Alpe Du Zwift

bendertherobot
bendertherobot Posts: 11,684
edited April 2018 in Indoor training and turbo forum
https://twitter.com/GoZwift/status/976760557033357314

Whatever your thoughts, it's one hell of an infographic!

My thoughts?

Tidy, you don't HAVE to ride it, if you don't want to. It's great Alps training though.

I'd like to see the roadworks at the Jungle section being a portal to the foot of a new island. I'd also like to see a portal from the top back to the bottom, if that's what you want, rather than riding 30m downhill in a virtual ride.
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Comments

  • alex222
    alex222 Posts: 598
    I am looking forward to it. Since the teaser I've been wondering when it will be released.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Can't wait.
    Rumours are it's going to be over 1200m in elevation.

    Epic KOM is bad enough at 100% difficulty, so the new one should be great. Proper mountain top finishes for races, and a whole loop including the other 3 KOMS will be brutal.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    Dannbodge wrote:
    Can't wait.
    Rumours are it's going to be over 1200m in elevation.

    Epic KOM is bad enough at 100% difficulty, so the new one should be great. Proper mountain top finishes for races, and a whole loop including the other 3 KOMS will be brutal.

    Difficulty doesn't affect the power you need to put out, just the gearing you use. 3 w/kg at 0% difficulty can be done in the big ring, 3 w/kg at 100% difficulty will be the small ring.

    If you're struggling to maintain your power on the epic then you don't have low enough gears.
  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    I'll probably ride it once or twice just to see what it's like.

    It'll be a good one for anyone trying to rack up "elevation" to unlock the Tron bike!
    ~ ~ How fast is fast enough? ~ ~ ~ ~ Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania ~ ~
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,204
    They will surely have to do something about the descent - it's not going to be particularly interesting or useful training without having to worry about cornering.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Maybe a train journey back to the start ?
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    phreak wrote:
    Dannbodge wrote:
    Can't wait.
    Rumours are it's going to be over 1200m in elevation.

    Epic KOM is bad enough at 100% difficulty, so the new one should be great. Proper mountain top finishes for races, and a whole loop including the other 3 KOMS will be brutal.

    Difficulty doesn't affect the power you need to put out, just the gearing you use. 3 w/kg at 0% difficulty can be done in the big ring, 3 w/kg at 100% difficulty will be the small ring.

    If you're struggling to maintain your power on the epic then you don't have low enough gears.

    No but it makes the gradient actually what it should be.

    I'm fine with the gears I've got. Was just simply a point that it will be hard.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,204
    cougie wrote:
    Maybe a train journey back to the start ?

    A cliff would work.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    Looking forward to this. Intrigued by the descent. I don't use a smart turbo so less of an issue, but 30m of descending surely won't be the answer here.
  • bigmitch41
    bigmitch41 Posts: 685
    Looking forward to it, Hopefully I can tick the Tron Bike box soon! 4 Sisters anyone?....
    Paracyclist
    @Bigmitch_racing
    2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
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  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,204
    cgfw201 wrote:
    Looking forward to this. Intrigued by the descent. I don't use a smart turbo so less of an issue, but 30m of descending surely won't be the answer here.

    Only 15 mins or so, surely - no slowing for corners, so you'll be doing over 50kmh all the way down, especially without a smart trainer.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    cgfw201 wrote:
    Looking forward to this. Intrigued by the descent. I don't use a smart turbo so less of an issue, but 30m of descending surely won't be the answer here.

    Only 15 mins or so, surely - no slowing for corners, so you'll be doing over 50kmh all the way down, especially without a smart trainer.

    Takes around 9-10 mins to descend the Epic KOM normally, and both sides of that have some sections of uphill which need to be pedalled through. This looks like it's 3x the size?

    *edit. KOM is 9.28, my pb is 12.30, took 16.00 once.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,204
    cgfw201 wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    cgfw201 wrote:
    Looking forward to this. Intrigued by the descent. I don't use a smart turbo so less of an issue, but 30m of descending surely won't be the answer here.

    Only 15 mins or so, surely - no slowing for corners, so you'll be doing over 50kmh all the way down, especially without a smart trainer.

    Takes around 9-10 mins to descend the Epic KOM normally, and both sides of that have some sections of uphill which need to be pedalled through. This looks like it's 3x the size?

    Fair enough - I assumed it would just be as close to Alpe dHuez as possible, which doesn't have any uphills in the descent and is only 13.8km in length. We'll see soon.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    cgfw201 wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    cgfw201 wrote:
    Looking forward to this. Intrigued by the descent. I don't use a smart turbo so less of an issue, but 30m of descending surely won't be the answer here.

    Only 15 mins or so, surely - no slowing for corners, so you'll be doing over 50kmh all the way down, especially without a smart trainer.

    Takes around 9-10 mins to descend the Epic KOM normally, and both sides of that have some sections of uphill which need to be pedalled through. This looks like it's 3x the size?

    Fair enough - I assumed it would just be as close to Alpe dHuez as possible, which doesn't have any uphills in the descent and is only 13.8km in length. We'll see soon.

    true, feel like it must be an AdH replica. that would be great.
  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    I could just climb off my NEO on the descent for a loo and snack stop and let the "downhill drive" spin away until the bottom..... lol
    ~ ~ How fast is fast enough? ~ ~ ~ ~ Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania ~ ~
  • green_mark
    green_mark Posts: 74
    cgfw201 wrote:
    Looking forward to this. Intrigued by the descent. I don't use a smart turbo so less of an issue, but 30m of descending surely won't be the answer here.

    I know on the Zwift Hub people have been asking for a portal that instantly takes people from the top of the mountain to the bottom - so people can continuously keep climbing forever.

    I like the idea of a cliff though.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    green_mark wrote:
    cgfw201 wrote:
    Looking forward to this. Intrigued by the descent. I don't use a smart turbo so less of an issue, but 30m of descending surely won't be the answer here.

    I know on the Zwift Hub people have been asking for a portal that instantly takes people from the top of the mountain to the bottom - so people can continuously keep climbing forever.

    I like the idea of a cliff though.

    There is already the underground bit that takes you right to Box Hill from central London, so they could do something similar, although I don't know how that would work with u-turns etc.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,204
    http://zwift.com/events/view/51546

    Tour of Watopia Stage 3 - distance 25.1km, elevation gain 1166m
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,063
    There's been an update overnight, Alpe Du Zwift is open with three new routes...

    If you are level 12... I'm not far off level 11 (having joined in Jan)!!! :evil: :cry:
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    NitrousOxide wrote:
    There's been an update overnight, Alpe Du Zwift is open with three new routes...

    If you are level 12... I'm not far off level 11 (having joined in Jan)!!! :evil: :cry:

    Phew, I am level 13.

    It's my zwift night tonight, so I know what I'm doing!
  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    Awesome. Might have to check it out (or at least update Zwift and log in to have a look).
    ~ ~ How fast is fast enough? ~ ~ ~ ~ Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania ~ ~
  • benjamess
    benjamess Posts: 159
    Dannbodge wrote:
    NitrousOxide wrote:
    There's been an update overnight, Alpe Du Zwift is open with three new routes...

    If you are level 12... I'm not far off level 11 (having joined in Jan)!!! :evil: :cry:

    Phew, I am level 13.

    It's my zwift night tonight, so I know what I'm doing!

    Gutted I'm only on level 7!
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    Reading some more into it, there are 3 new routes.
    Four Horsemen - 90km, 2100m elev (all climbs etc)
    Road to Sky - 20km, 1100m elev (Just Alpe-du-zwift)
    TOur of Fire and Ice - 25km and 1100m elev (Volcano to Alpe-du-zwift)

    Also, when you reach the top there is a prize wheel and you win new gear (inc bikes!)
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,204
    Level 10 here, so will have to wait
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    Did it this morning and got some new gloves at the top. It was surprisingly busy, but it's new I suppose so lots were trying it out. Doesn't look like any of the races on Zwiftpower are taking people up it yet, which is a shame. Hopefully there will be some mountain top finish events.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,204
    So.. you can ride it if you aren't level 12 , by hopping over the fence. Do "ride with" someone who is already on the alpe. I missed the first few metres and made it up under the hour. It's relentless like the real thing. Pretty impressed.

    Good news is that it only takes 10 minutes to get down again.
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    I did it yesterday as well.
    Ended up with a time of 67mins @220w. I was hoping for sub 60mins, but had some bike issues mid way up (indexing and skewer needed tightening).
    Probably didn't help that I was on the phone for some of it as well.

    Got the Laser Bullet at a reward at the top.
  • haydenm
    haydenm Posts: 2,997
    Cool, now I can not cycle anywhere even slower than I do already. Oh wait, no I can't, it's too desperately boring to get to level 12

    It would be cheaper to sell my turbo, cancel my subscription and go to Tenerife for a week all inclusive. It's hot and the beer is free.

    At least, that's what I would say if I was being cynical, in reality I'm going to get to level 12 just to ride up a big imaginary hill
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    I'm still awaiting for the software geeks to have a slight infusion of imagination and develop a Flanders route complete with nasty punchy bergs, surrounded by a beerfrites haze off the spectators.
    It takes an imaginary race for me to actually want to turn the pedals around these days on Zwift.
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,063
    My legs hurt.

    They will probably hurt more in the morning.

    Almost 4000 feet over ~90mins, plus actively pedalling down the climb as fast as my weak legs could carry me.
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo

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