Anyone using Zwift?

[pedal menace]

All,

 

Just invested in the new Tacx Flux Smart Trainer and now want to use the capabilities of the smart trainer. I have been using TTS4 for quite some time (I have a Tacx Genius) but want explore Zwift. I have been reading up on it but I cannot seem to find answers on my questions. 

1. Zwift seems to evolve around online riding with other Zwift riders around the globe. Does that mean I can only ride at predetermined rides/events? If I come home and decide to ride, will I be able to? If so, will there be other riders? Will I be on my own if I do not join pre-scheduled events? In essence I want more info on how the rides are initiated.
2. How are the routes determined? There seems to be only two worlds (Watopia and Richmond) but seems to be VERY short. I generally do rides between 40km-70km. Are such routes available? 
3. Is there enough climbing on these routes if I want to do some good hill training? How steep are the hills?
4. Is Zwift vs TTS4 Real Life Videos worth it? 

 

Some feedback will be REALLY appreciated. 

[bertusras]

All,

 

Just invested in the new Tacx Flux Smart Trainer and now want to use the capabilities of the smart trainer. I have been using TTS4 for quite some time (I have a Tacx Genius) but want explore Zwift. I have been reading up on it but I cannot seem to find answers on my questions. 

1. Zwift seems to evolve around online riding with other Zwift riders around the globe. Does that mean I can only ride at predetermined rides/events? If I come home and decide to ride, will I be able to? If so, will there be other riders? Will I be on my own if I do not join pre-scheduled events? In essence I want more info on how the rides are initiated.
2. How are the routes determined? There seems to be only two worlds (Watopia and Richmond) but seems to be VERY short. I generally do rides between 40km-70km. Are such routes available? 
3. Is there enough climbing on these routes if I want to do some good hill training? How steep are the hills?
4. Is Zwift vs TTS4 Real Life Videos worth it? 

 

Some feedback will be REALLY appreciated. 

 

1. You can ride by yourself at any time, or join pre-organised races, or random groups, or enter events (like today the Tour of California challenge started).

2. Not that much total distance, but you can just repeat laps.

3. Longest pre-programmed route is The Pretzel, 72.2km and 1,333m elevation, kicks up to 15% or so at places.

4. Having not used TTS4 videos I can't comment, but the amount of people on Zwift at any given time of day is a testament to its success.

Edited February 16, 2017 by bertusras

[worriesnot]

They have a 7 day free trial, so give it a go... and see for yourself.

Other than that, feedback from bertusras above is spot-on.

There will always be someone riding when you ride.

I also have not done TTS4 so also not able to compare.

 

You can also ride in London by the way...

[RocknRolla]

What platform will you be using zwift on?

 

I have experience with the IOS app and a Wahoo kickr.

 

As Bertus said, if you decide to ride at any given time, there will be other riders on the road.

 

There are 3 locations:

 

1) Watopia, an island, with various routes, on the app, when before you start your ride, you can select predetermined routes, varying between flat, hilly, and mountain.

The mountain stages are friggen insane, and i really only do them when I feel I need to punish myself....

There are other options, best decribed on the Zwiftblog website.

2) London, pretty much flat, except for box hill which can be ridden from both sides.

3) Richmond Virginia, based on the World champs that was held there, flat and fast, with one or two short steep climbs.

 

You can at any time decide to ride a section of route, or not. The program will bring up a small selection window, with a little icon (you will get to know them over time) of the roue choices.

It's probably easier to read on the zwiftblog which route will suit you.

 

You need a fairly strong broadband connection, as being able to ride with other riders are completely dependent thereon.

 

There are also workouts that you can do, ftp tests, intervals etc etc. You still do this with other riders, but you cant draft them. Your efforts on the sprint sections and KOM sections are not recorded when you do a Workout.

 

Enjoy, I have done about 1100kms on it since december, and I am pretty much addicted.

 

http://zwiftblog.com/

Edited February 16, 2017 by RocknRolla

[pedal menace]

Thank you all for the feedback. If you decide a route (i.e. 29km) and want to do it twice..do you actually then do two separately registered rides (i.e. on strava it will show 2 x 29km routes). That would be silly if you want to do a 10km route 4x times...(please bear with me if I sound completely uninformed!)

 

I will use a Core i7 laptop with a dedicated 2GB graphics card and a 8MBPs ADSL line. 

[RocknRolla]

If you choose a route to follow, you will ride laps of this route as long as you are on your trainer for that session.

 

The computer will auto select the turns to follow that route for as many laps as you can do. You can however at any time during the route decide to go a different way.

 

Apparently there is an app called Zwift Mobile link, and I assume you would use it to control various aspects of the program on your laptop.

 

There are strava segments on all of the routes, and like with a normal ride out on the road, strava will record an effort for each of the times you ride that segment.

[RocknRolla]

strava will label your sessions as virtual rides, with a map, and elevation as per a normal activity.

It will however not count to any of the challenges on strava (distance elevation, gran fondo etc etc.

Edited February 16, 2017 by RocknRolla

[pedal menace]

OK so I did my first Zwift ride. Not sure if I am doing things wrong or it is how it is supposed to work, but I have a few questions/concerns. I selected the "PRL Full loop" and decided I will simply stop when I had enough. Here are some points:

1. There is no average speed or average watt anywhere on the screen. Surely that is basic information that should be displayed;
2. I was happy riding along and every now and then at the bottom of the screen you need to pick a direction. Sometimes I left it, sometimes I changed direction. All good here!
3. However at around  the 20km mark I decided to just randomly press a left arrow and surely the computer was happy to let me turn left. This where things I THINK went wrong.  I ended my session at around 58km. Going to activity screen under activities it only lists the ride I did up to 20km. It seems after I decided to press my own arrow, it no longer recorded my ride as an activity. At the top of the screen it did indeed show total km ridden as 58km...but only the first 20km seems to "officially" register and upload to Strava. Does this mean "free riding" or "not sticking to the route" is not considered official riding and thus no logs to Strava? Or...I am just blond and have no idea how to work this program! 

Will appreciate any and all feedback to this Zwift newby!

[RocknRolla]

Sounds weird. I have had some partial uploads in the beginning, but that was due to connectivity issues from my side.

I normally follow a route, and then depending on where I am on the route, make some changes in the directions, due to the fact that during my cool down, I dont necessarily want to try and cycle lightly up a 7% gradient.

 

Unless you inadvertently ended your ride after the 20km mark, it should not do this.

 

Have you logged onto zwift.com to see what the duration and distance was that was recorded on that ride?

You should be able to get the .fit file from your computer for the workout, you can try and manually upload to strava to see if there is any difference in the recorded distances.

 

I have had numerous interactions with the zwift support team and they are knowledgeable, and quite quick to respond.

Edited February 27, 2017 by RocknRolla

[bertusras]

1. However at around  the 20km mark I decided to just randomly press a left arrow and surely the computer was happy to let me turn left. This where things I THINK went wrong.  I ended my session at around 58km. Going to activity screen under activities it only lists the ride I did up to 20km. It seems after I decided to press my own arrow, it no longer recorded my ride as an activity. At the top of the screen it did indeed show total km ridden as 58km...but only the first 20km seems to "officially" register and upload to Strava. Does this mean "free riding" or "not sticking to the route" is not considered official riding and thus no logs to Strava? Or...I am just blond and have no idea how to work this program! 

 

Ja that is quite bizarre, I've deviated from the route often and never had this issue before.

[RocknRolla]

Did you at any time end up being "alone" on the road? no other names listed on the RHS of the screen?

This indicates that you have lost connection to the zwift server, and that your ride will not have been recorded correctly.

[bertusras]

Did you at any time end up being "alone" on the road? no other names listed on the RHS of the screen?

This indicates that you have lost connection to the zwift server, and that your ride will not have been recorded correctly.

 

I don't think so, it will still record your activity, you'll just not get the segment times (sprint/KOM) and be able to ride with anybody (as far as I'm aware)

[Mongoose!]

I don't think so, it will still record your activity, you'll just not get the segment times (sprint/KOM) and be able to ride with anybody (as far as I'm aware)

 only allows you to complete the ride you busy with - but with no internet connection you will not be able to upload it in Strava

happened a few times with me when I ran out of data and lost my internet connection / connection with Zwift server

[bertusras]

 only allows you to complete the ride you busy with - but with no internet connection you will not be able to upload it in Strava

happened a few times with me when I ran out of data and lost my internet connection / connection with Zwift server

 

Yes indeed, but the .fit is still saved to your computer and you can manually upload that?

[Mongoose!]

Yes indeed, but the .fit is still saved to your computer and you can manually upload that?

 to be honest I am not sure

always ask my wife to upload a data bundle on my wifi modem from her cell phone while riding...

[pedal menace]

 

Ok some feedback...(and still I may just be blond newby)..

 

I was always connected to the Internet (i.e. riders everywhere). Attached is a screenshot of what the zwift.com page says.  

 

As you can see..there is a 19.8 kn activity and then the rest at the top...hwo do I get the top part as a whole ride into Strava.