Team BKool CycleChat

[bridgy]

I've had an email from Bkool saying my FTP value has expired. I've never actually done an FTP test - I think it took the value from an Alpe D'Huez ride I did when I first got the trainer.

So if I don't do an FTP test now, will they just take it from the first 30 mins of the next ride I do, and lower my fitness level appropriately if this is lower power than the Alpe D'Huez ride I did?Because the terrain of a route can make a really big difference to the power, even if you feel you're working just as hard!

I could just do an FTP test of course - I'm just curious, and wondering whether to bother! I can see the ability to identitfy ghosts with similar fitness levels when scheduling a ride is quite handy, but apart from this (and bragging rights I suppose!) is there any actual benefit to doing the FTP test?

 

[BILL S]

Out of interest, what bike did you use for the event Bill? I'm currently fixing up a couple of retro Marin full sus bikes from the late 1990's and going to get back into MTBing a bit. Used to ride a Commencal Meta5 back 8 or 9 years ago.

I was on my canyon lux which is a full suspension carbon fibre 29er xc race bike. It is very light and fast but probably not the right bike for me at this point. I've had a couple of Marins from the 90s era and they are/were great bikes. I think now you might want a more modern set of forks but apart from that, not much needed for some mtb fun I would think

 

[BILL S]

Well it's good to have you back, and really pleased to hear the hands are returning to normal so quickly this time.

So the DD might still be on then! I wouldn't do it if the weather was as unpleasant as last year. That said its only £35 to enter, I don't even mind taking a knock on that if it starts blowing a bloody Hoolie again.

Pretty cool you got to chat to Guy Martin though.

The DD could definitely still be on Adam. I will have to learn to use those tri bars on the road first though. I think it was perhaps a bit under subscribed last year so probably no hurry for us to get signed up. Could possibly even look at the weather forecast first.
And yes it was pretty cool to chat to Guy who is incredibly down to earth. He said his favorite nourishment for these events was soup and he'd never heard of virtual turbo trainers . All his training is riding to work and back each day 19 miles each way. He was amazed when I said all mine was done on a turbo.

 

[RickB]

I was on my canyon lux which is a full suspension carbon fibre 29er xc race bike. It is very light and fast but probably not the right bike for me at this point. I've had a couple of Marins from the 90s era and they are/were great bikes. I think now you might want a more modern set of forks but apart from that, not much needed for some mtb fun I would think

That Canyon is one serious piece of kit!

 

[bobinski]

Rick,
I have a Marin MT Vision or is that Alpine trail full sus from the 90's too! I only ride it when it snows. No chance of that at the moment. I think it might also need some tlc

 

[Cjbon]

Well done bill on the ride sounded like a killer u need plenty of rest now mate. Don't go mad don't push to do this week's chain gang ride if you haven't fully recovered

 

[RickB]

Rick,
I have a Marin MT Vision or is that Alpine trail full sus from the 90's too! I only ride it when it snows. No chance of that at the moment. I think it might also need some tlc

I take it you don't mountain bike at all then these days?

It's a 1998 mount vision I have. Just installed a rear air shock with lockout to aid climbing and hoping to fit a 100mm air fork of some sorts soon as well. Cracking bike. Very light for what it is. Had it out over Christmas and it handled the trails well. Only problem was my hands getting cramped using the v brakes but the bike I bought for Gail ('97 rift zone) came with magura's hydro rim brakes so I've nicked them for my bike to see I'd that helps. Will respray it at some point to freshen it all up.

 

[Add]

The DD could definitely still be on Adam. I will have to learn to use those tri bars on the road first though. I think it was perhaps a bit under subscribed last year so probably no hurry for us to get signed up. Could possibly even look at the weather forecast first.
And yes it was pretty cool to chat to Guy who is incredibly down to earth. He said his favorite nourishment for these events was soup and he'd never heard of virtual turbo trainers . All his training is riding to work and back each day 19 miles each way. He was amazed when I said all mine was done on a turbo.

I think most sane people thought, " **** this!" on the day, and didn't even show up. I'm chuckling to myself now remembering the summer kit you and I rocked up in. Think we were the only two in shorts!!
The annoying thing was, you could just tell it would have been a beautiful event if the weather has played by the rules. Remember I took that photo on top of the Epynt a few weeks before the DD and it was absolutely gorgeous.

 

[Roleur1]

+1. In the same boat, although my current elite 10 status is off the back of two or three rides completed on a well below par brand new classic trainer that mostly over measured/over compensated. ill be dropping down considerably to active something....my 3.3 w/kg will see to that.

FTP is all about pain....you want a nice consistent uphill of about 2% hit cruise and hold max 95-98% max hr until you are sick

 

[bobinski]

I take it you don't mountain bike at all then these days?

It's a 1998 mount vision I have. Just installed a rear air shock with lockout to aid climbing and hoping to fit a 100mm air fork of some sorts soon as well. Cracking bike. Very light for what it is. Had it out over Christmas and it handled the trails well. Only problem was my hands getting cramped using the v brakes but the bike I bought for Gail ('97 rift zone) came with magura's hydro rim brakes so I've nicked them for my bike to see I'd that helps. Will respray it at some point to freshen it all up.

Its this one Rick, though mine doesn't look as well looked after. Not many mountains in London so saved for truly awful or challenging weather conditions. Nice bike to ride though nowhere near as nice as my old Gary Fisher which some bugger nicked

May be time to get it out of the shed...

 

[bridgy]

+1. In the same boat, although my current elite 10 status is off the back of two or three rides completed on a well below par brand new classic trainer that mostly over measured/over compensated. ill be dropping down considerably to active something....my 3.3 w/kg will see to that.

FTP is all about pain....you want a nice consistent uphill of about 2% hit cruise and hold max 95-98% max hr until you are sick

That's why I was asking whether there was any other benefit to actually doing it properly - I get enough of that on the chaingang rides!

 

[RickB]

Its this one Rick, though mine doesn't look as well looked after. Not many mountains in London so saved for truly awful or challenging weather conditions. Nice bike to ride though nowhere near as nice as my old Gary Fisher which some bugger nicked

May be time to get it out of the shed...

Ah nice looking bike. Mines the older frame style. Love the retro style

 

[bridgy]

As Rob_H said, the reference is to a firmware update for bkool trainers (which obviously don't apply to non-bkool trainers). For a non-bkool trainer the changes would have to all be in the simulator software, Bkool Indoor, which was updated yesterday.

Others have posted that they have said on facebook that Virtual Speed has been added for non-bkool trainers, but my quick test showed this was not the case with my KICKR.

Geoff

@gbrown looks like the downhill speed thing was meant to have been addressed in the last update according to the comments of bkool over in this other thread - https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/bkool-race-results-and-watts.194677/#post-4124412 - good news if it can be sorted for you and others

 

[Insomina]

I've had an email from Bkool saying my FTP value has expired. I've never actually done an FTP test - I think it took the value from an Alpe D'Huez ride I did when I first got the trainer.

So if I don't do an FTP test now, will they just take it from the first 30 mins of the next ride I do, and lower my fitness level appropriately if this is lower power than the Alpe D'Huez ride I did?Because the terrain of a route can make a really big difference to the power, even if you feel you're working just as hard!

I could just do an FTP test of course - I'm just curious, and wondering whether to bother! I can see the ability to identitfy ghosts with similar fitness levels when scheduling a ride is quite handy, but apart from this (and bragging rights I suppose!) is there any actual benefit to doing the FTP test?

I got the same email and have the same questions?

 

[AAAC 76C]

I got the same email and have the same questions?

Gent's
If you don't care too much as to what category you are in and you not paying too much attention to your training zones then doing an FTP will give you nothing apart from stopping you getting that e-mail as it will change nothing but the colour of your outfit if you progress to the next lower or higher level e.g. Amateur to Active or vice versa.