Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Prev Next
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [mwanner1] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I used TR for a very long time, since their Beta and highly recommend it if you want to just get on your bike, put your head down, and get a workout done.
Zwift is fun maybe for the off season or days where you just want to ride your bike. I felt like it took more efforts to get on it though.

Currently I dont' have either one. I just get on my bike and follow the workout my coach prescribed and get off, wipe and repeat. Just find it easier that way and I don't have to deal with technology hiccups. I think I am either getting lazy to deal with tech or trying to optimize my time more. But if I want to get back, I would pick TR.


SmartBikeTrainers.com || YouTube || My Twitter
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [mwanner1] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I've used both of these plus CycleOps Virutal Training. I know I'm a different breed so my input will be more geared towards the "get it done" mentality.

I find I can't ride Zwift for any more than an hour before I am bored out of my mind. Loop after loop of a course just gets boring after the initial cool factor wears off. Then when you enter into the "TRAINING" mode it becomes a joke. All the coolness factor I experienced on my CompuTrainer with the hills and terrain adjusting the resistance gets washed away and it's a power target. So there I am going up a hill, where I expect more resistance, which is why Zwift was so cool to me in the first place, but since it's during my recovery, the resistance and the hill get disconnected from the experience. Whats the point of the course and terrain at that point? It doesn't represent anything and may as well be the lines, bars, and simple interface of Trainer Road.

When it comes to group rides I find that riders on the course are in a "racing" mindset rather than a group rider mentality where you get in productive riding/training. Even when you read the above posts you'll see many saying "I'm competitive so I don't want people to pass me so I go hard as I can". This is good if it's a day where you are after a hard workout but not for the rest of the times. Also the group rides tend to be at really low W/kg so this is another issue which needs to be addressed. Group ride should be organized by W/kg targets so you can get the workout you're after with the community feel we're after.

Overall I use ZWIFT for my recovery rides, my short spin my legs, and for any personally organized group rides with my local training pals who are also on there. Trainer Road is for serious structured planned out training where results are the goal. This is where the "get it done" mentality comes in because TR gives you what you need and nothing more to get fitter, faster and stronger on 2 wheels. I also will use CycleOps Virtual training for 60 minute or less sessions (free is limited) to switch up the distraction from Zwift once in a while. It's also worth looking into for those of you using both of these platforms.

------
"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [cshowe80] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Quote:
When it comes to group rides I find that riders on the course are in a "racing" mindset rather than a group rider mentality where you get in productive riding/training.

That was one thing that kind of bugged me about Zwift. I mostly do prescribed workouts indoors and I love TR for that and will continue to use it. I'm definitely in the "get on, get your work done, get off" camp and I do not need, or even really want, distractions from the work.

But, Zwift seems like it would be fun for unstructured rides or those longer steady state workouts. But its only really fun after a while if you turn it into a group ride. Otherwise your just trading TV for endlessly repeating the same virtual scenery. I do a lot of real group riding and unfortunately, the Zwift experience on that end mostly mirrors real life bad group rides! I'll give them this, they have perfectly captured the Tuesday Night hell ride were half the people are racing and the other half are never pulling and no one is interested in working together ;-)
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [mwanner1] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Disclaimer: I'm the original "creator" of Zwift (altho we've grown to several programmers and artists now).

It can't be said enough that Zwift and TR are very different products.

Zwift is a place to go ride and do whatever it is you want to do, whether it's structured training via Zwift's training module, hopping on the chill Saturday social ride, fighting for the KOM jersey, or just getting on to get some base miles in. You could call it a game, but I suspect the Zwifters who get on day after day doing structured workouts probably consider it more of a tool. Either way, I recognize that for some portion of you TR meets your needs, and for what it does I think it's great. They are both free to try so there's no harm in just giving them both a go.

A side benefit to these software solutions is that we're all collectively making indoor training a more viable option, and hardware manufacturers are now putting more effort into making trainers that are better than anything we've seen before.

Jon
PS It's cool that co-founders of both companies have long been members of this forum. Slowtwitch is special like that.
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [Tony5] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Quote:
TrainerRoad is probably the best all around app for structured training. Zwift provides greater entertainment

The good news IMO is that it's much easier to get on Zwift with a structured plan of your own and be entertained while on Zwift than it is to use a structured TR plan and be entertained by reruns of Big Bang Theory or repeat podcasts.
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [mwanner1] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I used both for a long time. I cancelled my TR subscription. Zwift is just now rolling out workout modules. However, I still use my own workouts and program it in my Garmin. I look forward to custom workouts. I pedal my avatar around the course and like to chit chat during recovery. I made some friends too. I'm a social butterfly and Zwift fits that.
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [mwanner1] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I haven't ridden on the trainer in months, but TR was far better for me than Zwift. Zwift is too clunky, but TR is simple and so freaking effective.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [Nolegs] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Nolegs wrote:
I didn't know you could use two Ant+ sticks and workout to Zwift and Train Road at the same time? Thanks for that bit of knowledge.

Can you confirm you have tried this and it works? Same PC with 2 usb ant sticks and you can run both programs?
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [drluke12] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
It definitely works. I have 2 monitors set up, 2 Ant+ sticks. Trainer Road on one monitor while I watch Zwift. The best of both worlds!!
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [cshowe80] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
cshowe80 wrote:
I find I can't ride Zwift for any more than an hour before I am bored out of my mind. Loop after loop of a course just gets boring after the initial cool factor wears off. Then when you enter into the "TRAINING" mode it becomes a joke. All the coolness factor I experienced on my CompuTrainer with the hills and terrain adjusting the resistance gets washed away and it's a power target. So there I am going up a hill, where I expect more resistance, which is why Zwift was so cool to me in the first place, but since it's during my recovery, the resistance and the hill get disconnected from the experience. Whats the point of the course and terrain at that point? It doesn't represent anything and may as well be the lines, bars, and simple interface of Trainer Road.

I don't follow? I'm riding in ERG mode on Zwift and once my trainer is connected to Zwift there is a setting called Trainer Difficulty (scale the feel of gradient changes). I have mine set to about 3/4 and uphills and downhills are incredible. Are you saying you're not happy with the recovery workouts you're doing in Zwift or what? It seems to me to be a game where you can basically do whatever you want to do by either following one of their new their training plans, a group ride with the boys, or simply freestyling by following your own power plan and jumping in a ride.

-------------------
Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [mwanner1] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I used TR for over a year and tried Zwift during its beta.. Zwift was good for a few rides then I got bored. I'm back on TR now. I may give Zwift another try with their structured workouts.

I found TR gave much a much better workout.
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [jmX] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I must admit I absolutely hate my trainer. I hate everything about training indoors. I am SURE my training suffers from my dislike of the indoor season. On recommendation I tried the Zwift trial. It truly made the indoor experience much more fun. I have even done extra workouts I would not normally have done. I can challenge myself, or ride with friends across the country.
After the trial I joined. Pretty cheap price to pay to get me off my butt and more interested in training and keeping fit.
I am curious what is next and how the training programs will evolve.
Keep op the great work.
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [Nolegs] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Nolegs wrote:
It definitely works. I have 2 monitors set up, 2 Ant+ sticks. Trainer Road on one monitor while I watch Zwift. The best of both worlds!!
. Yup. Did it this morning. All good!
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [mwanner1] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Here's a perspective I haven't seen mentioned yet...revolving around having a PM or not.

I have been an avid user of TR for about a year. I used the structured plans to prepare for 140.6 distance and saw significant FTP improvements throughout the year. I've been cycling for 15 years, and I was in the best shape of my life this season largely due to TR.

I started using zwift about 3 weeks ago. At first I thought it was pretty awesome. I still think it is pretty cool. But here is why my honeymoon with zwift is already almost over... I have no power meter.

That's right...a PM is still not quite in my budget. Nevertheless, I take my training seriously, am pretty competitive by nature, and place very well in local races, etc. I have found TR's virtual power to be very good for my purposes. I have no idea how accurate it is relative to actual power, but I have plenty of evidence to convince me that it is very CONSISTENT, and that's really all that matters in the TR environment. With zwift, running zpower, accuracy relative to actual power is actually much more important to function properly in the zwift environment. Also, for some reason, zwift zpower seems to be a little generous to my setup...not sure why...zwift has a power curve for my specific trainer and I'm very consistent with my setup (a habit borne from TR virtual power reliance). Anyway, so much of the zwift experience is tied to power RELATIVE to other zwifters, that this is a significant issue. For one thing, I never know how "honest" my zwift performance is and that bothers me. For another, I have already grown weary of all the snarky zwifter remarks about anything that any other zwifter accomplishes while using zpower. For me, it feels like a zwiftopia of the haves and have nots. I totally get the perspective of suspicion from the haves, but it's still not fun to see those remarks shortly after my heart almost freakin exploded on a hard effort. So, instead of being frustrated about my lack of a PM in zwift, I just ended my short "off season" and committed to another engaging structured base plan in TR the last few days. I may dabble in zwift again whenever I get around to pulling the trigger on a PM.

Two additional thoughts:
1. I sort of like all the netflix'ing I do while destroying myself in TR intervals. I missed that while trying out zwift.
2. I tried a couple workouts within zwift and they seemed very amateurish to me compared to what I feel are pretty well put together plans and workouts in TR. To be fair, I didn't spend a ton of time shopping around the available zwift workouts yet.

TR will continue to get my money. I will likely cancel zwift soon to help justify my future PM purchase instead. :)
Last edited by: Roadhog: Nov 29, 15 13:51
Quote Reply
Re: Trainer Road or Zwift? [Roadhog] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
One other thing to consider is a trainer with ERG mode. I picked up a PowerBeam Pro and Zwift simulates hills like you wouldn't believe. There is also a setting in Zwift called Trainer Difficulty (scale the feel of gradient changes). So if you want to do a climbing workout you could turn that level up. However, if you want to mostly spin like you're on a flat course just turn that slider down. Today as I was climbing on the Richmond course every time I came out of the saddle my virtual rider also came out of the saddle. I couldn't freakin' believe it.



k89533720 wrote:
I must admit I absolutely hate my trainer. I hate everything about training indoors. I am SURE my training suffers from my dislike of the indoor season. On recommendation I tried the Zwift trial. It truly made the indoor experience much more fun. I have even done extra workouts I would not normally have done. I can challenge myself, or ride with friends across the country.
After the trial I joined. Pretty cheap price to pay to get me off my butt and more interested in training and keeping fit.
I am curious what is next and how the training programs will evolve.
Keep op the great work.

Absolutely agree. It's a game-changer for me since almost all my training rides are indoors. As most everyone says, different athletes respond to different training stimulus. Some will do well with TR and others will enjoy the gamelike aspect of Zwift.

I can't wait to see how Zwift evolves. It seems to me most of the hard work is already done (with the graphics, sound, game engine, etc.) and new features, workouts and new courses can be added in relatively easily.

-------------------
Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram
Quote Reply

Prev Next