Zwift Group Ride Etiquette // Bunch Riding Tips 

lol

He's saying Bee-con, not bacon

I am new to Zwift and have been disappointed that this feature does not exist. But now I see that it does.

Yeah it did make me chuckle when reading the words zwift ride etiquette lol

No speed sensor required if you have a power meter on the bike. Zwift will use that to calculate your in-game speed.

This is what this video was about.

What model Kickr do you have? The latest generation ones are virtually silent. The mic is a Blue Yeti and I'm using a noise gate filter within OBS.

You’re after a green screen. RU-vid search for my video on the Elgato green screen.

A lot....!

Group workouts are different to group rides. The workout feature keeps the bunch glued together.

Thanks for the quick reply.

W/kg during the ride

One for Zwift support. There has been a lot of gremlins reported lately in regard to ERG. I’m not across the specific changes being made to the Zwift code, so it’s one for their support team.

Shane Miller - GPLama Ok thanks for the reply..I’m waiting for them to get back to me

Already supported.... almost three years ago. They've not demo'ed it much since. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a3IXQeWis5k.html

Ping them on text chat to see if they’re up for a roll, or throw a u-then and another in a few 100m to let them go.

Not following the ride leader direction.

Thanks is there anyway though you can cause a crash if you are not careful enough ?

@@coachrobwille4176 Nope

Wahoo Headwind. I also have this little gem by Keith Wakeham here I've been using: maelstrom.me/

yes but zwift calculates speed solely on w/kg so it is an easy way of ensuring the bunch stays together

It doesn't require this.

This one is the Aussie Hump Day Ride (AHDR) on Wednesdays at 7pm.

It depends on the course... and the ride leader... and the bunch. Impossible to know exactly what is going on without being in the bunch myself. I'd aim for sticking with the yellow beacon rider and trying to ignore the set wattage (although it should be ball-park what was listed)

Shane Miller - GPLama it was weird when the social ride was suppose to be 2.0 - 2.5 w/kg and other riders around me were doing 1.8 - 2.2w/kg I was doing 2.7w/kg and going backwards

@@jeffers2006 if you're tall, there's a (modest) penalty - for two riders putting out the same W/kg (and/or the same weight), the shorter one gets a (slight) aero advantage. That's realistic, since tall riders have a slightly higher CDA than a shorter rider of the same weight. It certainly shouldn't amount to 0.5W/kg though... sounds like you were out of the 'bubble' of the group's slipstream/draught. If you lost the draught (if the "rubber band snapped"), you would have to pull *at least* 3.5W/kg to get back onto a group that was running at 1.8-2.2; if you were pulling 2.7W/kg in a solo effort, the group would pull away from you. Another thing that happens when you lose the draught and then work like Billy-Oh to get back on... the 'natural' thing that happens when you get that "OK" is to slacken off a bit... and drift back out of the slipstream (I do it *all the time* ).

One for Zwift support

@@gplama my spin bike isn't great to be fair, most rides the resistance pin spins round and gets less resistant it's very annoying 😂 but didn't want to spend more than 200

That depends on the group/event.

@@gplama okay, thanks! Did a little more research and seems to be a glitch in some modes where you dont see yourself in the jersey, but others do.

It's whatever you want to make it.

@@gplama awesome, thank you for the response!

There's no correct answer here... it depends what you're doing.

Yes. It'll start a new activity. It'll upload the first to Zwift/Strava/etc if you have those linked.

ZwiftPower events schedule lists a lot of the event parameters.

@@gplama quick question. i'm using an Elite Novo smart trainer connected to my phone and when I start my sprint I noticed a 4 second delay from when I start sprinting to when it shows up in Zwift. is there a way to reduce the delay like connecting to my PC or would I need to buy a better smart trainer?

@@matthewvital9847 I'm not familiar with the Novo trainer sorry. Best test with ANT+, then Bluetooth.... then test another trainer if possible.

@@gplama hi again. i'm changing over from mountain bike cleats to road bike cleats. specifically im going with SHIMANO PD-RS500 SPD/SPD-SL Pedals. but under the details it says ( cleat:SM-SH11). i don't really understand the numbers. Do i need to find a SM-SH11 or can SM-SH12 work?

@@matthewvital9847 Google or Shimano Support is your best bet here.

agoraphobia

GTAV is what you're after: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Bl17P_mpHI0.html

They're the ride leader. They're usually the one who sets the route, pace, etc. If everyone wants to do their own thing.... fine... I guess. A lot of ride leader give up and move on due to people agreeing to join an event and doing something entirely different. It's an interesting problem on a social platform. There's no accountability for being a prick. The fence helps.... better tools for ride leaders would be welcomed.

I am the same way. I like finding other independent riders holding my same pace, but attempting to keep with an organized group has proven very difficult. I also don't like the fake Zwift elevation killing my Strava data.

See my video on streaming basics here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bZFifEorWnY.html

@@gplama thank you very much. I still have some remaining issues with ZWIFT background music and sounds setup.

Drafting exists in real life, yes. Not quite this strong though.

It's simply polite when live streaming/filming. Nobody wants to see topless people on bikes - RU-vid and other streaming services especially. If the camera isn't rolling and I'm training - no jersey indoors.

Everyone is different.

Hi. This guy here. 40.

I'm 53 and only half-fit (FTP barely 3W/kg), but I can still hold a conversation at HR 158. Above 165 I'll struggle, though (176 is my maxHR). As Shane pointed out, he's over a decade younger, and probably has at least 10 VO2Max points on me (mine's under 50). That would give him a Karvonen MaxHR above 185, so 158 is the bottom of "Tempo" for him (it's the top of "Tempo" for me).

Some group rides don't have an assigned leader.

On your ride (this video), you referenced the Beacon many times 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

@@adlhikes3159 On this ride the Beacon is shown in yellow (name card) and with the HUGE yellow pole. 9:18 is a random spot it's on screen.

Lieutenant. Policing the bunch.

I assume ultra dedicated riders. A lot have their own coaching services they use the platform to promote.

It's bunch riding dynamics. The group is faster than an individual most of the time.

@@gplama that makes sense thank you

Look out! Was that you I saw in the bunch tonight mate?

Shane Miller - GPLama yeah.. either im not anywhere near as fit as i should be or that was full of machines.. finished like 190 something. Died just before 3rd lap

Yes

It's an event only unlock I believe.

ahhh damn!

I guess it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.. at 129kg :-(

Yeah I struggle to find any group ride I am able to do. I am 129kg.. a big unit. FTP is 269, but I have to hold 250+ for this entire ride. A lot of riding solo, which as you know ain't really much fun.

Good work John! You will see massive improvements on zwift as you weight dimishes. And your fitness will also improve along the way. Keep going !

isnt that the point? struggling? taking it easy doesnt make you fitter @@JohnKuridala

Right column under the name listing.

I thought I missed it. So it didn’t happen! Bacon must be tired (although he had massive watts at the end of Pac-Man)

Tim was too busy chatting

Shane Miller - GPLama yep he pulled one mother of a Hail Mary towards the end... must be one of his good days lol

One of Michael??!! Lol re the THUMBDERSTORM...I thought about it straight afterwards when I saw my results screen. I'd led a Zwift Academy ride right before the AHDR & couldn't remember if I'd done a storm there or during this ride!!

Understood. But in going off the front you're both pulling others off the front, and giving people the 'he did it too' excuse to do the same. Let's scrap the w/kg and stay with the beacon - a better way of looking at what the ride is about (until the last lap, then go nuts)

The power figures are a guidance as to what the ride should (ideally) be around - whereas the repeated calls to get back to the beacon are actual requests from the ride leader (and helpers depending on the ride). I find the people that ignore the instructions from the organisers and leaders incredibly irritating myself, as Shane mentioned it has consequences for the behaviour of others. Whether or not they think they are following some 'letter of the law' they believe they know about the ride, when it boils down to it they are saying "I don't care what the rider leaders are (repeatedly) telling me to do, i'm doing what I want when I want to" - that's fair enough if they want to do that on their own, or with others of a similar mind, in which case they can go do it somewhere else. Basically it's just rude and makes the ride less enjoyable for others - it's also the single largest complaint I hear about such rides. I'm not alone in this, trust me, even if you completely disagree with me. On the plus side, sooner or later we will hopefully get a fully fledged ban hammer for the rider organisers/leaders to use in game, which should help with this. Personally, if it were my ride, I would be tempted to have a sort-of reverse elimination race in which every so often (effort, lap, time period or what-have-you) the folk in front of the beacon get booted - just a little light entertainment for those of us who go along with the spirit of the ride to enjoy. That's just me though probably....

It’s basically all about respect mate. If you want a harder ride sit on the back at your 2.8w as it’s harder to sit at the rear than the front. Going solo flying off the front stretches the bunch and causes a lot of issues.

People put allot of work into group rides (without getting anything for it, or more likely costs them money providing prizes for free), to wreck someones hard work because they want to be a d!ck is just wrong. It is only fair to make it as easy on the leader as much possible so they keep doing it and make the event enjoyable for everyone rather than ranting at d!cks that disrupt the bunch. Respect the bunch, leader, and the ride.

No consequences. No ride leader control of the group. There's a few things that could be implemented to boot people from events who disrupt the experience of others. I suspect Zwift are hesitant to start 'policing' paid subscribers. .

Welcome to the future. It’s a social experience. Dismissing it is the problem.

Shane Miller - GPLama I ride Zwift. It is what it is. Been invaluable in rehabbing after a nightmare month with multiple crashes. It's also a great tool for keeping fitness up when crap weather hits. I leave the online 'etiquette' to my GTA playing teenage kids.

G'day!