My subscription has just renewed for another year, and after a quiet few months I’m getting back into the swing of my faves from the Sufferfest library - and much of the recent vids are on the top of the pile for me; The Model, No Place Like Home, Rue the Day, as well as some of the older classics (The Chores, Fight Club, etc, etc). I’m also very aware that with Francois and the old Suf crew all out of the picture, there is no visibility of new Suf content - and even if there was, with all the original creators gone, would it be the same amazing quality??
Which makes me think, ‘what’s next’?
On Location rides are fine, but I never tend to ride them more than once. I’ve tried using the free Zwift subscription a few times but it does nothing for me.
I just want to see some pro-racing footage overlaid with banging music, and silly storylines! Is that too much to ask??
I fear I may be waiting a very very long time for anything new along this theme. The existing library is awesome, and will certainly keep me entertained for this next 12mth subscription period, but after that? Not sure.
I’d love to know what Wahoo’s strategy is for Systm content going forward. Any insights out there?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the CEO say SYSTM would be able to be used with the new wahoo treadmill? If that’s true, I would think any development work on SYSTM has been focused on that and not on any cycling work. Maybe it’s far fetched, but I hope that in the second half of the year they might be able to put some effort into cycling again.
I always struggle with sustained efforts, but High Time is well done. I think there’s more opportunity for creating engaging storylines with workouts with shorter or regularly changing intervals; personal preference I guess. The Model is the high water mark in my opinion! Will we ever see similar in the future though…?
Totally! I can watch a Sufferfest many times without tiring of it. On-location a few times. Inspiration once.
For workouts with vids I don’t want to watch, I turn off the vid and use the miniplayer over something else I find on-line or streaming. That’s kind of a PITA compared to having a good Sufferfest vid workout.
I’ll add SYSTM needs to make some basic improvements to the workout player and the calendar that have long be asked for.
I can relate to that, although I have no problem at all doing “on location” workouts over and over again. If you think about it, it’s actually very similar to doing your favorite local loop outdoors.
I also do SOME of the AWW workouts again from time to time. But I have to say that the earlier ones did a better job of making me want to come back than the latest ones (UCI). As long as a video is not too much of a documentary and more of a training session, I have no problem coming back to it from time to time. And ProRides are a different animal. While I’ve enjoyed every single one I’ve done so far (even repeatedly), I find it hard to fit them into a training plan because they usually don’t have a specific training goal.
Having said that, I also think that the SUF stuff ages very well compared to the other content, so I don’t rely on frequent new content in that category of the library. But one or two new SUF videos per year (or at least updates to older ones) would definitely keep me more engaged with SYSTM.
If I could have one very small change request to Systm, it would be to centre the workout graph below the video, rather than having it pushed over to the left as it currently is. I use a very wide screen, and sometimes with shorter workouts it can look very wrong.
As a new user (3 months), that kind of content is why I’m here (after several years on Zwift)… and I’m a little anxious because I only see new “on location” videos coming and nothing similar to Sufferfest.
On location videos are fine, but as others have already said, I watch them just once and then turn them off. I just prefer to enjoy a ride outside rather than watch an outside video in the cave…
Hopefully, some Sufferlandria format workout videos come in the future…
I joined SYSTM three years ago for that same reason, and the 4DP plans. I had been on Zwift and Trainerroad since 2016. In that time, RGT came and went, but I saw very little investment in the SYSTM app and content.
I see it differently. I do the same local rides, but sights, sounds, weather, smells and the dynamics change. I’m looking at different things, seeing different people and riders, negotiating different vehicular situations, there’s different “narrations” going on in my head. There’s a whole heck of a lot more variation between the same local rides than I get in redoing an On Location video. For me, indoor riding is tedious and boring. I like anything that makes it less so, including rousing videos.
Everyone has different views, needs, and opinions. I just wanted to point out how I feel about different content and would encourage people to give OL vids a second chance because these are actually great workouts and @michael.cotty does an awesome job in keeping me engaged throughout these workouts and it’s good fun to kinda-ride-along with him.
But I can relate to your view, that it’s not the same as doing a local route repeatedly. Still, to me it’s comparable to some degree.
Something that I can only recommend: Doing one of the OL vids on the actual location! I was fortunate enough to do that for the OL “Setubal to Praia da Figueirinha”. And more than just once. That gives a whole different perspective to that specific OL workout and makes it one of my favorite to-go-back-to workouts. Something similar I experienced with the latest OL Gran Canaria video, “Pico de las Nieves”, which ends on a stretch of road I had the opportunity to ride up this year.
On the theme of the OL workouts - before those of course, came the Mr Cotty Suf sessions (To Get To The Other Side, Getting Away With It, The Way Out). Basically the same as OL, but with some music and a bit of storyline here and there. I do really enjoy these. Same principle as the OL rides, but with a different editing style.
Switching up some new OL sessions more in this Suf style would be good I reckon!
Welp, at the risk of facing ridicule, I’ll say I’m not a big fan of the Michael Cotty vids. They’re OK, I guess, but I find the little pieces on the locales pretty thin, and the riding narration wishy-washy. They’re fine one time through, and maybe repeating a year later, but that does it for me. The OP wants more Sufferfest, and that’s what I want too.
I’ve been using Systm for a few months now and love the structured plans.
Don’t really have any interest in the inspiration vids but have found Mike Cotty’s OL vids very useful working alongside the interval sessions of the Sufferfest offerings.
To be honest, the only thing I’d like at the moment is a proper remastered version of Fight Club with the original footage and music. Freight Train Baby!
I would like to see some more training videos with the likes of Ian Boswell, Phil Gaimon and Nicole Frain (or other pro’s and ex pro’s) I like their workouts a lot, but could do without the downtime chatter after having done these the first time round. Perhaps the style of ‘Getting Away With It’ is a good format for these too, like @Rydercon suggested: Instead of chatter, there’s text shown in a dialog box on screen and we have music. Talking us through the workout remains though, that’s good motivation.
OL format still works for me as-is. I’m a big fan of Sir Standalot.
Re SUF: I’m hoping a bunch of new, creative and mildly sadistic minions will come in and come up with great content.
I also enjoy riding with Sir Standsalot! I doubt that I will get to ride in Europe any time soon so riding the OL videos is like my vacation getaway.
Also, I will never do a no-vid workout and the inspo videos are not inspiring to me.
My thoughts… as long as the current videos remain available, considering the current business climate, I’m considering it a win.
