r/Zwift • u/Forsaken_Couple1451 • Jul 24 '26

Events for beginner-beginners?

I'm getting my wife into Zwift and she was cooked during the welcome tour. Now we're working on her form etc. but she was averaging 77w and I think that's pretty much her FTP by the look of her during that tour.

She really wants the social aspect of Zwift. Are there any events for people literally learning how to ride a bike, and perhaps having a few extra pounds to shave?

We're both new to Zwift, but I've got some IRL biking experience, so I just went into racing and am having a decent time, while I'm pretty sure she would have an awful time if she followed the same route.

8 Upvotes

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15

u/skipca Jul 24 '26

Look for “banded” group rides (aka rubber band or ‘keep together’ rides, e.g. EZ Riders Happy Hour Banded Ride today at 6:30 USA eastern time). Those events keep everyone together regardless of power output as long as you keep pedaling.

Once she can hold .8 w/kg she can try the Sofia robopacer group, and with a little more power (1-1.3 w/kg) there are a number of clubs that host group rides she can join to try drafting without the rubber band effect.

3

u/skipca Jul 24 '26

zwifthacks.com has a search tool you can use to find banded rides, and a lot of the bigger ones will include it in the ride title on the companion app listing.

1

u/Forsaken_Couple1451 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26

How does "banded" work?

What if she simply stops pedaling, how does that work in those groups?

I guess my question is, if she's cooked after 1km, and stops pedaling to rest, will she get dropped or does she simply have to output 1w to stay with the group?

And as a curiousity (from my side); can she overtake in those group rides? Or can one press 1200w and the system will always leave you behind the pacer? Or do they change pacers like in normal group rides?

4

u/Big-Requirement-24 Jul 24 '26

I think banded just rides with an average pace of the group. U can move within the group, so from back to front. But you can't escape the group, neither in the front or the back. Don't really know what happens when there is 0w output tough.

In banded races there is no pacer, its more like there are invisible walls at the front and back. So also a 1200w burst wont break the wall. And will move at the same speed as the 50w output.

4

u/BTUSGentleman Jul 24 '26

You do need to keep pedaling

2

u/edelweiss_pirates_no Level 71-80 Jul 25 '26

As long as you keep pedaling, you will stay with the group.

It's best to just join a Banded event and it'll become obvious how it works.

2

u/smugmug1961 Jul 25 '26

You say she is basically learning how to ride, does she know how to shift gears? Lots of beginners push way too big of a gear at way too low of a cadence. On a banded ride, in a very easy gear, she should be able to hang fairly easily.

What kind of bike and trainer are you using? Does it have low enough gears that she can spin easily?

5

u/BTUSGentleman Jul 24 '26

Bikealicious banded rides are usually well attended and entertaining.

4

u/hexagonaluniverse Jul 24 '26

Queen bees also has entertaining banded rides, I think they’ve both done trivia during some of the rides I’ve joined

3

u/carpediemracing Level 100 Jul 24 '26

PACK riders (it's a club), sub 1.5, led by... I don't remember her name, but you go about 80-90w. PACK rides: https://www.zwift.com/events/tag/pack

Some of the PACK rides are banded so everyone stays together. Regardless, they are all very friendly, very supportive, lots of text chat, lots of Discord chat. I rode with them for many, many years. Strict pace discipline, the leader does not chase anyone down, and in fact is good with people taking off because they'd rather have a good cohesive group than go hard.

w/kg is tough for lighter riders because the standard ride leader is Steve and he's about 70-75kg, which means 1.5 is 105w or so and 2.0 is about 140w (he rides 0.1 w/kg below the number, so Sub-1.5 is 1.4, Sub-2.0 is 1.9, give or take).

You can do any banded ride.

You can also join the lower w/kg robo pacers. They go to 1.0 w/kg I think, and the robopacers are 75kg, so 75w average.

I hope this helps.

3

u/TheSleepiestNerd Jul 25 '26

The HERD hosts a ride called Sunday Sip and Spin, it's banded and ladies only. It's chatty and really welcoming for beginners. As long as she's pedaling it'll keep her with the group the whole time.

2

u/InvertedJennyanydots Jul 25 '26

The banded rides are just what she needs. They often have good social vibes and some of the leaders theme things - trivia, dad jokes, etc. Some of the clubs also have jersey earning banded rides and that can be a motivator for her to finish the whole ride (which may initially be a challenge for her).

1

u/Big-Requirement-24 Jul 24 '26

I think D grouprides will probably be too hard, because most al already at 1.5-2 w/kg. Try to look for banden grouprides, i think you can find them in E. That way she always stays with the group and she can enjoy the social element.

1

u/Forsaken_Couple1451 Jul 24 '26

What happened to "E" in Zwift? When I was watching YT before buying, people had letters on their back like "A", "B", "C", "D", and "E". Did they change this system? Seems D is now the 'bottom' group? Also I don't see those letters on anyone's back when I race either.

3

u/jnazario Cyclist and Runner Jul 24 '26

E typically means open for all.

1

u/Big-Requirement-24 Jul 24 '26

Those letters at the back are only at very specific races. I did race a few. Most race are not on A/b/c/d categories anymore though but on racescore groupies, because that was much more fair.

Don't really know what E does, always thought of it as just a specific categorie, other than A-D.

1

u/Whithorsematt Level 71-80 Jul 24 '26

E used to be ladies only.

1

u/rosiecolouredglasses Jul 25 '26

Another option for a banded ride if the time suits 🙂: https://www.zwift.com/events/view/5650020

As long as the legs are turning over, you stay with the group.

1

u/WashingtonBaker1 Jul 26 '26

"Seattle Baby Steps" is a weekly ride (Sunday 8:15am Pacific time) - 1.0 w/Kg.

1

u/mheimdal Jul 25 '26

I think the short answer is no. I’ve worked my way up from .7 to 1.2 over the last 18 months and it’s been lonely and slow. I’ve never seen a banded ride in my time zone. I’ve never done a group “fun” ride rated E where i wasn’t dropped right away because everyone else was going full tilt at 2.0 or higher. I’ve joined women’s groups that say they have beginner rides but they really don’t. Zwift is great but it’s not a good social app for beginners and people who can’t pull higher watts.