Anyone Zwifting this coming Winter?
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That's kind of what I was thinking too but if so it's only going to work for someone relatively out of shape I think. Just glancing through the listed TSS for the various workouts I don't think it would have much more effect for me than maintaining my current CTL, and possibly not even that. I haven't delved that deeply into it so I'm not certain but that was my impression while skimming through last night.... I think they are going with the idea of an overall increase of CTL to increase your FTP versus specific threshold FTP work.
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Zwift definitely doesn't make workout selection very easy at this point for sure. I don't know if you've seen this, but it should really help with the problem: http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/10/29/zwift-workouts-version-1-1/. Go download the PDF and keep it handy.
One of the things people have been asking for for years in TrainerRoad is the ability to pre-select workouts. For example, the following scenario: you're at your desk at lunch, surfing the Interwebs and planning your evening training session. You head over to TrainerRoad.com/zwift.com, browse the online workout list, pick the one you want to do later, and click the "schedule" button. Possibly even schedule multiple workouts for multiple days. Anyway, you go home after work, get your kit on, fire up trainerroad/zwift, and it automagically loads up the workout you scheduled for the day. Start pedaling.
I'm actually a little ambivalent about other riders around during interval sessions. On the one hand, I'm generally so focused on hitting my power target I don't really notice much else. On the other, when I do notice another rider, particularly one passing me, I have to squash the urge to chase him/her, thus blowing my interval. I dunno though. TrainerRoad definitely still has a huge edge in terms of actual training, Zwift a huge edge in riding. Too bad they can't/won't partner up and offer a bundled subscription, then blend their apps together somehow.0 -
You can tell the workout stuff has been bolted on as a rushed extra as you can't select it past the initial setup screen.
Did find one bug during the FTP session, I found if you stopped during the initial warmup which I did to nip to have a slash, it then has a bit of a wobbler and the power goes a bit out of whack, during one of the warmup segments the brake went on so hard that the incredible hulk would have had a problem turning a crank! Luckily it behaved itself during the actual 20 min FTP test which I came out at 221watts, funnily enough I'd always estimated it at 220, something to improve on but I'm always a tad limited by the old Asthma, I just don't have the lung capacity to really go for it without sending myself into a wheeze fit, I'm more into endurance then speed anyway but it's cool knowing what your limits are.0 -
Jakess1971 wrote: »You can tell the workout stuff has been bolted on as a rushed extra as you can't select it past the initial setup screen.
You actually can get into the workout selection whenever you wish. Just hit the 'e' key and it'll bring up the workout screen.
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Wow Noel! Impressive. I must ask why so many trainer miles though when we are just now approaching the off season? My fear with Zwift is burning out using it.0
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Done a fair bit myself although since I've been allowed to play outside again I've done about 35km on Zwift since and that was for an FTP test:
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Jakess1971 wrote: »You can tell the workout stuff has been bolted on as a rushed extra as you can't select it past the initial setup screen.
You actually can get into the workout selection whenever you wish. Just hit the 'e' key and it'll bring up the workout screen.
Ah that's good to know, still think it should be accessible as a menu item on the paused settings though, I'm sure they will when they get it together properly.0 -
Wow Noel! Impressive. I must ask why so many trainer miles though when we are just now approaching the off season? My fear with Zwift is burning out using it.
Well, I started with Zwift almost a year ago (very early December 2014, I think) so this isn't all recent mileage. Having said that, the trainer is a major part of my cycling life year round.
Many times when I have hard intervals, especially harder long intervals, I'll do them on the trainer no matter the weather or time of year. For one, I have a really tough time finding roads to do, say, 15 minutes at threshold without hitting a stop sign, stop light, etc. Easier and more consistent to just do those types of effort on the trainer.
Second, I think it's safer. When I'm at nearing the end of a hard interval, deep into oxygen debt, my tongue is dragging the ground and my eyes are bleeding, the last thing I need to be worried about is traffic, deer, other cyclists, or road hazards. Much safer on the trainer. All I have to worry about there is not falling off.
Lastly, since I started using a trainer heavily very early in my "life" as a cyclist, I don't seem to have the same loathing of indoor riding that most cyclists seem to have. I don't always want to do it, but I don't mind it, so when the weather is bad outside I'll just ride the trainer. I personally see no good reason to go out and deal with the discomfort, hazards, lack of visibility, and wear on my bike that rain riding brings when I can stay inside where it's comfortable and safe, ride the trainer, and in most cases get a better actual workout than I would have outside.
All of these items have been true for years and I've been using a trainer this way for years. I will say, with the advent of Zwift I'm even MORE likely to forgo outdoor rides for indoor ones. I find myself these days sometimes riding Zwift just because it's just easier. Less gear, less prep, I usually have a bike sitting on a trainer anyway. Throw on a pair of shorts, fire up the computer, and go.0 -
^^ This.
And I think the Zwift guys know it. What I'm less sure of is if they know how bored people are with the current courses. They see "everyone being in one place, all together" as being the important piece. Personally, I'd much rather have a ton of different courses to ride. I don't care if anyone else is around or not.
As much as I love Zwift I'm pretty sick of Watopia.0 -
in case anyone's missed it - DC Rainmaker's Annual Indoor Trainer Roundup
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/11/2015-2016trainer-recommendations.html
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anyone seen this little teaser "easter egg" while on the Island ??
Coming Soon... Watopia Ocean Route Expansion....
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I also spotted a couple of Ghost Riders Flying in...
(they seemed to be circling in a holding pattern over the bridge in the valley below, and peeling off onto the course (on the reverse direction...))
Glad I wasn't hammering at the time, i'd have thought I was seeing things...
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Lol, I quite like the odd entertaining glitch but yes please bring on a bigger course, 9km is rather pathetic when your trying to do an Imperial century!
Well I've signed up, I've found it to be quite useful over this weekend with the heavy rain, I'm just not risking bad weather with my asthma, not worth it so I'm sure I'll get my moneys worth, over the 2,000km marker now so kind of already have.0 -
I'll see how I'm going at the end of the 2 month strava freebie - if I'm either released to ride outside, or fit enough to actually ride some of the Tacx DVD's by then I may not bother - unless they really do get their *kitten* in gear and start improving the routes, allowing selectable courses, and some "proper" real world stuff, not just riding around a desolate rock in the middle of the ocean0
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I did an Zwift imperial century myself on Saturday. 17.5 laps around Watopia. I saw (and got passed by) @smeakim1 at least a couple of times. If I wasn't sick to death of Watopia before (and I was) I certainly am now.
Still, I can't imagine spending that much time on a trainer without Zwift. Watopia is old but it's still pretty great, all things considered.0 -
I'm an East Coast US person, so you're only an hour or two off my time. I'll show up on Zwift as N. Nunkovich.0
