Testing Meetup functionality with a few CTC members. This ride, was a bungee cord ride, that is, a no drop ride and we all stayed together no matter the wattage. Rode the Tick Tock route for the first time.
First impression: it's a good way to have a Zwift group ride where there is a large difference in rider capability. As long as everyone knows it's not a race, it's fun.
If you fall behind due to a mechanical issue or lose wattage for whatever reason, Zwift won't drop you for at least 60 seconds. Upon resuming wattage, you have to work hard to get back into the group, just like an outdoor ride (but you still won't be dropped).
Like a regular Zwift group ride, you can draft or surge to the front. Different, but nice, you can hang out a couple seconds behind the main group while not having to pedal hard (part of the no drop feature).
I do not recommend sprints on a no drop ride. If the rider was purposely pushing big watts on a sprint, he/she would be disappointed because IT'S A NO DROP RIDE and riders not churning out big watts will stay within a meter or two of the sprinter. Pretty much the same for climbs.
Yet, the rider pushing big watts still gets the fitness benefit, so it could be used as a means to get a good workout, where strong riders don't blow up the ride and weak riders don't cause the group to wait. All riders get a workout they desire while keeping a cohesive group.
Feedback:
"It was sure better than doing it alone!! For as slow as I was peddling I was putting out a lot of speed. I think they gave me an E Bike!!! I would like to do it again... "
"I enjoyed riding with friends. The bungee effect seemed to have the desired effect keeping us together. It’s a social ride. Compromises in pace are ok. It looks like riders get accurate watts even if the pace is bungeed. {The slow pedalling rider} didn’t effect my ability to ride my desired intensity. It’s was nice to have the group together."