I've been doing a lot of my work indoors lately. Had a cold snap here and been too busy at work to ride outdoors at lunch.

Either way, from logging about 5 to 6hrs a week now on Zwift, versus normally 1hr, I can kind of see what you mention here.

One thing I think that's kind of "weird" and have no idea how they would fix it, is the "infinite draft" effect of busier roads. I've been mostly training indoors on the TT bike, and using that in Zwift. No draft.

Last night I had the normal folks on my coat tails during my sweetspot workout. I'm at like 230 or 260w for about a 1/2 hour at a time. It just defied logic to see road bike riders riding at 75w less power able to go past me, be in front of me pushing their own wind.......only to then immediately get the "CdA of 0.17" for the next group ahead of them by about 100 yards and continue on their way.

It's probably impossible to code the logic of how actual groups like that work. If you're passing a group like that, you're pushing your own wind beside them as you pass. You're not filtering up the middle of them bouncing around while constantly benefitting from the "0.17 CdA".

Anyone who has done the "reverse rotation" team workout where you come off the back and accelerate to the front knows this!

I do tend to notice the physics work how I'd expect if you're on lower volume roads in Zwift.

Admittedly I'm a fairly new Zwifter as well as someone with low-level tech needs. I've been quite happy running Zwift on an old iPad with the companion app on my phone. Out of curiosity though I checked out the link you included and this was all I needed to know:


/end of my curiosity.

It certainly works on many platforms, but 4k ultra mode on a 65" TV is pretty amazing. :)

I've had my Kickr unit for a year now, but just decided to join Training Peaks. When I finish a Zwift ride my screen asks if I want to download the workout to a list of platforms or apps. It is set on a default Wahoo. I can't get the cursor to engage the line with all the other options so I can choose TP. any ideas?

Oh yea, I have my stuff hooked into a monitor via Apple TV and that worthless piece of shit Apple remote.

as to the worthless POS remote, 2 things: first, it does get better with time. second, there is an online app that simulates the remote. your iphone is probably a better remote than the remote. this creates a potential problem, because, if you want both the remote and the companion app both up and at-the-ready simultaneously, you see the issue. however, i have old iphones in my workshop tasked for specific duties: music, remote, what have you. if you task an old handheld with the job of the remote, you may like that better. it is undeniably true that appletv4k remains by far the cheapest way to robustly run zwift. an appletv + big screen + TV stand may in total set you back $600, maybe less, and that's a pretty slick set up.

i don't know what to tell you on the cursor stuck on wahoo. what you want to do is sync the zwift files to other platforms, i sync mine to strava and then sync down to the slowtwitch training log. i'm sure plenty of folks here are direct-syncing to TP. maybe somebody can opine on your problem.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

To get the workouts pushed to other platforms you need to enable a connection from your account.

1. Go to zwift.com using a web browser and login with your credentials.
2. Once logged in click on your avatar icon (top right-ish) to edit your profile.
3. A bunch of info will come up including a list on the right, one link will say "Connections".
4. Click connections, then you will be taken to screen where you can choose which platforms your workouts will be shared with.
5. Scroll down and find the Trainigpeaks icon and hit connect; IIRC you will be prompted to enter your TP login/pass.

I'm sure there are other ways to enable connections but this is how I have done mine.

i'm sure you're aware of the zwift duathlon series on weekends, which has been running for about a year now. was pretty popular in the beginning, but interest seemed to wane, and i think the organizer has gone MIA for the last 2 months. there is still an active FB group with >1k users, and most are still interested in it. personally i would like to see a shorter Du series that takes about 1 hour (3k /20k/5k) because right now it takes about 2.5 hours including a warmup. i think a lot of folks would appreciate a shorter version with different courses each week. could ST use its clout to run something like this, or take over and improve the original (if the organizer really is done with it?)
if not this, then what about organizing some brick type events? thanks!

i think that in about a week, maybe 10 days, somewhere in there, those who are looking for a robust duathlon option on zwift might have smiles on their faces.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

great to hear, thank you! any chance zwift is fixing the way that actual events happen? right now with fixed start times, you either wait for everyone to finish R1 before biking, or have multiple bike events (which leads to multiple R2 events etc) If there was some way it could operate like a meetup with late join, but you had to finish the specific distance before moving to next event, i think that would be a more elegant way of doing it virtually.

if an event were to be conducted by time, rather than by distance, then this should solve the problem if i understand your question correctly.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

current system has 4 different Run1 categories. slowest people run first, with fastest runners choosing the last starting time. this way everyone finishes within a few minutes of the scheduled bike start. bike is by A-D categories. after the bike you join the R2 race whose starting time should hopefully line up correctly if you picked the right bike category. final times are 3 races added together with everyone getting a standard 2 minute transition (moot point to even add this into final time in my opinion) Overall it's a little complicated and turns newbies off.

i imagine a cleaner option would function more like a meet up race with late join and no categories. This would only work if late join spawns you at the start line rather than joining the pack mid course. imagine R1 is one mile, everyone starts together. bike race would be scheduled to start 4 minutes later , most would join somewhere between 5-10 minutes later and then ride prescribed distance. once they've hit the bike finish, they join final run event. everyone would be starting this event at a different time, so a fixed start time wouldn't work, it would have to be rolling start, hence the late join idea. as long as everyone does the full distance, winner would simply be who ever finishes R2 based on clock time (that includes transitioning trainer/treadmill etc which can be tricky for some) or winner could be just summation of 3 events, eliminating transition woes.

[/quote] if an event were to be conducted by time, rather than by distance, then this should solve the problem if i understand your question correctly.

this could also work, i think it would have to be non drafting, and finish place maybe based on points, as aggregating run and bike distance is apples and oranges

now that i think about it more, this maybe the easiest option with current zwift programming. do 15 min R1 and assign points to the finish times. could be done with or without categories . bike could be a 30 minute race set to start exactly 20 min after R1. same thing with points assigned to finish place with or without categories... R2 would then start 35 min after bike, and also be a fixed time, whoever runs farthest gets most points etc. total final points determines winner..... is that what you were thinking?

if an event were to be conducted by time, rather than by distance, then this should solve the problem if i understand your question correctly.

this could also work, i think it would have to be non drafting, and finish place maybe based on points, as aggregating run and bike distance is apples and oranges[/quote]
i don't know that it has to be non-drafting. as to how you score, it could be points, or it could be distance back from first place. i believe a number of events, of different formats, are going to show up somewhere between now and 30 days from now, and there'll be a rollout of various options. suffice it to say that by, say, march 1 i think you'll have seen enough rollouts of options that your calendar will be silly with races exactly or close to what you're looking for. at least that's my prediction.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

It's a large part of why Zwift group rides where everyone is visible gets to be very fubar. When the front of a somewhat stretched group is close enough to another person/group up ahead, the front begins to experience not only the lower effective CdA but also an increase in speed (due to the sticky draft). It's as if those being passed were providing a hand-sling to those at the front of the group. As a result, the already stretched group gets even more stretched. Having only members of the ride visible (while hiding everyone else) has alleviated the issue, but it's readily apparent in the Pace Partner rides.

I tend to ride late sometimes, ~9 P.M. CST. There are a lot fewer riders out there at this time, and Pace Partner rides are quite doable at ~215-220 W. In contrast, it's a zoo at the busier times (when there may be 20 K riders on watopia), so much so that one rarely breaks the air. The Pace Partner also has a tendency to chase (for whatever logic), and the result is essentially what group rides were like before Zwift enabled the option to hide other riders. The speed is also significantly faster, whereas the B-pace Pace Partner group (of ~10 ppl) does ~41-42 kph during the less popular times on Tempus Fugit, that same group would do ~44-45 kph, because the front of the group is constantly receiving benefits of the sticky draft. One also has to be ready to dial it up to 280 W for 60-90 seconds at a time, just to stay in the wheels of those at the front.

If there's one thing that could help, it's to make sure that the Pace Partner stays toward the back of the group (or reduce the draft benefits received by the Pace Partner). This way, those pinging off the front would drift up the road, and those wishing to do a group ride with the Pace Partner don't have to surge to stay in contact.

You can also do this in the companion very easily.
When you open the app on your phone you will see on the bottom right corner 3 dots and more, click on that, and one of the options it will bring up is "settings", click on settings and that will bring up multiple options, with one of them being "connections" click on that, and you will see training peaks etc... it is super easy and convenient (once you know it's there :) ).

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http://www.instagram.com/cyclewise

could this be related to WTRL adding a "Zwift Duathlon League" link on their homepage?

that is a curious data point, is it not?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

A 2 - part question.

My Tacx Bushido under-reports wattage. Does that mean I am going slower, relative to my peers on Zwift and thus, make racing an exercise in futility?

Is there a remedy for this?

(I tested my Zwift wattage against my CT wattage for a very similar effort. Over 30 min. CT = 190 watts for 120 HR. Zwift 142 watts for 118 HR).

As a third measure, on my Powertap, my wattage/hr numbers are quite close to the CT.

Thnx.

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http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

I'd like to get started with Zwift, but I'd rather not buy an Apple TV since I won't use it for anything else. What's the best way to get Zwift to my TV?

If you have chromecast or a smart TV you could cast from a phone or a laptop.

I was doing that for awhile then gave up and bought the apple TV (only use it for zwift). I like the convenience of it always being ready to go.

maybe you're way ahead of me here, but just to make sure, do you know what an appletv is? it's just a small box, maybe 4"x4"x2". it's a computer. what you'd need is an appletv 4k. it's $179. i think it's kind of badly named. you'd need to hook it up to a monitor of some sort. TV set (which is what it's designed for) or a computer monitor. i've got, i think, 3 of these in current use with zwift loaded on them, and i'm getting one more today. it's by far the cheapest, easiest way to run zwift on a decent sized screen.

zwift, like any app or game, will run on whatever operating systems the designers choose. zwift runs in iOS, OSX, windows and android. so, it'll work on almost any handheld device, tablet, or computer, except a kindle. plus, zwift will run on "appletv OS", which is great, because you really don't want to ride with zwift using a laptop or tablet if you don't have to. what you want is the biggest TV screen you can get.

now, the appletv 4k is also badly named because it's not really ultra 4k. i've got a pretty good gaming rig, a windows, and THAT is ultra 4k. you don't get quite the depth perception and the colors on an appletv that you get with a gaming computer. but that appletv 4k runs zwift pretty nicely.

what you need to get a pretty nice pain cave set up going is an appletv 4k, a repurposed tv or monitor, an hdmi cable and if you buy one i'd err on the side of a couple of feet longer than you think you'd need, and you're going to have to prop up that TV on something. rule of thumb is, if it's for running you'll want it high, so you can see over your treadmill. if it's for cycling you'll want it lower, with the bottom of the TV not more than about 20" off the ground, and you'll need to tilt that TV so that it's angled up, so that you're looking square at it when you're riding. if you buy a TV stand for this, make sure it's got that tilt capacity.

then, you have to have a smart trainer if you want to get the full benefit. that's by far the largest expense, because if you buy it new these will start at about $750 or $800. and a bike.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

boy, i don't know. tacx bushido? how long have you had that? it's time for an upgrade to an actual DD smart trainer, if you can swing it.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

how old is your powertap? Can you use that as your power source?

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I realize that it is "sort of old" technology, but I bought it new in November of 2019. No plans to upgrade, as I just dropped a grand (Canadian) on a Zipp 303 S that you raved about a few months back. That will hopefully be attached to either the Caledonia 105 or the QR SR-5 in the spring.

Going back to the orig. question, I have messed about a lot with the tyre/roller tension but that does not appear to make any impact on the reading either.

Thanks for your time.

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http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

i have had a tacx bushido, and i tried my darndest with it, but i just couldn't warm up to it. i hear you on the expense side of things. i think it's time for me to beat the bushes with the trainer makers and see what sort of deal i can wrangle down on blems or refurbs. let me see who's got what at a price maybe i can cram down for you folks. i just don't know how to put lipstick on a bushido.

you do have a computrainer, no? there is that capacity to ride zwift on a computrainer, you need a FTDI USB to stereo adapter, i'm sure you know this. if you can indulge me, what has been the roadblock to using CT for zwifting?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman