Question:
How do Zwifters feel about a race series where entering ones weight via verifiable method (Video upload, sync with smart scales etc) is mandatory in order to be able to compete?
Context
With 36% (by one survey) of users either intentionally or non-intentionally failing to input an accurate weight it feels like a significant volume of races are being won on false pretences. This is frustrating for users who want to race knowing their ability to win is based on their own performance alone not through lack of admin or intentional doping.
Suggested Solution
Creating a separate race series where in order to take part users have to sync their weight by a verifiable method (as above) once a week would be appealing for a majority of individuals who compete on the basis they want to know they have the best chance of winning as possible. I am sure it is well within the Zwift dev teams capabilities to automate any verification process without relying on a human check.
Keen to see if there any other suggestions around this and if the Zwift developers think this is an easy lift
I think this is a great idea. Perhaps the “weighing in” videos could be livestreamed on OnlyFans, helping generate revenue that would offset the cost of employing the independent verifiers (who in any event, could be outsourced to a Centre of Excellence in a low cost location).
In real life, some people have huge equipment advantages over me. I’ve TTed an aluminium-framed bike against people who can afford aero bikes worth thousands more than I can. No-one has ever tried to fix this imbalance for me.
In Zwift, some people’s weight (or scales) will be inaccurate (in both directions). Some people will have mis-calibrated trainers (in both directions). Some people are cycling at higher/lower altitudes and in higher/lower temperatures than me.
I look at the differences on Zwift the same way I do the bike advantages/disadvantages in real life: I focus on my riding, and accept that I’m racing what I’m racing and it’s easier to change my own attitude about other people than to change everyone to be like me.
I’m just glad the goofy nature of zwift physics, operating on the capricious inputs provided by individual zwifters, has plopped me down right below some arbitrary category cutoff so I can stroke my ego by being close to the imaginary podium that not even my mom cares about
At the very least, Zwift could include weight monitoring. I was in an event today and one of the top riders regularly changes their weight by +/- 20kg depending on the event.
I want that my weight is correct and it would be nice that f.ex. Garmin S2 could tell that figure to Zwift as well. And because I’m lazy I do not update my weight on daily basis to Zwift even I wanted.
About forcing this I don’t see it’s any good. If you want to cheat you will
Well, I was going to complain about the cumbersome process of up dating wt.
I can step on the scale at work but I usually don’t have time or attention span, to log into Zwift to update my settings, especially when the change is very small.
I just noted that the companion app lets us do so quickly.
Don’t know if it has always been that way.
I saw one of the most hardcore weight dopers on the TdZ ride last night. Throughout their time on Zwift they’ve ridden at just about every weight there is between 40kg and 135kg but as they mostly ride around the 80kg mark that’s probably close to their real weight (height is 180cm).
For their last 5 rides the weights have been 40, 60, 50, 45 and 40kg. The power and HR has been pretty consistent all the time so it doesn’t look like it’s account sharing.
The funniest part is that despite having the highest w/kg last night at 5.3w/kg they still finished a minute behind the fastest rider (at 4.4w/kg). What’s the point of weight doping if you aren’t going to win the imaginary race?
Maybe it’s just to make sure they stay in the front pack, and get a tempo workout - where with their real weight they might get dropped, or do a threshold or more effort. It’s possible their goal is not to win, but maybe don’t want to put too much effort in or get dropped and end up riding alone.
Maybe they wear different kit for every race, and they keep forgetting to take the mini-pumps and tubes and stinger waffles and stuff out of the pockets…?
