Team BKool CycleChat

[CXRAndy]

Andy.
I took off my turbo covers and started a session then pulled the plug on the stepper motor mid session.
The session continued and my watts and speed flat lined however when I plugged it back in it didn't respond again until I quit the session and started again.
I was thinking that your stepper motor may have simply come unplugged.
Do you still get the green power LED on the back of the trainer when your power is on, and is it constant?
If so it may be that the stepper motor has just become unplugged, it is unlikely though as they are quite a tight fit.
I wouldn't harm to have a look and I don't think there are any warranty seals on the casing.
If you turn the turbo upside down you will see six screws recessed in the bottom.
Undo all these and the top casing comes off and then there are a couple more at the front that hold the bottom casing on.
By the time you have the top one off you may be able to see any problems straight away.

I have had it apart, the stepper wouldn't reset back into park position so switching the opto coupler. The stepper feels quite stiff to turn but that will be the strong magnets. My wife said a couple of times that it was buzzing when left plugged in. She kicked it and it stopped(wife repair method). I think the motor has lost its torque and can't wind so easily. The 15v remains, even when in faulty mode, so that is ok. It is similar to DVD/CD worm drives I used to repair in a former life.

 

[bridgy]

I was caught napping at the start and I had so much to catch up. Bob, that was an excellent fly by, I didn't have the strength to catch you. I was dying near the end and only AAAC. shouting MORE WATTS did I dig in for the last little bit to hold off Bridgy.

I mainly rode tonight on heart rate because all my power numbers were different being on the kickr again. Also when the gradient goes over 9% it just gets harder where as the Bkool pro levels out.

New PB so can't complain. Well done every one especially Lars and AAAC

I was doing everything I could to catch you at the end there Andy - so much so that I went a bit faint through lack of oxygen! Had to back off in the end!

 

[gbrown]

Recording - https://www.dropbox.com/s/clye3pwsxq289rk/Bkool Indoor 14_06_16 20_10_05.mp4?dl=0

Don't forget to change your weights back!

 

[LBHIFI]

LBHIFI!

Thanks, but I think the watts are a bit exaggerated. I doubt that I have gained that much fitness during the last month of perfect bike weather. I think I'll have to try some well known intervals on the Tacx Genius just to make sure.
...and btw thanks for the warning, AAAC. That last bit did hurt.

 

[bridgy]

Recording - https://www.dropbox.com/s/clye3pwsxq289rk/Bkool Indoor 14_06_16 20_10_05.mp4?dl=0

Don't forget to change your weights back!

Thanks a lot Geoff

 

[bobinski]

I was caught napping at the start and I had so much to catch up. Bob, that was an excellent fly by, I didn't have the strength to catch you. I was dying near the end and only AAAC. shouting MORE WATTS did I dig in for the last little bit to hold off Bridgy.

I mainly rode tonight on heart rate because all my power numbers were different being on the kickr again. Also when the gradient goes over 9% it just gets harder where as the Bkool pro levels out.

New PB so can't complain. Well done every one especially Lars and AAAC

Ta Andy. I had unclipped painfully when sprinting to the front at the start but felt goodish so just wanted to hang in there. You guys were just so fast, taking LB's lead i guess. Mind you, i see you were coming back at me near the end and another 100m or so and you might have caught me.

re the 9% limit i honestly feel like i feel that additional resistance, even if no one else seems to!

 

[gbrown]

I'm curious to watch the replay -- the start seemed more normal, so bkool may have fixed the kickr start problem. I didn't feel like I had the same power as last time we ran this course. From looking at the data, I'm about 15W lower, probably still recovering from the turbo climb late last night and the lack of any food today (coffee & almonds grabbed between the flurry of meetings doesn't count).

Brilliant start @JLaw, you hit the target of 36 seconds just about bang on, and everyone lined up well behind...

 

[AAAC 76C]

I have had it apart, the stepper wouldn't reset back into park position so switching the opto coupler. The stepper feels quite stiff to turn but that will be the strong magnets. My wife said a couple of times that it was buzzing when left plugged in. She kicked it and it stopped(wife repair method). I think the motor has lost its torque and can't wind so easily. The 15v remains, even when in faulty mode, so that is ok. It is similar to DVD/CD worm drives I used to repair in a former life.

Have you had the stepper off.
When it buzzes it is usually stuck on the end stop so you have to hold the screw gently with some pliers and turn the magnet carrier to ease it off of the stop.
If was not fully retracted then you may be right.

 

[AAAC 76C]

I've held off on approving @AAAC 76C and @LBHIFI as the handicaps were not even close to reflecting the power they produced, which was truly impressive.

If it's OK with you guys, I'd like to adjust your handicaps for a rerun or for next week to better reflect the power in this session.

@LBHIFI your handicap was based on your FTP of 334.71 watts but on this session your normalized power was 445 (420 in motion)

@aaac your handicap was based on your previous session with normalized power off 428.8 watts but this session was 470 (456 in motion)

Based on these figures your handicap weights would be @LBHIFI 79 Kg and @AAAC 76C 83.5 Kg

What do you think?

I think it should be the other way around looking at the times!
85kg that is also two of me!

 

[CXRAndy]

Have had the stepper off.
When it buzzes it is usually stuck on the end stop so you have to hold the screw gently with some pliers and turn the magnet carrier to ease it off of the stop.
If was not fully retracted then you may be right.

I didn't want to start applying lubrication in case my brother in law can get it under warranty. It's about 18months old. If it turns out that Bkool reject it then it may well come up for spares

 

[gbrown]

I think it should be the other way around looking at the times!
85kg that is also two of me!

Lars was faster than you as his weight handicap was based on a much lower power than yours, therefore his weight was so much lower than yours and his speed faster, even though his power was lower. Yours wasn't actually that far out (7.5 Kg) but Lars was 19.5 Kg out, if his power level was not a glitch.

 

[gbrown]

Thanks, but I think the watts are a bit exaggerated. I doubt that I have gained that much fitness during the last month of perfect bike weather. I think I'll have to try some well known intervals on the Tacx Genius just to make sure.
...and btw thanks for the warning, AAAC. That last bit did hurt.

A 33% improvement over FTP does seem unlikely, did you have the new firmware and the new software, or some other combination?

Perhaps the new software better suits your riding style?

 

[LBHIFI]

I've held off on approving @AAAC 76C and @LBHIFI as the handicaps were not even close to reflecting the power they produced, which was truly impressive.

If it's OK with you guys, I'd like to adjust your handicaps for a rerun or for next week to better reflect the power in this session.

@LBHIFI your handicap was based on your FTP of 334.71 watts but on this session your normalized power was 445 (420 in motion)

@aaac your handicap was based on your previous session with normalized power off 428.8 watts but this session was 470 (456 in motion)

Based on these figures your handicap weights would be @LBHIFI 79 Kg and @AAAC 76C 83.5 Kg

What do you think?

Ok with me.

 

[LBHIFI]

A 33% improvement over FTP does seem unlikely, did you have the new firmware and the new software, or some other combination?

Perhaps the new software better suits your riding style?

Yes, both new firmware and software.
Some bad weather coming up the next few days, so I'll have the opportunity to do some test rides.

 

[gbrown]

Looking at normalized power for this run (mostly with new firmware/software) and the previous run, most people were slightly down on power, with a few notable exceptions, Rob, Bob and AAAC!