Zwift - general thread - comments, questions, tips and achievements.
#351
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: USA
Posts: 2,192
Bikes: Ti, Mn Cr Ni Mo Nb, Al, C
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 942 Post(s)
Liked 526 Times
in
349 Posts
Okay I've done some reading on sweet spot training. The main point seems to be almost the physiological benefits of L4 training at reduced training stress. I can see the importance of knowing FTP. I don't know mine. I have what I felt was a good estimate (200 watts), and I know what Strava thinks it is (236 watts), but I don't think either is accurate. I think it's probably somewhere in the middle.
I just ran the numbers based on an FTP of 200 watts, my Zwift rides have all been well above the sweet spot range in terms of power. In terms of heart rate, I'm on the high end, but within the sweet spot range. This leads me to believe that my actual FTP is higher than 200 watts. Now that I have the power meter synced up I can do a ramp test. I'm going to try to do that tonight.
All very interesting.
I just ran the numbers based on an FTP of 200 watts, my Zwift rides have all been well above the sweet spot range in terms of power. In terms of heart rate, I'm on the high end, but within the sweet spot range. This leads me to believe that my actual FTP is higher than 200 watts. Now that I have the power meter synced up I can do a ramp test. I'm going to try to do that tonight.
All very interesting.
Last edited by jadocs; 12-18-19 at 10:09 PM.
#352
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Allen, TX
Posts: 2,624
Bikes: 2021 S-Works Turbo Creo SL, 2020 Specialized Roubaix Expert
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 762 Post(s)
Liked 3,982 Times
in
1,415 Posts
Definitely connect and use your power meter to Zwift and do not use your trainer as the “power” connect your trainer to “control” so Zwift still adjusts resistance. Since I don’t know how Zwift arrived at your power numbers (trainer power?) I can’t say if it is close or not. If I were you I would connect with your power meter and ride as hard as you can for 1 hour and use that as your FTP. These 20 min tests are not all that accurate unless one has the gas tank for a 1 hour all out effort (think 1 hour time trail). I do my FTP tests outside for 1 hour.
And it means I’m not riding beyond the sweet spot on my Zwift rides so far. So I guess I need to up the intensity a bit.
Likes For MattTheHat:
#353
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Allen, TX
Posts: 2,624
Bikes: 2021 S-Works Turbo Creo SL, 2020 Specialized Roubaix Expert
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 762 Post(s)
Liked 3,982 Times
in
1,415 Posts
Did my first race on Zwift tonight. I was not last, it was very close. It was just over 57 minutes right in the middle of the sweet spot range. The battery in my heart rate monitor decided to die just as the race started. I was surprised that I got the 1,000 watt badge on one of the sprints.
#354
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: USA
Posts: 2,192
Bikes: Ti, Mn Cr Ni Mo Nb, Al, C
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 942 Post(s)
Liked 526 Times
in
349 Posts
Did my first race on Zwift tonight. I was not last, it was very close. It was just over 57 minutes right in the middle of the sweet spot range. The battery in my heart rate monitor decided to die just as the race started. I was surprised that I got the 1,000 watt badge on one of the sprints.
#355
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Great White North
Posts: 937
Bikes: I have a few
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 208 Times
in
104 Posts
I have been away from steady cycling for almost a year. I really had no ambition to go outside because of the shape I was in so I turned back to Zwift in September. I have dropped almost 25 lbs down to 230, I feel great and getting my motivation back. I started this because I am going to an event in California in April 2020 and I knew it would take some serious work and Zwift fit that need. I even got the ambition to get at my basement again after my wife informed me the bike had to go for the tree. The room has quite a bit of work left to do but it is usable for now. I was using zwift on the computer but the last few times I used my phone without and issues connected with a HDMI cord. On the down side I think I am getting addicted to this racing thing again. In the last race I placed 575 out of 949, not bad considering I have my Eroica bike on the trainer and it only has a 6 speed freewheel.
#356
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Allen, TX
Posts: 2,624
Bikes: 2021 S-Works Turbo Creo SL, 2020 Specialized Roubaix Expert
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 762 Post(s)
Liked 3,982 Times
in
1,415 Posts
I have been away from steady cycling for almost a year. I really had no ambition to go outside because of the shape I was in so I turned back to Zwift in September. I have dropped almost 25 lbs down to 230, I feel great and getting my motivation back. I started this because I am going to an event in California in April 2020 and I knew it would take some serious work and Zwift fit that need. I even got the ambition to get at my basement again after my wife informed me the bike had to go for the tree. The room has quite a bit of work left to do but it is usable for now. I was using zwift on the computer but the last few times I used my phone without and issues connected with a HDMI cord. On the down side I think I am getting addicted to this racing thing again. In the last race I placed 575 out of 949, not bad considering I have my Eroica bike on the trainer and it only has a 6 speed freewheel.
#357
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Great White North
Posts: 937
Bikes: I have a few
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 340 Post(s)
Liked 208 Times
in
104 Posts
At my best of 190lbs and 275 FTP I could not keep up with many of the female riders in the group I rode with. Not a terrible place to be and we have a no drop rule which is nice.
Likes For daviddavieboy:
#358
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,753
Bikes: 1986 KHS Fiero, 1989 Trek 950, 1990 Trek 7000, 1991 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo, 1992 Trek 1400, 1997 Cannondale CAD2 R300, 1998 Cannondale CAD2 R200, 2002 Marin San Rafael, 2006 Cannondale CAAD8 R1000, 2010 Performance Access XCL9R
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 284 Post(s)
Liked 385 Times
in
207 Posts
Been an interesting few weeks. 26 Nov had a partial toe amputation, 2nd toe, left foot. The left ankle is a problem, and I got this AFO brace last Friday. And what a difference, happily, it seems to fit almost all of my shoes! I can stand on the pedals, I lay down some power without pain in the ankle... Hell, I can WALK nearly pain free...
On 9 Dec, I got back on the bike, deciding to chase the Tour Of London stages. In the second stage, I got this...
Current set up, 1998 Cannondale R200 3x7 on the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. I use the Kurt iNride sensor for power. Scosche Bluetooth speed and cadence sensor. And Wahoo Tickr HRM... Laptop, HDMI cable to tv, stacked containers for now, holds water, snacks, remotes... TV will get mounted to the wall soon. Also in the cardio Cave is a treadmill and health rider.
I've completed the Tour of London 5 stages. My local club has decided to race some in Zwift. Had a race Saturday night.
Respectable, but I can do better. I had cranked out 70 miles in 3 days in 5 rides, I was tired...