Do you occasionally enjoy zwift more than "real" riding? If so, does that bother you?

neeb

So autumn is here and on a rainy windy day I must admit I'll head to zwift.. I really enjoy blasting round the Mountain Route in Watopia and it's a really good workout - a solid 20min at about 100-105% FTP on the epic KOM (which I always thrash up) followed by the slog up to the radio tower at 90% FTP and then lots of short sprints up little rises. And there's the interaction with others and the butterflies and airships and all the rest.

It worries me a little that sometimes I think I probably enjoy some zwift sessions more than some 30 mile real rides on familiar routes, with the wind and the traffic and all the rest.. Not usually, but sometimes..

Virtual cycling is only going to get better and more immersive. How much of what we love about cycling is the riding and how much is the workout and the endorphins? Could virtual cycling ever replace the real thing completely? Would that matter?

sniper68

No.
I get bored of Zwift very quickly and would sooner go out in the cold and wet.RGT looks like it could be good eventually but it’s still Turbo training.I think I used Zwift 5 or 6 times last Autumn/Winter.

MiddleRinger

If it's blowing a hooley and raining sideways outside, then Zwift can be a bit more enjoyable! I can only sit on the trainer for an hour, maybe 90 minutes tops though. Much prefer to be outside.

redvision

Not zwift itself (never really enjoyed using that tbh) but I have mellowed to indoor training over the last few months (since doing a lengthy training block predominantly on the turbo) and now regularly jump on the turbo rather than going outside - even if the weather is glorious.
I think it's because turbo training allows for much more controlled and efficient training, and I have seen a pretty big step up in ftp.

OnTheRopes

Not usually but sometimes seems like a fair assessment. I use Zwift and looking at RGT in the winter, where i live many of the roads don't get gritted so quite hazardous on a bike when its freezing. I used to ride in all weather but ride indoors if its bad now.
I wouldn't say i enjoy it more but on occasion I do enjoy it, prior to Zwift I hated Turbo Training

cougie

I enjoy the hour long sessions I do. Especially with the intensity that gives an endorphin rush after but it's never going to replace a ride out with pals. No cake stops or laughs on zwift. Maybe I need a headset for that.

neeb

Imagine a full VR experience with a headset and a microphone, so you could just talk to people near you as well as look around you. And a trainer that could detect every leaning force as well as handlebar movements and so fully simulate the riding experience (including crashes - although I'd probably draw the line at simulated injuries.. ;-)). I'm sure it'll happen in our lifetimes.

Not sure how I'd feel about that!

One attraction of Zwift is the lack of that constant almost subliminal stress level, the need to be aware that if you aren't concentrating a car could take you out at any time or you could hit a pothole or misjudge a corner. Sometimes on a winter evening after a day at work you have physical energy but no mental energy - you can hop on the indoor trainer and hammer out some watts without any mental stress involved at all (unless something stops working..). Of course if you flip the coin then that's one of the advantages of real riding - the reality of it and the necessary slight risk means it's an infinitely more completely engaging experience.

napoleond

Me. Can’t be arsed with the hassle of getting the right clothing on, kit together etc these days. Would rather jump on the turbo.

pblakeney

It's easier to be competitive on Zwift. You aren't burning off friends, and if someone burns you off the they have set their weight at 50kg.

norvernrob

If you follow any of the Zwift pages on FB, you’ll find quite a few people hardly ever ride outdoors any more and some don’t at all.

lettingthedaysgoby

Tried it once, was bored.

I’d rather be wet than bored. For me cycling is about fresh air, a sense of adventure and freedom. It’s not a computer game. If it works for you, great. But it certainly isn’t for me.

alex222

Still prefer outdoor riding but the other weekend i couldn’t get motivated to head out, so did an hour Zwift ride.
Meant I didn’t have to feel guilty for not getting some exercise in and could still have a relatively lazy day.

Djd3737

Really enjoy the racing here, whack on the music do a race of anything from 45 minutes to 3 hours. Race with team mates, with voice chat is good fun, pretend your Sagan with crazy attacks. Takes literally 30 seconds to put on bibs and climb on bike, I love it. Sadly I haven’t been outdoors on a single social ride this year, which I am a bit regretful of tbh, because it is so easy to just jump into a race on Zwift

dannbodge

I enjoy them for different reasons, wouldn't say that I enjoy one more than the other as they both have different jobs to do.

I love zwift for riding hard, the racing and killing myself in an hour.
I love riding outside because it's outside.

neeb

Dannbodge wrote:

I enjoy them for different reasons, wouldn't say that I enjoy one more than the other as they both have different jobs to do.

I love zwift for riding hard, the racing and killing myself in an hour.
I love riding outside because it's outside.

Pretty much sums up my position. Also of course nothing beats the feeling of actually moving fast through the countryside under your own power, feeling the road through the tyres and the frame flex under you as if it's an extension of your own bones and sinews, etc, bla bla bla..

I wonder if Zwift would be more or less enjoyable if you had never ridden a real bike. Does the simulation work better because you unconsciously "fill in the gaps" from your experience / muscle memory of what it feels like to ride for real?

fenix

fleehouse2 wrote:

Really enjoy the racing here, whack on the music do a race of anything from 45 minutes to 3 hours. Race with team mates, with voice chat is good fun, pretend your Sagan with crazy attacks. Takes literally 30 seconds to put on bibs and climb on bike, I love it. Sadly I haven’t been outdoors on a single social ride this year, which I am a bit regretful of tbh, because it is so easy to just jump into a race on Zwift

What do you use for your voice chat please ?

VamP

I think it's still a substitute for the real thing, but a pretty good substitute. I smashed my shoulder up in June, and have not been able to ride outside since, but Zwift has kept me sane, and somewhat fit too.

The racing scene is quite cool actually.

neeb

I've been amazed in the last couple of years how much fitness I've managed to maintain through the winter just through zwifting a few times during the week and doing the odd outdoor ride every other weekend when the weather's been OK. It just takes two or three weeks of regular outdoor riding in the spring to top up the endurance fitness (I know it's not supposed to work that way!) and I'm flying.

bendertherobot

I've 2000 miles on Zwift in the last 12 months. Not a massive amount, but probably 500-750 on Fulgaz too. Some of that has been "I can't be arsed to go out at all" but most of it is "I'm not going out in that." So it's been a pretty great investment generally.

I enjoy it because I have a big TV, fan, access to drinks, towel, speakers and an iPad. So I chuck on TV series and watch them and also Zwift. So yes, I enjoy it.

Djd3737

Fenix wrote:

What do you use for your voice chat please ?

Discord app