Team BKool CycleChat

[Paulf1566]

Also started using Zwift over recent weeks and it is really starting to grow on me. Recent and planned improvements for Zwift are going to challenge Bkool. Too many gremlins and basic issues with the software currently. My free trial with Zwift is about to end but still running a discounted price Bkool subscription. When that ends, I will need to decide which one I will pay for, it will be a tough choice but really hope Bkool make some improvements over the coming months. They seem to say little publically about issues and plans, unless I am missing it somewhere.

 

[RickB]

I hope Bkool respond to the challenges being made by TR etc. ........Rambling....

I didn't think much of it at the start but its certainly starting to be a lot more attractive.

I like zwift tbh...more courses and it would be spot on..

Also started using Zwift over recent weeks and it is really starting to grow on me. ...... it will be a tough choice but really hope Bkool make some improvements over the coming months. They seem to say little publically about issues and plans, unless I am missing it somewhere.

Guys, I agree with points raised by Bobinski and we are all only too familiar with Bkool shortcomings. I've just emailed them regarding some things including points made above.

I suggest we all bombard Bkool regarding issues and see what response we get. They do seem to be working hard behind the scenes but the whole package will need revamped, if Zwift keeps growing. Time to put the pressure on them!!

 

[Rob H]

When that ends, I will need to decide which one I will pay for

I've signed up to pay after my Strava premium months finish as i can see it being useful in the summer for training.

Its all personal preference when it comes down to it, i race open road race in the real world and after competing last week in one of their facebook community organised Crits (with cats, posted results and even neutral roll outs), im really impressed, it had my brain and body working just the way you do on the road. Once they release the actual software organised races this could be the nail in the coffin.

I will always use TR for workouts regardless of what i stick my bike on so that doesn't so much bother me.

Zwift is an out and out computer game but thats what sells, and more money means more dev and marketing.... Lawrence Ten Damn was on it yesterday... and if you see the Trek Madone go past with a guy in Trek Factory Racing Kit on you know its their patron Jens Voigt... hard to compete with cool things like that

I'm sure the Bkool guys are watching closely but i have a horrible feeling they are MySpace and are watching Facebook coming over the horizon.

 

[bobinski]

Its TR who have to do the tweaking not BKool, there is a page about it on the TR forum

yet .....

The new Zwift app is a very clever move, rather that faff about with designing the software to read bluetooth, it uses the phones bluetooth as a bridge over wireless.

Theyve also clearly won over the gaming community with the challenges etc. Not to mention pro riders..

I didn't think much of it at the start but its certainly starting to be a lot more attractive.

You are quite right re TR. there was some suggestion from Tr that bkool and others had implemented fec in a proprietary way but they seem to have stepped back from that. It certainly seems to work fine in Zwift.

Have you any Sufferfest videos running through TR? If so, how do you find them given your workaround?

 

[Rob H]

Have you any Sufferfest videos running through TR? If so, how do you find them given your workaround?

I do, they are awesome, i actually run a little sufferfest share folder through dropbox if you want to join, you just add any you have to the folder.

sufferfest is designed for use on cadence and effort so the set resistance is fine

 

[bobinski]

Guys, I agree with points raised by Bobinski and we are all only too familiar with Bkool shortcomings. I've just emailed them regarding some things including points made above.

I suggest we all bombard Bkool regarding issues and see what response we get. They do seem to be working hard behind the scenes but the whole package will need revamped, if Zwift keeps growing. Time to put the pressure on them!!

Rick,
One of the things I would like to see is the ability to populate rides with ghosts by category. For example, Amatuer 8 or pro 1, or say veteran. Just simple drop down list by category and another by number of riders.

 

[westmatix]

Hi,
New to CC and smart trainers. I have just clicked the link to join Thursday Chain. Any other organised rides on here?

 

[theboxers]

Hi,
New to CC and smart trainers. I have just clicked the link to join Thursday Chain. Any other organised rides on here?

There are several leagues going, depending on your ability to climb. Goats, moose or top 100 (ish) climbs

CycleChat BKool http://www.bkool.com/group/show/49114
Top 100 http://www.bkool.com/group/show/105919
Mountain Goats http://www.bkool.com/group/show/75682
Chaingang http://www.bkool.com/group/show/72022
Mountain moose http://www.bkool.com/group/show/112763

 

[RickB]

Hi,
New to CC and smart trainers. I have just clicked the link to join Thursday Chain. Any other organised rides on here?

Thats you in the Chaingang now west matrix.

Race every Thursday at 7pm and we try to have a rerun on Saturday at 5pm. No other organised group rides though. Check out 'bkool-english' on Facebook as they run a couple each week direct from Bkool HQ. Some of us compete in those when the tines suit us.

Apart from that there's the others already mentioned.

Goats league: for climbers and anyone who likes to push themselves
Mooses league: for not so natural climbers!
Top 100 :climbs to do when you want- No schedule.

 

[RickB]

Rick,
One of the things I would like to see is the ability to populate rides with ghosts by category. For example, Amatuer 8 or pro 1, or say veteran. Just simple drop down list by category and another by number of riders.

Yeah, the way they have it is alright if you know what time roughly you should be doing it in. Was using the time slider the other day to select people's ghosts for the Saturday rerun.

If you don't know an approx time for the course a drop down menu, so you could select similar abilities, would make a lot of sense.

 

[westmatix]

Thanks for the help guys. Hopefully get some practice in before friday.gonna try a climb on there later or tomorrow

 

[bobinski]

I do, they are awesome, i actually run a little sufferfest share folder through dropbox if you want to join, you just add any you have to the folder.

sufferfest is designed for use on cadence and effort so the set resistance is fine

Sounds interesting. I may take you up on that.

 

[theboxers]

Wohoo I did it I nick o'pendle in the T100 league one of the three that I had been booted out of .

Oh crap just realised, I can probably do the other 2 as well

 

[RickB]

Wohoo I did it I nick o'pendle in the T100 league one of the three that I had been booted out of .

Oh crap just realised, I can probably do the other 2 as well

...and you win a prize for the most smilies used in a paragraph!

Seriously though. Well done. Great to hear of people progressing so well.

 

[Monte]

Had a go with zwift today - tried doing an FTP as its the workouts I'm interested in and must admit found it too hard & bailed out, lightweight... Problem I'm finding with indoor training is I'm not doing any light/recovery rides