I wish Zwift would increase the number and variation of the pacer bots on the Tempus Fugit and Volcano Circuit routes (especially 2.2-3.2 w/kg).
Why? These routes allow the rider (me) to get dropped, recover, and use U-turns to join the bot again. That way I can accummulate practice riding higher group paces (I call them “bottervals”). It has become my favorite high-intensity Zwift workout these days!
And, while you’re at it, can you publish the bots’ positions on ZwiftGPS? I would like more time to see them coming before making my U-turn as it slows me down so much.
…and smashed that upvote button. I would so like to be able to do this. I can hold C.Coco’s wheel for 20 minutes before I need to back off but I’d love to do more.
A workaround that’s been suggested is to ride the next bot down using a slower bike and wheel combo but I haven’t really experimented with this enough to have an opinion. (disclosure: I’m usually with D.Miguel or D.Maria)
It’s extremely unlikely I will be updating the RoboPacer schedules until we improve the Pace Partner UI on the Home Screen - this is because you already have to do quite a lot of scrolling sometimes, to find the one you want to ride with.
One version of ‘Bottervals’ that i use is making my own breakaway on a climb. I then try to stay away from the galloping peloton for as long a possible. You need to use a bot that is in the mid-high comfort range so you need to go deep on the interval and can then settle back to around the bot output during your breakaway. The peloton will, by drafting dynamics default, go quicker on the chase for the same output.
My particular favourite route for this is 3 Little Sisters.
Railways and Rooftops is a great bot route for that climb breakaway game too. I’ve attacked at the bottom of the climb, gotten 30ish seconds at the top, and had only an 8sec lead by the bottom. Whew.
