Zwift - Cruzbike Activities (races and group rides)

[RojoRacing]

Adding this tread to reduce clutter on the more training focused thread we have going on. This one is for the indoor riders who are looking more to have fun with the added bonus of getting stronger. I'll be riding in the virtual world if zwift pretty much every day till my hand heals, not sure I'll continue after that but you never know.

Right now my main focus is to climb 50,000 meters to unlock to TRON bike with cool looking wheels. It's supposed to be the fastest bike second only to the TT bike(can't draft on TT bike). I should have the TRON bike right after New Years and then I'll focus on lots of zwift races.


Today I had nice ride up the wattopia mountain and focused on chasing down the next rider ahead one after the other. Managed a new PR and a spot on the 60 min leader board.

 

[RojoRacing]

If you have a trainer that simulates grades of at least 15% then go into the Zwift settings and turn up the trainer difficulty tab to 100%. Now if you go climb wattopia mountain you get the full experience of the 13-17% grade. I have to put out over 5.0w/kg just to keep my cadence above 70rpms. I wonder what the east coast guys like @LarryOz would think with their taller gearing and short cranks. The last part up to the radio tower feels similar to the last part of my local mount Diablo which is 17%. I'm just glad on the trainer I don't have to worry about tipping over from lack of speed.

 

[RojoRacing]

Does zwift have a system to allow us less than average guys compete or will we just be cannon fodder?

90% of the users are cannon fodder just like real life. I does give you your own leader board with your PRs from the last 30 days so you can always compete against yourself. There are also many group rides(haven't tried any myself) and a race series that handicaps everyone with ether weight of separate start times.

If your climbing the mountain at 1.8w/kg and see someone slowly catching you at 2.0w/kg you can prepare to chase them for awhile which makes you push your limits a bit.

If I have a good battle with someone up the mountain I'll usually give them a ride on(like a strava kudos but in real time) and they normally with give one back. Some times you can't actually type out a response to just anyone because half the riders don't speak English :lol

 

[RojoRacing]

I don't have squat. I'm just sitting here getting fatter waiting for the LBS to call and say the Flux is in. In the meantime I'm trying to sort out what app is the best fit for me. Not as easy as I tought it would be since I am a bit behind the technology.

If you don't mind the $10 a month for a couple months to try it out then start with zwift just to feel out your new Flux. After a few weeks of random riding around you'll know your setup well enough and then you can focus on those training plans if that's your thing. I'm still super Anti training plan personally.

 

[RojoRacing]

I'll try giving one of them a shot and let you know how it goes.

 

[RojoRacing]

Another day and another 10,000 feet climbed. For those curious about the Everest challenge. Here's two pic showing my progress so far. First is me at the summit, the 30% is wrong and will actually reach 100% when you reach the summit. After you reach the summit the % drops to around 19% because now your next goal is 164,042 feet. The little progress animation is a little humorous as you continue to ride into the sky.

 

[RojoRacing]

Did a Zwift race this morning and achieved a new PR for W/Kg of 4.11 for 45 mins , and new FTP of 294 which moves my FTP to 4.2W/Kg and into the A category for future races. I still got dropped like a bad habit by the breakaway group of 5-6 riders but I worked hard with my own group of 4 and then 7 riders to keep the race going. I attacked leading up to the London climb with an aero boost and then after the descent with 1 mile to go I attacked into and over the subway stairs to open a 45 meter gap which I mostly held to the end. Here's a screen shot of the preliminary results taken in game before adjustments and cheaters are removed in the final results. To give an example of the total spread of riders there are 20 riders who finished between 1:00:00 and 1:25:00 compared to my 0:44:58

 

[RojoRacing]

Gez louize--Looking good Jason! I'm ashamed to post my FTP & w/kg . What do you think the average sport riders range would look like?

http://www.zwiftpower.com/race.php?id=2168
take a look at page 2 of the results and see if you'd fit in there somewhere. there are other races specifically with separate D group starting gates so you don't get caught up with the d's chasing the c's who are in turn chasing the b's and so on. also in you case some of the group rides(non race) could be excellent ride/race efforts for you.

 

[ratz]

Gez louize--Looking good Jason! I'm ashamed to post my FTP & w/kg . What do you think the average sport riders range would look like?

That's why we have the term "age groupers" But don't forget there are plenty of people on Digital EPO. The goal is to have fun.

 

[RojoRacing]

That's why we have the term "age groupers" But don't forget there are plenty of people on Digital EPO. The goal is to have fun.

yup and i couldn't care less whether or not that guy just in front of me is digital doping or not. the important part is that he's in front of me and giving me someone to chase. today on my fifth climb up watopia mountain i noticed a rider 6 seconds behind me putting out 3.5w/kg to my 3.0. i stopped to let him catch me then proceeded to play cat and mouse. i got him to maintain just over 4.0 for the next 10 mins before going into the 5-6w/kg range for the final min. sadly he crested over the saddle and didn't turn up to continue the climb to the radio tower. the key to me having fun in zwift are these little random encounters with other riders. after meeting my climbing quota for the day i headed back down to the beach to make it a nice even 100k. even nabbed a quick podium in the sprint segment, notice the elevation for the day

 

[RojoRacing]

 

[LarryOz]

Jason,
Here is my settings page:
I don't see a way to change the "power" settings from 50% to full as you had mentioned.
Only a setting for virtual power mode - which I know that is not what you're talking about.

 

[RojoRacing]

Ok so that's your setting page. Now go back one screen and click on your "pair" tab and show me your paired devices.

You probably have your Kickr paired as a power source and not a controllable trainer.

 

[RojoRacing]

Ok if I setup pairing page looks like this my setting pages looks like yours with no trainer difficulty slider

 

[RojoRacing]

Now if I pair my stuff like this my settings page also changes to this

just slide it to max

 

[LarryOz]

done.
I just was not connected is what it was!
Thanks

 

[RojoRacing]

you can enter the menu and move the slider all while still riding, your avatar never even needs to stop. this will allow you to feel the difference the slider make while climbing. only thing in the menu you can't change while your avatar is rolling is your bike and wheels.

 

[LarryOz]

Got it.
Ok - I selected the "Figure 8" route, but it just looks like the same route I was before, where you still have to make choices of when to turn or not.
What makes it the figure 8?
Ok - I googled it and found out you have to do a certain series of turns.
Turns taken for forward “Figure 8” route:

• Turn 1 – Left (To Underwater)
• Turn 2 – Straight
• Turn 3 – Straight (To Marina)
• Turn 4 – Straight (To Bridge)
• Turn 5 – Straight (To Pier)
• Turn 6 – Right (To Dam)
• Turn 7 – Straight (To Underwater)
• Turn 8 – Straight
• Turn 9 – Left (To KOM)
• Turn 10 – Straight (To Village)

I'm making an educated guess that if you choose the Zwift "Figure 8" route that the required turns will be preset for you - is that correct?
Are you interested in trying to ride this route together tomorrow morning as previously discussed?

I can probably start as late as 8am EST - instead of 7am as we had previously discussed - I need to be done and showered by about 10am so I think we should be OK.
I know that is still 5am for you (I see you rode about 4 hours today already - but at pretty low avg wattage and HR so looks like a recovery ride for you. )
I'm also only riding the basic Zwift CF bike with 50mm rims (I don't think I've earned any other faster frames or wheels yet).
I'm also currently wearing the Basic 4 kit (Blue/white/Gold Zwift shirt)

Let me know if you are up for it!

 

[RojoRacing]

Got it.
Ok - I selected the "Figure 8" route, but it just looks like the same route I was before, where you still have to make choices of when to turn or not.
What makes it the figure 8?
Ok - I googled it and found out you have to do a certain series of turns.
Turns taken for forward “Figure 8” route:

• Turn 1 – Left (To Underwater)
• Turn 2 – Straight
• Turn 3 – Straight (To Marina)
• Turn 4 – Straight (To Bridge)
• Turn 5 – Straight (To Pier)
• Turn 6 – Right (To Dam)
• Turn 7 – Straight (To Underwater)
• Turn 8 – Straight
• Turn 9 – Left (To KOM)
• Turn 10 – Straight (To Village)

I'm making an educated guess that if you choose the Zwift "Figure 8" route that the required turns will be preset for you - is that correct?
Are you interested in trying to ride this route together tomorrow morning as previously discussed?

I can probably start as late as 8am EST - instead of 7am as we had previously discussed - I need to be done and showered by about 10am so I think we should be OK.
I know that is still 5am for you (I see you rode about 4 hours today already - but at pretty low avg wattage and HR so looks like a recovery ride for you. )
I'm also only riding the basic Zwift CF bike with 50mm rims (I don't think I've earned any other faster frames or wheels yet).
I'm also currently wearing the Basic 4 kit (Blue/white/Gold Zwift shirt)

Let me know if you are up for it!

once you select a route at start up the game will auto select each turn but it'll still give you each option to turn and head out on your own route. Also you can make a U-turn anytime on a route and the game will keep you on a reverse route of you original choice.

If we got 2 hours lets do the mountain 8 route 20 miles. I'll also pick the Zwift carbon bike and 50mm rims, just don't pick the TT bike because then we can't draft. 5am start for me is fine and I'll be in a all black century kit. I don't have a keyboard setup on the bike and the phone app with all the controls and messaging options is super glitchy in my house because of poor wifi I think. I'll PM you my phone # so we can call or text.

 

[RojoRacing]

Fun ride with @LarryOz today up and over watopia mountain this morning. Here are a few pics from the ride Larry in blue, me in black. Larry looks so young in person

Larry attacking on the KOM climb

The text message exchange after he suddenly stopped mid climb

Good times thanks for coming long