Bkool Courses without constant gear changes

[dazza007]

I am a bit perplexed why so many courses on Bkool have constant changes in gradient, sometimes that is a marked change in gradient (+ve to -ve). Therefore I am constantly watching the slope and trying to change gear as the slope changes and after using the app for 2 years or so I am losing enthusiasm.
Could someone recommend me some courses that are decent and do not require constant changing of gears to ensure the power is applied at all times.
Some 30 minutes/15 km rides would be very well received too!
Many Thanks
Darren

 

[CXRAndy]

Courses with gradient changes usually require to change gear. if you don't want to change gear use the velodrome

 

[Crook Town AFC]

Would using ERG mode help? Never used it much but I understand that you can set a power level and that evens out the climbs. I may be wrong here of course but I bet members who are more familiar with Bkool will be able to advise.

 

[Whorty]

Would using ERG mode help? Never used it much but I understand that you can set a power level and that evens out the climbs. I may be wrong here of course but I bet members who are more familiar with Bkool will be able to advise.

Correct, ERG mode would help. Start pedalling, get to a power level you want to ride at, then hit CTRL P. Keep cadence the same and you can ride without changing gear. You can be in absolutely any gear to do this, ERG will control resistance. I've used this a few time on Bkool and it works fine.

 

[MasterDabber]

Correct, ERG mode would help. Start pedalling, get to a power level you want to ride at, then hit CTRL P. Keep cadence the same and you can ride without changing gear. You can be in absolutely any gear to do this, ERG will control resistance. I've used this a few time on Bkool and it works fine.

I've never really worked out the attraction of using ERG mode on video (eg scenic) type virtual rides. I can see the use/benefits of using it on interval based type virtual training (eg TrainerRoad) but for me the attraction of riding a video ride, especially on some of the classic routes, is getting the feel of what the real thing feels like and dealing with the associated challenges. Just to ride say the Tourmalet at a fixed power/ cadence seems to put the boredom back into virtual training but perhaps that just me.

 

[Whorty]

I've never really worked out the attraction of using ERG mode on video (eg scenic) type virtual rides. I can see the use/benefits of using it on interval based type virtual training (eg TrainerRoad) but for me the attraction of riding a video ride, especially on some of the classic routes, is getting the feel of what the real thing feels like and dealing with the associated challenges. Just to ride say the Tourmalet at a fixed power/ cadence seems to put the boredom back into virtual training but perhaps that just me.

I never used it whilst I had the Bkool Pro, but it's useful when I ride on the Kickr. Helps to smooth out the deadstops. Also useful on steep declines where the kickr spins out, but if I set ERG to say 200 watts, I still get a workout when going down hill

 

[dazza007]

Perfect that sounds like a plan. Thanks a lot much appreciated.
It does not seem that hard to create a route that the routes gradients change less frequently and more like a ride when out on the bike.
Possibly if there are no suggestions of potential routes that would have less frequent (or constant) gear changes could creating a route be a solution

 

[Aleman]

One other alternative is to reduce the 'realism' of the ride so dropping it down from 100 to 50% will halve the gradients (both up and down) which will reduce the need to change gear.

 

[dazza007]

Thanks again. I do want to keep up the effort required, I just don't want to constantly change from top gear to bottom gear, I have a 32T back cassette and don't need to do change gears so often when I go out on a ride ( and I live in the middle of the Lake District)
My last trainer ride had a 300m climb and in the climb there were section being in the lowest gear to climb greater than 9% gradients in the saddle then a negative gradient where I had to quicky change the front chainring down and back upto keep the Watts on the powertrain.

 

[MasterDabber]

Thanks again. I do want to keep up the effort required, I just don't want to constantly change from top gear to bottom gear, I have a 32T back cassette and don't need to do change gears so often when I go out on a ride ( and I live in the middle of the Lake District)
My last trainer ride had a 300m climb and in the climb there were section being in the lowest gear to climb greater than 9% gradients in the saddle then a negative gradient where I had to quicky change the front chainring down and back upto keep the Watts on the powertrain.

The Bkool sw does this, very inconsistent gradient changes... try another simulator would be my advice.

 

[Bored Man]

Perfect that sounds like a plan. Thanks a lot much appreciated.
It does not seem that hard to create a route that the routes gradients change less frequently and more like a ride when out on the bike.
Possibly if there are no suggestions of potential routes that would have less frequent (or constant) gear changes could creating a route be a solution

Do a search for Florida keys... pan flat.. there was also a recent video in Chicago I think... also, pretty flat too. Have a look in Holland on the map. Think flat. Don’t change gear, work a little harder or spin.. get out of the saddle - just like RW.

 

[Whorty]

Do a search for Florida keys... pan flat.. there was also a recent video in Chicago I think... also, pretty flat too. Have a look in Holland on the map. Think flat. Don’t change gear, work a little harder or spin.. get out of the saddle - just like RW.

I used to ride a Thailand route that was pretty flat. Couple of lumps over bridges but apart from that nice and flat. May have to search for that again, used to enjoy that

 

[LBHIFI]

I think I do understand what dazza means. The problem is that when riding in 3D or map mode, you don't have a sense of what is coming and for how long. E.g. in real life when you see a small hill in front of you, you subconsciously do a calculation: "this hill is short, i can squeeze my bike over and rest on the other side".
I may be wrong, but I can't recall I thought much about gearshifting when I did a few video rides, and I think i'ts because you have a better sense of whats ahead.
Try e.g. this one:
http://www.bkool.com/profile/detail/765275?durationType=DISTANCE&lapCount=1

 

[dazza007]

Thanks for the suggestion.
I asked Bkool about the issue (i also asked about a search function of climbing distance too!) there response below. It does explain some of the problems, I do like Bkool and this seems like something easy to fix from the software end)

"Hi darren,

Thanks for your message. The GPS tracks we receive are normalized (softened) in order to avoid those dramatic changes, anyway there are always problems with this, as many of these rides are recorded using mobile phones with not quite accurate GPS antennas...

We will forward your suggestion about climbing distance to our software developers.

See you at Bkool,

Bkool Team."

 

[CXRAndy]

Thanks for your message. The GPS tracks we receive are normalized (softened) in order to avoid those dramatic changes, anyway there are always problems with this, as many of these rides are recorded using mobile phones with not quite accurate GPS antennas...

Reasonable excuse from Bkool admin, its bollox about gps from mobile, just crap simulator that cant cope with gradient transitions. Try Zwift or BigRing VR, they dont suffer with these issues.