Author Topic: Zwifting - I think I need help!  (Read 75298 times)

Chris S

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #350 on: 27 April, 2021, 09:16:24 am »
That is good news, and a well deserved result for the sole developer.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #351 on: 27 April, 2021, 09:49:27 pm »
Hurray!

(Although I have just moved all my info onto Zwift Hack's similarly useful offering)
Back in the saddle :)

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #352 on: 27 April, 2021, 11:04:23 pm »
Some good news for Zwift Hub fans*:
Excellent. Thanks for posting.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #353 on: 03 May, 2021, 07:23:22 pm »
I’m really struggling to get the 100km/h badge on Zwift.  Being 189cm and 72kg, Zwift gives me the aerodynamics of a tall brick, but, that aside, I’m perplexed that it’s proving so difficult.  Today I soft-pedalled up the radio tower, changed to my TT bike and wheels at the top, built up some decent speed on the first part of the descent and gave it 950W on the bend at the end of the loop, but still only reached 95km/h.  I thought I’d activated my helmet power-up, but still had it at the bottom, so it might have been that that scuppered this attempt!

Would I be better off on a road bike and getting a super tuck?  Or do you get the same super tuck effect on TT bikes?  Should I choose the most aero bike, or the heaviest?  Would I just be better off waiting until all the stars align on a group ride/race to give me the requisite draft?

Chris S

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #354 on: 04 May, 2021, 11:31:15 am »
I got mine on the descent of the Bologna TT course if that helps.

Obviously, being shorter and 30Kg heavier helps  :facepalm:.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #355 on: 04 May, 2021, 11:33:10 am »
I have no idea, my best is currently 84, at which point my rpm was redlining.  I know it is possible from experience as I saw someone get the badge as they whizzed past me.  On the Radio Mast descent too. 

If I have to reach anything like 950w then I know I will never do it!  Although I am 182cm, 74kg.

Yesterday, I was giving it welly down Innsbruck KOM but as soon as I rested and went into supertuck my speed went up while on the same gradient.   

Also yesterday I was easily passed by someone on the flat doing 1w/kg less than me which seemed weird.  Then we started to climb and they were toast.  Maybe they are the kind of rider who can do 100km/h downhill?

edit:  Chris S, you weren't in Innsbruck y'day pm were you?
Move Faster and Bake Things

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #356 on: 04 May, 2021, 11:45:01 am »
As I'm not using Zwift as much as the  weather gets warmer (the last few days excepted!) what happens to my history - especially progress toward the Tron bike :) - if I cancel my subscription?

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #357 on: 04 May, 2021, 12:48:36 pm »
As I'm not using Zwift as much as the  weather gets warmer (the last few days excepted!) what happens to my history - especially progress toward the Tron bike :) - if I cancel my subscription?
Nothing- it pauses until you re-activate it.

I got mine on the descent of the Bologna TT course if that helps.

Obviously, being shorter and 30Kg heavier helps  :facepalm:.

Much shorter here. And I think I was only 15kg heavier when I got it.  :facepalm:

Pack Sub 2 vs Bologna IIRC.

Your 'problem' is as nothing to my 'next badges required'. Alpe <1hr, 25x Alpe and vEveresting  :hand:

I've got more chance at the sprint ones- I might get 600W on a very good day but 7/8/9/1000? Not a hope.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #358 on: 04 May, 2021, 01:18:16 pm »
The sprint ones and Alpe <1hr all require strength and fitness - Alpe x25 just requires persistence, and vEveresting requires opportunity and madness (but is eminently possible).

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #359 on: 04 May, 2021, 01:33:31 pm »
The thought of the ALpe <60 I don't mind.  The other two give me vertigo.
Move Faster and Bake Things

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #360 on: 04 May, 2021, 02:05:32 pm »
I managed to get a load of the high power badges as a result of some kind of trainer glitch.  As far as I can tell there is no way of handing them back which is slightly frustrating as I now don't have them to aim for.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #361 on: 04 May, 2021, 02:36:19 pm »
The sprint ones and Alpe <1hr all require strength and fitness - Alpe x25 just requires persistence, and vEveresting requires opportunity and madness (but is eminently possible).
I don't have a problem with strength or fitness, I'm well into the 75th percentile there. I just need to lose 30kg and I could do the sub hour Alpe. I'd still be obese.

There aren't very many women in their 50s who can put out 700+ watts. Happy to see anecdata introducing them - we're open to recruits for the virtual team.  ;D

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #362 on: 04 May, 2021, 04:30:11 pm »
There aren't very many women in their 50s who can put out 700+ watts.

That is kind of my point - you need a certain level of fitness and/or strength to achieve those badges.  There aren't many men in their 30s who can put out 1000+ watts!

To do the Alpe 25 times, OTOH, can be achieved at minimal speed/power through sheer bloody-mindedness.  If it takes someone 2.5 hours (which is half a short Audax), and they do the Alpe once a fortnight, they get the badge in less than a year!


TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #363 on: 04 May, 2021, 04:34:45 pm »
At 65, I can put out over 1000w for a short time on the bike. On Zwift, the most I've managed is 965W (5 secs) on my Neo in a sprint. However, it drops off very quickly and for a 30sec sprint I'm lucky to average over 400W - and my FTP is less than 200W currently. I really ought to do some training! OTOH, I found the 100kph off the Radio Tower to be fairly straightforward. I haven't managed it anywhere else, but I've got close.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #364 on: 04 May, 2021, 07:29:39 pm »
The sprint ones and Alpe <1hr all require strength and fitness - Alpe x25 just requires persistence, and vEveresting requires opportunity and madness (but is eminently possible).
I don't have a problem with strength or fitness, I'm well into the 75th percentile there. I just need to lose 30kg and I could do the sub hour Alpe. I'd still be obese.

There aren't very many women in their 50s who can put out 700+ watts. Happy to see anecdata introducing them - we're open to recruits for the virtual team.  ;D

Cycling Weakly has a regular 10 mile Zwift event - I’m assuming that there is some sort of control and calibration - the top women average 200-240 watts, top men up to high 300s.


Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #365 on: 04 May, 2021, 09:18:33 pm »
I managed to get a load of the high power badges as a result of some kind of trainer glitch.  As far as I can tell there is no way of handing them back which is slightly frustrating as I now don't have them to aim for.
Same here. I was using at the time an even more basic set-up than now, with cadence, speed and HRM sensors. The cadence/speed sensor went haywire and, getting close to the end of an Innsbruck lap, I suddenly found myself doing 40mph everywhere. I'd got about three speed/power badges in the space of a mile before the Zwift bot stepped in and told me that my activity looked suspicious. I had to replace the sensor in the end, once I'd tracked down the fault by swapping things out for spares.

You're right about not having them to go for any more but, realistically, there's no way on earth I'd have got most of them anyway.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #366 on: 04 May, 2021, 09:22:20 pm »
...Alpe x25 just requires persistence...
Clearly I don't have that. I'm level 26 now, and I only went up the Alpe for the second time two days ago. 25 times may take a while. Some time, I suppose I'll have to have a go at Mont Ventoux. Perhaps.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #367 on: 04 May, 2021, 10:28:12 pm »
Err, yes, but if you wanted to, getting the AdZ x25 badge would be straightforward.  I’m Level 21 and have only ridden it six times, but that’s 24% and I am quite sure that it will happen in due course.  AdZ is great for using as an FTP test!

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #368 on: 05 May, 2021, 09:42:03 pm »
Came on to say I just passed 2000 miles on Zwift today (2005, as it happens). Been on since 15th June last year, so hardly mega mileage, but I'm happy considering that's about 2004 more than I've done in most years for the last 2 decades ;)


Now I need to add:

97kph is my highest, annoyingly, even off the radio tower. I'm 93kg currently, so I should go downhill ok, but I reckon the 6'4" sail I call a body is holding me back a bit.

As for the power badges... to take TimC's format: I'm 50 on Sunday, I've touched just over 1400w, I can crank out 900-1000 briefly at will... but again it falls off quickly. Love the 200 meter sprints! Zwiftpower says my 15secs is 880w, 1min is 396w and my FTP is just 227w. I actually ride somewhere between 205-215 generally on Zwift.

I hate the Alpe, and reckon I'd hate MV even more... it's just a loooooong slow tedious grind for me (about 1hr20 for the Alpe). And I got the Lightweights second time up!
Give me a rolling route where you can blast the ups and relax on the downs any day of the week - plays to my strengths ;)
Back in the saddle :)

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #369 on: 06 May, 2021, 08:04:19 am »
As for the power badges... to take TimC's format: I'm 50 on Sunday, I've touched just over 1400w, I can crank out 900-1000 briefly at will... but again it falls off quickly. Love the 200 meter sprints! Zwiftpower says my 15secs is 880w, 1min is 396w and my FTP is just 227w. I actually ride somewhere between 205-215 generally on Zwift.
Nice!  Maybe we should do a meetup and draft each other off the radio tower!

I can do 900W for 8-9s but it falls off a cliff and my 15s power is 776W according to Zwiftpower.  I've scraped 1040W; I don't think the 1100 badge is out of reach, but 1200 seems very unlikely!  Zwiftpower thinks my 1min power is 565W but I did 590 the other day, and my FTP is 293W at the moment.  I don't really have enough time to put in long, steady rides either on Zwift or on the road, so most of my Zwift riding is workouts or races.

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #370 on: 06 May, 2021, 10:01:53 pm »
I've scraped 1040W; I don't think the 1100 badge is out of reach, but 1200 seems very unlikely!

IIRC, I hit that max on the sprint workout from last year's academy : https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/zwift-academy-2020/2-sprint-profile
That workout just very specifically sets you up for your best sprint performance (and is really quite boring otherwise) so might be worth a go one day when you're feeling strong.
Back in the saddle :)

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #371 on: 06 May, 2021, 10:49:15 pm »
IIRC, I hit that max on the sprint workout from last year's academy : https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/zwift-academy-2020/2-sprint-profile
That workout just very specifically sets you up for your best sprint performance (and is really quite boring otherwise) so might be worth a go one day when you're feeling strong.
Cool, thanks, I might try that one out.  There are a whole lot of other punishing workouts I'd like to give a go: besides the famed Wringer and McCarthy Special, there's this one, which is probably not actually possible to complete, but I'm sure would be Type II fun to try: https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/coaches-challenge/day-1-minute-man  :demon:

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #372 on: 15 May, 2021, 07:29:57 pm »
Made 89.6 km/h down Innsbruck KOM today. Was in a group drafting down but not sure when it occurred. My max power on the ride was only 393 which was in a dash for the line at the top. If only I had tried harder on the descent.. One of our group got into super tuck which annoyed me so I passed him, which may have been my max speed moment.  In my wildest dreams I could not do 1000w :o
Move Faster and Bake Things

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #373 on: 16 May, 2021, 06:30:07 pm »
So there I am on the fourth lap up Box Hill, and I realise that I'm ripping the pedal out of my left crank. "That's OK", I think, "plenty more bikes in my Zwift garage." But all the ones I tried had the same issue. Think they've got a quality-control problem there!

Which left me wondering what to do. Abandon, when I've finally mostly completed the London Half Pretzel, or pedal round the rest on one leg. The sane thing to do is obvious. And then there's what I did...

Re: Zwifting - I think I need help!
« Reply #374 on: 16 May, 2021, 08:20:43 pm »
Shouldn't the Half Pretzel be done on one leg anyway?
Move Faster and Bake Things