Zwift!

As regular readers know I’ve been riding indoors at the Bike Shed. David, Sarah, Ellen, Susan, and I are headed there tomorrow.

There’s three things that make this an especially nice way to stay in bike shape over the winter months.

Thing 1. You can ride with friends of all different speeds and fitness levels. There’s no waiting at the top of the hills or being waited for. Your avatars can ride with other cyclists virtually, while you ride in a shared physical space with friends. The virtual community aspect means that even for people like me who don’t like to exercise alone, there’s company.

Thing 2. It’s just a nice environment, better than my basement, and likely better than yours. It’s set up for riding all of the time. There’s no need to move things, find a fan, no worries about bike grease and rugs. The trainers are all in good working order. You show up with your bike and ride. or for an extra fee, keep your bike there and ride unlimited on a month by month basis.

Thing 3. Zwift! I’m surprised at how much I like it. I like the group riding aspect. I like drafting. I like the ‘close the gap’ reminders and I’m much more motivated by sprints against other virtual cyclists than I am sprinting as part of a training program. Of course, it tracks data and lets you know if you are improving, or not. And there are Strava segments.

Wish us a great ride!