Bkool Pro smart trainer - Delay on zwift?

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DavyDepuydt

New Member
Location
Belgium
Hi All,

Is there anyone here using a Bkool Pro Smart trainer with Zwift and what are your experiences?
I've recently bought one and after an initial test I have the impression that there is a huge delay between speeding up on my trainer and the speed being reflected on Zwift (numbers & movement of my avatar)

I've gone through the Zwift support forums a bit and some people mention the same problem (even with other trainers) but on a certain topic from september 2016 someone from Zwift responds:

"t seems like their latest firmware has introduced some issues between their hardware and Zwift that did not exist before while trying to address the 'ERG' mode issue."

So I'm interested now if anyone has it working correctly. I can imagine group rides/drafting being very difficult if there is such a delay between what you do on the bike and the reflection of it ingame.

Thanks
 

bridgy

Legendary Member
Location
Cheddar
Hi All,

Is there anyone here using a Bkool Pro Smart trainer with Zwift and what are your experiences?
I've recently bought one and after an initial test I have the impression that there is a huge delay between speeding up on my trainer and the speed being reflected on Zwift (numbers & movement of my avatar)

I've gone through the Zwift support forums a bit and some people mention the same problem (even with other trainers) but on a certain topic from september 2016 someone from Zwift responds:

"t seems like their latest firmware has introduced some issues between their hardware and Zwift that did not exist before while trying to address the 'ERG' mode issue."

So I'm interested now if anyone has it working correctly. I can imagine group rides/drafting being very difficult if there is such a delay between what you do on the bike and the reflection of it ingame.

Thanks
I've done a few rides on Zwift with the free trial and I experienced this delay too (using a Bkool Pro) - back in March. Wasn't in every ride but was very apparent in one race in particular. Made it very hard to ride in a group as I was either flying off the front, despite having already backed off, or dropping out the back while giving it my all! Sorry, I don't know if there's a solution though. Please do let us know if you find one!
 
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DavyDepuydt

DavyDepuydt

New Member
Location
Belgium
I've contacted Bkool support (since Zwift support forums seem to tell that Zwift communicates with all the trainers the same way and they think a firmware upgrade caused this a while back).

I'm curious if I'll get a response and if they are willing to look into the issue and investigate it or if they will just reply "it works with Bkool simulator, we have no control over the Zwift software..."
 

bridgy

Legendary Member
Location
Cheddar
I've contacted Bkool support (since Zwift support forums seem to tell that Zwift communicates with all the trainers the same way and they think a firmware upgrade caused this a while back).

I'm curious if I'll get a response and if they are willing to look into the issue and investigate it or if they will just reply "it works with Bkool simulator, we have no control over the Zwift software..."
If you get any meaningful reply at all it will almost certainly be the latter!
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
Unfortunately Bkool is becoming a closed setup with a disadvantage for non Bkool trainers on BSim and the Bkool trainers not working correctly on other simulators.

If you're set on using Zwift then sell or return your Bkool trainer and buy a power based smart trainer, tacx or Wahoo do a range.
 
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DavyDepuydt

DavyDepuydt

New Member
Location
Belgium
What would you advise in the same price range as the Bkool pro? is the Wahoo Kickr Snap something? I can also buy the TacX Genius Smart now in a promotion from a local store.
 
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CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
What would you advise in the same price range as the Bkool pro? is the Wahoo Kickr Snap something? I can also buy the TacX Genius Smart now in a promotion from a local store.

@kipster He has a Wahoo Snap and seems to like it. He moved to Wahoo after 2 failed Bkool trainers. I have the direct drive Kickr. Tacx have good performance but they also seem to have reliability issues.
 

kipster

Guru
Location
Hampshire
@kipster He has a Wahoo Snap and seems to like it. He moved to Wahoo after 2 failed Bkool trainers. I have the direct drive Kickr. Tacx have good performance but they also seem to have reliability issues.

The wahoo Kickr snap works well for me. I didn't want the direct drive as I use three different bikes on the turbo (three different gear systems). The Kickr snap is woeful with the bkool simulator, but is great with zwift, trainer road and bigringvr. The only drawback with the Kickr snap is that you need to calibrate (full every so often, snipdown before every ride) which is a bit of a pain, but helps keep the power accurate(ish).

It's a heavy old unit, but very solid. I've also just purchased a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt so can ride strava / ridewithgps routes from that on the Kickr now as well.
 
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DavyDepuydt

DavyDepuydt

New Member
Location
Belgium
Thanks for all the feedback.
I've gave the bkool pro another shot on Zwift yesterday evening.

I've put the wattage display setting on "instant", and what I saw was that the wattage go up within 1 sec of me peddling harder on the bkool, so that looks ok. It just takes a few more seconds until my avatar actually gains speed (while in real life you would go faster almost immediately). So maybe it is not all the fault of the bkool since it looks like the wattage is passed on very fast to Zwift.
 

Whorty

Gets free watts from the Atom ;)
Location
Wiltshire
Thanks for all the feedback.
I've gave the bkool pro another shot on Zwift yesterday evening.

I've put the wattage display setting on "instant", and what I saw was that the wattage go up within 1 sec of me peddling harder on the bkool, so that looks ok. It just takes a few more seconds until my avatar actually gains speed (while in real life you would go faster almost immediately). So maybe it is not all the fault of the bkool since it looks like the wattage is passed on very fast to Zwift.
Hi, I was seeing the same until I changed to instant speed update and this resolved the issue. Seems a zwift feature rather than a bkool bug. Certainly in the sprint sections on zwift I don't see any time lag and I am able to sprint and react to other riders.
 
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