tntyz

My outdoor rides typically hit a couple of local points of interest, have spots where I can get water and food, and always end up back at home. Zwift rides seem different to me. I end up setting arbitrary goals like riding for 60 minutes, climbing 1,000', burning x calories. When I hit that goal I just quit riding and abandon my virtual bike at the side of the virtual road. My point is that in Zwift I don't have that same sense of accomplishment of completing a ride like I feel in real life.

How do you deal with this sense of loss?

sdmc530

I have the drive to get to level 20, that is my next level up and I am really wanting the tron bike. Been working on that for some time. think after getting the tron bike I will be "empty"

u235

I don't have an answer for you and gave up trying to find one for myself. I ride the elliptical and some combination of other non bike cardio/strength on a regular consistent routine instead. If I didn't have those other things, I'd end up doing nothing at all instead of the bike. I just can't ride a bike inside.

What is your normal riding consist of? Solo, group, or of both?

aspalmat

Honestly, that is exactly one, of many, reasons I like Zwift. I can ride for as long and as hard as I want. I don't HAVE to make it home. When I'm toast, I can just stop. For me, I think this leads to longer rides, not shorter. My out door rides are typically 20 - 30 miles depending on what I want to do. On Zwift, if I go 30 miles, and still feel good, I just keep on riding. No pre-determined stop point. This is my first winter on a trainer, and I LOVE Zwift. I tried Rouvy, but didn't like having to pick a pre determined route. This one was to short, that one was too long etc. Not on Zwift, just ride till I'm done.

I also think Zwift does a good job of keeping people engaged. When The New York map was released, it was the Tour of New York. Then I found the monthly Fondo's. Now it's Tour de Zwift. Add in the group rides, races, and the running component, and there is always something to look forward to.

Ride on!

Machka 

Yes!

You can finish the loop if you want ... or do two loops ... or not.

One of the things I did during the winter was to ride so that I hit at least 3 sprints. I'm NOT a sprinter in real life, but for some reason I enjoy the sprints on Zwift.

Bif

I have to agree. This is my first winter indoors and I started on a kickr snap in November with Zwift and Rouvy...fairly quickly I ended up on just Zwift and for Xmas, I got a Neo. I am thoroughly enjoying riding indoors now on zwift. I do the Zwift training 4-5 days a week and then a free ride on the weekend. It is frickin great! When I started, I thought and felt, man this is the hardest 18 miles I have ever done. get me off this bike!
Now, I just go till I'm done...30 miles each ride is no problem. I have dallied with a drunken saturday night ride a few times too... good stuff Find me in a couple hours lol

jpescatore

There are a lot of choices on Zwift:

• Just get on and ride, get off when you feel done.
• Do one of the pre-defined courses/loops - see the sights, stop when you finish the loop.
• Join a group ride, hang with a bunch of others - when it is done you can keep riding if that wasn't enough
• Do a workout or group workout.
• Try a race.

I cycle through those, depending on what group events are scheduled when I feel like/get the time to ride on the trainer. Definitely enough variety for me, keeps the boredom away.

One thing I have found though: with road riding, I will do much longer rides, with a rest stop typically every 20-25 miles or 90 minutes or so. Riding Zwift, I pretty much ride until I stop and then I turn everything off - my longest ride has been about 1:40. The rest stop thing just doesn't seem to compute for me when I'm in the basement!

TrojanHorse

I did a metric century with a group last month - 25 laps of that damn volcano. OMG so boring, but the group kept eveything moving (and they had 2 5 min. breaks too, which is weird on a trainer) I could never ride for more then 30 min. before I found zwift. I did TWO rides that were > 3 hours on zwift last year.

I also hate doing laps of anything, as a normal rule, and there aren't really any long courses in zwift, so the jungle route (road to ruins) or a group ride are my favorites. Or "tour de ..... " events, can't help but push my self hard on those.

Maelstrom 

As a non road rider, Zwift actually creates useful goals. Something... interesting. I am used to trees flying by my face. Honestly Zwift gives me the training, netflix keeps me on the bike, and my brain just begs to be out on a trail

When I get out on a road ride and within 10 minutes can't wait to figure out a way home (unless I am riding some street or urban).

caloso

9 times out of 10, if I'm on zwift, I'm doing a specified workout. I stop when it's done. Yesterday I finally did a group ride (Tour de Zwift). I got on late but pretty quickly found a small group to work with and after a bit we kept picking up riders who'd gotten dropped from the lead group until there were about 10-15. Just like the real world. At one point, I would have stopped if it was just me, but the group dynamic kept me going to finish the loop. It was pretty fun.

aclinjury

is there a virtual water fountain or toilet zwift? such that you could spot it and slow down for it, and watch your avatar goes into the loo or refill the water bottle?

jwh

I agree, I love Zwift in the winter and bad weather.
Do the group rides, races ect..
Make sure to sign up on Zwift power.com to track progress!

Troul 

I tried it but didnt like it. indoor training helps maintain the desired fitness, & I never get any flats or taco's!

eja_ bottecchia

bobwysiwyg

I wonder if I might jump in here with some Zwift questions. I'm considering using it when I can't get outside to ride. My first attempt to install, yesterday, failed with a Z114 error. I'm pretty sure I got past the point where I can link it to Strava.

Fast forward to today, after Google research it seemed my best fix for the Zwift error was to completely uninstall and delete everything and start over, which I did.. successfully, one of the slowest software installs I've ever experienced!! Went for my first ride as a free trial during the 7 day freebie period, 6-7 miles around Central Park.

At that point decided to end it and see how it would look on Strava. Nothing transferred and I was never given an opportunity to link them on my second reinstall.

Some questions, will Zwift transfer saved data to Strava during the free trial period?

​​​​​​If so, how can I find the setting location to re-link them? Google searches turned up instructions that don't match my screen layout.

I think I'll like it, just need to iron out some things. Thanks in advance, I know it's a lengthy post.

Cyclist0108

Yes (at least it does for me).

​​​​​​I don't remember it being an issue, and I definitely did it after setup.

https://support.zwift.com/en_us/link...form-B137lM2Fm

​​​​​​I've been free-trialing it for a couple of years now...

bobwysiwyg

"I've been free-trialing it for a couple of years now..."
How?

bobwysiwyg

Read through the link, will give a try tomorrow, thanks.

alias5000

And it works best, when you only cycle uphills! The steeper, the better.

Cyclist0108

I'm not sure, but it keeps telling me I have 10 km left. I paid for a couple of months, and then let it lapse. I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Edit: Those days are now gone.

rm -rf

Ha, just like the pros! (And the bike is probably left standing too.)



I picture the Zwift scenery looking like this if the bikes didn't disappear:



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I just have a dumb trainer, and watch videos. It's so easy to just decide to quit the session, there's no "15 more miles to get back home" effect.

autonomy

I find it easier. I can work out any time - even at 11 at night, without having to bother with clothing, lights, inattentive drivers, and my own drowsiness. I can quit whenever I want or I can go just a little bit further. I can do a quick 30-minute work out without setting anything up. A couple of times I went longer than I planned for; one of them I was having so much fun I spent 3 hours on the damn trainer and did a half-century. To be honest, felt quite accomplished abandoning my virtual bike and getting off the real one.

But yeah, it doesn't really compare with that feeling you get, going somewhere on an open road.