Smaller/lighter riders are definitely disadvantaged in zwift. In real life our power is less but so is our drag coefficient so we can keep up with the bigger boys! For example in real life a small person with low height/narrow shoulders etc their lesser power would overall match the speed of someone with 80% more power but only 50% more weight.
It would be great if zwift could factor this into the modeling- there must be approximations from height/weight which translates into increased mass through the air…
please consider this, this is esp important for us girls joining group rides!
Yes, I think this is a good idea. I have an example with real numbers. My friend is very tall (6 foot 4) and weighs 90kg. His 20 min power is 435 watts. I am 5 foot 8 and weigh 60kgs and my 20 min power is 235 watts. Yet in real life on a 5% gradient, 20 min climb I can match or beat his times. In Zwift he would be way ahead because his watts per kilo are much higher.
I think zwift gives the advantage already to lighter riders. i am constantly being beaten by smaller riders. example, one girl had 3.4 w/kg and finished over 15 seconds ahead of me doing over 3.7 w/kg. she is like 52 kg to my 68. I think zwift unfairly punishes riders who are a bit ‘wider’ in their avatar. On a flat road, I would be way ahead of the smaller rider. w/cda is what real life is. w/kg only applies to hills over like 5% or so. my Cda is not that much different from a smaller rider. and by derriere is not as big as zwift makes it appear.