Giving in to Zwift

[bigbill]

I have reached the realization that outdoor riding is not a steady thing in NW Arizona. I'm going to purchase a Wahoo KICKR and use the Ti Serotta. I've got an old laptop that is more than capable and a nice collection of fans. My question is about drivetrain. The Serotta has a mix of first generation Record and Chorus 11. I know the chain is so I'd get a new chain before I used it with the new Shimano 11 cassette than comes with the KICKR. Should I get another Chorus chain or a KMC to go with the shimaNo cassette? What about an Ultegra 11 chain? I'll do weekend road rides on the BLE or Coconino.

I'm doing spin classes and boot camp, I'd give up the spin classes for Zwift and still do boot camp because it's doing nice things for my core and flexibility.

[Saab2000]

The cassette that comes with the Kickr is a low-grade one that I can't get to shift very well. Eventually I'd get a 105 cassette and comparable chain and call it good. It's a trainer bike so all it needs to do is work, not look good, and I've found 105 cassettes are every bit as good as Dura Ace or Ultegra in terms of shifting.

I connect to an iPad via Bluetooth so if you have an iPad that's a decent option. I think you can then stream it to a TV if you so choose.

[Bewheels]

I assume that you currently running a campy cassette with the bike. In that case, just pick-up the Ultegra chain to use with the Kickr cassette. These chains now come with a quick link in case you want a little less hassle to switch back.

If happen to be running a Shimano cassette on the rear of the built bike, just reuse that cassette on the Kickr.

I think it also depends on whether you plan on taking that bike off the trainer during the winter to ride outside on the sporadic nicer days. The bike that I have on the trainer is basically dedicated to the trainer at this point because i have others that get ridden more...even though it is a nice bike (Calfee).

Edit - confirming what Saab added, the cassette that comes with the Kickr is pretty cheap. As mentioned above, that came off before use but mostly because I wanted the worn chain to have it's worn cassette from the bike so that they continued to play nice.

[marley]

Does not matter, you can run a single speed if you want. The trainer will change the resistance, just find one gear in the middle of the cassette and spin and get the Trainer Road app/subscription

[Too Tall]

You will not regret Zwift...who am I kidding? Training indoors bites however the weird "e" social aspect makes me work harder.

Oh cr@p Big Bill might join me on some of these rides.

[bigbill]

I assume that you currently running a campy cassette with the bike. In that case, just pick-up the Ultegra chain to use with the Kickr cassette. These chains now come with a quick link in case you want a little less hassle to switch back.

If happen to be running a Shimano cassette on the rear of the built bike, just reuse that cassette on the Kickr.

I think it also depends on whether you plan on taking that bike off the trainer during the winter to ride outside on the sporadic nicer days. The bike that I have on the trainer is basically dedicated to the trainer at this point because i have others that get ridden more...even though it is a nice bike (Calfee).

Edit - confirming what Saab added, the cassette that comes with the Kickr is pretty cheap. As mentioned above, that came off before use but mostly because I wanted the worn chain to have it's worn cassette from the bike so that they continued to play nice.

The specs say it's a 105 11-28. Maybe they listened to feedback. I'm going to get the high end model because I can get a team discount. I bought the Serotta across the hall a couple of years ago with this kind of stuff and travel in mind. I don't have a lot of money wrapped up in it frame/fork-wise. I can sweat all over it.

[ChristianWong]

I used my rollers maybe 10 times last winter. Someone talk me out of buying a smart trainer this Black Friday.

Or talk me into it if this Zwift thing is really that good. I'm thinking about caving in because I see zero sunlight on weekdays this time of the year. Although, yoga, pilates, and dessert seem to be an okay training plan at the moment.

[SlowPokePete]

Someone talk me out of buying a smart trainer this Black Friday.

OK ... riding indoors sucks...don't do it.

I've somehow managed at least a hundred miles a week all outside year round, think there were two weeks in this past year that I didnt manage to get the hundred.

Its only about 20 degrees out, still dark, with wind chill close to zero...thinking I'll head out when the light comes....

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

SPP

[ChristianWong]

OK ... riding indoors sucks...don't do it.

I've somehow managed at least a hundred miles a week all outside year round, think there were two weeks in this past year that I didnt manage to get the hundred.

Its only about 20 degrees out, still dark, with wind chill close to zero...thinking I'll head out when the light comes....

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

SPP

Thanks for this. I'm going to stick to my rollers when I feel the urge to spin. Otherwise, I'll be in off-season mode with the exception of an occasional ride in the dark.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[Tom]

As distasteful as riding indoors is, it's cause to ride more because with a time crunch I can get in 75-90 minutes with a minimum of setup. Not to mention when WFH I can run downstairs midday and if I get called I'm back at work in 30 seconds.

That said, I am outdoors every possible time.

Question about Zwift. How many route choices are there? I'm getting the impression there aren't as many but it is so popular it's a great opportunity for group sessions any time. I like Bkool for the near infinite route choices and that I can make a session private so I don't lose discipline and over reach trying to keep up with someone way faster than me. Which they all are. Dammit.

[Too Tall]

As distasteful as riding indoors is, it's cause to ride more because with a time crunch I can get in 75-90 minutes with a minimum of setup. Not to mention when WFH I can run downstairs midday and if I get called I'm back at work in 30 seconds.

That said, I am outdoors every possible time.

Question about Zwift. How many route choices are there? I'm getting the impression there aren't as many but it is so popular it's a great opportunity for group sessions any time. I like Bkool for the near infinite route choices and that I can make a session private so I don't lose discipline and over reach trying to keep up with someone way faster than me. Which they all are. Dammit.

Zwift Course Maps and Details | Zwift Insider << They have been busy.

[SlowPokePete]

35 miles this morning.

Not frozen.

Or dead.

November 22, 2018 by SlowPoke Pete, on Flickr

November 22, 2018 by SlowPoke Pete, on Flickr

SPP

November 22, 2018 by SlowPoke Pete, on Flickr

[Too Tall]

OK Pete OK!

[Bewheels]

....

Question about Zwift. How many route choices are there? I'm getting the impression there aren't as many but it is so popular it's a great opportunity for group sessions any time. I like Bkool for the near infinite route choices and that I can make a session private so I don't lose discipline and over reach trying to keep up with someone way faster than me. Which they all are. Dammit.

Zwift Course Maps and Details | Zwift Insider << They have been busy.

Zwift has everyone in one environment each day. The link that Josh posted shows the different routes on each of the environments.

There is a small hack that allows you to ride any environment you want on any given day. You can see how here.
If you ride the environment that Zwift has everyone on for the day, you will be there with many others that are riding at the same time which generally leads to finding someone that is also going your pace or riding through groups or getting over taken by others, etc. There is a social dynamic.

If you alter the file and ride another course (not the one that Zwift set-up for the day) you may not encounter anyone else.

Perhaps one way to do a group ride an environment that is not the the Zwift designated course for the day. It would be one way to have any easier time keeping track of people in the group.

[Too Tall]

Zwift has everyone in one environment each day. The link that Josh posted shows the different routes on each of the environments.

There is a small hack that allows you to ride any environment you want on any given day. You can see how here.
If you ride the environment that Zwift has everyone on for the day, you will be there with many others that are riding at the same time which generally leads to finding someone that is also going your pace or riding through groups or getting over taken by others, etc. There is a social dynamic.

If you alter the file and ride another course (not the one that Zwift set-up for the day) you may not encounter anyone else.

Perhaps one way to do a group ride an environment that is not the the Zwift designated course for the day. It would be one way to have any easier time keeping track of people in the group.

Done! Works like a charm. Dropped me into Watopia. I had to refresh the search for my bluetooth trainer, otherwise seems good.

This is what the top 4 lines of my current prefs.xml file look like:
<ZWIFT>
<WORLD>1</WORLD>
<SPORT>CYCLING</SPORT>
<CONFIG>

Easy peezy. I'll make subfolders with a modified file for each world and just drag > drop > overwrite.

Thanks B!

[bigbill]

OK ... riding indoors sucks...don't do it.

I've somehow managed at least a hundred miles a week all outside year round, think there were two weeks in this past year that I didnt manage to get the hundred.

Its only about 20 degrees out, still dark, with wind chill close to zero...thinking I'll head out when the light comes....

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

SPP

When I lived in NE Texas, I had the Northeast Texas Trail behind my neighborhood so with a headlight and the right clothes, I could ride year round. I'd get 500 miles a month for January and February and then turn it back on with road rides by mid March. In Kingman, I have some marginal dirt roads and trails up the hill above my neighborhood but they've become too loose and deep for my gravel bike. I don't have a MTB yet but when I do, it'll be a 27.5+ or 29+ because of the conditions. Road riding during the week isn't happening unless I want to do 2 miles circuits around the neighborhood. I ride on the road on the weekends.

The Wahoo trainer will allow me to get my workout three days a week with cycling specific work with boot camp workouts on the alternate days. I've got events I want to do next year including some 24 hour races that I'll need more than weekend rides to prepare for.

I'm newly single, my kid is in the Naval Academy, this thing will be in the living room (tile floor).

[Too Tall]

Zwift has everyone in one environment each day. The link that Josh posted shows the different routes on each of the environments.

There is a small hack that allows you to ride any environment you want on any given day. You can see how here.
If you ride the environment that Zwift has everyone on for the day, you will be there with many others that are riding at the same time which generally leads to finding someone that is also going your pace or riding through groups or getting over taken by others, etc. There is a social dynamic.

If you alter the file and ride another course (not the one that Zwift set-up for the day) you may not encounter anyone else.

Perhaps one way to do a group ride an environment that is not the the Zwift designated course for the day. It would be one way to have any easier time keeping track of people in the group.

Brian, apparently Zwift made available a app that does this: ZwiftPref (macOS and Windows) – ZwiftHacks I have not tried it yet.

[bigbill]

Okey doke. Ordered the high zoot Wahoo KICKR and an Ultegra chain. I've got a couple of setups in mind.

[Bewheels]

Brian, apparently Zwift made available a app that does this: ZwiftPref (macOS and Windows) – ZwiftHacks I have not tried it yet.

Good find.

Though I see that his version for the Mac is not being done using a certified Apple dev account - which is why he points you to another page to see how to enable it to work on a Mac.
This means... that it isn’t official certified by Apple.
Which means that you have to trust the author to have not intentionally or unintentionally created a security vulnerablilities.
...by working in technology, I tend to be a bit paranoid...which is unfortunate because the author has taken the time to build this app and give it away for free.

[Too Tall]

Good find.

Though I see that his version for the Mac is not being done using a certified Apple dev account - which is why he points you to another page to see how to enable it to work on a Mac.
This means... that it isn’t official certified by Apple.
Which means that you have to trust the author to have not intentionally or unintentionally created a security vulnerablilities.
...by working in technology, I tend to be a bit paranoid...which is unfortunate because the author has taken the time to build this app and give it away for free.

We are all a bit smarter with you here.
I'll take a pass for now.