was over-reaching to the bars, thought it may have made it easier... it has... but just checking if something like that can cause issues and calf tension ?


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 9:54 am
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Weeksy. I'd say it's almost certainly the change in your saddle position. If your bike's set up well, the relationship of your saddle to the pedals shouldn't ever need to change. If you're feeling stretched, it's the length of the stem you need to change IMO. Putting the saddle forward will mean you cant recruit your quads and gluts to power through the pedal stroke quite as well. I think your calves are compensating to ensure the same power output.


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 10:27 am
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Hmmm. Certainly something to think about isn't it... I can't be 100% the times/timing of change was related, but it's something i was giving some thought to.
Bike isn't actually mine, so not been 'fitted' for it, it's a borrowed one off a mate.. But that said, until recently i've not suffered with calf issues.


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 10:32 am
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But my calves are exceptionally stiff.... stiff, tired, aching.. Almost feeling like borderline 'pulled' and seem quite easy to cramp up.

It's funny you mention this, because that's *exactly* what happened to me last week. I've put it down to DOMS from slightly different pedalling dynamics coupled with working harder than normal.

It cleared up pretty quickly but I've learned this week that it's easy to overdo it. Quite relieved it's not just me!


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 10:40 am
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Weeksy;
Cure = Week resting & return the saddle back.

It's hard to resist the lure of the bike, but at least do 3 days then return back by doing Z2/Z3 spinning (use a workout). I did it last week and it really helped, recommend the 8 week pre race day one as it's got a good build up!


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 10:57 am
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eeeek, not sure i can manage 3.... i'm struggling with not testing the saddle position tonight, let alone more than that...

Although, mrs weeksy and the washing machine would appreciate the rest.


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 10:58 am
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Just had a half hour thrash round and my FTP has apparently been pushed up again. It's now gone up at least 25-30% over 10 weeks. Genuine gains due to consistent output or just learning how to "do" the effort ?

A combination of the two, in reality, probably more the latter.

Cure = Week resting & return the saddle back.

That. Every 3/4 weeks really should be a rest week. otherwise you will just run yourself down.

I didn't do anything last week, it can be hard sometimes, but resting is just as important as training.


 
Posted : 16/01/2017 11:10 am
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