colnago62

There is a ride on Sunday Nights at 9:00 pm Pacific Time that goes for an hour and has doubledraft turned on. When you sit in with doubledraft, it feels very similar to real world drafting. It also has that flyer block turned on where if you get too far ahead of the beacon, it gives you a small amount of time to return to the group before removing you from the ride.

MinnMan

I hadn't heard previously of the doubledraft function. Definitely the normal Zwift draft is much weaker than real drafting.

And something I've complained about before- why does Zwift sometimes move my avatar over to the side, so I don't get the draft that I want?

colnago62

I think Zwift is beta testing a steering function that will allow you a small level of autonomy.

burnthesheep

How does the CdA workout for TT stuff for riding and races? Did a race today on the TT bike. Just the intro bike and wheels. The mph was pretty freaking slow AF for 350ft in 18 miles.

My real world TT bike on roadie wheels and helmet would have been around 25 to 26mph. This thing only about 23.5.

I think the algorithm is a little eff'd. Also, it might help to have more watts in the w/kg factor than the weight advantage for the TT.......but watts/CdA is a thing. A 70kg rider punches a lot smaller hole in the air than an 80 kg rider on the same w/kg. Not to mention how good a position a smaller fitter rider can get into. Seems Zwift really allows the power in the flats to push bigger riders forward more, despite what the real world implications would be.

I'll keep at it, it's good training for pacing and stuff. Just seems a bit silly to me.

esarhaddon

The CdA in Zwift is dependent on height, bike and wheel choice but not really weight at least according to zwiftinsider.com, who has a bunch of speed tests on various heights, weights, power, and equipment. So it pays to be short and heavy with good equipment on a flat TT race if you are not in the A group.

For comparison, my last (and only) TT race for 1 lap Tempus Fugit: ~25 min, 26.1 mph, 271 watts, 5'7'', 154 lbs, zipp 808's, Spec Shiv Disc.

I can't say I enjoy the TT type races as much as a normal zwift race. It just feels like there is less of a carrot to chase.

(zwiftinsider dot com slash how-height-affects-speed-in-zwift)

burnthesheep

Thank you!

Kinda what I thought. There's also zero infraction for not riding a real TT bike at home. I notice some TT's do and some don't eliminate the draft for the road bikes. One I did today didn't eliminate it. There's a bum rush at the beginning to pair up with folks on road bikes and trade blows. That ain't TT. I chose the TT bike and just did my own thing to get something going race wise on Zwift. I'll work on improving my own times.

See, the reason I mentioned weight is I see a lot of decent w/kg bigger riders crushing the flat TT's. Whereas their CdA based on what position you can put a 200 lb dude in versus a 150 lb dude (or dudette) is light years apart. Maybe instead I'll scope out TT's on lumpier routes like full Richmond course, or a full course of Yorkshire.

A reasonably flexible thinner rider can pretty much learn to ride a WT position if they wanted to. I used to be just 80kg years back, no way I could imagine cramping up into how I ride nowadays. Much less the 85kg guys on there. Nothing wrong with being that size whatsoever, but the CdA doesn't work out that way in reality. You're physically not small enough or flexible enough combined to turn yourself into a human pretzel.

Again, I can choose to do what I want, and I see it as a great workout to learn my pacing. So it's fine. But in the real world, I know where the chips would fall. Shoot, I don't run. But almost got a podium spot at the local du because I know how to setup a TT bike to go fast.

Real world, I'm pretty sure I could eeek out damn near 25mph on only 220w.

esarhaddon

I think zwift goes with the idea that if you are heavier you are probably also taller, so that takes care of the CdA difference between light and heavy riders. It certainly works on average, but those with good flexibility are a little hard done by the simulation. I know it helps me as I do not have the desire to push my position outside.

The Bologna TT course is a fun climbing time trial if you have not done it.