I’ve just done another 2 hours with a robopacer, working towards the 10m points for the Specialized concept bike, and I was wondering how other riders deal with the ride, given some are doing over 120kms going around in circles. On smaller laps, 10kms ish, I tend to do one lap ahead of the pacer, one as close as I can to them & one I try to stay behind by a second or so. Just in an effort to make it a bit more interesting. Anybody do anything similar, or better?
I listen to music
1 Like
I tend to put on a video that requires very little mental energy for long rides that are going to be boring no matter what I do. Then I just switch my attention back and forth from Zwift to the video.
1 Like
Hard Rock music and chatting with fellow riders. Chatting can make the time fly by. Otherwise I have a tendency to continually check the time or Kms.
I do the same thing as when I’m on a long drive.
I mentally break things up into manageable sections.
If it’s going to be a long ride, every 15 minutes is a “milestone” achievement. I’ll tell myself, “10 minutes done, 5 to go”. Then it resets after the 15 minutes is up.
If it’s a long climb, I know the distance, and divide that by 10. Each 1/10 is an achievement. Get past that one, on to the next.
I like to to things like that to keep the mind involved, and yet also somewhat distracted.
Mindless videos on iPad next to laptop. Considering audio books.
For shorter rides i listen to music or podcasts. For longer rides i watch a movie or series on my ipad while Zwift is in the background.
1 Like
Picture in picture Zwift + TV (55” TV).
For anything over 90 minutes, it’s time for the second big screen and a Marvel movie that I have seen enough times that I don’t have to worry about missing anything. For the PRL Full I did an Avengers movie marathon
1 Like
If I’m doing a hard workout or race, it’s always music. Usually industrial/synth stuff.
If I’m doing Zone 2 or a long weekend ride, I’ll listen to podcasts or watch a movie or series.
1 Like
I do the mountain routes instead - where you have to pay attention and you aren’t going around in circles. Okay those are bad for distance gains but good for staying interested.
Robopacers groups are pretty boring and they are usually on boring routes. Volcano circuit and Watopia waistband, Tempus… 
I agree, for the most part I had been ignoring the roboacers, but now they are the fastest way to earn drops, and daddy needs a new set of bikes.
Maybe the hills need a bigger drops multiplier - perhaps an even an extra bonus if you ride them in sim mode with 50% or more trainer difficulty.
Massively controversial idea to give people more incentives to ride up hills. 
2 Likes
Thanks for the replies everyone. I do the music, Absolute Country or Absolute Classic Rock for an hour or so & then switch to my Spotify list. I’m not much for TV but watching a film on the smart tv I could have a go at.
I like that idea, especially since I’m set for 100% TD.
Zwift is my entertainment, if it weren’t I’d just put a workout on my headunit and watch some stupid series. I put my trainer difficulty to 100% and ride on smart rollers though which require as much or possibly even more mental engagement than riding outside. I also try to discover new easter eggs (which I occasionally still do at level 73) and give as many ride ons as I can
3 Likes
Pick a bot with a course that you like. Volcanoes flat makes me want to gouge my eyes out for example but I can tolerate most other flat courses. Chatting with fellow ride buddies, music, book on “tape”, Netflix, almost anything that provides enough stimulation that you’re not mentally fatigued but not enough that you forget what your doing and get dropped. Video games while Zwifting are a no go for me personally.
Avoid repetitive short laps. Participate in chat. Maths problems to estimate time/distance/pace stuff.
I never seem to find myself at such an easy pace that I’m bored. Easier rides might have more chat, harder rides have more steering, concentration, or efforts.
I have a router working as a range extender so don’t want to harm connection speeds further by running anything on the side, like a tablet for YT or Netflix.
Can you believe that there are people who have unlocked the confetti socks, but who don’t spend all their time giving Ride Ons and making the world a better place +2XP at a time!?!?!
Sociopaths. 
5 Likes
I give Ride ons all the time, I see it as essential to gain the required points needed to get to my goal as quick as possible. Some don’t seem to bother though, I’m not sure every rider knows what they’re for, like those riders that I see coasting downhill & think to myself “they’re missing out on drops there”
1 Like