Smart trainers and software

[warthog1]

Thanks fellas. I'll stick with zwift and put a bit more music on my phone.

[queequeg]

What do zwift users listen to whilst using the platform?
New phone and it took a while to get my music on it. Didn't transfer across off the old goer. I use my phone as a wifi hotspot to run the program through an apple TV box whilst away on call.
My word the zwift sound through the TV was annoying. Anyway I turn it down and just listen to music now that I spent a few hours getting it off my painfully slow laptop.

Also a few I follow on strava are doing trainer road workouts. The platform looks considerably cheaper.
I know nothing about it. Do you watch anything whilst doing the workout or is it just a sweat fest staring at a wall? Mildly interested but you can do structured sessions on zwift too. Just need to be in the mood for it. I am now getting older and slower and no longer race.

I usually turn the Zwift volume down (and you can turn that down or off within the game too). I am running it on AppleTV just because it's a nice simple setup, and I have my trainer setup outside under my pavilion with a 50" TV. I have a pair of Sonos One SL speakers mounted on the wall, and I run Spotify on my phone and stream my workout playlist directly to the Sonos speakers for total immersion.

[blizzard]

Most of the time I watch Netflix, watched the whole run of Seinfeld almost exclusively on the trainer, zwift running on Apple TV, and Netflix on the iPad. Failing that, podcasts on my phone, I've never found music to be a great motivator whilst riding.

[g-boaf]

I have no sound going while Zwift is running.

I prefer silence. I do chat with other riders I know on Zwift sometimes (using the companion app) or otherwise I’m struggling badly and too focused ok not being dropped.

The trainer cave has a decent Bose sound system connected to the Mac Pro by optical cable. That’s used for movies or music when I want to listen to those.

[g-boaf]

https://indievelo.com/ is another new cycling app - it's in beta at the moment and you are supposed to signup to get the downloads link but you could probably guess the page.

It''s not as nice graphically as Zwift but it has some interesting things like braking for corners - also seems to simulate tailwind/crosswind/headwind and it shows drafting effect - which Zwift doesn't unless you have the debug mode.

[g-boaf]

_

[Arbuckle23]

I saw the Shane Miller review.
Another way to spend money (if/when we can get them) as these might be handy

[caneye]

..
Also a few I follow on strava are doing trainer road workouts. The platform looks considerably cheaper.
I know nothing about it. Do you watch anything whilst doing the workout or is it just a sweat fest staring at a wall? Mildly interested but you can do structured sessions on zwift too. Just need to be in the mood for it. I am now getting older and slower and no longer race.

i believe Trainer Road is almost 50% more expensive than Zwift.
When using TR, I either have a second screen on Youtube or listen to podcast. Otherwise it is just staring at a wall.

You can do structured sessions on zwift but it doesn't allow you to customise your own plans - eg of your own duration and objective (eg preparing for racing/criterium vs fondo vs KOM ride etc).

And when mid-way through a plan, if you fall ill or too busy to train, Zwift's structured plan doesn't adjust for that.

TR has this "Adaptive AI" feature that can recognise your FTP change(s) without requiring you to do a ramp test.
Having said that, TrainingPeak's app has a similar algorithm that can recognise a change proactively.
I believe Zwift too has something similiar now.

[warthog1]

..
Also a few I follow on strava are doing trainer road workouts. The platform looks considerably cheaper.
I know nothing about it. Do you watch anything whilst doing the workout or is it just a sweat fest staring at a wall? Mildly interested but you can do structured sessions on zwift too. Just need to be in the mood for it. I am now getting older and slower and no longer race.

i believe Trainer Road is almost 50% more expensive than Zwift.
When using TR, I either have a second screen on Youtube or listen to podcast. Otherwise it is just staring at a wall.

You can do structured sessions on zwift but it doesn't allow you to customise your own plans - eg of your own duration and objective (eg preparing for racing/criterium vs fondo vs KOM ride etc).

And when mid-way through a plan, if you fall ill or too busy to train, Zwift's structured plan doesn't adjust for that.

TR has this "Adaptive AI" feature that can recognise your FTP change(s) without requiring you to do a ramp test.
Having said that, TrainingPeak's app has a similar algorithm that can recognise a change proactively.
I believe Zwift too has something similiar now.

Thanks.
If it is more expensive and more boring I have no interest.
I no longer race and being super structured in my training is unimportant tbh.
I now ride for enjoyment and to unwind.
Being outside is the preference. The trainer is only for when I can't do that.
Somebody I follow on Strava who titled their zwift ride as "Boring, but better than not riding at all".

That sums up trainer work for me quite well, better than I could have said it really.

[Tim]

^^^
I've abandoned Zwift and haven't been near the trainer for close to six months.
Had enough. I gave it over 5 years but just can't do it any more.
I take the dog for a long, brisk walk when the weather is bad.
Not quite as good a work-out but works wonders for lower back pain and other (age related) joint aches.
I arrive home feeling loose, pain free and clear in the head. Zwift and the trainer does the exact opposite.
Nothing beats riding outdoors on a fine day though.

[warthog1]

^^^
I've abandoned Zwift and haven't been near the trainer for close to six months.
Had enough. I gave it over 5 years but just can't do it any more.
I take the dog for a good, long, brisk walk when the weather is bad.
Not quite as good a work-out but does wonders for lower back pain and other (age related) joint aches.
I arrive home feeling loose, pain free and clear in the head. Zwift and the trainer does the exact opposite.
Nothing beats riding outdoors on a fine day though.

The dog would be loving that too.
Yep, I work away oncall with a pager on 24hrs a day. Used to be 8 days and 7 nights away. On a trial 5 night and day roster but less days off.
Only exercise whilst away.
Sits in the shed on holidays.
We are not in the city though. The extra traffic pressure would make it more useful there I expect.

[g-boaf]

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[g-boaf]

_

[warthog1]

This may be of interest as a new platform

[g-boaf]

This may be of interest as a new platform

Looks very interesting. and of course nice graphics.

But the lack of other real riders will hurt it for a while. Today and yesterday I was riding with (and chatting to) Florian Neuschwander (the crazy endurance runner) who is frequently riding on Zwift at the same time as I am.

Definitely will keep an eye on Rolla.

[g-boaf]

Zwift has gone to Stargate for inspiration- climb portals are in. They’ve added more climbs without the need to do all the scenery.

Interesting at first but I’m not really a fan. I’d prefer to have really scenery.

[Skipper_nz]

Hey guys and girls
I am one of the Admins for 'Rgt Australia' on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/250214353933996, we run weekly Monday night racing at 1930 AEST and have 6 TTT teams that ride weekly too, at the moment we are involved in a Tour de France thing, so it is all a bit over the place, but normally we get 40-50 riders for each race.
As an Ex Zwifter there are a couple of things i like about Wahoo RGT:
All our events are 100% FREE, just download, create account and go.
The speeds are much more realistic!
You can steer, so you can take the inside line at a corner, break the draft, or find the draft as you please.
The race radio is a great feature, so you can chat to riders around you too.
Graphicly the roads we race on are not that exciting, but I am focused on the race not the graphics.

Indievelo looks pretty good, obviously very much like Zwift, with a more racing focus and has been built from the ground up to work better for that, I have done a couple of races on there too, as well as MyWhoosh.

[warthog1]

Forgot my apple tv box this time at work.
Have been using it with the Zwift app on the trainer.
Bugger. P'ed me off:mad:
Anyway thought I'd give it a go with the app on my tablet on a rest break.
Not bad. I turn the volume down anyway and listen to music on my phone and have the Zwift companion app going.
It sits in a holder in front of the handlebar stem but I used it to take this photo.
Didn't mind it. Watched tv instead and just looked every now and then to make sure I didn't get dropped. Averaged 220w which you get to know how hard to pedal to maintain it I suppose.

[g-boaf]

Zwift rolled out pace dynamics 4.1 - supposedly better for racing but people are noting strange behaviour in big groups, such as being stuck to group speed and having to put way more power to get ahead, then once ahead they are able to reduce watts/kg and ride at a wkg that is more normal.

I jumped in and noticed the stickiness of the drafting in big robopacer groups so I've ditched those totally. I'll just ride Alpe du Zwift all the time from now on. No big groups there since the majority of Zwift riders dislike anything that resembles a hill.

[warthog1]

Yeah very plastic ks today. It was one of the B grade pacegroups. It did seem harder to hang on than it used to be.
Sit on higher watts per kg than the pace partner and you remained at the back
A quick stamp on the pedals and you were at the front though.
Whatever, I don't really enjoy it. Just ks when I can't ride otherwise.
I had train rides of the world or something going on the TV too. That was far more interesting.

[g-boaf]

Yeah very plastic ks today. It was one of the B grade pacegroups. It did seem harder to hang on than it used to be.
Sit on higher watts per kg than the pace partner and you remained at the back
A quick stamp on the pedals and you were at the front though.
Whatever, I don't really enjoy it. Just ks when I can't ride otherwise.
I had train rides of the world or something going on the TV too. That was far more interesting.

They are trying to reduce pack speeds for racing so that small breaks have a chance of success. Otherwise racing usually ended as the pack sitting around then gobbling up the breakaway in the last lap.

[warthog1]

They are trying to reduce pack speeds for racing so that small breaks have a chance of success. Otherwise racing usually ended as the pack sitting around then gobbling up the breakaway in the last lap.

I'll never race on there but that explains it then, thanks.

[g-boaf]

They are trying to reduce pack speeds for racing so that small breaks have a chance of success. Otherwise racing usually ended as the pack sitting around then gobbling up the breakaway in the last lap.

I'll never race on there but that explains it then, thanks.

Even more so that some real life racing, the races on Zwift were usually the domain of whoever could put out 1500-1600w at the final sprint. So you shouldn't be 60kg weight...

Zwift knows that this is a major element of their user base so they won't upset those people too much.

[Mr Purple]

Mirrors my Zwift racing experience.

Highest W/kg and overall watts for the event. Mix pack finish to some 80kg dude who sat on 200W the whole time except for his 1500W last 10 seconds.

Mind you that happens in the real world too!

I’m technically A+ now. I should get back on and ride some C grade races and get both beaten and instantaneously disqualified. That’s what broke me the first time - a London flat race where so finished 30/40 in B grade and got disqualified for excessive W/kg and promoted to A grade.

[warthog1]

Even more so that some real life racing, the races on Zwift were usually the domain of whoever could put out 1500-1600w at the final sprint. So you shouldn't be 60kg weight...

Zwift knows that this is a major element of their user base so they won't upset those people too much.

Yeah I figure there are a few 90kg + riders on there who somehow weigh 60kg when they get on the trainer.