Yes my first question is, "what is a Zwift meetup?". How is it different than a group ride/run? Just less formal?

Would these be placed on a calendar somewhere or would it be invite only?

Thanks!

I think they can be best described as a less formal, yet less public group ride/run. Anybody can set one up via the Zwift Companion app, but you can only invite people who follow you. It offers some basic scheduling parameters and an option to make it a no drop ride. It sounds a bit self-centered at first, but in a way, it's a means to say, "hey, I'm willing to be a ride leader."

I did one Tuesday evening having invited a few friends to join me in Titan's Grove for a 30 minute ride. It was a little odd riding alone with a giant ride leader icon floating over my head. Lol!

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

There are 2 entries for your name. One has the Vector emblem, the other didn't. Both you?

I'm curious about this meetup feature. No idea how it works but FYI I'm in the eastern time zone if you need a victim.
Tsunami = nickname for Sue = Susan on Zwift.

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To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

Oh, good point - it is the one with the Vector icon. I will see if I can get rid of that other one. Thank you!

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

Hey Travis—

Kelly and I have been using the Meetup feature a lot for our coaching business—if you have any questions about functionality, feel free to shoot me a note. The new “keep ride together” tool has been SUPER useful as we have such a wide variety of abilities that show up to these.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

I see your meetup invite and wonder what happens if a person joins late? I could try to hop on briefly after swimming but realistically may struggle with being on time.
LMK what you think and I'll accept (don't see any other takers just yet).

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To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

I'd definitely like to try it out but don't have any experience with meetups or following people. I use Zwift through my phone so some of the finer details are tough to navigate to find certain things.

This is a great thought, and I will take you up on your offer to chat about it. Thank you!

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

That would actually be a useful test. For this one, I did enable the "keep everyone together" functionality, so it would be interesting to see if it just drops you in with the group. In my mind, that would be nice. Let's see what happens!

I'll get a couple more Meetups going over the next week or so.

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

do you know how much difference in effort (in terms of w/kg) is required before significant gaps appear? also, what happens when those gaps do appear? do the front riders "tread water" so to speak, or do the riders at then end get a magical tow to the front?

I am right there with you on experience with this, so we can all learn together. I imagine it will be challenging if you are Zwifting on your phone, as I don't know how well running both Zwift and the companion app on the same device will work. It certainly seems to be designed to be different devices.

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

My understanding is that as long as you keep pedaling, you won't get dropped. Now, in my mind, that opens up a can of worms - let's say you and I ride together and you're cranking out an average of 400 watts and cover 30 miles over the course of the ride, but I am puttering along at a steady 40 watts the entire time. Am I going to get credit for 30 miles? Will my slow pace slow our little group so that you don't get full credit for the work you did? Could we take turns doing hard pulls to create a really strong draft effect? I don't know how that works.

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

indeed

personally I think it's a good feature, and def something that couldn't be replicated in real life. As another poster mentioned, it allows everyone to stay together for a group ride, which makes the virtual riding experience more enjoyable (at least for me).

but there are quite a few unintended consequences. I could certainly see how a few scheming competitive types try to snipe the various KOM and course records by doing almost all out efforts and putter at 75W to recover, only to hit it again after four other guys have had their turns.

In that light, perhaps better to have the speed adjusted to be a group average of some sort (or outright disable group ride efforts when the no drop option is active)