Hey, is it possible to do an ERG style workout inside of a banded group ride?
Obviously, with banded rides, if you keep pedaling you should stay with the group 95% of the time. So why not let us do some sort of workout while doing the banded ride since it really doesn’t matter how much power we are riding at?
And honestly, I’d just like to be able to turn ERG mode on in game, pick a certain Watt setting and do a nice long z2 or z3 ride without worrying about segments or finding a workout that has the same time length as the ride, etc, etc. Just let me focus on my cadence
You would need to use some other device to control the trainer in ERG mode such as a cycling computer. Your request is reasonable and has been suggested before but it can’t be done entirely in Zwift.
A bit pricey (though cheaper than most cycling computers), but the Elite Zona works really well for the use case of just setting a zone or w/kg and riding. It has some rudimentary simple programmed “workouts” of various intensities (based on zone) but It can’t though run a custom workout for which you’d need a cycling computer.
Why is that? Functionally, how would it be different from doing a normal workout? Just set the elevation effect / trainer difficulty to zero like the system normally does for a workout and let ERG mode control resistance. In a banded ride, my power output gets averaged in (more or less) with the rest of the group and the program keeps me within the band of riders. If I set my power target in ERG mode higher than the average, I’ll eventually go to the front of the group and pull it along, if I set it lower, I’ll go to the back and get pulled along. The only time it wouldn’t work is if my power target was significantly lower than the group, in which case I fall off the back and have to up my power target.
Actually, can’t you already call up a structured workout from inside a group ride event already? I swear I’ve seen someone say that you can.
If you really just want a flat consistent power level during the entirety of a banded ride, then as you suggest, set TD to zero, and just find the gear and cadence that matches the power you want to work at. Then, just keep on pedaling the same the whole way.
There’s no reason why it would not be possible. It’s just not a feature of Zwift. It can be done in a banded meetup for example, but if you want to do this now, you need some other app or device to control the trainer, don’t pair it for Resistance in Zwift, and away you go.
