That’s a big increase, 13% – unless you’re newish to training where you’re seeing newbie gains it might be overestimating it.

Also, if you’re mid training plan in zwift then the training plan will normally have increased load as part of it, upping your FTP will have have increased the load a second time.

What sort of workouts @beer247? A high IF VO2 max session should always be hard, but if a sweetspot sesh has you gasping there’s something up with ftp.

There’s something to be said for going slightly conservative on a ramp test imho – like giving it death on your absolute best day can give you an ftp value at the absolute top of the error bar, and training off this will be counter-productive.

Yeah, a sweetspot session was killing me last night – 5mins at 275w then 5mins at 255w x 4

Got through the first set and couldn’t hold on through the second.

I’m defo not a newbie, but have only just put the bike back on the trainer.

Maybe i’ll look at dropping the FTP manually.

@beer347 For me, ramp tests have always given higher estimates than doing a “negative split” Tempus Fugit TT and looking at my best 20mins.

https://intervals.icu/ will give you an eFTP value off recent power data, by default looking at 5min+ efforts.

I was a bit dubious that Intervals reckoned mine had only dropped to 291 from 306 after my late July Covid that really hit my sustainable power, when I thought it was more like 250-270 through at least all of August. I’ve definitely started to feel stronger since around the start of September, but I was really surprised to do 324 for 10mins51secs in the rubberbanded first Zwift Academy ’22 Baseline ride up Volcano KOM on 12th and then 291 for 16mins34 outdoors on Monday up a 4-mile climb.

Yeah a sweet spot session shouldn’t be kicking your arse. I’m typically under 150bpm until the last 5-10 mins (of 3x 12min @ 85%) of a SS workout, and my max HR is in the high 180’s.

Comfortably hard is my description 😁🤣

Yeah, as above – FTP ramp test for me is always over-optimistic when it comes to doing actual workouts with that FTP applied.
I always knock it back a bit. I should probably stick to the 20min test, but they are horrendous so can’t bring myself to do them 🙂

I should probably stick to the 20min test, but they are horrendous so can’t bring myself to do them

Tru dat!
But,…. once you do them, you figure out they are hard but useful!!
Pick a flat route to do it on…

DrP

I should probably stick to the 20min test, but they are horrendous so can’t bring myself to do them

I don’t know what’s worse tbh, trying to churn out nearly 380w for a minute when you’ve got nothing left, or trying to hold 295w for 20 mins solid.

Neither is “fun”. 🤣

Did anyone mention that Xert works without FTP tests? I should really be on commission 😉

I don’t know what’s worse tbh, trying to churn out nearly 380w for a minute when you’ve got nothing left, or trying to hold 295w for 20 mins solid.

Neither is “fun”. 🤣

Yeah I know that feeling. My last test earlier in the week I fully drained myself. Massive fan on full power right in my face, had a wobble when I got off the bike and thought I was going to pass out / be sick for about 5 mins after. Maybe 240w might be optimistic as a result but will see on my first sweet spot session tonight.

Did anyone mention that Xert works without FTP tests? I should really be on commission 😉

TrainerRoad has an automatic ftp estimating function that I’ve looked out out of curiosity a few times and it was only a few ftp different to past ramp tests. Maybe I weirdly like the ramp test challenge 🤷‍♂️

I’ve dropped down to 275w to see if that makes a difference – i enjoyed (as much as you can) indoor training last winter and it really did make a difference to my summer riding.

This seems the most active Zwift thread so will post here.

Tuesday 27th 19:30 London Classique chilled ride with optional sprints. All are welcome.

https://www.zwift.com/events/view/3148249

If anyone would like to sweep please let me know. Or lead (then I can sweep!)

Late join is on.

What does sweeping mean in Zwift terms?

If people fall of the back of the group someone to lend a wheel to get you back on the group. Would need to be a strong rider

If I’m back in time I’ll happily lead mate. Should be

If you aren’t in the club and want to join use the link below. You can be in multiple clubs so doesn’t matter if you are in one already.

https://www.zwift.com/clubs/fcbd9c17-1ff8-4477-8104-3408856e0084/home

I’m jumping on the 0930 zwift academy workout #1 today, if anyone fancies it?
(A workout…)..
Did the base ride yesterday… not been told my ‘phenotype’ yet however!

Hopefully it’ll be a bit cooler in the paincave this am!

DrP

Critique my potential Zwift set up.

Monitor

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9428463?clickSR=slp:term:smart%20tv:1:315:1

Trainer

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Tacx-Flow-Smart_237207.htm?sku=789349&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Turbo%20Trainers&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1vSZBhDuARIsAKZlijSTqDPKC7C1MrxPpSfXebFs6iIGFbBAenB1uSKTRHPat6iO99ZMWcoaAk-KEALw_wcB

Have a bike obviously but is this all I need ? Guessing I’ll still need to connect my iPhone ? Or does using smart tv negate this.

Cheers

Guessing I’ll still need to connect my iPhone ? Or does using smart tv negate this.

Zwift won’t run on the TV, so yes you’ll need to run zwift on a device to then have that display on the TV. Presuming your phone will be able to cast to the TV, that should work.

Have you tried running zwift on your phone and casting it to a TV to check it’s possible?

Is your bike a QR rear hub?

Yes rear qr wheel. No haven’t really got beyond figuring out what I need. I’ve an iPhone 12 Pro Fwiw ? So if I still need to cast via phone I guess it doesn’t need to be smart tv ? Just able to plug in via usb to display?

This is mine, first time back on it for ages this lunchtime, mainly driven by the fact that its lashing it down.

2nd Direto is for the kids when they can be bothered

Did my first race in over a year last night – to say it went poorly would be an understatement.

Cat D – 1 lap of Richmond:

Off the line at roughly 7wkg only that doesn’t seem to be the technique anymore so I was way off up the road with everyone else sat at 2.5ish so I looked like a bit of a knob, once I realised this I sat-up to wait, immediately dropped my chain because I’ve not been using shifting on the few workouts I’ve done since getting Zwift up and running again and subsequently went from 7wkg and 10 seconds off the front to 0wkg and 30 seconds off the back whilst I sorted that out.

Caught what was the second group on the road but they were steadily losing ground to the front 6 or 7 so I decided once the limited climbing was done I’d try and bridge over aiming to make the catch before the long descent where I could have a breather. Made the catch, closed about 35 seconds on my own, felt pretty pleased with myself tbh.

Then it turns out that it wasn’t a one lap race, it was half a lap, 7 laps of a circuit and then the second half of the lap, so that descent I’d been aiming to make the catch for didn’t come along for another 30 minutes – I was properly hooped.

Couple of laps of this mini-circuit in and the C’s appear so I jump onto them and gradually get towed clear of most of the D’s I was with. Until I try to use a power-up with the apple remote, bring the menu screen up because the remote is shit and then dropped the remote. So I had to hop off the bike again, pick up the remote, jump back on, sort the screen and get going. I’m now 30 seconds behind the group I’d just been towed clear of, once again looking like an idiot.

After making the catch again it was all about hanging on for grim death as we went round and round the circuit again and again, praying for the point we could leave and continue the actual course. Rested on the descent as per the original plan and then got dropped like a stone on the final climb getting 4/17 in Cat D, only it was 5/17 really because the actual 4th placed person had stopped a fraction early and not crossed the finish line.

4/10 – would not recommend, will do again.

Just about to take the plunge myself and give Zwift a go (my last experience of indoor ‘training’ being one ride on an old style turbo staring at a garage wall and deciding it wasn’t for me). Have a Stages SB20 bike due in the next few days, going to try it in my flat initially (as my garage is full of junk and I think if I had to make the extra effort of going there to use it I’d probably end up being too lazy…).

Planning on just using my iPad to start with and then if I (hopefully) really get into it look at either an AppleTV set up or resurrecting my old gaming PC and hooking it up to that. I’ve also been looking at those VacMaster fans and trying to convince myself it would be worth splashing out on one, I guess the people with two are doing some proper training so hopefully one will be enough for me for a while!

I’ve been completely sedentary for 5 years so just planning to bimble around Watopia for a bit and then after a few weeks hope there’s some really slow group rides I can tag onto…

^^^ I am a few weeks in front of you , having taken the plunge into a trainer and Zwift last month. I am old and slow and doing a few rides a week now, with a pace partner, or workout based. Seems to be good fun. I have no real intention of getting into racing, however it seems an entertaining place to spend an hour a few times a week. Also using iPad, which is good enough for me (on a new Wattbike Atom), along with Companion App on my iPhone. A bit tv would be nice, but not feasible in my garage setup.

I also bought the Vacmaster with remote – I am very glad I did it is ideal

Silly question time, about to start using zwift after a short trial last month, last month I used Zwift on my Apple TV with my Zwift account not linked to any accounts, I then recorded the ride on my Garmin Device for upload to Garmin connect which then passes the ride to Strava.

If I link My Zwift account to my Garmin Account, can I stop recording on my physical Garmin Device? and will Garmin Connect will still pass it to Strava?

If I link My Zwift account to my Garmin Account, can I stop recording on my physical Garmin Device? and will Garmin Connect will still pass it to Strava?

Correct.

I’d set it up then do a very short ride to make sure it’s all syncing, just to make sure.

FWIW if you are doing any Garmin Connect Challenges then Zwift distance won’t count. There is a convoluted way around this though.

Connect Strava and Garmin to Zwift and it’ll do everything for you.

If you have a watch/device that can calculate vo2 max then you’ll need to sync the device after the ride shows in garmin connect, then wait a min or 2 then drop another sync, this will update your training load and vo2 max in Garmin.

I’m not looking to get on Zwift, but I am needing something to stave off the boredom of turbo sessions – I’m only meant to be doing 1 hour at a time, but I’m struggling with just a half hour.

About to move the turbo to a dedicated space so could be adding some tech to help entertain my brain whilst my body is getting hurt. I’m not wanting an iPad, but what tablet is out there that is a decent size and will allow me to access whatever streaming services I have?

I don’t want a big tv screen as although I’ve got space, it is used for other things as well so turbo with bike and fan are going to be there and anything else I need to use will need to fit amongst other stuff…

Aware this thread is more about getting Zwift all sorted and stuff, but it does look like there are a few different setups people are using. I’m not needing a computer as I don’t have a smart trainer so it wont interact with Zwift anyway.

I’m not needing a computer as I don’t have a smart trainer so it wont interact with Zwift anyway.

Do you have some kind of structure to what you’re doing though? Just sitting and spinning on a turbo was actually used as a form of torture in the American revolutionary war*

*true fact

Last year I decided to treast myself to having the same saddle on the turbo bike as my normal road bike – this, it is now apparent, was a mistake. So I’ve just replaced the saddle for something with a bit more “room”. Initial test rides are good, so instead I’ve started having connection issues between the turbo and the laptop/Zwift – ffffffuuuuuu…….!!!!!

Heads up if anyone is looking for a smart trainer, wiggle have the Elite Direto for £385 which is cheap for a direct drive trainer.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-direto-smart-turbo-trainer

Last year I decided to treast myself to having the same saddle on the turbo bike as my normal road bike – this, it is now apparent, was a mistake. So I’ve just replaced the saddle for something with a bit more “room”.

Yeah riding on the trainer for an hour is completely different to riding outside for an hour, I’ve had to buy extra wide, carbon soled ultra stiff roadie shoes to combat ‘hot foot’, and a saddle with a cut out for numbness. I’ll be looking to build a rocker plate over winter too.

Yeah, got a training plan (from Garmin – Garmin is seeing how unfit I am and finally offered me a free training plan to get me going – does seem to be working but the 1 hour turbo sessions are an absolute struggle and I think I need something to distract the brain or keep more of my attention)…

@dickbarton

If you’re looking to get into using a turbo, and stave off boredom…any reason you’re avoiding Zwift or the like?
I mean, they REALLY do help keep you on the turbo for 60-90 minutes…

But ultimately, it seems like you jsut need a TV near your turbo, tbh.

DrP

If just chasing graphs then I have to have something on in the background too, nothing that requires really concentration. e.g. think 80% of the Marvel movies I’ve seen have been whilst in the turbo, couldn’t tell you a thing about any of them

I’ll be looking to build a rocker plate over winter too.

Keep getting tempted in then shying away. For a while tri_sports_resort (Wiggle) kept selling them on eBay, now kicking myself for not getting one!

Keep getting tempted in then shying away. For a while tri_sports_resort (Wiggle) kept selling them on eBay, now kicking myself for not getting one!

How much were they on eBay? They’re £150 on wiggle at the moment. Issue is I need one with wheels as I have to move my set up about.

They were auctions so it varied a bit, sub £100 iirc. I’d forgotten they were £150 on Wiggle at the moment too – really need to just bite that bullet

I’m not looking to spend a lot…I’ve a turbo trainer with sensors, a bike to sit on the turbo and a plan to give me something to work through. However, the sitting with no scenery changes is killing my attention and I’m fighting to stay on for more than a half hour – body and legs feel great but head is utterly bored.
So something to watch might prove the tipping point and let me complete the hour sessions. I’m still outdoor riding so the turbo is more for specific sessions, so not looking for anything fancy…unless I can do it on the cheap.

However, the sitting with no scenery changes is killing my attention and I’m fighting to stay on for more than a half hour – body and legs feel great but head is utterly bored.

What intervals are you doing? If it’s 45 mins of steady non changing power then even watching zwift it’s boring as hell.

However do some under overs, or VO2 max intervals and you’ll be concentrating so much on getting through the intervals you won’t have a chance to be bored!

Honestly try zwift I’m just up and running a week on mine. Absolutely love it so much choice/options of easy solo riding/pace partner/group rides and races. Not to mention all the training plans. I came from turboing years ago staring at a wall !!

This really is a gamechanger for me 🙂

Dunno if this is any good & not really the answer to your question, but have you seen this?

https://mywhoosh.com/

It’s apparently completely free and relies on ads for revenue.
But, the ads are in-game rather than being obtrusive banners or pop-ups.
I saw an article a few days ago reviewing it (but can’t remember where now).

If you just want a tablet that can stream films etc. I would have thought any mid-range tablet would be more than up to the task.