I thought only my imagination had carried out this thought experiment. It’s nice not to be alone.
I corrected that weeks ago when I saw it and did the conversion to pounds. My bad. I changed my weight to my actual and true 149 lbs. I’m now thinking that my lower kg factored into my theoretical ability, skewing me into higher classification and cause the “UPG” in one of the columns in Zwift Power. Thank you for the help. I hope the minimum classification goes down soon. It’s very frustrating to be at my absolute limit and it’s not good enough to stick to watch others finish.
Thank you for posting these figures. As Paul has pointed out your old ‘last year?’ Weight of 56.7kg is being used, in part, for some of your Peak Power numbers. This does affect your CE category calculation and I suspect because of this you are right on that cat B boundary.
Those weights will drop out on 13th and 20th February if you decide to do nothing else.
Above you mention the UPG you have on your ZwiftPower race record. I believe the reason is nothing to do with weight. At first glance it looks like you entered D cat races when you were a ZwiftPower C cat racer.
You are currently limited to race in A or B category under Category Enforcement. However if you find any ZwiftPower races that allow you to enter all categories then for now you should enter the C category.
RACE on
FWIW, after being in cat B last year, I focused my training to more endurance power, lower power output over 1.5 - 2hrs instead of 30min power. Zwift dropped me back to C after about a month.
Thank you, Ian. I’m anxiously awaiting for Zwift to cat me down to at least “C”. I didn’t notice any change on the 13. The 20th is only 2 days away. There aren’t many races that are not enforcing category. Seems like placing dead last in almost every “B” race would get me catted down.
Without the dynamics of real cycling built into Zwift, it’s been tough. I’m looking at different platforms that are more similar to real cycling. The only reasons I haven’t left Zwift are that it’s the most popular and I’ve been here for something like 4 years. Hard to change.
Ken
Out of the 770 races in the next 7 days, 321 are non-CE so you should find something that works for you.
Use ZwiftHacks filters (Rules) to find Category Not Enforced races
Well would ya look at that! I’ve never heard of Zwifthacks. But almost every race scheduled for today is NOT Category-Enforced! Only found 2 out of 10 or so that I clicked that WERE Enforced.
I don’t know why my regular Zwift account has such slim pickings for races and almost all are Enforced.
I believe that this is going to help a lot. Racing as a “C” might get me UPG disqualifications, but at least I should have more fun. My goal is to be in the winning pack some day. 1st place is out of the question for me, but just being there to watch the finish will be an accomplishment.
Thank you.
You have waited this long - only a few days to go ( I hope)
So as a B rider, you feel you are unable to ride with the C riders?
You can draft off the C’s and give them a draft - provided all the classes are visible.
As A C rider, have you ever drafted a B rider who happened to be in your group?
Zwift won’t allow me to enter “C” races. They’re unclickable.
This morning I did three rides/races. (one was a C ride, the other two were races) Found only two that were not Category-Enforced out of all that showed up on my Zwift screen. TWO! I took a picture of my screen and have posted it here. Maybe I’m logged into Zwift in such a way that only or mostly Category-Enforced races are presented for selection. Every one of these events are Category-enforced.
Furthermore, I’m a weak rider. FTP less than 200. I’ve been racing real life since I was 37 years old; last criterium at 64 years old. That was when I lost my desire for the risks involved. I still train 5 to 6 days a week (200 to 250 miles a week) with cat 1, 2, and 3 racers from the 90’s. But my skinny legs, low heartrate, and inability to hold higher power keeps me from being to even DRAFT on B racers. I usually end up time-trialing 90 percent of every B race with no one in sight.
I’m hoping that Zwift will see their way to downgrade me to “C” so at least I’ll be able to finish in a chase group. Note: I’m probably more of a “D” racer.
Zwift should base categories on performance and not some theoretical equation. (IMO)
If there is an error of your power numbers or your weight, then it will be sorted.
You seem to indicate that Zwift is accurately reflecting your real life performance.
You may not drop to the C rank regardless of your performance.
You can enter mass start races where all cats are visible and ride with the C group as a B rider.
You can ride with the different PacePartners and you can do the group ride / Fondo thing.
There are also races based on age.
Unless there is an error in your data, then you are a B.
Leaving Zwift won’t change that.
When I moved up, I changed my race.
Instead of racing to the finish line, I raced to stay in the front group for 60 secs, then hold on for 1 lap, then 2 etc.
As a weaker rider, learning how to race the first 15,30 and 60 secs of a race made a lot of difference.
Even though I wasn’t winning, I was able to be with others, for a while.
Still plenty of ITT races for me.
Remember, in Zwift, you’re racing the whole world. Weaknesses are exposed.
Use the Companion App to find races.
THIS IS A HAPPY DAY! 
Yesterday, it had me as a “B”. Today, I’m back to a “C”.
I even clicked on a Category-Enforced race just now and “C” was enabled for me!
I won’t be winning any “C” events, but should be able to race with some others now for full courses and not just the first minute or two.
B racers are very strong, I was seeing that every day.
its always fun to see the crybabies complain when the shoe is on the other foot. suck it up B grader.
btw, i got cat’d after doing a couple of TT’s including Bologna - and i didnt come here to cry. i just race B and let the cards fall where they may.
Please share The secret i am cat a just became beacuse I am a very light rider but I get dropped in the first 10 km every a race please tell me how I can get back to cat b (I have won 1 cat b race out of 106)
There are some things you could try if you were borderline over the zFTP threshold but under the zMAP threshold, but it looks like you’re comfortably over both.
Lucky for you they’re testing out a new system for categorisation, and in that one you’ll get to smash C Grade sprinters up any sort of hill. Look for the Zwift Labs events using Racing Score.
Yeah I guess but they always catch me on the descent
gain weight, eat cookies
There’s no secret. Like Tom said if you are well over the A category boundary for zMAP then there’s nothing to be gained from doing a MAP effort to reduce zFTP (in terms of changing your category).
You might enjoy events like the Zwift Hill Climb series in which only the uphill segment counts toward your placing. DZR After Party Series is another good one if you like an uphill finish. Or races on any route with an uphill finish and not a lot of descending.
You could also check your category in an event that I organize called Rhino Racing Frenemies Forever, which is a mass start race with 5 custom categories, but even if you end up in A there you would be able to race against the Bs because everyone starts together. I alternate routes with more or less hills each week. That one is at 18:10 UTC on Wednesdays.