Weekly Pace Partner Update - W/C 30th May

RoboPacers
1

Hey everybody,
Here’s what routes we’ll be using for the Pace Partners next week:

Watopia
Anquetil (4.2) - Big Foot Hills
Brevet (3.3) - Triple Flat Loops
Coco (2.5) - Watopia’s Waistband
Daniela (2.15) - Out and Back Again
Diego (1.8) - Magnificent 8
Diesel (1.5) - Beach Island Loop
Dorothy (1.15) - Tick Tock

Makuri
Bernadette (3.8) - Three Village Loop
Charlie (3.0) - Twilight Harbour
Denise (2.0) - Farmland Loop
Eddy (1.0) - Neon Flats

All 11 Pace Partners will continue to use Dynamic Pacing, with the same settings as this week (10% more power when the gradient is 3% or more and 20% less power when the negative gradient is -3% or more).

The week after (starting June 6th) we’re going to do a couple other things.

We’re going to reduce Brevet to 3.0 and Daniela to 2.0. We’re doing this to gauge the popularity of these paces. We know already how popular they are in Makuri, but want to see how popular they are versus other Pace Partners in Watopia. They’ll be at that pace for 14 days before reverting back to their previous levels.

We are also going to trial a step change in the Dynamic Pacing. This will mean that when the gradient is 3-5%, the additional power will be 5%. When the gradient goes over 5%, this will increase the power to 10%. We’re doing this to try to prevent a sudden increase in power and to make it happen in phases. This may or may not work, but we want to see how it goes :slight_smile:

For those of you that run, how would you feel about having pace runners in the May Field loop that run a 4 min/km, 5 min/km, 6 min/km, 7 min/km and 8 min/km? My thinking behind this is that we know that we don’t have many people that run with our running partners, but by having them on the same small loop, it’ll feel like a bit more of a group and also gives you a chance to raise or lower your pace by switching to a different Partner when you come across them.

And finally…

We know about the 2 bugs that have been fairly widely discussed, especially this week. We know about the disappearing riders going down the bridge after the Epic KOM Bypass (that Coco has been riding on) and well as difficulties for some ATV, iOS and Android users being placed with a Pace Partner. We’re working on both of these and we’ll bring you more information when they’re resolved.

Sorry, lots of words!

2

Brilliant, thanks James!

When Brevet drops to 3.0 will he be maintaining a weight of 80 kg, or are you standardizing all the bots (at 75 kg)?

Keep up the good work.

3

Just a pace change.

I have a weekly meeting to discuss PP feedback over the prior week. I had meant to bring up standardising weights in that meeting but forgot. No rush so I’ll bring it up next week.

1 Like
4

Thanks for the quick reply James. On reflection, I don’t think it would help me keep pace even with a 75 kg Brevet.

I rode with Charlie Chaser the other day (usually ride Coco and find that “easy”) and found Charlie quite challenging, almost akin to cat C race pace for me.

I wish I had daily access to Charlie but as an ATV user I have to wait for Makuri to appear as a guest world (can’t be bothered with the hassle of the meet-up workaround etc.). Anyway, I think things are moving in the right direction with these PPs :+1:

5

We’re potentially looking at always having Makuri being available with one guest world so that the kids are available to everyone, always.

6 Likes
6

Regarding the variable [EDIT: by “variable” I mean “Dynamic”] paces, I just posted this comment in the older thread on this topic:

7

What you meant to say was with TWO or THREE guest worlds every day… right? RIGHT!

1 Like
8

Agree with the comment about Charlie. It would be nice to have him available all the time as a more challenging option to Coco.

9

Is there a known way to minimize the chance that someone runs into this issue? I tried to join the A bot over 4-5 times just now (did full restarts 3 times), then tried to join B, then tried to join C, and none of them joined properly. I gave up, and just free-rode instead.

1 Like
10

They’re still messing with it in real time, the 60sec assist for no power is back at present.

11

So Brevet and Charlie will both be at 3.0 for a couple of weeks?

12

Anquetil (4.2) - Big Foot Hills
Bernadette (3.8) - Three Village Loop
Brevet (3.3) - Triple Flat Loops
Charlie (3.0) - Twilight Harbour
Coco (2.5) - Watopia’s Waistband
Daniela (2.15) - Out and Back Again
Denise (2.0) - Farmland Loop
Diego (1.8) - Magnificent 8
Diesel (1.5) - Beach Island Loop
Dorothy (1.15) - Tick Tock
Eddy (1.0) - Neon Flats

Looks good :slight_smile:

2 Likes
13

Different PP weights (80 kg vs 75 kg), so slightly different power outputs of 240W vs 225W.

Could make a difference to your ride depending upon your weight and fitness etc.

14

Genuinely fascinating to see all this being developed in the open like this. Thanks.

15

I really do hope that the changes to Brevet are temporary as you say and don’t become permanent… Otherwise, the jump of Brevet at 3.0 to Anquetil at 4.2 is huge, especially with the dynamic pace increase that will have Anquetil at 4.6 during hills…

1 Like
16

Oh, I’ll fight for them to come back if I have to.

1 Like
17

Remember there is also Bernadette at 3.8.

1 Like
18

Question. Is this a sustained power increase throughout the climb or does is it just for the initial gradient change? If sustained, it might be worth trying it with a timed increase at the base of a climb that tapers back to the original power after X seconds.

I know I tend to increase my power to try to carry momentum into the base of a climb then settle back to my comfortable power level both in virtual and real life climbs.

19

I have trying a few of the pace bots this week and really enjoyed them so far! Charlie chaser seems like a great addition, keen to try Bernadette next :+1: I have always found Anquetil ok on the flats but a struggle up hills so Bernadette will will hopefully bridge the gap for me. I am also loving all the extra routes availible to use them on so thanks for all the work done to make the pace partners better.

I think that could be a good idea with the running pace partners. Mayfield is one of the only running routes which is always full of people, I suppose the only concern would be if its a bit too hectic with so many pacers on a small route? I guess there is only one way to find out :wink: I think the extra pace bots would make a big change as many fall between the ones we currently have.

It a shame the current pacers are on cycling routes and not the running ones but i guess this was done because of the length so you can run as far as you want. Its also a shame the run bots are not used that much considering there are plenty of runners on the platform, Any kind of change that could make them more popular would be great.

20

It’s sustained for now.