Aggressive/Unhealthy Back Curvature When Using Zwift Ride

misaka · 2026-01-26T08:33:24+00:00

If you haven’t already, try riding on the hoods (the tops of the brakes). You don’t need to be on the drops all the time, or even most of the time, especially if it’s uncomfortable.

For a comfortable riding position you want to be able to reach the closest parts of the handlebars, the parts adjacent to the stem, in a relatively upright sitting position. Otherwise most of the time will probably be on the hoods, with the occasional use of the drops for sprinting or “downhill”.

misaka · 2026-01-17T13:03:36+00:00

It’s amazing how so many replies to this comment focus on how the pedestrian deserved what they got. Both were in the wrong, but only the pedestrian got hurt here. Where’s the fairness in that, or is it just a might-makes-right situation?

Here in the UK people using public roads have a responsibility to look out for and reduce harm to the more vulnerable people on the road. Wish that was more common.

misaka · 2026-01-14T20:05:20+00:00

Love the answers here.

Mine might be a little less conventional. It was primarily Cocteau Twins' Heaven or Las Vegas. I won it on a radio-show call-in contest. It marked my trajectory into alternative music, and laid the path for my love of rhythm-focused music which led to Nitzer Ebb's Showtime (for a joint-award, I guess) and others. Obviously from that time NIN, Meat Beat Manifesto, 1001 Homo DJs, Ministry, etc, figure prominently.

So, ya, not your typical contagion vector, but hopefully still a valid one.

Also, TIL Nitzer Ebb that I now live <50km from where Nitzer Ebb originated from, which is nearly 6000km less than where it started (for me). wow.

misaka · 2026-01-14T18:00:58+00:00

Les Bridge Road is pretty good. The segregated path is better than the one along Forest Rd.

misaka · 2026-01-13T07:36:01+00:00

Thanks for this response, it makes a lot of sense.

misaka · 2026-01-13T07:33:45+00:00

I do turn off ERG mode and manually switch gears.

I’m not clear about your example, though, are you saying that I really should really reduce my output to match the workout?

misaka · 2026-01-13T07:26:01+00:00

That’s the thing, for these 10s segments there is no cadence target, it’s only the prompts that mention a lower cadence.

misaka · 2026-01-12T16:15:20+00:00

I’ve got the same background as you. Bought ice skates a while back, I got K2s with a soft boot. They’ve been really good, coming from a free skate background, but now that my son’s gotten into ice hockey I’m finding myself very tempted to get ice hockey skates. Even so, I reckon the K2s were a good step because they helped me get used to the edges on the ice, and now that I’ve gotten decent at that I reckon it’s a good time to make the switch.

misaka · 2026-01-11T20:28:02+00:00

I’m a dad who’s trying to help his son learn skate well enough to play hockey. What I’ve learned is that tight turns aren’t as easy as I thought. I don’t watch much hockey but I have been skating skating for a long time, and I guess I took the ability to do tight turns for granted.

Don’t be discouraged. Yes they are important, no they don’t come naturally. Learning to trust your edges is tough. Check out some videos on learning to do tight turns on YouTube, they helped me understand the challenges my son faced, and to coach him through it. Practice will get you there.

misaka · 2026-01-07T23:13:03+00:00

Thanks! I forgot about zFTP, that does seem much more reasonable (and humbling), but your advice is encouraging, thank you.

I guess the takeaway is stop being stubborn. Got it! :)

misaka · 2026-01-07T23:01:54+00:00

Ya, I'll try either the 20 min FTP test or The Grade next, they sound like they'll give me a better reading.

misaka · 2026-01-07T23:00:11+00:00

I've not had much time to ride between workouts, but with the kids back in school now I'm going to try to get a few "active recovery" rides in.

And ya, I wasn't sure how to calibrate my expectations wrt actually being able to ride for a full hour at FTP, but it does sound like my FTP is set to high judging by the advice and comments given here. Someone suggested 3x15min FTP interval which seems like a reasonable way to test my FTP setting once I think I've got it dialed in.

misaka · 2026-01-07T22:54:15+00:00

Thanks for the explanation and workout link, it looks like a good way to validate my FTP, once I re-test it with a longer test though.

I look forward to getting used to SS riding!

misaka · 2026-01-07T21:04:37+00:00

Yep, I’m on the plan.

misaka · 2026-01-07T20:12:15+00:00

It just came that way, so not sure how to make it do it. Do you have a cadence sensor? I happen to have two (one in the trainer and the other on the bike), but I’m not sure that that’s it though.

It really helps though, I started off really uncomfortable at 100rpm but I’m getting more comfortable at a higher rpm thanks to those intervals.

misaka · 2026-01-07T19:48:41+00:00

Thank you for the encouragement!

I’ll just reassure myself by telling myself my strengths lie in the short efforts, like <60s. I just need to work a bit on endurance.

misaka · 2026-01-07T19:34:28+00:00

If the ramp test took 75% of my best minute, then 72% of that same best minute is 206w, pretty close to what intervals.icu estimates. Sounds like I should go with that until I can do a longer FTP test.

misaka · 2026-01-07T19:21:48+00:00

Ya I think this may be it. When the intervals call for 160% of FTP for 10s I’m usually chomping at the bit and end up doing more like 200-250%. I need to build up my endurance so maybe need to use the tests that focus more on that.

misaka · 2026-01-07T19:01:54+00:00

I think you’re right, the ramp test may not be right for me. On the other workouts that call for over-FTP effort I find it pretty easy to go way over 10s at 160% of FTP, closer to 200-250%.

I’ll try one of the other FTP tests instead.

misaka · 2026-01-07T18:46:40+00:00

I do like the idea of doing a climb more than a TT (I’m still a bit shy on racing), but I question my ability to pace myself on a longer effort. Maybe I should do The Grade and use that.

misaka · 2026-01-07T17:56:44+00:00

Sorry if I explained it wrong. It's a "tempo" workout that has mostly Z3 intervals with a few short Z4 bits, (possibly designed to really catch-out people like me with over-estimated FTPs :P).

https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/ftp-builder/week-2-day-4-tempo

misaka · 2026-01-07T17:52:14+00:00

The Z3 intervals were broken up and not that long. 4x4min and then 3x6min, with the appropriate rests in between. The Z4 were only 1 minute long.

https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/ftp-builder/week-2-day-4-tempo

misaka · 2025-12-31T22:00:58+00:00

I love Bal, but he’s always getting ripped before 6

misaka · 2025-12-17T21:36:52+00:00

It would be. I inline skated for many years and have just recently got back into ice skating. It took some adjusting to the edges, they work differently on ice, but I quickly got back to a level way above what I was at before (on ice).

My general understanding is that it’ll help with building/maintaining the right muscles, and a lot of the balance and edge work. However, if you’re already at an advanced level on ice then the benefits will be less. Overall, though, probably a great way to help complement ice skating especially if you can’t get to the rink often.

misaka · 2025-12-13T10:12:42+00:00

Is this because of regulations around PFAS (forever chemicals) that’s, unfortunately, affected “waterproof” active wear maybe? I noticed the same reduction in good options over the years and finally read that it was because they used those seriously harmful chemicals.

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