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It's time to get our singletrackworld zwift team time trial team(s) up and running again. We enter one or two teams each Thursday night at 7.40pm.
Everyone is welcome to join in. Teams are mixed category and the event usually lasts about 40mins to an hour.
This week is 1x 29km lap of Magnificent 8: https://zwiftinsider.com/route/the-magnificent-8/
Please indicate your interest / availability here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E_0I0hulOaE2y34RpjckVCoT2Jks16vypeZ98L_LUw8/edit?usp=sharing
If you are not on the spreadsheet already, just add yourself. I'll post the team lineup(s) and all the necessary practical information later this week.
The event website is here: https://www.wtrl.racing/ttt/TTT-Rules-and-Info/ but there's no need to wade through that - any questions etc. just post them in here.
I'm working for the next few Thursdays.
I did enjoy the teamwork aspect of the few TT's i did last year.
Hopefully I'll be able to join in with the B team later in autumn?
Rick.
@savoyad I should be back later in September, got Helvellyn Tri on the 12th then a week of rest then hopefully good to go. Enjoyed the ones I did earlier in the year.
Is there s brief synopsis if what is required to register on the website?
Ta
Tempting, but....but....erm, but....!! It seems like torture. I'll have a think!
I'm in! Come on Stumpy - you know you want to!
Also we wont be going all out - everyone needs a chance to get back into the process again and contribute however they can. There have been changes to pack dynamics since we last did it so we will have to get used to that as well.
Overall though it is intended to be fun and justify an early weekend beer on a Thursday night so even if you are unsure give it a go. the teamwork aspect is one of the main draws for me - cycling can be a very individual sport so adding a team aspect once a week is a good outcome and working for someone else definitely pushes you. We will (try) not to break you! 🙂
I can't make this week (off to the Alps), but should be OK the following week. Zero fitness though after a very lazy summer, so should be painful!
Zero fitness though after a very lazy summer,
Despite the fairly basic maths I somehow think your zero is not the same as mine!
Ok, go on them I’m in. I’ve done a bit of mountain biking over the summer but very little on the trainer.
Great. A team is forming...but keep those entries coming. All welcome, sign up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E_0I0hulOaE2y34RpjckVCoT2Jks16vypeZ98L_LUw8/edit?usp=sharing
@retrorick of course you'll be welcome once you are available again.
@karnali enjoy helvellyn, that's a serious event. Looking forward to seeing you back after you emulate this
- TTT entry is simple nowadays - you need a zwiftpower account (which you have) and then I post a team-specific entry link in here each week once lineups are settled. I'll post the full practical info (discord etc) whenever people need it.
@stumpy01 honestly @robbo1234biking is talking sense. It's kind of torture, but the kind that people (whose judgment you can more or less otherwise trust) keep coming back for week after week. The camaraderie is great, it makes some of the people off here (slightly) more real, and there's a good contrast between competing on Tuesday and then cooperating on Thursday with the same riders. The event rules force mixed category racing (e.g. 3Bs are effectively obliged to get a C across the line with them for the timer to stop, etc). And our approach gets basically everyone across the finish line each week.
@dangeourbrain you can only laugh at @phil56 "zero" fitness in this thread when there's not a zero next to your name on the signup sheet.
But still @phil56 I think Brian is right. Enjoy the alps, and see you back in STW bumblebee when you get back
@drew it's been paused over the summer (our team at least) so everyone is rusty. It's part of the fun...
when there’s not a zero next to your name on the signup sheet.
All done I think!
That is at least 6 then! Good news!
We wont have a plan for this one other than get everyone to the finish. There is only one very short hill on this course so its a good one to ease back into.
my earlier reply to @karnali was nonsense. you also need a WTRL profile to take part now (I think this week's riders all have one). You can get one here. https://www.wtrl.racing/registration.php
Will see if I can negotiate the evening off kiddie bedtime
I’m keen to get back on this. Possibly from October though due other commitments and potential nice cycling evenings. It’s got to be proper dark and miserable out to make me want to Zwift though.
Great to see this getting up & running again. I'm pre-occupied with Dirty Reiver for a couple of weeks but will see after that.
Right - I have been peer-pressured into having a go at this 😂
What the effin' Geoff do I need to do?
I just looked on the wtrl link and it's a bit baffling....
Questions I have
Do I get sent a link to join the team/race slot?
I need Discord, I think. Correct? Does this work on Android? Or do I need to use my laptop? Is there a way to test it's working before the race itself?
Do people use this with headphones? I was thinking Bluetooth speaker through my tablet (also running Zwift).
Bike choice? Does everyone choose TT or is it better to choose a bike suited to the course so people behind get a draft?
Does anyone need to know my FTP? Cat?
What's generally happens? Take a turn at the front and hold a certain w/kg? I struggle with drafting in Zwift and tend to yo-yo a bit....
Eek!
yep, nearer the timeDo I get sent a link to join the team/race slot?
do NOT choose the TT bike!!! It doesn’t draft, so you’ll be doing a solo effort for the duration! Tron bike is best overall if you have it, otherwise whatever bike/wheelset is most aero probably most suited to this course.Does everyone choose TT
Decent quality BT headphones are best IME, otherwise the team might struggle to hear you. Make sure you enable push-to-talk in Discord to stop us getting a permanent earful of heavy breathing. 😀
Link to Discord channel (will expire) https://discord.gg/e8ZPfwPK
nopeDoes anyone need to know my FTP? Cat?-
in the past we have been quite organised with a set rotation for x seconds etc, that won’t be happening this week though. We will just wing it, If you want to take the front do so, if you keep an eye on the W/kg figure of the other team members that helps because there’s no point two people burning themselves out at the same time! Likewise if everyone else is taking it easy that’s a good time to push on!What’s generally happens? Take a turn at the front and hold a certain w/kg? I struggle with drafting in Zwift and tend to yo-yo a bit….
Also, I have Discord running on my phone which is held on the bars on a handlebar mount.
Great! Cheers zilog6128
I have the Tron bike, so that's easy.
I don't have any suitable BT headphones; just some bulky over ear Sony noise cancelling headphones. I do have a wired Skype headset I could plug into my phone, or an old set of wired handsfree earphones. I have a handlebar mount for my phone so could do discord on that.
Push to talk...okie dokie!
Wing it. Sounds fine by me!
The only real advice I can remember is don't try and rest at the very back, 2nd or 3rd rider from the back is a much better place to ease off a bit
If Zwift fixes itself I could ride this week, shall I add myself to the sheet?
It is prob more important to be able to listen for your first one. The most important thing is to highlight if you need us to back of the pace.
That is 8 riders with a back up in Paul (as a maybe).
I assume Savoyad has his cut and paste guide to the nuances of the ttt such as don’t pedal in the pen after the timer has gone!
in...terested
I "could" ride this week but no bike on the trainer and no idea whether it's all working
Give me a month and I'll be right 🙄
OK, like @robbo1234biking says...we have a team!
You are riding as "STW". The team is:
@slowpuncheur @drew @robbo1234biking @zilog6128 @haloric @dangeourbrain @stumpy01 @mrhoppy
We also have @paul-s as a potential backup.
@robbo1234 will organise (if organisation is necessary) in here and on the road.
Everyone click here and enter pen A: https://www.wtrl.racing/zwift/zwiftsignon.php?id=UWdzR0NGbkxaeVlQSmhOMDI5OWp1dz09
Discord invite for the STW server: https://discord.gg/gUAsz2s7 - have a play in there @stumpy01 and see what works for you. It's possible to survive without (although tricky). Being able to hear is more important than being able to say anything.
I'll post the rest of the info, including a reminder of the start process, when I get the start delay later today.
Being able to hear is more important than being able to say anything
Now there is a life lesson for you!
There is a difference between hearing and listening though Brian! 🙂 as the parent of a 7 year old I am very aware of the difference!
Oooh. Quite excited to get going again. @stumpy01 Discord is fine. I use some wired earbuds to my phone and leave the discord page open - you don't need the Zwift companion app for anything as far as I remember. TTTs really help to hone you drafting skills so useful for the Race Series;)
Dont forget to wear the bumblebee kit and it using the tron bike yellow wheels 😉
Try and change tops/bikes before you enter the pen - zwift seems to register changes on your screen but to others it doesnt change last year we had some people looking like they were riding MTBs but they werent. It isnt a big deal if you forget but expect some friendly banter 🙂
I wondered about the kit...
I've signed up to Discord, have sorted the STW server thingie and changed the comms option to "push to talk".
What's this thing about not pedalling in the pen that I saw in the wtrl link? Is it as simple as that? There was.something about going I to a Zwift menu like jersey selection or something if you still want to spin and keep legs warm, but ensure you aren't pedalling when you come back out.
@stumpy01 the not pedalling thing is crucial -once the race timer (on the start banner as usual) has gone to zero, the word "Go!" appears. At this point the most important thing is NOT to go (unless your team has a zero time delay, which is bloody unlikely)
Instead you need to "Stop!" and wait for your leave time (somebody - usually Phil or Robbo I think - will have a stopwatch running and will count you in on discord as the time gets closer)
Yes, there is a dodge where you can keep pedalling to get/stay warm but (please correct me if this is no longer true) you MUST be in the pairing screen. I'm alsmot certain that if you do it in the garage/kit screen you'll actually set off too early)
If you do go into pairing, there have been occasional reports of riders not getting back out into the pen, so get out with a reasonable time margin in case you have to try repeatedly or maybe do something else to get back to the pen
OK, we're set.
The team is @slowpuncheur @drew @robbo1234biking @zilog6128 @haloric @dangeourbrain @stumpy01 @mrhoppy BUT YOU MUST SIGN UP PEOPLE!!! Pen A here: https://www.wtrl.racing/zwift/zwiftsignon.php?id=UWdzR0NGbkxaeVlQSmhOMDI5OWp1dz09
(you require a wtrl account, and a zwiftpower account for this to whisk you away to the right sign in screen)
You must be in the pen ("join the event") by 19:40. No late arrivals.
Our start delay is +4 mins, so off at 19:44:00. I explain this below.
- dress up as a bumblebee. @robbo1234biking also enforces yellow wheels (if you have them) and socks. Or not socks, I can't remember.
- do NOT ride a TT bike. do NOT ride a mountain bike. Ride a road bike, you need the draft. If you are picky about your equipment, choose aero.
- comms will be on discord, in the TTT (STW) voice channel.
- the start procedure is a hack, because zwift doesn't have the functionality to support TTT. When it says "go", DO NOT GO. On the contrary, you must be COMPLETELY STOPPED at this point, zero watts. Do not roll forwards (this risks a false start penalty). And wait your allotted time - in our case this week, 4 minutes. After that delay - follow the countdown on discord (or, if you lose comms, your own sense of timing) - you can GO. There is no in-game info about your start delay, or when it elapses. The team have to manage this amongst themselves. The only place you can safely pedal during this 4 minute wait is the pairing screen (not the menu, not the garage, the pairing screen). Make sure you get back out in good time to start pedalling though.
- there's a lot of TTT experience in this lineup, so if you are new to this don't feel any pressure to lead the charge. settle in, conserve energy, add to the draft, learn the ropes.
I think that's everything. Good luck. Have fun. Any questions, post in the thread and they tend to get answered pretty fast.
And thanks for listening @dangeourbrain
Great - everyone is registered.
Signed up, but not sure if I'll have time tonight, how long is it likely to take this week?
P.
how long is it likely to take this week?
Normally something like 50 minutes + delay, depends how fit everyone is feeling after a summer off.
If there are dropouts I might be able to jump in. Have a Vo2 max workout planned on TR so this could sub.
Its been a while since I've done a Zwift event so will probably be crap.
I'll check back at 6 or 7 pm
@Paul-S there isnt space for you tonight I am afraid. You were down as Maybe so you were backup if anyone dropped out but currently everyone is riding. Apologies.
np - have a good 'un
Well done everyone.
A good first TTT effort from Stumpy as well!
Good to be back at it on a Thursday evening!
You're all bastards and I hate you!
It seems that a summer of long distance MTB and paddleboarding does not help with maintaining Zwift capability.
Thanks everyone.
Enjoyed that this evening, great effort everyone, we even managed to stay together pretty well, given none of us have done one in ages that's a fair achievement.
Yep enjoyed that! [i]Reasonably[/i] confortable pace - although def ramped up towards the end! Always a bit taxing just maintaining concentration so as not to lose the pace, everyone did great though, virtually no gaps at all! One of the easier courses in that respect though with the huge long flat and only 1 short climb. Not being passed or having to pass helped as well!
although def ramped up towards the end!
And yet you all still managed to sprint past me..? 😉
Despite allocating 45 mins of get on/warm up, life and all its little demons conspired against me, and I made it into the pen with 3 cold mins to spare to warm up. Burnt all my matches, the matchbook and the shop that sold it to me just to stay on in the first 18K, so was not going to be getting up any more hills at pace near the end.
Am still 30+ watts down on zwift best over 20 mins, which is a bit concerning as I've got first CX event since covid on Sunday...
Is anyone else plagued with Zwift apple tv pairing issues, when swapping between trainers it won't accept a heart monitor anymore unless its been rebooted a few times.
I had a post ride update, so maybe they have tweaked something.
Looking forward to some regular tue/thur events.
Was great to get back into the TTT. Great riding everyone - especially @stumpy01 on his first one. We measured the effort well and posted a respectable time (45.35 - well short of the 50 mins mentioned earlier). I assume fines (in Swiss Francs) will be issued for kit and bike indiscretions! 😉
Maybe, just maybe they have fixed it:
Update 1.16.2 - September 2nd
Fixed an issue which prevented some users from being able to pair a controllable smart trainer on subsequent sessions without closing the app first.
Fixed an issue with the Cervelo S5 2020 having incorrect aerodynamic values.
Fixed an issue which caused the new Garmin kit to replace the original Tac
It was....erm. I'm struggling to use the word fun 😆
Is there such a thing as a result with these TTTs? How did we do?
EDIT! sorry, missed the second page 😁
https://www.wtrl.racing/ttt/TTT-Results-beta/
We came 55 out of 134 in our class so not a bad result really.
That is a good result all things considered
Nice riding guys. And a good debut from @stumpy01 (I hope you plan to stick around...)
@slowpuncheur and @drew are going to flirt with promotion (back) to B, especially once @robbo1234biking's race series is underway. And judging by interest / oversubscription yesterday we should creep back up to 2 full teams as outside gets less alluring.
I'll put an entry in for next week.
Drew had a really good ride actually - you seemed to sit on the front a lot! Must have been a lot of outdoors riding over the summer!
'Flirt' indeed! You're embarrassing me. Oh stop it. 🤣
FYI having not raced I'm currently at 2.97 wkg so I'm hopeful it won't take long to be back in B.
Thanks Rob, I’m feeling it in my legs a bit this morning though. I’m really pleased and not a little surprised that my fitness has not dropped off too much over the summer. I’ve been on two, week long, mtb holidays and having checked back actually have done a bit more on the trainer over the last few weeks than I thought. Low intensity mainly, with a couple of harder efforts leading up to a ramp test a week ago which was more or less the same as my last one in April. My first reaction was that maybe not having calibrated the trainer for twelve weeks had skewed the result upwards but last nights effort would seem to show otherwise. Obviously trying to keep up with my mate on an e mtb has it’s advantages!
We're entered for next week. 1 lap of Casse-Pattes, so 24km of this _______/\__
Declare your availability here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E_0I0hulOaE2y34RpjckVCoT2Jks16vypeZ98L_LUw8/edit?usp=sharing
Bump. 5 so far. More would be nice.
It's 1x casse pattes, 7.40pm on Thursday.
Add yourself here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E_0I0hulOaE2y34RpjckVCoT2Jks16vypeZ98L_LUw8/edit?usp=sharing
Wasn't going to as I suffered on Friday morning's workout last week, but just put my name down again....glutton for blah blah...
Duplicate post.....
Still 1 more space left (or if we can get 3 more we could run two teams of 5!)
Unfortunately, I think I'm going to gave to give it a miss on Thursday. I've picked up a bug which is taking it's time to clear so an all out effort in two days time is probably not the best option. Shame, I was looking forward to it.
Ok so 2 spaces left!
Cheers Drew. Hope you are feeling better soon.
@savoyad I think we have 3 B’s and 3 C’s signed up so far. Do we have to finish with at least 4 which must include at least 1 B and 1 C?
Yes, 6 so far: @slowpuncheur, @robbo1234biking, @zilog6128, @haloric, @dangeourbrain, @stumpy01
And yes, you need to get 4 of you to the finish.
Enter pen A via this link: https://www.wtrl.racing/zwift/zwiftsignon.php?id=N1c3VE9pVVlPakRUdTY0blJSSUI2Zz09
I'll post start delay when it comes through (tomorrow evening probably).
2 spaces remain. Don't just click (above) - start with the spreadsheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E_0I0hulOaE2y34RpjckVCoT2Jks16vypeZ98L_LUw8/edit?usp=sharing
Sorry - last minute weather inspired decision to hit the beach, am out.
I've entered - will be my first ride on the turbo for nearly two months, and my first effort for about the same time!
It's been a great summer -ah well.....
OK, time delay for tomorrow is +2 minutes. So in the pen by 19:40 and off at 19:42.
The team is @slowpuncheur, @robbo1234biking, @zilog6128, @dangeourbrain, @stumpy01, @phil56
Some of you (@zilog6128 @stumpy01) still need to register...pen A here: https://www.wtrl.racing/zwift/zwiftsignon.php?id=N1c3VE9pVVlPakRUdTY0blJSSUI2Zz09
Cheers savoyad. I've registered...
@zilog6128 have you signed up via the link above yet.
I think the @ in savoyad's message above didn't work because of the ( in front of it.
That's a nice short start delay.
We need to stay together on the larger hill as once we go over the top its downhill to the line. It's a pretty short course. I would think we would need to climb at about 3.2 w/kg otherwise we will burn people out.
@phil56 you happy to do the calling on the road?
I’ll do my best, but I’m sure I’ll be finding it difficult up the hill as well!
I have entered for tonight guys, or at least I think I have, when you say pen A is that represented by the A in what would normally be the category in the event page?
I’ll catch up on some of the do and donts later. Any chance any body could let me know the crack with discord, what channel etc. I think I still have it set up from a long time ago but not sure it’s the channel you are using tonight.
Not sure what state I’ll be in tonight as I’ve been feeling knackered from early evening after 8 hours on teams every day. Hoping this helps to break what is becoming a worrying habit.
Morning guys. Nice to see a few more familiar faces back. @Kirky72 I think most info you need is on this and the first page. This is a summary of tonight's course:
It's the same STW discord channel. Oh, and wear the yellow and black kit!
Looking at the chart it appears you have 7 riders so I've entered too as its just a short one (Dirty reiver this weekend)
If I've miscalculated just let me know and I'll withdraw the entry.
I think tonight sounds like we're all going to be a bit flat.
Touch wood my legs are OK this morning but I absolutely expected them not to be so I'm hoping they don't just fall off at some point across the day.
Assuming I'm audible I'm happy to do the calling if you're not so keen this evening Phil.
Excellent. The team is now full. Welcome @kirky72 nice to have you here! The full lineup is
@phil56
@slowpuncheur
@robbo1234biking
@zilog6128
@djflexure
@dangeourbrain
@stumpy01
@kirky72
Everyone is signed up correctly as far as I can see. Yes, kirky, by pen A I just mean category A.
Discord link for the STW server is here https://discord.gg/YDW2wHeX - it'll be the TTT STW voice channel in there.
Ride a road bike (NOT a TT bike, NOT a MTB), dress as a bumblebee, and be careful about the start procedure, which is a hack: when it says go, DO NOT GO. In fact, make sure you are stopped, zero watts, not rolling, and wait like that for the team's start delay - which this week is just 2 minutes. So
19:40 - the game says "go". You don't go. Sit tight.
19:42 - NOW you can go. It will be called out over discord, but if you have comms issues you can time it yourself and join the blog as it departs.
Thanks Savo, all makes sense
i just checked out your discord link, works fine but its not permitting my messages in there for some reason. so i will be all ears.
How long before do you tend to jump on?
I will definitely have a warm up and wake up ride beforehand.
Assuming I’m audible I’m happy to do the calling if you’re not so keen this evening Phil.
OK, further to the above this would be unwise at the moment. We've had thunder and lightning for the past hour and it's still rolling around in the distance.
As usual it's resulted in spotty telecoms and power so there's a reasonable chance I'll get dumped at some point so relying on me for anything more important than turning my own pedals isn't a sensible idea.
Well thank you all for that. That was a good effort. It also felt bloody awful.
Enjoyed that tonight. Good effort by all. Well done on the hill and everyone getting over together.
Cheers for the workout & great we all got round together in one piece - well done!
Great workout! Ta to the guys dragging Stumpy & me up the hill 😀 Annoyingly, as I was just about holding on to the back, with 2km to go the connection went funny - when everyone blipped back you were 10s ahead, then 20s 😭 Looked like some big numbers for the sprint finish!
Yeah, thanks for the motivation Phil and everyone's help and patience as I started to crumble towards the end!
FTP up 2w. Lots of impressive numbers from some of you lot!!