Had a good time on the ride this morning, the B group was brisk, fun and stayed together pretty well. Thanks to group leader A. Fuller (Fuller on here?).
I have a question though. Today it was at 5:30 am ET, but with the clocks getting turned back this weekend, does that mean it will be 4:30 next week? I don’t know if events are scheduled based on the time zone of the event creators choosing, or if they are set based on GMT time. I’m a morning person, but 4:30 am is probably pushing it for me.
I had a good time despite some technical difficulties. Everything was working fine, but when the ride started, zwift stopped listening to my trainer. By the time I got reconnected, I had to hustle a bit to catch anyone. Thankfully I was in the D group. Unthankfully (is that a word?) The D group was so spread out it was just hopping from one rider to another every few minutes.
Anyway, for my first “group ride”, it was still a good time. It was fun to try to latch on to wheels take turns leading, even though my group was small.
Would do again.
Also, is there some way to identify the leader for the different groups? Is there a leader for the different groups?
The leader of a group will have a giant gold beacon above him. I know B and C had leaders, and I’m pretty sure that A did not, I’m not sure about D.
The leader of a group will have a giant gold beacon above him. I know B and C had leaders, and I’m pretty sure that A did not, I’m not sure about D.
every leader has a beacon. i think sweeps also have a beacon. it’ll stay at 5:35am. the As didn’t have a leader. most of the leaders were newbie leaders. so, everyone’s growing together in this. i woke up at 2:33am, my time, 2min before you all took off. a mother’s worry.
Thanks Dan. 5:30 works perfect for me. I can’t speak to the other groups, but I thought things went really well in the B group.
That was a fun ride. I was the c sweep. We will do better next week at controlling starting pace.
Can you guys talk to each other as you ride in zwift? I don’t have a trainer that would work, but I am really wanting one so I can do some of these.
Some groups will set up a discord (separate app) channel so that they can talk during rides. Slowtwitch doesn’t have one that I’m aware of. You can message each other inside of Zwift, and there was some of that going on today.
Can you guys talk to each other as you ride in zwift? I don’t have a trainer that would work, but I am really wanting one so I can do some of these.
what trainer do you have?
Can you please explain what “sweep†means?
jw67 - Thanks for sweeping! I was the C group leader and things took out really quickly this week. My preference will be to control that next week. The lesson I took away from this morning was to focus on the planned w/kg for the group rather than trying to wrangle the whole group from the front. This way, people that go out hot off the front can come back to the prescribed pace if they would like.
Overall, I had a blast!
I am ashamed to say. . .
Its a very old magnetic trainer that I bought for 10 dollars at a garage sale. Its probably from the early 2000s era. . .
I am ashamed to say. . .
Its a very old magnetic trainer that I bought for 10 dollars at a garage sale. Its probably from the early 2000s era. . .
you have 3 options: 1. get a new trainer. 2. get a $55 speed and cadence sensor and you’re ready to zwift on your current trainer. we have a series right now on how to zwift using a speed and cadence sensor. it’s on the front page. 3. do the second option now, and the 3rd option later, when i rustle you up some sort of deal.
My thanks also to A. Fuller for a good job as ride leader of group B. I think the double draft also helped keep things together. I’m assuming slowman means that the time will remain at 5:30 EST, compensating for the time change.
Quinny98 – sweep is the rider who tries to keep other riders from falling of the back of the pack or might fall back to pull dropped riders back to the pack
eta – sorry 5:35 am est. great time and great ride! – inspired me to join the forum and make a comment!
My thanks also to A. Fuller for a good job as ride leader of group B. I think the double draft also helped keep things together. I’m assuming slowman means that the time will remain at 5:30 EST, compensating for the time change.
we will keep this at 5:35 EST. we had 88 people on that ride. i’ll debrief the leaders and we’ll see how we can shore up any deficiencies. there are going to be some surprises on that ride in the coming weeks.
Can you please explain what “sweep†means?
a sweep is a ride leader whose job is to cater to those at the back of the pack, or in the second pack if there are 2 packs.
I was bringing up the rear, and kind of wrangling the people behind, just another beacon for people to follow
.
I was the D sweep. First time ever sweeping so I’m not sure if I did it right. I pretty much soft-pedaled until people at the back could get on my wheel and I tried to pull them up a little. Unfortunately I think the couple of people that kept slipping back were having technical issues as they often showed 0 watts.
Any direction from experienced sweepers?
I was the D sweep. First time ever sweeping so I’m not sure if I did it right. I pretty much soft-pedaled until people at the back could get on my wheel and I tried to pull them up a little. Unfortunately I think the couple of people that kept slipping back were having technical issues as they often showed 0 watts.
Any direction from experienced sweepers?
i think you did it right.
No B leader today, the perils of only having 1 leader I suppose, so most of us B-riders rode with the A group. Matt (TriIowaCPA) tried to kill us, but it was a good ride. Thanks Matt!
Though, maybe next time, less of the 6w/kg intervals off the front 