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Zwift and a MTB???


AllAboutRides

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Hi guys -

 

Surely there has been a topic or question like this.

 

If I attach my 1x12 MTB onto a smart direct driver terrain trainer (hope I’m saying this right :-) )

 

When riding on Zwift, will you spin out on flat roads or what is your overal experience like this?

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in my experience you do spin out with MTB gearing.

 

I used my MTB for a few months on the kickr and like you say the flat roads sucked.

 

It’s not unusable, just frustrating trying to stick to groups or make any decent times.

 

I got an entry level road bike now that lives on the trainer and it’s a lot better.

 

 

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Hi guys -

 

Surely there has been a topic or question like this.

 

If I attach my 1x12 MTB onto a smart direct driver terrain trainer (hope I’m saying this right :-) )

 

When riding on Zwift, will you spin out on flat roads or what is your overal experience like this?

 

YES, you will spin out. 

 

 

Also, DONT use the Zwift MTB on the tar roads ... same gearing, but somehow it is SLOW !!

 

 

That said, Zwift now has a MTB section .... I have not played with this, so cant comment on this ... maybe I should take my road bike onto virtual trails ...  :whistling:   :devil:

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If you can add a road bike to the collection that would probably be best. I also use a Mtb on zwift but it is a 3x10 setup (largest chain-ring is 42T). It is only on descents greater than 5% when I spin out. Would like to add a entry level road bike also.

 

You have the ability of changing the trainer difficulty setting. It is not to make it easier but to spread your gears a bit. It helps you to still spin at a descent cadence up the Alpe and to spin slower on the flats. I am running the difficulty setting on around 75%. But I don't know how much this will help on a 1 x 12.

 

Good luck

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1x12 is a bit trickier, but I have a 1x11 mtb on the wahoo. I just put a shimano 11 speed road cassette on the trainer and it helped a lot with the spin out. Gears worked fine as well.

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What Gerhard said, adjust "trainer difficulty" to be less difficult or even off, should work properly with an MTB

 

https://zwift.com/eu/video/how-to-cycling/adjust-smart-trainer-difficulty

 

.

 

https://zwiftinsider.com/using-the-trainer-difficulty-setting-in-zwift/  (edit/add)

 

This doesn't change the difficulty on the flats, it changes the steepness of the hills only. There is no way (that I know of) to add constant resistance, or change "effective chainring" size on Zwift.

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Isn't it 'true to real life' then?

 

One would spin out on a mountain bike on the road so it's same same.... 

 

Just do the alp d'zwift climb every day. You won't spin out climbing there for an hour

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Isn't it 'true to real life' then?

 

One would spin out on a mountain bike on the road so it's same same.... 

 

Just do the alp d'zwift climb every day. You won't spin out climbing there for an hour

You just want everyone to know you can do ADZ in an hour.

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Isn't it 'true to real life' then?

 

One would spin out on a mountain bike on the road so it's same same.... 

 

Just do the alp d'zwift climb every day. You won't spin out climbing there for an hour

 

Sure, but there should be an option. Same as there is an option to flatten the hills, there should be an option to make best use of the equipment you have. If you don't have a road bike to put on the IDT, should this make it impossible to race (in Zwift) competitively with the guys that do?

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You just want everyone to know you can do ADZ in an hour.

hahahahaha UNDER and hour!

 

I was also going to add for the OP that 'free riding' in Zwift should be kept to a minimum. Do a training program or some work outs and free ride before and after. That way you won't mind the easy pedaling.

 

The Wringer is a good one and the McCarthy special. Jon's short is also a good work out to hit.

 

The trainer will kick into erg mode for the work out then back to normal afterwards so you can then warm down or zone 2 soft pedal to your hearts content.

 

But an hour to 90 minutes a day of structured training will see more #gainz than hours of free riding around the worlds.

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Sure, but there should be an option. Same as there is an option to flatten the hills, there should be an option to make best use of the equipment you have. If you don't have a road bike to put on the IDT, should this make it impossible to race (in Zwift) competitively with the guys that do?

It would completely mess with the algorithm though. Power is power. It reads real time power. If you start messing with that it creates even more avenues for people to cheat.

 

Unfortunately the algorithm is written to mimic real life as accurately as it can. How do you change that? 

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The Wringer is a good one and the McCarthy special. Jon's short is also a good work out to hit.

 

I did the Wringer this morning. Yassas I nearly kotzed. It was AMAZING. I haven't had an interval session like that since my last spinning class.

 

I agree with you on the freeriding. Just smash the workouts. Power is Power (Clarkson voice) so it won't care about the size of your front chainring. Ok you can't do the races but hey.

Edited by Duane_Bosch
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I did the Wringer this morning. Yassas I nearly kotzed. It was AMAZING. I haven't had an interval session like that since my last spinning class.

 

I agree with you on the freeriding. Just smash the workouts. Power is Power (Clarkson voice) so it won't care about the size of your front chainring. Ok you can't do the races but hey.

hahahaha I did it 2 days ago... Nothing like 12 x 30 seconds at 560 watts with shorter rests!

 

Came out with all 25 stars. I was happy. Doing work outs is rewarding. 

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