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I always wear an 80s style headband for Zwifting
I need one of these desperately...any recommendations???
I’m still really pi$$ed I didn’t click ‘go live’ on youtube!!
I was gutted too, my one chance to watch live as you lot are going through the hellish pain whilst I'm sat on the sofa with a brew and neither yours or Nixie's feed works! I was looking forward to throwing in some comments 😉
whoa! race on Weds then TTT on Thurs?!! The only other day it could be really is Mon, that still allows a Sat ride and then some recovery!any chance at all the next series can be on a different day?? maybe a wednesday?
@oopnorth definitely don't just get a cheap unbranded one off eBay, they are utter shite! I've got a few Nike & UnderArmour ones, nice & thick & absorbent, guess any decent branded one will be fine.I need one of these desperately…any recommendations???
Maybe a little off topic, but what kind of training load are the fast group doing?
My usual training regime is going out with the fast group of my local club, and get beasted twice a week. Plus a couple of 5 mile commutes to work.
At the moment I'm doing Tues race, Thurs TTT and then a longer steady ride outside at the weekend.
Last week I did 3 hard Zwift rides, plus a Sunday ride, and I suffered last night for it.
I need one of these desperately…any recommendations???
Decathlon ones are okay
What's going on here then? A glitch in the matrix?
😃
That's a lot of red!
Did you ride Yorkshire before hand?
I think my Racing Ralphs were a bit underinflated. Why do I try to keep up with you lot?
Did you ride Yorkshire before hand?
Yep. Sorely tempted to head back there at the time.
Do you mean what kind of training programmes?
Kind of, more just hours/type of stuff.
I sacked off any type of programme, particularly the Zwift ones, as they seem to kill off any motivation. I've been doing the Tuesday race, a couple of 1.5hr workouts (usually V02 Max or Sweetspot), some actual riding and the odd steady recovery ride. Just feeling pretty rough so didn't know if I was going too hard.
Lack of actual outside riding is getting me down now, round here (N.Lincs) is dull af, not worth the hours of post ride cleaning for the measly vertical on offer.
DrP
@stumpy01
I got a linkseys velop mesh wifi… I went for the 3 node one..currently only using 2 nodes, with one in a drawer for when i get a house…
Cheers DrP. Just had a look and it seems that the prices have come down.
AO have a BT whole home wi-fi 4-pack for £99, which seems like incredible value. I think this piggy backs the existing router.
They also have a TP-Link triple pack for £105. These can be run off the existing router, or you can use one as the router itself.
Also seen some on Amazon that piggy back off your existing router; Tenda Nova MW3 which only costs £70 for a pack of 3.
Need to investigate this further, but looks like it might be a better option to try.
Lack of actual outside riding is getting me down now, round here (N.Lincs) is dull af, not worth the hours of post ride cleaning for the measly vertical on offer.
Same for me in North Liverpool, totally flat and no good woods or anything, just the beach hence I have considered a fat bike... Nearest good stuff is North Wales but not practical for a quick hours fun, or during lockdown.
My last years riding has been completely indoors.
@stumpy01 I still use my Virgin router to 'bring internet into the house' as it's a cable network. But the Mesh then flings wifis everywhere.
DrP
I've got a TP Link deco mesh system with 3 deco units and it works a treat. None of that drop out you get when moving to different signal boosters etc. Patch cable into back of Virgin router and pair them up. 10 minute job. Highly recommended.
Don't forget to turn the virgin router into modern mode (disables WiFi and avoids double NAT). You can only use one network port to connect the mesh when doing that.
Lack of actual outside riding is getting me down now, round here (N.Lincs) is dull af, not worth the hours of post ride cleaning for the measly vertical on offer.
Same in Coventry for me. Muddy, dull, flat, with horrible roads pretty much mandatory as well. At least the first lockdown was sunny, this one's really getting to me now as I can't even go for a walk somewhere nice. I had a quick look at the hill walking thread and then just got jealous.
Hopefully the zwifting at least means that I can come out of lockdown/winter fit and ready to make the most of being allowed to travel.
I'm in Shropshire and whilst there's good riding it's just so bigging at the moment it doesn't seem worth going out as I end up cleaning for as long as riding. Add in they're doing forestry work all around me and it's a bit of a write off for this winter outdoors. But soon, and hopefully the trails will come back strong)
@stumpy01 - I've literally just received the Mercusys S12 4 unit mesh system which was £80. I'd never heard of Mercusys but it's TP-Link's budget brand so should be reasonable quality even if it lacks bells and whistles.
Well that's a bit of deja vu - just noticed stage 7 of the TDZ is laps of the jungle circuit on a mtb...
I've done enough Jungle lately it feels, will be on the shorter route for sure!
So only a few days before Keith Hill afterparty! Any FTP updates or weight changes I need to know about before I publish the handicaps tomorrow evening?
Robbo I have gone up to 241.
I feel like my FTP has dropped about 40w does that count 😆
I've lost 50W and 20kg 👍😋
I’m about to make a curry with some very dubious looking/smelling chicken. Expect rapid weight loss starting tomorrow.
I'm working away next week, has anyone Zwifted from a premier inn? I'm guessing it might be considered a bit antisocial.
Not like there will be many guests this week.
@jamesoz Some of my TTT teammates ride from hotels occasionally...at 5am their time! The consensus is that ground floor room is best, but that's way more important in the middle of the night than early evening I think. Premier Inn have that pro bike policy about welcoming bikes in rooms don't they? I'd probably take my stuff and do it unless something in particular made it feel unreasonable when I arrived at the hotel.
It’s not that late in the evening and can’t see it being busy?! Ground floor room and you should be fine I think.
Do hotels do room service for food at the moment? You can’t go anywhere to eat so it’s that or something cold from a tesco!
I have no idea what to expect food wise, it's my first bit of away work since the pandemic started. I gather I might need my Key worker letter on check in.
I'll take the bike and trainer and play it by ear, the other concern is my colleagues. It's normally the case you feel obligated to be social and have a few beers, although that's not really going to happen unless we get some tinnies in and get curry or something delivered to one room.
No changes for me.
Just hoping the wi-fi doesn't crap out. Might use my phone as a wi-fi hotspot from the start, although even that wasn't infallible last week.
I've lost some of my xmas weight gain but can't race next week anyway so no point in posting it now - I'd clearly have won it by miles though !
@jamesoz make sure to check the Aircon works and ask them for a fan. Hotels always have loads as windows normally don't open much if at all.
Cheers, yeah a few years ago somebody in a very refreshed state permanently opened my hotel window during a heatwave. That someone was quite annoyed at the tiny amount it would open.
I got a refund at a Plymouth Premier inn as I went and slept in the van 'cos it was cooler.
Robbo, think time has come to admit my fitness is going backwards. Could you please bring my FTP back down to 305 if it’s not too much of a pain to do. Garmin tells me it’s even lower but I’m in denial!
@robbo1234biking - I had a go at Repack ridge and got 8:21 / 7.5 stars. Sorry, no photo, I am currently suffering from the black screen photo "known issue" and haven't been able to take my own photos for weeks.
I found it easily enough after a few km of Quatch Quest, and enjoyed it quite a bit - but I was very frustrated by the excessive sensitivity and not being able to adjust the sensitivity on my iPhone companion app. While riding there was an on screen option to re-centre the bars, but nothing for sensitivity. So also I enjoyed it, and was surprised to get 7.5 stars at the end, I wouldn't do it again until I can find a way to adjust this.
I must say I am impressed with @slowpuncheur 's time.
I wouldn’t do it again until I can find a way to adjust this.
There is (for me) a steering sensitivity slider on the main options screen along with resolution etc.
Not sure if it's for companion ap or the sterzo though.
@J-R I got lucky I think. It's a balance of speed and accuracy and on mine I just decided to hammer it and managed to get 7 stars. Did it slower last weekend in 8.32 mins and got 8 full stars and 2 x half stars. I admit I'm braver in Watopia than IRL 😉
FYI. I've tried to screen grab the results that shows score at the end but be quick - it disappears bloody quickly.
I decided to try again and reduce the sensitivity setting in Menu/Settings. It was easier to keep on line and I thought I did quite a bit better, but obviously not: I dropped to just 5.5 stars which is the worst of anybody so far.
But I did get the time down to 7:41, most of which will be taken up paying for my poor riding.
@robbo1234biking - that's my final score for Repack.
@jamesoz I had to work away in the centre of London for the whole of January. I wanted to take my bike and turbo with me, but as I travelled by train, this made it impossible. So to try and get my bike fix, I resorted to using them Santander bikes for a few evenings.
I didn’t need any key worker letter, just needed to sign a form at hotel stating what you were doing there. I was tempted to tick the Elite Sportsman box!
As for food, it was Deliveroo and Just Eat for me. It was not much fun when you can’t just pop for a cheeky beer after work, especially when there were a BrewDog Bar around the corner from the hotel!
@robbo1234biking I've no idea what threshold change you are using to change rider weights, but surprisingly, I weighed myself a few minutes ago and was bang on 80.0Kg... Every little helps up the likes of Keith Hill at the end of Tuesday's race! 😆
And here are the handicaps for the final race of the series! Good luck everyone!
I'm unlikely to have my trainer back before Tuesday. 😭
Savo looks like you got a nice reward for last weeks efforts, bumped upto the A category, interestingly you still have a minute start from me. I seem to have an higher handicap than 5 or 6 cat As. At first glance seems a bit odd but then again I might be just one more ftp increase or couple of kg decrease from joining the As proper. could never have imagined that being the case.
Ideally there needs to be a split way ahead of the climb this week but that’s going to be difficult on this route.
I have filed an appeal with the commissaires @kirky72. It doesn't matter though because I'm out of contention in a way that makes my category irrelevant to the racing (which is also why I was free to risk blowing up last week, swings and roundabouts.)
Ideally there needs to be a [s] split way ahead of the climb [/s] [i] mass disconnection [/i] this week
FTFY.
I’m out of contention in a way that makes my category irrelevant to the racing
Are you not allowed out to play this week?
I am definitely playing this week @dangeourbrain. I just meant that nothing turns (for me, or for other riders) on whether robbo's calculator tells him I am an A or a B.
I just meant that nothing turns (for me, or for other riders) on whether robbo’s calculator tells him I am an A or a B.
Point of order: your allocation (kirky and woodster's too) of A or B are directly proportional to my sense of being hustled at round about 8.30pm on a Tuesday! 😉
It’s been a real shame Savo, I think you would be right up there if not top spot if it wasn’t for your bad luck, being well placed in earlier races only to hit tech issues. Then again it may also have ramped up your FTP earlier and knocked up your handicap.
Still like you say regardless of category, handicap or anything else on the road you are smashing it.
It’s been a real shame Savo,
As @savoyard has a 2 minute handicap advantage over the group that finished behind him on the road last week, I'll think I'll follow @dangeourbrian and before feeling too much sympathy wait and see
my sense of being hustled at round about 8.30pm on a Tuesday! 😉
I am not the rider you need to break before the hill, @nixie. You might well break me in the process (you usually have done...) but if you're paying any attention at all to me on this course then you're watching the wrong person!
@savoyad checked your ranking and FTP/weight comes out as 4.0 w/kg after rounding so you A I am afraid! I dont do things as complicated as ZP.
Also remember the supertuck has been banned by the UCI now so if anyone uses it you will be DSQ! (you cant supertuck on the MTB anyway!)
On this course you need to dump your lower weight lower FTP rivals somewhere on the flat section otherwise when you get to the hill you can wave them goodbye! But something to bear in mind if you are a lightweight - dont give up as there is a decent climb at the end to catch up a good chunk of time on!
I assume Nixie and Paino have been lobbying other riders to provide a lead out train as whoever wins out of those two on the mall sprint will take the green jersey title!
Also remember for the overall championship it will be your best 5 scores that count so all to play for still!
robbo1234biking
Full MemberBut something to bear in mind if you are a lightweight – dont give up as there is a decent climb at the end to catch up a good chunk of time on!
Any similar words of encouragement and advice for those of us who aren't quite so lightweight!?
Yeh drop them on the flat sections with some well chosen accelerations!
Any similar words of encouragement and advice for those of us who aren’t quite so lightweight!?
Smash it hard from the get go.
Keep smashing it all the way round.
Get at least a two minute head start at the foot of the hill, because we'll need it.
Throw your bottles at them as well! #UCI
Also remember the supertuck has been banned by the UCI now so if anyone uses it you will be DSQ!
What is this lunacy you talk of?
[edit] ah, in real life you mean. I thought they'd banned it in zwift on reading your post!
Throw your bottles at them as well! #UCI
@oopnorth my wife has recently developed the habit, while she is the one riding the turbo, of throwing her bottle (for refilling) across the floor at me without taking her eyes off the screen. It's funniest on the approach to a climb.
my wife has recently developed the habit, while she is the one riding the turbo, of throwing her bottle (for refilling) across the floor at me without taking her eyes off the screen
No such risk here, mine would dislike the inevitable inclusion of tabasco sauce and or gravy powder in the bottle when I returned it.
Yeh I dropped my half full water bottle yesterday on the alpe and it came to rest on the extension lead with everything plugged in. I was just hoping that it didn’t leak into plug and cause a short circuit.
Hoping my issues of the last two days don’t occur again tomorrow although could be an advantage as I still get the draft just no one would know I was there or when I went for the breakaway!
When she starts emptying them before a climb to lose weight, you need to have a talk.
At the moment @savoyad the rider I need to break on the climb to win has already broken me twice on the jungle climb this series and as has enough power to keep in touch on the flat! My plan for this week is really simple. Intervals off the front till I break or everyone else does :D.
I wonder if zwift will remove the supertuck. I hope so as it takes so long for my turbo to spool down I often miss the opportunity to use it.
Hoping my issues of the last two days don’t occur again tomorrow although could be an advantage as I still get the draft just no one would know I was there or when I went for the breakaway!
But how would you know who you were drafting and if they were helpful or not? I enjoyed the crit and the extra PUs you get (burrito, ghost, steamroller etc). Can we get those for one race next series? As you're basically on the Zwift board these days, I am sure you can sort it 😉
I can see everyone and can draft etc it just other riders can’t see me for some reason. Not network related as I could still see and send messages (outside of the group chat function) and all the other riders. Others have had similar on the TTT I think. You could see me after I did the full reinstall this morning so hopefully that sorted it all out.
Yep. I see what you mean. I guess you'll still have that bloody big yellow beacon above you!
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This is what I saw this morning so no issues my end with visibility - you just couldnt see me! With network issues you cant see other users. But if you couldnt see my beacon this morning then I might be incognito for the race!
Do you ever ride without the beacon @robbo1234biking? Is it an option in your garage or something?
I made a cut out one to wear around the house as well so my family always know where I am as well!
Must make doorways a bugger.
LOL!!
OMG.. I forgot we're on MTBs for this race....!!
No point me worrying about which wheels to stick back on the road bike then eh! (was goona do DT swiss, BTW!)
DrP
Anyone else think that Robbo is using his connections at Zwift HQ to make himself invisible for the race series, to gain an advantage? He can see us but we can't see him....hmmmm
Robbo, I doubt I'm going to better this between now and tomorrow's race, so can you chalk it up please 🙂
Here's the stream for tomorrow, if anyone wants to witness my tired legs whimper their way around!!
DrP
Thanks @andeh - have got your time - will publish final results tomorrow evening.
Thanks man!
Ooh... I see we've got the same handicap... 😬😬
DrP
@robbo1234biking do you have a Sterzo or other steering set-up? I saw something recently that suggested this might be the cause of the invisibility when Zwifting.