Zwift B S’s.

[Milzy]

My first Alpe Du Zwift attempt was 70 mins with real road feel turned up full.
Some guy at work who’s pushing 60 has done it in 54 mins. I’m also a stone lighter than him. 16 mins is a lot. I’d say we had similar power to weight ratio so I’m calling BS on his time.

 

[bridgy]

My first Alpe Du Zwift attempt was 70 mins with real road feel turned up full.
Some guy at work who’s pushing 60 has done it in 54 mins. I’m also a stone lighter than him. 16 mins is a lot. I’d say we had similar power to weight ratio so I’m calling BS on his time.

Are you comparing times for a particular strava segment?

 

[Milzy]

Are you comparing times for a particular strava segment?

Yeah, the Alpe. I think people are entering their weights lower.

 

[berty bassett]

Lot of people do

 

[fossyant]

I wouldn't worry too much, mine is about 65 minutes but I've ridden it as part of a ride and only 2 or 3 times. Bores me.

Trainers are different. Some folk have done it in 30 minutes, yeh right. Just compare your rides.

 

[berty bassett]

^ that - so many different trainers out there so not really fair comparison

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It's all BS, cheating or no cheating. Remember stuff like Zwift is just a game. Riding up a real gradient with a real road surface under you and real wind blowing - is actual cycling. Sitting on a static bike bolted to a trainer staring at a screen - isn't cycling.

 

[berty bassett]

It's all BS, cheating or no cheating. Remember stuff like Zwift is just a game. Riding up a real gradient with a real road surface under you and real wind blowing - is actual cycling. Sitting on a static bike bolted to a trainer staring at a screen - isn't cycling.

but sitting in front of a screen going up a mountain helps you get ready for the real thing when your not blessed with an alpe in your back garden

 

[CXRAndy]

It's all BS, cheating or no cheating. Remember stuff like Zwift is just a game. Riding up a real gradient with a real road surface under you and real wind blowing - is actual cycling. Sitting on a static bike bolted to a trainer staring at a screen - isn't cycling.

Ive just come back from outdoor cycling holiday going up and over Mt Teide All done on the back of nothing but indoor cyclin.. 280miles 30000ft climbing made comfortable from using Trainer Road and Zwift. It not BS

 

[Gary E]

So why not have it out with him instead of us if it bothers you so much?
Not having a go, just pointing out a way to put it to rest.
The only person I compare metrics with on Zwift is me and there are even some differences between individual rides that "having a good day" doesn't explain.
You may even me surprised - never underestimate the cranking ability of us fatties

 

[JuhaL]

I wouldn't worry about too much either with times with against other riders. In Zwift as well are too many factors what can effect differences with other riders times. Different trainer, weight setting, trainer difficulty setting etc. . Too many factors comparing outdoor ride. Like @Gary E says better compare your own rides and see the progress.

 

[Gary E]

I'm enormous but my best time for the Alpe Du Zwift is under an hour
I was seeing stars when I finished (but only a few due to the tunnel vision) and collapsed into a puddle of my own sweat as soon as I got off the bike.
I'd realised the sub-hour was a faint possibility about half way up and pushed like crazy the rest of the way.
The odd thing about cycling (real and virtual) is that physical stature is not always a good indication of someones cycling ability, I've struggled to keep up on rides with people many years my senior. What they have going for them is many many years of saddle time!

 

[bridgy]

It's all BS, cheating or no cheating. Remember stuff like Zwift is just a game. Riding up a real gradient with a real road surface under you and real wind blowing - is actual cycling. Sitting on a static bike bolted to a trainer staring at a screen - isn't cycling.

What a strange comment! I'm not sure who you're arguing against as no one was making an argument that Zwift was "real cycling" anyway. Of course it's not exactly the same as cycling in the real world, but it is a "form" of cycling whether you like it or not. Luckily no one's going to force you to take part though, so all good!

 

[bridgy]

Yeah, the Alpe. I think people are entering their weights lower.

There's lots of reasons results on zwift can be inaccurate or "unfair" between different riders. As you say they can put a lower than real weight in for themselves, or it could be down to the type of trainer they're using, some of which can be pretty inaccurate.

Not knowing either of you it's impossible for anyone else to say whether you're right or not, but 54 minutes for Alpe Du Zwift isn't that extraordinary on an accurate trainer for a reasonably - but far from elite - rider. We have a Strava group of Cyclechat riders and the top 9 times are under 54 minutes or under (for the 7.59 mile Strava segment called "Alpe Du Zwift (Zwift Insider Verified)"). Most of us in that top 10 are not spring chickens any more either

If you do races on Zwift, are you signed up for Zwiftpower? If not I'd recommend it, as it's a results service for Zwift that does a lot to try and verify fair results - obviously it's not perfect, but it's as good as it gets and improving all the time.

Ultimately, unless you have a group of people you know well and know are using similar and accurate equipment and not "weight doping" it's pointless worrying about other peoples results, but better to concentrate on improving your own.

 

[<Tommy>]

Sounds like your younger and fitter than this dude. I say punch him in the face. If he beats the cr@p out of you then maybe he is genuinely quicker than you up d’huez . If not, then he’s a damm cheat, but you probably need to look for a new job in the new year.


You’re welcome