Inside Vs Outside Ridge Dynamics
Virtual cycling has come a long way in the last ten years. People realised that riding a static resistance trainer as hard as possible whilst staring at the garage door was not the most enjoyable experience. If fact, it was horrible, but necessary for lousy weather and those awful 5 min efforts everyone did.
Luckily times have changed with smart trainers, and MyWhoosh cycling indoors can be more enjoyable and as realistic as riding outside. So how do we do it, and how does it work?
The MyWhoosh team has spent a lot of time working on replicating the speeds and feel of the outdoors brought to indoors. We have used advanced algorithms, aero test data, rolling resistance, CDA and CRR, and drafting formulas. But more importantly, we go outside and ride, come inside and ride and then have a detailed discussion over coffee on how it feels. It’s a never-ending battle, but we feel we are very close.
The MyWhoosh game is designed so that the power needed outside to ride at a certain speed is closely replicated inside. This applies to riding along the flat, going uphill and descending. We have done a lot of work on accelerations and even endless tests on how long it takes to roll to a complete stop. We are confident we have the best dynamics in the virtual world.
Drafting has been by far the most complex dynamic to get right. It is easy to allocate a draft reduction number across the game. But that’s not what we do at MyWhoosh.
The way your avatar drafts in the game is constantly changing. Your position in the bunch, how far you are off the rider in front, are you behind or alongside all make a difference in the draft you receive.The other significant influence on drafting on MyWhoosh is gradient. The basic rule is that the slower you go, the less benefit in drafting. When climbing, speeds reduce, this means so will your draft. The MyWhoosh calculations change with the gradient and speed, the steeper the climb, the less draft you will receive.The last key point to drafting on MyWhoosh is to look up to the left at your power numbers. If they are green, you are in the draft. If they are black, look for a wheel to jump on.
Hopefully, this article has helped explain drafting and its importance on MyWhoosh. Feel free to send us any feedback or improvement suggestions to support@mywhoosh.com