Always happy to see another DMV cyclist in Watopia. That was a great race, and I suspect you'll have no problem getting up to a 500 race score given your underlying fitness. Answers to your questions are below, along with a couple other tips (of course, all with the benefit of hindsight): 1. Power-up use: the draft powerup is less effective at slower speeds. I would use it either in the lead in to the climb if you need some rest before that effort, or I would save it, and use it right before you go through the banner at the top of the climb to help you recover on the way down (like a couple of riders did on the second lap). Unless you are saving a specific power up (e.g., an aero in advance of sprint finish or a feather for a specific climb), you want to make sure you don't have one when you go through a banner to get another one. In this race, you should have used your first feather going up the kicker before the sprint (where it got strung out). Then you would have picked up a new power up when you went through the sprint banner. 2. Tron vs. Zwift carbon: Zwiftinsider has you covered for all questions about bike comparisons: zwiftinsider.com/charts-frames/. Poke around over there, and there's a ton of interesting data. Over a race like Loop de Loop, I'm guessing, the Tron would probably save you about 25 seconds over the Zwift carbon bike, and maybe 5-10 seconds over the Canyon Aeroad depending what wheel set you use. 3. On a descent that short, don't fixate on getting the supertuck. The important part is to stay in the draft. As a heavier rider, I can usually just do a quick (2-3 sec) burst of power at the top and then coast most of the way down. As a lighter rider, I'm not sure if that would work as well for you. The key is to pedal as little as you can to stay in the draft. On the second lap, I don't think it was worth burning a match to get into the supertuck. You would have been better served to keep your speed consistent to stay in the middle of the pack, and then coast down, even if not in the supertuck. 4. You made the right call. With that climb being the key feature in the race, it makes sense to hold on to the feather rather than gamble you'll get another one. I would only use it if I was struggling on one of the kickers before the start/finish line. When to use it on the climb is a judgment call. I tend to save it until I need it to follow an attack or to avoid getting dropped. In a race like this, if I wasn't struggling to hang on, I'd probably wait until the other riders start using them, as they are likely to use them to try to get a gap. Here, I think the perfect time would have been when you stood up to pedal about halfway up the second ramp. After you got another feather at the arch, I would have held on to that for the sprint. Couple of other thoughts: 1. You nearly nailed that sprint. You had perfect position going in until 500 meters to go. At 18:30 in the video, when the two riders came by with the draft power up, it would have been ideal to jump on their wheels. They would have provided the perfect lead-out. It looks like they finished 1st and 3rd, but you were gaining on them at the line. If you had been able to stay in their draft, you would have been positioned perfectly for the win. 2. The real art to zwift racing is figuring out how to put out minimum wattage to stay with the group. Zwift still has some sticky wattage, where you need to increase wattage significantly to pass the rider in front of you. That means, you could be doing, for example, 250 watts or 210 watts and maintaining the same spot in the group. Play around with this to figure out the lowest watts you can do without getting dropped. It's also most efficient to tail gun, but you need to be careful to move up at spots where attacks are likely, so you don't get behind gaps when they appear.
@@Scott_Hammack man, I appreciate you taking the time to type all that out! 👊 1) I was wondering why it seemed like others had more power-ups than me! Makes sense 👍 2) a friend showed me that site and another one too! Really helpful and interesting info there! 3) my friend made this exact point! I did have to pop off some watts to get to the front and I also realized afterwards that it probably would have been more efficient to just stay in the draft without doing that harder effort. You make a great point. 4) noted! Question: does the power-up you are using have to expire before you can get another one? Or can you activate it right before the banner and get the full use of it while picking up another one when you go through that banner? 1) I see what you see there, yeah. I know the art of sprinting and timing, but obviously in the moment it doesn't always go to plan. In real life racing, I video all my races and analyze all of these types of things too. So helpful. Hopefully, now that I have a slightly better bike in-game, I can have a little more in the tank for the sprint finishes coming up! 2) I actually just saw a video about this point! I definitely need to work on finding the minimum output to stay in the position I need to. I do this much better outdoors than in this game (so far) hahaha. Thanks again! I'll keep working on these things. Hopefully, there is improvement across the board on all the skills needed ✌️
@@jameskim3, regarding #4, no, the power-up does not need to expire, you simply have to activate it before passing the banner. You will eventually see the new power-up, while the existing one is still running down the clock. As Scott noted, if you used the draft right before crossing the banner at the top of the KOM, you would have benefited from the greater speed on the downhill section, while picking up another power up that you could use immediately after the draft expired, or, held onto it to use later.
You recognized all the critical points and did something about it which is exactly right andl rare. You knew closing the gap to front group was correct no matter how it would hurt. 100% the right play. I love how you don't talk about numbers, you just commit to the expenditure of power in the right places. Really impressive. Question #3 - You don't need to supertuck, you need to draft and recover. With a lot of people there on the front you will not win the supertuck and will burn a match to get it. Just sit in the draft and do as little as work as possible, should be 0 for a big part of that down. Question #4 - Always save a powerup for a decisive moment if you can. You made the right decision. The right powerup at the right time is more valuable than the wrong powerup for your scenario. Sometimes you can gamble when you know you have more gates before the decisive part. I gamble when I'm hurting to stay with the pack and need to recover. Know the course and the percent drop rate of the powerups. It's generally better to save your powerup for the END of the climb/challenge rather than the beginning. Yes, you have to contend with people using power ups, but most ZRS C's don't pace well for climbs anyhow, they cook in the 2nd half where you should have saved energy and powerups for the 2nd part of the fight.
@@RideItBetterCycling awesome! I appreciate the encouragement haha. I race in the real world and have seen basically every possible race analysis video posted on TH-cam 😂, so I know the general gist of how to race but Zwift does have some nuances and power-ups are obviously the most novel thing about it, so I gotta keep learning that. Thanks!
You are insane man! WELL DONE! I did the Loop de Loop course the other day. Its brutal doing that hill twice man! 🥵 As a fellow youtuber in the Zwift community, i must say this is the easiest sub i have done in a while! 🤝
@Norwegianwatts haha thanks! When I rewatch this video... I remember just how painful it was 😂😂. And yet, I go back to this type of activity at least once per week. Our minds are broken 😆. I just did the Tiny Races this morning and then did another Volcano Circuit CCW about 45 minutes later... Like I said... HUP DUK DUK BRRRROOOKEN! *in my best Ryu voice*
Great effort man. Looks like the comments section has already answered your questions. Cadence looks on the high side. I do like a higher cadence (90-95), but your 100+ is something else. On sections like Hilly Kom I'm standing for all of it except the little hair pin where you can take a small rest. Try being on the hoods and bouncing a little.
RT knows his stuff. Great racer. Yep, the cadence is high, overtime mine has increased and I'm comfortable racing between 90 to 100rpm. As RT said, for this climb I stand and treat it as a controlled sprint. Its around 1m30s to 1m45s at race pace. Grab a brief rest around the hairpin. It took me a while to get comfortable out of the saddle indoors, it doesn't feel as natural as outside so you have to get used to it and don't be afraid to throw the bike around a bit.
Nice race! You're numbers are definitely in mid B range. You're strategic insights are spot on. You can definitely save some watts by dropping off as soon as you are within a bike length to the back of the pack. There is a 'stickiness' to being on the back wheel of a rider. For example, you might stay in the same spot relative to the rider in front of you at 3 to 3.5 wkg. You can find the lower end of the range by just slowly letting off the power until you notice the rider starting to drift further forward. For reference, I'm about 69kg with an FTP of about 225 watts and am in the middle of class C with a rider score of about 460. For a 45 min race I usually average about 3.2 wkg with a 20 min best average of about 3.4 wkg and a 5 min best average of about 3.8 wkg. Good luck on your zwift journey. You are a natural!
@@williamwillson563 thanks for sharing and thanks for the encouragement! Getting me motivated! Drafting better, power-up timing, trying lower cadence are the three things I'm taking from the comments here
Hi James, I watched you race. Amazing job on both those KOMs. Your positioning was great, not on the front but near the front, and you kept pushing all the way to the banner. It’s very tempting to ease off, and if you are too near the front, riders come rolling through you after you’ve done the hard work. Overall great result! A few tips. - WKG is less important than you think for flat to rolling courses. Like real racing, Zwift Racing is a game of momentum. Speed, and acceleration wins races. Race in Camera 3 view for better perception of speed. - Put out less power on the flat sections and on declines, you can get away drafting at around 200 watts in Cat C and even less downhill. Save the bigger watts for pinch points. On this course normalised power is more important. I think you could have easily got away with 220 watts average for the same result. -Air resistance increases exponentially with speed. Watch your speed, over 35kph you have lots of draft. Below 20kph, you have next to no draft, so that is the time to invest power. -Once you become more familiar with the routes, you will get a better understanding of where pinch points are. You’re positioning down the bump at 4 mins is fine, there is low risk here if you push again over the bridge. -Riders at the front hit any roadblocks first. Be slightly behind them going into a climb and you will benefit from higher speed and increased draft for longer. You need this later at the top of the hill. -Save the feather for the steepest and longest sections. The pinch point on this route is Watopia Hilly KOM. Save it for the second section after the hairpin. - Since you used the feather and got the van, the best use of this is during the hair pin at the KOM, you can pick up speed here and catch back on. It’s the second part of the climb that is critical. -You can only supertuck if not in the draft but punching down hills and then recovering is a good way to build momentum anyway. If you want to get some tips, have a look at my race on the same course where I provide commentary on my thoughts and decisions during the race. I don’t think I can link to it, so search for “Zwift Games Loop de Loop”
@@stevej_on_a_mtb thanks for all the input! I appreciate your time. All those points are noted and logged in my head. It also corroborates some of the things others have shared with me too, so that's always good to know that it's reliable info haha. I'll find your video and put it on my watch later playlist!
@CyclingwithVovo No, I don't have anywhere near that kind of aerobic power. I started in C cat and sneaked into A cat for a while based on my 5 min power. My anaerobic power has developed faster than my endurance, so my comfort zone is in repeated efforts well above FTP. As long as I take recovery when I can get it, l can snatch a few results against A+ riders.
@@jameskim3 I watched some of your outdoor racing. That's impressive stuff! I'm sure you have a good foundation of speed and acceleration already so a 500 score should be well within reach. With 3.6wkg average in this Cat C race, I would say you could already race well in the old Cat B pen.
Zwift racing score is still ironing itself out! You really are a natural, and I think you’ve got a bigger sprint in you. My 2¢ would be to move up closer to the front when you know you have a steep section and the competition is really tough. If you’re one of the stronger ones you can start at the back and use the draft to slingshot yourself. (Like me when I was top of C cat) Otherwise it helps to not have to play catchup when the guys at the front start lighting it up 3/4 of the way up hilly KOM or Titans or any of these 1-3 minute big pushes. Nice work man, I’m dreading racing you myself 😅
@@andymiller54 hahaha thanks! I have never ever heard anyone say they dread racing me 🤣. I'm guessing you are a B now. Outdoor, at the end of a race, I'll usually hit 950-1000w. I can do 1250-1300 consistently when I'm fresh, but that's obviously not relevant during a race. If I can conserve more energy during a Zwift race and not be so cooked by the finish, I think I can do 800+ but we shall see. Gotta work on all of the little things! Feel free to follow me on zwift and I'll follow back and if we ever end up in a race together, I'll be sure to lead you out (inadvertently 🤣).
James, good video, and great to see another MABRA rider in Zwift.... couple thoughts: 1. For your power up, if I get a draft or aero PU just before a hill, I save it until just before the KOM banner, then hit it so I can use it to recover a bit on the immediate aftermath of the hill, but still get another PU. 2. Not sure about the exact savings of the Tron versus the other bikes, but I think it's not dissimilar to real world... the equipment helps, but it does not outweigh your fitness. That said, as a general rule of thumb, the Tron is your best bet. Make sure you have that challenge selected so you are working towards it. 3. Holding onto the feather is something that you'll get a better feel for with experience. I think in this situation you made the right call. If you want to reach out, I'd be happy to talk over Zwift stuff. I have thoughts, but probably more than I can squeeze into the comments section. But bottom line you are doing great!
@@scotjaworski6628 thanks Scot! I appreciate the tips. 1) noted! From what people say, it seems to be the best to use PU later in a segment or when you are on the limit etc. 2) I think the challenge was default selected for me, but anyhow I am progressing on that. I think I'm at 9.5k meters of elevation out of the 50k that I need. So, hopefully another 4 weeks or so. I got the Aeroad with c60 wheels to see how that helps in my next race too. Multiple marginal gains can be a decently significant gain just like in the real world 😆. 3) thanks for the encouragement and the openness to chatting Feel free to critique me as I go along too. I plan to post more videos of my races with just as much or less editing than this first one. Editing takes a number of hours that I can't necessarily sacrifice all the time 😅
Hey there. Great video. I did this Zwift race and finished 🥈 To answers your question on lap 1 I would have used the draft pu right before passing the end of KOM arch
Hey James, nice to see you on Zwift! Something I haven't seen mentioned in the comments is to choose races to suite your style. Most Zwift races are somewhere around 45 minutes (b cat), and this is what racers are used to. You would be surprised at how well you do in a longer race(given your irl training). Most of the competition is absolutely smashed about 90 minutes in. Maybe checkout DBR Sufferday this Saturday. Its 4:30am, but that is not unheard of for you. If you are open for TTT recruitment, let me know 😜
@@RyanDay2 hahaha awesome suggestion! I am not a TT anything guy as you know 😅. And I think I'd be among the "smashed" guys at 90 min 🤣. I will lyk if I ever feel like I can be of use to you in TTT 👊
very well done and you know a lot about what you need to do--my thoughts, try to get as many PU's as possible, it's a waste trying to get the best one-(the game knows you want the feather for the climb)-super great job holding the front pack and pushing to get back to it--wild HR of 200+ bpm, shatters the 200-1/2 age or 220-age formula and proves fitness with intensity throughout life maintains high max HR's
Dude, I was not expecting such an effort by the description of this video. You crushed it. Your strategy on everything tells, you are better at zwift racing than you think. Not gonna post any advices here as I believe you already got tones of them. Just general note, power ups are nothing if you are not strong yourself. To use them strategically, you need to be very strong. Otherwise, you use them whenever you feel like they can help you.
@@lolczyslaf haha thanks! I appreciate that compliment. I'm always trying to get stronger and the learning here helped me in the race I did this morning. It was a banger 😉
@@EverythingWasGreat haha nope! Gives you more draft! The burrito power-up nerfs (reduces) the draft behind you and makes it harder for everyone else back there though.
You have no worries getting to RS 500, you will easily go into the higher groups. You have fantastic cadence, bags of power and W/kg, very high max heart rate.. You will be quickly promoted 👍
If you are loving races then may I suggest doing a tiny race series on the weekend 4 races in 1 hour all lasting about 8-10 mins each then straight into queuing for the next race truly brutal but the most fun.
@@talonlan I saw that! Starts at 4:00am in my time zone haha. I'm not opposed to doing races that early but... I may try it another time. I think my next race I am looking for some redemption on Volcano Circuit CCW haha
Great effort there. You cannot supertuck in the draft of other riders, and you have to go at least 55 km/h. I would always save my feather for the KOM and use it at the last part unless I'm really getting behind.
@@mortenmuusmann thanks for sharing 👊. Yeah, supertuck criteria I was aware of but on the first lap I said "maybe not" cuz I couldn't get up to the front 😂. On the second lap, you saw that I went under 58kph and then had to push a little again to get back to 58+ to do the tuck so I botched that a little bit hahaha. This is fun though! Learning each race!
in answer to your first question you used the draft at the right time but didn't make full use of it as you kept your power still pretty much matching the group when you could have backed off a bit more as you had a stronger draft. Question 2 the Tron bike is an all rounder you have generally better bikes available nearly always, S-works Aethos for climbing and the Felt for flat courses also wheels mean a lot and if you enjoy climbing do the Alpe to get the lightweight wheels on the roulette wheel. Just after question 4 you say your companion app has crashed so you don't know where you are on the route but it is clearly shown on the mini map at the bottom is the elevation profile. Zwiftinsider will give you course breakdowns and bike recommendations including how many power ups there are and Zwifterbikes gives you breakdowns of what bikes are best for your current level on a given course.
1. I personally think your high cadence is fine but you need to get out of the saddle more on the red parts 2. You should burn a PU when you are going hard. So you could have used the draft right before the top of the KOM when it levels off. You immediately used that draft PU you got at the top of the first KOM, you could have used the one you got at the bottom there and then combined them! 3. On the rolling hills, accelerate a second or two on the negative grade just before it goes positive again, this allows you to smooth the power out. Well done! It is all about practice!
@@isrfpv thanks! I will look into it! I have the Aeroad with Shimano wheels now and it's been significantly better than the Zwift Carbon and I'm about a month away from getting the Tron bike.
@jameskim3 if you want the tron bike, good allrounder, and lightweight wheels for climing you should climb the Alpe de Zwift. Everytime you complete the AdZ you spinning the wheel at the top and you can win the Lightweight Millenstein. Good opertunity to get the tron bike and the best climbing wheels.
Bro when can we get up and get a ride in via Zwift i reside in the dmv now born and raised in Brooklyn. I also Race C class and looking to get stronger
@@_nikecantcheckme8086 I have no idea how to do any of that meetup stuff hahaha. I'm usually just climbing for the Tron bike (while running Trainerroad simultaneously) or racing. I'm using Zwift mainly for racing. I use trainerroad for my structured workouts haha
I believe most research shows that active recovery reduces accumulated lactid acid better than sitting stil. This is why e.g. the pros spin-down after a race. So super-tucking might feel as the best way to recover going down hill, but it should be better to keep the legs spinning in zone 1-2.
I think i have bad news: the Tron bike will probably take longer than you think! You won’t get it after climbing the Everest which is about ~8,900m to climb. You get a different bike there. You actually need to climb 50,000m and than you get the Tron bike. Sry for the bad news! 😂 I am in the same boat! ;) Good race! 💪🏻 i would have used the feather just because you can than either get a new one or if you get draft you can use it for the sprint later, but it is worthless if you lose the group on the climb. If you have been worried about that, you did everything correct in my opinion!
@@ettman sweet thanks! I know about the 50,000m!! Argh hahaha. I did about 9,500m so far in a week, so hopefully it won't take too much longer than a month if I keep the pace 😅
I’m 42, max HR 211, 72kg, FTP 288w, racing score 570 after the recalibration. It was 620 before. So I race B cat and in the Hilly KOM my PR of 1:57 isn’t enough to stay on lead group, in most races. You’ll need a sub 1:50/low 1:40 on that KOM to stay on lead group.
@@MarkRiddellRacing thanks for the frame of reference! Your max HR is bonkers 🤣. Great numbers for being 42. Hopefully, I can keep improving 👍. See you in the B category semi-soon 😉
Highly, highly unexpected traction on this video. Very glad because it helped me a lot with some process goals for my race this morning hahaha. I've seen a couple of your videos as I was wandering the TH-cams 👍. Racing is fun 😅
@@Bourne90 negative. SLR is my real world race team. I don't have any plans to be in a Zwift club though, especially if it comes with expectations to race at certain times because I need the flexibility in my schedule and I wouldn't be focusing on indoor racing during spring to fall. 😔
@Bourne90 I've been using trainerroad for 4 years now and have no issues with that. I use that for my structured workouts. I've been trying to bust past 280ftp for the past year or so haha. I think strength training and gaining a little bit of weight can help with that, so I'm doing that now. Strength 2x per week and at 72kg. W/kg doesn't matter much in the races that I do since there is no sustained climbing in them. And personally, I love crits and circuit races. I was racing at 69kg/4wkg this past year and felt strong but definitely want to get stronger in terms of raw watts.
Save the feather! Never use it before you need it. If you're going to drop it early, you'd better be on the front attacking, otherwise save it and use it to attack over the top
Great race I think you are a B rider. Scott covered pretty much everything good advice. I would only chase the supertuck on longer downhills or when you have two or three in a group. You burnt too many matches in my opinion chasing it.
@@drewbuffington one large one under my desk towards my legs and torso, 2 standard upright fans and then one of those Lasko industrial strength ones on my desk directed at my face (hence the glasses haha). Might be overkill but I find that it's amazing 😂. What's your setup like? I've seen my 930 race score friend's setup and it's suuuper nice (he also streams and stuff too and has all those gadgets too lol)
@@jameskim3definitely not overkill! Not having proper cooling is usually a mistake new guys make so I’d say you’re doing great. I have a few blower fans and a portable a/c unit next to my bike! Makes such a big difference. Keep racing and I’m sure your score will skyrocket! I’m at 952 😎
@drewbuffington I just peeped a couple videos and subscribed lol! Your wkg is ridiculous 😂. I'm new to Zwift racing but I'm not new to indoor training and I'm sensible... Hence the proper cooling 😂
Your power up use needs working. Using the feather with 2km to the finish line... Not the best power up to have but save it for where it matters. You're doing some 1wkg higher than everyone else on the koms. Maybe that was due to the bike? Dunno but seems to be a pretty significant disadvantage. You're power are better than mine. You'll get to 500+ score in no time.
@@PedroPrego thanks for the input! Yeah the power-up game needs work. I'm hoping the new Aeroad I just bought in the store will help a little bit in my next race. We will see how much of a perceived difference that makes! 👍
@@rk55582 so far, all 5 of my races have been 245-260w avg and like 260-290w NP! I just got the Aeroad so we will see if that makes any noticeable difference. Obviously, there are so many variables, but I'm thinking the bike itself may help me in the sprint the most. I could be wrong... Wouldn't be the first time of course 😅
@ it’ll probably feel heavier but you should get some higher watts per kg. But you should search your flow to stay in the pack and on the climbs. Ride on
That is a crazy high max HR for being 41. The standard 220-age should be 179. I am also 41 and my max is like 186, so higher than the baseline, but well below 204. It is possible I could push myself harder, but still that is crazy for you.
@@gourami7 Of course, but it is still a starting point and probably a good average. If you are 60 years old and have a 210bpm max heart rate, you know you are not within a standard deviation of the average.
@@jameskim3It’s so high due to your very high cadence. Cadence is very inefficient actually! You need to use more torque and lower cadence you get your BPM down. You’ll use more glycogen with higher HR.
The bike/wheels you are using is going to make a huge difference. Get away from the stock Zwift carbon frame asap. You should fit in with B cat based on what I can see. Just need some more races then you will get there before you know it. Personal thought, C cat is not fast.
@@JamesWilliams0 I just got the Aeroad with c60 wheels! Super pumped to try it out! Hoping it gets me slightly better results so I can upgrade sooner than later! Thanks for commenting ✌️
@@morten9972 I have been consistent with strength training this offseason (I race road from Feb-Aug) so far! It's definitely helping! You're spot on with the comment though. I'm working on it 🤙
If you’re a noob, I’d hate to see you as a pro. I’ve been racing Zwift for 7 years and was nodding my head at almost all your positioning and matches burnt
@@davidhofmayer1031 hahaha thanks for that compliment! Not new to racing, just new to Zwift racing. I do a LOT of learning/watching on it too, but from what I gather, my fitness is somewhere at the top for C category, so I'm sure if I was racing against the B guys, I'd be struggling more with positioning etc simply cuz of relative fitness being more of an issue. It's a good thing we will never see me as a pro 😉
@@Daimoku1938 oh you don't have to worry about that! Will definitely be more active outside when the weather gets better! 😁 And I'm sure those who ride mostly indoors have legit reasons they enjoy that etc. Personally, I love the trainer for multiple reasons too and certainly need both indoor and outdoor for the full experience haha
@ Great...i have the Kickr V6 and 38K+ kms and level 78 on Zwift...for the moment i'm on the Wahoo Fitness and very happy,got fed up with Watopia,Tempus Fugit and all other junk, always same routes and u pay for it,Wahoo Fitness on record mode is free and 120% real road feeling,no Circus no 40Km/avg speeds !!!
@CycleWithMatts this was a topic of discussion with my friend! I do feel pretty comfortable at high cadence, but I'm going to try to work the avg lower a little bit and see how it feels. Results to be determined! Won't know until we try things ✌️
@CycleWithMatts a friend of mine is around 930 race score. Absolutely ballin. He does hard efforts out of the saddle for long stretches and I'm like "how the hell??" 😂
Always happy to see another DMV cyclist in Watopia. That was a great race, and I suspect you'll have no problem getting up to a 500 race score given your underlying fitness. Answers to your questions are below, along with a couple other tips (of course, all with the benefit of hindsight):
1. Power-up use: the draft powerup is less effective at slower speeds. I would use it either in the lead in to the climb if you need some rest before that effort, or I would save it, and use it right before you go through the banner at the top of the climb to help you recover on the way down (like a couple of riders did on the second lap). Unless you are saving a specific power up (e.g., an aero in advance of sprint finish or a feather for a specific climb), you want to make sure you don't have one when you go through a banner to get another one. In this race, you should have used your first feather going up the kicker before the sprint (where it got strung out). Then you would have picked up a new power up when you went through the sprint banner.
2. Tron vs. Zwift carbon: Zwiftinsider has you covered for all questions about bike comparisons: zwiftinsider.com/charts-frames/. Poke around over there, and there's a ton of interesting data. Over a race like Loop de Loop, I'm guessing, the Tron would probably save you about 25 seconds over the Zwift carbon bike, and maybe 5-10 seconds over the Canyon Aeroad depending what wheel set you use.
3. On a descent that short, don't fixate on getting the supertuck. The important part is to stay in the draft. As a heavier rider, I can usually just do a quick (2-3 sec) burst of power at the top and then coast most of the way down. As a lighter rider, I'm not sure if that would work as well for you. The key is to pedal as little as you can to stay in the draft. On the second lap, I don't think it was worth burning a match to get into the supertuck. You would have been better served to keep your speed consistent to stay in the middle of the pack, and then coast down, even if not in the supertuck.
4. You made the right call. With that climb being the key feature in the race, it makes sense to hold on to the feather rather than gamble you'll get another one. I would only use it if I was struggling on one of the kickers before the start/finish line. When to use it on the climb is a judgment call. I tend to save it until I need it to follow an attack or to avoid getting dropped. In a race like this, if I wasn't struggling to hang on, I'd probably wait until the other riders start using them, as they are likely to use them to try to get a gap. Here, I think the perfect time would have been when you stood up to pedal about halfway up the second ramp. After you got another feather at the arch, I would have held on to that for the sprint.
Couple of other thoughts:
1. You nearly nailed that sprint. You had perfect position going in until 500 meters to go. At 18:30 in the video, when the two riders came by with the draft power up, it would have been ideal to jump on their wheels. They would have provided the perfect lead-out. It looks like they finished 1st and 3rd, but you were gaining on them at the line. If you had been able to stay in their draft, you would have been positioned perfectly for the win.
2. The real art to zwift racing is figuring out how to put out minimum wattage to stay with the group. Zwift still has some sticky wattage, where you need to increase wattage significantly to pass the rider in front of you. That means, you could be doing, for example, 250 watts or 210 watts and maintaining the same spot in the group. Play around with this to figure out the lowest watts you can do without getting dropped. It's also most efficient to tail gun, but you need to be careful to move up at spots where attacks are likely, so you don't get behind gaps when they appear.
@@Scott_Hammack man, I appreciate you taking the time to type all that out! 👊
1) I was wondering why it seemed like others had more power-ups than me! Makes sense 👍
2) a friend showed me that site and another one too! Really helpful and interesting info there!
3) my friend made this exact point! I did have to pop off some watts to get to the front and I also realized afterwards that it probably would have been more efficient to just stay in the draft without doing that harder effort. You make a great point.
4) noted! Question: does the power-up you are using have to expire before you can get another one? Or can you activate it right before the banner and get the full use of it while picking up another one when you go through that banner?
1) I see what you see there, yeah. I know the art of sprinting and timing, but obviously in the moment it doesn't always go to plan. In real life racing, I video all my races and analyze all of these types of things too. So helpful. Hopefully, now that I have a slightly better bike in-game, I can have a little more in the tank for the sprint finishes coming up!
2) I actually just saw a video about this point! I definitely need to work on finding the minimum output to stay in the position I need to. I do this much better outdoors than in this game (so far) hahaha.
Thanks again! I'll keep working on these things. Hopefully, there is improvement across the board on all the skills needed ✌️
@@jameskim3, regarding #4, no, the power-up does not need to expire, you simply have to activate it before passing the banner. You will eventually see the new power-up, while the existing one is still running down the clock. As Scott noted, if you used the draft right before crossing the banner at the top of the KOM, you would have benefited from the greater speed on the downhill section, while picking up another power up that you could use immediately after the draft expired, or, held onto it to use later.
@nmcnair18 👍👍👍 learned and booked in my mind! Which tends to forget things... But not stuff as important as this! 😂 To my wife's chagrin...
You recognized all the critical points and did something about it which is exactly right andl rare. You knew closing the gap to front group was correct no matter how it would hurt. 100% the right play. I love how you don't talk about numbers, you just commit to the expenditure of power in the right places. Really impressive.
Question #3 - You don't need to supertuck, you need to draft and recover. With a lot of people there on the front you will not win the supertuck and will burn a match to get it. Just sit in the draft and do as little as work as possible, should be 0 for a big part of that down.
Question #4 - Always save a powerup for a decisive moment if you can. You made the right decision. The right powerup at the right time is more valuable than the wrong powerup for your scenario. Sometimes you can gamble when you know you have more gates before the decisive part. I gamble when I'm hurting to stay with the pack and need to recover. Know the course and the percent drop rate of the powerups.
It's generally better to save your powerup for the END of the climb/challenge rather than the beginning. Yes, you have to contend with people using power ups, but most ZRS C's don't pace well for climbs anyhow, they cook in the 2nd half where you should have saved energy and powerups for the 2nd part of the fight.
@@RideItBetterCycling awesome! I appreciate the encouragement haha. I race in the real world and have seen basically every possible race analysis video posted on TH-cam 😂, so I know the general gist of how to race but Zwift does have some nuances and power-ups are obviously the most novel thing about it, so I gotta keep learning that. Thanks!
You are insane man! WELL DONE! I did the Loop de Loop course the other day. Its brutal doing that hill twice man! 🥵 As a fellow youtuber in the Zwift community, i must say this is the easiest sub i have done in a while! 🤝
@Norwegianwatts haha thanks! When I rewatch this video... I remember just how painful it was 😂😂. And yet, I go back to this type of activity at least once per week. Our minds are broken 😆. I just did the Tiny Races this morning and then did another Volcano Circuit CCW about 45 minutes later... Like I said... HUP DUK DUK BRRRROOOKEN! *in my best Ryu voice*
@ lol!! Its too much fun man!!🥵⚡️🔥
@Norwegianwatts keep being consistent! Subbed your channel. I'll be watching 👀 haha
Great effort man. Looks like the comments section has already answered your questions. Cadence looks on the high side. I do like a higher cadence (90-95), but your 100+ is something else. On sections like Hilly Kom I'm standing for all of it except the little hair pin where you can take a small rest. Try being on the hoods and bouncing a little.
RT knows his stuff. Great racer. Yep, the cadence is high, overtime mine has increased and I'm comfortable racing between 90 to 100rpm.
As RT said, for this climb I stand and treat it as a controlled sprint. Its around 1m30s to 1m45s at race pace. Grab a brief rest around the hairpin.
It took me a while to get comfortable out of the saddle indoors, it doesn't feel as natural as outside so you have to get used to it and don't be afraid to throw the bike around a bit.
@@R.T_Go_Your_Own_Way will try that! Trying lower cadence is one thing I'm going to try next race. Thanks for the comment 👊
This is great breakdown and overview of ZWIFT racing tactics. Subscribed for that. See you in top category soon, bc you have quite a lot of power!
@@RideWithGerben thank you! 👊 I appreciate it. I will keep progressing and see where I end up.
Nice race! You're numbers are definitely in mid B range. You're strategic insights are spot on. You can definitely save some watts by dropping off as soon as you are within a bike length to the back of the pack. There is a 'stickiness' to being on the back wheel of a rider. For example, you might stay in the same spot relative to the rider in front of you at 3 to 3.5 wkg. You can find the lower end of the range by just slowly letting off the power until you notice the rider starting to drift further forward.
For reference, I'm about 69kg with an FTP of about 225 watts and am in the middle of class C with a rider score of about 460. For a 45 min race I usually average about 3.2 wkg with a 20 min best average of about 3.4 wkg and a 5 min best average of about 3.8 wkg.
Good luck on your zwift journey. You are a natural!
@@williamwillson563 thanks for sharing and thanks for the encouragement! Getting me motivated! Drafting better, power-up timing, trying lower cadence are the three things I'm taking from the comments here
Sweet ride James. Nicely done
@@alleywatson thanks! 🙂
Hi James, I watched you race.
Amazing job on both those KOMs. Your positioning was great, not on the front but near the front, and you kept pushing all the way to the banner. It’s very tempting to ease off, and if you are too near the front, riders come rolling through you after you’ve done the hard work.
Overall great result!
A few tips.
- WKG is less important than you think for flat to rolling courses. Like real racing, Zwift Racing is a game of momentum. Speed, and acceleration wins races. Race in Camera 3 view for better perception of speed.
- Put out less power on the flat sections and on declines, you can get away drafting at around 200 watts in Cat C and even less downhill. Save the bigger watts for pinch points. On this course normalised power is more important. I think you could have easily got away with 220 watts average for the same result.
-Air resistance increases exponentially with speed. Watch your speed, over 35kph you have lots of draft. Below 20kph, you have next to no draft, so that is the time to invest power.
-Once you become more familiar with the routes, you will get a better understanding of where pinch points are. You’re positioning down the bump at 4 mins is fine, there is low risk here if you push again over the bridge.
-Riders at the front hit any roadblocks first. Be slightly behind them going into a climb and you will benefit from higher speed and increased draft for longer. You need this later at the top of the hill.
-Save the feather for the steepest and longest sections. The pinch point on this route is Watopia Hilly KOM. Save it for the second section after the hairpin.
- Since you used the feather and got the van, the best use of this is during the hair pin at the KOM, you can pick up speed here and catch back on. It’s the second part of the climb that is critical.
-You can only supertuck if not in the draft but punching down hills and then recovering is a good way to build momentum anyway.
If you want to get some tips, have a look at my race on the same course where I provide commentary on my thoughts and decisions during the race. I don’t think I can link to it, so search for “Zwift Games Loop de Loop”
@@stevej_on_a_mtb thanks for all the input! I appreciate your time. All those points are noted and logged in my head. It also corroborates some of the things others have shared with me too, so that's always good to know that it's reliable info haha. I'll find your video and put it on my watch later playlist!
@CyclingwithVovo No, I don't have anywhere near that kind of aerobic power. I started in C cat and sneaked into A cat for a while based on my 5 min power.
My anaerobic power has developed faster than my endurance, so my comfort zone is in repeated efforts well above FTP. As long as I take recovery when I can get it, l can snatch a few results against A+ riders.
@@jameskim3 I watched some of your outdoor racing. That's impressive stuff! I'm sure you have a good foundation of speed and acceleration already so a 500 score should be well within reach. With 3.6wkg average in this Cat C race, I would say you could already race well in the old Cat B pen.
Zwift racing score is still ironing itself out! You really are a natural, and I think you’ve got a bigger sprint in you. My 2¢ would be to move up closer to the front when you know you have a steep section and the competition is really tough. If you’re one of the stronger ones you can start at the back and use the draft to slingshot yourself. (Like me when I was top of C cat)
Otherwise it helps to not have to play catchup when the guys at the front start lighting it up 3/4 of the way up hilly KOM or Titans or any of these 1-3 minute big pushes. Nice work man, I’m dreading racing you myself 😅
@@andymiller54 hahaha thanks! I have never ever heard anyone say they dread racing me 🤣. I'm guessing you are a B now. Outdoor, at the end of a race, I'll usually hit 950-1000w. I can do 1250-1300 consistently when I'm fresh, but that's obviously not relevant during a race. If I can conserve more energy during a Zwift race and not be so cooked by the finish, I think I can do 800+ but we shall see. Gotta work on all of the little things! Feel free to follow me on zwift and I'll follow back and if we ever end up in a race together, I'll be sure to lead you out (inadvertently 🤣).
James, good video, and great to see another MABRA rider in Zwift.... couple thoughts: 1. For your power up, if I get a draft or aero PU just before a hill, I save it until just before the KOM banner, then hit it so I can use it to recover a bit on the immediate aftermath of the hill, but still get another PU. 2. Not sure about the exact savings of the Tron versus the other bikes, but I think it's not dissimilar to real world... the equipment helps, but it does not outweigh your fitness. That said, as a general rule of thumb, the Tron is your best bet. Make sure you have that challenge selected so you are working towards it. 3. Holding onto the feather is something that you'll get a better feel for with experience. I think in this situation you made the right call. If you want to reach out, I'd be happy to talk over Zwift stuff. I have thoughts, but probably more than I can squeeze into the comments section. But bottom line you are doing great!
@@scotjaworski6628 thanks Scot! I appreciate the tips. 1) noted! From what people say, it seems to be the best to use PU later in a segment or when you are on the limit etc. 2) I think the challenge was default selected for me, but anyhow I am progressing on that. I think I'm at 9.5k meters of elevation out of the 50k that I need. So, hopefully another 4 weeks or so. I got the Aeroad with c60 wheels to see how that helps in my next race too. Multiple marginal gains can be a decently significant gain just like in the real world 😆. 3) thanks for the encouragement and the openness to chatting Feel free to critique me as I go along too. I plan to post more videos of my races with just as much or less editing than this first one. Editing takes a number of hours that I can't necessarily sacrifice all the time 😅
Hey there. Great video. I did this Zwift race and finished 🥈
To answers your question on lap 1 I would have used the draft pu right before passing the end of KOM arch
@@mattiapalombi1597 congratulations on 🥈! Solid result 👍. Thanks! I gotta get better at the power-up game haha
Great video. Really well raced too. Well done. 👍
Thank you! 🙌
Hey James, nice to see you on Zwift! Something I haven't seen mentioned in the comments is to choose races to suite your style. Most Zwift races are somewhere around 45 minutes (b cat), and this is what racers are used to. You would be surprised at how well you do in a longer race(given your irl training). Most of the competition is absolutely smashed about 90 minutes in. Maybe checkout DBR Sufferday this Saturday. Its 4:30am, but that is not unheard of for you. If you are open for TTT recruitment, let me know 😜
@@RyanDay2 hahaha awesome suggestion! I am not a TT anything guy as you know 😅. And I think I'd be among the "smashed" guys at 90 min 🤣. I will lyk if I ever feel like I can be of use to you in TTT 👊
very well done and you know a lot about what you need to do--my thoughts, try to get as many PU's as possible, it's a waste trying to get the best one-(the game knows you want the feather for the climb)-super great job holding the front pack and pushing to get back to it--wild HR of 200+ bpm, shatters the 200-1/2 age or 220-age formula and proves fitness with intensity throughout life maintains high max HR's
Thanks! I'm sure I will get better at everything regarding power-ups, so we will see how it goes!
Great effort 👍🏼
@@simonskeggs7284 thank you! Just raced again this morning! Will put a video out for that soon 🙂
Dude, I was not expecting such an effort by the description of this video. You crushed it. Your strategy on everything tells, you are better at zwift racing than you think. Not gonna post any advices here as I believe you already got tones of them. Just general note, power ups are nothing if you are not strong yourself. To use them strategically, you need to be very strong. Otherwise, you use them whenever you feel like they can help you.
@@lolczyslaf haha thanks! I appreciate that compliment. I'm always trying to get stronger and the learning here helped me in the race I did this morning. It was a banger 😉
Impressive work over the hill
@@martinchambers1800 thank you! It was painful... As you saw... 😅
I always thought that the truck boost gave people behind you more drafting.
@@EverythingWasGreat haha nope! Gives you more draft! The burrito power-up nerfs (reduces) the draft behind you and makes it harder for everyone else back there though.
@jameskim3 wow haha, thanks.
You have no worries getting to RS 500, you will easily go into the higher groups. You have fantastic cadence, bags of power and W/kg, very high max heart rate.. You will be quickly promoted 👍
@@imprezaaudi haha thanks! I'm hoping so! Gotta improve on some things people have been commenting on, but I'll get there! 👍
If you are loving races then may I suggest doing a tiny race series on the weekend 4 races in 1 hour all lasting about 8-10 mins each then straight into queuing for the next race truly brutal but the most fun.
@@talonlan I saw that! Starts at 4:00am in my time zone haha. I'm not opposed to doing races that early but... I may try it another time. I think my next race I am looking for some redemption on Volcano Circuit CCW haha
@@jameskim3 They usually have 3 race series each Saturady I think so there should be one that is a better match time wise.
@talonlan well... The only viable one for a "responsible" dad of 4 little munchkins is... 4:00am. Video will be coming soon... 🫥😫☠️
@@jameskim3 That's fair enough My kids are a little older so I can ignore them comfortably for an hour :)
@talonlan you'll be very uncomfortable, but I get what you mean 😂😂
Great effort there. You cannot supertuck in the draft of other riders, and you have to go at least 55 km/h. I would always save my feather for the KOM and use it at the last part unless I'm really getting behind.
@@mortenmuusmann thanks for sharing 👊. Yeah, supertuck criteria I was aware of but on the first lap I said "maybe not" cuz I couldn't get up to the front 😂. On the second lap, you saw that I went under 58kph and then had to push a little again to get back to 58+ to do the tuck so I botched that a little bit hahaha. This is fun though! Learning each race!
in answer to your first question you used the draft at the right time but didn't make full use of it as you kept your power still pretty much matching the group when you could have backed off a bit more as you had a stronger draft. Question 2 the Tron bike is an all rounder you have generally better bikes available nearly always, S-works Aethos for climbing and the Felt for flat courses also wheels mean a lot and if you enjoy climbing do the Alpe to get the lightweight wheels on the roulette wheel. Just after question 4 you say your companion app has crashed so you don't know where you are on the route but it is clearly shown on the mini map at the bottom is the elevation profile. Zwiftinsider will give you course breakdowns and bike recommendations including how many power ups there are and Zwifterbikes gives you breakdowns of what bikes are best for your current level on a given course.
@@talonlan thanks! That's all very helpful! I'll be sure to do my research haha 👍
1. I personally think your high cadence is fine but you need to get out of the saddle more on the red parts
2. You should burn a PU when you are going hard. So you could have used the draft right before the top of the KOM when it levels off. You immediately used that draft PU you got at the top of the first KOM, you could have used the one you got at the bottom there and then combined them!
3. On the rolling hills, accelerate a second or two on the negative grade just before it goes positive again, this allows you to smooth the power out.
Well done! It is all about practice!
@@willpsychmajor3104 thanks! I appreciate the tips!!
You should read the Zwift buy guide. Get the Scott Addict RC bike at level 18 and the FFWD Ryot 55s wheels.
@@isrfpv thanks! I will look into it! I have the Aeroad with Shimano wheels now and it's been significantly better than the Zwift Carbon and I'm about a month away from getting the Tron bike.
@jameskim3 if you want the tron bike, good allrounder, and lightweight wheels for climing you should climb the Alpe de Zwift. Everytime you complete the AdZ you spinning the wheel at the top and you can win the Lightweight Millenstein. Good opertunity to get the tron bike and the best climbing wheels.
Bro when can we get up and get a ride in via Zwift i reside in the dmv now born and raised in Brooklyn. I also Race C class and looking to get stronger
@@_nikecantcheckme8086 I have no idea how to do any of that meetup stuff hahaha. I'm usually just climbing for the Tron bike (while running Trainerroad simultaneously) or racing. I'm using Zwift mainly for racing. I use trainerroad for my structured workouts haha
I believe most research shows that active recovery reduces accumulated lactid acid better than sitting stil. This is why e.g. the pros spin-down after a race. So super-tucking might feel as the best way to recover going down hill, but it should be better to keep the legs spinning in zone 1-2.
@@nebukanezer73 👍 interesting!
Gg !
@@YoanTaillet thanks! Have another video coming out soon 😉
I think i have bad news: the Tron bike will probably take longer than you think! You won’t get it after climbing the Everest which is about ~8,900m to climb. You get a different bike there. You actually need to climb 50,000m and than you get the Tron bike. Sry for the bad news! 😂 I am in the same boat! ;)
Good race! 💪🏻 i would have used the feather just because you can than either get a new one or if you get draft you can use it for the sprint later, but it is worthless if you lose the group on the climb. If you have been worried about that, you did everything correct in my opinion!
@@ettman sweet thanks! I know about the 50,000m!! Argh hahaha. I did about 9,500m so far in a week, so hopefully it won't take too much longer than a month if I keep the pace 😅
@@jameskim3 Wow, was thinking that first, but thought that can’t be true at level 13! 😃 Nice!
Left a sub! Will be interesting to see how this goes! :)
@@ettman Thanks for following along! I'll try to not let you down 😂
Question #4 smart decision to keep the feather pu
@@mattiapalombi1597 🙌👍
Nothin wrong. That was a good race. Zwift races are kinda harder than real races.
@@BadTanLines haha I think generally, that's true. It seems as though you can find way more recovery or coast more in real life than on zwift 😅
I’m 42, max HR 211, 72kg, FTP 288w, racing score 570 after the recalibration. It was 620 before.
So I race B cat and in the Hilly KOM my PR of 1:57 isn’t enough to stay on lead group, in most races. You’ll need a sub 1:50/low 1:40 on that KOM to stay on lead group.
@@MarkRiddellRacing thanks for the frame of reference! Your max HR is bonkers 🤣. Great numbers for being 42. Hopefully, I can keep improving 👍. See you in the B category semi-soon 😉
@@MarkRiddellRacing unless you get to A. Then, see you never 🤣
@@jameskim3 never gonna happen. Too old 😝
@@MarkRiddellRacing but you're probably like me. You're gonna try anyway 😂... And then regret it when you're racing against 850+ scores 🤣
@ well you got a new subscriber. Look forward to watching your progress.
first drop the power up before you get to the arch ... could have used the feather to help move up a bit .
Thanks! I learned that! 👍👍
Do you not get any chest pains with those heart rates?
@@mismo358 No! Which is why I'm not too worried about it haha. I'm curious to see how it changes over the next 5-10 years though.
Came for the suffering, stayed for the comments. See ya soon on the start line in Watopia!
Highly, highly unexpected traction on this video. Very glad because it helped me a lot with some process goals for my race this morning hahaha. I've seen a couple of your videos as I was wandering the TH-cams 👍. Racing is fun 😅
@ it won’t be long before you lvl up and we meet on the start line!!
@@DontGetDroppedCycling you underestimate my ability to botch things 🤣. See you there soon enough! 🤙
Are you in some club on Zwift?
@@Bourne90 negative. SLR is my real world race team. I don't have any plans to be in a Zwift club though, especially if it comes with expectations to race at certain times because I need the flexibility in my schedule and I wouldn't be focusing on indoor racing during spring to fall. 😔
@ understood. In same boat kinda and similar w/kg. Do you use any zwift training plan/workouts or solely rely in you trainer?
@Bourne90 I've been using trainerroad for 4 years now and have no issues with that. I use that for my structured workouts. I've been trying to bust past 280ftp for the past year or so haha. I think strength training and gaining a little bit of weight can help with that, so I'm doing that now. Strength 2x per week and at 72kg. W/kg doesn't matter much in the races that I do since there is no sustained climbing in them. And personally, I love crits and circuit races. I was racing at 69kg/4wkg this past year and felt strong but definitely want to get stronger in terms of raw watts.
good race! 👍👍
@@sAgE-01A thanks! if only it was GREAT! 🙁🤣
@@jameskim3 🤣🤣 that word is reserved for when you podium! 🤣🤣
@@sAgE-01A THEN I WILL EARN IT!!! 👊
Save the feather! Never use it before you need it. If you're going to drop it early, you'd better be on the front attacking, otherwise save it and use it to attack over the top
@@thespartanbishop But it should always be on an uphill, right?
Definitely a B rider. Your be moving up pretty soon. Nice heart rate.
Thanks! We'll see how long it takes! 👊
Great race I think you are a B rider. Scott covered pretty much everything good advice. I would only chase the supertuck on longer downhills or when you have two or three in a group. You burnt too many matches in my opinion chasing it.
Thanks! Yeah I agree haha. Lesson learned!
If you have to save a power up the whole race you absolutely must have one at the end
@@Eragonking53 Noted! Thanks for the comment! 👍
👀
@@DontGetDroppedCycling 👀👀
How many fans are you running in there?
@@drewbuffington one large one under my desk towards my legs and torso, 2 standard upright fans and then one of those Lasko industrial strength ones on my desk directed at my face (hence the glasses haha). Might be overkill but I find that it's amazing 😂. What's your setup like? I've seen my 930 race score friend's setup and it's suuuper nice (he also streams and stuff too and has all those gadgets too lol)
@@jameskim3definitely not overkill! Not having proper cooling is usually a mistake new guys make so I’d say you’re doing great. I have a few blower fans and a portable a/c unit next to my bike! Makes such a big difference. Keep racing and I’m sure your score will skyrocket! I’m at 952 😎
@drewbuffington I just peeped a couple videos and subscribed lol! Your wkg is ridiculous 😂. I'm new to Zwift racing but I'm not new to indoor training and I'm sensible... Hence the proper cooling 😂
@@jameskim3also subbed to you! Great videos! I mostly am on twitch. Www.twitch.tv/scootabugz Come say what’s up!
Zwifters? Great video!
@@23Raizen zwifties sounds better 😂 zwifters are normal. Zwifties are the pro ones?
Why not both?
Your power up use needs working. Using the feather with 2km to the finish line... Not the best power up to have but save it for where it matters.
You're doing some 1wkg higher than everyone else on the koms. Maybe that was due to the bike? Dunno but seems to be a pretty significant disadvantage.
You're power are better than mine. You'll get to 500+ score in no time.
@@PedroPrego thanks for the input! Yeah the power-up game needs work. I'm hoping the new Aeroad I just bought in the store will help a little bit in my next race. We will see how much of a perceived difference that makes! 👍
Bike makes big difference. For C group race, seems like you are spending lot more power than normal. C should be 240 ish w
@@rk55582 so far, all 5 of my races have been 245-260w avg and like 260-290w NP! I just got the Aeroad so we will see if that makes any noticeable difference. Obviously, there are so many variables, but I'm thinking the bike itself may help me in the sprint the most. I could be wrong... Wouldn't be the first time of course 😅
Very nice effort. My cadence is somewhat lower then yours. Mostly around 90 average.
@@CoenP thanks! Going to try lower cadence (aiming for around 95rpm avg to start) next races and see how it does!
@ it’ll probably feel heavier but you should get some higher watts per kg. But you should search your flow to stay in the pack and on the climbs. Ride on
@CoenP I'll improve it over time! When it comes to feel, proprioception, and honing soft skills I'm pretty good. 🙂🫡
That is a crazy high max HR for being 41. The standard 220-age should be 179. I am also 41 and my max is like 186, so higher than the baseline, but well below 204. It is possible I could push myself harder, but still that is crazy for you.
@@MattRogersdesigns this is the only thing interesting about me 😉😂
220-age has long been stated as unreliable
@@gourami7 Of course, but it is still a starting point and probably a good average. If you are 60 years old and have a 210bpm max heart rate, you know you are not within a standard deviation of the average.
@@jameskim3It’s so high due to your very high cadence.
Cadence is very inefficient actually! You need to use more torque and lower cadence you get your BPM down. You’ll use more glycogen with higher HR.
@silverarrowslk 🫡 noted! Something to work on. Need more leg muscles 😂
The bike/wheels you are using is going to make a huge difference. Get away from the stock Zwift carbon frame asap. You should fit in with B cat based on what I can see. Just need some more races then you will get there before you know it. Personal thought, C cat is not fast.
@@JamesWilliams0 I just got the Aeroad with c60 wheels! Super pumped to try it out! Hoping it gets me slightly better results so I can upgrade sooner than later! Thanks for commenting ✌️
and i would not chase the need for a supertuck--drafting as efficiently as possible at all times will save you a lot and allow better recovery, imo
A number of people mentioned that! Something I observed when comparing lap 1 to lap 2 also. Thanks for the insight 👍
You should do some strengt training. And get your cadence down :) 85-90 cadence
@@morten9972 I have been consistent with strength training this offseason (I race road from Feb-Aug) so far! It's definitely helping! You're spot on with the comment though. I'm working on it 🤙
Heart rate is very high due to extreme high inefficient cadence
@@silverarrowslk possibly! 🤷. I'll do lower cadence and report back on the heart rate haha
@CyclingwithVovo Yeah but also due to muscle quality too and not necessarily size and strength but more to do with resilience.
If you’re a noob, I’d hate to see you as a pro. I’ve been racing Zwift for 7 years and was nodding my head at almost all your positioning and matches burnt
@@davidhofmayer1031 hahaha thanks for that compliment! Not new to racing, just new to Zwift racing. I do a LOT of learning/watching on it too, but from what I gather, my fitness is somewhere at the top for C category, so I'm sure if I was racing against the B guys, I'd be struggling more with positioning etc simply cuz of relative fitness being more of an issue. It's a good thing we will never see me as a pro 😉
No nicknames for riders using zwift, that i know of. We ride on zwift, but still just rider, cyclist.
@@J.P.1. boooo that's no fun 😊
@jameskim3 lol we're here for the pain right?
@@J.P.1. Indeeeeed. I'm 💯 here for it 😏... Apparently!
Don't became a Zwift Clown...(those who don't ride outdoors) !!!
@@Daimoku1938 oh you don't have to worry about that! Will definitely be more active outside when the weather gets better! 😁 And I'm sure those who ride mostly indoors have legit reasons they enjoy that etc. Personally, I love the trainer for multiple reasons too and certainly need both indoor and outdoor for the full experience haha
@ Great...i have the Kickr V6 and 38K+ kms and level 78 on Zwift...for the moment i'm on the Wahoo Fitness and very happy,got fed up with Watopia,Tempus Fugit and all other junk, always same routes and u pay for it,Wahoo Fitness on record mode is free and 120% real road feeling,no Circus no 40Km/avg speeds !!!
I think your cadence is a bit too high I personally like to be around 80-85 but 105 is far out of my league lol
@CycleWithMatts this was a topic of discussion with my friend! I do feel pretty comfortable at high cadence, but I'm going to try to work the avg lower a little bit and see how it feels. Results to be determined! Won't know until we try things ✌️
@ I think aswel if you’re out the saddle you can put more power down grinding a bit more than being at high candence
@CycleWithMatts I need to work on that. I think it might be a gamechanger for indoor racing
@CycleWithMatts a friend of mine is around 930 race score. Absolutely ballin. He does hard efforts out of the saddle for long stretches and I'm like "how the hell??" 😂
@@jameskim3 lol 🤣 it’s normal to do harder efforts out the saddle cause you can use your body weight on the pedals instead of just your legs 👍