It’s been a while since I have posted, but my last “bad” idea actually came to fruition at least in some capacity (getting some kind of credit for outdoor rides) so I figured I’d throw this one out.
We need robo pacers doing big hills. I know, I know, it’s not as easy to make a nice loop if there’s a big descent after the climb, but there could be a portal-reset to start the hill over or just make people spin down the hill too. I like riding with the bots, but I am also working on that Everest so I almost never use the bots. This seems like it would be a nice way to get in both vert and a that group dynamic.
Most Zwift features are “one size fits most”. There are a few exceptions, but it seems pretty clear they are focused on the work that acquires and retains the most users and everyone else can lump it. It’s a reasonable approach from the business perspective, it just sucks if you are not with the majority. My approach is to ignore the pacers, do a lot of solo rides, and I can recommend doing route of the week because there are a lot of other people you’ll find on the same route. It’s a great addition to the game and I can often find someone who wants to motor along at my pace. Of course some of the routes of the week are boring but this week’s is good.
Update: just like my request for outside rides to count for something… it seems my wishes have been fulfilled. Plenty of robo pacers with big elevation gain on the routes now!
I did see some robopacers in France world with some elevation, but not what you’d call a real climb. But then what I consider “bigger climb” may be something different to others.
The decision to block teleport to areas near the top of long descents in response to widespread upgrade cheating would complicate matters, not to mention the fact that there is only one way to lap the Alpe and no way to lap Ven-Top. Lots of options for Epic KOM but the method they chose to deter upgrade cheating remains problematic for this. Of course that would not stop them from having many more group ride events with pacers on climbing routes, it just wouldn’t replicate the ease of use that pacers ordinarily provide.
For climbing routes (like Road to Sky), couldn’t conceivably Zwift build climb-portal type gateways at the top of climbs that teleport you back to the start of a route, just for this purpose (thereby no free distance)? They would have to be part of separate new distinct routes such as “Road to Sky Loop”.
Sure all the problems are theoretically solvable with more investment than simply sticking pacers on climbing routes. Which is why I don’t see it happening but that’s just my hunch.
If people are that desperate to cheat purely for distance, let em! I think the benefits outweigh that. It’s just a game in the end and you get no drops for coasting anyway.
Yeah I think it would be pretty easily solvable, or just let em coast down and start over. The grade would be a fine one to use as well, or mountain mash would be even better.
