Zwift, any good?
dempsey1
Posts: 320
Have not really been into the turbo before but thinking I'm going to do it this winter. I've already got the turbo but going to need to invest in one of those dongle things and seen a projector for around £60. Before I spend am needing to be persuaded that zwift is going to convert me
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Have not really been into the turbo before but thinking I'm going to do it this winter. I've already got the turbo but going to need to invest in one of those dongle things and seen a projector for around £60. Before I spend am needing to be persuaded that zwift is going to convert me
It's ok.Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
ABCC Cycling Coach0 -
I might dip my toe, I didn't good job over last winter with just old classic races on YouTube and a lot of mtfu it would be nice to be able to enjoying indoor riding.Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
Most of my training is done on the turbo. Zwift rapidly becomes repetitive. That said, the new workout mode and training plans seem pretty good.Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
ABCC Cycling Coach0 -
Not used it, but if you are a strava premium user I understand that you get X amount of months of Zwift for free?Trainer Road Blog: https://hitthesweetspot.home.blog/
Cycling blog: https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.com/
Blog: https://supermurphtt2015.wordpress.com/
TCTP: https://supermurph.wordpress.com/0 -
Not used it, but if you are a strava premium user I understand that you get X amount of months of Zwift for free?
Zwift is still free until Thursday! But yes if you're Strava Premium you get 2 months free of Zwift every year.0 -
Most of my training is done on the turbo. Zwift rapidly becomes repetitive. That said, the new workout mode and training plans seem pretty good.
5.7 miles over and over is going to be repetitive no matter how you dress it up! They desperately need new and longer courses - and no not Richmond
. They've been hinting at it for a good while, I'm hoping they'll bring it out on Thursday with the big launch. 0 -
I had a go with zwift over the weekend and quite liked it.
Previously I've used virtual trainer for the last year with my Kickr
On the upside I have found it a little more interesting, and have had my competitive instinct make me put down harder efforts than i might otherwise have done - racing someone to the top of the hill for example. Time went quicker yesterday and my hour passed much more quickly than before.
The downside for me was that because it is more engaging i found i had to get more involved - changing gear, looking at the other riders around me, etc. This was distracting. Normally I either enter a power number, or pick a work out, then slump down onto the aero bars and almost get into a trance, letting my mind wander, or getting into the music.
It's a bit like when I have ridden virtual routes in the past, after a while it got niggly so I reverted to my old ways. As a gamer I'm wondering whether the 'leveling' in zwift might keep me interested a bit longer.
Time will tell if I go the same way with zwift, but after a single weekends use (2 sessions) I think the positives outweigh the negatives so far.0 -
For me Zwift isn't so much about 'training' anyway, it's a direct substitute for going for a ride outside, I'm in riding outside I don't try to hold power intervals etc, I just ride, and change gear a few times too!0
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I almost vommed after the sprint point just now.... so it must be doing some good!0
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I almost vommed after the sprint point just now.... so it must be doing some good!
haha! I was like that after chasing the reverse KOM the other day. The ETA was saying I was just a few seconds under so I had to keep pushing all the way, got the KOM but nearly died in the process.0 -
I think it depends if you have a smart trainer or not. If you have to manually adjust your resistance, it's a bit rubbish and if you feel like cheating, you can stick it in the lowest resistance and destroy the KOM.0
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Good point - I'm using a kickr and the way the power adjusts to suit the terrain is pretty convincing0
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Very interested in this, competition is one of my main motivations.
Does anybody know rough total costs for somebody who has no indoor cycling gear (have a bike..)?0 -
Basic turbo will set you back about 100 quid - less on eBay. Smart trainer can cost anything from 200 up to a grand (but the entry level smart trainers can be very good). I have a Bkool - which has its own software using 'real' maps with video (you can also upload your own routes). Cost me 260 on special offer about a year ago.Very interested in this, competition is one of my main motivations.
Does anybody know rough total costs for somebody who has no indoor cycling gear (have a bike..)?
If you want the fancy stuff on Zwift you'll be better off getting a 'real' power meter, because if you spend the money on that, rather than getting a super duper trainer, you'll be able to use it out on the road as well.
Had a look at zwift last night for the first time - looked like it might be fun and take the monotony out of long turbo sessions - but the turbo isn't supposed to be 'fun'. The workout mode looks like it might be useful though - will have a play with that and see if I can get some intervals set up. Definitely worth looking at if you want to do Base miles in the winter but the weather is shite. Tried doing some long turbo sessions last year and I wanted to cut my wrists after 2 hours of staring at the wallsFat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.0 -
I have not tried Zwift but the best way I have found to beat the monotony of a turbo is to play a cycling video whilst listening to loud, driven music.
Nothing will be "enjoyable".The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I looked at it as an alternative to TTS4, but it looks more like an arcade game rather than a serious training tool.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0
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I looked at it as an alternative to TTS4, but it looks more like an arcade game rather than a serious training tool.
Might be different with the new "workout mode" though. And it seems like they've been adding features fairly consistently.0 -
I have not tried Zwift but the best way I have found to beat the monotony of a turbo is to play a cycling video whilst listening to loud, driven music.
Nothing will be "enjoyable".
I think there are mainly 2 types of turbo user, type 1 is using it to train on and achieve their goals, type 2 is using it to maintain fitness or "keep things ticking over". My feeling, is that if you are type 2 then you'll need some form of stimulation, be it Zwift, music, films etc, if you're type 1 those things get in the way, monotony doesn't even come into it.Trainer Road Blog: https://hitthesweetspot.home.blog/
Cycling blog: https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.com/
Blog: https://supermurphtt2015.wordpress.com/
TCTP: https://supermurph.wordpress.com/0 -
I have not tried Zwift but the best way I have found to beat the monotony of a turbo is to play a cycling video whilst listening to loud, driven music.
Nothing will be "enjoyable".
I don't know, Zwift can be quite enjoyable when you're racing against someone or trying to get the KOM up the hill.0 -
Very interested in this, competition is one of my main motivations.
Does anybody know rough total costs for somebody who has no indoor cycling gear (have a bike..)?
It depends on your goals and budget http://zwift.com/ under the 'check my gear' part.
At minimum you need a PC which meets the minimum specs and an ANT+ dongle.
If you already had a non-smart turbo trainer then you could use an ANT+ speed sensor to transmit your speed to Zwift, but that wouldn't adjust resistance so would feel a bit false on the hills etc.
But since you don't already have a turbo then look at something like the Tacx Vortex Smart - about £250. That will adjust resistance according to what slope you're on, transmit reasonable accurate power, speed, cadence, basically everything except being a heart rate monitor!
So:
* Bike
* PC
* Turbo trainer
* ANT+ Dongle
* Heart rate monitor0 -
Yep I think you could get set-up fairly cheaply.
I happened to have a kickr already because I had some spare cash when my last turbo fell apart a year or so ago and was attracted to the 'gadgetness' of it. I already had an Ant+ dongle from an oldish Garmin watch, and I've pinched my daughter's lap-top as she hardly uses it (being surgically attached to her tablet). So my only outlay has been 2 x £5 Ikea coffee tables to stick one on top of the other to bring the laptop up to a reasonable height.0 -
You are correct. Type 2.I have not tried Zwift but the best way I have found to beat the monotony of a turbo is to play a cycling video whilst listening to loud, driven music.
Nothing will be "enjoyable".
I think there are mainly 2 types of turbo user, type 1 is using it to train on and achieve their goals, type 2 is using it to maintain fitness or "keep things ticking over". My feeling, is that if you are type 2 then you'll need some form of stimulation, be it Zwift, music, films etc, if you're type 1 those things get in the way, monotony doesn't even come into it.
No point in being type 1 unless you are an elite racer.
I never was and never will be. Cycling is for fun, for me, and most I would hope.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Each to their own but I would need a large variety of routes to stop it becoming boring.I have not tried Zwift but the best way I have found to beat the monotony of a turbo is to play a cycling video whilst listening to loud, driven music.
Nothing will be "enjoyable".
I don't know, Zwift can be quite enjoyable when you're racing against someone or trying to get the KOM up the hill.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
That's why I've given workout mode a go, and will probably return to it at some point but it doesn't really inspire me, riding a bike shouldn't be about riding intervals to power targets - although I know a lot of people like doing that!
Zwift are bringing out some new routes, just yesterday they put a new junction into the island with a sign saying "Ocean Route Coming Soon"0 -
First two laps of Zwift completed. I'd been having issues getting a good wifi connection in the bike room but sorted it with a power line adapter. You definitely get the competitive streak kicking in from the off. I'm going to give the workouts a go next.
I'm using:
Taxc Vortex Smart
Garmin Vector S
Garmin HRM
Laptop linked via HDMI to TV
Garmin ANT+ dongle on a long USB cable/adapter so it's right next to the Vortex
The laptop is a pretty new Dell XPS 15 so I'm fairly happy with the smoothness of the graphics and I'm really happy with the Vortex.
Nothing beats riding the bike outdoors but after three days of rides in the constant pissing rain I'm enjoying a relatively dry ride (apart from the pools of sweat).0 -
Thinking I'm heading towards the bkool stuff, seem a lot more online routes and options. Maybe zwift will be more complete next winter? I get the idea it is work in progress0
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Thinking I'm heading towards the bkool stuff, seem a lot more online routes and options. Maybe zwift will be more complete next winter? I get the idea it is work in progress
I can see Bkool become the Betamax of online training tbh. Zwift look like they're on a serous roll now.0 -
I'm still undecided which way to go. Am I right in thinking that the only route on zwift is a 5.7 mile loop?0
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No point in being type 1 unless you are an elite racer.
?? Absolutely not. You don't have to be an elite racer to want to acheive your best. And to do my best, I have a strict schedule and take my training very seriously, but I am rewarded with fitness gains I never thought possible. I'm definitely type 1, but I still have immense fun and just love riding full stop.0 -
I'm still undecided which way to go. Am I right in thinking that the only route on zwift is a 5.7 mile loop?
No. There are 2 courses so far, and indications of a third (a new junction on the island mentioned above). The second one is a 10 mile loop (Richmond UCI worlds course)0
