On certain social/ endurance group rides (not races) where there is a set/agreed pace there will often be a lot of people going off the front and the whole ride gets stretched out, even if the beacon rider is doing a good job to maintain the agreed w/kg. This typically leads to call outs over chat etc to get people in line and frustration along with it.
My suggestion is that it becomes possible for ride organisers to toggle on or off an option whereby riders that fly off the front receive a warning to drop back to the beacon or else be dropped from the event. Much the same as the “More Power!” warnings when in training mode.
This can be triggered, for instance, when a riders getting more than 30 seconds ahead of the beacon. Once being warned the flyer would then have a minute or so drop back to the beacon, if not they default to no longer being in the ride. I think this would help a lot to distinguish social rides from races; many now feel “everything is a race”.
Unfortunately Zwift aren’t listening. Control for group ride leaders to stop flyers have been requested numerous times in the past and Zwift ignores those requests. Maybe the upcoming Zwift rival CVRcade that does have controls for group rides might spur Zwift into action?
Should people who fall 30 seconds back get booted too? I think we should focus on ourselves, and not on some idiot “winning” a race that’s not a race.
If you want a social ride, then do that… 12 guys racing off the front doesn’t prevent you from staying with the beacon.
Long story short, focus on yourself and don’t freak out about other people.
Thing is, a few flyers will pull 30 guys will them. These 30 others are flying away, thinking “we´re not flyers, we´re just following the wheels of these hardworking idiots”.
So let them.
Some people will see social rides always as races.
I even know someone, who admits to fly of in social rides, cause he likes to see if he can keep up.
Once I also was riding way ahead of the beacon. It was a Sub2 ride, I chose it cause I didn’t feel good, but after warmup I felt good and Sub2 was too slow for me, so I joined a nice little group about 2-3 minutes ahead of the beacon. Was still a good ride for everybody.
I’m always one of the guys who rides with the beacon in group rides and curses the flyers off the front. However, today, I found myself inadvertently in a group off the front, going about 2.5 w/kg pace, when the advertised pace was 1.3 - 1.8 or something. And, I enjoyed going at that faster pace - because I wanted to go that faster pace, and there were no other group rides at that time that I was Zwifting.
So, here’s an easy fix for Zwift: Pick a time or distance ahead of the beacon and when a rider gets ahead of that, simply strip them of their designated group ride jersey, make them a small dot on the map, but keep them on the same course, and just let them go as a group. Problem solved.
I think one of the problems is that if you are in front of the beacon then you don’t know how far in front you are. The flyers can quickly stretch or split the group without the group realising.
My suggestion is that the beacon’s position should be stickied on the closest riders list on the right of screen. If the beacon is behind then he should be at the bottom of the list and if the beacon is in front he should be at the top of the list. This means the beacons name will always be visible on the rider list so you can easily see how far in front or behind you are.
Developing that idea a bit more, in races the first placed rider in your category should be stickied to the top of the rider list so you know how far behind the leader you are. Developing that idea even further it would be amazing if groups of riders could be one listing. eg
group 1 (5 riders) at -20 secs
group 2 (8 riders) at -10 secs
I think I’m getting a bit greedy with the last suggestion though.
I support this idea. I do think that some ride leaders are part of the problem. They allow the hammers to increase the pace and they don’t maintain the advertised power range. If ride leaders just let them ride off the front maybe some would get the hint
longer version: Flyers off the front is the real world - there isn’t an outdoor group ride, social or otherwise, that doesn’t have flyers off the front, or riders get dropped. Ya gotta just let them go, and ignore it. Riding in a group takes cooperation, and situational awareness. Those riders who control themselves and ride with or near the group lead and beacon, will become better skilled and socially skilled on real outdoor rides - except for the steering, braking, and passing on the right It takes discipline to NOT speed up and follow the flyers, thus stretching the group, and taxing the slower riders. For me, I try to stay with the group, and help those in the back. That makes me feel good. And I ignore the flyers off the front. Peace Out.
I have been on some Zwift group rides where the leader is essentially begging the flyers to slow down. I think its insane to let them dictate the ride. Leaders should just tell them to either come back to the group or they are on their own
Yes, this is the whole point to ket the flyers go… There are always going to be some flyers and its fine to let them go but they typically drag along a whole bunch so that the whole field gets super stretched.
And again this would only be an option for ride organisers to toggle on or off, not standard on all rides.
It takes discipline to NOT speed up and follow the flyers, thus stretching the group, and taxing the slower riders. For me, I try to stay with the group, and help those in the back. That makes me feel good. And I ignore the flyers off the front. Peace Out.