Zwift?

[tball]

I got two kids under 4. No 18 hours for me...

I've got two first graders and indoor training has been a godsend for me these past years. I think whatever gets you moving whenever you can is crucial.

In addition to or instead of the structured workouts, I also just spin watching TV or do a 15-minute quick interval workout when I can. At the very least it keeps me from sitting on the couch and eating crap I shouldn't while watching TV, at least sometimes. That's a big win itself.

 

[tball]

Garmin is acquiring the indoor smart trainer company Tacx. This is a big deal in the indoor training market.

Here's a good analysis from DCR with comments about Zwift and other competitors:
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/02...tailed-analysis-and-what-it-means-to-you.html

 

[Jersey Skier]

I'm sitting on the couch procrastinating my Zwift ride right now. I've managed to ride outside for the past month and haven't missed Zwift at all. Despite being better than just riding a trainer, it's still indoors which I can't stand.

 

[martyg]

The fat biking has been epic. Between that and skate skiing I might have 2 hours per week on the trainer, and that is with training 15 - 20 hours per week.

 

[givethepigeye]

I signed up for both Zwift and TrainerRoad. Thought Zwift would be silly, Have not done a TrainerRoad workout in months. Zwift is engaging and also there is a vast library of workouts available. In fact, many og the cycling coaches here are delivering their content/workouts via Zwift. I just think it is more engaging and keeps me entertained too. Plus Alpe du Zwift is a good endurance ride.

Echo the sweet spot training approach and mostly will ride outdoors if I can.

 

[Jersey Skier]

I signed up for both Zwift and TrainerRoad. Thought Zwift would be silly, Have not done a TrainerRoad workout in months. Zwift is engaging and also there is a vast library of workouts available. In fact, many og the cycling coaches here are delivering their content/workouts via Zwift. I just think it is more engaging and keeps me entertained too. Plus Alpe du Zwift is a good endurance ride.

Echo the sweet spot training approach and mostly will ride outdoors if I can.

I thought Zwift was fun when I first started with it. Then, after forcing myself out the door for some cold rides, I realized those are much more enjoyable. If I were just using it to train, Zwift would be great. I'd rather enjoy my rides and let the workout just happen. Could be why I'm slow.

 

[givethepigeye]

I thought Zwift was fun when I first started with it. Then, after forcing myself out the door for some cold rides, I realized those are much more enjoyable. If I were just using it to train, Zwift would be great. I'd rather enjoy my rides and let the workout just happen. Could be why I'm slow.

Outside is always better - but during the week in the winter or when time crunched - its nice to know you can get a ride in on Zwift and be somewhat engaged. Also, a hour long interval workout > 2 hour group ride, from a fitness perspective.

 

[cantunamunch]

Anyone done both Zwift and Sufferfest?

 

[martyg]

Outside is always better - but during the week in the winter or when time crunched - its nice to know you can get a ride in on Zwift and be somewhat engaged. Also, a hour long interval workout > 2 hour group ride, from a fitness perspective.

Seems a contradiction... You claim that riding outside is better (and better is a so vague it is difficult to draw meaning from), yet you say that it is more efficient than a group ride.

 

[cantunamunch]

Seems a contradiction... You claim that riding outside is better (and better is a so vague it is difficult to draw meaning from), yet you say that it is more efficient than a group ride.

Not a contradiction if we take GTPE's second sentence to be inherently related to the "it's nice to" clause in his first. Something like 'it's nice to know that an hour long interval can be better than a 2 hour group ride, from a fitness perspective'.

Sure it's all vague, but our collective goals here are so diffuse and scattered that specificity is going to be a one- or two-person thread at best.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

I'm not getting 18 hours in the summer! I've got a job and a wife and all kind of other things to do. I'm happy in the summer with 3 45 minute power zone rides on the Peloton during the week and a couple 1-3 hour mtn bikes rides on the weekend. I'm ecstatic if I can get in an extra weekday evening mtn bike ride. I'd bet my best weekly training/riding volume in the last few years is around 9 hours. I'm just trying to stay in "NOT ROUND" shape.

 

[cantunamunch]

I'm not getting 18 hours in the summer! I've got a job and a wife and all kind of other things to do. I'm happy in the summer with 3 45 minute power zone rides on the Peloton during the week and a couple 1-3 hour mtn bikes rides on the weekend. I'm ecstatic if I can get in an extra weekday evening mtn bike ride. I'd bet my best weekly training/riding volume in the last few years is around 9 hours. I'm just trying to stay in "NOT ROUND" shape.

Compare/contrast the Peloton with a smart trainer of the Wahoo/Elite type?

 

[Jersey Skier]

Compare/contrast the Peloton with a smart trainer of the Wahoo/Elite type?

I'm wondering if Peloton will go public before there is a smart version of their bike. I can't imagine how many more they will sell.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

I don't know anything about the Wahoo except that it would have required me to own and swap four different bicycles into it for my family of four to use it which was a non starter for me. YMMV

 

[UGASkiDawg]

I've got two first graders and indoor training has been a godsend for me these past years. I think whatever gets you moving whenever you can is crucial.

In addition to or instead of the structured workouts, I also just spin watching TV or do a 15-minute quick interval workout when I can. At the very least it keeps me from sitting on the couch and eating crap I shouldn't while watching TV, at least sometimes. That's a big win itself.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

I'm wondering if Peloton will go public before there is a smart version of their bike. I can't imagine how many more they will sell.

What would a smart version of it look like? The peloton community for the most part is about the instructors not the training structure. My wife like's Jenn's classes because she likes her personality and the really sh$tty music she plays. I'd be happy with a smart trainer that simply told me what to do on a screen and I could play my own music but that is NOT the average Peloton user....not even close.

 

[tball]

Compare/contrast the Peloton with a smart trainer of the Wahoo/Elite type?

There are currently 215 comments on DCR's post about Garmin acquiring Tacx, many very insightful about just that.
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/02...tailed-analysis-and-what-it-means-to-you.html

I had no idea Peleton became such a huge deal until they started talking about a $4B IPO after their last round at $1.25B. Peleton is going after a different, much larger, market than us bike geeks using Zwift and Trainer Road. My wife would use a Pelton and is unlikely to ever use Zwift or Trainer Road, and she's a road biker outside.

What would a smart version of it look like?

Does the Peloton automatically adjust the resistance for you? That's what "smart" generally means. When you hit a hill on a virtual ride or an interval during a structured workout, the computer automatically adjusts the resistance to the appropriate effort level for that segment.

 

[givethepigeye]

Seems a contradiction... You claim that riding outside is better (and better is a so vague it is difficult to draw meaning from), yet you say that it is more efficient than a group ride.

Its pretty simple really, if you have a powermeter - look at your avg watts on a 2 hour group ride vs. 1 hour interval inside workout. Unless you were on the front hammering the whole time (which really makes it a solo ride for you + some wheel suckers behind you, right?) or its super structured and curated - the one hour structured intervals are more effective for building fitness. but outside is outside, in the air, light, etc. not watching a monitor, having to use other skills ie. balancing, holding a wheel, not overlapping, etc.

The exception is when you find a super fast hammerfest outside ride or you regularly ride with people faster and you get dropped from time to time - then you get both.

 

[Jersey Skier]

There are currently 215 comments on DCR's post about Garmin acquiring Tacx, many very insightful about just that.
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/02...tailed-analysis-and-what-it-means-to-you.html

I had no idea Peleton became such a huge deal until they started talking about a $4B IPO after their last round at $1.25B. Peleton is going after a different, much larger, market than us bike geeks using Zwift and Trainer Road. My wife would use a Pelton and is unlikely to ever use Zwift or Trainer Road, and she's a road biker outside.


Does the Peloton automatically adjust the resistance for you? That's what "smart" generally means. When you hit a hill on a virtual ride or an interval during a structured workout, the computer adjusts the resistance to the appropriate effort level for that segment.

Peloton users have to manually adjust resistance.

 

[martyg]

The vast majority of our customers, who have tried both, stick with a smart trainer. It is their bikes, and workouts can be tailored to their training goals - instead of taking a Peloton class - and maybe you hit your targets - maybe you don't. Granted, either is far preferable to binge watching Netflix (unless you are on a trainer). However a smart trainer is more about being a tool that allows you to achieve training objectives. A Peloton, while having value, is something more in line with general fitness.

That being said, many of our top riders - which is to say some of the top in the world - spend a lot of time cross-training in winter. It could be skate skiing, resistance training (with one elite group just doing CrossFit), snowshoeing, running, etc. The general consensus is that they come into the season not as honed, but they are more durable and fresher - both mentally and physically - throughout the season.

I have an article on indoor training hitting tomorrow and will re-post here. I'm also doing a project with Ned Overend tomorrow that will be the subject of an article that involves testing. It should post in a few weeks.