Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
 |
| 11/27/2017 02:00 PM |
|
Just curious.....would be nice to have folks to ride with! Did an hour and 45 min on Saturday, including two trips up the "Epic KOM" climb....roughly 30 min of "climbing" each time.
Also tried my first "race" on Thursday....based on FTP - W/KG guidelines, I shoulda done the B race.....and promptly got my doors blown off! It was so bad that at one point they had me as 42nd out of 28....and no, I did not reverse the numbers! |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 11/27/2017 02:18 PM |
|
| I'm going to sign up shortly, it's a present to myself along with a smart trainer. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 11/27/2017 03:34 PM |
|
Ooooh....what trainer are you getting?
Cheapest Smart trainer that I know of is the Elite Qubo Digital....goes for $350 on Nashbar and the unit I currently use (paid $360 last year, I think). Resistance is pretty good, but not the most stable unit in the world....but can't beat the price. Since I still do most of my indoor training at the training center / shop, I only need a trainer to ride on those occasional mornings . afternoons. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
6ix
Posts:485
|
| 11/28/2017 06:25 AM |
|
I picked up a Kickr a couple months ago. Zwift is a whole new world for me. I thought it was silly at first but am now addicted to the constant available races (and they will turn you inside-out!!), group workouts (similar to Peloton's streaming classes) and general riding around the Watopia island. What I can't still believe is how realistic it is. The trainer is extremely smooth with how it changes the resistance based on the road gradient. And when it gets hard, it gets freakin' hard!! My legs feel the same way as they do when climbing real hills. When racing, you even benefit from drafting!
Bottom line is that it provides me with a workout that is exponentially superior to anything I could ever do on a regular trainer. I can already tell I will be rolling into next spring stronger and fitter than ever before. It's not so taxing mentally either. Like CK, I did nearly 2 hours and 46 miles on it just yesterday alone! Did a group workout, a race and a 20 minute FTP test. I could barely stand to do more than 30 minutes on my LeMond trainer before. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 11/28/2017 08:30 AM |
|
Yeah, it really is amazing how Zwift makes riding inside tolerable. It is similar to the club / trainin center I use....we can get 8 people on a "road course" and chase each other around for a couple of hours over hills, etc. No way in hell I could do that on a standard resistance trainer or even rollers.
Interesting that you found the gradient can get really hard....I have yet to use my small ring on Zwift, even on those 15% grades going up to the weather station. I also see no benefit to drafting....my resistance doesn't seem to change at all. I'm guessing that is down to me using a relatively inexpensive trainer vs. a higher quality unit like the Kickr. That said, my "speeds" aren't anything crazy going up those grades either and seem pretty much inline with real world speeds. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 11/28/2017 08:39 AM |
|
| Pretty sure the Kickr is what I'm getting. I'm such a cheap*** it pains me to spend that much but at the same time I tend to keep stuff for ever so amortized over 20 years (hope I'm still riding hard then) it's not that bad. |
|
|
|
|
6ix
Posts:485
|
| 11/28/2017 09:01 AM |
|
CK, are you using ERG mode? I only use that for structured workouts where it locks you into a prescribed wattage based on FTP. For general riding or races, I don't have it on and have the 'trainer difficulty' set in the middle.
What you're describing is almost certainly ERG mode. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 11/28/2017 09:25 AM |
|
| No, definitely not erg.....in fact, I don't think the QUBO has an ERG mode unless you select a prescribed workout. The resistance (and power levels) definitely change as I go 'round the courses...harder on hills, etc.....and I am "climbing" at realistic wattages (i.e. "sweet spot" power levels)....and again, my speed on the hills is not anything outrageous....+/- 10 mph depending on the gradient, etc. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
6ix
Posts:485
|
| 11/28/2017 09:59 AM |
|
Oh, I thought you were on a Kickr. Believe it's the whole ANT+ FC protocol that modifies the resistance per the gradient shown on the program and provides the drafting sensation. Makes sense now.
Have you ever climbed up to the ski station? Think it's a 'bonus' of the Epic KOM climb. I was all over my bike trying to go up that thing and was basically climbing in a 36/25. Don't think I completely bailed to the 28.
This is a good reason why a lot of people want to separate Z-power users from the other smart trainers. I can't hang with people on the descents because you can't get enough resistance. It's a common gripe. Difficult to explain unless you experience it. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 11/28/2017 11:02 AM |
|
Yeah, I've gone up there a few times....always in my big chain ring! Maybe I'm just that strong....
Definitely sounds like how the trainers interpret the ANT+ signal and relates it to the game. Again, I'm not climbing at any crazy speeds up to the station (and often have guys pass me) and my power levels are realistic....but the unit is definitely reacting to the grades and increasing the resistance.
This is the trainer I am using.....it is a fully interactive "smart" trainer. Definitely not z-Power.
And I have still not felt any benefit from drafting in Zwift....if I hop on someone's wheel, i don't really see any changes in my power levels. Weird.....
And the whole zPower thing definitely gets people riled up....but then I don't understand why people take this so damn seriously. Sandbagging in races, guys just out riding with crazy w/KG so they clearly have unrealistic weights entered into the game....on Saturday, some guy came blowing past me on the Epic KOM climb putting out ~7.5W / KG. Seriously? C'mon, dude.....concraps, you "won" on Zwift.
|
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 02/02/2018 08:40 AM |
|
@ 6ix, I think I found out why I am going up even the big hills in my large CR....I am just that awesome!!
No, seriously, I found a trainer resistance setting that allows you to dial up the resistacne of the trainer to make ti feel more "real world". Apparently the default setting is @ 50%, so a 5% grade "feels" like a 2.5% grade. This doesn't impact your "speed" in the virtual world since that is based solely o the power you are putting out. Their algorithm simply takes the power you are putting out and applies it to the physics of the virtual world. So even though I am in my big ring on my actual bike, my speed in the virtual world is more consistent with what the actual climb would be.
Changed the setting last night to ~75% and it amde a big difference in terms of feel and I definitely had to drop down into the little ring for the climbs. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 02/02/2018 10:04 AM |
|
The "real world" had pissing rain wind and temperatures just above freezing this week.
Just sayin |
|
|
|
|
79pmooney
Posts:3180
|
| 02/02/2018 03:09 PM |
|
Posted By Dale Dale on 11/27/2017 02:18 PM
I'm going to sign up shortly, it's a present to myself along with a smart trainer.
Dale, you are aware of that immutable law, Conservation of Intelligence - summed up briefly as - there is finite intelligence in this universe. The more intelligence incorporated into inanimate objects, the less available for the living.
I ran into this law hard mid '80s when I went back to school. I spent the evening on campus working on a computer program - write, compile, assess the errors, re-write and repeat. At the end of a fairly productive evening, I gathered my stuff and left the building. Walked smack into the all glass entrance door. Yup, I'd just transferred some of my intelligence onto that disc in my pocket.
That was 30 years ago. If you want to see that law in effect now, just park yourself where you can watch a busy sidewalk. Human after human walking with all their attention on a small black rectangle in their hands. Complete prey for anything. Humanity degenerating along a line parallel to that of wild buffalo to domestic cattle only at a radically faster rate.
I need all the help I can get, I keep my bikes (and trainer) dumb.
Ben
|
|
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 02/02/2018 04:41 PM |
|
| Dale is probably safer on the Zwifter based on some FB posting I saw this week LOL |
|
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 02/02/2018 07:12 PM |
|
Posted By Orange Crush on 02/02/2018 04:41 PM
Dale is probably safer on the Zwifter based on some FB posting I saw this week LOL
Yeah... this ^ 
That was a freaking awesome ride! The Walton grandkids (the ones that bought Rapha) poured a boat-load of money into the trail system in NW Arkansas. There are hundreds of miles that weave on an out of the hills and communities there. Where the trails cross roads there are motion sensitive lights that alert cars that a cyclist might be popping out of the woods at any moment.
The minor get-offs resulted in not much more than a bruised ego and a few scratches.
It was the first time I'd ride there and it's a two hour drive from my place... I'll be making more trips there. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 02/06/2018 01:27 AM |
|
| Where in NW Ark? I WS just there for meetings with Walmart. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 02/06/2018 07:41 AM |
|
Bella Vista. If you were at WM's main office you were probably 15 minutes away
Rode this trail and it was a blast!
https://www.arkansas.com/blog/post/first-section-of-bella-vista-back-40-mountain-bike-trail-now-open/
Give me a heads up next time you're there and I can probably find a bike for you and we can hit some of the trails.
|
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 02/06/2018 08:36 PM |
|
Posted By Dale Dale on 02/06/2018 07:41 AM
Bella Vista. If you were at WM's main office you were probably 15 minutes away
Rode this trail and it was a blast!
https://www.arkansas.com/blog/post/first-section-of-bella-vista-back-40-mountain-bike-trail-now-open/
Give me a heads up next time you're there and I can probably find a bike for you and we can hit some of the trails.
DONE!!! |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 02/17/2018 06:26 PM |
|
| Are you kids still swiffering? Just wondering. |
|
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 02/17/2018 10:26 PM |
|
A year ago had you'd have told me I'd do a two hour and thirty minute ride on the trainer I would have laughed in your face, yet here we are.
Just did 45 miles on Zwift ride with a load of climbing and I'm spent.
|
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 03/20/2018 02:03 PM |
|
This cold weather is killin' me - the last two weeks I have done ~170 and ~160 miles / week.....on Zwift.
I did get to ride a bit with 6ix a few couple weeks ago....we had a pretty good pace going but then I lost him going through the crowds as we came around the start / finish area in Watopia.
Also started doing some structured workouts on Zwift....I had always done that at my training center, but now it is just so easy to just roll downstairs and knock it out in the basement. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 03/25/2018 07:50 PM |
|
I had a not so structured training ride made fun by the appearance of a dude on a fancy TT rig today.
Dude, if you ride said rig you better be FAST.
Dude, try to stay in control when we make rapid stop.
Dude, learn to attack hills
Dude, fix your rear shifting (or were you just nervous)
Thanks for confirming every single one of my prejudices LOL.
|
|
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 03/25/2018 09:08 PM |
|
Rode yesterday with a group, right of us to start, three had power meters. I was clearly faster than two of them and not much off the strength of the third. And darn sharper on the tactical aspect of riding.
Listen up, if a guy who is eligible to collect social security can kick your ***, sell the power meter and try to regain a portion of your dignity.
A power meter at this level is like a guy making minimum wage hiring a CPA, all they can do is tell you you're flat broke.
|
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 03/29/2018 05:55 PM |
|
They opened a new climb on Watopia....Alpe du Zwift, which is a virtual replica of Alpe d’Huez. Very, very cool....rode it today. Some areas are instantly recognizable, especially the bottom sections.
Was not going very hard and finished in just over an hour....nice to be able to get a really long climb in since I am stuck in pancake flat IL. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 03/29/2018 09:31 PM |
|
| I'm just short of Level 12 so I can't ride it yet. Looking forward to unlocking that level and doing that climb. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 03/29/2018 10:18 PM |
|
you’ll enjoy it...every switchback is numbered. Hitting the bottom of the climb is an instant flood of memories (even if the actual scenery is different).
I wanna do the new route, The Four Horsemen, which goes over all 4 climbs - Volcano, KOM, Epic KOM and then Alpe du Zwift. 7k feet of climbing and 55 miles. Seeing as how the Epic KOM takes 25-30min and the Alpe takes just over an hour (at an endurance pace),I gotta imagine that is a solid 3.5 hr ride (maybe more?) |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 03/29/2018 10:51 PM |
|
| It's not real unless you feel that sunburn or get pelted by hail. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 04/15/2018 10:48 PM |
|
I was poking around in Zwift this evening, trying to find a workout for tomorrow. Saw Dale was riding so I stalked him for awhile on his ride. Looked a decent size group (30 guys?), all wearing old-school Z jerseys. Dale out in a number of really good digs....was kinda fun to watch.
On Friday, I actually managed to grab the KOM Jersey on the Alpe du Zwift. I was coming back down and noticed my jersey had changed....was suddenly black with turquoise polka-dots. Look over and the little jersey icon is next to my name. “HOLY SCHITT...” was short lived however....only had it for a few minutes.
Full disclosure - I was trainer-doping. My Elite trainer is not always the most accurate and it was reading higher watts than what my PowerTap said. (But like 7, I am keeping my jersey. ) |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 04/17/2018 10:13 AM |
|
Yeah, I did see you there, it was a fun ride and sure makes trainer time more tolerable and on the verge of fun.
I was doing the TdZ but work and nice outdoor weather made me miss stage 3 and 4. I *might* do them on the catch up dates but sort of doubt it.
Ended up 1:00:22 on Alp 'd Zwift... so close!
What cracks me us is the Facebook site for zwift riders. Man, there are more accusation of creating and sandbagging, and general whining than any USAC race I've ever seen. It's a video game, get over yourselves!
|
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 04/17/2018 12:29 PM |
|
"Nice outdoor weather"? I am unfamiliar with this term.
My time up Alpe du Zwift when I got the jersey was 51:26....but like I said, I was "trainer doping". My goal is to crack an hour...haven't given it a serious go yet.
I don't get the Zwift zealots....it is just trainer time. Weight dopers, sandbaggers, people intentionally miscalibrating their trainers, etc. I don't care if I "win" a race or a sprint or anything. Come talk to me when we get outdoors and then we can worry about "results".
I am confused though as to why my trainer has such significant deltas between what it reads adn my on bike power meters read. For my Specialized bike (Quarq PM) they readings are pretty close....within 10 watts, maybe 15. RPE matches the PM wattage.
When I throw my old Cervelo (PT hub) on, the delta is huge....more than 30 watts. But my RPE still matches the PM reading, not the trainer reading. So it is significantly easier than what my trainer is saying (hence the main reason I snagged a 51' Alpe ascent).
If the RPE didn't match what both my PM's say, I would just chalk it up to my trainer being funky. But it is very consistent that the Cervelo has a much higher delta between my trainer wattage and my PM wattage.
Weird. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 04/17/2018 01:05 PM |
|
Since this thread is getting increasingly bizarre, and since I don't want to open a new thread, I'll just insert this here:
La Gazzetta dello Sport announced the addition of an e-bike race on the famed roads of the Giro d’Italia. Five two-man teams will compete on the 18 Italian stages of the Giro. This will be a precursor for what to expect from the new 2019 UEC Formula E-Bike race circuit. The Giro-E will provide exposure for the new race scene and produce feedback for the cycling industry.
https://roadbikeaction.com/first-reaction-giro-e/ |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 04/17/2018 01:07 PM |
|
| That's just fookin' dumb. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
79pmooney
Posts:3180
|
| 04/17/2018 02:06 PM |
|
Ck, dumb? They're just opening up racing to the dopers. The "unlimited" category.
So what's to stop the teams from tinkering with their bikes? This is going to be much harder to detect then just a motor. Now all the bikes will light up the heat cameras and test positive on the tablets.
Ben |
|
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 04/17/2018 03:20 PM |
|
I could see this being interesting if there was a bunch of souped up bikes involved.
As an e-assist race which tops out the assist at 25kph (which is apparently what the Pinarello does) so just ups the slower speeds this has zero appeal. So, agreed, dumb idea. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 05/13/2018 07:35 AM |
|
So winter made a return appearance yesterday....or at best, very early spring. Low-40’s and rain. Fook that for a ride.
Have a big bike trip coming up next week to NC and needed one last long day....onto Zwift I go and did the Four Horsemen route. All four climbs in Watopia linked together in a single ride...the KOM, the Volcano KOM, the Epic KOM and finally, Alpe du Zwift. Total of 55 miles and 7K feet of “climbing”. Climbs progressed from ~3min —> 10 —> 25 —> an hour.
Finished in 3:02....and I never want to to do that again. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|
Dale
Posts:1767
|
| 05/13/2018 04:40 PM |
|
Two hours in one ride is the longest I've done and it about killed me.
I did get the TdZ jersey by doing two rides the last day and that totaled a little over two hours but I had a couple hours in between the two rides. |
|
|
|
|
Orange Crush
Posts:4499
|
| 05/13/2018 05:29 PM |
|
| I did a proper cat1 climb Friday afternoon then suffered 120 kms in sweltering heat during Saturday's group ride. Ride ended at Dageraad Brewing who had their 4th anniversary party. |
|
|
|
|
Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
|
| 05/14/2018 09:07 AM |
|
Weather and Mother's Day commitments conspired against me yesterday, as well....another ~2:45 on the trainer. 65 "miles" this time (but my bike registered the ride as 55 miles).
I did, howeever, knock out quite a few achievements....got up to Level 21 in the game, completed the 100K Challenge and also the 25 laps of the Volcano Circuit Challenge. Netted my a fair amount of XP points....
Unless the weather cooperates tomorrow AM, looks like my next outdoor ride won't be until Friday in NC. In Seattle on Wednesday and driving to NC on Thursday. |
|
| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
|
|
|