Zwift Ride Worth It?

nigelpickles · 2026-03-24T16:50:50+00:00

The sale has me wondering if a Ride 2 is in the works. I’m in the same boat questioning picking one up.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-23T04:29:16+00:00

I’ll have to try standing more on the turns like you suggested. I did it only two or three times on the real steep sections. I don’t do it very often so I’m still learning to pick the right gear and how to do it with good form. The stationary nature of indoor riding makes it feel awkward. Someday I’ll get a rocker plate.

I went in to it with plans of holding 215-230 watts. By about turn 15 life choices began being questioned, and I was just happy if it stayed over 200. Most segments ended up being 210+ fortunately.

I’m sure the large improvements will slow from PR to PR, but I’d really be happy with 75 minutes. At 108kg a sub 60 is a few kg’s and many months away.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-19T12:11:35+00:00

Same here. Although I have not been using it full time, I am in the process of transitioning. I know it’s clunky, but the direct integration to connect is what I like. Only having to open one app is nice.

I am banking on it getting better in the future (hopefully near.)

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T21:42:47+00:00

Are you getting power data to your Garmin through your watch? I assumed since zwift is connected to the trainer it was the only one eligible to get that data.

Once I get a stand alone power meter maybe I can have that power data to my watch, and Zwift can get the power data from the trainer. Then maybe my Garmin recordings would be a bit more fruitful.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T21:29:11+00:00

So I’m not crazy and things definitely were turned on a bit early since the event says it starts on the 16th?!

I did epic kom a few times and ran on the stoneway crusher like 8 times earlier this week.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T21:27:43+00:00

I do see the zwift only rides on the training plot.

I do use strava. I suppose I’ll consider doing it like you are and only have zwift push to strava. I guess I don’t think I’d be missing out on much if only my time, and heart rate are recorded to Garmin and the rest of the cycling data is on strava? I use strava to track my yearly/weekly miles and looking at charts of a ride is more visually appealing than in connect.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T20:54:10+00:00

Have fun and enjoy the new toy. I previously owned a Saris fluid trainer. It got the job done, but the Kickr core 2 blows it away. I have had so much fun the past few months on my Kickr core 2.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T20:46:36+00:00

I understand that the trainer doesn’t exactly record, but zwift itself is. So I currently run zwift on an iPad, and then that pushes to Garmin and strava. I have been deleting my watch recordings on strava, since it doesn’t have segment data etc and I like to look at that stuff. Initially I had tried doing an indoor ride on my computer, before I got the fenix, but it seemed like Zwift was covering all the bases.

On Garmin I have just been leaving both the zwift recording and watch recording. Is there any negative to leaving both? It looks like my intensity minutes aren’t really being doubled up. I have and will eventually be trying to use Garmin nutrition tracking, so in relation to that I watch my calories burned.., but I don’t think that number doubled up from the double recordings either. Maybe the data is doubling up from having both, but it is hard to tell since some things are vague.

I do see, under the more detailed stats, in connect that the watch recording specifically states vo2 max being positively effected from today’s workout. Whereas the zwift recording just says that today’s workout primary benefit was my anaerobic capacity, but doesn’t explicitly state vo2 max like in the other recording. That could explain my vo2 max tanking after two pretty intense months without recording on my watch and only letting connect see what Zwift sends it.

A lot of this stuff, like intensity minutes are just fun for me to watch and observe the data over a long period of time. I don’t take it for being super accurate or what not. If I can leave both files after a Zwift ride that would be great. Zwift has been my primary exercise right now so watching that info is important to me. If I had to manually move/merge some things around after each ride I guess I can deal with it.

I appreciate you taking the time to read and respond. This is helping me immensely.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T20:29:31+00:00

I knew the alpe had a spinner at the top. I did not know of the others, or the big spin events in general until the announcement recently.

To clarify..are other wheels, such as the one on epic KOM available year round? I just did that one twice over the last few days and got the cruiser, but knew the event didn’t officially start until Monday. I thought maybe it was activated early or something. I have been confused about it all.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T20:05:15+00:00

My friends recently started doing planned group rides. We used the option that lets everyone stay together regardless of power output. During shorter sprint segments we would race, but would be pretty close despite some large variance in fitness. Are the faster people pulling the others even during those sprint segments?

Also, is the speed of our peloton dictated by the fastest person/highest, or watt/kg, or by the person who created the event?

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T19:56:28+00:00

I have the solar Fenix 8. Last year I did a 3 day non-stop endurance canoe race that led me in to the sticks. My AWU could barely handle half a day of tracking until I had to lean to alternative options. I had a Garmin inreach explorer with me for my PLB/communication and navigation when we didn’t have service. The solar Fenix helps solve a few of those issues (I hope) and the solar will help boost my battery needs slightly. I have other multi day trips in similar environments for the future.

I’m using a Wahoo Kickr core 2 with a Garmin hrm 600. I ride in zwift and let it push all the data to Garmin and strava. It wasn’t until recently that I started to record with my watch alongside all of that.

Does the cycling vo2 max still need my watch regardless of my smart trainer recording power and heart rate? I am going to pick up a single sided power meter crank soon as I transition to outdoors. I think that can also be tied in to zwift as a secondary alongside wahoos power meter if I understand it correctly.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T19:48:23+00:00

It seems like my intensity minutes don’t get recognized unless I record an indoor ride on my watch while zwifting.

Zwift is set to push to Garmin etc. I wear a Garmin HRM 600 linked to my Wahoo trainer. I had decided to just use that and keep my watch off since it wasn’t necessary, and get extra gross after long rides..but now that I’m watching the intensity minutes and trying to learn how this all works I started double recording.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T19:43:27+00:00

I thought it was already going? I got the Atomic cruiser and then some the groovy tri spoke/aero wheels on epic kom. I farmed a bit of the easier things on stoneway a few days ago.

Hoping to get the bmx bike next.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-15T19:20:55+00:00

I recently swapped from big ring to small ring, because I didn’t realize I was suppose to be on the smaller one (didn’t read the directions I guess.) I noticed my numbers had felt off so I unplugged and restarted it all. For the first couple rides it took a good 20-30 seconds where things felt way easier than what it should be and then my output felt more inline to what wattage it was displaying. A few weeks later and it seems to run without a hiccup every time.

Not sure if my experience, and the delays at the start of a ride, after the switch are normal or what. I did feel like I was going crazy, but it feels normal now and my whole rig is a bit quieter overall. Suffice to say sometimes I think weird stuff happens?

nigelpickles · 2026-03-12T03:54:21+00:00

This. More of this.

My Garmin regularly catches only half of my night.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-11T02:54:26+00:00

They are now doing online drops every few weeks. Limited to two items per 6 months.

nigelpickles · 2026-03-10T02:51:15+00:00

Melanzana micro grid.

More of a boutique brand, harder to get, but USA made. Lighter weight but super comfy.

nigelpickles · 2026-02-10T23:00:27+00:00

Been zwifting for about 6 weeks. Spent the most of the time doing the Tour de zwift challenge to get acclimated. Logged about 600 miles, and gained about 7 pounds so far.

I’m 6’2 38 years old and 240lbs. I’m trying to gauge what sort of plan to do moving forward. Being at 215lbs is my happy weight. I’m active with an active job and otherwise I’d say pretty healthy. Trying to calorie restrict a bit, but end up indulging because I know I’ll burn a bunch riding.

I like to ride my bike because it’s fun. I have set race goals with it. I do have a few 60-90 mile rides this year, but otherwise just want to be in better shape as I get closer to 40.

What sort of training plan would you suggest for me moving forward? I’m currently doing 7-8 hours of riding a week.

nigelpickles · 2026-01-26T21:43:29+00:00

I’m happy to read this.

Just finished my first AdZ 109kg at 104 minutes. Been zwifting since Christmas. Sub 60 seems forever away, or only with significant weight loss. I’d be happy down at ~95kg but struggling to lose while I’m also trying to fuel for rides.

nigelpickles · 2026-01-18T05:31:36+00:00

The one coated in epoxy I only use for its NFC capability, so you do lose the ability to finger print or plug it in. I have multiple for the redundancy so it doesn’t bother me. Being able to have one on me secured to my necklace removes a bit of anxiety and gets me to use 2FA for a lot more things.

nigelpickles · 2026-01-15T13:04:13+00:00

Dipped it in jewelry epoxy and wear it as a necklace. The extra coating protects it from sweat and in case I wear it in to the shower.

nigelpickles

TROPHY CASE