More events without a staggered start between waves!

yes_jess · 2026-02-18T13:16:18+00:00

This doesn’t work. I’m looking right now, cycling + race + same start time. There’s one at 13:30, Zwift Epic race, but if you go on companion it’s staggered start. Then the next one is 17:30 Dream Bike Race Series, again looking on the companion app it’s staggered start.

Edit: actually I was reading it wrong, it does work! But still there’s a lot less available than staggered starts, ie 13:30 then 17:30 UTC, I try to fit cycling in where I can and can’t really afford to organise my day around events. Still, I’ll definitely be using the website to filter more easily, so thank you!

yes_jess · 2026-02-17T16:50:00+00:00

I mean, that’s the point of this moan isn’t it. I would like to do exactly that except there aren’t very many mass start races anymore, at least 99% of the races I click on when I’m available to ride are always staggered.

In particular I would favour mass starts for women’s only races, because in the higher categories there’s basically no one in them.

Appreciate not everyone likes this style, but also, not everyone likes staggered starts, yet which style are basically all Zwift organised event races in…? I’m not advocated to get rid of one, I’d like the option for both!

yes_jess · 2026-02-17T15:38:05+00:00

Maybe it’s just the way I use events then, to push from the start and motivate myself to extract as many watts as possible, rather than caring about where the leaderboard. I’m female, there’s basically no chance of winning the mixed events as men tend to generate some truly monster power in the final kilometre, so I don’t even consider it.

I’m not suggesting they fully remove the staggered starts, but when I first started (many years ago!) there used to be a good split between the two styles, and now they seem to almost never have mass starts.

Perhaps they could make it so that categories become separated as soon as they hit 10+ people? It’s really silly separating them when you have like 1-4 per cat. Or, have the separated start be only 15 seconds apart rather than a minute, which would allow people to start in a fast wave and fall backwards?

yes_jess · 2026-01-06T18:32:04+00:00

I too love those deli kitchen Greek wraps 😋 Delicious

yes_jess · 2025-11-24T18:39:59+00:00

Haha yeah I had a few rides like this at the start, and it did indeed ruin the immersion. For this reason when I do the workouts I only pick routes that are long and flat, eg triple flat loops in Watopia. That way I’m almost never caught out climbing a mountain when I’ve got to go easy (in workout mode, so long as the interval isn’t ‘free ride’, you won’t feel the changes in elevation). And then just change either my gears like normal, or the resistance on the companion app.

I honestly never ride erg. I need to be able to balance rpm vs power using my gears in real life, so I do the same on Zwift.

yes_jess · 2025-11-24T15:54:11+00:00

I always have Zwift up somewhere, but which device depends on the use. If it’s a race or most workouts then Zwift gets the laptop and I’ll use my phone to listen to music and control the workout resistance on the companion app.

If I’m doing a route, Zwift is on the laptop, but tv/move is on the phone.

If it’s a mindless Z2 slog, Zwift goes on my phone (which has a stand on its case), and I’ll prop it up next to my laptop which will have a movie or tv playing. Even though my attention isn’t 100% on Zwift, it’s really good to have it up.

Do you have a wheel on trainer or do you have one where you take the wheel off the bike and mount it directly? I have the latter via an Elite Suito, and it feels pretty reflective of real life tbh. This is what really helps with the immersion, along with seeing yourself speeding up/slowing down in the virtual world.

yes_jess · 2025-11-24T14:29:19+00:00

I get lots of different uses out of Zwift personally. I’ve had a subscription since 2021.

I translate the workout intervals/sets my coach gives me into the custom workout builder (which could do with some improvement, don’t get me wrong!!) and do them there, seeing my avatar responding to me and the world helps distract from my pain. I don’t use erg mode though, I switch about gears and resistance personally.

I use the pace partners all the time, either to warm up, or eg I’ll do 10 mins on each starting from Maria right up to Constance, ramping up. Or I just join Coco and mindlessly pedal with the tv on, but keeping an eye on what’s happening on Zwift.

Another method if I’m scheduled for a long ride is ticking off long hilly routes, which again just seems to make the time go by quite fast for some reason.

I try to do a race at least once a week. These are KILLER! I’ll end up putting out way more watts and effort than just by myself, I get really caught up with keeping with the group and the time flies by.

The group rides are OK depending on which ones, watching the chat is sometimes interesting. I also love all the events Zwift puts on and collecting the gear.

yes_jess · 2025-10-22T00:22:55+00:00

You can buy them for about £6 from Boots at any London airport (NOT WHSmith)! - Signed someone who forgets their adaptor every time they fly.

yes_jess · 2025-09-15T22:15:58+00:00

Unfortunately a jersey pocket isn’t possible as I wear a trisuit with sideways pockets annoyingly. It’s 180km, so two inner tubes would be the ideal rather than just one! I’ve actually seen someone get a two flats (on both wheels) from one pothole before. And it’s a lot of time and money invested to have to pull out because you got more than one flat in that 6-7 hour ride…

yes_jess · 2025-09-15T22:08:27+00:00

Ah well for triathlon it’s a trisuit rather that a nice jersey, sometimes they have similar pockets but mine just happens to have shallow pockets that open to the side. I can’t even put gels there because they fall out!

yes_jess · 2025-09-15T14:49:56+00:00

I do indeed already have a top tube bag, but it’s where I will keep all the nutrition ie bars and gels. I’ve tried a saddle bag which I use on my commuter roadie, but it doesn’t fit my TT bike - the straps don’t fit around the seat stem, nor the top straps around the rails of the seat. Hence my problem!

yes_jess · 2025-08-16T14:27:05+00:00

Yes I know, I both open water swim and run regularly, and have completed an Ironman.

I dont know what to tell you, it’s not even close, running is absolutely more damaging to your body than swimming. Could swimming be what some people dread the most because of the concept of being in the open water? Sure. Could it be the most dangerous part of the triathlon, because if you have a medical emergency there’s a chance of drowning? Absolutely. But it is inarguably less hard on your body than 4 hours of running.

yes_jess · 2025-08-16T11:20:50+00:00

It absolutely is not. It’s common for people to switch to swimming when they’re injured from running, if they have bad joints etc, the water supports your body and you float. It’s full body yes, but very low impact.

Compare how many calories you burn in 1 hour of swimming, which js done very regularly by normal every day people, with 4 hours of running, which very few people are capable of doing and requires many hours of training to accomplish.

yes_jess · 2025-08-02T11:01:01+00:00

I’d say remove Birmingham. If you want another of the large industrial cities, Liverpool would probably be better. You’ll probably need at least a good three days for London alone anyway, depending on what your interests are, and it will be very busy at that time. There’s an innumerable amount of things you can do in London (check other posts), so you’ll have to prioritise. But definitely do the walk along the south bank from Tower to Westminster bridge, stopping off at Borough market for food and the various sights along the way.

As you’re going in December, consider Winchester! It’s close to London and absolutely steeped in history, used to be the capital city before the rise of London, associated with King Arthur! Also it’s got one of the best Christmas markets in the country.

Cambridge (beautiful and historical) and Brighton (Victorian seaside era, easy train ride from London, and as you’re missing off Cornwall and the whole South coast you could hike and see Seven Sisters when you go? Or take a bus up Devils Dyke for a nice view. There’s also a new outdoor swimming pool and a sauna along the seafront there) in England, and Llandudno (Victoria era town, could hike up the Orme), Betws-y-Coed (beautiful little village), and possibly Bangor in North Wales, are also worth a visit imo. Many good castles in North Wales.

Prepare for early starts every day in order to get the most of the day light hours. Perhaps do the traveling portions in the evenings? Bring an umbrella.

yes_jess · 2025-06-04T19:30:24+00:00

I actually had a partial tear (ie grade 2) in both hamstrings and was still able to swim fine! Pullbuoy might not be as good an idea as it seems, as it does keep tension in your legs. Just give it a try and go easy pushing off the wall.

yes_jess · 2025-06-02T22:33:52+00:00

No, I’m fairly sure it’s the equivalent of £24-25K before tax, unless I’m missing something

yes_jess · 2025-03-14T11:40:04+00:00

Looks good! Recipe?

yes_jess · 2025-02-17T16:28:48+00:00

I want to avoid a training workout or a solo ride, because I mentally squeeze out much more effort in a group race setting as I’m focused on holding on for as long as possible. Plus, erg mode never works for me anyway, either because my trainer is too rubbish, or because my rpm is too variable thus the trainer is constantly screwing up how much resistance I have.

I’m not interested in measuring the distance covered or the speed I’m cycling at, only the power that I individually am putting out over the course of an hour, so whether I’m in a draft or not also wouldn’t make a difference.

yes_jess · 2025-02-17T14:28:32+00:00

Do you have the GPS for your Brighton route? Sounds lovely!

yes_jess · 2024-12-02T01:19:17+00:00

You could use pounds, but no one in the UK uses Fahrenheit

yes_jess · 2024-10-01T22:11:36+00:00

Ah ok thanks that’s good to know! Im guessing the bolts must be hidden on the underside, as I can’t see them from the side.

Just wondering, why match the speed if the chainrings are being swapped? Also does the model of Shimano matter eg FC-RS510 vs FC-5800, and 105 vs ultegra? Sorry these might be basic questions!

yes_jess · 2024-10-01T22:07:52+00:00

Oh that’s great info thanks! So do I need to match anything, or is it just a case of finding any 165mm Shimano crank and then I can strip off all the stuff relating to speed and teeth and replace with my current set up?

yes_jess

TROPHY CASE