Organising Meet Ups or Group Rides?

[AlanW]

I have recently started to organize a number of meet ups/group rides for friends, club members and Zwift followers etc.

Organising “meet ups” is a right faff as you have to send out invites to each person that you want to join the ride. But on the plus side, you can opt to have the group stay together utilising the elastic band effect. This is vital for our rides to be a success because of the enormous difference in riders’ abilities.

The second option is organising “group rides” via one of my saved Zwift clubs, which is far easier but unless I’m missing something, I cannot see where I can switch the “keep the group” together option on? Or the option to turn the red banner on or to select a kit for everyone to wear.

That said, I did stumble on these setting somewhere yesterday when I was searching around, but all the options were greyed out and not available to be selected? To add to my announce, I cannot find them again…grrrrr!

Can anyone shed some light on where I am going wrong, please, thanks in advance.

If it helps, I’m using the companion app on a Android phone.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Can you just not wait at the top of hills for the slower ones?

 

[AlanW]

Can you just not wait at the top of hills for the slower ones?

If only it was that easy.

I try and keep our rides at around 2 w/kg but as soon as the road goes up the stronger riders will very quickly build up a huge gap.

 

[T4tomo]

what is the difference between using the elastic band function and riders spreading out, apart from the obvious that the avatars aren't all together on the screen?

can you chat to each other in either mode or pass a jelly baby to a mate?

 

[AlanW]

what is the difference between using the elastic band function and riders spreading out, apart from the obvious that the avatars aren't all together on the screen?

can you chat to each other in either mode or pass a jelly baby to a mate?

When everyone gets spread out like they do, it sort of ceases to be a group ride. Of course, it doesn't help that not everyone is using the Discord voice channel and despite repeated requests for the stronger riders to ease up, I am ignored. The elastic band saves me so much hassle and keeps everyone as one unit.

 

[bridgy]

I don't think there is a "keep everyone together" option in club rides at the moment so the only way to do it for now is via meetups like you said. I remember ages ago Zwift saying they were looking into adding that functionality to club group rides but true to form I don't think they've yet got round to it

 

[AlanW]

I wonder if there is a way to add a "fence" to group rides then?

They all have them on the larger organised group rides on Zwift, so I wonder what the criteria is to have the permissions. The same question also applies to having a specific kit, not a custom kit, just one selected from the standard kits available. It would just be nice to get everyone in the same kit, whatever it is.

 

[bridgy]

I wonder if there is a way to add a "fence" to group rides then?

They all have them on the larger organised group rides on Zwift, so I wonder what the criteria is to have the permissions. The same question also applies to having a specific kit, not a custom kit, just one selected from the standard kits available. It would just be nice to get everyone in the same kit, whatever it is.

I don't think either of those functions exist for club group rides as far as I'm aware

 

[AlanW]

Just speaking to Zwift via chat and no the functions do not exist for either "meet ups" of Zwift club organised group rides. The only way is to get them as an option is to organise a public group ride.

So, of course my next question to Zwift was what is the criteria to have the ability to set up such a public group ride?

 

[AlanW]

First, the most riders you can have invite on either a "meet up" or a club group ride is currently set at 100.

Before Zwift will give you access in order to post a public group event, you first need to organise (and over several consistent weeks) a number of either "meet up" or club group events at the maximum capacity of 100.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Does Zwift have a sag wagon?

 

[CXRAndy]

First, the most riders you can have invite on either a "meet up" or a club group ride is currently set at 100.

Before Zwift will give you access in order to post a public group event, you first need to organise (and over several consistent weeks) a number of either "meet up" or club group events at the maximum capacity of 100.

That seems reasonable- they want organised regular events. I jump on events which come around weekly, have good attendance sometimes several hundred for the well liked popular rides.

What I notice is they have lots of chat going on, strict fence control to stop groups flying off the front of the event and several strong sweepers to help bring back the stragglers where possible.

I've done some where its a fixed time ride say 60/90/120mins, others are milage 50/75/100 miles
.
Also they have late joining for 30 mins, so this might help those initially struggling get back onto the pack. You have to leave the event and rejoin.