Team BKool CycleChat

[gbrown]

So I took a crack at the TTT course (Tin Can Ten Time Trial) with the appropriate set of ghosts.

First, I can say with absolute certainty that the kickr starting issue still exists. I'm putting down 400-500 watts and the pack flys off into the distance. I eventually caught up with everyone -- but never settled into a pace where I could do any drafting. I'd fly by Bazzer on the downhills, only to be caught when we'd start climbing again. So I just rode. Bazzer caught me for good on the last "big" hill and I finished ~41 seconds behind him and about a minute ahead of Whorty/Bert. Given that Whorty and Bert finished together my run won't affect the team time.

Ride felt a hell of a lot easier than my last effort on this course. ~10 second difference in the time, but a dramatic difference in my effort.

As for the next TTT, the team will just have to realize I'm going to be hammering hard to catch up after the kickr start and will need to recover a bit before I can lead out.

@JLaw why don't you start 20 seconds before your team's start time and get up to speed, then wait for your team to catch you? So long as you end up within your team within a minute or two it should not give you or your team a benefit, and I can knock the head start off your moving time.

We can call it the the KICKR start adjustment!

 

[Soarerv8]

Do you use him as the audible bump stop?

It's more physical than audible he has been trained not to cry out when his feet get run over.

 

[bridgy]

I managed to get round to the Maine time trial. Happy with my time. Sorry Bridgy. But you and LBHIF's ghosts were drafting so well I had to bury myself to stay in front. I tried drafting you both but you kept pulling away. AAAC joined for a while then left. Just before LBHIFI ghost disappeared off into the distance. I really need to learn to turn a big gear at 80plus cadence otherwise I will never improve. Too dependent on powering up for short periods.

Yeah, got that lovely email - thanks!

Your time is still not showing in the league for some reason though @bobinski ?

 

[gbrown]

@JLaw why don't you start 20 seconds before your team's start time and get up to speed, then wait for your team to catch you? So long as you end up within your team within a minute or two it should not give you or your team a benefit, and I can knock the head start off your moving time.

We can call it the the KICKR start adjustment!

@JLaw sorry, my bad, since your probably starting at 0:00 it's not possible to get a head start.

 

[Brendan Parker]

@JLaw sorry, my bad, since your probably starting at 0:00 it's not possible to get a hand start.

I think your in white team @JLaw?
I'm with you I think. I'm the one in black who can't afford a team kit! Hahha

 

[bobinski]

Yeah, got that lovely email - thanks!

Your time is still not showing in the league for some reason though @bobinski ?

Yeah, i think i fecked up the set up as usual. Bill or Rick, can you add my time to the league pretty please

 

[JLaw]

I think your in white team @JLaw?
I'm with you I think. I'm the one in black who can't afford a team kit! Hahha

Yup, I'm on the white team. I'll have to pick up a kit before Tues. Meaning I'll have to dig through the archives to see who put it together and how...

For Tuesday's ride, tactics would seem to be dependent upon how bkool handles drafting. If drafting merely decreases resistance (which is what I suspect), then drafting on a major downhill doesn't actually help in the bkool world, which would argue we draft until the big downhill starts and every man for himself from that point onward. If drafting affects virtual speed, then drafting on the downhill would likely be useful and thus we'd want to continue drafting much later in the race.

 

[Brendan Parker]

Yup, I'm on the white team. I'll have to pick up a kit before Tues. Meaning I'll have to dig through the archives to see who put it together and how...

For Tuesday's ride, tactics would seem to be dependent upon how bkool handles drafting. If drafting merely decreases resistance (which is what I suspect), then drafting on a major downhill doesn't actually help in the bkool world, which would argue we draft until the big downhill starts and every man for himself from that point onward. If drafting affects virtual speed, then drafting on the downhill would likely be useful and thus we'd want to continue drafting much later in the race.

I haven't seen the course yet but in past experience drafting is difficult other than on flat(ish) sections, but @bazzer99 was clearly the fastest in our team last week and we were just trying to catch him!!
As long as we can help 3rd position to a quicker time. As for kit changing I'm no help as I wasted 1000s of coins and somehow still ended up in black!!! With empty drawers as they call it. Good luck with that bit! @Whorty @bazzer99 @Goldwolfie you all in tomorrow?

 

[gbrown]

Yup, I'm on the white team. I'll have to pick up a kit before Tues. Meaning I'll have to dig through the archives to see who put it together and how...

For Tuesday's ride, tactics would seem to be dependent upon how bkool handles drafting. If drafting merely decreases resistance (which is what I suspect), then drafting on a major downhill doesn't actually help in the bkool world, which would argue we draft until the big downhill starts and every man for himself from that point onward. If drafting affects virtual speed, then drafting on the downhill would likely be useful and thus we'd want to continue drafting much later in the race.

Since drafting reduces the resistance, it helps more the faster you are going. On a steep downhill your speed should be determined by the amount of resistance, so even if you are free-wheeling (blue virtual speed), drafting should make you go faster (rather than allow less effort)!

However, the guy at the front is likely to be limited to a (blue) speed dependent on the steepness of the decline. So best tactic should be to draft closely to use the lowered air resistance to reach a higher speed, pass the guy at the front, who then tucks straight into the draft in turn. As soon as you hit the front your resistance will increase again and you will start to slow down, so very short turns on the front should give the best speed.

So on the steep declines I would try rolling through constantly, the lead guy peeling off and dropping back to tuck in at the back, and then move up gradually one position at a time, to take a brief turn at the front and repeat.

I've watched the pro's do this when trying to work together to maintain a break away, I wonder if it works the same in bkool land?

On a less steep decline (no blue numbers) it might make more sense to take longer turns on the front, especially for the stronger riders, but when the numbers turn blue you should tuck in at the back as soon as the other riders roll past you.

Cheers,

Geoff

 

[gbrown]

I'd like to propose one change to tomorrow nights teams. Since it looks like many more Team white riders can make the ride, but not quite enough to make two full teams, I suggest that @bazzer99 moves up to the Green Team, to give them a better chance of getting three riders across the line.

If everyone is happy with this, the Teams currently look like this... (anyone else who wants to join in just shout)

Team White - Start Time 0:00

(Captain) @bert1971 @JLaw @Goldwolfie @rob01792 @theboxers @Gaileb @Whorty

Team Green - Start Time 2:30

(Captain) @Monte @berty bassett @Soarerv8 @Insomina @bazzer99

Team Not Red - Start Time 4:30

(Captain) @Add @TurboTommy @CXRAndy @kipster

Team Blue - Start Time 8:00

(Captain) @BILL S @bridgy @bobinski @LBHIFI

 

[kipster]

I like the time gaps

 

[BILL S]

Well done Bridgy. Your ghost destroyed me up Merry Harriers tonight. I got 20 seconds on you at the start but your brute power hauled me in and passed me around half way to finish 12 seconds ahead. Looking at the power figures afterwards I'm surprised you weren't even further ahead. Well done too AAAC, but that's just business as usual for you.
I might have another go but when am I going to get a long enough rest?

 

[Whorty]

I haven't seen the course yet but in past experience drafting is difficult other than on flat(ish) sections, but @bazzer99 was clearly the fastest in our team last week and we were just trying to catch him!!
As long as we can help 3rd position to a quicker time. As for kit changing I'm no help as I wasted 1000s of coins and somehow still ended up in black!!! With empty drawers as they call it. Good luck with that bit! @Whorty @bazzer99 @Goldwolfie you all in tomorrow?

Yep, I'll be there ... should be a strong team tomorrow - glad I'm not in the other teams - must be horrible knowing when you're going into a race you can't win Oh well, they can battle it out for 2nd place Allez blanc, allez blanc, allez blanc

 

[AAAC 76C]

It would be honoured to however it is apparently impossible to attach a tow bar so we would need to hold it on with bungie straps and duck tape.

Or on a Sea-Sucker modified with a tow ball - easy DIY job!

In fact instead of a 'Tow Ball Mounted Bike Rack' that would be a 'Bike Rack Mounted Tow Ball'

 

[AAAC 76C]

That would be great!

Don't team sky drive jags? I'm sure even the guys without driving licenses would happily take a turn driving it for the sake of the group .

Nope they now use Mondeo's as the Jag's were unreliable and badly made!