Addiction 2021.1
01-09-21, 06:02 AM
#926
Should Be More Popular
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Did my first group ride on Zwift, part of Tour de Zwift. I watched the lead group coalesce and disappear. Then I stuck with the second group for most of the first lap before getting shelled. Then I found a group of about 6 riders and we stuck together through the rest of Lap1 and all of Lap 2. I did take some pulls, so as not to be a complete dick.
In some ways it was like a group ride - surge, spin, surge, spin, try to pay attention to the group, not the guy right ahead of you so you don't end up having to catch back on - which I had to do several times. IRL, of course, it's a LOT Easier to adjust your speed, either to stay with the group or to catch up then slowly 'reattach' yourself to the group. On Zwift, I'd overshoot and end up in front - the LAST place you want to be when you've just had to catch up! - and if I softpedaled like you would IRL, I'd find myself sliding backwards through the group. Even skipping a single pedal stroke was sometimes too much rest!
But overall, it was fun, and the best part for an introvert like me was not having to make small talk....
In some ways it was like a group ride - surge, spin, surge, spin, try to pay attention to the group, not the guy right ahead of you so you don't end up having to catch back on - which I had to do several times. IRL, of course, it's a LOT Easier to adjust your speed, either to stay with the group or to catch up then slowly 'reattach' yourself to the group. On Zwift, I'd overshoot and end up in front - the LAST place you want to be when you've just had to catch up! - and if I softpedaled like you would IRL, I'd find myself sliding backwards through the group. Even skipping a single pedal stroke was sometimes too much rest!
But overall, it was fun, and the best part for an introvert like me was not having to make small talk....
We sometimes chat on group rides which makes it more social.
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01-09-21, 06:04 AM
#927
Should Be More Popular
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01-09-21, 06:08 AM
#928
Should Be More Popular
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01-09-21, 06:19 AM
#929
Should Be More Popular
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01-09-21, 06:44 AM
#930
he said member
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Did my first group ride on Zwift, part of Tour de Zwift. I watched the lead group coalesce and disappear. Then I stuck with the second group for most of the first lap before getting shelled. Then I found a group of about 6 riders and we stuck together through the rest of Lap1 and all of Lap 2. I did take some pulls, so as not to be a complete dick.
In some ways it was like a group ride - surge, spin, surge, spin, try to pay attention to the group, not the guy right ahead of you so you don't end up having to catch back on - which I had to do several times. IRL, of course, it's a LOT Easier to adjust your speed, either to stay with the group or to catch up then slowly 'reattach' yourself to the group. On Zwift, I'd overshoot and end up in front - the LAST place you want to be when you've just had to catch up! - and if I softpedaled like you would IRL, I'd find myself sliding backwards through the group. Even skipping a single pedal stroke was sometimes too much rest!
But overall, it was fun, and the best part for an introvert like me was not having to make small talk....
In some ways it was like a group ride - surge, spin, surge, spin, try to pay attention to the group, not the guy right ahead of you so you don't end up having to catch back on - which I had to do several times. IRL, of course, it's a LOT Easier to adjust your speed, either to stay with the group or to catch up then slowly 'reattach' yourself to the group. On Zwift, I'd overshoot and end up in front - the LAST place you want to be when you've just had to catch up! - and if I softpedaled like you would IRL, I'd find myself sliding backwards through the group. Even skipping a single pedal stroke was sometimes too much rest!
But overall, it was fun, and the best part for an introvert like me was not having to make small talk....
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01-09-21, 06:50 AM
#931
he said member
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Well that was interesting. I didn't quite understand what I really needed to do until the rest period before the second test interval. The first interval I think was a little underworked.
Oh well, that just means that even without even having to put in any work, just doing the test better should bump my number up
Although I guess that just means that future workouts will get harder, too
Oh well, that just means that even without even having to put in any work, just doing the test better should bump my number up
Although I guess that just means that future workouts will get harder, too
How easy,, hard was it to hit and hold the instructed wattage?? I was all over the place seemed really sensitive.
I did one yesterday as well. Not really sure what to do with it.
01-09-21, 06:53 AM
#932
he said member
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01-09-21, 07:02 AM
#933
Super Modest
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01-09-21, 07:04 AM
#934
Should Be More Popular
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01-09-21, 07:05 AM
#936
Senior Member
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Well that was interesting. I didn't quite understand what I really needed to do until the rest period before the second test interval. The first interval I think was a little underworked.
Oh well, that just means that even without even having to put in any work, just doing the test better should bump my number up
Although I guess that just means that future workouts will get harder, too
Oh well, that just means that even without even having to put in any work, just doing the test better should bump my number up
Although I guess that just means that future workouts will get harder, too
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01-09-21, 07:08 AM
#937
VFL For Life
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01-09-21, 07:14 AM
#938
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I'd like to get out for a ride today, but I'm going to let it warm up to 20° or so, so maybe after lunch. Then again, I've got stuff to do, so maybe I'll just do penance on the trainer and get on with the day... decision after more coffee.
01-09-21, 07:18 AM
#939
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Well that was interesting. I didn't quite understand what I really needed to do until the rest period before the second test interval. The first interval I think was a little underworked.
Oh well, that just means that even without even having to put in any work, just doing the test better should bump my number up
Although I guess that just means that future workouts will get harder, too
Oh well, that just means that even without even having to put in any work, just doing the test better should bump my number up
Although I guess that just means that future workouts will get harder, too
You won’t get an accurate estimate until you have a solid database of rides and populate a table of power readings over various intervals from 3 min to 1 hr. Then you can apply algorithms which look at more than one parameter and generate a physiological meaningful power curve. 20 min power is just a point on that curve.
I did this inadvertently by riding weekly TTs and short group rides this summer.
Intervals.icu is a fantastic tool and free, but if you like it, be sure to subscribe.
01-09-21, 07:30 AM
#940
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Done and done - thanks for the reminder. I'd been meaning to do that, but haven't really looked at it much in the last couple months with my... lowered activity. Compared to a premium Strava membership, intervals provides much better info. Hell, I might even let my paid Strava membership lapse when the calendar rolls around.
01-09-21, 07:40 AM
#941
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__________________
See, this is why we can't have nice things. - - smarkinson
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01-09-21, 07:54 AM
#942
Senior Member
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I don't have a smart trainer though, just a dumb trainer, a power meter, and a Wahoo head unit. I haven't yet purchased an ANT+ dongle to use with any of the usual training apps.
This is an exceedingly common experience with the more traditional, interval-based FTP tests. I would usually recommend taking a second test a week later or so, but I fully understand the reluctance to do so. This also makes me wonder if ramp tests have an advantage for a first time user.
Don’t sweat the tests!
You won’t get an accurate estimate until you have a solid database of rides and populate a table of power readings over various intervals from 3 min to 1 hr. Then you can apply algorithms which look at more than one parameter and generate a physiological meaningful power curve. 20 min power is just a point on that curve.
I did this inadvertently by riding weekly TTs and short group rides this summer.
Intervals.icu is a fantastic tool and free, but if you like it, be sure to subscribe.
You won’t get an accurate estimate until you have a solid database of rides and populate a table of power readings over various intervals from 3 min to 1 hr. Then you can apply algorithms which look at more than one parameter and generate a physiological meaningful power curve. 20 min power is just a point on that curve.
I did this inadvertently by riding weekly TTs and short group rides this summer.
Intervals.icu is a fantastic tool and free, but if you like it, be sure to subscribe.
For right now, I've only got one bike with a power meter and it's one that I don't ride outside in the winter, so I can't really get any data through my normal rides (which are more or less nonexistent ATM). I figured I needed some kind of number to base trainer workouts around and was pretty clueless about what that would be.I'll look in to Intervals, is it something that would be useful for indoor workouts or is it really for outdoor ride analysis?
01-09-21, 07:54 AM
#943
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Done and done - thanks for the reminder. I'd been meaning to do that, but haven't really looked at it much in the last couple months with my... lowered activity. Compared to a premium Strava membership, intervals provides much better info. Hell, I might even let my paid Strava membership lapse when the calendar rolls around.
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01-09-21, 07:56 AM
#944
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It wasn't too bad to hold the instructed power once I found a gear and cadence that worked. A few times I got lucky that the tempo of the song I was listening to matched the cadence I needed to hold. If I tried to hold a higher power level I got a lot more erratic.
I don't have a smart trainer though, just a dumb trainer, a power meter, and a Wahoo head unit. I haven't yet purchased an ANT+ dongle to use with any of the usual training apps.
A big reason I think that I underworked it is that it really wasn't that bad, maybe it was just the novelty that kept me interested but I also wasn't totally wrecked at the end. I thought about trying to create a workout I could push to my Bolt that would mimic a ramp test, but never really got too far in figuring that out.
Thanks for the tips For right now, I've only got one bike with a power meter and it's one that I don't ride outside in the winter, so I can't really get any data through my normal rides. I figured I needed some kind of number to base trainer workouts around and was pretty clueless about what that would be.
I'll look in to Intervals, is it something that would be useful for indoor workouts or is it really for outdoor ride analysis?
I don't have a smart trainer though, just a dumb trainer, a power meter, and a Wahoo head unit. I haven't yet purchased an ANT+ dongle to use with any of the usual training apps.
A big reason I think that I underworked it is that it really wasn't that bad, maybe it was just the novelty that kept me interested but I also wasn't totally wrecked at the end. I thought about trying to create a workout I could push to my Bolt that would mimic a ramp test, but never really got too far in figuring that out.
Thanks for the tips
For right now, I've only got one bike with a power meter and it's one that I don't ride outside in the winter, so I can't really get any data through my normal rides. I figured I needed some kind of number to base trainer workouts around and was pretty clueless about what that would be.I'll look in to Intervals, is it something that would be useful for indoor workouts or is it really for outdoor ride analysis?
I neglected to stress that you need massively motivated, balls-to-the-wall, rides to get good data. I can do a few intervals on my own, but the long durations require at least informal competition. Group rides and races in Zwift are pretty good for that.
Last edited by MoAlpha; 01-09-21 at 08:05 AM.
01-09-21, 07:58 AM
#945
Mostly Harmless
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01-09-21, 08:03 AM
#946
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01-09-21, 08:04 AM
#947
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It wasn't too bad to hold the instructed power once I found a gear and cadence that worked. A few times I got lucky that the tempo of the song I was listening to matched the cadence I needed to hold. If I tried to hold a higher power level I got a lot more erratic.
I don't have a smart trainer though, just a dumb trainer, a power meter, and a Wahoo head unit. I haven't yet purchased an ANT+ dongle to use with any of the usual training apps.
I don't have a smart trainer though, just a dumb trainer, a power meter, and a Wahoo head unit. I haven't yet purchased an ANT+ dongle to use with any of the usual training apps.
A big reason I think that I underworked it is that it really wasn't that bad, maybe it was just the novelty that kept me interested but I also wasn't totally wrecked at the end. I thought about trying to create a workout I could push to my Bolt that would mimic a ramp test, but never really got too far in figuring that out.
Thanks for the tips For right now, I've only got one bike with a power meter and it's one that I don't ride outside in the winter, so I can't really get any data through my normal rides (which are more or less nonexistent ATM). I figured I needed some kind of number to base trainer workouts around and was pretty clueless about what that would be.
I'll look in to Intervals, is it something that would be useful for indoor workouts or is it really for outdoor ride analysis?
For right now, I've only got one bike with a power meter and it's one that I don't ride outside in the winter, so I can't really get any data through my normal rides (which are more or less nonexistent ATM). I figured I needed some kind of number to base trainer workouts around and was pretty clueless about what that would be.I'll look in to Intervals, is it something that would be useful for indoor workouts or is it really for outdoor ride analysis?
01-09-21, 08:12 AM
#948
-------
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01-09-21, 08:22 AM
#949
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01-09-21, 08:50 AM
#950
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