Bkool Pro Noise

[Gillyann]

Oh Good! A Bkool Pro noise thread
This is my first post, and I'm sorry to hijack this thread...
My new Bkool Pro is making what can only be described as a thumping noise ! It appears to be on each revolution of the wheel, so I checked my wheel, and my tyre and the contact between tyre and Bkool, to see if there was something on the Bkool. All is clear.
So, my husband rode while I watched and listened. As he rides, the arms that hold the skewer seem to rock back and forth as he pedals...is this normal? I'm going to call the shop as soon as they open on Tuesday, but wanted to go in armed with as much info as possible...Please :-)

 

[g00se]

Can you try a different bike? If it's in time with the wheel - it suggests an imbalance or mis-shape. Maybe take the rear tyre off and replace with another or swap with the front tyre? If you can try to eliminate anything to do with the bike, then you'll have more to tell the shop.

 

[Gillyann]

Can you try a different bike? If it's in time with the wheel - it suggests an imbalance or mis-shape. Maybe take the rear tyre off and replace with another or swap with the front tyre? If you can try to eliminate anything to do with the bike, then you'll have more to tell the shop.

Sorry g00se! I wasn't ignoring you - time of year, family an all that :-/
Okay, so I got another bike on the Bkool Pro, and it's absolutely fine! thanks for the suggestion :-) I now have to check my bike ! As soon as I get a minute :-)

 

[g00se]

Cool. Sounds like a tyre issue then.

 

[User33236]

I set up and run my Bkool Pro in the kitchen / dinner as there is an area of the floor which in concrete instead of wooden floorboards. Definitely a lot quieter than it elsewhere plus its furthest away fron the wall than joins us with next door.

I also recently fitted a turbo tyre, not for noise reasons but in attempt to stop slipping, and it has reduced what little noise there was even further.

 

[Gillyann]

Finally!
I checked my tyre and wheel. No problem.
Bought a training tyre Hey Presto the thrumming stopped. Which suggests there's 'something' with my tyre.
Thank you for your help, sincerest apologies for the delay in responding x

 

[mrrodge]

I know this is an old thread - I just bought a Bkool Pro 2. They claim it's dead quiet, but I'm finding the thing makes a high pitched noise similar to a jet engine firing up - is this normal? It looks to me like the rough surface that shreds tyres is to blame, but not sure.

 

[CXRAndy]

I know this is an old thread - I just bought a Bkool Pro 2. They claim it's dead quiet, but I'm finding the thing makes a high pitched noise similar to a jet engine firing up - is this normal? It looks to me like the rough surface that shreds tyres is to blame, but not sure.

Yes the ribbed surface is intended to give grip. Noise sounds normal. Run tyre pressure at 140-150psi- it's worth 50 Watts

 

[mrrodge]

Yes the ribbed surface is intended to give grip. Noise sounds normal. Run tyre pressure at 140-150psi- it's worth 50 Watts

I can only put 115 in my tyres!

Glad my unit isn't broken. Do they all sound that bad, or is it just a Bkool thing? They claim it's no louder than the average conversation. I know the spanish are loud, but louder than a vacuum cleaner at 1m?!

I haven't done a proper ride on it yet but I have to say so far I'm really unimpressed. The pictures show a handle for tightening/loosening the bike which mine didn't come with so I have to use a spanner and it's no quicker than taking off the wheel to fit to a direct drive jobby. It could be much easier I'm sure. The software also seems sh*t. Crashed on the ipad already and it seems it's impossible to pick a route without a PC, I don't see what's so hard about putting a search box for location in, rather than just for the name of the ride, which could be anything. Not to mention the fact that my ipad air apparently isn't fast enough for me to switch view during a ride!

Will it work with Zwift or similar, from an Ipad Air (Bluetooth)? I can't get a PC near the device and don't have a laptop.

Seriously considering getting rid and haven't even ridden it yet!

 

[CXRAndy]

I can only put 115 in my tyres!

Glad my unit isn't broken. Do they all sound that bad, or is it just a Bkool thing?All bkool sound similar(taking the side cover off helps a little. They claim it's no louder than the average conversation. I know the spanish are loud, but louder than a vacuum cleaner at 1m?! Yes

I haven't done a proper ride on it yet but I have to say so far I'm really unimpressed. The pictures show a handle for tightening/loosening the bike which mine didn't come with so I have to use a spanner and it's no quicker than taking off the wheel to fit to a direct drive jobby. It could be much easier I'm sure. The software also seems sh*t. Crashed on the ipad already and it seems it's impossible to pick a route without a PC, I don't see what's so hard about putting a search box for location in, rather than just for the name of the ride, which could be anything. Not to mention the fact that my ipad air apparently isn't fast enough for me to switch view during a ride! I always found the search poor on my phone but ok on a PC

Will it work with Zwift or similar, from an Ipad Air (Bluetooth)? I can't get a PC near the device and don't have a laptop. It should quite well on Zwift, however it can be a little erratic, sometimes you will fly and other times it will feel hard work-reason Bkool isnt using the same open F-EC protocol that other trainers use.

Seriously considering getting rid and haven't even ridden it yet!I recommend a Wahoo Kickr or Tacx Neo(very quiet in operation)- Buy once

 

[mrrodge]

Thanks for the info. Just looking at the Tacx Genius now (the two you suggest are waaaaay out of my price range). Hopefully the store will let me return for a refund.

From what I've read on the Zwift site it won't work at all using their ipad app because Bkool is only compatible with it over ANT+ and not bluetooth.

 

[Whorty]

I can only put 115 in my tyres!

Glad my unit isn't broken. Do they all sound that bad, or is it just a Bkool thing?All bkool sound similar(taking the side cover off helps a little. They claim it's no louder than the average conversation. I know the spanish are loud, but louder than a vacuum cleaner at 1m?! Yes

I haven't done a proper ride on it yet but I have to say so far I'm really unimpressed. The pictures show a handle for tightening/loosening the bike which mine didn't come with so I have to use a spanner and it's no quicker than taking off the wheel to fit to a direct drive jobby. It could be much easier I'm sure. The software also seems sh*t. Crashed on the ipad already and it seems it's impossible to pick a route without a PC, I don't see what's so hard about putting a search box for location in, rather than just for the name of the ride, which could be anything. Not to mention the fact that my ipad air apparently isn't fast enough for me to switch view during a ride! I always found the search poor on my phone but ok on a PC

Will it work with Zwift or similar, from an Ipad Air (Bluetooth)? I can't get a PC near the device and don't have a laptop. It should quite well on Zwift, however it can be a little erratic, sometimes you will fly and other times it will feel hard work-reason Bkool isnt using the same open F-EC protocol that other trainers use.

Seriously considering getting rid and haven't even ridden it yet!I recommend a Wahoo Kickr or Tacx Neo(very quiet in operation)- Buy once

I have the Pro rather than Pro 2 but to me this doesn't sound too loud. The fan I use to keep cool is louder than the turbo - actually the fan in my laptop is louder than the turbo as it makes a hell of a racket trying to keep cool when running Bkool or Zwift software!

I use a laptop which sounds better than your iPad experience but to be honest still not easy to find routes. I usually set rides up before i get on the bike then they sit in the 'programmed' list on the sim. I wouldn't want to search for rides when I'm on the turbo.

My Pro works well with Zwift but as Andy says sometimes you get an erratic ride where power (and presumably speed) are higher than expected. I seem to have narrowed this down on my machine to when I change settings within Zwift, e.g. trainer feel on hills.I can replicate this bug so have to ensure if I change any of these settings then I need to come out of everything, close the software, shut down the trainer, remove the Ant+ etc to get the change to stick. This is on a laptop, may work OK on an Ipad .... don'y know.

There are a lot of Pro users on here happy with their machines, but also some who had the original Pro then switched to the Neo. Not had anyone on here yet with the Pro 2 so little feedback yet on that specific trainer.

 

[bridgy]

I can only put 115 in my tyres!

Glad my unit isn't broken. Do they all sound that bad, or is it just a Bkool thing? They claim it's no louder than the average conversation. I know the spanish are loud, but louder than a vacuum cleaner at 1m?!

I haven't done a proper ride on it yet but I have to say so far I'm really unimpressed. The pictures show a handle for tightening/loosening the bike which mine didn't come with so I have to use a spanner and it's no quicker than taking off the wheel to fit to a direct drive jobby. It could be much easier I'm sure. The software also seems sh*t. Crashed on the ipad already and it seems it's impossible to pick a route without a PC, I don't see what's so hard about putting a search box for location in, rather than just for the name of the ride, which could be anything. Not to mention the fact that my ipad air apparently isn't fast enough for me to switch view during a ride!

Will it work with Zwift or similar, from an Ipad Air (Bluetooth)? I can't get a PC near the device and don't have a laptop.

Seriously considering getting rid and haven't even ridden it yet!

The tyre you use makes a huge difference to the noise - some are much louder than others

 

[<Tommy>]

I can only put 115 in my tyres!

Glad my unit isn't broken. Do they all sound that bad, or is it just a Bkool thing? They claim it's no louder than the average conversation. I know the spanish are loud, but louder than a vacuum cleaner at 1m?!

I haven't done a proper ride on it yet but I have to say so far I'm really unimpressed. The pictures show a handle for tightening/loosening the bike which mine didn't come with so I have to use a spanner and it's no quicker than taking off the wheel to fit to a direct drive jobby. It could be much easier I'm sure. The software also seems sh*t. Crashed on the ipad already and it seems it's impossible to pick a route without a PC, I don't see what's so hard about putting a search box for location in, rather than just for the name of the ride, which could be anything. Not to mention the fact that my ipad air apparently isn't fast enough for me to switch view during a ride!

Will it work with Zwift or similar, from an Ipad Air (Bluetooth)? I can't get a PC near the device and don't have a laptop.

Seriously considering getting rid and haven't even ridden it yet!

Do you have the option of returning it for a refund? If you do I'd take that option. The unit isn't completely dreadful. But put it this way. Most people who have them and need to replace them, replace them with a different brand of trainer. They're fine if you just want to use bkool, and accept the watt readings are very generous. But if you want to use zwift or other platforms, racing against other people the inaccuracies in power readings mean you can't race on a level playing field.

If you do stick with it I'd recommend getting the type of noise reducing rubber matt they make to fit under washing machines. Some old carpet, or a combination of the two!

 

[mrrodge]

Do you have the option of returning it for a refund? If you do I'd take that option. The unit isn't completely dreadful. But put it this way. Most people who have them and need to replace them, replace them with a different brand of trainer. They're fine if you just want to use bkool, and accept the watt readings are very generous. But if you want to use zwift or other platforms, racing against other people the inaccuracies in power readings mean you can't race on a level playing field.

If you do stick with it I'd recommend getting the type of noise reducing rubber matt they make to fit under washing machines. Some old carpet, or a combination of the two!

Just sorted the return out, shop was very accommodating. I had it on the Bkool gel mat. On the whole, very disappointed. I get the impression Bkool spend more on marketing and flashy packaging than they do on their products; I certainly don't think the thing is £450's worth of kit. Now I've done a bit more homework I can see their specs are very fluffy as well (1200w resistance, 68dB noise, Zwift compatibility, ANT+FE, none of which are 100% true). Very annoying and misleading and leaves a sour taste in the mouth!

Here's the problem though now; I've read there's reliability issues with Tacx and Wahoo prices are unbelievable so what's the alternative? Think I may be having a winter piling on the pounds...