Hi. Trying to get my uncle to ride. My uncle is 83 and had a heart attack - despite that, he’s in pretty good shape and I think the graphics and such would be much more fun that a treadmill. He has enjoyed riding bikes IRL in the past, but now lives in a very hilly & cold area - great for hardcore riders but not for easing in.
Is there a way to get a really easy setup? something that might be artificially fast/easy/entertaining from a FTP/watts/tech standpoint? The goal is riding, not ‘accuracy’?
He’d be using my Kickr and I’d create a separate account.
“Riders choice” workouts, or riding with trainer difficulty very low would get rid of hill gradients completely, or at least make them feel like false flat.
Or if they aren’t going to race, falsify their weight and/or height.
Tweak the FTP so online group workouts will keep them with the group, but they might be doing say a max of their real z2 while those using legit FTP are doing a z5 interval.
Since you mentioned a treadmill - does he already own and use a treadmill, and find it too boring? Running on Zwift is still free, so he could get a taste of Zwift by using it with his treadmill. And maybe he’ll start to get jealous of us cyclists zooming past and want to give cycling a go (assuming he’s not zooming past us, up the Epic or Alpe).
Group rides at his pace, or set meetups, have some comms tool like whatsapp, say, okay, we’ll ride at “whatever time” see you at the start of “whatever route” and maybe that can suffice. No particular workouts, just make it simple and easy?
He doesn’t use tech much and his friends are also in their eighties- not so much on the WhatsApp. I’ll set him up. Id i could get him to try a few rides and enjoy them then maybe he could enroll a friend… interesting idea
Being a new Zwifter (but not a new cyclist), I started out using the “Fast Track to Fitness” plans. It builds strength, familiarity with Zwift environment, teaches the rider to relax, improves breathing, improves cadence, teaches one to let the legs do the work and to use cool downs in between stronger efforts.
I found the fast tracks to be more motivating than jumping in and keeping pace with other riders on some random free ride. I have just lately begun to do some free rides and I have found that the preparatory work was worth the time and effort. I’ve also noticed improved ability outdoors.