I've been trying to do high cadence sprints a couple of times a week to get a bit of power back and try to break my diesel engine ways of pushing 70RPM everywhere.
Just on this, is there a cadence one should be aiming for? 90-110rpm seems to be where I end up by default. I've got more gears on my bike than I know what to do with. I only used 2 or 3 in my last race.
BTW great result muggo!
I'm 90-100 personally, usually 92-94
On today's flat race I used 3 gears. Out of them 3, the middle was 95% of the race, then drop 1 for the small hill and the harder one for last km
https://thomasburns61.wixsite.com/team-worlds-2017
Yep, Team Time Trial so would havd to be on a road bike in game to get the drafting. Not sure how they manage the starts with the event module- prob mentions it in the link.
Ive always thought cadence is personal... or at least situational
Mine varies dramatically, if I’m tired it’s 70-80, long Sunday cycle is 75-85 and a crit race is normally around 95.
I’m around the 70-80rpm mark. I tend to just mash the biggest gear all the way round. Very rarely shift up unless it’s on a very long climb. Might explain why my knees are shot 🙂
Well results still haven't been finalised, I'm getting sick of looking now tbh. Did workout number 7 today of zwift academy, which after the race Saturday and an outdoors ride sunday, nigh on killed me! Have two days of rest, complete rest tomorrow, very easy spin Wednesday and then Thursday its 3 minute critical power test and the completion of the academy!
Good to know re cadence. I have three chain rings on the front and have only ever used the middle one (that might have been a mistake up watopia mountain...).
Golfchick, nice work re the academy. Have you found it worthwhile?
Well done muggo, fantastic result. Thats it now you are going to become a trophy chaser.
Weeksy - no way is he 107kg looking at that picture. What does he gain though by adding weight, i thought that would slow you down or is he doing it so he always falls under cat limit?
As for cadence i always aim for 90rpm but on hills i always ramp it up to closer to 100 or drop a gear and go to near 110.
I have a suspicion that they'll be releasing a new extension to Watopia in the next week or so. Looking at the schedule there's a full week+ of Watopia, which they tend to do when they add something new. I'm sure I saw an interview with a guy from Zwift saying that they would be adding an extension in October, and another later in the year.
What do we think, another mountain? Loop the loop? DH track down from the peak?
that was me! First race back this season, not lost as much fitness over the summer as I'd feared!A podium in C for stw too!
Surprised to get 3rd as I was hanging onto a group with Bs and fast Cs until they dropped me on the penultimate climb and I rode solo for the last lap. Most of the Cs in front of me got bumped up though so ended up placing well! 🙂 (Why don't people just enter the higher category in the first place?!)
Weeksy - no way is he 107kg looking at that picture. What does he gain though by adding weight, i thought that would slow you down or is he doing it so he always falls under cat limit?
That can be my only guess.
Some serious geekery to be had here 😯
[url= http://www.zwiftrankings.com ]Cycligent virtual rankings[/url]
muggomagic - Member
Some serious geekery to be had hereCycligent virtual rankings
The only issues i have with CVR is that it doesn't allow for downturns in form, fitness, weight etc.
Getting a DNF can cost you 30 points+ in the rankings, which even when at my best i was getting 5-10 points for winning C races.
Yesterdays race i thoguht i performed really well, tried proper hard, but i still got -2 points on the rankings. LOL.
However due to DNFs lately i'm already down about 60 points on my best.
That’s the thing though, it’s algorithms assign you a “where the rider should finish given his/her rankings and the competition”, if you come below that then you lose points, it ignores Zwifts race cats as it uses its own divisions.
It’s not perfect but your points should reflect where you’re at in terms of fitness/the rest of the riders.
I think the main flaw with it is the DNF system. For instance if a load of riders that have more points than you drop out (DNF) then their points they brought to the race are up for grabs. Which is an artificial inflation of your own points if you finish higher than expected, which you now will.
Definitely don’t work with numbers all day 😆
I am currently 10th in div 2 with 1328, do you have to win the division to be promoted or just pass a certain point level?
There’s a minimum points to get up to the next division. You’ll find that number somewhere, I can’t remember where. It’s constantly changing though as it’s based of a percentile of riders allowed in that category.
Promotions happen at the end of the month. On your profile you should find a “division forecast”, I was once forecast to move up to elite, probably division 2 now 😆
All info is here: http://www.zwiftrankings.com/vcr/client/help/help-overview
Happy to translate 🙂
Weeksy- another reason why racing isn't good training 😉
You can't have it both ways 😀 Your points and rankings reflect your form so either don't race until your form is back to your best or just chalk it up to experience. Your points and rankings reflect your position vrs the rest of Zwift so just because you slacked off for a few weeks, you can't expect everyone else to wait for you 😆
It's actually a great motivator because you are always aiming to beat your last relative performance.
WTF have I done to myself? Why did I even look at CVR? I'm going to spend my working day looking at how it works.
Agreed CH!
I really like it and hope Zwift will one day allow the organiser to select which cat ranking for the race (zwiftpower a-d or CVRs E-10).
E-10 with rider numbers would make a much closer race, providing there’s a good number of riders in the race.
Whenever I go on that website I’m reminded of the most painful fail of a race I ever took part in on Zwift 😆
Completed my first event last night, the 1905 WBR 4 Lap Flat Race around London and can see where the addiction comes from now with these things. It would seem that race tactics need to be thought about a lot more than I realised as I can't help but feel I did a lot more time on the front of our group than others.
Why on the ZwiftPower pages did it change the 2 main competitors in our little groups category ranking from D to C but left me in Cat D with the same or better finishing time?
People are upped in Cat due to their W/KG finishing result, if they post more than 2.5w/kg they'll either get a DQ or an upgrade, depends on the organiser.
I spent VERY little time at the front of my group yesterday, my average was 0.5w/kg less than the guys around me....Sadly most of them still out sprintered me !
wow, thanks Weeksy. Looks like I avoided the bump by coming in at 2.49 w.kg, I knew all those pizzas would pay off.
Anyone tried the new mobile link app yet? Looks kinda handy.
jam bo - Member
Anyone tried the new mobile link app yet? Looks kinda handy.
Elaborate ?
I use the zwift mobile link app on my telephone, dunno if it is new or not. Saves mucking around with the keyboard once the session is running but since I have only done 3 runs in Zwift I am not sure if it is essential or not yet.
[quote=weeksy ]jam bo - Member
Anyone tried the new mobile link app yet? Looks kinda handy.
Elaborate ?
https://www.smartbiketrainers.com/zwift-updates-mobile-link-app-maps-new-messaging-feature-3207
Not got the update. Looks like they've added maps and chat threads. Have to set it up later.
i can't use the mobile function anyway as my phone does music stuff while Zwifting via Bluetooth
yeah you can. i run mobile link to connect my bluetooth sensors through to Zwift on my laptop, while listening to music over wifi via airpods.
while listening to music over wifi via airpods.
You've lost me there.. LOL. I have a generic Bluetooth speaker, don't know if that helps or is an issue.
the music streams onto my phone over wifi, and then into my ears via bluetooth connection to my headphones. unless you are running a phone from the dark ages you should be able to run mobile link as well.
I have to because my power meter on my kurt is bluetooth only and zwift doesnt support bluetooth sensors natively on windows but actually its pretty robust & reliable.
Interesting race this morning on EVR,advertised as 29.8km but at the start line its actually 41km, i knew this was gonna hurt. It was a very big field in cat B so i knew it was going to be difficult to podium with 2 laps of box hill. Anyway enough excuses, was in the lead group after a frantic start and we got to box hill and i think there were about 15-20 of us so pumped myself up to do a 7 minute climb. The field soon got ripped apart and there were just 8 of us at the front and it didnt seem a brutally hard pace so managed to save my legs a bit but we still went up in 7:20 which is pretty fast. Spent the next lap trying not to do too much before box hill and prepared for a fast one as i thought somebody might go for it. Box hill loomed and i reckon we were going to go up it quicker this time even after 31km of racing. Up we went at quite a pace and a couple went off the front 6 of us were fairly bunched but that soon broke up and we were down to three of us and we caught one of the front runners. Went over the top of box hill in 7:18 so marginally quicker, i put a massive burst up that little riser before the descent which left just me and 2 others. It was going to be a sprint finish so i was in trouble and by the looks of it we were vying for 2nd and 3rd, they both went early and had huge sprints which left me for dead but i gunned it but the line just came too soon. I reckon i missed podium by a second or two and ended up 5 mins behind tim cartwright so not too shabby for a bloke in his mid 40’s.
Awesome! Well done 🙂
Looks like i got bronze, lead bloke got dq’d which is no surprise as he was pulling close to 6w/kg all the way up box hill on lap 2 although to be fair his weight was only 58kg!
By eck that's impressive !
i quite like the rider ranking from the latest update, seems a good idea and will hopefully negate those rides when you think you are not in a chance for a trophy only to realise you let somebody through to take it.
I think its a sign that my legs are a bit tired from zwift racing as i just got massive cramp attack whilst attempting to recline my lazy boy chair 😳
Ah ha results finally been finalised. I managed 4th in the A category it seems. Three people got bumped from B to A's. Pretty happy with that result, was sure I was lower down the rankings than that but it might of been the Hilly Loop leader board that I looked at. I didnt seen the race standings after I hit the line as I was too busy with my eyes shut trying to breathe!
In terms of zwift academy, seeing as before it started I hadn't bothered with any workouts or group rides, rather choosing to freeride because I naturally push myself I've found it both good and bad. I've loved doing the group rides because of there being so many woman and good women at that! Nice to be sociable with them and see just where abouts you stand in the rankings of riding on there really. The workouts have been hard work but in a I pushed myself way, I've had a few signal dropouts which have lost me 2 stars over all the workouts so far which has pissed me off no end. I only lost one genuine star and thats because they reckoned we could do 24 reps at 600odd watts, 15seconds on 15 seconds off.....as if! On the flipside, in order to make sure I'm properly rested and have the time to do everything I've been riding indoors more than out even though the conditions on some days have been really good enough to go outside. I'll definitely do it again next year, just knowing I'll achieve it is good even aside of the competition!
Golfchick, Well done on the cat A result, thats very good indeed.
Nice results there!!
I’m attemptig to do the 7:20 WBR Race, anyone joining? It’s only 6.3 miles. Treating it like a mini ftp test lol
unlucky nath - you could've come in & kicked my arse round the 6.45 to sorelegs central 😀
Ha I tried to get out of work on time but didn’t happen!!
I just won the WBR race, almost lost it to a cat B rider though, I was racing very stupidly and doing a lot of pulling everyone as I didn’t have the legs or inclination to try and get away 😆
https://www.zwiftpower.com/race.php?id=12889
Great result nath, that must have been a close finish.
Scaredypants - nice result as that looked a fast race judging by the stats.
Cheers, pretty much a best for me
Still a bit disappointed though - was just congratulating myself for still being in a buunch of only about half a dozen, when suddenly I wasn't any more. It's like I losa all concentration; don't really remember seeing them go, just seeing them gone 🙄
Ended up riding a lap and a half with 1 other rider but for once I seemed better on the rises than him so on the last lap I had a go and dropped him by 3-4 seconds. Rode it in for the place
Too close! I did far too work as the numbers show 😆
Nice race scardey, where you racing when I joined you? You left me either way...
sorry nath, didn't see you join us at all - I dropped in on you after my race but wasn't even on the bike at the time, just followed you to see if you were still racing but you were just bimbling with CH at the time
Well done Golfchic!
And the rest of you heroes too 🙂
I do miss the freedom to do a weekly Zwift race but Trainerroad has just added 15w back on my ftp in 4 weeks so I'm loathe to mix it up too much.
We should pick a big feature race every couple of weeks that we all commit to for a proper Zwift race write-up bonanza 😀
There are some MASSIVE fields for some of these races now - 60 in cat B for the 8.00 tonight. You could hide/lose a lot of STWers in there !
I was riding with you for a little while - when I gave you a ride on. To be fair other riders may have been switched off.
How about Thursdays KISS race at 8pm?
What course is it?
Volcano circuit CCW 21m/34km
Crit tactics!!
20:00 KISS Europe Race (22mi / 36 km) 36.2km 7 laps Volcano Crit CCW on the listing
OR
KISS Europe Race (22mi / 36 km) Thu Oct 5th 2017 20:00
KISS 4 Lap Watopia Hilly from ramp
when you open up the race link
(I'm oot either way - single parent for the next couple of days so ferrying kids round the place)
CH, what are you doing on trainerroad to get gains like that ?
Hmm. Will it be a good replacement for 5x8min @ 318w ?? Very tempting......
Sustained Power Build (Mid Volume). My pre-block FTP test was a bit cack so I set it to 300w (tested at 296) and it's now 311. In fact, I think it's slightly higher as my pacing was conservative.
I feel like i have gone up a notch in fitness which i would like to test out in the real world but gosh the weather has been bloody awful for nearly 2 weeks. Its been windy most days and when it hasnt we have had torrential rain, after all this zwifting i am ready for fresh air and not fan air. Weather forecast all this week is strong winds so i think i might try a zwift race everyday and see how tiredness affects results.
wow some great results there, well done all!
I was chuffed to manage a PB up Boxhill riding solo (to be fair it was only the 5th time I had done it so still plenty of room for improvement), then I read what Blader did in his race - twice... my word. 😯
Been out of the thread for a while, sorry chaps! Real life stuff, you know how it is.Some great reading in the last few pages must catch up properly.
Got a cadence sensor from China turn up yesterday. £10 delivered and works great anyone interested I'll post up some pics etc.
Going to go the 40k or 112k challenge next. Yeah,I know I won't win the bike but still good motivation! 🙂
I'm up for Thurs @ 8pm this week if others are.
Mrs Weeksy is away and my lad is at Cubs, but someone else is picking him up this week, so i can make it.
Fasting day again today, it's only 7am and i'm struggling lol.
I’m going to try and make Tuesday & Thursday races and Sunday group rides.
Only problem I find is that at 8pm I just want to chill out, sitting on a bike at race pace doesn’t appeal. Need to try and figure out a plan to make my energy peak at 8pm without sugar & carbs.
On a side note I’ve comitted to being the official sweeper on Sundays rides - this will get me out of bed on time 😆 I’m going to stop banging on about it but will create a weekly invites on Strava for it and Thursday night races.
Just joined zwift last week and doing the free trail it ends tomoz but I'm sold...it's great.i did 3 rides...but then I came down with a bit o man flu over the weekend.
Looking forward to joining you guys in the racing...boxhill is my local so it'll be nice to see how they've made it look.
It seems in the free trail all you can do is watopia...which is great ...but I want to race...lol
Anyway I got my hand on the full bells and whistles wahoo kickr v2 and made a perminate set up in my garage....I'll be ready to ride come Friday......you can't miss me...illl probably be last..ha ha ha
Nothing wrong with being last mate 🙂 MAny of us started at the back end of D races, that's just how it is. Even some of the quicker lads now, started at the lower ends.
I got well and truely destroyed in the first D race... out the back, boom !
cheeky - you go wherever the system defaults to ... unless you use zwifthacks (I assume it'll work with the trial). Bear in mind, there's nobody else around if you go to London on a watopia day - and the system stays set at your choice after you shut down zwift, so next time you fire up there'll be nobody around again unless zwift has moved to your choice by chance
Did the AHDR ride, was a 2.5 ride, all was going lovely, then my laptop hung ! Not a zwift/trainer issue though so i'm OK, i think it was a work based App that hung it.... i carried on riding and hoping it would register, but came back 1m30 off the group ! bummer.
Did another 20 mins and caught a few, helped a few, then bailed as today wasn't planning on being a crazy due to the 5-2 dieting. So i'm happy enough and should have legs for the 8pm tomorrow now 🙂
Just got my bluetooth heart rate belt and i cant seem to connect it to zwift. I have connected to my strava app on my phone so i know the belt is transmitting. I am currently trying to pair just the belt on zwift whilst sat in the lounge but it just doesnt see the device, i have connected successfully on my ipad in the bluetooth settings but zwift just cant see it, any ideas?
I don't know much about 'dis shit but bluetooth only pairs with one thing at a time, doesn't it ?
Might your strap still be paired to phone/ipad ?
zwift on the PC? doesn't support direct bluetooth connections, you need to use the zwift mobile link app as a bridge.
Jambo i am doing this all on an ipad and i have closed down all connections on my phone. I put a new battery in and it connected to strava on my mobile straight away (alarmingly i was sitting down and my hr was 110).,i have turned my phone off but zwift on ipad sees nothing. According to instructions the hr belt works with strava,wahoo,endomondo,runkeeper and various other apps so i dont see why zwift would be any different to those.
EDIT: As the saying goes 17th times a charm, it has just started working and i am not sure why.
does it work with those apps on the ipad? older ipads didnt have bluetooth LE.
I wonder if scaredypants was right, i think my ipad was connected to it so i selected forget this device and checked zwift again and it was there and thankfully my hr was registering 59bpm which sounds more like it seen as i am sitting on the sofa.
I can now safely do the wbr race this morning without dq’ing and avoid another 2 laps of box hill on evr race.
Arses
"My lad isn't going to Cubs tomorrow so i can't pick yours up..."
Grrrrr.
That's me missing the 8pm race then.
Howdy folks...long time lurker here who finally took the plunge and entered into the SZR C race tonight after trying a few Team Italy ones.
Wow 140 people at the start, one massive lead group was formed and finally understood what virtual drafting is all about (the Team Italy rides are normally only 10 or so riders). Great buzz and managed to hang on until the end, even sprint into the lead for a while but couldn't hold the final 200m.
On Zwiftpower though, I am DQ'd because I'm exceeding category limits. Find that somewhat strange when the winner completed the race 14 seconds faster than me...or is the 95% power considered when DQ'ing riders? (came in at 3.22/kg)
I tried to do that one, but Zwift didn't start in time. Ended up in front of it, hopped into the leading C pack, rode with them for a bit, took a different turn, got caught by the leading B pack, rode with them for 15km, took a different turn and finished.
I was putting out more w/kg than those around me (only 67kg) but was fine in the packs... but the speed of the first groups at the start would have been a problem.
I think I need something hilly. Enjoyed the practice though.
I believe sir is correct - even just a few kg below the opposition and you're hard to race (I "outclimbed" a guy in a flat London race the other day and he was only 4kg more than me)I think I need something hilly
(oooh, just thought, maybe he was on a dumb trainer ?)
Cosmokramer- yep, you went over the power boundary. The thing about Cats is that the rule is FTP/kg but the enforcement is based on your race performance so they are already being generous 🙂
Hopefully you all should have all received my spam earlier (strava invites).
Given the fact I’ve literally just got in from work (having been there since 9am) I’m not too hopeful yet that I can make tomorrow nights race either! I’m also knackered, my recovery times seem to have doubled with my protein intake slash...even commuting seems to be taking its toll. It’s only because I’m a stubborn bugger that I won the other nights race lol.
Got your spam nathb, evening rides are difficult for me due to kids bedtime so pretty certain i wont be able to make it.
sorry, me neither for tomorrow (might do the 08.05 3 hilly laps if some more folk sign up to it, only 10 in total just now - it won't be pretty if I do; I'm not a hills man 😯 )
I'm debating the 9.30am Volcano race this morning. Although i went to bed right up for it, but woke up thinking "errrrm, not sure i can face the flat out intensity" LOL
Well there's a big field for the 9.30 so i better get my legs together and get the passion going. Target at the moment is really just to finish !