Zwift on Rollers

[dennis]

Looking at using Zwift on rollers. Not the most graceful lad in the room, and reluctant to constantly take my hands off of the handlebars to fiddle with a device while riding. Once you start a workout or "ride" on Zwift, do you need to muck with settings, responding to whatever's, etc?

Thanks,

Dennis

[Blue Jays]

Good question. My plan is for InsideRide smart rollers with Zwift.
Similarly curious to hear what others users felt about the experience.

[4Serottas]

There is no reason that you have to do anything from a control point of view once you start riding. The only thing you might want to do is opt to go in a different direction than the route you chose when starting is wanting to take you e.g., you've done a loop and want to repeat it rather than going back to the start or you want to avoid (or take) a turn that leads to a sustained climb. That's about the only thing I ever use the Zwift app on my phone for, most of the time I choose the route that I want when I start riding and just stay with it. I generally find all the other things (thumbs up, chat, etc) annoying so I ignore them and have chat turned off.

[Too Tall]

Agreeing with Greg.
FWIIW I view Zwift on a computer monitor and have the app running on my phone which is beside me on a shoulder high shelf. If I am on rollers and need to hit the arrows (change direction) it is not a big deal.

[devlin]

How does Swift know you are moving on rollers? I've never used swift and probably won't for some time.

[zank]

I do exactly the same as Josh and Greg. I just have my phone beside me to change directions or to pause a workout. I use the insideride rollers (no smart unit though). I prefer the rollers to a dumb trainer. I've never used a smart trainer.

Sean, zwift knows you are moving from your power meter.

[devlin]

Ahhh.........I need to get one of those.

[commfire]

I have logged countless hours using Zwift and insideride emotion rollers. I connect using a stages pm and a garmin dongle thing. I also have a music stand set up with my lap top on it. Like Mike mentioned you can use the app on your phone to control things. It sounds way more complicated than it really is. I have really enjoyed it and a strong believer that rollers have made me a better rider.
With all of that being said, I am saving up for a new kickr. I have been told that the auto slope thing is great and makes the Zwift experience even better

[Too Tall]

I have logged countless hours using Zwift and insideride emotion rollers. I connect using a stages pm and a garmin dongle thing. I also have a music stand set up with my lap top on it. Like Mike mentioned you can use the app on your phone to control things. It sounds way more complicated than it really is. I have really enjoyed it and a strong believer that rollers have made me a better rider.
With all of that being said, I am saving up for a new kickr. I have been told that the auto slope thing is great and makes the Zwift experience even better

You will like the Wahoo device. Yep, the transitions are on the money and you won't have to compensate when (I laugh at myself for saying this) the pack surges on hills.

[EDS]

Looking at using Zwift on rollers. Not the most graceful lad in the room, and reluctant to constantly take my hands off of the handlebars to fiddle with a device while riding. Once you start a workout or "ride" on Zwift, do you need to muck with settings, responding to whatever's, etc?

Thanks,

Dennis

You do not have to muck with things once you are up and going, though you can if you want.

[roseyscot]

I have logged countless hours using Zwift and insideride emotion rollers. I connect using a stages pm and a garmin dongle thing. I also have a music stand set up with my lap top on it. Like Mike mentioned you can use the app on your phone to control things. It sounds way more complicated than it really is. I have really enjoyed it and a strong believer that rollers have made me a better rider.
With all of that being said, I am saving up for a new kickr. I have been told that the auto slope thing is great and makes the Zwift experience even better

I had inside ride rollers but sold them at the start of last winter to help pay for a kickr. I sold the kickr this fall and am going back to rollers. If you like the inside ride rollers, I would suggest keeping them until you've had sufficient time to decide whether the kickr is that much better. I prefer the rollers a lot more than the kickr.

[Algae]

E-motion rollers delivered today. What a blast!

I've never ridden rollers before but I've done years on fixed gear and also on an old set of Power Cranks for winter fun. Results of my first 45-minutes ever? Used the wall 4 times, but within minutes I was comfortable enough to toss my sneakers for cycling shoes. A few more minutes and I was out of the saddle. I even managed a couple of 20-30-second stints riding no handed. (Not bragging, trying to point out that the Inside Ride system is pretty well designed.)

Now I'm feeling micro-muscles that haven't been engaged over decades of cycling. Can't wait to jump on a (virtual) paceline soon. But not tomorrow, weather is supposed to be decent so I'll be outside.