Zwift Chat

[Norry1]

Thanks Andy. I've now updated Firmware on the Play and on the Neo 2T. Do I leave Bluetooth off on the phone when I start Zwifting?

 

[bridgy]

I've just signed up with a team for the upcoming ZRL (starts next Tuesday).

The team is in the Cat B "Development" division which is for Cat B riders with a zFTP of less than 3.74w/kg and zMAP of less than 4.53w/kg (basically a "low B" Cat). We're entered in Shamrock league which is 6.30pm UK time.

There's still a couple of slots available for the squad if anyone is interested and fits the criteria and can do the timeslot?

 

[Legs]

Now I've got four bikes, all with different shifters:

Traditional Shimano STI on my turbo bike
SRAM double-tap on my h/c bike
SRAM eTap on my new road bike
Shimano Rapid-Fire on my mountain bike.

I'm not sure that my brain could cope with another different way of changing gear.

 

[CXRAndy]

Thanks Andy. I've now updated Firmware on the Play and on the Neo 2T. Do I leave Bluetooth off on the phone when I start Zwifting?

I would have no devices nearby that use Bluetooth, switched on.

Bluetooth is susceptible to dropping a connection when other signals are available nearby

 

[bridgy]

I would have no devices nearby that use Bluetooth, switched on.

Bluetooth is susceptible to dropping a connection when other signals are available nearby

I have my Zwift plays (not for gear changing) and my Neo Bike both connected to Zwift on my PC by bluetooth, while also using active bluetooth on my phone for my bluetooth earphones, with no issues

 

[13 rider]

I'm currently have a tech nightmare ,following a series of rides with mini dropouts I came aware of the neo firmware update which I have now completed . Now when I go on zwift it gives me virtual gear 8 which unlike before but with my play controllers I can't change 😤😤 gear . A quick Google suggests unplugging the trainer for 24hrs . I about to throw everything out of the window 😤
Reminder I use the zwift app to act as a bridge for the connections due to apple TV lack of channels

 

[CXRAndy]

I've rarely had persistent connection issues. I did have issues early on, but found using a long lead to place the ant+ dongle directly under the trainer, pretty much cured trainer dropout. I sometimes get Internet drops outs , thankfully not too long.

I haven't really been on Zwift this summer, but will be back in the next few days using Bluetooth connection, to use virtual shifting and steering. If I get problems I will dump Bluetooth and go back to ant+ and do away with VS.

 

[13 rider]

Update just before throwing everything out of the window I took a deep breath and updated the firmware on the zwift play . 45 min ride later no dropouts and virtual shifting working ok ( not sure I'm a fan ) . I did do the ride with no HRM or rear fan on so I need to do a ride with everything connected as normal as a test but that can wait as I'm away for the weekend

 

[Norry1]

OK so I updated the firmware on the Neo and the Play. Then I loaded Zwift and it didn't see the Turbo. Went back into the Tacx App and disconnected the Neo from the App. Then switched BT off on my phone and everything started fine. Zwift asked if I wanted Virtual Shifting and told me which button did the up and downshifts. I then switched BT back on as it controls one of my fans.

I did a 2 hr TR workout, so couldn't see if Virtual shifting worked - but when I finished, I rode for a few minutes with Erg off and the shifting worked perfectly. That is good news for me as my gears are a bit nackered and I didn't really want to re-index or get new cassette etc.

Thanks for your help Andy

 

[13 rider]

OK so I updated the firmware on the Neo and the Play. Then I loaded Zwift and it didn't see the Turbo. Went back into the Tacx App and disconnected the Neo from the App. Then switched BT off on my phone and everything started fine. Zwift asked if I wanted Virtual Shifting and told me which button did the up and downshifts. I then switched BT back on as it controls one of my fans.

I did a 2 hr TR workout, so couldn't see if Virtual shifting worked - but when I finished, I rode for a few minutes with Erg off and the shifting worked perfectly. That is good news for me as my gears are a bit nackered and I didn't really want to re-index or get new cassette etc.

Thanks for your help Andy

Everything is so straight forward 🤣

 

[mjd1988]

I've just signed up with a team for the upcoming ZRL (starts next Tuesday).

The team is in the Cat B "Development" division which is for Cat B riders with a zFTP of less than 3.74w/kg and zMAP of less than 4.53w/kg (basically a "low B" Cat). We're entered in Shamrock league which is 6.30pm UK time.

There's still a couple of slots available for the squad if anyone is interested and fits the criteria and can do the timeslot?

Neobike arrived! So may be able to help out. Fitness a bit of a question mark, hoping 5 a side and running will have held it at a decent level, but probably moreso for a slot that would otherwise not be filled!

 

[alex_cycles]

I did an interesting experiment yesterday. My zFTP was 199 and zMAP was 241 (3.6), but someone had mentioned if you do a hard 5m you can push your zFTP down further. I was a bit sceptical but decided to have a go, so set a workout for 5:30 at 4.0 (270w) which I just about managed.

And damn it, it worked...


View: https://www.youtube.com/live/KA77m5DOXDE?si=t1aK-djsjOAeyAGP&t=839


zFTP now 192 and zMAP 269 (4.0).

The point here is that, for ZRL, if you are zFTP <200 you cannot get pushed into B even with a >4.1 zMAP ride. It's a quirk of how they model the CP value that they use for zFTP. I don't think I'm fit enough to raise my zFTP above 200 at the moment (although real FTP is about 225).

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Given you're on the Zwift forums quite regularly Alex, I'm surprised this news (about higher 3-5min effort lowers zFTP) is a surprise to you, it's been brought up countless times while Category Enforcement was mainstream from Feb '22 until autumn '24!

I'd take Category Enforcement over Zwift Racing Score in a heartbeat, not because it favours my pen allocation, but because I think the system is far more robust... Although I think CE would be far better with those minimum zFTP floors for pens A to C (150/200/250W) lowered at least 25W per level if not removed entirely, plus a maximum zFTP for pens B to D were introduced to prevent strong Watts riders often 100Kg+ from gaming the system at the other extreme.

 

[alex_cycles]

Given you're on the Zwift forums quite regularly Alex, I'm surprised this news (about higher 3-5min effort lowers zFTP) is a surprise to you, it's been brought up countless times while Category Enforcement was mainstream from Feb '22 until autumn '24!

I'd take Category Enforcement over Zwift Racing Score in a heartbeat, not because it favours my pen allocation, but because I think the system is far more robust... Although I think CE would be far better with those minimum zFTP floors for pens A to C (150/200/250W) lowered at least 25W per level if not removed entirely, plus a maximum zFTP for pens B to D were introduced to prevent strong Watts riders often 100Kg+ from gaming the system at the other extreme.

It's because I had no interest in CE races for the last two years. (So haven't followed it closely). I've been doing mainly vELO and ZRS. But now I'm doing ZRL it's relevant to me again