Zwift spins

dahat wrote: »

https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=613935

This week's CI Race, nice hill pretty much from the get go it seems.

Is there some sort of welsh league or championship on the same race ? Seems to be something like that looking at the entries . Could be a really competitive race wales v Ireland

MediaMan wrote: »

Read through a lot of this thread (not all admittedly), very interesting, but see it's mostly about racing events.

Can anyone recommend some Zwift leisure events or races where someone putting out a paltry 2.5 W/kg would have some company?

Keep an eye on Facebook/websites of Zwift, Zwift Insider, CI , Ti for social rides led by Pros. Nico Roche had one a while back, Geraint Thomas did 3 x 12 hour rides last week. Ineos and Israel Startup hosted some recently. Otherwise I just join in with any social group ride scheduled.

MediaMan wrote: »

Read through a lot of this thread (not all admittedly), very interesting, but see it's mostly about racing events.

Can anyone recommend some Zwift leisure events or races where someone putting out a paltry 2.5 W/kg would have some company?

The zwift Ireland group have a social ride this evening at 7, you'll have to look them up on Facebook and down load the zwift companion app. The pace is 2w/kg but it typically splits and front will average around 3w/kg

There's also The Herd group they're usually around 1.5w/kg and I believe the have some kind of limit that boots you out if you leave the group.

Zwift companion is usually where I sign up for group spins or races and its handy to use for chat on spins, there's also discord app but I haven't gone down that road yet.

MediaMan wrote: »

Read through a lot of this thread (not all admittedly), very interesting, but see it's mostly about racing events.

Can anyone recommend some Zwift leisure events or races where someone putting out a paltry 2.5 W/kg would have some company?

Nearly did a race this morning, but went up the Alpe instead. I haven't raced yet.

Use the Companion App, and look for non-workouts/ TT's that are down as category E would be my starting point. Join Zwift Team Ireland on facebook too. I've done some of the "classics" group workouts too. The current ardennes one isn't too bad (compared to the roubaix one anyway!)

I've done a couple on Saturday mornings since signing up to zwift, as I like to start earlier than the Zwift Ireland meet ups. ZwiftNL have one at 8am, with double draft which was more social. Definitely chat at the end helping people through anyway. Belgian Zwift Riders have a "Flanders Endurance Series" at 8.15 (this one is timed/ more of a gran fondo - less chat based on my one event). Both seem to be in and around 100km every week. Routes don't seem to be confirmed until later in the week, for ZNL one anyway.

This week I'm looking at TeamPL Tour 2020 stage 7 (I expect to be like the Flanders one) which is following the mega pretzel route, depending on the NL route. UK zwifters have one that goes at 10 most Saturdays. And there's actually a 200km audax showing for this Saturday!

Every event I've done on zwift has been balls out at the start until it calms down, including "social"/ "recovery" events. I'd say don't be put off by that - you'll get a group.

I probably would've raced if it had been a bit longer in my window. I may end up doing the CI on Saturday yet - I'm signed up on zwiftpower a few weeks.

Never done the real Alpe, but if zwift is realistic I can see why many of the pro's hate it. I did it during Haute Route Watopia but that was on a phone that didn't cope with casting (just about coped on the phone screen) with that many people. It was essentially just a workout. Apple TV, and a bigger TV, making a massive difference to the zwift experience (overall and definitely on the Alpe).

Ive a 32inch tv and an apple tv4 for zwifting and it is miles ahead of the pc and tv as just works overtime.

MediaMan wrote: »

Read through a lot of this thread (not all admittedly), very interesting, but see it's mostly about racing events.

Can anyone recommend some Zwift leisure events or races where someone putting out a paltry 2.5 W/kg would have some company?

SAS group rides are always at the advertised pace. Most of their group rides happen to be around 2.5 and I’d recommend them- they keep a steady pace always.
I’ve no interest in racing either- it would kill me!!

Two Zwift B races & two coffin box (4th) places, could have won last night but just missed an edge in the gallop.

Mad craic & loving it so far.

Crocked wrote: »

This is pretty much the best setup for Zwift unless you already have a top end laptop. Even if you don't have an old tv stuck in the back of the house already, a new tv and appletv 4K could be done for €400. "Cheap" by cycling standards and will get years of use out of them.

400 is basically what it cost me, delivered. I tried to get away with one of the old 19 inches I was already using, but I couldn't adjust the zoom, so was missing the edges on the apple TV. Seemed to be serious money for gaming laptops.

Everyone happy, as I went for a walker TV with built in FTA Satellite/ Saorview/ Netflix/ RTE Player, so tidied up the sitting room by getting rid of the receiver and cabling and easier to use than casting/ firetv stick (if anyone needs to sell it to a better half ).

I do have a question for long term zwifters - unlike TrainerRoad, there's no price benefit for staying subscribed. However, if you stop the zwift subscription for a while, and then go back to it, do you lose whatever level you're at and all the frames and wheels you've spent drops on?

joey100 wrote: »

I've been back and forward on zwift for a few years now, usually stop it over the summer months and re activate for winter. I have all the same bikes and my level has stayed the same when I go back after a break.

Great - I'm a big fan of TrainerRoad (which is probably obvious), but I think I'm converted to zwift for those Saturdays family commitments/ weather too poor/ still in lockdown to get out. Which hopefully means next winter than all year! It does beat TR and Netflix in that respect.

Cheers, at the moment I have everything running on a laptop and then using HDMI to TV, works well, but it just means carrying laptop in and out of shed and lots of cables. Something like Apple Tv would clean it up a bit and save me forgetting the laptop half the time and having to go back into the house, bit of me likes the simplicity of the HDMI tho, no real hassle. It's the reason I went back to wired headphones too, got sick of forgetting to charge bluetooth ones and sometimes losing connection too.

joey100 wrote: »

Cheers, at the moment I have everything running on a laptop and then using HDMI to TV, works well, but it just means carrying laptop in and out of shed and lots of cables. Something like Apple Tv would clean it up a bit and save me forgetting the laptop half the time and having to go back into the house, bit of me likes the simplicity of the HDMI tho, no real hassle. It's the reason I went back to wired headphones too, got sick of forgetting to charge bluetooth ones and sometimes losing connection too.

According to a 2017 post on zwiftinsider...

MUSIC, LOTS OF MUSIC…
You cannot run Netflix and Zwift at the same time on Apple TV, but you can play music and run Zwift at the same time

You’ll have to start the music in iTunes (or any other music app for Apple TV) before you start Zwift.

Hit menu a couple of times to get back to the home screen (music is playing), start Zwift, pair up devices and ride while listening to your own choice in soundtrack.

Troy Schertz detailed in Zwift iOS and tvOS Users how you can control the music while zwifting:

With the Apple TV remote: Music can be paused with the Play/Pause button but cannot be started again. Track skip does not work.
With a universal remote like a Harmony: Track skip works but you cannot pause the music.
With the Apple TV remote app for iOS: Track skip, Fast Forward, and Rewind is possible.
With the Apple Remote App for iOS (not to be confused with the ATV Remote app): From the Now Playing screen you can Play, Pause, Fast Forward, and Rewind, and track skip. You even get album art. The only catch is that you have to have Home Sharing enabled on the Apple TV to use this app.
John R. Uppard gave another great tip in Zwift iOS and tvOS Users:

Another possibility is to start iTunes (or Spotify or whatever) on your iPhone then AirPlay it to Apple TV. You then will have both music and game sound while you can control the playlist directly from your phone.

joey100 wrote: »

How do you find using apple TV Macy? Currently using a laptop and lots of cables, like the idea of simplifying it a bit. Can you run two apps at once? So could you have spotify and Zwift playing at same time, and how easy is it to swap between the two? How do you find the remote, that seems to be the main issue people have with apple TV from what I can see.

Could also run your music from your phone and airplay it to the appletv if not using headphones

Crocked wrote: »

I've been using Trainerroad and Zwift together for a couple of years. Zwift for eyecandy while doing workouts. Then I do one race a week on Zwift to break up the monotony of doing workouts all the time. Work and Family life mean though I've only gotten outside on the bike once between my last race last season and now :eek:

Any issues switching between the two? If I don't unpair and forget my Turbo in TrainerRoad before opening Zwift then it seems like Zwift isn't controlling the resistance.

Discovered that 2 min into the second CI race. Full Gas and not moving at all.

Not that my Full Gas is anything to write home about.