Team BKool CycleChat

[CXRAndy]

Do any of you guys have power meters? The price puts me off somewhat but since using bkool I can appreciate how useful they are.

Tommy I have a 'stages' crank arm power meter. You can get them to match most groups sets, but you don't really need to, only length and fixing needs to be the same.

When I first got it, my kickr over read the stages by quite a lot, I believe Wahoo has now improved the calibration and accuracy.

You haven't to get too concerned about watching the power, but it can be useful on climbs so you can watch your effort doesn't go too far into the red.

You probably know that heart rate lags behind effort and can affected by temperature, tiredness and illness, so not truly accurate of effort or performance.

Power is power, if you're not making the numbers you're tired or just weaker

 

[Monte]

You haven't to get too concerned about watching the power, but it can be useful on climbs so you can watch your effort doesn't go too far into the red.

This is where I'm hoping it will help me out the most - on the climbs. As a heavier rider it's easy to push too hard too early.

 

[<Tommy>]

I've always liked the look of the pedal based ones. I don't know if they're anymore or less accurate then the others but I just assumed they're the easiest to transfer from one bike to another and used in all conditions.

 

[bobinski]

Thank you for posting that Bob. My excitement went up when I read Kipster's link, and then back down when I read yours.
Doesn't look promising does it? And DC does tell it how it is.

Sadly no. Apparently units out to customers this month so fingers crossed for positive feedback.

 

[LBHIFI]

I don't yet, but am keeping an eye on this https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/limits-the-world-s-smartest-cycling-power-meter#/

Even before reading DC's article I wouldn't have included the "LIMITS" in my wishlist. Extending the pedal axel like that seems like an potential intrusion of riding style.

I keeping an eye on the 4iiii, but not availble in europe so far:
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/12/4iiii-precision-review.html

 

[CXRAndy]

This is where I'm hoping it will help me out the most - on the climbs. As a heavier rider it's easy to push too hard too early.

Downhills and flats can be misleading looking at power, but you can get a good gauge of effort on flat courses. Hills it is useful, last weekend on the club ride we hit a steep-ish climb and I was third on the road going up it. Like usual you want to catch the rider in front! I set a cadence and power level of high 300s Watts which I knew I could maintain for several minutes and just stayed there whilst gaining on the rider in front. The purests will say do it by feel and intensity which you can, but numbers are easier to see and gauge

 

[Monte]

Not sure if I'm losing it or not - a lot of people seem to have completed stage 2 (maine bike rally Biddeford) - have I missed a week or is this tonight's stage ?

 

[BILL S]

Not sure if I'm losing it or not - a lot of people seem to have completed stage 2 (maine bike rally Biddeford) - have I missed a week or is this tonight's stage ?

Monte. That was last week's stage. Tonight's ride is stage 3.

 

[Monte]

Monte. That was last week's stage. Tonight's ride is stage 3.

I am losing it... I can remember now I missed last weeks, needed the fresh air - it was a stressful few days #numbnuts

 

[Insomina]

I am losing it... I can remember now I missed last weeks, needed the fresh air - it was a stressful few days #numbnuts

Same as me - I've just b00locked some staff for not being at a meeting - that I arranged for next week.

 

[gbrown]

I purchased a set of power tap carbon rims with the G3 hub power meter at the end of the last year, had a few rides but really looking forward to using them this year. Can also confirm after training with bkool trainer your power zones makes so much more sense. If I was time trialling or racing it's a must training tool...

I also bought a set of 35mm Carbon Powertap G3 wheels just over a year ago, used them two or three times and they have sat in my garage ever since, as I haven't ridden a bike since then. If anyone fancies a virtually unused set for a good discount on new give me a shout... my wife is nagging me to sell everything as I can't use them.

The few times I did use them they were great for pacing on the long climbs, and helped me to take 20% of my best time up our local "go to" climb!

The combination of a power meter and the carbon wheels with a moderate deep section (35mm), whilst being a doddle to switch from bike to bike, is quite compelling. They cost me £1,450 quid and since a power meter that measured both legs was at least half that, I reckoned the carbon wheels were a bit of a bargain.

The only problem was that as I had a KICKR, I couldn't use them with Bkool (as the back wheel isn't used), so couldn't get the actual power figures to compare. If you haved a bkool trainer it should give a good indication of actual power, to compare with bkool's estimates.

Geoff

 

[theboxers]

I also bought a set of 35mm Carbon Powertap G3 wheels just over a year ago, used them two or three times and they have sat in my garage ever since, as I haven't ridden a bike since then. If anyone fancies a virtually unused set for a good discount on new give me a shout... my wife is nagging me to sell everything as I can't use them.

The few times I did use them they were great for pacing on the long climbs, and helped me to take 20% of my best time up our local "go to" climb!

The combination of a power meter and the carbon wheels with a moderate deep section (35mm), whilst being a doddle to switch from bike to bike, is quite compelling. They cost me £1,450 quid and since a power meter that measured both legs was at least half that, I reckoned the carbon wheels were a bit of a bargain.

The only problem was that as I had a KICKR, I couldn't use them with Bkool (as the back wheel isn't used), so couldn't get the actual power figures to compare. If you haved a bkool trainer it should give a good indication of actual power, to compare with bkool's estimates.

Geoff

I would be tempted if they are made for disk brakes . I am a tech junkie at times .

 

[Monte]

If you haved a bkool trainer it should give a good indication of actual power, to compare with bkool's estimates.

I haven't been brave enough to use my wheels on the bkool, they only come out when the weather is good and only on good roads. I also bought 35mm, agree great wheelset for the money.

Not sure if its my weight or the fact that my training wheels are on their last legs, I use Mavic askiums as a training wheel and I've recently had problems with loose spokes, took the wheel to my bike mechanic and he told me that I've managed to move the whole dish of the wheel and the only way around the issue would be to buy new spokes and completely re-build the wheel and he's adjusted the spokes to the point any more tweeking the nipples would break.

So hence I won't use my best wheels on the BKOOL.

 

[BILL S]

I haven't been brave enough to use my wheels on the bkool, they only come out when the weather is good and only on good roads. I also bought 35mm, agree great wheelset for the money.

Not sure if its my weight or the fact that my training wheels are on their last legs, I use Mavic askiums as a training wheel and I've recently had problems with loose spokes, took the wheel to my bike mechanic and he told me that I've managed to move the whole dish of the wheel and the only way around the issue would be to buy new spokes and completely re-build the wheel and he's adjusted the spokes to the point any more tweeking the nipples would break.

So hence I won't use my best wheels on the BKOOL.

I would say that there's far less stress on a wheel on the bkool compared to out on the road. Apart from all the crud that gets into your bearings and the rough surface that puts massive load on your wheels, you are generally not putting any lateral load on your wheels and spokes because you have to learn to ride with a style that avoids the tipping motion that you get when you're out of the saddle and pushing hard up a hill. Even when out of the saddle on the turbo you are instinctively avoiding lateral forces. Same goes for carbon fibre frames IMO. Far less harm on the turbo than out on the road.

So if I had my perfect set of wheels which would be Mavic Ksyrium Exaliths then I would keep them for the turbo and for racing out on the roads, but seeing as I don't race out on the roads, they are just too much of an extravagance.

 

[BILL S]

Anyway, tonight's ride is Stage 3 in Berge von Kolle 6x. (And yes, it is what it implies that it is)
7pm. Unless Rick posts that he will be starting it then I will start the ride at 7pm with a 10 min warm-up as per usual.

For any new members you will find the ride under the live tab and you can use the filter search function if necessary using any part of the ride's name to find it.
If you see me on the start line then you will know you are in the correct session.

Please try to join as close to 7pm as possible. In the case of a phantom start which sometimes happens with bkool, I will restart if the timer is at more than 3 min's to go to add on the missed warm up time. Any less than 3 min's to go and the race will start. Hope that makes sense. If not please ask.

See you all on the start line