Zwift meetups and social rides ?

No worries Weeksy, we needed a flat one today for sure after yesterday, it didn’t stop us going for sprint and KOM PB’s!

I could see u had no comms when u got back Brian, did u sort the issues?

Might try an easy one in the morning but will be saving something for Tuesday…its going to hurt.

Sorry – said I was gonna make this morning’s ride but forgot it was my turn to take my daughter swimming…

Hope you had a good one.

It was a good ride even if I was living up to my moniker and having to ride one legged on the hills. I could spin properly but couldn’t push through evenly.

Ah well hopefully fixed by Tuesday otherwise that could be a long old ride up the hill.

I could see u had no comms when u got back Brian, did u sort the issues?

I think so.

Certainly seemed a lot better when I reinstalled but then I tried a ramp test which was laughable, given it was in erg mode so I should have been able to just sit and plod through the test, I kept having to up shift then my cadence pretty much parallels the power once I’m out of gears.

In theory cadence should drop off on the ramp test as you run out of legs, instead I started climbing rpm from about 200w to hold the required watts – in part as it really doesn’t like you churning along at low cadence and high torque, though that’s how I tend to pedal – and at 320 I think I hit about 120rpm, ticked over to the next power block and just couldn’t get the cadence to get the wattage high enough.

Oh on the upside I got a “new ftp” of about 235 or something daft,that’s got to improve my handicap for Tuesday, 😂

A very brief hundred yards or so on fan flats afterwards suggests I should be sorted but I needed to have some breakfast. All being well I’ll join DrP’s ride this afternoon and see how that goes but it’s at a bit of a rubbish time so will see.

Does anyone fancy a commute tomorrow? Nothing too silly as I’m in the office so have a real commute to do to but I really need to get back into the habit of turning my pedals most days.

Good ride this mornin. I did the Richmond UCI loop after. That’s me done for the weekend on riding and probably not on Zwift till backend of the week few bits on.

Hope to join on ride again soon

I can do a commute on Wednesday morning but will be doing a workout at the same time but if someone needs motivation to do something I can put on elastic band mode so we can chat as we go?

Cheers for the ride this morning. Legs felt fine so think I just run out of energy yesterday. New PB up the volcano and beat 9 mins so pretty happy with that!

Oh on the upside I got a “new ftp” of about 235 or something daft

Is that right Brian? Mine is 271 and you’re much faster than me! I’d of thought you were in the 300’s??

Does anyone fancy a commute tomorrow?

Still trying to decide…if I do then it will be very chilled to just turn the legs, so I’m not too dead for Tuesday. Was thinking a ride with the pacer bot. No hills.

I’d of thought you were in the 300’s??

It certainly should be! 235 for me is very silly, won’t take long for it to correct it’s self though.

Ah alright…I thought it was serious…ignore me haha!

I have upgraded my Zwifting experience. I got a 24” monitor of amazon. I have then built a foldaway shelf on the side of my unit that holds the monitor and fan for putting the laptop on. I can then run Zwift on the main screen and TrainerRoad or something else on the second screen. When not in use (as this is in a corner of the lounge) it’s good out of the way.

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Load tested the shelf over night with a load of heavy books before using the laptop on it.

Nice setup Robbo

Better than my “shoved in the corner of the spare room with everything balanced on books” setup.

Next project is to set up a home gym with full permanent zwift setup and large wall mounted screen. Hope to get it started and done by Christmas.

First I need to find somewhere to put all the rubbish that’s in there 😉

Well I had some technical issues there. I’ve tried to rejoin the meetup a few times and it’s just dumped me in the sea.

Cheers Ian, sorry wasn’t very chatty but companion app wouldn’t connect properly to Zwift or if it did it just crapped out as soon as I started typing a message.

@oop north I’m very lucky and have home gym it’s great, same wall colour as you have in your setup currently too 🙂

I have sent out an invite for Wednesday morning. I have put the elastic band on to keep us together. I am doing a 3 x 12 min sweetspot session. You can use it for a recovery ride or whatever you fancy. Elastic band should mean we stay together and can chat to help pass the time. I am happy to share details of my workout if you want to do the same one (programme it into Zwift).

I have got a training programme plotted out to mountain mayhem next year! Got 45 weeks to prepare so going to make the most of it! 3 workouts a week plus race series, ttt and Sunday hills.

Haute Route Virtual Ventoux running next weekend. Friday is Petit Boucle, Saturday is Ven-Top, Sunday is La Reine.

3,200M climbing in 3 days riding. I’m going to check with the boss but might try and get on this. Makes up for only 200m on the STW race league.

That is some task over 3 days, usually after Ven-top or La Reine I need time off or at least an easy day. I actually found La Reine harder than Ven-top even though it’s not as far up the mountain, I think it may have been the lead in and petit KOM that killed the legs first.

Not sure I could get through all that and function later in the day, especially Sunday!! I might jump on one of them though.

That’s doesn’t sound too fun 3 days in a row! I might join one though!

Maybe we could all join one event and do it as a Saturday or Sunday hills together?

I’d be up for the Sunday one, done ven-top before and can’t say I particularly want to do it again.

I can’t do the Friday invite, as I may do an IRL ride, Going to look at having bash at all Three Haute Route looks an interesting challenge, as what I had on that Sunday just got Covid Cancelled so am free now.

The haute rides are next weekend (18th to 20th) aren’t they?

The haute rides are next weekend (18th to 20th) aren’t they?

Yep.

I abandoned my mega pretzel ride idea!
Had physio on the upper back yesterday, which gave me a terrible headache through the night! Then BOTH kids came into my bed!

Feel rough, so just chilling! Might head out for an hour on the mtb and see how wrist is.. but no mega ride online!

DrP

Sorry I didn’t make this morning folks. I made it as far as turning on the turbo but my legs were (are) mince, no way I’d have managed a ride with you folks then the commute today. As it was the ride to the office was bloody hard work and saw my breakfast necessarily upgraded from porridge to a sausage roll from the pie man.

No worries Brian, we had a chilled one anyway testing the rubber band feature.

Did it work better than when we tried on the volcano?

So who is up for a zwift ride this weekend? Speaking with Robbo this morning and we have a couple of options…

Watopia Pretzel – 72km, 1300m of elevation, basically the KOM and hilly KOM in both directions, thankfully no Alpe.

France Tire-Bouchon – 61km, a lot flatter with 400m of elevation, all the routes of the France map in both directions, thankfully no Ventoux.

Thoughts or preferences? Saturday or Sunday preferred?

Let me know the consensus today and I’ll set it up later this afternoon.

It worked Brian, I put out some speed at one point and went nowhere! 🙂

It worked Brian, I put out some speed at one point and went nowhere! 🙂

No different to normal then 😉

Haha true

No different to normal then 😉

Meow.

Don’t think I’m likely for any this weekend sorry, I’m going to try for a quick early one tomorrow, builder is due at 8am so need to be finished by then if I plan on showering, and I really do.

With luck the weather Sunday should be conducive to getting out side.

Just ridden up the Alpe ( still in the saddle actually)… knocked 4min off my PB… think it’s a combo of new frame/wheels/2kg lighter, but also got an SUPER new fan and just cruising up at 260w is waaaay more comfortable.

Better heat loss ability =better power production..

Anyway… can’t ride zwift this weekend… got the kids and gonna take the lad out on the e bike, with me dragging a tag-along!

I should stick the tag-along behind HIM! But he’ll topple over!

Have fun!

DrP

Mega Pretzel ticked off, one stop at 35 miles for 12 mins.

After 10 miles I did think gone wrong way it didn’t seem to match Zwift insider, kept going and then it did seem to hit the right points and it was an nice ride, turned out all good.

Bar a mental wobble at 52 miles where I was rationalising in mind if could finish it, convinced I could, head down to the end.

Four different Spotify playlists helped.

Bravo!

DrP

That’s crazy talk right there.

Good effort forge. Onto the mega pretzel next.

Anything works for me over the weekend oop north. Got a covid test for my son at 4 today so will be isolated inside waiting for the results to come through! Fingers crossed it is negative and just a back to school bug.

Well done DrP and Forge, those are some big rides for a Friday.

Right not much response so I’m just going to put an invite out, we are going flatish (only 400m over 60km) French route on Sunday. Join if you can, cancel if you can’t!

Have a good one all.

I’ll make a late call for Sunday, not sure which day I’m doing proper riding this weekend. And I need to get up the alpe whilst I appear to have climbing legs.

Remember that Tire gives you the extra bonus climb before it starts too. It’s the route that keeps on giving.