I listened to all the people telling me I should not be going in races because it was unfair considering I was using zpower . The only event I am doing now are what are social events. During the last 3 weeks I have been doing the Watopia tours to get double points . My understanding is that these events are social events and not races. Yet I get often abused by people telling me I am cheating and I get called all sorts of unfavourable names. Most of the time before the event I alert the riders I am on zpower. Most of the time I only do 30 minutes anyway as this is the only time I have free. Riders need to understand that it’s ok for someone to use zpower if it is not a race. Not everyone can afford a smart trainer or the equivalent. Especially retiree who want to exercise but can’t afford a smart trainer (in terms of money or time as they maybe caring for someone) . Yes I agree for races but not social events.
Question: are you somewhere in the middle of the pack or are you right at the front where the other people are treating it as a race?
I’m going to guess it’s the second option, right?
What difference does it make ?? It is not a race. Most of the time I stay with the front group. However sometimes I need to hurry because i am running out of time and I want to get max double points .
People who want to race should just do races. In any case zpower people are not cheats especially when they tell the riders before the start of the even they are on zpower and that they are not counted on the final result. If riders want to prove themselves as good riders . they should compete on the road rather than on Zwift . How good you are on Zwift does not reflect your real ability on road races.
People on smart trainers can cheat anyway. Use the wrong weight , turn off Erg … etc
I am tired of riders having BIG EGOS wanting to constantly prove how good they are. Zwift is just a game for heavens sake. You want to prove how good you are GO ON THE ROAD and race. If your good enough you can prove yourself at the tour de france
Make screenshots of the abuse when it happens and report it to Zwift support. There’s not much else you can do.
I don’t use a mobile when I zwift so I cant make screen shots . I am writing this on the forum hoping that some of these abusers can understand that we are not all in the same boat. Some of us oldies are only interested in doing exercises and Zwift is fun to do . I stopped going on the road after getting hit by a truck. As a 71 year old person I don’t have delusions of grandeur about my ability. I have a smart trainer and when its fixed I will go back on it . I am just asking riders who want to race to forget about social event and do the races Zwift provides. I only have 30 minutes a day to do Zwift and I want to get max double points so if I go as fast as I can it’s not because i want to beat everyone, I know that zpower gives you a definite advantage.
Your later posts show that you know exactly what difference it makes, and why you’re getting the response you’re getting. The abuse is not OK.
For what it’s worth, you can Free Ride any of the ToW routes and receive double XP and no one will bother you.
Sadly there’s no way for you to communicate with the people abusing you via the forum.
But you are aware that some people treat it like a race. You’re not going to make them change their attitudes about that part. Given that, you absolutely should be expecting people to get upset.
Not justifying the abuse at all–I’m telling people in another thread right now to calm down about people using coffee stops in the same sort of events, lol. And even if someone is upset, abuse isn’t justified.
But you really do know why it’s happening. You might not think they should have those attitudes about Group Rides, but they do.
Couple of suggestions:
- Turn off the chat. If you’re not using the chat yourself, just turn it off and they can abuse their keyboards all they want without it reaching you
- Tell them that you’re on ZPower, but that you’re going to let up on the gas before the finishline. And then actually do that. But tell them that part first. People are getting bunged up at the thought of your name appearing higher on a list on their screen at the end of the race. Assure them that won’t happen. Then if you’re in the lead group, stop pedaling at 1km to go. Let them charge to the finish, and then follow.
people who treat events like a race need to go somewhere else and join a race. No abuse is justified. There are plenty of cheaters on smart trainers too. What is the matter with these people’s egoes that they need this? My suggestion is to join events using the electrified fence. You can then ride with the group that crowds the fence without a problem.
Agree completely with the second part. Not with the first part. People should be free to be as racy as they want to be in these big group events, so long as that doesn’t include getting upset and abusive towards people who don’t want to do that. Essentially–what either kind of person is doing shouldn’t be a bother to the other kind.
Where 2 or more are gathered in Zwift’s name, they will treat is as a race.
But that doesn’t excuse abuse. Do unto others…
Well yes, also… no.
Even Zwift themselves and their own club races can’t even put up a fight compared to the numbers ToW brings to the table. Pushing hard and getting a great “race” workout on them, shouldn’t be offensive to anyone.
It isn’t about ego, it’s about pushing with others for once and possibly having fun.
You say join a race, but the reality is, races aren’t that big, ESPECIALLY if you’ve ever looked at the Americas times, where races often pull an entire… 4 people or less per category.
Does racing against 2-4 people sound like a grand time? No… no it doesn’t.
How about a large public ride that can be treated like a race with… 300 people? Yeah, that sounds a good time if you ask me; maybe even some banter along the way too.
This is Zwift’s own doing for the record, but this is just where we’re at in the ecosystem of Zwift’s public open rides and races etc. This is what happens when there are so many rides ongoing at once, people can’t choose, and yet even while ToW was ongoing, I’m sure the Robo Partners saw more riders than the ToW rides did, just because some people love those things.
But please… do not think for one second that it’s dumb that people go to race these open road rides; because it isn’t, especially for those of us who don’t have the opportunities like those in other time zones which do have large races.
For comparison’s sake, Oceania and European times for the Zwift Club Crit series both saw 40-50 riders.
Americas saw an entire 15 and 10… The 15 rider race had a single D racer… The 10 person race, everyone in C was on the podium. (because it was only 3 people)
To OP, definitely recommend what Tom mentioned; if you aren’t using chat, just disable it. Personally, I wouldn’t even bother telling folks you are on ZPower, that’s just going to offend people more, especially if they already recognize your name from the chat in the pens, and then also see you at the front immediately after.
I would say let them figure it out and get upset by it themselves if they want to.
Why would you need to be telling people you are on ZPower?
Is there a particular distinction about that versus someone on a calibrated smart trainer?
If someone is using particular offensive language then report them. I do that sometimes when I see people speaking inappropriately.
Note. I didn’t ride ANY of the ToW events. But the one route I do ride frequently is plagued by impossibly fast times which I doubt the users could do in real life looking at their profiles, either power and cadence is too high or they are 39kg and smashing 6.5w/kg on their way to their vEverest.
You’re right, it’s not a race.
That said, if you’re in the front group of a Tour ride and you are a self proclaimed oldie with no aspirations, then your set up is broken.
71 yo do not win bike races and they are never in a group where they attract that kind of attention.
Are you sure you’re not the one boosting your ego?
Before one of the ToW group rides there was someone saying they were on ZPower and needed to finish the event early so nobody should chase them.
The general response from everyone else was “challenge accepted”.
Long story short, the ZPower rider did not win the group ride.
Fact of life you can’t win a group ride as it isn’t a race…
I use a Tuo wheel on smart trainer in conjunction with my normal road bike a Trek Domane LT+ (yep that’s right its a pedal assist e-bike) I don’t do races, I do, do group rides very occasionally, and I’ll use the assistance of the bike exactly the same as in real life, here in England such a bike only assists up to 15.5 MPH
I use a jet black and the set up is fine . I was marathon runner and my resting heart rate is 38. I was told by a cardiologist that I will probably die of arterial fibrillation . “Athlete’s curse” . It is a fact that riders on zpower have a definite advantage. Mist people on zpower much younger than me always seem to be at the front . Sometimes by along way . So it’s not my setup . Incidentally my jet black has 5 settings so setting number 1 is real easy . However setting number 5 is real hard . So it’s not the setting it’s because it is not a smart trainer.