Zwift Chat

[Legs]

Just had a look at the analysis of my ride last night. Compared with my PB ride (46:33), I was 58s up after Bend 13 (15:48 in), but then lost all that advantage by midway between Bend 6 and Bend 5 (~34:18), and proceeded to lose another 50s by the end... My average power on the first segment was 368W, then 343W on the second I was still putting out 310W by the time I got to Bend 13, but then my power just fell off a cliff. My overall average was 297W, including one shocking segment at 267W.

I thought that I'd have to put down big power on the lower slopes because (i) that's typically what happens in races, and (ii) I remembered that there are some steep gradients there, so overextending can pay dividends timewise. But actually, in hindsight, I realise that there are equally steep parts later on (either side of the Dutch Corner, for example), so a smoother effort would be much faster.

I'm annoyed with myself because I averaged 8W more on the Aspin on Sunday morning over a similar duration, when I wasn't pushing particularly hard. I'll definitely go again after I've had a few days to get over this effort, will try to hold something around 310W-315W.

 

[Peter Salt]

Just had a look at the analysis of my ride last night. Compared with my PB ride (46:33), I was 58s up after Bend 13 (15:48 in), but then lost all that advantage by midway between Bend 6 and Bend 5 (~34:18), and proceeded to lose another 50s by the end... My average power on the first segment was 368W, then 343W on the second I was still putting out 310W by the time I got to Bend 13, but then my power just fell off a cliff. My overall average was 297W, including one shocking segment at 267W.

I thought that I'd have to put down big power on the lower slopes because (i) that's typically what happens in races, and (ii) I remembered that there are some steep gradients there, so overextending can pay dividends timewise. But actually, in hindsight, I realise that there are equally steep parts later on (either side of the Dutch Corner, for example), so a smoother effort would be much faster.

I'm annoyed with myself because I averaged 8W more on the Aspin on Sunday morning over a similar duration, when I wasn't pushing particularly hard. I'll definitely go again after I've had a few days to get over this effort, will try to hold something around 310W-315W.

I think the popular opinion is that the first half of Alpe is indeed a bit steeper than the second. I'm not sure that's the case - even if it is, it's marginal. And to be fair, just selecting a pace and going at it gives you a bit of physical and mental comfort that's lost if you pushed it at the start. I was a really good boy yesterday - went in with the intention to average 260 through each segment and did: 260, 260, 261, 261, 260, 260, 261, 261, 260, 261, 262, 261, 261, 261, 264, 280, 329.

I ended up winning the race by 9s, the difference between being on the podium and not was 40s. I gained a minute in the last 3 segments and that made all the difference. Last two segments were done entirely out of saddle, including the final one in my sprinting gear.

Looking at the power and W' graphs, it almost looks like I knew what I was doing



Finishing balance -0.2kJ

 

[Legs]

Very impressive restraint, @Peter Salt

...whereas my graphs depict an absolute car-crash! The W'bal decrement in the 313W segment looks sustainable, so I'll aim at 310W and take it from there when I ride again on Friday. I was always going to be treating this one as a 'sighter'...

Zwifterbikes tells me that even if I can't rally at the end, I'd get 45:46 at 310W average power (possibly a bit faster, since it tends to be a bit pessimistic, plus I've been troubling the scales at around 71.5kg over the past few days, but didn't bother to update from 72kg last night - that's worth 15s, apparently!)

 

[CXRAndy]

As promised I attempted and finished the 'Climb Portal' July Challenge with the Tourmalet- will do more before the month is out.

I decided to do it on the Stages bike (not ridden for probably 2 months), having more gear ratios so could dial in my cadence- funny story with the bike.

I wanted to try and keep a steady power and cadence, like I'd normally do if on outdoor touring event. I knew with my lack of riding and slightly gunky lungs, keeping the breathing/HR under control was important.

I averaged 204-214W(208W ave) @ 87 rpm 1hr41mins.

HR did as expected rise gradually but legs did well with day two gym DOMS lingering.

Now the funny story. I'd not used the Stages bike for a mechanical issue, last time I used it I had a weird experience where when stood up pedalling for a sprint or stretching out, my pedal action was really clunky, as if I was pedalling squares. Thinking the bike had developed a weird fault




I hadn't put together the issue, that I'd swapped SPD/combo pedals on a few days earlier for the kids to try the bike.

I'd inadvertently put one pedal on 160mm crank length and the other side on 170mm.

My error was thinking the pedals were in the same position, but the markings told a different story. All corrected now and bike and pedal action restored

 

[CXRAndy]

Pete the Alpe is steeper earlier on, from the start to turn 16, it is the steepest part.

 

[CXRAndy]

Just watched GCN where a young women has taken the QOM off Emma Pooley for the Tourmalet



by nearly 5 mins


She flew up it passing fellow riders who looked cooked.

 

[Legs]

Pete the Alpe is steeper earlier on, from the start to turn 16, it is the steepest part.

If I can pull off 310W on Friday, I might try again on Sunday night with a touch more power on those first few segments. The danger of going too hard too soon is that you compromise your potential later on.

 

[Legs]

Chipping away: I did a badly-paced 48:05 in yesterday evening’s Specialized Roval Climbing Challenge. I overreached a bit on the early slopes to make the most of being in the draft amongst other riders, then suffered horribly in the last third…

Haha, I found this on the separate Alpe du Zwift thread! Seems I haven't learnt!

Am toying with the idea of lowering the trainer difficulty right down (like 10% or even 0%) to make it easier to hold constant power. I think part of what killed me last night was having the resistance drop off around the hairpins, then having to dig in again to build it back up again. Anyone tried doing that?

 

[CXRAndy]

If I can pull off 310W on Friday, I might try again on Sunday night with a touch more power on those first few segments. The danger of going too hard too soon is that you compromise your potential later on.

That's the pay off, upping the power to gain the most on the steepest sections.

 

[CXRAndy]

Haha, I found this on the separate Alpe du Zwift thread! Seems I haven't learnt!

Am toying with the idea of lowering the trainer difficulty right down (like 10% or even 0%) to make it easier to hold constant power. I think part of what killed me last night was having the resistance drop off around the hairpins, then having to dig in again to build it back up again. Anyone tried doing that?

I ride around 20%, so I can feel the gradient, but not so much that I need to change the gear. It will make the climb more tolerable.

The alpe is awkward that way, with the turns being so flat. You probably only need to drop one or two gears to keep the power up around the bends, but you wont feel the sudden slow down as you get into the next gradient.

 

[Peter Salt]

Some good news about my frame - I won't have to wait another 3 months for a replacement. They're expecting to have it ready next week and deliver to me personally, instead of relying on couriers. Great customer service.

By the way, I know everyone focuses on the Tour now, but the ladies Giro yesterday was very exciting. No spoilers, worth watching.

 

[CXRAndy]

Really exciting day in the TDF

 

[steverob]

I have to wait until I get home to watch the highlights.

It wasn't too difficult to avoid spoilers in the past (even as little as 5 years ago it was quite easy), but so many people are now "into cycling" that I have to pretty much avoid all media from about 3pm onwards if I don't want to know the result. The amount of times I've accidentally clicked on a normal news website and found TdF results within their first few headlines, or stumbled across someone on Twitter talking about the stage - and usually not an actual cycling person but someone who until that point I had no idea followed the sport - so it means I've got to be super careful, especially on the train journey home.

 

[CXRAndy]

I have to wait until I get home to watch the highlights.

It wasn't too difficult to avoid spoilers in the past (even as little as 5 years ago it was quite easy), but so many people are now "into cycling" that I have to pretty much avoid all media from about 3pm onwards if I don't want to know the result. The amount of times I've accidentally clicked on a normal news website and found TdF results within their first few headlines, or stumbled across someone on Twitter talking about the stage - and usually not an actual cycling person but someone who until that point I had no idea followed the sport - so it means I've got to be super careful, especially on the train journey home.

You should cycle home with headphones and blinkers Steve 😁

 

[steverob]

You should cycle home with headphones and blinkers Steve 😁

It already takes me almost two hours to get home as it is!

For a laugh I thought I'd get Strava's route planner to suggest my best route home by bike. It said 46 miles, but that involves about 7-8 miles pretty much straight up the A5 (no thanks, too much traffic, too many traffic lights) and then directly over the highest point in the Chiltern Hills. A decent route whilst avoiding the worst of central London but at the same time not giving me masses of climbing would probably be over 50 miles - a century a day commute anyone?