Structured Training: TrainerRoad vs Zwift
cgfw201
Posts: 674
Had TrainerRoad for 3 years or so on and off, mainly on during the winter.
Have done 80 sessions in total on TR, mostly Sufferfest vids. Got the ANT+ USB so got all my HR/Cadence/Speed data looped in with the program on my ancient laptop.
Really like TR, particularly with Sufferfest vids but have done a few workouts on there without the videos.
Considering an iPad upgrade at the moment and seen that Zwift is now coming to iOS. I know Zwift has a training mode but there's not much detail online as to what this involves. Is it comparable with TrainerRoad, eg structured sessions based on your FTP which can be used to improve climbing/endurance/sprinting/TTing etc?
Don't want to buy the new iPad and discover I still want to use TR for turbo training.
Have done 80 sessions in total on TR, mostly Sufferfest vids. Got the ANT+ USB so got all my HR/Cadence/Speed data looped in with the program on my ancient laptop.
Really like TR, particularly with Sufferfest vids but have done a few workouts on there without the videos.
Considering an iPad upgrade at the moment and seen that Zwift is now coming to iOS. I know Zwift has a training mode but there's not much detail online as to what this involves. Is it comparable with TrainerRoad, eg structured sessions based on your FTP which can be used to improve climbing/endurance/sprinting/TTing etc?
Don't want to buy the new iPad and discover I still want to use TR for turbo training.
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Yes it is! I used TR before switching to Zwift and Zwift workout mode works in almost exactly the same way, in that there are a library of workouts to choose from, or some workout plans and then it will hold you to power targets along the way. Of course instead of you just following a line on a graph (although that's there too), you can see your rider pedalling in the virtual world. A nice feature is that you go through a glowing coloured arch at the start/end of each of your intervals.
The workout creator is really easy to use too, drag and drop, far easier than TR.
IMO with Zwift around there's no particular reason to subscribe to TR as it provides everything TR does but also a lot more in terms of free riding, interacting with other riders, racing etc.
Cool. Sounds good enough for me. Just need to get a set of Wahoo bluetooth hr/cadence/speed and a new iPad and I'm there.
well, ok, id doesn't suck ... I suck at being motivated to do it. The problem with Zwift is I ride at 5am in the morning, with all the intention in the world to do workouts, but at 5:30 there is a daily dZi Igniter group ride .. the whole social side of it, riding in a pack, the drafting, leadouts, sprints, cadence work, single gear laps increasing the wkg each lap etc is so sodding addictive that I never do any of the workouts.
Then at the weekend, when there isn't a group ride at that time ... I "should" do a workout, but cycling to the top of the radar station up in the snow trying to beat your time is again too addictive !
No.
What is the split % between outside riding and your virtual buddies?
Me? This time of year I use it to do a bit of extra riding through the week, usually Tuesdays & Thursdays for 1 hour in the morning. Then I'll do a 3-4 hour ride outside on a Sunday, usually 40-50 miles.
If the weather isn't favourable on Sundays then I might do a couple of hours on Zwift (or tacx films).
During the few months of the year when was light at 6am I was riding outside and didn't use Zwift at all.
I try not to use a turbo except for January & February, just wondering if it can relieve the boredom or whether its just a novelty for the iPad generation.
I used TrainerRoad 3 or 4 years ago and thought how dull that was.
I used a free month of Trainer Road again... the PC app is better and clearer, but I found myself just using my Sufferfest videos for the workouts.. but these and the app make for some kind of structure... however not going forward with this again.
Zwift using their 14 day free.... underwhelmed by it, I'm afraid.
I was never a gamer but its like going back 15 years, very 1 dimensional and absolutely no structure to it.
I baulk at the idea of having to get a smart controllable trainer that costs more than a decent mudguarded winter hack just to get more value.
Back to the Sufferfest videos which have consistently improved over the years with their production values.. I shall await their windows training app in October..
I admit just sitting on a turbo and riding without any tech just does not cut anymore like it used to.
Sounds familiar, one thing i didn't mention is I do put a sufferfest videos on but haven't got any of the latest ones, mainly because I found a lot of them were focused on high intensity which probably isn't best in Jan/Feb
I've got an Elite Fluid Elastogel, fairly basic but does the job. Never had an issue with it on TrainerRoad doing Sufferfest vids. Can ride at whatever virtual power is needed without problems, usually 150-400 watts for whatever period of time.
Assume would be similar for Zwift? Can see why having hills replicated would be nice but surely riding at 400w is riding at 400w regardless of if your trainer is simulating it or not?
can afford a new iPad for Zwift, can't afford a new iPad AND trainer!
Various vids including many Trail Centres
You won't miss out on the drafting effect. Even on smart trainers they don't adjust the resistance when you're in the draft, your in game speed just increases for the same effort.
In my opinion Zwift has utterly changed the landscape as far as turbos are concerned. Heaven knows what it will be like if they manage to add the VR aspects.
So you're a fan then? DO you sacrifice outside rides for a turbo session?
Isnt the effect the same though
If I have to pedal at 250w to maintain 24mph on my own. But in the centre of the pack, my speed increases for the same power, but the pack is only doing 24mph so I have to reduce my power to 200w to stay at 24mph
the effect is the same ..... 50w saving for the same speed .... resistance has reduced by 50w to do 24mph ?
Yes of course; you either go faster for the same effort or you can maintain the same speed for less effort, amounts to the same thing. My point is just that this works in exactly the same way if using a smart trainer or traditional trainer.
On a smart trainer resistance on your trainer does not decrease in the draft, it's only your virtual speed in the game which is affected, so you can soft pedal or shift to a lower gear, but the resistance you're pushing against is the same.
Thanks for clearing that up as I thought that was one of the advantages. Well, that makes me even feel better about using my normal turbo
Various vids including many Trail Centres
Can do a free trial of the app as well I think.
Im guessing Zwift isn't free either?
It has a training mode... it reads ANT+ devices, you can get workout profiles and you can run videos.
It's a learning curve sadly... but it is all freeware.
No it's £8/month. You get 14 days free to start and if you're a paid up member of Strava Premium you get two free months to start with - and you get that every year. So if you're paying for Strava anyway and only riding turbo through the winter you could end up just paying for 1 or 2 months.
But I'm sure you don't need it all
I think the best value sufferfest for me has been Nine Hammers - it's pretty unpleasant but when you hit all the intervals just right it's satisfying and it seems to be quite effective too. Done it loads of times.
I don't like the ones where they muck about with standing and stupidly low cadences etc.
out of interest ... how were people taking Zwift too seriously ... and how did they impose this seriousness on you ? ... I am on it everyday including logging it to Strava and in the few months of using it have only had the odd thumbs up from strangers and few people that now follow me on Strava, from getting to know me in the group rides when you find yourself out the back of the pack and have to work in a groupetto to catch back up
Even the races are light hearted and good natured .... although that probably because I am in the bottom groups and we all know we are sh1te