Feature Request - Hybrid Erg Mode when free riding
Basic Feature premise - For every climb with a start and finish line (Watopia KOM, Epic KOM and Alpe for example), have an optional configuration setting called ‘Hybrid ERG’, this allows you to set a configurable fixed wattage for all climbs so you can do consistent hill repeats within the world without using workout mode
Context:
This idea popped into my head today while thinking about how I ride my winter training sweet spot blocks.
I use TrainerRoad for all my workouts bar my long sunday ride.
So normally my setup is:
TrainerRoad controls my tacx Neo.
I then open Zwift and only sync my HR and my Verve infocrank
So i then get the TR workout but with the great Zwift visuals.
However, i swap my TR workout on a sunday (usually a 2 hour block of 3x 20 or 3x30 min sweetspot) to a normal Zwift ride where Zwift controls my Neo and I do the Mountain Route 3 times.
The Mountain Route for me takes almost bang on an hour.
10 min warmup
Epic KOM (which is roughly a 28 min climb for me at my weight w/kg)
20 min easy to complete the lap
repeat x 3 or 4
However, as the Epic KOM is not always uphill and has some flat/downhill sections I have to be very strict on my gearing and constantly change up/down to make sure I’m in my sweetspot zone for the entire climd for each lap.
This is where the ‘Hybrid ERG’ thought came in, I can still freeride Watopia as fast/slow as I want, but every time I hit a timed climb, I can configure it to hold a specific wattage of my choosing so that I can get a bang on consistent interval block of sweetspot or threshold or even VO2max (if doing on the shorter KOM climb).
The problem with workout mode is that the entire workout/intervals within the workout are fixed by time and will nto ‘sync’ with the routes around watopia, whereas a ‘hybrid’ erg mode will only kick in on the timed climbs so you get the best of both worlds!!
While I haven’t done this myself (I never use Zwift ERG), I believe it should work. Select one of the Zwift “Free Ride” workouts. Turn ERG mode on/off whenever you want and set power accordingly using the companion app.
Use your gears as you have been along with cadence changes to control your power on the varying terrain. When you’re outdoors, that is exactly what you will need to do.
Great idea, @Lin . To add to it: create a custom workout in Zwift of 2 hours at sweetspot wattage and toggle erg as desired. Probably the same outcome, but the possible advantage of not needing to pair with trainer road to control wattage.
Thanks for the replies, however:
I don’t use the companion app and don’t keep a mouse/keyboard near the bike when training so what you’re suggesting feels like a ‘hack’ rather than a genuine feature implementation.
I’m a TT’er so Zwift isn’t a social tool for me, its a training tool that complements TrainerRoad.
and to give Zwift credit where its due, there is no way in a month of Sundays that I could have ridden 3-4 hours or more indoors without Zwift.
2 hours has been my max on TR in the past and that was a grind.
The Zwift visuals somehow make the time fly by on a sunday and 3-4 hours is psychologically much easier now thanks to Zwift.
I wouldn’t call it a hack, more like a workaround. Another workaround would be for you to create your own workouts in Zwift so that your intervals match up with the specific climb. If you look at old rides, you can estimate how long and what watts to get to the climb, increase watts to XXX for how long to complete climb, etc…
That said, if you’re only free riding like that once a week, I still think it would be good for you to practice controlling the power yourself w/shifting and cadence since that is exactly what you will have to do on race day or in general when outside. All that non-stop ERG from TR can be both good and bad. I love me some TR as well, about 5 days/wk, but it’s also nice to generate the power on my own w/out the threat of the spiral of death from ERG
Otherwise, why not just use TR on Sundays as well w/Zwift purely for visuals? If your focus is on the training, that would be the way to go.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not shooting down your suggested feature request. I am trying to give you some options.
I was also thinking of this the other day.
It could be a way to improve on your Personal Best up a hill.
Maybe add a dropdown to the “Workout” selector. Call it “Improve your Time” It takes in the climbs on the current course (world hacks included).
You are greeted with a display of the Route’s Climbs, the Route (optional) and the w/kg you averaged.
Select “Workout” and you free ride over to the climb and fire up the jets.
Considerations:
The possible impact on the “30 Day” Segment History.
Routing you back onto the correct/segment attack course.
When i need to work in that way i always use a custom workout that basically is all in ‘free ride’ and the use the app to adjust the incline (or the watt if u use intervals).
I don’t think using the app is something like an hack, for me companion is just an usefull remote control for zwift.
Also a mini keyboard (like the Rii on amazon) can do a good job
I often use the Wahoo Fitness app on my phone to control the wattage on my KICKR throughout my Zwift ride. It would be a nice option to have this type of interface directly in Zwift without building a custom workout. Something like the below that could pop up on the side of your screen if you want.
