Rowing meets Cycling - Rowing on Zwift

[Claudius]

ok, just wrote it out of the blue- it is more authentic...but maybe the essential messages are not clear...now the short form without long text:

- you can connect the rower with zwift - you need the rowedbiker app - look at the video from John or the other link
- you can boost your ftp - and thats the difficult part- to boost or not
- 30%boost may work for many cyclists rowing...but this value changes...and racing with others could be unfair...
- when you are also cycling it will corrupt your data in some way
- hey its still a game ! no religion !
- just try it...you have 25km a month for free
- maybe you´ll experience that rowing with zwift will effect your training becoming much more dynamic...ocd...that was great...but it wont work with a zwift group ride.

[Claudius]

by the we way our former team mate John S. made a video how to connect your rower : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymPsvJ-dgBs

or this article from the developer of rowedbiker/painsled : https://www.patreon.com/posts/rowing-with-38157103

[Claudius]

dont get me wrong...i dont say that i am fast...despite the progress in December, i do say: my Avatar is fast ! what effects speed in zwift ? The most important is your wattage output- which can be augmented up to the factor 1.5 with the rowedbiker app, 2nd weight, 3rd height....

[Kevinhorne44]

I love the idea of all the connectivity nowadays but I have the feeling it would fry my brain
I had enough trouble with getting a decent enough connection to the internet where I live out in the countryside I've had to resort to satellite.
I bet a set up of big screen & some good tunes would be heaven for my 90+ minute sessions though

[Claudius]

Thank you for your Answer, Kevin

it just came to my mind that i explain what you can do with zwift even that they haven´t integrated rowing already. And that it possible make some fun. A middle qualitiy internet connection is necessary to enjoy a zwift workout. As i mentioned: just try it...you have 25km a month for free.

[Kevinhorne44]

Thank you for your Answer, Kevin

it just came to my mind that i explain what you can do with zwift even that they haven´t integrated rowing already. And that it possible make some fun. A middle qualitiy internet connection is necessary to enjoy a zwift workout. As i mentioned: just try it...you have 25km a month for free.

I didn't realise you have a free allowance each month I might give it a try when I bring the Concept2 back into the house next week I have a bike-erg on order now too. So it would be interesting to try it all out.

[Claudius]

- managed to be at lvl 50 in about 18m rowing only in april
- now it is rowing meets running
- "you'll always row with a factor of 1.0" no boost, no cut, which then means running distance is the rowing distance, thats nice
- this doesn't cost you anything. you just have to install zwift, create an avatar, and here you could be honest, too, by running with your specs, because it doesn't effect your running speed
- sorry, this doesn't count for me, i am still not running with myself, all this has a deeper meaning (to me)
- it is indeed not that exciting than cycling, but it has also it mentioned pros
- i once compared cycling on zwift with a big roller coaster, and running with a small carousel- to be fair- lets call it an exciting nice carousel, the big roller coaster is still cycling !

thats the small update...the question is, how long will it take to be at lvl 21 running ?

[Mat]

When I read your initial post Claudius, I did think that I';d give it a go.... but I still haven't!

I do have a Zwift account and use it 3-4 times per week for cycling but still haven't tried the rowing connection - do you know whether you need a PM5 or can it be done with a PM4?

I will get around to doing it soon - I promise. In the meantime its good to hear that enjoying running on this platform too I still miss running but promised my consultant (and my wife) that I wouldn't after my hip replacement!

[Claudius]

need a PM5 or can it be done with a PM4?

It is possible to connect the pm4 with a cable to the smartphone and rowedbiker. However I prefer cable ergdata and rowedbiker via bt. But this only works with a pm5. With a pm4 you have to retrieve the workout files with the c2 utility app.

[Mat]

Thanks Claudius
I’m looking for an excuse to upgrade to a pm5… you may have given me one!