Zwift, riding and racing.... update thread, info thread, motivational thread.

[weeksy]

The Kickr Core is the replacement for the Snap.

Not sure that's right... the Core is wheel-off and they currently sell them both alongside the main Kickr.

I did see the refurb options though, looks interesting.

It is on the context that it's their lower end budget turbo beneath the kickr.

[weeksy]

Got the final race today in the Singletrackworld forum series. It's around the Paris short circuit. 37km which is long for me, but the course sort of suits me reasonably well. Need to plan the tactics right and end up in the group i need to be in, rather than the group I WANT to be in but know i cannot hold. There's a 3% incline which doesn't sound much but it's enough of a drag that the fast frontrunners will be pushing on up there and sticking out 400+w. That's beyond me for me than the 1 time up it, so discretion needed.

Did some testing yesterday afternoon using the neighbours carbon roadie and my 29er Parkwood

200w ERG
89-90 cadence.
15min duration

There was 2bpm in it, with the roadie winning… Is 2bpm enough for me to care, not really in honesty. It was slightly down all the way round. But that could easily be because i’d warmed up on the Parkwood so my legs and body was a bit looser… All in all, very little difference. Not enough to push me into riding the roadie indoors and losing out on the comfort and cadence i know and love in the Parkwood.

[Timmy]

I think you need to train on the bike you're going to ride off the trainer. If you're a MTB'er, train on a MTB. I'm a committed roadie and occasional TT'er and the positions are very different, to be able to ride both well, you need to train on both. Even on the roadie, I ride pretty much everywhere on the hoods. That's not the best position aerodynamically so to be more aero, you also need to train in the drops. All training should be specific to your real world riding and goals, IMO.

As for HR, it's too variable to bother training with, I'd stick with power. You either hit the numbers or you dont, again, IMO.

[weeksy]

I think you need to train on the bike you're going to ride off the trainer. If you're a MTB'er, train on a MTB. I'm a committed roadie and occasional TT'er and the positions are very different, to be able to ride both well, you need to train on both. Even on the roadie, I ride pretty much everywhere on the hoods. That's not the best position aerodynamically so to be more aero, you also need to train in the drops. All training should be specific to your real world riding and goals, IMO.

As for HR, it's too variable to bother training with, I'd stick with power. You either hit the numbers or you dont, again, IMO.

It's kinda different in some ways as even though i'm a MTBer, my MTB that i ride outdoors is completely different to my MTB i ride on Zwift... Obviously they're closer to one another than either is to a Roadie... but still quite different riding positions. My outdoor MTB can't go on the trainer anyhow

But for info, i put the roadie back in the garage over the road.

[weeksy]

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1106516

Decent race and result today. Last 4km i suffered a bit and lost wheels, but i wasn’t alone in that.

Very much enjoyed it though, that Douce course in France is a little ‘rolly’ but that’s no bad thing.

[weeksy]

Bah…. 4th again…0.6s away from the win. It was going OK but the last 1.5 laps were brutal and fast, i was all in and had an aero, but had to use it at the top of the little incline or i’d lose the split for sure and be left behind, that put me back in the mix, but on the final run in i just fell a little short of the podium.

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1118325

Happy yet disappointed.

[weeksy]

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1155049

Bit of a hollow victory today. Got dropped on lap 7 but it transpires the guy is an A with 4.2 average lol. I was 9th on the road and was a fun race, but the bandits really spoil things at times

[Dodgy69]

Must be nice...retirement.

[Timmy]

I've GOT to change the bar tape on my turbo bike, it's honking. Gawd know's what lurks under it, all manner of corrosion and nastiness no doubt

[weeksy]

I've GOT to change the bar tape on my turbo bike, it's honking. Gawd know's what lurks under it, all manner of corrosion and nastiness no doubt

Lol yeah that's deffo an issue

[weeksy]

I've gone CRAZY for tonight and am testing 'mirroring' using Android and Amazon firestick.

That's a sodding HUGE screen, so i can't blame missing something due to being on a small screen

2020-11-10_11-49-04 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

It's lucky Crosshair doesn't come here any more to tell me "i told you so" as he'd be abusing the beejayzus out of me today.

https://zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1348772

I've been struggling with riding and racing for months now, and i do mean months. Getting the power, getting the HR to respond and to hold and getting anything even half useful as a result. I've had a couple of short <20min races where i've managed a half reasonable result but possibly as much luck as it was form.

For the last 10 days though i've been injured after a crash which meant 5 full days off the bike and a couple of easy days until today. Yesterday i was still not 100% in terms of 'ouch' from the bruise but it didn't seem to be affecting the riding and my 1min power was pretty decent.

So i jumped on a Greater London Flat race today and gave it a whirl. It went really well straight from the off and i settled in nicely. On the first small kicker i pushed the power up to split the group a bit which worked OK and we dumped 5-6 guys out... we almost split the group in 1/2 but a couple of strong guys dragged the 2nd half back in, which was a shame.

Onto the underpass i was still sitting in the lead group which is nice as the 2% incline before it often sees me struggle. Out of the underpass it's 5% kick up and i got it really nicely.... That then settles to flat and then a draggy 3% for a bit, both of these is where i've seen many many races end for me. But the power was there even though i hit a new max HR in my history of 185bpm. I was clearly right on the limit, but settled back in after than and was in the lead group until 400m to go. Sadly the sprint left me with nothing in the HR or the legs, so i just rolled in for a decent finish. But DAMN it was nice to be back.

Was it all because i've rested and recovered for 5-8 days.... probably, very very probably.

Crosshair may not be as daft as we think

[formula400]

I might get my self a Wahoo Kickr core early next year.

I think it will br great from a fitness side.

I like the idea of the Kickr core as it won't wreck rear tyres, still need to work out what else would be needed.

[weeksy]

I like the idea of the Kickr core as it won't wreck rear tyres, still need to work out what else would be needed.

Well, there's a couple of options.

1. Laptop
2. Ipad/etc
3. Android (usually a phone as most tablets don't support it)

Depending which of the above you pick, you'll eihter need or not need a £10 Ant+ usb dongle.

HR monitor is nice, but not essential.

Fan is nice, but not essential.

[formula400]

Ive got a Mac book, that I would use.

what's the fan for???? to cool you down??

[weeksy]

LOL yup, when outside, moving air cools your body. Inside, you just sweat and sweat.

I can lose 3kg on a Zwift ride of an hour.

[formula400]

LOL yup, when outside, moving air cools your body. Inside, you just sweat and sweat.

I can lose 3kg on a Zwift ride of an hour.

bloody hell, that's quite a bit.

when it comes to bike bike its self, will it use the same chain and should I just get what ever cassette it has on now ???

[weeksy]

LOL yup, when outside, moving air cools your body. Inside, you just sweat and sweat.

I can lose 3kg on a Zwift ride of an hour.

bloody hell, that's quite a bit.

when it comes to bike bike its self, will it use the same chain and should I just get what ever cassette it has on now ???

Assuming you're using the new Hybrid thing, then yeah same everything will be fine. Depending on riding preference you may have to think about gearing, i use a 40T front chainring and only use 2-3 gears, the smallest cogs. Zwift is a very 'optimistic' platform in the way it rides, so some rides you'll be floating along at 40kph... which means you want a decent size chainring on the front.

[formula400]

not going to lie, gearing is one thing I have no understanding of.

this is what I have

Cassette
Shimano HG700 11-34 11s

chain ring is 50/34

[weeksy]

SO you'll spend 99% of your time on the 50T, which is perfectly fine.