Team BKool CycleChat

[Monte]

Perhaps we should start a new thread listing all the gremlins, gliches etc plus ideas for improvement in one place. Wonder if Bkool ever visit this site. I know a few of Cycle Chat do email them regularly.

I emailed BKOOL last week with 2 attachments, 1 showing my ride data using a BKOOL pro trainer and the other my friends data (that beat my time) using a Tacx vortex trainer - haven't bothered responding to me, acknowledging my email, thanking me no NOTHING...

If I was a software company I would be valuing FREE feedback to make improvements very highly. Must admit if it wasn't for our Thursday night chain gang I would be selling my BKOOL and subscribing to other software companies...

 

[Lars_engstrum]

Hi all at cyclechat forum.
Lars Engstrum here with his one day old vortex and bkool software. What a wake up, this thing/things are incredible. Uploaded my mill hill fit file converted to 3d and rode it inside! There is so much to this plus the fact that you just cannot ride like this outside. No hassles from cars, birds, nuns or antelope.
See you have observed my club requests. Thanks. Also 're. The post above. How did you find the variation between the bkool and tacx vortex?
Vortex at chainreaction for 230, already has Dec update.
Yo bkool.
Lars Engstrum.

 

[JLaw]

Few e mails this morning. Will I ever get an email saying I have been challenged and not beaten?!!

It'd be a nice addition :-)

 

[JLaw]

only 5 ... i got 11 i don't think there is anyone on BKool who hasn't beaten my time

Whorty, since you ditched the 3-speed I haven't been able to catch you on anything!

When I first saw your note about your setup, I was reminded of a gent we used to see on the City Creek climb regularly -- he was climbing it on a fixed gear rig. It was rather depressing when he powered past Mike and myself early in the ride. But we usually could catch him a bit later when we got to some steeper slopes.

--


Bkool did 3d versions of a couple more rides that might make good rides for the goats & moose.

First is the official Snowbird Hillclimb route. This largely shares with the Little Cottonwood ride. I've always found it to be slightly easier. The first 3 miles climb from the valley to the canyon. Then 6.5 miles of hell in the canyon, terminating at Snowbird entrance #2. Personal best is 1:10 many many years ago (mountain bike). Bkool rates it slightly harder than Telegraphe from the goats league. If nothing else it'll be nice to see something new in the virtual world -- it's getting old seeing the same virtual mountain terrain ;-)

http://www.bkool.com/profile/detail/887298

Second is the climb up Provo canyon past Sundance ski resort, with a slight twist from the usual route. Just past the ski resort, we leave the main highway and climb the road past my vacation house, then reconnect with the main highway. It's not any easier, but thought it'd be fun to see if bkool puts any buildings, driveways, etc into the virtual world up there.

www.bkool.com/profile/detail/887306


I've also been wondering how painful it would be to take GPS coordinates from a ride & use those to download hi-res streetview images from google to stitch together an almost-video ride. You'd have to adjust the view direction for turns and such, but it might be an interesting way to put together a video ride for something like Kolob canyon (which is several hours from here and likely never to be filmed for a real video ride). I doubt it'd pick up the lava fields, but it's still a beautiful climb.

 

[Neilsmith]

I got on my trainer today and did a whole 3.8km all down hill averaging around 50w, probably not what my Dr would have recommended but my injury seemed a tiny bit better and I wanted to see if I could sit on the bike and spin for at least a few minutes.
I do see light at the end of the tunnel, I just hope it doesn't turn out to be a tea light at the end of Mont Blanc.
Hope to see you in the leagues before too long.

 

[JLaw]

48 minutes for Ryan on Little Cottonwood. Damn! To put it in perspective, that's a top-10 on Strava across nearly 5000 attempts in the real world.

My 90 minute effort was painful, not sure why, but I felt weak the entire ride. I'll have to grind my way back up -- looking to break 75 minutes.

 

[Gert Lush]

The Moose contingent will be more than happy if you don't do too well

Oh, there is no worry of me doing well!

 

[Randyberlin]

Whorty, since you ditched the 3-speed I haven't been able to catch you on anything!

When I first saw your note about your setup, I was reminded of a gent we used to see on the City Creek climb regularly -- he was climbing it on a fixed gear rig. It was rather depressing when he powered past Mike and myself early in the ride. But we usually could catch him a bit later when we got to some steeper slopes.

--


Bkool did 3d versions of a couple more rides that might make good rides for the goats & moose.

First is the official Snowbird Hillclimb route. This largely shares with the Little Cottonwood ride. I've always found it to be slightly easier. The first 3 miles climb from the valley to the canyon. Then 6.5 miles of hell in the canyon, terminating at Snowbird entrance #2. Personal best is 1:10 many many years ago (mountain bike). Bkool rates it slightly harder than Telegraphe from the goats league. If nothing else it'll be nice to see something new in the virtual world -- it's getting old seeing the same virtual mountain terrain ;-)

http://www.bkool.com/profile/detail/887298

Second is the climb up Provo canyon past Sundance ski resort, with a slight twist from the usual route. Just past the ski resort, we leave the main highway and climb the road past my vacation house, then reconnect with the main highway. It's not any easier, but thought it'd be fun to see if bkool puts any buildings, driveways, etc into the virtual world up there.

www.bkool.com/profile/detail/887306


I've also been wondering how painful it would be to take GPS coordinates from a ride & use those to download hi-res streetview images from google to stitch together an almost-video ride. You'd have to adjust the view direction for turns and such, but it might be an interesting way to put together a video ride for something like Kolob canyon (which is several hours from here and likely never to be filmed for a real video ride). I doubt it'd pick up the lava fields, but it's still a beautiful climb.

I bought a Garmin Virb just to film some rides here but haven't had much luck so far. There are some great rides filmed by Geoff and Paul F. Now the winter rains have started it will be a while until I can try again in Sitka.
I am taking a week in January to ride around St. george and will try to video some rides there. I would be happy to loan it to you to try to film some after that.

 

[bridgy]

Do you get the email saying you've been challenged and beaten if someone rides against your ghost, or just if they specifically "challenge" you?

 

[JLaw]

I bought a Garmin Virb just to film some rides here but haven't had much luck so far. There are some great rides filmed by Geoff and Paul F. Now the winter rains have started it will be a while until I can try again in Sitka.
I am taking a week in January to ride around St. george and will try to video some rides there. I would be happy to loan it to you to try to film some after that.

I'm dropping hints to my wife for a video unit for Christmas☺. It'll have to wait until the snow melts before I can take it up for any good rides though. I just can't bring myself to put on the ski gear to ride anymore, guess I'm getting soft in my old age.

I've never done any riding in St George. When I head south to ride, its Moab with the mountain bike. Somehow the portal or porcupine downhills just wouldn't be the same just using a camera . No threat of falling off the edge and dying.

 

[Ryan lawman]

48 minutes for Ryan on Little Cottonwood. Damn! To put it in perspective, that's a top-10 on Strava across nearly 5000 attempts in the real world.

My 90 minute effort was painful, not sure why, but I felt weak the entire ride. I'll have to grind my way back up -- looking to break 75 minutes.

I did give it all i had And was pushing over 320 Watt for the First 30 min And did hit i think 750 Watt ..But struggeled to Keep going near the end And the Watts dropped to about 260 average....

 

[Ryan lawman]

So I have been playing around in a solo ride to check what is going on with the speed on downhills. I can confirm that the speed only goes as far as the actual wheel/trainer speed, i.e., there is absolutely not compensation for gravity/freewheeling effect. I understand that you guys riding bkool pro get a "generously compensated" speed in these conditions that is shown in a different color, not the case with my vortex smart trainer. Thus, on downhills I can only go slightly faster than on flats, everything over 40kmh is just exhausting and nearly sprinting.It is a boomer because not only I cannot rest on downhills, but because I am passed by everybody at 60-70kmph. Is there any setting in the software to change this or is this just a bkool trainer feature? Maybe if I unpair the trainer's internal speed sensor? It is a pity because I enjoy Bkool software for the ocasional group rides but this behaviour is very frustrating!

I can only get up to about 45 50 km/h down Hill with my 62 kg

 

[RickB]

Perhaps we should start a new thread listing all the gremlins, gliches etc plus ideas for improvement in one place. Wonder if Bkool ever visit this site. I know a few of Cycle Chat do email them regularly.

Paul I think that's a great idea. Could you start the thread with a suitable title and I'm sure many of us will chip in. Then we can email bkool to tell them to watch the thread.

I emailed BKOOL last week with 2 attachments, 1 showing my ride data using a BKOOL pro trainer and the other my friends data (that beat my time) using a Tacx vortex trainer - haven't bothered responding to me, acknowledging my email, thanking me no NOTHING...

If I was a software company I would be valuing FREE feedback to make improvements very highly. Must admit if it wasn't for our Thursday night chain gang I would be selling my BKOOL and subscribing to other software companies...

Yeah they're a pure joke again. I thought they were improving but response times or miserable or nonexistent! !

Do you get the email saying you've been challenged and beaten if someone rides against your ghost, or just if they specifically "challenge" you?

Think if they use your ghost at all you get the email.

 

[bobinski]

I managed to get in 2 bkool rides today but it took 5 attempts. The software froze 3 times right at the beginning of rides necessitating a reboot. Internet fine Etc. So, I went into task manager. It seems bkool was loading twice when I started the program. I thought I must have double clicked too often so rebooted and carefully started up bkool, straight into task manager and there it was, 2 bsims running. So uninstalled and reinstalled and now when I start up only one copy runs. Hurrah! I only mention this in case anyone is having similar problems. Fingers crossed.
Oh, yeah changed my weight to reflect autumnal weight gain. 5 kilos I think the goats league just got a little harder

 

[Whorty]

Whorty, since you ditched the 3-speed I haven't been able to catch you on anything!

When I first saw your note about your setup, I was reminded of a gent we used to see on the City Creek climb regularly -- he was climbing it on a fixed gear rig. It was rather depressing when he powered past Mike and myself early in the ride. But we usually could catch him a bit later when we got to some steeper slopes.

I used to ride a fixie when i lived in London. Perfect for city cycling, but not great on the hills! i lived SE London, so had to get over an area called Crystal Palace - some on here might know those hills. Not massive, but always a struggle on a single speed

If you want to beat me, have a go at the chain gang ride - I struggle so much on the flat sections.