Team BKool CycleChat

[BILL S]

It was indeed me. I only managed half the ride though tonight as I was feeling shattered! Been without the Bkool for 2 weeks as the first unit was faulty but have a new unit now so need to get back into it big time.

I did see you join as I was about to drop out, and thought b%gger. It would have been rude of me to drop out as you joined so I was going to stay on the ride, but then you dropped out and I thought you'd not re-join so I quit. I see your time was very impressive!

Another strange bkool bug. bkool programme didn't seem to fire up normally so probably related to that. I though you had joined my ride but it seems I had joined yours . Yeah its a bugger being without the turbo for a couple of weeks as the fitness doesn't half drop off quick.
I felt Dhuez was harder than it used to be and I was well off my pace from spring time. I tried a lower tyre pressure (90psi) thinking the extra friction might help the climb at that low speed. I'll try again at 120psi and see if it's better or worse.

 

[Cb300]

Pro /classic build quality?
What are your thoughts on the build quality of the trainers seams to be plenty of people with in warranty faulty units /problems . My Pro isn't in warranty (got it second hand) and is noisy at anything over 25mph so no option to send it back . Anyone using third party trainers with better reliability/ quiter training. I may look at one of those rather than another Pro maybe like the Tacx Vortex Smart . In the meantime I'm going to strip mine down and make sure there's nothing loose and the plastic covers fit back nice and tight. More than happy with the sim software though great fun :-)

 

[Darryn007]

Pro /classic build quality?
What are your thoughts on the build quality of the trainers seams to be plenty of people with in warranty faulty units /problems . My Pro isn't in warranty (got it second hand) and is noisy at anything over 25mph so no option to send it back . Anyone using third party trainers with better reliability/ quiter training. I may look at one of those rather than another Pro maybe like the Tacx Vortex Smart . In the meantime I'm going to strip mine down and make sure there's nothing loose and the plastic covers fit back nice and tight. More than happy with the sim software though great fun :-)

I use a pro model that I got last year around November. I seem to have been one of the lucky ones (so far..?) I've had no issues except for a really big calibration problem during the first weeks that was sorted by Bkool by doing a calibration of the hardware.
Last winter I was using it at least 4 times a week on all sorts of terrain and rides of up to +/-3hrs, with no hassles. Hopefully it stays this way!!
But there have been a few others with fan cover issues that seems to be a reoccurring theme.

 

[Cb300]

I use a pro model that I got last year around November. I seem to have been one of the lucky ones (so far..?) I've had no issues except for a really big calibration problem during the first weeks that was sorted by Bkool by doing a calibration of the hardware.
Last winter I was using it at least 4 times a week on all sorts of terrain and rides of up to +/-3hrs, with no hassles. Hopefully it stays this way!!
But there have been a few others with fan cover issues that seems to be a reoccurring theme.

Sounds like you've got a good one!
I've just stripped mine down and made sure nothing was loose and the plastic covers are tight ....still noisy!! Even tried it without the covers on !The only thing I found is the resistance magnets would rattle if you tap them so I think it's down to high speed vibration ,which would make sense as the magnets retreat on a down hill section and are not kept tight by the flywheel as the would be when they move forward on a hill. The flywheel is not completely true when you spin it so I think that's what's causing the noise, high speed vibrations from the slightly off flywheel causing magnets to rattle:-( .

 

[LBHIFI]

I felt Dhuez was harder than it used to be and I was well off my pace from spring time. I tried a lower tyre pressure (90psi) thinking the extra friction might help the climb at that low speed. I'll try again at 120psi and see if it's better or worse.

I did notice a slight difference since you switched your BKool unit. Could it be that they are trying to steer their units down a more realistic road. Anything less than 1 hour would be a VERY good time in the real world.
It must be somewhat of a challenge to do that, and still preserve the possibility to have a fair race all the different software/hardware versions in between.

 

[BILL S]

I did notice a slight difference since you switched your BKool unit. Could it be that they are trying to steer their units down a more realistic road. Anything less than 1 hour would be a VERY good time in the real world.
It must be somewhat of a challenge to do that, and still preserve the possibility to have a fair race all the different software/hardware versions in between.

I'm still not sure if there is any difference. My original with the early version firmware did seem a bit quicker than the second vibrating one which also had the same version of firmware. The latest seems all good but doesn't feel quicker or slower than the first one, although the bkool figures would perhaps disagree with that. Also I had a week off the bike so lost a percent or two of fitness probably. Time will tell though and I'm going to be putting in serious hours from now on. Strava shows that I've been a bit of a pansy while the bkool summer cup was going on as those rides are mostly very short and flat. Anyway, if I can't get back to pro level this winter I'll probably be thinking its the new unit compared to the old.

 

[bobinski]

Just did Alp. First 2 attempts at league failed I thought due to software glitches because I had tried to set up lots of ghosts and bots but turns out it was probably Mcafee in the background. Anyways, set up a different session with diff ghosts and bots outside the league and it worked. 53m 46s and a marked improvement of over 10 mins. Very happy. A few things I noticed. It really helps me to get my backside almost weighted down pressing as close as possible to the rear of the saddle. I could visibly see the watts increase. The slightest shift forward had an impact. Also, the unit seemed to be playing catch up with gradient changes, always a few seconds behind at least. Once I realised I stopped looking at the right hand side of the screen and concentrated on the watts! The final thing is psychological and probably peculiar to me. I really don't feel comfortable with my heart rate hitting 170!
Bill, is it possible for the time to be added to the league scores? If not I will just have to summons the energy to have another go

 

[pwe169]

hi guys - can I sign up for the leagues as well. Great that you can fit them in if you can't make the ride on the day. My user name is 'pwe169'

Cheers

Pete

 

[BILL S]

hi guys - can I sign up for the leagues as well. Great that you can fit them in if you can't make the ride on the day. My user name is 'pwe169'

Cheers

Pete

You're in Pete. Mountain Goats and Chain Gang. Now all you need to do is go to your leagues tab and ride up the ride that is waiting there for you to do

 

[BILL S]

Just did Alp. First 2 attempts at league failed I thought due to software glitches because I had tried to set up lots of ghosts and bots but turns out it was probably Mcafee in the background. Anyways, set up a different session with diff ghosts and bots outside the league and it worked. 53m 46s and a marked improvement of over 10 mins. Very happy. A few things I noticed. It really helps me to get my backside almost weighted down pressing as close as possible to the rear of the saddle. I could visibly see the watts increase. The slightest shift forward had an impact. Also, the unit seemed to be playing catch up with gradient changes, always a few seconds behind at least. Once I realised I stopped looking at the right hand side of the screen and concentrated on the watts! The final thing is psychological and probably peculiar to me. I really don't feel comfortable with my heart rate hitting 170!
Bill, is it possible for the time to be added to the league scores? If not I will just have to summons the energy to have another go

Well done Bob. Massive improvement for you after all that riding you've done out in the real world.
And now Active8

I can put your ride in the league no problem but what you need to do is a dummy run from the league tab of even just a minute or two so it will make an incomplete ride for admin to approve. I will then add on the seconds required to make I up to the actual time you did. Just post here that you've done the ride.
And yes, the further back on your seat you go the better the tyre grips on the roller. I've just been experimenting with tyre pressure and have re done dHuez but this time with 120psi. Last time was 90. Perhaps surprisingly I was quicker with the 120psi today than 90psi yesterday. I felt weaker today but the extra psi seemed to give me a better power figure and speed. I didn't manage to get to Active8 though.

 

[RickB]

Got a member request on the mountain goats from a Ryan Lawman. Any takers?

 

[bobinski]

Well done Bob. Massive improvement for you after all that riding you've done out in the real world.
And now Active8

I can put your ride in the league no problem but what you need to do is a dummy run from the league tab of even just a minute or two so it will make an incomplete ride for admin to approve. I will then add on the seconds required to make I up to the actual time you did. Just post here that you've done the ride.
And yes, the further back on your seat you go the better the tyre grips on the roller. I've just been experimenting with tyre pressure and have re done dHuez but this time with 120psi. Last time was 90. Perhaps surprisingly I was quicker with the 120psi today than 90psi yesterday. I felt weaker today but the extra psi seemed to give me a better power figure and speed. I didn't manage to get to Active8 though.

I will do as you say Bill, that's great.

Not sure why you are not active8 given your time tonight was faster than mine? Is it to do with weight? I have dropped a couple of kilos over the summer but even though I have amended my profile to reflect it just won't stick. Bill, I took up your tip and running 120psi too. I had some tyre slippage though. Quite funny because it was raining on the course at the time! Surely not?? It didn't appear to impact on power output at the time though.

I have to say it's a hard start to the season but it's left me

 

[JLaw]

I just got started with my kickr & bkool simulator about a month ago. It's nice to be able to do virtual rides after the kids zonk out, particularly since I'm coming off ~5yrs of minimal riding and trying to get back into shape.

What's the "mountain goats" league? I might be interested in joining. JLaw is my handle on bkool.



Thanks
Jeff

 

[Hazie]

So heres the Group

http://www.bkool.com/group/show/105919

The internal League will follow as going to take me some time, i'm planning an open window for the top 100 climbs from start Oct (2nd) to the end of March, one league and chip away in your own time.

If you are up for it let me know on here your username when you apply.

Let the winter fun begin

Hi, I've sent a request to join. Thanks
I'd like to apologise for being on here much the last couple of weeks, but the weather up here has been strangely quite good so ive been getting on the bike in the good old outdoors instead of the bkool trainer. However, looks like Normal service of the English weather is returning, so I should start and get on the trainer much more frequently. And now that the summer cup has finished I hope to try and compete with you guys in the winter cup/mountain goats and any other comp that I will be allowed to join.
When I say compete, I actually mean complete.

 

[Hazie]

a member request on the mountain goats from a Ryan Lawman. Any takers?

Hi Rick, Ryan is a friend of mine. I'm not sure if he's on here, but he got his bkool a few weeks back and is a regular user. Does he need to be in this cycle chat to join mountain goats? If so, let me know and I'll contact him and let him know. Cheers