Zwift Paceline Group Ride

[bcroslin]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

pardon my ignorance, but what is ant+ dongle, and how is it used?

also, i take it your mac computer is hooked up to your tacx trainer via a usb cable, right?

Here's a Garmin dongle but I picked up a generic one off Amazon for $18.

The Bushido is self powered so it connects via Ant+ to the trainer as well as some Bluetooth magic I believe. It's all pretty easy to set up but I had to update my Bushido trainer firmware after unpacking it to get it to work.

Last night was kind of a game changer for me. Being able to participate in a virtual group ride sounds a little goofy but it was actually a lot of fun. I can sit on the trainer and spin 185-250 watts for 45 mins tops but trying to keep up with a group kept me engaged and I could have easily done it for 90 mins or so and not gotten bored. Swift isn't perfect but it's just going to keep getting better I'm sure.

[shovelhd]

To use Zwift you must have at least an ANT+ speed sensor and a dumb trainer. If your dumb trainer is one that's listed Zwift will apply a power curve to it. Your Computrainer needs to be ANT+ compatible in order to work as a smart trainer.

My setup. Not much else I could add.

Tacx Bushido TDF set up for ANT+ FE-C power meter control.
Garmin ANT+ dongle on Belkin 16' powered USB extension.
Powered USB hub to power the extension.
Lenovo laptop with dedicated graphics adapter on an adjustable conductors stand. N600 wifi.
HP 28" monitor connected via HDMI to laptop.
SRM power meter with PC8 display.
Separate 19" HDTV with cable receiver and DVD player.
Gemini mixer with cable receiver and DVD player audio inputs.
MPow Bluetooth 4.0 USB transmitter. Power from USB hub. Audio from mixer.
MPow Swift Bluetooth sport headphones.
Max Air 20" commercial floor fan.
Dedicated trainer wheel (Mavic Aksium) with Tacx blue trainer tire.

[kramnnim]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

would any of you mind describing the actual physical setup you use for zwift? meaning, how do you have everything connected? apps, wires, etc., and particularly for those who have a computrainer.

for reference, my basement bike trainer setup is a computrainer, my android smartphone, and a t.v. with chromecast, which i use to watch youtube videos of bike races streamed from my phone.

i looked at the zwift app while on the phone but couldn't really understand the pricing, so i gave up.

thanks for any tips.

Lots of people using Computrainers and Zwift. CT connected to PC via USB, and...I'm not sure you even need an ANT+ stick. The computer does need to be 64 bit and somewhat new. The app adds a few functions but you need the program to be running on the computer for it to do much.

Pricing is $10/month, 2 months free if you connect a Premium Strava account. There is also a short period where you can test it for free.

[kramnnim]

https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/a...a-Computrainer

I think I have seen complaints about their CT not working with their Mac recently, not sure if it is widespread.

[shovelhd]

If the CT is connected via USB, will it function as a smart trainer? If you have a power meter, can it control the CT and provide power data to Zwift?

[andrew+]

I use a Tacx Vortex Smart trainer with Zwift. It communicates via ANT+ with my macbook air from ~2012. I had to buy an ANT+ "dongle," but it appears that Bluetooth support may be coming soon.

One thing that's great about my smart trainer is that Zwift adjusts its resistance automatically on the trainer depending on whether you are ascending or descending. So, going down you have to really spin to put out watts, and going up I often find myself out of the saddle. Also, when in "workout mode," Zwift adjusts the resistance to hit the amount of watts you are targeting for that interval segment, no matter what RPM you are spinning. I believe this is called "ERG mode" or something similar.

As bcroslin said, it really feels like you're riding with other people - it adds just enough of a social component to make indoor training far, far more compelling.

[shovelhd]

It will also adjust for the draft and for power ups.

[djg21]

Originally Posted by kramnnim

Lots of people using Computrainers and Zwift. CT connected to PC via USB, and...I'm not sure you even need an ANT+ stick. The computer does need to be 64 bit and somewhat new. The app adds a few functions but you need the program to be running on the computer for it to do much.

Pricing is $10/month, 2 months free if you connect a Premium Strava account. There is also a short period where you can test it for free.

With a Computrainer, you need neither a powermeter, an Ant+ dongle, nor any sensors (apart from the CT cadence sensor and polar HR meter sensor that works with the CT). Download Zwift and it will scan the USB ports for the FTDI adapter used to attach the Computrainer. It's plug-and-play!

[shovelhd]

Good to know, thanks!

[54ny77]

cool, this is helpful.

do you have to have the cadence sensor?

any idea if i can run zwift off of my android phone? i have an old desktop i can use if need be, but am trying to do as much of this via bluetooth so as to avoid cords. and not have to use an older flatscreen t.v. as a computer monitor (it doesn't have as high a resolution, i think it's 720).

Originally Posted by djg21

With a Computrainer, you need neither a powermeter, an Ant+ dongle, nor any sensors (apart from the CT cadence sensor and polar HR meter sensor that works with the CT). Download Zwift and it will scan the USB ports for the FTDI adapter used to attach the Computrainer. It's plug-and-play!

[bcroslin]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

cool, this is helpful.

do you have to have the cadence sensor?

any idea if i can run zwift off of my android phone? i have an old desktop i can use if need be, but am trying to do as much of this via bluetooth so as to avoid cords. and not have to use an older flatscreen t.v. as a computer monitor (it doesn't have as high a resolution, i think it's 720).

You have to run the main Zwift application on a computer. You only use your phone to monitor activity and to interact with other riders.

[kramnnim]

Again, computer needs to be 64 bit and somewhat new or fast. As in it might run on a high end PC from 2009, or a low end one from 2-3 years ago.

[54ny77]

thanks bcroslin & kramnnim.