Zwift Chat

[Brusgaard]

Spooky, but exact same time as @Brusgaard Would have been interesting if I could have made the ride last night! Having us both together may have spured us on to chase others down, or the constant attacks may have destroyed us

With this "segment classification", I never know when to race or wait. I've already stopped doing a sprint at the end, as that is pointless for the league ranking. Comparing the two rides is therefore, at best, difficult.

 

[Whorty]

With this "segment classification", I never know when to race or wait. I've already stopped doing a sprint at the end, as that is pointless for the league ranking. Comparing the two rides is therefore, at best, difficult.

I always assume the segment starts and ends at the start/finish banner. Any effort before that could be 'wasted' as it doesn't count towards the league time, or (as Bridgy said) could be well used effort as it keeps you in a group for drafting. As this was a TT course with no drafting, I cruised to the Start banner and only starting racing from there - didn't see the point in expending unnecessary energy

 

[Brusgaard]

I cruised to the Start banner and only starting racing from there - didn't see the point in expending unnecessary energy

Yeah, I was "cruising" at around 300w avg. to the start banner, not knowing where the segment started (or ended).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPkzvHPM0PU

 

[Whorty]

Yeah, I was "crusing" at around 300w avg. to the start banner, not knowing where the segment started (or ended).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPkzvHPM0PU

oops You'll have to do it again

 

[Breedon]

@peterob , @bridgy 37:32 for me please 👍

Spooky, but exact same time as @Brusgaard Would have been interesting if I could have made the ride last night! Having us both together may have spured us on to chase others down, or the constant attacks may have destroyed us

Thanks Lee for the support tonight. Always good for the spirit to see a fellow cyclechatter on the road when the legs are hurting and you want to slow down. Gives you that little bit of energy to keep pushing

Good time Carl, I'm considering doing the course again now I know where the start actually is but I'll probably do it either at the weekend or next week and try to keep to average watts.

 

[Whorty]

Good time Carl, I'm considering doing the course again now I know where the start actually is but I'll probably do it either at the weekend or next week and try to keep to average watts.

I'll try to join you, dependent when you do it. If you set up a meet-up, you can invite us all. I did this last night - means, for example, you can set the meet-up for 7 o'clock but go on to Zwift at 6-30 for a warmup. Then as normal it will transfer you to the start of the meetup. I often use this method as it allows me to warm up properly before the ride, but not have to quit Zwift and rejoin just to start the route.

I watched the time last night from spawn point to banner, and this was bang on 4 mins for me. My target time was between 37 and 38 mins, so on the road I needed to cross the finish between 41 and 42 mins. Where I did cock up though, is lack of knowledge about the course; for some reason I was expecting to climb Box Hill not go over the rolling hills of Richmond Park. I was also expecting the finish to be by the Tower/Upper Thames Street and not back on the Mall.

Not sure any of this made any real difference to my time, but at least next time I'll be mentally better prepared

 

[bridgy]

With this "segment classification", I never know when to race or wait. I've already stopped doing a sprint at the end, as that is pointless for the league ranking. Comparing the two rides is therefore, at best, difficult.

- Strava segment times are taken from banner to banner. Meetup starts and finishes either side of banner (exact distance varies). Race before the banner if you need/want to, just in order to get into position for drafting for the rest of the race (unless it's a TT as no drafting anyway), and then race between the banners.

- Sprint at the end - to the banner - is worthwhile if you go faster as a result, as your time will be quicker. But no point sprinting to the meetup end point after you've passed the start/finish banner as strava segment time is taken from there, not the meetup end point.

 

[Whorty]

- Strava segment times are taken from banner to banner. Meetup starts and finishes either side of banner (exact distance varies). Race before the banner if you need/want to, just in order to get into position for drafting for the rest of the race (unless it's a TT as no drafting anyway), and then race between the banners.

- Sprint at the end - to the banner - is worthwhile if you go faster as a result, as your time will be quicker. But no point sprinting to the meetup end point after you've passed the start/finish banner as strava segment time is taken from there, not the meetup end point.

👍

 

[bridgy]

P.S. If anyone (including me) had read the route info I linked to on here before the first TT on Tuesday (https://zwiftinsider.com/london/), the start banner being as far ahead from the spawn point would have been no surprise. From the link:

ABOUT THE START POINT
If you choose this route, the game will spawn you on Constitution Hill near Buckingham Palace, riding in what is typically the reverse direction (westward). Since riders are placed at various points near Buckingham Palace on Constitution Hill, we chose to start our Strava segment at the Classique banner which is approximately 1.5km from the spawn point.

 

[<Tommy>]

P.S. If anyone (including me) had read the route info I linked to on here before the first TT on Tuesday (https://zwiftinsider.com/london/), the start banner being as far ahead from the spawn point would have been no surprise. From the link:

ABOUT THE START POINT
If you choose this route, the game will spawn you on Constitution Hill near Buckingham Palace, riding in what is typically the reverse direction (westward). Since riders are placed at various points near Buckingham Palace on Constitution Hill, we chose to start our Strava segment at the Classique banner which is approximately 1.5km from the spawn point.

I did read that before the race. It kind of helped knowing in advance there was a bit of a lead in. But we both said what he says there sort of. Because where you’re spawned is a little random it still leaves a bit of doubt in your head unless you know exactly where the start banner is going to be. But this isn’t me complaining. I think it just highlights that the more familiar you are with the courses the better. It’s the same for everyone at the end of the day.

 

[<Tommy>]

@bridgy one suggestion I might make though. And this might be unfair to ask you because you’re doing all the leg work as it is... But would it be possible to set out which courses we’re going to do at the start of each month? That would give people a chance to recce the courses on a day they just fancy a spin or whatever.

 

[Breedon]

I'll try to join you, dependent when you do it. If you set up a meet-up, you can invite us all. I did this last night - means, for example, you can set the meet-up for 7 o'clock but go on to Zwift at 6-30 for a warmup. Then as normal it will transfer you to the start of the meetup. I often use this method as it allows me to warm up properly before the ride, but not have to quit Zwift and rejoin just to start the route.

I watched the time last night from spawn point to banner, and this was bang on 4 mins for me. My target time was between 37 and 38 mins, so on the road I needed to cross the finish between 41 and 42 mins. Where I did cock up though, is lack of knowledge about the course; for some reason I was expecting to climb Box Hill not go over the rolling hills of Richmond Park. I was also expecting the finish to be by the Tower/Upper Thames Street and not back on the Mall.

Not sure any of this made any real difference to my time, but at least next time I'll be mentally better prepared

I thought we was going to go up box Hill as well and I felt demoralized so lost time there couldn't face going up that!!

 

[bridgy]

I did read that before the race. It kind of helped knowing in advance there was a bit of a lead in. But we both said what he says there sort of. Because where you’re spawned is a little random it still leaves a bit of doubt in your head unless you know exactly where the start banner is going to be. But this isn’t me complaining. I think it just highlights that the more familiar you are with the courses the better. It’s the same for everyone at the end of the day.

Yeah, there's only so many routes suitable for a race in terms of length etc. so we'll soon start repeating the same routes and get to know what to expect a bit better.

As long as everyone now at least understands the concept of the meetup start and finish points being either side of the start/finish banner where the strava segent time is taken from 😟 🙏

 

[bridgy]

@bridgy one suggestion I might make though. And this might be unfair to ask you because you’re doing all the leg work as it is... But would it be possible to set out which courses we’re going to do at the start of each month? That would give people a chance to recce the courses on a day they just fancy a spin or whatever.

Yes absolutely - I agree was thinking exactly this myself. The only slight difficulty with this is Zwift don't publish the month's guest world calendar until the month starts, so unless we ONLY ever do Watopia routes (which will be a little restrictive) I can't plan routes on other worlds that far in advance.

I guess the way around this would be to announce the first stage in Watopia in advance and then announce the other stages as soon as the guest world calendar is released. I'll try and do this moving forward

 

[<Tommy>]

Yes absolutely - I agree was thinking exactly this myself. The only slight difficulty with this is Zwift don't publish the month's guest world calendar until the month starts, so unless we ONLY ever do Watopia routes (which will be a little restrictive) I can't plan routes on other worlds that far in advance.

I guess the way around this would be to announce the first stage in Watopia in advance and then announce the other stages as soon as the guest world calendar is released. I'll try and do this moving forward

everyone can pitch in routes to create a bit of a list to take the onus off of you to be fair. My knowledge of zwift world is very limited but some of you guys are very experienced with the layout. Like you say there isn't an unlimited supply.
Just make sure to take any suggestions from @berty bassett with a large pinch of salt!