Team BKool CycleChat

[Bkool]

Are Bkool now members here? good sign if so

We are! Should you have any issues, please don't hesitate to let us know. Thanks

 

[bobinski]

We are! Should you have any issues, please don't hesitate to let us know. Thanks

That great!

As you know we here not only enjoy using out Bkool trainers but are advocates for the whole hardware/software system you have set up. Its not without its problems though as others here can testify! It would be really good if you were to be able to listen to what we think is clunky or not working and try and get the system working as smoothly and straightforwardly as possible. Thats where I think the quality and therefore value lies in the whole Bkool experience. Oh, and i personally would really like to see an open Ant+ fec protocol adopted. I don't think it will affect your software sales and certainly not the hardware sales.

Welcome

 

[Hazie]

I uploaded a second route that I completed a while back and this is the response I got from bkool....

"Unfortunately your route for Whinlatter & Newlands Pass 27.65 mile could not be validated and turned into a 3-D route because it has gradients that are too steep or that don’t match reality The GPS data file you sent contains areas with extreme gradients that don’t match the altimetry values that Bkool has for those areas".

It has gradients that are too steep lmao. Wtf...

 

[RickB]

I uploaded a second route that I completed a while back and this is the response I got from bkool....

"Unfortunately your route for Whinlatter & Newlands Pass 27.65 mile could not be validated and turned into a 3-D route because it has gradients that are too steep or that don’t match reality The GPS data file you sent contains areas with extreme gradients that don’t match the altimetry values that Bkool has for those areas".

It has gradients that are too steep lmao. Wtf...

It could be that your GPS file has a glitch or two in it where it has read extreme values, which Bkool then cant translate successfully so it throws the whole thing out. I haven't uploaded much to Bkool but I have noticed the odd abnormality with gradients using Strava from my Garmin. Just guessing though!

 

[RickB]

We are! Should you have any issues, please don't hesitate to let us know. Thanks

Hopefully now we can get some problems solved!

Currently have an open query regarding firmware upgrade, same as Bill.

 

[BILL S]

Rick, Any idea what the current version of firmware should be?

 

[RickB]

Rick, Any idea what the current version of firmware should be?

Was told we should be on 3.6

 

[Alfonzo]

Hi everyone,
I have 2 questions to ask, firstly when I read some reviews of the bkool trainer
from some owners it was said that when standing for hills or sprinting because
the weight was taken off the back wheel the reading for power output dropped and
became slightly inaccurate, has anyone found this as mine varies a bit but within
reason as it probably would on the road, secondly I sometimes get a creaking noise
from the bkool frame when pushing harder on the pedals but not when using higher
cadences, I don't think this is a problem or anything but was wondering if anyone
else had the same thing. Other than that everything seems good.

 

[RickB]

Hi everyone,
I have 2 questions to ask, firstly when I read some reviews of the bkool trainer
from some owners it was said that when standing for hills or sprinting because
the weight was taken off the back wheel the reading for power output dropped and
became slightly inaccurate, has anyone found this as mine varies a bit but within
reason as it probably would on the road, secondly I sometimes get a creaking noise
from the bkool frame when pushing harder on the pedals but not when using higher
cadences, I don't think this is a problem or anything but was wondering if anyone
else had the same thing. Other than that everything seems good.

Hi Alfonzo
Yes, when out of the saddle I try to keep my weight back if possible as once you unweight the rear you get some tyre slippage (as all you have is gravity keeping you on the roller compared to others which clamp to the tyre.) There's been discussions in the past about what tyre slips the least but i dont know if we ever reached much of a conclusion!!

The creaking noise could well be the QR lever - mine made some fairly major squeaks and creaks so I greased the ends of the QR lever and reclamped the wheel - certainly helped matters alot.

Hope that helps.

 

[BILL S]

Hi everyone,
I have 2 questions to ask, firstly when I read some reviews of the bkool trainer
from some owners it was said that when standing for hills or sprinting because
the weight was taken off the back wheel the reading for power output dropped and
became slightly inaccurate, has anyone found this as mine varies a bit but within
reason as it probably would on the road, secondly I sometimes get a creaking noise
from the bkool frame when pushing harder on the pedals but not when using higher
cadences, I don't think this is a problem or anything but was wondering if anyone
else had the same thing. Other than that everything seems good.

Hi Alfonzo, it seems that tyre choice is a big deal when it comes to being able to stand up while powering up steep hills. If the tyre isn't sticky enough then the wheel will just spin against the roller. This is expected, as you say, because of the weight coming off the roller and the torque is higher against the roller because your wheel is rotating slowly and you are near maximum power.
For me the solution was a Continental Ultra Sport tyre which stopped the slippage and is still good on the downhills. Seems to last well too.
Sometimes my bike creaks a bit but the bkool frame seems pretty solid.

 

[bobinski]

Well, i was going to ride tonight and tomorrow morning as last minute prep for my Alps trip but bkool say they cannot take payments from my account and have disabled the machine! Very strange given bank say they didn't stop a payment and if i use the link from the bkool email to make a payment my browser throws a hissy fit warning me its not safe! Have emailed bkool and await a response.

 

[wardy_uk]

Was told we should be on 3.6

Bugger - I'm stuck on 2.32 :s annoying there's no way to force the app to check for an update...

 

[RickB]

Bugger - I'm stuck on 2.32 :s annoying there's no way to force the app to check for an update...

Wadry - I made the same mistake reading the 2.32 at first - I think thats maybe the software version - to find the firmware version you need to scroll down to find the Ant+ information section and the trainer version is found listed under there. It may say 0.00 - If so, just go out of the page and back in again til you see a different number! Seems that a few of us are on 3.2 rather than the latest 3.6 which apparently has much better cadence readings.

 

[Randyberlin]

Wadry - I made the same mistake reading the 2.32 at first - I think thats maybe the software version - to find the firmware version you need to scroll down to find the Ant+ information section and the trainer version is found listed under there. It may say 0.00 - If so, just go out of the page and back in again til you see a different number! Seems that a few of us are on 3.2 rather than the latest 3.6 which apparently has much better cadence readings.

I just checked and I'm on 3.6. The upgrade also seemed to tweak the algorithm for heavy riders (or at least me )where it is giving me more power on level and descents but less on uphill. It seems more realistic.

 

[wardy_uk]

Wadry - I made the same mistake reading the 2.32 at first - I think thats maybe the software version - to find the firmware version you need to scroll down to find the Ant+ information section and the trainer version is found listed under there. It may say 0.00 - If so, just go out of the page and back in again til you see a different number! Seems that a few of us are on 3.2 rather than the latest 3.6 which apparently has much better cadence readings.

I knew that.. <ahem> turns out i'm 3.6.. whadda ya know :s