Turnin_Wrenches

It is my assumption that most people prefer the more realistic and immersive interface of Zwift compared to something like the TrainerRoad interface, which just shows the structure of the workout. Personally, I am not a big fan of the more realistic, immersive interface. I'd rather see the structure of the workout without any visual distractions. I don't need to be "entertained" with fancy graphics. I just want to do the workout and listen to music. Am I a weirdo and an outlier? Or do others have a similar preference?

I suppose if I was participating in virtual group rides or virtual races then a format like Zwift would be great, but I don't do any of that stuff.

unterhausen

A lot of people do workouts on zwift. The other night I was riding and everyone on the roads I was using was doing a workout. I understand that there is a display of the workout that's similar to tr, but I have never done a workout on zwift.
I need to start doing trainerroad again. I know they have done a lot of work to their workouts since I overtrained myself using it. I figure a combination of zone 2 on zwift and structured workouts on TR would work well for me. You can actually do both at the same time, just let TR control the power.

PeteHski

Although you can do structured workouts in Zwift, its real attraction is as a ride/race simulator. TrainerRoad makes no attempt at the latter,

I don’t personally see much point in riding around Zwift World in workout mode, but it works fine. I know a lot of people import their TrainerRoad sessions into Zwift.

Zwift’s own structured workout plans are a bit too generic for me. TrainerRoad plans look more tailored for long term use.

Trakhak

Apparently Trainerroad can structure workouts for you that include plenty of zone 2 rides.

I re-upped with Xert a couple of weeks ago. Xert is like Trainerroad in that it's all data screens and no video games. It currently has me doing 6 days of zone 1 (usually after I did an inappropriately hard outdoor ride for a few hours the previous day) and zone 2 workouts leading up to a hard workout of about 1.5 hours on Saturdays. (I chose a "Slow" improvement rate and a "Climber" focus; there are about a half-dozen other choices for both parameters.)

Half the price of Trainerroad, and a 30-day free trial.

One warning: it had me doing a wildly over-tough ride the first day (despite my inputting my age of 72 and weight of about 120 lbs, I was supposed to push 447 watts for 20 seconds at a time!), the idea being that it wanted to establish my current fitness level. If you go for the Xert trial, be aware that you can adjust the difficulty level by touching the left arrow next to "100%" at bottom right on the phone screen. (Forgot to mention that the default for Xert is that you use your phone to control your smart trainer.) Wish I'd figured that out before doing that first ride.

PeteHski

I actually prefer Wahoo SYSTM (Sufferfest) over both TR and Zwift for structured training. I find the videos far more entertaining than TR block graphics and more relevant than Zwift scenery when in workout mode. SYSTM intervals are also a bit more imaginative than TR equivalents. But Zwift still kills it for indoor solo, group riding and racing. Or Rouvy if you want real world scenery and routes.

PeteHski

Zwift is clearly not for you. But note that the above screenshot is not in Zwift workout mode, where it would display the intervals etc. That is just ride sim mode.

unterhausen

I'm paying half what a new subscriber pays for TR anyway, been on there since fairly early and I didn't volunteer to let them raise my rate. Considering how little I have been getting out of it, I imagine they would understand. And if they made me pay double, I would just quit anyway.

I never was very good about doing easy rides on TR. It's far too relentless, and I just don't see the point in that.

PeteHski

Agreed. Nobody wants to do a flat line 2.5 hour Z2 interval! An easy group ride on Zwift or Rouvy is much more tolerable.

Turnin_Wrenches

Good point regarding the screenshot I posted. It's been a while since I used Zwift, but IIRC the workout screen still puts you on a virtual course. Anyway, you are correct, Zwift is not my bag.

A couple of days ago I signed up for TrainerDay, which has an interface similar to TrainerRoad (but at a much reduced fee of $3.99/mo.).

PeteHski

Yes it still puts you on a course, but also shows the workout profile.

spelger

the intervals are boring if all yo have to look at is a chart. that is why i did like teh zwift interface, keeps you a bit distracted. using rouvy now so never anyone i wish to catch but never can because of dropping to 55% FTP. on a few workouts i did manage about 2 mph at the end of a workout going up on of those steep hills in the NYC glass roads area. wondered if i'd tip over.

PeteHski

The problem I have with riding ERG power intervals in Zwift is that although you are on a course, you are kind of isolated from the action and it pisses me off when the intervals don't align nicely with the road i.e. VO2 max interval on a descent putting you at warp speed and then a recovery interval on a 15% climb!

spelger

i think it would be pretty hard for any of these simulation or real video interfaces to get a workout to match up with the chosen route. what would work for me would likely not for you and vice versa. had the same thing happen today, cool down at 55% FTP up a 11% grade. at least teh scenery was nice. north of the dolomite's in italy.

PeteHski

Yes, that's why I prefer Wahoo SYSTM (Sufferfest) for interval training, where the videos are tailored to the interval workouts. Ride simulation and ERG interval sessions don't really mix well for me.

spelger

hmm, so are the workouts tailored to the route or does wahoo search for a somewhat similar route?

when i first got my trainer i was using something that was free that included videos that did match the workout. oops, it was the other way around, the workout matched the route. more real life but seemed less structured. hill-work hard, flat-push lite, descent-recover. seemed like regular riding.

PeteHski

No, Wahoo SYSTM includes what was originally Sufferfest. These are structured workouts with accompanying entertainment videos, which are typically UCI World Tour race footage. The footage is edited to match the intervals. They are not route simulations. For example there is a MAP interval workout that uses clips of Paris Roubaix. The video cuts to full-on cobbled sector hammerfests for each MAP interval and back to the peloton cruising on the road segments for recovery.

The videos are really well made and quite varied. Some quite cool music tracks and a bit of humour thrown in too!

force10

I think its kinda fun to be doing a a recovery interval up alpe du zwift. And it is nice to at least have enough resistance to do maintain your power target on downhill efforts. I live in a hilly area and frequently have to drag my brakes on downhills when doing structured workouts outdoors. Note, I almost never use the ERG setting for workouts on Zwift - that is what doesnt feel right to me.

To each their own, I guess...

PeteHski

I find that ERG mode in Zwift is as good as it is in any other app using ERG mode. How accurate and responsive ERG mode is depends mostly on your trainer. But then some people just hate ERG mode! It is relentless, but makes intervals honest.

PeteHski

Actually this discussion has made my mind up that I will go back to using Wahoo SYSTM for my training plan this year. I find it easily the most entertaining platform for structured intervals and the workout profiles themselves are a bit more interesting than the usual straight blocks. But I will also use Zwift alongside for group rides and races in lieu of outdoor riding when the weather is bad. I quite like the new climb portal in Zwift too.

spclark 

Looking forward to becoming an active presence here.

My Wahoo KICKR SNAP's "on the truck" according to Amazon's tracking. Some doubt yet it'll be delivered today, more likely tomorrow.

Have two bikes I'll be using with it. One's old tech, my Motobecane from '72. Then there's the Kona Dew+ I bought last April. May need some answers to questions that arise as to how to get everything to play nice together, what's out there among the various 'programs' for information-gathering.

It's winter here after all. Got 6" snow yesterday, supposed to be another 3 - 7 coming tomorrow, then the bottom falls out of thermo when -12° for Sunday's low overnight slides into town. Not what I can see as outdoor bike-riding weather ahead for a few months yet....

Jjbailey930

Congrats! I’ve had a Snap for a few years. Ping me with any questions. Get a trainer tire too - helps with tire wear and less noisy. Try regular calibrations using the /Wahoo app or Zwift if you go that way. As far as pairing with apps, it’s been very reliable for me.

spclark 

Thanks JJ! I'll bear all that in mind.

Despite the approaching storm UPS still says <today> contrary to the message Amazon sent me late yesterday predicting <by 1/16> which seems absurd. This morning UPS tells me it's ~ 35 miles away, should be 'out for delivery' next.

Getting up & running – with one bike or t'other – first up. Connectivity comes next while I search for trainer tires. One bike's on tubulars though I'm building a set of clincher rims for it this winter. That one's the challenge owing to the FW & quill axle, not confident it'll accept the Wahoo's quill. The other's a 2022 model, got clinchers, be easier to put a slick on that one.

We're supposed to get up to (maybe) 16" of snow by Sunday morning then the bottom drops off the thermometer with a 0 for high that day, -15 overnight. So I'll be happy staying indoors trying to get up to speed with this new endeavor.

zacster

I've been going back and forth between Sufferfest and Zwift for years now. Each has its benefits. I agree that the workouts in Sufferfest are much better tailored than the ones in Zwift, and the music and video with the corny humor keeps you engaged. But there are lots of days I just want to ride at my own pace and for that I turn to Zwift. As a New Yorker that has been riding Central Park for 50 years, and knows every up, down, bump, turn of the perimeter road, I always look to do that same ride in Zwift if NYC is one of the worlds featured that day. It is a pretty good simulation, with the exception of the lack of horse carriages and horse manure! I almost never do the glass roads that soar above though. If I want scenery I turn to the newer rides in Systm with Mike Cotty which include his narration of history of the area, and also include a structured workout that sorta matches. I tried Rouvy a few years ago and always had trouble with it, maybe it has gotten better.

I just looked at Systm after I posted this and found the "Pro Rides" series, which put you in the pack and simulates the power the riders are putting out, but scaled to your own 4DP profile. I have never tried it myself as I hadn't explored it before. There's no music as it uses the sound from the race, and it doesn't display HR, speed or cadence as it is meant to simulate race conditions. Looks interesting and I'll have to try it.

force10

Yeah, its isnt a Zwift thing - I just dont find ERG mode useful. At least Zwift allows you to turn it off. I cancelled Rouvy because ERG was fixed on when doing workouts.

spelger

save your money, just use an old worn out tire. no real need to spend $ on a trainer tire. the sound difference is not that much especially if you are going to listen to music anyway. i used an old CompuTrainer years ago and could not really tell teh diffence between my regular tire and the guy next to me wiht a trainer tire.