Team BKool CycleChat

[AAAC 76C]

I enjoyed this ride more than Thursdays.

I had an odd ride today. Unlike Thursday I obviously had more in the tank.
I have just compared my stats from the two rides and the first half is almost a photocopy as far as the speed graph but today I was able to keep up the speed beyond halfway where as Thursday the tank was emtying quickly at that point.
However today at km 16 calf cramps started to set in and I started to struggle to keep any power on for too long in various parts.
By the end I was limping (literally) but luckily my strong 3rd quarter was so much better than Thursdays so
I managed to get inside LBHifi's time by quite a chunk and have therefore managed to reverse the deficit.
It was odd to finish the stage feeling like I had already done my warm down, other than the pain in my right calf.

I must add I thought Bobinski was going to be a hard nut to crack at the beginning but I think BKool has gifted me some additional descending speed which I think is where I initialy managed to open a gap and that was that.

I did notice some higher than usual transitional (from descent to climb) power spikes today one of which exceeded 1000 watts so I think I got some additional help there as well.

 

[Bonno]

Don't think my ride got saved somehow!

Was going to ride along with you Bill but i hit a wormhole and next thing i knew i was flying along at 60 mph, quickly gained 20secs on you so had to keep going after that!
Had a bit of a battle with Bobinski but i was spent at the end and he sprinted past just before the line! Well done sir

Got to have another go at it tomorrow now

*goes off to crack open a San Miguel*

 

[bobinski]

I enjoyed this ride more than Thursdays. It's fun drafting and taking turns at the front. For a while I thought we'd maybe catch up with Bob & Jonbon but I guess we just weren't quite giving it enough for that.
I was hoping for a race to the line as I've rarely ever had one and thought perhaps you'd nail it down that hill and slingshot past me before I know what's happening, and kick my ass to the line"? That would be fun.

Bill, I kept looking back at you assuming you were working together with Rick.. Bloody Admins! It was only once I realised you weren't going to catch me that I went after jonbon. Didnt want to blow up like I did chasing Rick the other day and fortunately timed it right settling in behind him with about 800m to go before sprinting past for the finish but it took 800w plus I think. Great ride there jonbon. The difference between us was only a few seconds and was aided by jelly babies! As for AAAC. Blooming hell

 

[AAAC 76C]

Thanks Ryan. It looks like a good goat stage with a decent length and vertical height.

There are some plus and minus 50% grades in there, a wall at km 8.2 and then a cliff at 8.9.
A bit later on there is also a 40% wall at 14.2.
Could be interesting.
You Pro riders will need to hammer into that to see if you can get up it before the full resistance sets in.
I will no doubt be slowed to 6kph or less.
Lets hope your speed down the 50% does not crash you out as well!

 

[bobinski]

I had an odd ride today. Unlike Thursday I obviously had more in the tank.
I have just compared my stats from the two rides and the first half is almost a photocopy as far as the speed graph but today I was able to keep up the speed beyond halfway where as Thursday the tank was emtying quickly at that point.
However today at km 16 calf cramps started to set in and I started to struggle to keep any power on for too long in various parts.
By the end I was limping (literally) but luckily my strong 3rd quarter was so much better than Thursdays so
I managed to get inside LBHifi's time by quite a chunk and have therefore managed to reverse the deficit.
It was odd to finish the stage feeling like I had already done my warm down, other than the pain in my right calf.

I must add I thought Bobinski was going to be a hard nut to crack at the beginning but I think BKool has gifted me some additional descending speed which I think is where I initialy managed to open a gap and that was that.

I did notice some higher than usual transitional (from descent to climb) power spikes today one of which exceeded 1000 watts so I think I got some additional help there as well.

I don't know if you were gifted anything but I remembered you slowed half way through Thursday's ride so foolishly thought we might get close to you towards the end of this race . Jonbon was clearly motoring so it didn't seem so far fetched at the time! Also didn't help that I had the loft window open and it suddenly started blowing a gale with rain over the laptop so I had on stop to close the window but the reality is these things rarely make a difference. The turbo keeps turning over after all. Great time AAAC.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Well done all. I was called to work today, and only just made it back to watch the race. AAAC, you got me there . The lesson must be: don't use a d'Huez-like mountain as warm-up like you did thursday

Your right on the warm up, I just had no idea whilst I was doing it how much it was sapping my form.

However my secret today was not just that.
1. I went out and bought a Rapha track skin suite and a Kask aero helmet and wore them for today's ride.
2. Last night I painted my Classic black so it would go faster.
3. I fitted some Profile Aero Bars I bought yesterday.
4. And the icing on the cake was a new Enve Carbon Disc wheel.

All in all I invested £3,000 GBP in todays ride so I was a bit annoyed to get the cramps because I drank too much wine last night!

 

[AAAC 76C]

Also didn't help that I had the loft window open

I hope you have a floor in your loft and your turbo isn't balanced on the rafters.
I guess you open the window because the heat from the house migrates up there. Our bedroom is in ours (original Edwardian build) and we have the windows open all year round and a ceiling fan on for most of the summer.

Do you have a fan as well. I noticed a 16 inch floor fan on sale in BHS today but I'm not sure if it is a better buy than my ScrewFix sourced fan.

 

[Brendan Parker]

Don't think my ride got saved somehow!

Was going to ride along with you Bill but i hit a wormhole and next thing i knew i was flying along at 60 mph, quickly gained 20secs on you so had to keep going after that!
Had a bit of a battle with Bobinski but i was spent at the end and he sprinted past just before the line! Well done sir

Got to have another go at it tomorrow now

*goes off to crack open a San Miguel*

Can I ask a probably stupid question but what's a wormhole?

 

[Ryan lawman]

Thanks Ryan. It looks like a good goat stage with a decent length and vertical height. We'd ideally need it to be 3D which could take bkool a while to do. Have you downloaded the ride to bkool? I'll happily use it as a goat league ride and any other climbs of yours.

I Downloaded it to bkool And i might try it tommorow . How do i get it in 3D i suppose that i must down load bkool editor ..

 

[bobinski]

The loft training facility is all a bit Heath Robinson and will remain that way till funds permit. It's good enough, 2 openable Windows for air movement. Gets very warm otherwise but Inhave a great fan to help cool me down. Aside from a light it has no electricity though so each and every time I ride I have to take the extension cable up, laptop as well and connect everything. I am looking forward to sorting that out in the spring.

 

[BILL S]

Don't think my ride got saved somehow!

Was going to ride along with you Bill but i hit a wormhole and next thing i knew i was flying along at 60 mph, quickly gained 20secs on you so had to keep going after that!
Had a bit of a battle with Bobinski but i was spent at the end and he sprinted past just before the line! Well done sir

Got to have another go at it tomorrow now

*goes off to crack open a San Miguel*

I was also looking for your ride earlier and there was no sign of it anywhere. I wanted to know if you had beaten Bob or not as I assumed you were very close. Bob was incredibly close to my Thursdays time so probably good fortune for me that the ghosts weren't out to play today.
I was more than 3 minutes down on my Thursdays time but that's because I'm planning a tough ride tomorrow so didn't want to have knackered leg for it. Otherwise probably would have been in the race with you and Bob. Ricks handicapped speed was fine for me today and helped prevent me from seeing the red mist and going all out, although I did of course get that at the start as I always do. Rick, Gails bike is slowing you a lot as you're definitely not at your usual speed.

 

[BILL S]

Bill, I kept looking back at you assuming you were working together with Rick.. Bloody Admins! It was only once I realised you weren't going to catch me that I went after jonbon. Didnt want to blow up like I did chasing Rick the other day and fortunately timed it right settling in behind him with about 800m to go before sprinting past for the finish but it took 800w plus I think. Great ride there jonbon. The difference between us was only a few seconds and was aided by jelly babies! As for AAAC. Blooming hell

Well done Bob! Looks like you got the kind of exciting finish I like to get now and again . I thought us admins working together might catch you but it was not to be this time. I was happy to have my Thursday time be the one that counts and today was just a no pressure extra few miles under my belt and more importantly a fraction of a vertical mile which will help me to catch that Cyclic62 in the 2016 Vertical Mile competition. (you're starting to fall behind a bit in that now AAAC ).

 

[bobinski]

I was also looking for your ride earlier and there was no sign of it anywhere. I wanted to know if you had beaten Bob or not as I assumed you were very close. Bob was incredibly close to my Thursdays time so probably good fortune for me that the ghosts weren't out to play today.
I was more than 3 minutes down on my Thursdays time but that's because I'm planning a tough ride tomorrow so didn't want to have knackered leg for it. Otherwise probably would have been in the race with you and Bob. Ricks handicapped speed was fine for me today and helped prevent me from seeing the red mist and going all out, although I did of course get that at the start as I always do. Rick, Gails bike is slowing you a lot as you're definitely not at your usual speed.

You should have joined with us Bill for a sprint finish! I only got near to your time thanks to jonbon otherwise I would have eased a little just to keep distance from you and Rick. Big ride yesterday and one tomorrow? Another mountain ride I suspect. Enjoy.

 

[GinaC]

Hi I'm new to Bkool, I've been a good girl this year and Santa kindly bought me one for Xmas My name is Gina and I'm 34, love cycling and looking to do a bit of indoor training this winter. I currently cycle about 200 miles a week and belong to Essex Roads Cycling Club, I'm more of an endurance rider than a sprint rider and my climbs leave a lot to be desired!! Can I join your league and does anyone have any good tips for a newby, just finding my way around the softwear .....
Many thanks
Gina

 

[Benh]

I have been following the discussion about the accuracy of some rides on BKool. Having read the post from AAAC I realised that it seemed to match my experience at the back of the field when exhaustion kicks in and the unit adds insult to injury by asking if you have stopped peddling. Before that message the unit reduces the brake and the next section is much easier. It struck me that if I did a ride in bursts by allowing the wattage to just dip low enough but without invoking the message it might be possible to ride up a steep gradient with a lot more ease.

The only way to check was to try it so I took a relatively short mountain goat ride ‘Passo de Gavia’ from ‘Mountain Goats Winter League 1’ and rode it again tonight in bursts allowing the wattage to drop under 100 on the slopes and then sprinting.

The results were as follows:

Original time: 28:34 at about 220 Watts.
Tonight time: 20:53 at 200 Watts.

In terms of the original league standings this difference would have moved me from 22nd place to about 10th (this was an experiment only, I won't ride like this in the league). It looks like an error in the software.