Zwift, my journey, my weight and my fitness.

@tpbiker you need to register on ZP and ignore the none ZP racers. Also you’re a solid B assuming this is you.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/profile.php?z=25412
You are messing with the C cat races by entering them as you are too strong for them. Yes you’ll likely get beaten by 90+kg C races in flat events and Crit City.

You could do with developing a sprint to be able to compete with Bs at the end of races.

You need to get your Zwift Level up to get the better kit. Differnce is small but it helps.
Zipp 808s and as aero bike as you can get. Use the lists on Zwift Insider to pick. Basically anything to make you faster on the flat and downhill as you’ll be fine on the uphills.

Also if you want events that are set off by category only then look on the ZP events list and use the filters.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php

Are the anti-sandbagging races worth doing – in the sense that they give a steadier race? Been meaning to try one – there’s a 12 lap crit on at 4 Dolphin direction.

Not done many, on the one where I got coned it didn’t seem to slow me that much 😎
Also not gonna stop people weight doping.

Cheers savoyad, signed up.

Ive done a couple of anti-sandbagger grits. The first one it seemed to have quite a big affect and conned riders dropped off the group quickly, but the last one i did it seemed to make no difference and the conned riders just rode round with us all the way to the finish and won so not sure if they’re still trying to get it working properly.

but the last one i did it seemed to make no difference and the conned riders just rode round with us all the way to the finish and won so not sure if they’re still trying to get it working properly

that’s because the out of cat riders are no longer B entering C, they’re A entering C knowing they’ll get coned but still win.

Has anyone else had the invite to the ” FutureWorks Boost Mode” races? If anyone fancies I’ve entered the 6pm tomorrow. Sounds like a disastrous idea for a crit from the marketing blurb but we’ll see…

I’ve just seen the BoostMode email and proposed idea. For messing about with your friends it might be okay, but it appears to be making it very “game” like, which I don’t believe is going to appeal so much to people who are racing. There are already enough issues with weight/power as it is.

Dangeourbrain Ah yeah that makes sense pesky A’s….just had that email myself, if i can get home in time i’ll have a go just out of curiosity if nothing else.

appears to be making it very “game” like, which I don’t believe is going to appeal so much to people who are racing. There are already enough issues with weight/power as it is.

I’m in two minds on that, depending on how it works it might well mean that weight is less of an issue. It might not of course.

Equally it could make the racing less game like rather than more lets face it almost all zwift racing is a sprint followed by a TT, the break away never looses and doesn’t even work that much more than the chasing pack, which is about as far from most real races as possible.

Either way though it is a game, and not a simulation, I think that gets lost to a lot of people when they start racing. I wonder if FIFA soccer or wii tennis get the same grief for not being realistic.

*not to say I don’t think cheating is a problem and could do with addressing a bit more but equally the method of cheating isn’t exactly insidious, the whole thing relies entirely on the honesty of faceless people on the Internet which is going to mean a lot of people cheat.

You are messing with the C cat races by entering them as you are too strong for them. Yes you’ll likely get beaten by 90+kg C races in flat events and Crit City.

How do you work out I’m too strong for a c cat? I’m bursting my ass and not winning, so I don’t think that’s true at all. If it was then I’d win all the time.

Simple fact is zwift racing massively favours bigger riders, and dare I say fatter overweight riders in many cases. Power to weight is largely irrelevant on anything but a decent climb, it’s all about ftp, as you point out when you mention I’ll get beat by a 90 kg rider every time. Given my ftp, the most important factor in determining speed on flat courses, is lower than many of the c racers, I’m struggling to see how I have any advantage. It’s absolutely ridiculous that for the benefit of zwift racing I’d be better just eating a ton of pies and putting on weight, as my power to weight would go down.

Ultimately as long as I’m paying my subscription, and as long as zwift keep the widely acknowledged stupid cat criteria, then I’ll continue to race as a c in flat races, as I find it more fun. When I eventually win one I may move up, but until that point I dont see I have any advantage whatsoever over the other racers. Besides, its not even real. So anyone who thinks its unfair should take up proper racing if it’s that important to them.

It’s absolutely ridiculous that for the benefit of zwift racing I’d be better just eating a ton of pies and putting on weight, as my power to weight would go down

Not really, thems the rules. Just like racing outside you may find your self in an arbitrary age or gender category.

You pays your money mind and you takes your choices but that it isn’t the same as racing isn’t a failing, its just what the game is.

Besides, its not even real. So anyone who thinks its unreasonable should take up proper racing if it’s that important to them.

The anti-sandbag crit was pretty good – small field of 23, dropped a few stragglers and then just one group of 20 motoring around. Everyone doing legit B power and pace was generally steady below my threshold, with spiking up the rise and round to the rollers.

At least that’s what the numbers said, unfortunately my legs were in disagreement and it felt like a very hard effort just sitting in (actually not done a 12 lap crit before). The group kicked on the 10th lap and I got shelled on the rise – no secondary gp to form up so just rode in easy.

Defo one to try again with fresh legs, but prob the 8 lap is better for me.

At least that’s what the numbers said, unfortunately my legs were in disagreement and it felt like a very hard effort just sitting in (actually not done a 12 lap crit before). The group kicked on the 10th lap and I got shelled on the rise – no secondary gp to form up so just rode in easy.

It’s always slightly disappointing when you ride what feels like a good race then see your numbers and realise you were way off. Blame the heat I say.

I’ve signed up for a 10 lap tomorrow, not sure how that’ll go. If I’m on form I’ll either get spat or the back about lap 9 or surprise my self, hold on to lap 10 and end up racing entering A in future.

Not really, thems the rules. Just like racing outside you may find your self in an arbitrary age or gender category.

Nope.. outside I’d be racing against people of similar ability based not on one random and fairly irrelevant element of performance (w/kg) , but by points accumulated. I wouldn’t race in a real life second cat if every week I got shelled out on the first lap would I?

Of course I could get fitter, but then I’d be up to the A cat and take even more of a battering!

I wouldn’t race in a real life second cat if every week I got shelled out on the first lap would I?

Are you being shelled on lap one of B? Are you consistently finishing last by a big margin?

arbitrary age or gender category.

Nope

Are you racing against 6 year olds?
Are you racing a mens/ladies only race?

Those categories are just as arbitrary, some kids would kick my arse, some women too, but I don’t race against them because that’s the rules.

In zwift the rule is its w/kg. Whether that’s more or less relevant than the colour of your bike, how old you are or where your dangly bits are doesn’t matter. That’s the rules of zwift, like no draft on a TT bike or that you are allowed to race on a magic tron bike or “without a helmet”, that disc wheels are a good idea on an hour long hill climb, no wind or altitude etc.

It’s important to remember….

IT’S NOT REAL

It’s just a way to make the turbo less shit.. 🙂

So where are we up to with entries for this Thurs evening ?

I’m debating 2 short Crits today at 9am if i’m not needed for Thurs.

We’re showing 5 so fill yer boots weeksy

I hope this doesn’t scupper Weeksy’s plans – but I need to pull out of the TTT tomorrow.
Apologies, I’ve had my arm twisted by the boss to join her on a real ride. Apparently riding on a turbo in the garage on one of the warmest evenings of the year ‘is just weird’!

Well it could easily be seen as a rubbish result LOL.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=904741
But, to be only 10s off the winner of B is brilliant for me. Not sure what happened to the other 15 riders who were behind me on the road. 🙂 Power wasn’t bad and it was only after the final dolphin kick that i lost the wheel and group to the line as they all found 10w/kg for the run-in. So pretty happy.

Race 2 went better than i expected actually, bit more rolling and lost the group at 1km from the end, but again, more than happy with that.. I’m not a great B and in this race i got dropped by 2s at one stage with 8km to go and pinned it and clawed it back to the group, which is unknown for me !!! Normally once i go, i’m gone. This time was on the 2% slog, it’s only 2% but the extra weight and watts makes all the difference, so i was shelled and rolled home.

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=904745

10s out and or holding the group is a good result weeksy.

Good effort.

Apparently riding on a turbo in the garage on one of the warmest evenings of the year ‘is just weird

Don’t tell her, but she’s right.

How do you work out I’m too strong for a c cat? I’m bursting my ass and not winning, so I don’t think that’s true at all. If it was then I’d win all the time.

Because those are the rules of the game.
Assuming that is your profile on ZP I linked to you are a B bordering on an A in TTs.

If you are looking and relying on the Zwift game results they are complete and utter rubbish as there are so many out of category and dumb trainer races they are meaningless.

Look at your times and if you’d raced in B on ZP you’d be comfortably top half IIRC. Develop your drafting technique. Buy better bikes and wheels. Develop your 1minute power and recoverability from efforts and you’ll be battling for B race wins rather than winding up the C races just because you can cruise into the top 3. Which on ZP results you are doing easily. On Zwift results you’ll be getting hammered by A cat races in C.

If the live tab is working on ZP for the event you can keep track of the actual people who you are up against.

In real life if you weigh 60 kg and race cat 2 against a 90kg cat 2 rider the likelhood in flat crits you’ll get destroyed by them. Same on Zwift. Although there are enough courses with small hills to try and get rid of them.

And looking again at those results you’ve only done 4 mass start races. 3 at Crit City which really isn’t going to suit a new racer as they are brutal and a long flat one which you won the C category. The 3rd place was minutes behind. If you’d raced B and made the effort to stick with the next group you’d have been in the podium group for B.

because you can cruise into the top 3. Which on ZP results you are doing easil

I’ve done 5 cat c races and 2 cat b races. The b races I was shelled out back in first mile having failed to hold 350 watts. Of the 5 cat c races I’ve had one 3rd place, my only podium finish. And im not sure why you think I am cruising? I’m having to bust my balls to get that result.

a long flat one which you won the C category. The 3rd place was minutes behind. If you’d raced B and made the effort to stick with the next group you’d have been in the podium group for B.

Not sure who you are looking at but I’ve never won a race. I’ve done one long one last weekend, I came 3rd, my best ever result. I was minutes down on the winner, and miles off the podium places at b level. From looking at the b results I would have come 17th out of 24, and was over 3 min down on a podium spot.

Anyways, as I’ve said the zwift cat system sucks so im happy to keep doing what I’m doing. I doubt it impacts on anyone else, as I’m not influencing the race to any degree, and if someone gets upset about it then im pretty ok with that tbh.

@tpbiker Do you mind me asking what your weight/power are?

I doubt it impacts on anyone else, as I’m not influencing the race to any degree

FWIW if you really did need to be holding 350w for over 2 minutes then the most likely reason is people doing exactly the same as you, A to B

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/zwift-build-new-mont-ventoux-and-champs-elysees-worlds-for-virtual-tour-de-france/

New worlds coming!

No doubt to try and keep the COVID masses subscribed through the summer, when they might like to put 3/4 months of subs towards a pair of nice outdoor tyres! 😆

Says professional use, hopefully afterwards they will open to the masses! Exciting!

but I need to pull out of the TTT tomorrow.
Apologies, I’ve had my arm twisted by the boss to join her on a real ride. Apparently riding on a turbo in the garage on one of the warmest evenings of the year ‘is just weird’!

Daft question, am I alone in thinking Mrs Phil has the right idea?

I’ve been invited to a real world ride Tomorrow and before I say yay or nay thought I’d best check if I’m the only one thinking a night on the mtb sounds like a good option…

Happy to come along and to do my turns on the front of people want to do the TTT but don’t want to turn up and we all say “I wanted to go out but thought I should stay IN”

I could easily give it miss to go out IRL…

I’m still up for it as I’ve been really enjoying the TTTs, and haven’t got an outdoor ride lined up yet, but if people want to skip this week that’s cool, it is going to be bastard hot!!

but if people want to skip this week that’s cool,

As I say, happy to come along but I’ll be cross if it turns out we’re all miserable because it’s 40° we’d all rather be outside doing something else but felt the obligation. Like Christmas dinner with the family.

Do you mind me asking what your weight/power are?

I’m 66kg and on the turbo last time I tried I could hold 264 watts for an hr. So bang on 4w/kg as an ftp indoors.

It was well hot in the pain cave at 7am this morning, I don’t envy any of you on the TT this evening!

It’ll be fine. It will not make it over 30 degrees in my office. It will not. It will not. IT WILL NOT.

I’m going to ride outside today.

If numbers do dwindle too low, don’t worry I’ll get an entry in so normal service can resume next week.

High guys think I’m going to join the outside ride club and swerve tonights TT also.

Am I imagining things or was there a recent thread on gearing for MTBs?

Im thinking of taking my road bike of the trainer and putting a now largely worthless 29er on. Just trying to figure out a cheap way of getting appropriate gears for the job.

Currently had a compact up front and an 11-28 on the back on the current Zwift bike.

MTB currently has a completely inappropriate 1×10 gearing, the cranks do at least take a 2x set up. No idea if they take big enough chainrings however.

MTB currently has a completely inappropriate 1×10 gearing, the cranks do at least take a 2x set up. No idea if they take big enough chainrings however.

I’m using my commuter which is an old 29er hardtail, I’m running a 36 48 on an xt double with a road block and its ample for 95% of zwift, can come up short on sprints when I reach the top of my cadence but to be honest even then I’m not often hitting that.
I do sit in 48:11 most of the time so 50 or 52 might encourage me to push a bit harder but equally I might just not use the top gear then.

Straight wheel optional.

Which case I’m going to follow suit and “join” folks outside.