I’ve found that the last 3 rides/events I’ve engaged, the ride leaders seem to arbitrarily change the rides from what was described. Specifically, the last event I engaged was the HERD ride today. The ride description was for an endurance road bike ride, with specific endurance watt/power output and a clear statement that this NOT A RACE. Long story short, the ride leader arbitrarily changed the ride to a mountain bike event (asking everyone to switch bikes WHILE riding and positioned himself 4 miles ahead of the group at the start. The first 30 minutes the pace was producing average watts from me in the high 190’s to 200+watt.
This is NOT endurance pace, unless you think it’s a pace that arbitrary and has no distinction between tempo, recovery or threshold pace.
I sent a private text to the ride leader who informed me that “all ride descriptions are generic.”
The ride description was very specific, not generic. If this is the new norm, I’ll need to switch over to another platform that more closely adheres to policy.
The issue wouldn’t be so difficult it it weren’t for the fact that endurance rides, when posted, are usually separated in time by anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour between each one.
While I find it odd that a ride leader would change a ride like that, I also find it strange that you would extrapolate a few isolated experiences to the Zwift platform as a whole. I have never had an experience like yours, so I don’t think it’s a widespread thing.
for I think the 1.3-1.5 w/kg that this ride was posted for (?), maybe everyone weighs over 280lbs – that might explain your wattage necessity and it being named a Herd?
High 190 watts is endurance pace or below for many folks.
agree i use 190 220 for steady state workout endurance rides
Herd rides don’t specify what type of bikes in their descriptions, users are free to choose whatever bike they want to use (except TT on some rides where it is disabled). IIRC the endurance ride is set at 1.5-2.0w/kg - usually closer to 1.5w/kg on flats and 2.0w/kg on the climbs.
Looking at some of the activities of people who rode it today it appears the course chosen was a Jungle Route which is mostly dirt. Since Zwift changed the rolling resistance of dirt it is standard practice, at least on Herd rides, to let people know to switch to a MTB since it is faster in the jungle. Otherwise, if you are on a road bike you will need to do 0.5-1.0w/kg higher than the stated pace (if not more) to keep up. It’s just the way it is now with dirt routes.
Sorry, this is just not possible in Zwift. The Yellow Beacon starts on the front row of the pens, were you further back in the pens? If so, it will take more work to get to yellow at the beginning. Also remember, if there are a lot of riders your screen only shows the closest 100, so it may look like the leader is riding alone but they are most definitely surrounded by riders (it’s just that you can’t see them).
Every rider has their own endurance zones, the ride lists the target range for w/kg so if your endurance zone does not fall within those limits then yes you are correct it won’t be an endurance ride for you specifically. That’s why power ranges are listed, so the rider can make a decision if it is a ride they can do or not.
I’ve seen it on three rides now. That’s not extrapolatiing anything. It’s a trend. I’ve been in Zwift for …a few years. It was, once upon a time, something we would see …rarely! Now it seems a norm.
No worries. Friends I ride with have been switching over to TACX. There are always other options. I’ll cancel my membership accordingly!
Thanks!
Really! Is your brilliant response! I realize now… all Zwift is are riders who … virtual riding is your reality. Training zones … nah… for those of us who use this as a training tool and not a toy… training zones aren’t any use!!!
Hardly a norm. You are just trolling here. Have fun on the Tacx app!
Soooo, the ride leader said to change bike to MTB for the jungle, you did not do that, and then you complain you have to put out more watts to keep pace to the rest of the group who have swtiched to MTB?
And you are on Zwift for a few years now? 
Please keep this respect full, these are people that are trying to help.
Actually that is your response, I provided a detailed explanation. But it is obvious you aren’t interested in having a discussion and have already determined you are right no matter what anyone says.
Anyways, I’ll just leave this here (from today’s Herd Endurance Ride on ZwiftPower where the ride leader nailed the pace perfectly):
