Exactly, although As arent that regulated, unless you hit the premier class, which is a very small section of A riders. Fact ! Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Case in point: in the A race I mentioned, only one rider was heavier than my 85kg dad bod. What if you are super committed and gain the weight in real life just so you can stay in the category , Excellent posts on perhaps the most serious non-hardware problem in Zwift right now. My power to weight ratio would be the same, but Id get the benefits you get from being a heavier rider. It's also possible to filter results and data by categories, such as different age or power ranges. If you gave the power, it will come out. All rights reserved. My HR numbers are almost identical to yours. Zwift Insider is independent of Zwift corporate (www.zwift.com), although Zwift does provide funding to help defray site costs. Keep writing this sort of thing. Theres a bit of a fuss on the ZP forums at the moment about this form of sandbagging where people deliberately ride within the w/kg limits but are riding well below their potential ability. Youd think theyd be the same but when Zwift and Strava dont even agree on stats for the same ride, Ill take any other comparisons with a big pinch of salt. Yet the lesson is clear if you want to win, even on flat courses, have or claim a very low weight. I am a long time racer in NorCal and cheating is cheating. .Personally I one of the outliers on height and weight. Terms of Use/DMCA Copyright Policy If someone on zwift holds an avg power at a given heart rate, then goes out on the road and holds that same heart rate but cannot sustain even close to that power, I am sorry, but that isnt physiology; that is hardware. True, but not necessarily in the way you think. I wont do and will rather try my very best to compete with the As. This afternoon, Zwift posted a follow-up message on the forum. 1 - Manually Set Your FTP Let's say you already know your FTP, then you can go into Zwift and manually change it to whatever you'd like. Reverse Weight Doping, Efficiency, and Race Categories on Zwift We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. Thank you for signing up to The Pick. As we said in the first post, Assuming race organizers can access the data via ZwiftPower, and the site includes simple tools for spotting potential weight or height dopers (perhaps flagging those who made dramatic changes recently), then hiding weight and height data from the public should work swimmingly.. He argues hes not gaining an advantage. If so, that makes sense to me and I can absolutely see the point of that. Incrasing virtual weight would probaly downgrade me to B again. It's harder than real racing. (I dont recommend this approach, but it proves the point that weight doping is an issue that concerns many Zwift racers. Im glad you wrote about this. The Forerunner 265 series watches have become Garmin's lowest-priced AMOLED display endurance sports-focused watch, coming in at roughly half the price of the Garmin Epix series launched a year ago - but here with full multiband GNSS support on all Forerunner 265 units, while also adding in Training Readiness - a major Garmin endurance sports focused feature. I have wondered about this subject on a few occasions. Im a heavy rider at 102kgs and 193cm tall I once reverse doped my weight at the top of the radio tower to try and achieve the 100km/HR badge It had the opposite effect in that I was actually slower than when descending at my actual weight lol I dont race other than against myself so Ive never weight doped as such My observations recently however have created an awareness of how many stick insects ride bikes on zwift . Check out this FAQ for some of our frequently asked questions: Q:&. Joining ZwiftPower isn't the most straightforward series of steps, but we've broken it down so you can get started as soon as possible. He lives in Northern California with his beautiful wife, two kids and dog. Perhaps if you post a W/kg in excess ofRead more , So thats why I could easily keep up with a 3-3.4wkg group yesterday whilst keeping my wattage at some 2.5-2.7just my 107kgs.the rest were probably featherweight category :) It is obviously a stupid thing ( weight doping) and why a rider would do this is beyond me but pride and quasi Strava bragging or Zwift Power bragging is a thing. I have tended to notice that a significant number of powerful zwifters real world Strava performances pale in comparison to their online achievements. IRL I am 85kgs and cant pretend to be 65kgs. Zwift posted a follow-up message on the forum, Zwift x UCI To Host Cycling Events for the Olympic Esports Series 2023, Race London ZRacing March Series Details, Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of March 4-5. This can be seen by comparing Zwift physics with real life physics (calculated by websites likeRead more . Though our intent is to protect potentially vulnerable users by removing labels that can trigger unhealthy behaviour What are they trying to protect? Or are you looking for a participation trophy on every race as well? For example the threshold for cat B is FTP over 200 watts and over 3.2 w/kg. If the categories are split using purely w/kg a lighter rider doesnt have any advantage up the climbs at all. But It doesnt mean that that person is going to be the person riding the bike on the trainer during the race does it. What anyone wants in any game or competition is to feel its fair, and as they look to make changes going forward, I hope people at Zwift always keep asking themselves this question: How can Zwifters see these races are fair?. I agree Paul great idea. I have heard women admit on social rides that their zwift weight is their goal weightRead more . Whilst this might be the case, as Eric implies in flat races light weight riders have to work harder to stay in touch with the heavier riders in the bunch. there seems to be a lot of variability in power products and what people are using to feed into zwift. Yes us heavier riders have the downhill advantage definitely. The book Fast After 50 is a good read on how masters athletes can train more effectively. You enter a real race,out in the world, you are ready to finish in the top 20 for your best result of your life,then out of the blue a dirt bike rides past you goes tabletop and crossesRead more . I was going flat out the whole race, and by no means cruising along watching my watts. Keep answering that question and youll keep most people on side. Im about to end up in the same situation (last races at 3.99, 3.98 and 3.99 W/kg) and Im not really worried about being promoted to A. I currently weigh 59kgs but my BMI is 25 which technically overweight. However, I definitely recommend entering some races. Stick a few more kgs on to stop you getting upgraded, would that get you a ban? In the 2 months Ive been on Zwift Ive become a stronger rider than ever, because Zwift encourages me to push myself harder than I do in real life. Honest and goal driven. If you need to cheat to get the results you want then why even bother. Someone with my FTP should be CAT B, regardless of weight. Have you ever compared numbers for calories burned, power output and even elevation ridden for a Zwift ride uploaded to Strava? I think the main problem with women and weight on zwift is regular weightdoping, magnified probably by all the wonderful social stigmas and judgment surrounding womens bodies. I did this because I had a particular effort level planned for my workout that day, and didnt want to exceed it. We are both lighter riders and find the w/kg categorisation system frustrating (unfair even) but its what we have at the moment I think most people feel like they have a right to be competitive but this simply is not the case and ifRead more . As we said in the first post, "Assuming race organizers can access the data via ZwiftPower, and the site includes simple tools for spotting potential weight or height dopers (perhaps flagging those who made dramatic changes recently), then hiding weight and height data from the public should work swimmingly." As a lighter racer 136lbs it pisses me off to see cheating. I climbed the Alpe last night for Stage 3 of the Tour of Watopia, missing my target of going under an hour by just over 12 seconds (Aargh!!). Certainly it impacts the accuracy of race performance and results. But then you could have someone in the same age group who maxes out at 170. I suffer from excess sweating and will easily lose 10kg in a race on Four Horseman, for example (although Im certainly not the norm, but to say no one is untrue). I think with a results based system would help as it would the sandbaggers, but it wont eliminate the weight cheats entirely, those that just want to gain a little more w/kg by losing a few virtual pounds. If there are problems, Zwift already has a reporting function and everything is recorded police that properly andRead more . The Ultimate Undetectable Weight Cheat on Zwift : r/Zwift - reddit While most Zwifters seemed to understand and even appreciate the intent behind the change, there was concern that removing this information would result in increased height/weight doping. It would be easy to deny it was intentional. The categories currently used in most Zwift events are based on your FTP watts per kilo- that is, your FTP in watts, divided by your weight in kilograms. heavy riders have an advantage on flat courses.. https://zwiftinsider.com/wkg-tests/ plus 60-70kg is perferctly normal body weight for adult cyclists, nothing worth complaining about. So I just bumped myself up to the B group and went faster overall simply because there were faster people to draft off of. I argue that he is intentionally misrepresenting his weight so he can place higher in B instead of getting shelled in A (like I do). Two months ago he had a magic weight loss on zwift. In reality no under 12 is competing with a decent 2nd or 3rd cat (UK system) Ive ridden with enough talented youth riders that this is fact so letting young kids crush half decent amateurs on zwift would be unrealistic. Zwift Hub Smart Cycling Trainer Review: An Affordable Way to Ride A strict w/kg classification isnt perfect. I have just accepted that at my height I will always be heavier than the average cyclist. If Zwift can be seen to be doing that then very little need toRead more . Hes had to up his weight as he is only 35kg ( upped time 45kg) he but puts out 220watt so his ftp is 5.5-6w/kg in a race. I understand if someone has a banner day or just bumped up out of upper C to lower B. But theres one problem: this puts you into the B category, and you dont want to race the Bs. Zwift can wipe your Zwift Power profile and give you a clean slate to start over if you want, but I think you will lose all past data. Tempo Workouts Can Have a Place on Your Training PlanHere's How to My power to weight is decent at about 4w/kg. I think a once-weekly weigh-in is acceptable. 2 Likes _Jynxy_EVO (:)) October 1, 2021, 1:41pm #8 thxs mike, Fluctuations of a few percent would be tolerated and percent change would be displayed on ZP. I lost some weight during these few months and gained on FTP Now facing going to C and not getting any good results within the category, Eric, thanks for bringing this to light. A good rule we follow is to take our FTP divide it by 3 and then put that in as our weight (in Kilograms). Frankly I struggle to believe these are real. https://zwiftpower.com/profile.php?z=697996. If its not done during a competitive Zwift event, I dont see it as a problem. Totally agree with you. Is it doping though? Race them if you want, but Rides like Tour de Zwift are not based on rider category, they are based on distance. Great article, Eric. While the benefits of being light fully kick in while climbing a mountain (as it is easier for smaller guys to achieve certain w/kg), the benefits of being a tall and strong guy dont fully apply in the flats. More of an issue than thisRead more . Tough to recover after attacks in a race when youre always near maxing out. One question I have struggled to answer though which maybe is not a consideration is that on the flat watts is what is required and I also have to push high wkg to stay with groups. Zwift essentially encourages people to be less than truthful about their weight. You will receive a verification email shortly. Updating Your Privacy Settings in Zwift Companion To update your default privacy settings, sign in to the Zwift Companion (ZC) app on your iOS or Andro. Id never do this as my Zwift Power is an accurate log of weight and power but it does make me wonder how much easier itd be to be bigger. Zwift should offer a Validated Racer package for a slight premium over normal membership. The algorithms very much help heavier riders in descents, which gets forgotten when all we discuss is climbing. Wow, cheating !! Taking that info away further depersonalizes the platform, and and may be fine in group rides, but it is a step closer to racing against bots. Why no monitoring on this? How does it work? Changing weight - ZwiftPower Community - Zwift Forums Not true, at least not absolutely. (Example: if your FTP is 300 watts and you weigh 75kg, your FTP w/kg would be 300/75, or 4 w/kg.). If someone dopes so they do 4w/kg then they should be racing with other people who do 4w/kg. My guess is that another reason some do it, is because it gives you points on zwiftpower, becauseRead more . Makes me happy to see that the community is able to speak with one voice if necessary. Ive seen many A Riders with 300 FTP on Zwift who I beat by a HUGE MARGIN at triathlon events, including the cycling portion. Your voice is important to us. The six-digit number highlighted in bold will be your Zwift ID. I have been cycling since I was a kid and now close to 50. But since there are no clear rules on it at this time, its a bit of a self-policing thing with a fair amount of grey area. So its not that easy for light people to hide in the pack and benefit from the draft in Zwift, which is half the reality (in many ways its easier IRL). Or weight bonuses for completing events that last for a set amount of days or even hours. As a low to mid-cat rider, ImRead more . I dont think so. Ive been on a mission to get back to my racing weight in 2020. On Zwift Power categories have both a wattage requirement and a w/kg requirement. 2 yr. ago. Or theyll ignore leaders instructions and ride off the front of a group (flyers). As others have said, your higher weight helps on flat courses. I currently use the Garmin Smart Scale so I may invest in the Withings scale. . What you see a lot are riders who are (claiming) to be really light with decent but not exceptional watts. Hi Using HRM is difficult as well as you max HRM changes with age mine is 159 flat out but I am over 60. Since strava is all that matters of course. Its more fun and engaging that way, for me at least. Noob question though, whats the etiquette around weighing with kit on or off. On a flat ride I would beat every sub 60kg cat B rider too. Then save your ride and log out. On the other hand, I am extremely anti-weight doping and agree with the post pointing out there is no incentive or even reason to be heavier. Even some of the regulated weight rides will give 2kg leeway. Great drafting skills!, Heres the thing: I probably am a fairly efficient racer, when I want to be. When I go outdoors I go on a trail bike and bring a backpack full of food and drink for a several hours ride. I never reverse weight doped. For the time being, height and weight will remain visible on ZwiftPower. ZwiftPower Height & Weight Changes Postponed | Zwift Insider We would like to thank the community for your passion and feedback. i was just having a similar discussion with my old lady about watts and weights, etc. I think it would be best if there was a separate cat system for flat routes (based on watts) and for hilly routes (based on w/kg), My understanding is that Zwift still applies real world physics to this situation, and maybe the article doesnt allude to it, in that on the flat Zwift wont use w/kg to drive speed but your pure watts. Im assuming you should weigh just before getting on the bike with all kit including shoes and not just before stepping into the post-ride shower (shorn of all kit and approx 1kg of sweat). 2022 SNOW Sprint Series I have no idea. Last week I jumped into my first race and it was at the last minute on a whim because I was getting tired of my training ride. Now head back to ZwiftPower, click 'Connect' at the top of the page, then enter your Zwift ID in the box when prompted. I am always passed by everyone on the way up but can usually catch up on the way down (190cm/93kg). 2022 Primr RWB League - Cycling Ireland eRacing Winter League. I am in the 5 percentile of height and weight at 52 and 130lb with my lowest weight of 118 lbs in my racing career. Hardly true Say you train and commit yourself to being honest to achieve better fitness,and also better results, albeit virtually..then someone finishes better than you solely because of the BS numbers they entered. We are taking an iterative approach to the ongoing upgrades to the back end of the site. Nice work! I once made myself much heavier so I could compete against my 11-year-old son in a head to head Zwift climbing race. If youre a 300-pound dude who wants to go a little faster uphill as a virtual 200 pounder, have at it. Im not sure Id say the algorithms help heavier riders in descents. Threshold HR is around 151 bpm. Some of the reasons Ive never pushed as hard on a real ride include: Stopping / slowing for junctions Traffic / pedestrians / other hazards Appreciating the view No watt meter on my real bike I dont race in real life I dont do workouts in real life Changing wind Threat of a headwind on my home journey And the biggest: WantingRead more , Agree with the above. 240W 50kg riders (4.8W/kg) beat 380W 95kg riders in B category Tempus Fugit time trials. I now know of over 20 category D zwift users that have said theyre not going to bother with the Zwift races anymore. That guy who weighs 300lbs and gets 1st place in Cs for a month straight should be automatically upgraded to Bs and Bs to As. Zwift should take accountability for what matters most to start with and thats the cheaters. But I also did it because I knew it was great practice! Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Among the communicated changes were plans to hide the visibility of height and weight from ZwiftPower in an effort to encourage individual health and wellness. how do i change my weight on zwift power - popupafrica.com Keep hammering the point and finding ways that Zwift can improve controls. Heavy riders not only have a huge advantage on down slopes (the steeper the more advantage); they also have an advantage on the flats; its only when it gets to above 5%+ you can start to break a heavier rider. This site contains affiliate links to Amazon, Wahoo, and other brands. Zwift How-To: Adjusting Your Trainer Difficulty | Zwift Its going to take a certain amount of calories for a certain person to perform a given amount of work in a given time. If I feel happy in my body thats the most important thing for me, and why I rarely weigh myself. Although does WTRL encourage reverse weight doping? So its not Zwift putting you at a disadvantage but the situation itself, just as you would be in the real world in that situation. I guess I shouldnt be surprised. The guy who got first weighs 106kg on strava but 45kg and only 411 on zwift. yea but realistically is it worth it for them to dedicate the resources to that $$$$$$$, Well, thats good news. No one is going to lose or gain 5kg overnight or shrink a 1cm. Included with this license agreement can be the approval to show height and weight. How do you actually update your weight on ZP?? However, I do understand Kens point. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Category systems are complex beasts, of course, I agree, people can have fun with weight doping and such aslong they dont enter competitive races. Would achieve the same thing. Too light and watts go down as does watts per kilo. Hide the weight who cares let them upgrade all the way to As where you have strict reporting requirements. Why not only require weight and height for entry to A and B races? I am racing in the Cs finishing in the 40-50s but there are 30 + racers ahead of me posting watt/kilo of A, and strong B racers. 5 year age categories and incredibly competitive a in most age groups, Thanks so much for your helpful comment. First, it shows that theyre listening to the community. At least I can be best in one thing on zwiftpower. Well, its adding weight to gain an advantage. Now I know it is a thing. If you're on Zwift and planning to get racing, then signing up to the third-party app ZwiftPower (opens in new tab) is an essential step. The only trouble is the downhill doesnt take as long of course, so the light advantage is obviously better. Whatever your answer, some people will never like it, but there has to be a clear, credible answer for the majority to support.
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