The last couple of rides I did were on Watopia’s Figure 8 and reverse and experienced what I’d describe as “flow state” through “The Esses.”
I was tapping through gears going up and down hills to keep optimal cadence and, almost in the same spots each time, I crested a hill and felt like I was floating - complete immersion, connection with road and bike.
I thought I knew what Zwift was all about but was so focused on grinding up mountains this winter for the Z1 unlock (it’s my first season on the platform) I really didn’t “get it.”
Kind of segueing into that: I find some routes really great as workouts. Figure 8 is one, as is Neokyo All Nighter on Makuri - they’re about perfect Z3/Z4, hour long workouts for me. I get that we’ve got an “erg-mode” for programmed workouts but I feel more engaged in “sim-mode” when using the road for intervals.
SO: what are some go to routes to use as “workouts” and what types of workout do they equate to? (Tempus Fugit: flat time trial?)
Random questions/comments: would “workout effect” for a given route vary depending on your fitness level? Figure 8 is great for me as a Cat-D rider, “The Esses” having just enough rolling to make it work for me. Would a Cat-C experience something similar in Titan’s Grove with it’s more intense hills?
Final comment: riding a NEO2T, I also now understand why people say it lacks some of the road feel of a conventional flywheel trainer - I can “overpower” it in my lowest gears in some circumstances. Now I want to try some other trainers to compare.
