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A wise sage!
I'm certain the Rainmaker will review in due course. Also, there's no zwift compatibility as yet I believe and unless the smart bike sells well, I doubt zwift will be rushing to incorporate the device onto their system.
Having said that as a standalone system I can certainly see the appeal. Bkool software looks reasonably well developed and it opens up the market to other platforms like peloton.
As long as power tracks well and reliably I think it's a good solution for more structured workouts for those who enjoy spinning classes.
Having said that as a standalone system I can certainly see the appeal. Bkool software looks reasonably well developed and it opens up the market to other platforms like peloton.
As long as power tracks well and reliably I think it's a good solution for more structured workouts for those who enjoy spinning classes.
Thanks everyone. I'll keep looking out for any type of reviews. I'm happy with my Bkool Classic trainer and Bkool platform as a whole. The Smart Bike is interesting because of less noise and (hopefully) better experience when standing. Little more compact than bike and turbo trainer too.
Wattbike don't make Zwift. Bkool control the hardware and software.
The main problems with the Atom that I have heard about are the shifting delays and not knowing the gear you are in. Bkool Smart Bike has no physical buttons for shifting and relies on the existing smartphone app for that.
Definitely it is something I would want to try before I buy, or have lots of reviews done first.
supershrimper
New Member
I've owned one for a few weeks - here's my thoughts.
Appear to need to have the shifting app on your smartphone AND the simulator app on a separate tablet or PC connected to work. The shifting is erratic - sometimes almost instant, but mostly a large lag. This lag, around 3 to 5 seconds, really spoils the enjoyment of using the simulator. I think I'd rather it had physical buttons - especially if it made it more responsive.
I've only used it with the Bkool simulator - I'm told it doesn't work with Zwift.
Noise - it is really quiet!
If you're small the bike won't adjust to fit you very well - I'm 5ft 10 and I have the seat pretty much on lowest setting and the handlebars as close to me as possible - and they still feel too far away.
Overall, at the moment I'm disappointed with it.
Appear to need to have the shifting app on your smartphone AND the simulator app on a separate tablet or PC connected to work. The shifting is erratic - sometimes almost instant, but mostly a large lag. This lag, around 3 to 5 seconds, really spoils the enjoyment of using the simulator. I think I'd rather it had physical buttons - especially if it made it more responsive.
I've only used it with the Bkool simulator - I'm told it doesn't work with Zwift.
Noise - it is really quiet!
If you're small the bike won't adjust to fit you very well - I'm 5ft 10 and I have the seat pretty much on lowest setting and the handlebars as close to me as possible - and they still feel too far away.
Overall, at the moment I'm disappointed with it.
Thanks for the insight.
How do you find it in ergo mode? Does it feel smooth and quick to adjust to changes in resistance/cadence? How does it cope with this being fixed gearing? Does the flywheel provide the inertia required for a smooth roadlike feel?
The shifting isn't particularly useful on either this or the atom tbh. It's just an unnecessary gimmick imo.
Thanks @supershrimper for the notes!
Hopefully the delays are something that can be fixed in software. Certainly for both their courses and the spinning classes, even if there is a mechanical lag, the software should be able to adjust the load a few seconds beforehand.
ERG mode should also take care of it? Have you tried that yet?
Good to hear it is quiet - for me this is an important factor. Let's hope the responsiveness can be improved.
The website says 1500 different resistances, but the remote app shows 20 "gears". When you are in Erg mode, are the changes smooth or do you feel them?
How does it feel when standing? Stable?
Hopefully the delays are something that can be fixed in software. Certainly for both their courses and the spinning classes, even if there is a mechanical lag, the software should be able to adjust the load a few seconds beforehand.
ERG mode should also take care of it? Have you tried that yet?
Good to hear it is quiet - for me this is an important factor. Let's hope the responsiveness can be improved.
The website says 1500 different resistances, but the remote app shows 20 "gears". When you are in Erg mode, are the changes smooth or do you feel them?
How does it feel when standing? Stable?
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Here's a review:
https://road.cc/content/review/246112-bkool-smart-bike
The q factor seems the main issue.
I'm not sure that would be a complete turn off for me. This looks promising...
https://road.cc/content/review/246112-bkool-smart-bike
The q factor seems the main issue.
I'm not sure that would be a complete turn off for me. This looks promising...
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
The Q factor won’t be your biggest issues. Your biggest issue will be it’s produced by Bkool!
Seriously run! Don’t look back! Get away from that piece of junk as fast as possible!!!
Do not make any assumptions about any of the problems being fixed. It won’t get better. It’ll probably get worse. Bkool are a complete bunch of clowns. I’m not saying this for effect. They really are a joke. Go into the main Bkool thread and ask for general options on Bkool and their product. Bare in mind most of us have experience of Bkool over a few years. It’s not even like it’s the Bkool pro which is relatively cheap so it makes a case for value for money. That spin bike is a big chunk of change.
On a side note I’d be highly surprised if the lag improves. I’ve owned a wattbike atom which has a similar issue. It isn’t a software problem it’s hardware. You just can’t change resistance on a spin bike at the same speed as a real bike. If I well respected company like wattbike cant improve it, then the Bkool monkey boys have got more chance of getting $hit out of a rocking horse!
I certainly won't be an early adopter for anything bkool (or tacx either). They all seem to have their (many) issues along with poor support.
The guy in the review seems to focus entirely on q factor which is more personal preference than anything else.
I wouldn't be using this for zwift so the gear changes/lag probably won't be an issue.
All I'm really after is an indoor bike which can work in ergo more for structured sessions.
This effort by bkool seems to tick quite a few boxes in that regard. Particularly on response time and power.
I'll wait for further review particularly from DCR before considering purchase though...
The guy in the review seems to focus entirely on q factor which is more personal preference than anything else.
I wouldn't be using this for zwift so the gear changes/lag probably won't be an issue.
All I'm really after is an indoor bike which can work in ergo more for structured sessions.
This effort by bkool seems to tick quite a few boxes in that regard. Particularly on response time and power.
I'll wait for further review particularly from DCR before considering purchase though...
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
If your looking for something to use for structured sessions such as intervals. You’ll want a unit that changes resistance quickly and with smooth transitions. If there is a lag in resistance changes then the ramp up and down will be poor. Particularly when doing short sharp intervals. So the lag will be an issue.
What issues do tacx have? From what I understand their suooort is a million times better than Bkool. Which isn’t saying much because Bkool support isn’t poor, it’s virtually non existent... if you want a decent spin bike and aren’t interested in Zwift. Why not get a second hand wattbike pro? You can pick them up for the same or less than the Bkool heap of junk. And they have an excellent track record for what you are looking for.
