Zwift / Indoor Cycling

Zwift is an excellent way to keep your pedals turning when the weather is grim, or you just don’t have the time to get outside. Thanks to the coronavirus lockdowns the club now has a strong contingent of Zwift riders.

For basic information on getting set up on Zwift refer to this road.cc article on getting started , or this road.cc Youtube Video is good on what you can do on a budget. Or there is GCN’s Beginner’s Guide to Zwift.

Finally you will need to log in to  the Zwift website

The main thing you can get out of Zwifting with the club is a community to race with. Races on Zwift are great fun and an excellent way to motivate an intense ride. Racing as a team makes things even more fun by adding comradery and team tactics into the mix. As well as getting stuck into ad hock races we have also been competing in the WTRL Zwift Racing League.

To get involved in Zwift racing you will want to sign up on zwiftpower.com and join the SRAMcc Zwift Power team. It is also a good idea to have completed an FTP test before jumping into races because you’ll be expected to enter a category based on your FTP. Zwift categories are as follows:

  • A = 4.0 w/kg and above
  • B = 3.2-3.9 w/kg
  • C = 2.5-3.1 w/kg
  • D = 2.4 w/kg and below

We currently have teams competing in the Zwift league in category A, B, and C.

We also occasionally organise virtual alternatives to club training and social rides when conditions prevent them from taking place outside.

Zwift activities are currently organised in a Facebook messenger group. Please contact me (Sam Summers) or another rider involved in Zwift from the club to be added to the group.

 

Other Options

It’s worth pointing out that Zwift is not the only option, although there is no denying that Zwift is popular, both in the club and outside.

On Zwift you are linked, when on the bike, with other riders. This allows you to race or simply ride in company, and chat at the same time. It is the social aspect that people like about Zwift.

If your priority is pure structured fitness training then other Apps like TrainerRoad of SufferFest may be a better choice.

But you can still get useful exercise on a non-internet linked bike trainer. Many club members simply plug away on basic trainers, perhaps using a powermeter or heart rate monitor to gauge their effort, and with some music blasting through headphones to relieve the boredom.

Like most things in cycling, there are many choices, and it’s a case of doing the research to work out what fits your own specific needs and budget.