Adding Cross and Head winds to make Zwift races more tactical.

Every Zwift race Iv’e done Break-a-ways never work, and it always comes down to a sprint. Now I think that is fine, but on certain roads I think there should be Cross or Head winds to Emphasize group positioning and maybe we’ll get to see a Zwift echelon. For example: The wind is coming from the right at 20kph, so the riders on the right hand side of the pack might be doing 4 w/kg, while on the left riders may only have to do 3.8 w/kg.

Liam Sky

But you can’t control what side of the pack you are on. I like the idea, but there needs to be away to move side-to-side within the pack in-order for this to work fairly.

Liam you may be on to something here and Paul make a good point about not being able to steer the bike.

BUT:

What if we had a wind indicator on the map and it showed the wind is coming from the north at 20km/h then when you ride north you will have more aerodynamic drag and it will be harder for a rider to ride off the front but as you go around the loop when you ride south you have a back wind which will reduce the aerodynamic drag and a rider will have a better change to be in a break.

The wind can be constant speed and direction for the whole event but every event will now be different. 

 

 

Sounds like a cool idea but I fear there would be so many people who don’t understand what a cross wind or a headwind do to a peloton start complaining that they are getting dropped while doing the prescribed w/kg or whatever. (A whole additional thread is needed to explain why small people will need to put out more w/kg to stay with bigger people on zwifts flat courses).

I think a remedy for this could be some “tutorial” type workouts where zwift literally explains the physics of cycling to you in a personal way, where you are alone with other pre programmed riders on the course. The tutorial explains to you the effects of a headwind or cross wind or why as a bigger rider you are riding even with someone on a flat but will need to put out more watts to stay with them in a climb, or the inverse of that situation.

I think there are alot of beginner cyclists who have not had years of experience on the road and don’t understand these concepts, and then when you add the magic of programming to the mix, where you can’t physically feel wind, or the draft, makes it even harder to understand.

Dylan: I agree Zwift do need a “Tutorial” like most FPS games, the tutorial will show you how to use power ups and what they do how to change bikes, how to do workouts.

But the wind will be nice. I would love to try a break away into the wind. :slight_smile:

 

ride outside… fixed

I wouldn’t mind this as long as it was limited to racing. I wouldn’t like changing winds on Watopia when just free or group riding. I like how the Zwift world is a “constant” so - apart from drafting - my effort along a particular segment of road is directly proportional to my speed/time every time I ride it. But for racing, it could be very interesting!

Yes I would agree keep it to group events, with the option for the organizer to turn it on or off.

Danny: it is a bit hard to ride outside if it is -2C and roads are covered in snow.