Need a little motivation to get on the trainer and ride while the weather is wintery?
Join inGamba on Zwift and pass the time by chatting with some all-time cycling greats while dreaming of destinations like Tuscany or Southern California. These bi-weekly rides are social paced, so you can work on building your base for whatever your spring/summer goal is, whether that’s a bike tour with us in Italy, a local gravel race or your first century.
If you’re already pedaling on Zwift, joining inGamba’s rides is easy. Find out when you can enter the next inGamba ride here. You can even access a virtual inGamba cycling kit to give your next ride on Zwift a little flair*. And you join our Zwift Club, inGamba Tours, on the Zwift Companion App.
*Did you know you can get a custom inGamba kit for Zwift? Just enter “goingamba” after hitting Ctrl+P. Plus, you can score an inGamba Pinarello frame! Here’s how.
Not on Zwift yet? You can download the Zwift app here! Good news: Zwift has a free two-week trial period for new riders, so you can test the platform before committing to it for the long term. All you need is a bike and an indoor trainer to mount it (ideally a smart trainer that can modulate your power, but any trainer will do as long as you have a speed sensor that can connect to Bluetooth).
Once you’re set up and pedaling away on Zwift Island—which is great fun, even if it’s not Italy’s Chianti region, you’ll want to dial in your on-bike setup. For optimal Zwifting fun, here are our setup recommendations:
Pick your spot
Ideally, your trainer stays set up during winter, so you’re not getting everything ready right before a ride. Your spot should be tucked away so the noise doesn’t annoy family members, ideally in a cool place. But most importantly, it should be close enough to your wifi router to ensure uninterrupted internet while riding on Zwift.
Open a window
If you’re training in the garage or basement, you likely don’t have a window, but turn off the heating vents and allow some airflow anywhere else in your house.
Add a fan
Trainer time gets sweaty because you don’t have wind-wicking away sweat. Set up a fan to mimic a slight headwind!
Check that your trainer setup is level on the floor
Unless you’re purposely trying to ride in a climbing position, use an actual level to quickly check that your trainer is flat to the ground, both horizontally and vertically. If you ride with it slightly canted (which can happen easily if your floors aren’t perfectly level), you risk knee, hip, or back pain as your body adjusts to the angle.
Add a towel
Trust us, it’s going to get sweaty.
Ride with your bib shorts all the way up
This sounds silly, but you’ve likely seen pictures of people riding on Zwift in just their base layer and bib shorts, with the suspender part of the shorts hanging down. This can lead to saddle sores since it allows a lot of movement in the chamois: Pull those straps up!
Don’t neglect eating and drinking
Just because you’re riding inside and the kitchen is close by for post-ride snacks and drinks doesn’t mean you should skip fueling during your ride. Have a water bottle with a pinch of sea salt to keep your electrolytes up since you’re likely sweating more.
Stay consistent
Rather than just jumping into inGamba’s rides, try to get on Zwift at least four times a week, especially if you have a goal in cycling for the summer, whether it’s a tour with us, a local century, or a race.
Get in the chat!
Zwift’s Companion app on your smartphone is a great way to easily join group chats during inGamba’s rides. You can ask Eros Poli for some climbing tips (mention Mount Ventoux!) or perhaps wine recommendations (he loves a Pinot Noir). You can also ask about a trip you’re curious about and start daydreaming about heading to sunny Portugal.
