Hope this is the right forum to write in. But I do have some recommendations and suggestions for improvement of the current RoboPacers. Please like or leave a comment if you agree.
I often experiencing riding with RoboPacers as being fun and challenging. Although there are things that does not work as well as they should be. One of the things I think pretty annoying is, that for some RoboPacers the +/- distance from you to the RoboPacers are simply to short. The other day I was riding with a Robopacers. Uphill it went all fine and I can in front of the RoboPacers - why I paused pedaling for a minute. The RoboPacer suddenly overtook me and I was struggling following with it. I succeeded but had gained so much speed that I took over the RoboPacers and got way too far in front of it why I lost my bonus.
This happens often why I don’t think the “distance” to the RoboPacers work well. Here’s a suggestion:
You should see the distance to the RoboPacer all the time on the screen
You should be able to see the RoboPacer distance all the time at your screen.
If the distance is:
Between 0-25 meters the distance is shown in green
Between 25-50 meters the distance should be shown in yellow/orange
Above 50 distance should be shown in red. Very important: if distance is shown in red, the bonus multiplier IS PAUSED NOT CANCELLED and will resume till you come closer to the RoboPacer. You can have the opportunity to cancel it, if you want to ride on your own.
This could also be combined with also visible speed of RoboPacer allowing you to adjust your pace to either get the RoboPacer to get closer to you or you to get closer to RoboPacer.
I have been using the Robopacers a lot last weeks, to pace in a “constant-ish” pace. I found them very funny.
What I would propose is:
when you are “linked” to the robopacer, the robopacer should apear always in the riders list. So you can always see him in the list, even when many riders are in the group.
I would love the option of activate/deactivate the rubber band, so, instead of deattached from the robopacer, I would be forced to remain at the group speed. Extra: to have an intermediate state where this option is deactivate for sprints.
This. I’ve been thinking this for so long!! You just can’t see how far behind they are sometimes. Even a black outline round the text would be great.
I think pacers using TT bike would slow down the “race” a bit. It is worst in the huge groups. In the groups of 10 or less the pace of the group and power levels feel normal.
Also like idea of making the indication of the bots more obvious.
I’d like them to try the pacers on a TT bike to see how it goes.
I think the problem we’d see is people would be complaining about how much slower the pace is compared to what the bot is doing for larger groups (because the bot is not drafting but everyone else in the group is - so everyone is doing less than the advertised bot pace).
The pace of the bots would be more consistent between big and small groups, but people will still get more draft in the larger groups, less draft when following a bot with nobody else since the draft would be weaker. So there would still be variability in power needed between smaller and larger groups, but probably less variability.
When following the bot I agree it would be good to have the bot locked to the top or bottom of the rider list (depending on where they are) so you can always tell how far ahead or behind the bot you are.
I’m back on Zwift after a year off - and it’s nice to see more pacers. A few things though
Wouldn’t it make sense that they don’t get draft effect - I’ve been in the menu and seen - multiple times - the 1.5 group is faster than the 1.8 as it is a larger pack. Ideally (to me) they just are a metronome, ticking along at a steady pace so we too can keep a steady cadence and tempo.
It would be helpful if there is a yellow dot on the mini map for them at all times … I’ve gotten ahead of a pacer and then have no sense of how far back it is.
Reasonable suggestion but people like the fast pace and getting distance quickly.
I notice some folk love pushing the pace up faster in robopacer groups, so I’ve been thinking why not have robopacers launch surprise breakaway attacks and sprint efforts. Seems people would enjoy this.
I’m talking the 1.5–1.8 pacer here. I don’t think most people trying to push it - we are talking sub D level here and typically <20 participants.
If they’re not getting unduly dragged along then the required watts to keep up with them should be what you’d expect, regardless of speed over the ground.
I (73kg +/- 2kg) almost always do my recovery rides with Bernie and I don’t think I’ve ever averaged below 105 watts or above 110 watts, regardless of group size and/or kmh.
I think the below suggestion of getting over 50m ahead of robopacer, the bonus multiplier is paused until it catches up or by me slowing down after a climb. Im constantly dropping the robopacer on climbs and have to start the counter over and doesn’t seem fair. Thanks
quote=“Jon, post:1, topic:613051, username:Jon_Toft”]
Above 50 distance should be shown in red. Very important: if distance is shown in red, the bonus multiplier IS PAUSED NOT CANCELLED and will resume till you come closer to the RoboPacer. You can have the opportunity to cancel it, if you want to ride on your own.
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