As well as original reporting, news and feature writing, and production work, Daniel also runs The Leadout newsletter and oversees How to Watch guides throughout the season. Skinny guys get DQd if they match heavies on the flat for power so they can NEVER win, even in the mountains. Zwift posted a follow-up message on the forum, Zwift x UCI To Host Cycling Events for the Olympic Esports Series 2023, Race London ZRacing March Series Details, Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of March 4-5. Hes had to up his weight as he is only 35kg ( upped time 45kg) he but puts out 220watt so his ftp is 5.5-6w/kg in a race. Zwif: your ultimate guide I wont do and will rather try my very best to compete with the As. I may try it just to see what difference it makes. Best turbo trainers: Smart trainers to improve your indoor cycling experience points based), riders can win by any margin any number of times and remain in their category so long as they do not exceed category limits. Have you ever compared numbers for calories burned, power output and even elevation ridden for a Zwift ride uploaded to Strava? 2022 Race Like A Pro. In real life, Id dust that guy. If so, that makes sense to me and I can absolutely see the point of that. would that be cheating then ? Absolutely impossible. Its ridiculous. Some people, I think, just have a lower HR. Then save your ride and log out. Everyone races at the same weight/height. Prior to joining the team, he had written for most major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly, Rouleur, and CyclingTips. There is no cat C rider at 58kg who has a hope in hell of beating me in any race. there seems to be a lot of variability in power products and what people are using to feed into zwift. You could attend races where all categories go together (same start, all riders visible) for a while if you find that to be more fun I have long ago earned all of the challenges and levels. (better than any bike upgrade i could afford) Yes its great to win,but as long as you improve yourself who cares what anyone else does.You will always get cheaters,dodgy equipment and so on so just enjoyRead more . All the emphasis on physical metrics makes sense for putting together how speed is calculated but not how one can race. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The best solution would be for Zwift to actively monitor all racing for people cheating. I am 42 years-old with a HRmax of ~169 bpm. Terms of Use/DMCA Copyright Policy I don't think you can do it from the game itself. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Is a very strong rider for his age and trains hard. Because narcissistic people want to get validation from somewhere/someone that theyre special/different and if they cant get it legitimately theyll lie, cheat, and steal to do so. If youre a 300-pound dude who wants to go a little faster uphill as a virtual 200 pounder, have at it. Hes asking for a fair race. Secondly, Zwifts statement says they agree there is a need for tools that deliver greater transparency to Zwift racing. Thats good to see, and we completely agree! I have climbed well and I have suffered on climbs but also sprinted well. If someone on zwift holds an avg power at a given heart rate, then goes out on the road and holds that same heart rate but cannot sustain even close to that power, I am sorry, but that isnt physiology; that is hardware. Hahahahaha. Perhaps if you post a W/kg in excess ofRead more , So thats why I could easily keep up with a 3-3.4wkg group yesterday whilst keeping my wattage at some 2.5-2.7just my 107kgs.the rest were probably featherweight category :) . Frankly I struggle to believe these are real. Youd think theyd be the same but when Zwift and Strava dont even agree on stats for the same ride, Ill take any other comparisons with a big pinch of salt. heavy riders have an advantage on flat courses.. https://zwiftinsider.com/wkg-tests/ plus 60-70kg is perferctly normal body weight for adult cyclists, nothing worth complaining about. Most of my ZwiftRead more . Even at my age I still plan to compete in MTB races when the world gets back to racing. At all. below this level you just have to take people's word for it. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Blaming Zwift for eating disorders is not sensible. A strict w/kg classification isnt perfect. The algorithms very much help heavier riders in descents, which gets forgotten when all we discuss is climbing. The categories are the cycling equivalent to weight classes in boxing. The issues with e-racing remain the same, and largely ignored for years now. Work over time is work over time. I was wondering is it possible to get the graph at the bottom of the screen that shows youre power and other stuff on a normal ride and not doing a FTP test or workout. No one is going to lose or gain 5kg overnight or shrink a 1cm. If you gave the power, it will come out. otherwise no way in hell hes beating you. Contribute a post, shop through us, make a donation, advertise on this site. It will not eliminate this behavior but the races will be much more realistic and enjoyable. Just the fact that you need a third party (ZP) to validate race results really says it all. Nailed it. I suffer from excess sweating and will easily lose 10kg in a race on Four Horseman, for example (although Im certainly not the norm, but to say no one is untrue). We may call it sandbagging or reversed weight doping but its legal . With Zwift control is difficult (in getting Zwifters to enter their accurate) wait. But I will, and Ill get hammered and hopefully improve. This clearly shows the power of the Zwift blob it impacts more than just drafting. Exactly, although As arent that regulated, unless you hit the premier class, which is a very small section of A riders. Similar to the announcement of the European Super League in soccer, Zwift failed to read the room. Best Zwift setups: Indoor cycling setups to give you the competitive edge. Fact ! Im a heavy rider at 102kgs and 193cm tall I once reverse doped my weight at the top of the radio tower to try and achieve the 100km/HR badge It had the opposite effect in that I was actually slower than when descending at my actual weight lol I dont race other than against myself so Ive never weight doped as such My observations recently however have created an awareness of how many stick insects ride bikes on zwift . Noob question though, whats the etiquette around weighing with kit on or off. I know Ive done it! Zwift should take accountability for what matters most to start with and thats the cheaters. Now in A i get dropped all the time. On Zwift Power categories have both a wattage requirement and a w/kg requirement. It all has to do with the way Zwifts racing categories work. That's pretty straightforward the usual email, username, password, terms and conditions so you won't have any trouble with this step. I dont mind the low HRs but the low power and high w/kg really irk me! Its going to take a certain amount of calories for a certain person to perform a given amount of work in a given time. I do ZHR Masters on a Tuesday night. But many people (including myself) prefer categorized races because we want to have a chance to actually battle it out for a win. (Its not the only part, of course! Makes me happy to see that the community is able to speak with one voice if necessary. Category systems are complex beasts, of course, I agree, people can have fun with weight doping and such aslong they dont enter competitive races. A good rule we follow is to take our FTP divide it by 3 and then put that in as our weight (in Kilograms). Are you efficient, or just heavy? We really like the sound of this: In the future, well continue to bring potential product ideas and changes to members of the Zwift Racing Community, with the hope that youll embrace this as a collaborative effort to help shape the experience. Too light and watts go down as does watts per kilo. Hes not looking for a trophy every race. On one occasion I entered a flat race (Laguardia Loop) following my ZP category (class C), finished almost three minutes down (though since it was a small field I still got third place), and then was disqualified for averaging 3.6 w/kg and 206 watts. Someone with my FTP should be CAT B, regardless of weight. Although does WTRL encourage reverse weight doping? 1. I understand if someone has a banner day or just bumped up out of upper C to lower B. Share your thoughts below! Racing the As resp. I put my real weight 95% of the time. On Zwift I look suspicous. Hi Using HRM is difficult as well as you max HRM changes with age mine is 159 flat out but I am over 60. All this makes me laugh. On a flat ride I would beat every sub 60kg cat B rider too. Its funny, I was talking to one of my work colleagues who also Zwifts about AdZ and how because Im heavier (125kg / 276lbs) I would never be a sub 60m AdZ rider (I reckon Im looking at sub 2 hours, if lucky), Ive never once considered weight doping, sure I know I could but why would I? Exactly. I dont think it can all be attributed to weight; it appears that some hardware tweaks can scale up the reported power output. Privacy Policy, How to Race on Zwift (Setup, Strategy, and More). Any thoughts on verifying? How about simply showing a percentage variance. When I go outdoors I go on a trail bike and bring a backpack full of food and drink for a several hours ride. The only place where being heavy helps is on the decent, which are almost all short (except Ventoux and Alpe de Zwift), and as a heavy guy (85kgs) I need to recover on the decent. The default position is midway between "Off" and "Max," or 50 percent of the grade resistance you'd find while riding the same grade of hill in the real world. its only cheating myself, instead I would prefer to spend that 2 painful hours doing something honestly and feel proud of it than zooming through it in sub 60m and not reap the same benefits (or in my case, pain). (Same effect in a sprint, just harder to isolate). seeing a riders weight in ZP and any changes made to the reported weight may help internet stalkers feel better about their poor race performance but it doesnt actually help identify cheats. For example, if a rider has an FTP of 210 watts and weighs 75 kilograms, that means the rider's FTP is 2.8 w/kg. In reality no under 12 is competing with a decent 2nd or 3rd cat (UK system) Ive ridden with enough talented youth riders that this is fact so letting young kids crush half decent amateurs on zwift would be unrealistic. Even some of the regulated weight rides will give 2kg leeway. My power is often in the top few. But It doesnt mean that that person is going to be the person riding the bike on the trainer during the race does it. light guys categorically do NOT have an advantage on the flats vs heavier guys, assuming both riding at same w/kg, heavy guy WILL be going faster on Zwift. The bottom line is that in any competition there will always be someone who wants to cheat to win.Read more . But theres one problem: this puts you into the B category, and you dont want to race the Bs. Too heavy watts are up but watts per kilo goes down. This community-driven site is maintained by Eric Schlange and a team of Zwift enthusiasts. 2.5w/kg (215Watts) is hard for me to hold for extended periods but I keep trying. I used to live next to the Alpe and later, next to the Ventoux. IMHO, enforcing in-category entry for races will be a quick, easy and effective change. I lost some weight during these few months and gained on FTP Now facing going to C and not getting any good results within the category, Eric, thanks for bringing this to light. thanks for the help with the graphs. I think you can force it with the Refresh Profile button in your ZP Profile but again, not sure if that triggers it immediately or overnight. Todd_S (Todd S) March 12, 2015, 3:09am #4 I'm new to the app. As there is no official A+ CAT there is nothing to worry about, but if there were, I would be right between A and A+. Certainly it impacts the accuracy of race performance and results. Had assumed I just rode inefficiently. The categories currently used in most Zwift events are based on your FTP watts per kilothat is, your FTP in watts, divided by your weight in kilograms. In fact, you can change a workout on Zwift about as fast as you can U-turn a bicycle on a real hill. Take one of our four FTP tests to determine your FTP. Thats hilarious. Sure, easy! In order to ride with him I have to drop my weight to allow me to keep up. Check out this FAQ for some of our frequently asked questions: Q:&. Food for thought. I am currently 145kg and have not experienced any bullying so far. Its a huge problem. I did on one and second on the other. Stick a few more kgs on to stop you getting upgraded, would that get you a ban? yes, but you are missing my point. I mean youve both got a point. There was a problem. https://zwiftpower.com/profile.php?z=697996. this is how it is in real life , big ian stannard putting in hard fast miles on the front for (was) team sky , while all the small guys tuck in the peloton getting drafted along saving energy for later on in the race , because they can`t compete on the flat with the big boys . Daniel Ostanek is production editor at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired as staff writer. More of an issue than thisRead more . ZwiftPower FAQ We're sure you have several questions about ZwiftPower and what it is. My 3 race FTP is at 4.07w/kg (248w @ 61kg), but Im still in Cat B. 5 year age categories and incredibly competitive a in most age groups, Thanks so much for your helpful comment. This covers name changes as well as weight/height changes during an event. Why you can trust Cyclingnews Youre having fun winning (or nearly winning) C races! A good portion of that weight difference is in the Hub's 10.3 . Knowing when to go hard and having the fitness to do so are also vital skills.). To change your profile to have to log in on the Zwift website and then edit the profile there. Weight doping is a key challenge for cycling esports to overcome, and its one reason why many big races (e.g., those with prize money) require riders to show up and weigh in on-location in a supervised environment. 2022 SNOW Sprint Series As for the weight, I weight 190lbs, (86Ks) I put in 190lbs. . Incrasing virtual weight would probaly downgrade me to B again. This can be seen by comparing Zwift physics with real life physics (calculated by websites likeRead more . Im 70 inches tall and 156 pounds right now vs 166lb on Jan 1. Then lets stop with all athletic competition! One question I have struggled to answer though which maybe is not a consideration is that on the flat watts is what is required and I also have to push high wkg to stay with groups. I have been frustrated with the GC results in the current Tour of Watopia series. The only way for complete cheat free racing is in the zwift Pro race which is all done in a single room with all riders together. Joining ZwiftPower isn't the most straightforward series of steps, but we've broken it down so you can get started as soon as possible. Zwift doesnt like this and disqualifies him on Zwift power. Maybe also add weight change limit 2kg per week? Now head back to ZwiftPower, click 'Connect' at the top of the page, then enter your Zwift ID in the box when prompted. Mate youre a legend. As such, we have agreed to pause this change while we develop tools that deliver greater transparency to Zwift racing while promoting wellness. angels stadium covid rules. There could be Zwift level weight bonuses instead of another pair of socks. Maybe they should display and categorise HR as a %age? How does being heavier help a cyclist? you may ask. For me its the most fun to see the progress I make on strava, new PR on climbs or on flats (hanging in on the back of a group) If I would lie about my weight I throw off my goals to Improve atleast make them near impossible for the coming time in the End I dont see the funRead more , I reversed dopped by mistake when I first started Zwift putting my height as my weight and weight as my height. It impacts the Group Rides and as you said the performance statistics individually. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. You should do much better at your actual weight in that case. If Zwift can be seen to be doing that then very little need toRead more . Its more fun and engaging that way, for me at least. At least I can be best in one thing on zwiftpower. You make a good pointthere isnt a published race ruleset that clearly states that riders are 1) required to use accurate weight and 2) enter the correct race category. If someone dopes so they do 4w/kg then they should be racing with other people who do 4w/kg. IRL I am 85kgs and cant pretend to be 65kgs. look at the article. I am 65 kg with FTP of 270 W, which equlas 4,15 w/kg. I guess I could play the same game and pretend to be 65kgs (350/65 = an impressive 5.38w/kg), This is where Zwifts scaling of CdA on height and weight gets out of whack with reality. Context, Tim, context! bottom line for me, its a virtual training world, a virtual hammer isnt the same as a real hammer. Why try to force IRL parameters that can not be enforced. Im assuming you should weigh just before getting on the bike with all kit including shoes and not just before stepping into the post-ride shower (shorn of all kit and approx 1kg of sweat). I agree with what you say Eric but the weight doping does negatively impact the casual rider if they are following other riders in a casual/social ride. How do you actually update your weight on ZP?? Bump your Zwift weight up to 84kg and even with your new and improved 260-watt FTP youre only at 3.1 w/kg! Keep it on. The first way is to head into your profile. Thats not what I recall at all, everything is a race, even if you werent aware . Since strava is all that matters of course. The six-digit number highlighted in bold will be your Zwift ID. IRead more , Aaron, do you know what is the wattage requirement for Cat A? (and dont do organized rides for fairness) so I dont have resistance changes and sometimes zwift reports extraordinary power readings for a ride. But without any hard and fast rules, we cant say anything is illegalat least for certain races. Someone sandbagging will get promoted out of category and will not be allowed to reg for lower categories. (I dont recommend this approach, but it proves the point that weight doping is an issue that concerns many Zwift racers. I use Zwift to get in shape and prepare for outside riding. But I also did it because I knew it was great practice! Heres how it works. Click on the Settings button and you'll find the Trainer Difficulty slider. My power to weight is decent at about 4w/kg. But it highlights a bigger problem, and that is the fundamental flaw of using watts per kilo for race categorization. As a Triathlete, I have a different perspective when racing and riding on Zwift because the vast majority of Zwifters (according to Zwift and Strava) are only cycling; whereas Im also training by Running and Swimming. Zwift power usually looks at numbers vs the category race he entered. Other planned changes communicated last week, including plans to improve the reporting features in Zwift will be rolled out as planned. 2 Likes _Jynxy_EVO (:)) October 1, 2021, 1:41pm #8 thxs mike, Great article, Eric. I currently weigh 59kgs but my BMI is 25 which technically overweight. There is no reason I should be gettingRead more , Sounds like its time to start racing the Bs, @guest_35522! Do some races have split out start times so you are only racing with those of similar ability? But your point is correct, if someone has a good string of results, upg them regardless of cat limits, and zwift needs to lock them out of cat in-game for it to be effective. nothing more. Enforce race category entry and youll fix much of the problems with Zwift racing. Actually no, sorry, I was wrong. I think Im just heavier than my competition. It certainly didnt feel like I had taken it easy when IRead more . You only change it in Zwift and it should get picked up with regular backend processing periodically (maybe overnight). Whats the cheaters solution? I am always passed by everyone on the way up but can usually catch up on the way down (190cm/93kg). 0.5kg discrepancy either side is actually quite small. In spectacular and shocking fashion. Just from riding regularly I went from 166 FTP to 187 in 800 miles over a 2 1/2 months. hanging with the front group is very though for me because i am exactly at the bridge between A and B. But maybe Im just thinking like a lady its hard for me to imagine a lady voluntarily gaining weight, even virtual weight. It lets Zwift racers and race organisers track results and check out all the details of the races they've participated in, as well as monitoring and analysing their data. If you're putting out enough power, then you can make your way up the ranks and keep on racing. But youre not affecting anyone elses experience. Mike, Great article as ever Eric. High intensity: 30/30 and 40/20sec Rnnestad intervals like 3x (10x40/20sec). What anyone wants in any game or competition is to feel its fair, and as they look to make changes going forward, I hope people at Zwift always keep asking themselves this question: How can Zwifters see these races are fair?. You will receive a verification email shortly. Thanks Otherwise I stand by my comment. You must be a much better person than me, because thats something I will Never make peace with. We like this move from Zwift. I dont think so. This is real frustrating as hes a top u12 racer and wants to see his efforts recognise. Find some hilly races As a result your suggestion of the watts vs w/kg different systems is already baked into the game physics in a way. w/kg is partially based on real world physics. If it is.. someone must be able to point me to the rule where it says that it is forbidden..? , Myself being a lighter rider who fluctuates some 2kg during a week I tend to always use my upper weight giving me a lower Wkg. To move up to the next rank, ZwiftPower will take 95 per cent of your 20-minute average w/kg figure from your previous three races. Nekkid and I only update my weight in zwift if it moves more than a KG. Thats the graph. Im glad our collective voice was heard on this one, In the future, well continue to bring potential product ideas and changes to members of the Zwift Racing Community, with the hope that youll embrace this as a collaborative effort to help shape the experience.. Zwift doesn't need a fancy code fix, they don't need special anti-cheat software, special post race investigations, and they don't need to change anything other than when the game updates personal attributes. If thats the norm, then I really dont see theRead more . And besides, my main goal on Zwift is to not get dropped in the hills during Team Cryo-Gens more hardcore Saturday rides! Note how he wins races while his max HR is around 30 beats below his maximum. Head to http://my.zwift.com/ and hover your mouse cursor over the 'Download' button under one of your activities. I hope they learn from this and are more careful with things like that in the future. It all has to do with the way Zwift's racing categories work. Im older heavier and relativily fit. I currently use the Garmin Smart Scale so I may invest in the Withings scale. So what! Would depend entirely upon the bike geometry, how much weight is over the front wheel and how much over the back. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. Withings scale that automatically updates your Zwift weight, a month ago in the final post of my race category series, https://smartscalesync.com/?utm_source=tr, https://zwiftpower.com/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=5528, https://zwiftinsider.com/how-does-zwift-calculate-my-speed/, Zwift x UCI To Host Cycling Events for the Olympic Esports Series 2023, Race London ZRacing March Series Details, Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of March 4-5. (Image credit: George Marshall / Zwift) The first thing you notice when the flag drops, is Zwift racing is so much harder than your run of the mill bike race . My FTP/kg is 3.88, which I now know would make me a B racer (3.2-3.9). Taking that info away further depersonalizes the platform, and and may be fine in group rides, but it is a step closer to racing against bots. I just we had a better system than category limits, racing license anybody? Not true, at least not absolutely. Maybe with a KICKR Climb it might be possible. Well, its adding weight to gain an advantage. There is no progression from lower to higher categories through placement. people need to stop taking Zwift racing so seriously. I have a Withings scale and in the Zwift Settings, it shows up as connected. Yes us heavier riders have the downhill advantage definitely. See https://zwiftinsider.com/how-does-zwift-calculate-my-speed/, I think if a racer doesnt want to cat up in order to keep winning in their current cat, she or he would likely just go the traditional sandbagging route (as others have suggested here). All lists are full of 190cm lads weighting 65kgs. Or theyll ride races 1-2 categories below their actual W/kg so they can still win and feel like that theyre legends. In the many B races i have done it was more fun because i was competitive. This is why for a while I was ranked as a C even though my w/kg was higher than 3.2 since my watts werent over 200. I agree WTRL ZRL races dont feel like they have cheaters. Especially for the C and D groups but even for the Bs albeit to a lesser degree. If the categories are split using purely w/kg a lighter rider doesnt have any advantage up the climbs at all. Now head back to ZwiftPower, click 'Connect' at the top of the page, then enter your Zwift ID in the box when prompted. My guess is that another reason some do it, is because it gives you points on zwiftpower, becauseRead more . Some of the reasons Ive never pushed as hard on a real ride include: Stopping / slowing for junctions Traffic / pedestrians / other hazards Appreciating the view No watt meter on my real bike I dont race in real life I dont do workouts in real life Changing wind Threat of a headwind on my home journey And the biggest: WantingRead more , Agree with the above. Ive connected my garmin scale with this app https://smartscalesync.com/?utm_source=tr Leave the setting unchanged and climbs often feel challenging. Other than that, I rarely look at weight unless some results are very weird. Read on for our guide on how the app works, how to get set up, and how to analyse your racing. Level 50. Why not ride to your strengths? This would cover submission and review of a private video showing height and weight which would result in a check mark on ZP showing this rider was height/weight verified. Also a really frustrating thing is why doesnt Zwift autoRead more , is he riding in the right category? They are not, and never were, skill classes of any kind (ie. Some people are clearly living in a fantasy on zwift. IRL if your weight is 85kg, itll take you longer to climb the Ventoux than if your weight is 65. If its not done during a competitive Zwift event, I dont see it as a problem. I am not in the least bit interested in competition cycling, so no point in doping in either direction as i would only be cheating myself. 5x5min, 4x8min but definitely never longer than 8 minutes.
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