Team BKool CycleChat

[BILL S]

Are you not commuting by bike these days Bill? I've found that since commuting daily, I recover much quicker from my rides. It probably took a year of commuting before I really felt that benefit.

But i do have a few years on you though Bill!

I am commuting mostly by bike but maybe not at as much of a recovery pace as I should be. Mind you, not pushing nearly as hard as I do on the turbo so it should actually help. Maybe it does help and without it I'd be struggling even more to recover.

Not sure there's anything I can do about your advantage in years though Pete, but one day I plan to surprise you on the sprint to the line .

 

[Del C]

It's an age thing Brushy. Not so much about performance but ability to recover from pushing ones self. You race twice or more in one day on a regular basis but at almost 55 I would find that impossible. I'd even consider Zwift as an addition to Bkool if it weren't for that, but only have the energy for one of them.

Recovery and age can be strange things.

When I quit work at 58, I started riding much more frequently and longer distances. I'd be riding 200 miles plus a week. My endurance and speed seemed seemed to build up over time, although not without some days of feeling completely done-in.

Last year, I was smashing out Strava PRs and rode around 350 miles over 4 days to Mont St Michel and back with a group, with some tough, wet and windy weather on days 1 and 2. I only really felt any tiredness on Day 4.

And then came the return to Bkool, which continues to frustrate me. I certainly seem to find it tougher to recover from hard rides and like many others, I find days where my power and speed don't really make sense.

I re-rode CG1 solo on Monday and took around 5 minutes off my previous time with an average of around 250W. Obviously. I was happy with that, so next day I rode a similarly flat stage or roughy the same length on BWC, and I'm 50 watts down from the previous day, although it feels like I put in a similar effort.

How much this is down to recovery, and how much its down to Bkool I have no idea.

I did admit to my wife, as I was boring her to death with my power stats, that it may be down to the fact that I'm now 62........., but I'm not having that!!

 

[Del C]

Made me feel a bit sea sick trying to ride with.

I can see that now.

Just watched @gbrown 's recording and my avatar is all over the place.

Didn't look that way to me when we were riding, so no idea what was happening!

 

[theboxers]

Yes I did.

Not sure if it was a wifi problem or a broadband issue. I lost connection with the Bkool server for a short period of time, maybe 15-20 seconds, then re-established.

My connection to Spotify was also all over the place ......snip

I did speak to Virgin Media a couple of weeks ago about my Broadband ......snip

I couldn't really tell what the problem was last night. It's not easy to localise faults when you're trying to hang on to @bert1971 's wheel!

IME it'll be wi-fi. Hard wired links, via ethernet or power line (i know power line operates as ethernet) rarely fall over on bkool, or any platform for that matter, on Virgin Media. I've done the whole 9 wifi, power line and ethernet cable. I've only ever had an issue with wi-fi, which is a glorified ethernet system over rf, so your neighbours wi-fi systems will be sitting in the same rf spectrum causing clashes. Wi-fi is great for convienience, not so much for reliability.

 

[theboxers]

I'll be doing a few of the march CG rides for a gentle re-introduction to bkooling over the next few days as a recovery from mf. I will probably throw in a LEJoG ride or two as well. It'll be good to be back on the bike

 

[Aleman]

It'll be good to be back on the bike

Would it be wrong to mention Rule #5

 

[BILL S]

Would it be wrong to mention Rule #5

Not really because in doing so you are helping TB to apply the final part of rule #20

 

[theboxers]

Would it be wrong to mention Rule #5

Not really because in doing so you are helping TB to apply the final part of rule #20

 

[AAAC 76C]

Recovery and age can be strange things.

There ain't not recovery for age yet, strange as that may seem.

I keep a bike at work and cycle or run to the gym 3 lunch times a week but only to work on my core and upper body work.
I swim every Friday afternoon, if I can get away from work, for general fitness and only really thrash myself on the Turbo (other than in 'the locked room' that is).

 

[Whorty]

I did admit to my wife, as I was boring her to death with my power stats, that it may be down to the fact that I'm now 62........., but I'm not having that!!

Glad it's not just me that bores the other half with ride stats that mean absolutely nothing to her and she has no interest in

 

[Whorty]

I'll be doing a few of the march CG rides for a gentle re-introduction to bkooling over the next few days as a recovery from mf. I will probably throw in a LEJoG ride or two as well. It'll be good to be back on the bike

Now you have the Kickr and your fitness will be increasing exponentially, will you be joining us in Wales for the DD? Go on, go on, go on, you know you want to

 

[AAAC 76C]

I did admit to my wife, as I was boring her to death with my power stats,

Stop giving me ideas.
Must up the life insurance!

 

[AAAC 76C]

Now you have the Kickr and your fitness will be increasing exponentially, will you be joining us in Wales for the DD? Go on, go on, go on, you know you want to

The only problem with exponential curves is the first bit.
Its duration is proportional the value of the exponential.
So the flatter bit can sometimes be quite drawn out.
Some of us don't have enough time left to hit the steep bit.

 

[theboxers]

Now you have the Kickr and your fitness will be increasing exponentially, will you be joining us in Wales for the DD? Go on, go on, go on, you know you want to

Rule 5 and 20 seen and understood but there's a slight problem with me and the DD. It's called weight. I have too much of it at the moment and I doubt, no know, I'll not shift sufficient lard to do the DD or myself justice.

I am still going in the right direction but not fast enough. I am almost at one target weight, should be this week. Then the next will be set with a view to get it done by the end of May.

 

[Whorty]

Rule 5 and 20 seen and understood but there's a slight problem with me and the DD. It's called weight. I have too much of it at the moment and I doubt, no know, I'll not shift sufficient lard to do the DD or myself justice.

I am still going in the right direction but not fast enough. I am almost at one target weight, should be this week. Then the next will be set with a view to get it done by the end of May.

You may struggle on some of the ups, but you'll be a flying rocket on the downs!!! Last year there were only 3 very steep hills, the start from Builith Wells (which I don't think is on the course this year as the ride starts from a different town), the Devils Elbow and a kick up to the military road after the last food stop (whihc someone, no names mentioned, got a nice lift up via the sweeper van ). There are lots of other rolling hills, some longer and steeper than others, but these were the only 20%+ sections. Unfortunately the first hill kicked off my asthma attack which lasted the whole ride and for 3 days afterwards () but now I have that under control I think I'll be in a better position this year. I do need to shed some lard too, if only to make the ride 'easier'.

Have a serious think about it as the ride gets closer, if your fitness increases as you plan, as it is a really good day out of riding - hard, but really enjoyable.