Zwift meetups and social rides ?

So what pastry item are people choosing for the coffee stop?

Assuming they arrive in time just ordered in some flapjacks from Flapjackery, failing that I will see if I can get a Pain au Chocolat and a Croissant lined up.

At the moment I have permission but that may change if the weather is good and Hoppy Jr’s wheels arrive.

Haribo, energy bars and I might need to see if I can get some pastel de nata for eating

I’m thinking single bike, either the Evo or the Emonda running the DT Swiss wheels. There’s not enough flat to make that much difference on the aero and those frames climb well, the wheels are pretty light and aero too so work well.

A solo Quatch Quest took me 2.45, I’m guessing top of the alpe in 3:15 ish this time to allow for the extra climbing in the lead in. Cafe stop at the radio tower and then a leg stretch and refuel on the aero tuck off the alpe? I have had a shower in the time it takes to get down before now when I was running late.

So what pastry item are people choosing for the coffee stop?

This will largely depend on whether I manged to drag my self from my pit in time for pre ride porridge or if I’m on my traditional Sunday hills breakfast of a hastily prepared espresso.

This will largely depend on whether I manged to drag my self from my pit in time for pre ride porridge or if I’m on my traditional Sunday hills breakfast of a hastily prepared espresso.

You should get a 6 year old – then you have no option of still being in bed!

I have a 6 year old but am blessed that she sleeps longer than me, so I usually take the Brian approach of running down the stairs last minute with a quick coffee and no food…I need to do better this week.

That’s the biggest issue for me, is getting up in time to make the start!

Might have to do some internet shopping for food tonight after the Zwift Race.

Currently 18 signed up for the 4 horseman, I think that’s the most we have ever had on a “hills” ride.

Well done Robbo for the advertisement after Tuesday’s race 🤣🤣👍

Currently 18 signed up for the 4 horseman, I think that’s the most we have ever had on a “hills” ride.

Everyone has to make the start line first! But if you are looking for a Saturday morning social join in. It starts with the small KOM and then goes onto the Volcano so for someone looking for an hour ride it really isn’t a bad route (as long as you bail before the Alpe!)

There should be 3 sub-forums now (Bike, Chat, Zwift)!

I think it’ll be the hour ride for me, if I make it that is 🙂

There should be 3 sub-forums now (Bike, Chat, Zwift)!

Why would you add a bike forum?

Currently 18 signed up for the 4 horseman, I think that’s the most we have ever had on a “hills” ride.

That will be a bloody good turnout if everyone makes it.

So, forgive me but quite honestly I can’t be arsed to read 80 pages 😁

How does one join these rides? – is it open to all riff raff like me or do I have to be part of some secret handshake society thingy.

Oh and I’m super weak and super slow so is there a ride for people who’ve just graduated from stabalisers?

Cheers all, as you were

How does one join these rides? – is it open to all riff raff like me or do I have to be part of some secret handshake society thingy.

You need to follow Robo1234biking on Zwift for this week and with luck he’ll drop you an invite.
As for secret handshakes it’s customary to take up the offer of DrP’s sausage at least once.

Oh and I’m super weak and super slow so is there a ride for people who’ve just graduated from stabalisers?

The nice thing about zwift is the turbo works just like stabilisers so you don’t even need to have graduated.

😂 Cheers
Well true… Have you ever seen anyone fall off a turbo? I might still manage it.

Is there a calendar of rides or owt? Don’t want to be joining the epic KOM or fast (for me) rides as, in all seriousness, I will struggle to keep up

It is a pretty informal meet-up structure. There are 3 types of rides going on:

Tuesday – handicapped race series
Thursday – Team Time Trial
Saturday or Sunday – Generally a hilly-ish ride (this week is extreme!) which just tends to be sorted out ad hoc on the forum in this thread. We don’t have a calendar as it depends who is around who can organise it and what routes people have to tick of their list.

We don’t leave anyone behind on group rides (unless they want to be) so will try and help you with a wheel to latch onto or wait at the top of hills etc. People tend to ride their own pace on the hills with the opportunity to re-group on the top of the hill before the descent. Sometimes people have a limited time so they may go off but as a whole the aim is to stick as a group. Emphasis is on fun rather than average pace – sprints are welcome though.

Oh we did use to do replacement early morning commutes but at the moment they are on a bit of a hiatus as people have gone back into the workplace or too tired from above rides but they may start up again due to current restrictions etc in place.

Generally there’s a Sunday* “hilly” social, usually flat bits as a group, hills at your own pace and wait at the top. We’ll usually shepherd folks up too should they wish.

Tuesdays are currently race nights – it’s a handicap race so you don’t need to be quick to win. There’s another thread about these (season 2)

Thursday is team time trial day, there’s two teams this week.

There might also be commutes in the morning though I’ve not been on one for a while so can’t say.

All of these things are intended to be inclusive though.

*some times, like this week, it’s a Saturday. There may also be a smaller bunch on Sunday.

Awesome thanks all. I’ll check it out, maybe 👍🏻😁

We running discord on Saturday?

I think I’m the only one doing early rides currently, so I haven’t been arranging specific meet-ups for the virtual commutes. Even I’m not on most days, due to there not being anyone to meet and therefore the duvet usually wins!! 😉 Also I don’t tend to ride Tuesday or Wednesday due to the Tuesday race night, I’m trying to save the legs!

If anyone wants to get involved in commutes again, let me know and I’ll set some up. Can be one day a week if needed, start times and route length to suit all.

I ride a fair few mornings a week normally this week bit different due to resting for Saturday, I don’t always ride Zwift rides in the mornings usually Fulgaz, I’ll might pop in a Wednesday commute next week if WFH all week.

Hi Robbo

Please can you send me a invite for Saturday I should be ok for 2-3 hours

cheers

Neil

Invite sent Neil.

Cheers

I’ve never used Discord so hopefully we won’t be needing that at the weekend as not sure have time to sort and test :), we tend to do comms on the chat in companion on the group rides.

Had a ride out today in the pissing rain to leave tomorrow as recovery ready for Saturday so aim to be there.

If I’m struggling for time I might start the ride without breakfast and do an hour or so fasted and have some porridge at the first break whenever that is. Wife’s not leaving for work until 1pm so should be okay kids and dog wise.

Looking forward to it, also thinking of doing a bit more after just to hit 10,000 ft climbing which I haven’t done this year yet. May change my mind after doing the course though.

Rehearsing a mantra.

Must pace myself
Must not get involved in sprints
Must not give it the beans up the first long climb
And repeat

Must not get involved in sprints

If anyone starts sprints on Saturday once I’ve recovered from overly competitive stupidity I might have to go door to door to find and eviscerate them.

I am going to be having a word with myself to remind me about pacing and avoiding sprints. Good mantra kirky72

Yeah let’s also avoid the usual full beans up the volcano for starters!

Looking forward to Sat folks, biggest challenge might possibly be getting out of bed on time 🙂

Just to confirm, banter wise, just messaging, no discord or such ?

Thanks (and apologies for a question that probably been asked 20 times over the course of this tread)

We usually use the messaging, so I guess it will stay like that for thos one too.
Discord tends to be used on the TTT.

Yeah let’s also avoid the usual full beans up the volcano for starters!

Agree 😂. I always start at the first timed bit which turns out not to be the actual climb but the loop it ends abruptly then the hill one starts gets me every time 😂

Carb load today 🙂

The first climb is about 500m from the start as well – it is only the small island climb but still not worth racing. Ill be sitting in the pack letting my team do the work for me and control the pace. I don’t think ill attack until the last few hairpins and try and get a lead over the summit…

Carb load you say – Finally something I am good at! Been preparing for this for years now with the carb loading!

Carb load you say – Finally something I am good at! Been preparing for this for years now with the carb loading!

I’ve been doing this for sometime too, and it comes all too easy, Gregg’s Doughnut and also as we were in M&S an over hyped Santa’s Yumnut but we shared that yesterday, might taper a bit today on that front….. 🙂

On Saturday morning I’m not allowed out for my usual Surrey Hills MTB ride, so may I join you guys instead for an hour or two? Sounds a great excuse for a pastry stop.

@robbo1234biking – please can you send me an invite. I’m already following you for the Tuesday night race series. Thanks.

We are up to 20 now. If we work together and stay as a blob over the first two hills it should mean a fairly fast group with minimal effort for all involved and deliver us to the first hill fairly fresh.

Fueling – I think I will burn about 2000 calories so I am going to go with the following:

Pre-ride: 80g of oat bran with maple syrup, 2 slices of wholemeal toast, lots of coffee (if my order turns up today!)

During the ride: I think it will take me at least 4 hours so I will go with the following each hour – 1 bottle of High5, 1 SIS Gel and 3-4 flapjack bites.

That works out to 1900 calories over the 4 hours and 86g of carbs per hour so should help to keep me fresh-ish.

Well I’m only available for about 90 minutes, so I’m happy to be the sacrificial one taking the headwinds before I bail out!!!
You guys have a big morning ahead of you!!

DrP

I’m currently squirrel stockpiling hahaha! I usually ride fasted but I’ll not make it through this one if I do, so up early and a porridge plus coffee before the off, then I’ll have various gels, energy bars, plus some Haribo’s to keep me going. I don’t usually like to eat a lot during a ride so we will see how it goes.

Today is all about the carbs, so hopefully I will lose some kilo’s tomorrow to compensate!! Another hurdle is avoiding the bottle of red wine that keeps flirting with me…..one glass???

@dangeourbrain did you have some proposals on suitable stop points etc?

@oopnorth one glass leads to another glass lol!

did you have some proposals on suitable stop points etc

I’m tempted to suggest a brief (minute or two) stop at the top of the volcano even though I think we’ll likely crest as a group there any how, to allow a moment of stand up and bum out of saddle – it’s a long ride on a turbo.
Radio tower will be a wait point anyway so that’s a bit easier, but I think the sensible thing is likely to be an actual cafe stop at the radio tower. The walk to the kitchen to make a coffee sounds on like an awesome treat!

Given numbers it might sound mean but in my head I’m thinking once we hit the alpe split into a few smaller groups and ride out the rest in those groups. We’re likely to be in small pockets of pace on the climbs anyhow by then and otherwise it’ll be a long wait at the top for the faster folks. A 5 man bunch off the top is enough to still get the motivation of being in a group but hopefully avoids getting cold.