I have to say, if you've got a bike, computer or ipad, a trainer, and some sort of speed, and cadence sensor, you owe it to yourself to download zwift for you indoor trainer rides.

I've got about the most basic setup you can have, a "dumb" trainer - Cycleops Fluid2, then an usb extension cord with the Ant+ dongle on the end to my laptop. You want one that's USB2. And then all you need are the sensors, not even the bike computer. I think there's also bluetooth sensors, maybe by Wahoo, but I don't know how those work.



From there the info those transmit, goes into Zwift where you put your age, height, weight, and it calculates your power. Everything on zwift is based off power. The neatest thing it does is compensates for drafting, and changing elevations. Granted with a dumb trainer you're still pedaling the same, but on the screen, everything you see reflects what it's calculating, and everyone around you is doing somewhat the same. So climbing a hill is still an rear end whipper. Like you can see here in the top right this is down hill at a -4% grade, so we're getting it pretty good, maybe a little too good but thats alright.


So with that, if you just want to rack up miles, you probably don't want to do it on Zwift since I know pedaling at 75ish RPM's on the big ring, and any of the 4 smaller cogs on the rear I should be going over 20mph. On Zwift, climbing up steep hills, it calculates to watts, so you may only go 10mph, but the inverse is on big descents, you haul.

All in all, I'm a fan. I'm still on the free trial, but I'm going to subscribe once its up. I did order a trainer tire after getting in on a race last weekend and putting a flat spot on my good tires.

Another neat feature is if you want to do a group ride, race or workout, just join one of the rides on the events page. There's nearly something starting every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day.

I can't make myself. I get my workouts in by running. I enjoy the outdoors too much to sit inside. I ride cause I like the thrill of it.

I haven't gotten on the trainer all winter. I am secretly boycotting it!

Man its freaking intense. I'm planning on doing a few races this year, and probably not any tri's, maybe just the local sprit tri, so I'm not too concerned on running.

I joined up in a crit race today, and got way in over my head. It was (7) 3ish mile laps after a big sprint start. I figure it's probably about as close to the real thing as you can get. Literally pedaling just about as hard as you can. I only made it about 6 miles before my heart was about to push through my chest. Think I don't have something set exactly right, it did figure my avg right under 24mph for what I rode before bailing out, I just don't think it should've been quite as hard as it was.

What are you doing off work at 10am? That's my question!

Sick kid today, got to stay home. Between today and being off for the holidays, I could get used to it!!

3 random Zwift rides throughout the day! NICE!! Did you ride every time the kiddo napped?

Could you imagine working from home?!

There'd be lots of riding... There's some guys here in WF, I have no idea what they do, but they're able to do 100 mile rides atleast once a week, either on the road or zwift, among all the other daily rides.

And another ride at 10pm last night! You maniac you!

Yeah how about that! I'd thought about why my HR blew up in the race at 2pm, and figured I go at it again alittle different. I kept it lower, but after eating a abnormally large dinner, it wasn't happening.

I'm going to try and do a FTP test this weekend, curious to see if it'll have an effect on how Zwift calculates my power going forward. As it is, I keep blowing up trying to keep up with people I feel I can hang with, so I'm hoping it recalculates it to something alittle more manageable. Think I need to start riding with the right category also, and just riding for fun. Although it is pretty exciting watching yourself on the TV battle against people from all over.