TrainingPeaks Virtual supports “Group Rides” – events where there are no results or rankings, just good training.
Creating a Group Ride:
To create a Group Ride,
- Click on your Profile icon in the top right
- Select Organise Events
- Click Add New
- Enter the required fields and select Group Ride as the Event Type
Creating a Group Workout:
To create a Group Workout,
- Click on your Profile icon in the top right
- Select Organise Events
- Click Add New
- Enter the required fields and select Group Workout as the Event Type
- Use the Select button to select a workout, which includes all the built-in workouts, custom workouts, and workouts synchronized from your TrainingPeaks calendar
- If Scheduled Workout is chosen, this will display as [Rider's Choice] and allow the rider to choose what workout they'd like to perform for the Group Workout
Please note that for both event types, you can choose additional Ride Leaders by using the Select button to search for the leader(s) name(s).
Rubberband Feature:
During both group events, a “rubber-band” effect is used to keep the entire group together.
- Those ahead of the main group will experience a force pulling them backwards towards the group.
- Those behind the main group will experience a force pulling them forward towards the group.
The further away a rider is from the main group, the stronger the force, just like a rubber band. The practical effect of this is that riders can ride at any power level they like and still stay together. Stronger riders can ride hard, and weaker riders can ride gently, and both will have their speed impacted by the rubber-band effect to ensure that they never get too far away from each other. Equally, riders can change their riding style and level of effort at any time – by riding off the front of the group, they will get a harder workout, and by riding off the back of the group, they will get an easier workout.
Note that if the event has Bots, then they will gauge their effort based on the amount of effort the humans are putting in. So if the human riders want a fast ride, then they just need to ride fast, and the bots will speed up to stay with them. Equally, if the human riders want a slower ride, then they just need to ride slowly, and the bots will slow down too – they will even stop and wait for you if you stop.
Chat Tips
- Access chat settings by clicking "Menu" > "Options" > "UI Settings" > "Left"
- Here, you can enable chat messages and set the duration for them to appear
- Ride leader's messages will appear in a color of their choosing