Team BKool CycleChat

[GuySJ]

An electric bike (which would probably fit straight on the bkool) would do it too. 250 watts + 300 watts uphill would make an AAAC 76C beating 550 watts

Or a tandem!!!

 

[RickB]

Hi, Ive requested to join Chaingang. I also have an outstanding request for a few days to Mountain Goats. It would be great if somebody could approve? I also asked and searched if other smart trainers are ok for the cyclechat groups? (I have a Tacx Vortex Smart) I cant find anything conclusive. No worries if they arent, itd just be good to know. Thanks

Just approved you to the chaingang and goats there now Rob. Sorry, didn't realise you were active on the forum. We get quite a few requests through and we can easily miss when someone posts on here so apologies for the delay.

Not sure about the differences in trainers there are some tacx users on here though so they will be able to let you know the differences between it and the bkool machines.

 

[RickB]

Or a tandem!!!

Someone did that last year if I recall correctly!

 

[Rob_H]

Just approved you to the chaingang and goats there now Rob. Sorry, didn't realise you were active on the forum.

Brilliant, thanks RickB.

 

[theboxers]

Chaingang race 7pm tonight!

Session name: Cinctorres-Morella

Look out for the session just after 7pm in the live rides section. If you dont see Rickb in there you're in the wrong ride! 10 minute warm up so race should start at 7:10pm. I know there's been a couple of hiccups recently with using ghosts so hopefully this time all will run smoothly.

If you're struggling to find the session, use the advanced search function at the bottom of the screen and search for 'Rickb' - this will bring up the correct ride to join.

Sorry gents can't make it tonight. Got a date with a steak at my brothers house sorry Kris he forgot to invite you .

Also santa has used me a a supply dump for presents in the local area . I got to drag a couple of bags to sub supply drops for him . I'm not even getting petrol money for this .

Anyway hope everyone has a good session tonight and a happy christmas and prosperous new year

 

[JLaw]

It occurred to me that I have real world data on the downhills around here, mostly because I forget to stop the Garmin sometimes. So I just need to upload a ride that is just the downhill part to bkool, ride it and compare to my real world info.

I know there are sections of little Cottonwood where we regularly hit 50mph on the way down, it'd be interesting to see what the bkool sim does...

 

[AAAC 76C]

I don't really get the feeling that anything unfair is going on. We may have our quirks in different places, but in the long run, things seems to end up roughly as they should.
There's no denying that massive watt output of yours, and the only way any of us can beat you, is by utilizing the power of drafting, just as in real-life

Sorry, I was not intimating any unfairness.
In my mind the average Joe that steps onto a BKool Trainer of any kind is doing it for the benefit of his or her health as there are not too may (well not that I have come across) true road going competitors in the system.
For that reason, regardless of results/statistics displayed the exercise is the then most important part. The competition, resultant banter and camaraderie are a bonus and helps promotes sustainment.

Does make drafting more awkward though if whoever you are trying to draft has a trainer that behaves quite differently from yours or he/she who you wish to draft weighs more.
On some occasions I have put in some real ridiculous watts at a mega cadence and just can't get onto the back wheel just to find, on review of the stats, that your opponent was coasting at 150 watts.
Mind you saying that if you do manage latch on you are generally catapulted past and thereafter appear to be able to maintain the speed you were gifted until the gradient reduces without having to put in the effort you needed to catch the wheel in the first place.
Otherwise, if you are both live, you just yoyo past each other as you catch each others draft.
To some degree this is how a peleton achieves such high speeds descending but not in the same dramatic manner.
Similarly if I managed to draft a Pro rider on a fast decent into a steep climb I would not be able to maintain the draft as Pro rider would disappear into the distance and very often gain a half minute or more in a very short time.

 

[RickB]

Usual issues trying to set ghosts so it'll be ghost free again tonight!
See you shortly (some of you anyway - understandably it's going to be a smaller field this week!)

 

[Baldo Mero]

I also asked and searched if other smart trainers are ok for the cyclechat groups? (I have a Tacx Vortex Smart) I cant find anything conclusive. No worries if they arent, itd just be good to know. Thanks

We are a few with a vortex smart, get ready to be severely punished on downhills (they will just feel like flats and your maximum speed will be on the 40s (KMH) whereas most Bkool riders will descend on the 60-70s ). If you are a heavy rider you might get some relative benefit on steep climbs, >7%, but you will have to struggle for each second that you gain and you will loose minutes on the downhills, which are restless. It is OK because you are riding with others but I find it almost impossible to team up with other riders due to the dramatic differences on up/down transitions. Overall, I find that my rankings result way worse than they should if the stage has any significant descent, and maybe a little better than they should if it is all heavy climbing. Another vortex user says that he feels he is too fast on the flats compared to the real world, but I think that this effect is not exclusive of the tacx trainers and affects also the Bkool riders similarly. I am an active rider according to my power/weight ratio, and I usually struggle with mid-amateurs if there are downhill sections (not really long and steep sections, just anything downhill and you are loosing 1 minute per minute)

 

[LBHIFI]

Couldn't resist sneaking away from from the family to watch the race. You were all spread out pretty good, but this was just not one those "drafting" stages. Bill looked safe in the lead during the whole session. Marathon looked to be a runner up contender at some point, but Rick and Bob seemed to have an extra gear and answered his challange by leaving him behind. Great battle at the finish line were Bob almost took Rick by suprise, but couldn't keep up the stamina right to the .

Great race you all

 

[BILL S]

Couldn't resist sneaking away from from the family to watch the race. You were all spread out pretty good, but this was just not one those "drafting" stages. Bill looked safe in the lead during the whole session. Marathon looked to be a runner up contender at some point, but Rick and Bob seemed to have an extra gear and answered his challange by leaving him behind. Great battle at the finish line were Bob almost took Rick by suprise, but couldn't keep up the stamina right to the .

Great race you all

I got one of those rare server disconnects close to the end and at that point Rick was closing in fast although I was keeping some in reserve in case he caught me and we had a sprint to the line. As soon as the disconnect happened I put pedal to the metal in case Rick had the same idea. Still don't know what his time was or whether he beat me or not.

Thanks for the MERRY CHRISTMAS whoever wrote that.

 

[bobinski]

Oohh, that was fun! But hard. Great race. Bill left us for dead .
Rick gave chase and I struggled to reel Rick in. HR hit 180 each time with the effort to get near Rick and at one point 183 no way I could keep that up. I had to slow down and recover but then worried about Marathon gaining on me. I managed to give chase near the end only to blow up just as I caught Rick. Perfectly paced race Rick

 

[Cjbon]

I got one of those rare server disconnects close to the end and at that point Rick was closing in fast although I was keeping some in reserve in case he caught me and we had a sprint to the line. As soon as the disconnect happened I put pedal to the metal in case Rick had the same idea. Still don't know what his time was or whether he beat me or not.

Thanks for the MERRY CHRISTMAS whoever wrote that.

No worries and merry Christmas to all the cycle chat members . When u left the session thought u had forgot to put the turkey on or something

 

[AAAC 76C]

Couldn't resist sneaking away from from the family to watch the race. You were all spread out pretty good, but this was just not one those "drafting" stages. Bill looked safe in the lead during the whole session. Marathon looked to be a runner up contender at some point, but Rick and Bob seemed to have an extra gear and answered his challange by leaving him behind. Great battle at the finish line were Bob almost took Rick by suprise, but couldn't keep up the stamina right to the .

Great race you all

Can't deny, I watched it as well. Marathon did look very strong on the middle but the B Twins showed him some dust in the finale.
I did think that the gap to Bill was in danger with the Bob n' Bill battle waging behind but Bill kepy his 'Kool' like the 'Pro' that he is and kept on the pressure to the line.

I have however come to the conclusion that wine + watching is far more fun than competing but probably not as healthy!
Must go now as the Pringles have been popped and the competion is strong.

 

[RickB]

I got one of those rare server disconnects close to the end and at that point Rick was closing in fast although I was keeping some in reserve in case he caught me and we had a sprint to the line. As soon as the disconnect happened I put pedal to the metal in case Rick had the same idea. Still don't know what his time was or whether he beat me or not.

Thanks for the MERRY CHRISTMAS whoever wrote that.

You were a minute up at one point Bill and then someone posted that I was catching - found it hard to believe, but I could actually see you up the road near the end. I had nothing left so were always going to be safe! Chuffed with that time

Oohh, that was fun! But hard. Great race. Bill left us for dead .
Rick gave chase and I struggled to reel Rick in. HR hit 180 each time with the effort to get near Rick and at one point 183 no way I could keep that up. I had to slow down and recover but then worried about Marathon gaining on me. I managed to give chase near the end only to blow up just as I caught Rick. Perfectly paced race Rick

Indeed, it was hard (Isnt it always! )

Couldn't believe how fast you passed me near the end - that just broke me, but then you seemed to pull up and gave me hope again. I managed to grind out the last minute (aided by blue speed numbers on the final steep part )

Cracking race - thanks to those who made it. To the rest of you - bah humbug!

Merry Christmas to all Chaingangers, Goats, Mooses and all strange breeds inbetween!