A few Bkool questions

[MasterDabber]

I've just joined CycleChat after doing some research on possibly buying a Bkool Pro and finding this forum and the excellent FAQ.

I've currently got an old Tacx Sirius turbo but have been tempted to move into the world of smart trainers. The BKool Pro interests me from several standpoints, not least what appears to be a competitive price. As I want to work on climbing the relative high resistance/gradient claims look quite good compared to the Tacx Vortex which also interested me originally. On reading up on the BKool I get the impression that the hardware is pretty reasonable and whilst there are a few complaints it generally stacks up quite well.

The software appears to be a bit quirky. Not a great interface but the range and scope of rides both 3D and video looks impressive. However, there are a few areas which I still don't understand well which I appreciate might fall into place if I had the actual product to play with.........

I'm a bit confused on how to schedule rides. If I suddenly decide I want to do a ride can I just go in, find the ride I want to ride and schedule it to ride immediately? I can foresee the scenario where I've planned to do a road ride, woken up and found it pouring with rain/icy/whatever and want to do a turbo session instead.

When I schedule a ride can I take an option that just has me riding the course on my own? No bots or other riders. I'm thinking about getting used to this in particular and want to play on my own. I know there is a "privacy" setting but not sure what that provides exactly.

I know you can upload a route that will then be rendered into a 3D ride (a bit flaky on how quickly that works perhaps). Does that have to be a route I have previously ridden and exported/imported as a gpx file. Or, can it be a route I have planned out eg. using Strava "My Routes" and, again, exported as a gpx file.

Sorry for the long list and if I missed the answer to these points in the FAQ.

 

[Jeepfreak81]

Hi there and welcome. I'm pretty new myself and while I still haven't sorted out Bkool entirely I've learned a few things. I opted for the TacX Vortex (although my first one blew up on me.) I like it alot and assume my problem was just me being unlucky. However, if you want the added resistance of steeper climbs and can afford the price jump to the Bkool Pro, I'd go that route. The only reason I didn't do it was because of money constraints.

Scheduling rides is easy and you can do it anytime, including right before you jump on your turbo. From what I can see however, you have to schedule the sessions on their website which is pretty easy to do. You can choose to ride with or without bots or ghosts. It's instant, I scheduled one yesterday then went straight into the simulator to ride.

I haven't played with uploading routes but I plan to as there aren't any around me. From what I understand you can use any device that will export the route as a .gpx file. For example, I should be able to use my handheld Garmin eTrex 20. Will be trying this out pretty soon.

Good Luck and have fun (from one new guy to another)

 

[Asa Post]

The software appears to be a bit quirky. Not a great interface but the range and scope of rides both 3D and video looks impressive. However, there are a few areas which I still don't understand well which I appreciate might fall into place if I had the actual product to play with.........

I'm a bit confused on how to schedule rides. If I suddenly decide I want to do a ride can I just go in, find the ride I want to ride and schedule it to ride immediately? I can foresee the scenario where I've planned to do a road ride, woken up and found it pouring with rain/icy/whatever and want to do a turbo session instead.

Yes. Choose the ride by clicking on SESSIONS and setting the parameters you want [length, 3D or video etc.]. Press the blue Schedule button and the ride is available immediately, though Bkool assumes that you want to ride it tomorrow and will date the session accordingly - just one of its quirks.

When I schedule a ride can I take an option that just has me riding the course on my own? No bots or other riders. I'm thinking about getting used to this in particular and want to play on my own. I know there is a "privacy" setting but not sure what that provides exactly.

Yes. On the program you download to your computer, officially called Bkool Indoor, but usually referred to as BSim, click on SETTINGS, then on GENERAL, and activate "Solo mode".

I know you can upload a route that will then be rendered into a 3D ride (a bit flaky on how quickly that works perhaps). Does that have to be a route I have previously ridden and exported/imported as a gpx file. Or, can it be a route I have planned out eg. using Strava "My Routes" and, again, exported as a gpx file.

Yes. As long as it's a gpx file, Bkool should accept it. Note that, unlike Strava, Bkool doesn't let you set a Privacy zone around your address, so you might want to create routes that start and finish somewhere that doesn't make it easy to identify your precise location.

You can download BSim from the website and play with it on your Tacx Sirius. You wont get the full effect, but at least you can get used to manipulating the program.

 

[MasterDabber]

Thanks a lot Jeepfreak81 and Asa Post. Very reassuring and useful. It looks like it would meet my needs pretty well. It just comes down to whether I can justify EVEN more money on cycling this year.

I may try having a little play with Bsim as suggested.

 

[MasterDabber]

I've got a couple more questions if I may....
I've been looking at some of the Youtube videos of people doing their rides on Bkool and wanted to better understand how a couple of the ride details displayed.

I see the Power meter giving power/average power, all straightforward. To the right there is a colour band which represents the zone the rider is at Z2, Z3 etc which I understand. Question... do you have to have done the ftp test for this to become active? I presume you do in order for Bkool to calculate your zone bands?

The next question is relates to HR monitor which has a similar display. How are the zones calculated? Do you have to do a LTHR test or do you simply declare you max HR?

Thanks...

 

[theboxers]

I've got a couple more questions if I may....
I've been looking at some of the Youtube videos of people doing their rides on Bkool and wanted to better understand how a couple of the ride details displayed.

I see the Power meter giving power/average power, all straightforward. To the right there is a colour band which represents the zone the rider is at Z2, Z3 etc which I understand. Question... do you have to have done the ftp test for this to become active? I presume you do in order for Bkool to calculate your zone bands?.

Any session/ride over 30 minutes can generate an FTP figure. The zones can be auto calculated off of that. But not all sessions over 30 minutes will change the FTP value. The FTP value will only, normally, be changed if the value is higher than the previous value or the FTP value has date expired (normally 90days since the last change iirc)

The next question is relates to HR monitor which has a similar display. How are the zones calculated? Do you have to do a LTHR test or do you simply declare you max HR?

Thanks...

I don't know enough about how HR values are generated to comment on this one.

 

[Asa Post]

I see the Power meter giving power/average power, all straightforward. To the right there is a colour band which represents the zone the rider is at Z2, Z3 etc which I understand. Question... do you have to have done the ftp test for this to become active? I presume you do in order for Bkool to calculate your zone bands?

The next question is relates to HR monitor which has a similar display. How are the zones calculated? Do you have to do a LTHR test or do you simply declare you max HR

Power and HR zones can also be set manually.
On the Bkool website, click on your name, then on PROFILE.
Click on the FITNESS LEVEL tab.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and your current zones are displayed.
Click on the pencil icon to change them.

The standard set of zones for power is that devised by Andrew Coggan. There are seven zones, though only the first six are given ranges, which begin at the following percentages of your FTP: 0, 56, 76, 91, 106 and 121.

Bkool (as always) does things differently. There are only six zones, which begin at these percentages of your Bkool FTP: 18, 38, 52, 63, 73, 83.

It's obvious that the Bkool zones are much lower than Coggan's. If you want to do any training based on power zones, the chances are that the training plan will use Coggan's figures - so you might want to change the Bkool zones accordingly.

[My Bkool calculated FTP isn't the same as my FTP derived from other tests, but it's near enough (currently 3 watts different) for practical purposes. I assume that it will be equally accurate for other users].

 

[MasterDabber]

Thanks for the replies. Interesting to see that Bkool will update based on 30 minute+ rides withing certain time gaps.

Thanks for info regarding anomalies bewteen methodologies against ftp but if they can be adjusted manually I guess that's not too much of problem.

How about HR zones? I know if working with power not really so important but will I be able to manually set those zones based on my known LTHR number?

 

[Asa Post]

How about HR zones? I know if working with power not really so important but will I be able to manually set those zones based on my known LTHR number?

HR zones can be set manually in the same way as power zones.
I don't know how Bkool derives the zones automatically, and there is no option to input a LTHR and have the zones based on it.
You will have to know the zones in advance, and then type them in.

 

[MasterDabber]

HR zones can be set manually in the same way as power zones.
I don't know how Bkool derives the zones automatically, and there is no option to input a LTHR and have the zones based on it.
You will have to know the zones in advance, and then type them in.

Thanks for all your help with my questions... very useful. No problem manually inputting it's just that I was interested in how Bkool might calculate them.

I recently did a LTHR test on my current old Tacx Sirius so I have something to work with.

 

[Jeepfreak81]

Thanks for the replies. Interesting to see that Bkool will update based on 30 minute+ rides withing certain time gaps.

Thanks for info regarding anomalies bewteen methodologies against ftp but if they can be adjusted manually I guess that's not too much of problem.

How about HR zones? I know if working with power not really so important but will I be able to manually set those zones based on my known LTHR number?

I thought I had read that it only takes a 20 minute session to update an FTP? I don't think I'm ready for a 30 minute session....haha

 

[gbrown]

I thought I had read that it only takes a 20 minute session to update an FTP? I don't think I'm ready for a 30 minute session....haha

It's only 20 minutes if you do the "official" Bkool FTP Test!

Otherwise, any session over 30 minutes might increase your fitness level.

Geoff

 

[Jeepfreak81]

It's only 20 minutes if you do the "official" Bkool FTP Test!

Otherwise, any session over 30 minutes might increase your fitness level.

Geoff

Aaaah, I see. That explains it. I was actually doing the official FTP when my trainer went up in a ball of smoke last weekend. I may give it another go this weekend to make sure the new one holds up ok. It's a boring ride though, nothing to look at....unless mine doesn't work right..haha

 

[MasterDabber]

I thought I had read that it only takes a 20 minute session to update an FTP? I don't think I'm ready for a 30 minute session....haha

And if you do a LTHR test that will be 30 minute effort (plus WU/WD)...... )

 

[Jeepfreak81]

And if you do a LTHR test that will be 30 minute effort (plus WU/WD)...... )

No HR monitor yet though, hoping to pick one up soon