Zwift, TR, Sufferfest etc

[bennymac]

Carp those are big power numbers to be putting out over that length of time! Strong work.

I think it was jamal or dee hubs who said that the space bar on a keyboard starts your power up - which seems way easier than trying to hit it on the companion app - you can have to your side and just mash it when putting out max effort

[Name Redacted]

I ended up doing 24 miles from Glendale down the Cherry Creek Trail to the state park and back. Actually pretty nice and a weird empty ride to do at 9pm on a Friday in January.

My old bike commute. Kinda miss it sometimes. I'd ride it at night, with a beer in my hand.

[Full Trucker]

For reference my setup is
bike: spin bike with no transmitting capabilities
power and cadence: Garmin Vector pedals (bought new in November) - transmitting via bluetooth
HRM: whaoo kickr fit armband transmitting via bluetooth
companion app: on iphone
zwift app: on 2014 imac desktop hardlined into internet router - imac has a bluetooth keyboard and a bluetooth trackpad that are in use when zwifting

For the KICKR Snap I’ve read that if one is going to connect into it via Bluetooth, then don’t have even one other thing on Bluetooth. And if you need to connect more stuff, then connect to the trainer with ANT+. Those pedals support ANT+ so it’s probably worth trying that?

Edit to add: of course connecting via ANT+ probably means buying a dongle if you don’t have one. If you go this route, get a USB extension cable as well. ANT+ can be a little finicky about where you place the dongle. I found the best spot for me to pick up the trainer is having the dongle hanging onto the seat rails over the rear wheel.

Also of note, ANT+ seems to work better than BT even with no other devices connected for me.

[EWG]

For what it’s worth, I didn’t have lag but I kept dropping the power input. Realized that everything was connecting on ANT. Left everything but the power from the trainer on ANT, put just the power on Bluetooth, and haven’t had the problem again. So far anyway.

Works in reverse too I understand from the interwebs.

[rideit]

Has anyone tried connecting a garmin watch for HR, or do I have to use the garmin dual chest sensor?
Zwift couldn’t find it when I was just using the watch.
Guess I might need a dongle to run just the watch?
(Sorry if this has been covered, I will go back and review)

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

I think I blew a hammy on this one!

Thanks for sharing, those are cool to watch! I was sitting there wanting to yell “use the aero boost, use the aero boost!”

I had the same experience as you in that race yesterday - hung with the top group until that first climb, then I got dropped pretty quick there. I ended up 31st/59:10 on Zwiftpower - although I was able to use my draft boost at the final sprint which bought me a few spots in the rankings.

I hopped into the B group race in France an hour later and liked that course more - it had one climb vs the rollers in the A race, and the pain was over in just over a half hour.

[Name Redacted]

Best HRM for Zwift? Working on getting set up, but just on my spin bike and rower for now, but hoping to work towards getting a zwift and want to make sure it is compatible.

[Dee Hubbs]

Best HRM for Zwift? Working on getting set up, but just on my spin bike and rower for now, but hoping to work towards getting a zwift and want to make sure it is compatible.

Any Bluetooth capable one, or even a dual one. I have a Suunto BLE that came with my Ambit3 watch. I also have a Garmin Dual ANT+ and BLE. I like this one because it works ANT+ with my Garmin head unit and BLE with Zwift.
I bought a Wahoo TICKR FIT for my wife. Its also dual frequency, but its an optical HR monitor, and only goes around your forearm for an accurate reading. She likes it because she can just wrap it around her forearm at the last minute, instead of getting it wrapped around her rib cage while getting dressed, sports bra, bib straps, jersey complications.
These all work great. I have yet to have any signal issues with 2 trainers, 3rd party power meter, 2 hear rates, wheel speed sensor and 2 iPhones, appleTV and remote, and laptop running in the same room at the same time.

[carpathian]

Thanks for sharing, those are cool to watch! I was sitting there wanting to yell “use the aero boost, use the aero boost!”

I had the same experience as you in that race yesterday - hung with the top group until that first climb, then I got dropped pretty quick there. I ended up 31st/59:10 on Zwiftpower - although I was able to use my draft boost at the final sprint which bought me a few spots in the rankings.

I hopped into the B group race in France an hour later and liked that course more - it had one climb vs the rollers in the A race, and the pain was over in just over a half hour.

Thanks they are fun to make! Each race has a story and when you know you are recording the story it makes me want to push it more. Training tool. Self induced peer pressure. How lame would it be if I was like 'got tired, gave up'. lol

[bennymac]

I can also vouch for the wahoo fit armband HRM (for the 3-4 weeks I’ve been using it) - someone else earlier in this thread recommended it - I didn’t even know these existed so started out with a Bluetooth chest strap

- armband comes with a USB charger cradle
- takes one second to grab it and slip it on and it doesn’t have to be wet to have a connection - not that putting in a chest strap is rocket science but if you’re in a bit of a scramble to get riding it’s a simpler process and it’s not more expensive than the chest straps

[bennymac]

For the KICKR Snap I’ve read that if one is going to connect into it via Bluetooth, then don’t have even one other thing on Bluetooth. And if you need to connect more stuff, then connect to the trainer with ANT+. Those pedals support ANT+ so it’s probably worth trying that?

Edit to add: of course connecting via ANT+ probably means buying a dongle if you don’t have one. If you go this route, get a USB extension cable as well. ANT+ can be a little finicky about where you place the dongle. I found the best spot for me to pick up the trainer is having the dongle hanging onto the seat rails over the rear wheel.

Also of note, ANT+ seems to work better than BT even with no other devices connected for me.

Yes thanks I think this is the next step in trying to fix the lag.

Last night I ordered this - basically a dongle with 1.5m cord attached. Will allow me to put it close to pedal (only one of my pedals transmits power and cadence). Fingers crossed this fixes lag but will take a couple weeks to get here by mail.

[jamal]

Kind of dumb more trainers don't just have a usb port so you can directly hardwire it to your computer. The kickr has one I think?

I've gotten a couple of short dropouts. It seems to maybe happen more when I have the stereo playing? I keep it off, move the fans away from the computer, and hardwire my internet connection when i'm worried about it.

And I do hear that an ant dongle straight under the trainer is the most reliable way to go. Well, aside from a wired connection I suppose.

[Dee Hubbs]

Kind of dumb more trainers don't just have a usb port so you can directly hardwire it to your computer. The kickr has one I think?

The Wahoo Kicker Version5 (aka 2020) has a RJ11 port (telephone port, not a RJ45 data port).
Wahoo has not announced any use/interface with this plug yet.

[Flounder]

For the KICKR Snap I’ve read that if one is going to connect into it via Bluetooth, then don’t have even one other thing on Bluetooth.

Only been using zwift for 3 weeks but so far no issues with the Snap and a Polar HR strap both running on Bluetooth. Using a Surface Pro 3 as a computer.

[joetron]

My old bike commute. Kinda miss it sometimes. I'd ride it at night, with a beer in my hand.

Yep. Me too. That’s some good bike path.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[rideit]

So, did a 20 minute Innsbruck cruise to hopefully learn some things. All the power ups, feathers, etc are a mystery, I don’t have any options to click on the companion app while I am riding?
Also, how do I review my w/kg averages on the companion after the ride?
I just see ‘1 slice burned’ and some calories.

[huckbucket]

Modified Four Horseman today. Skipped the radio tower and abandoned after the decent of the AdZ. That was . ... ummm .... something.

[buttahflake]

Well done, Carp! I enjoy your race analysis. You have a good radio voice.

[Iowagriz]

Rideit, power ups on the companion app are upper left side. It shows the "feather" in a circle, press that.

Feather makes you lighter for 15sec. Areo helmets makes you faster, I think for 20sec. The truck gives you a bigger draft, you have to be behind someone.

To review a ride in the app, click on activities, then yourself and the ride. I think it shows your average for the ride. Once you do a ftp test, it will graph your ride in zones.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[rideit]

Thanks.
This is all I see when I hit activity...(no w/kg?)


Can you post a screen shot of where w/kg would show up?

[Dee Hubbs]

So, did a 20 minute Innsbruck cruise to hopefully learn some things. All the power ups, feathers, etc are a mystery, I don’t have any options to click on the companion app while I am riding?
Also, how do I review my w/kg averages on the companion after the ride?
I just see ‘1 slice burned’ and some calories.

After the ride, on the Companion App if you go to activities, you can click on your ride, Where it how's you the map of your ride, swipe to the left and you'll get a Cadence/power/heart rate page, a power distribution page, and heart rate distribution page.

During your ride the use the Companion App on the "map tab". The Power Ups can be activated in the top left corner, (my screenshot has nothing in the circle, but thats where the feather/truck/aero is) and you can chat with the group on the "Messages Tab"

[rideit]

This is the only other info I can get, from what I can tell

[Dee Hubbs]

Swipe left...

[bennymac]

I believe you can also activate your power up from the “dashboard” view in the companion app but it’s not as easy as from the “map” view

[rideit]

Thanks, I didn’t realize you could swipe. Makes much more sense now.
But I think I am still seeing watts vs. w/Kg?
So, if I am averaging around around 200 watts, working fairly hard, but not really givin ‘er, what category should I put myself in? (A/B/C/D)
Does this make sense?

Thanks for explaining this.