I've used zwift last night and whilst I would agree the differences are not so big on bkool with other trainers, but my power & speed was low compared to what I know I can do (I use a power tap on my road bike), whilst I appreciate I can't keep up with some of you guys on here I would like to think I could hold 20mph on the flat without a 175bpm heart rate and around about 150 watts. Going to have another play about with zwift settings...
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I've used zwift last night and whilst I would agree the differences are not so big on bkool with other trainers, but my power & speed was low compared to what I know I can do (I use a power tap on my road bike), whilst I appreciate I can't keep up with some of you guys on here I would like to think I could hold 20mph on the flat without a 175bpm heart rate and around about 150 watts. Going to have another play about with zwift settings...
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
I have a dodgy knee at the moment that might be holding me back a bit but I find Zwift pretty accurate. I can just about cover 20 miles-with a warm up- over 60 minutes on Watopia which seems pretty close to real life. I have not really gone for it on Zwift because I am using it to put easy miles down without hurting my bkool status! That said close enough to real life experience to suggest to me it's accurate enough for my usage. It's all perception though Monte while you have a useful comparison via your Powertap.
AAAC 76C
Large Member
- Location
- LIVING THE DREAM
Rick et all, I understand the frustration that seems to be growing and how folk are looking at BKool to fix things.
I appreciate that everyone that has paid good money for a BKool trainer should expect a realistic experience whilst using BSim so I say roll on those updates.
However last time I looked Zwift were not selling Turbo Trainers so thier market is to capture as many turbo manufacturers profiles as possible.
If BKool are making good money selling Turbos to use on BSim then that would remain thier main buisness focus.
But as Zwift and other 3rd party PC/Android/Apple based simulators are getting ever popular then BKool are well advised to allow thier trainers to be compatible with those 3rd party apps in order that thier turbos remain attractive.
And that I beleive they have done.
Making 3rd party trainers work well with BSim may not be such a priority buisness target as all they get is profit from subscription. But if that profit margin is high and does not require large amounts of capital outlay to acheve it then of course is makes more sense for them to priorotise this over BKool firmware updates.
I have no idea what BKools buisness stratergy is but they have been reasonably astute to date but the one thing customers always like is to be given is some honest replies and if something is going to take some time just tell us.
So one further thing I would like to say is why are Tacx not making thier Trainers compatible with BSim?
The answer to that may be why BKool do not seem to be trying too hard either.
Edit. PS: I may be a little biased because I am stuck where I am on my Classic as it cannot be updated anymore so I am looking for a new turbo trainer.
But as mine 'still works for me' I am in no great rush to make a 'buisness decision' as my current cashflow is not too good.
To add to that I don't see it as an investment for the future other than to mitigate the possibilty of pending hardware failure which based on its apparent robustness is a low risk.
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Rob_H
Active Member
- Location
- Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Im new to this virtual training, but i see it will keep growing in a big way..I would imagine we will see lots of new entries to the market, both sim and trainer. I think you have the right idea to keep hold of something that works and see how much things change over the coming months/years. Its pretty exciting to think what might be available in a years time.
AAAC 76C
Large Member
- Location
- LIVING THE DREAM
175 BPM! I can just about remember those days.
Let me know how you get on Monte, I've tried Zwift on my Bkool but there is a 6 second or more lag, for example when sprinting speed stays the same then sprint finished and speed starts going up (very slowly). Also, I was doing 200watts at 80+ revs on the flat and speed was a constant 11mph.
I believe i've got it set up ok, and all looks good but until I get more accurate readings I won't joining! (did contact them about it but have had no reply)
Breedon
Legendary Member
- Location
- Long Eaton, Nottingham
how far did you get hope it wasn't to far.
theboxers
TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
- Location
- OTC (on the couch)
I see some have tried the inertia adjustments for non bkool trainers with little or no sucess.
I have just had a bsim sw update to 2.54 (11am 23/1/16), I can't see if anyone has had a sw update before their testing. Maybe some of the non bkool trainer owners could check if they a now have the latest bsim sw to check the inertia adjustments as I can't check that.
I am on a bkool classic (pre aug 2014) with fw 2.04. Unless they have added the up hill adjustment I had on fw 1.13 iirc.
I have just had a bsim sw update to 2.54 (11am 23/1/16), I can't see if anyone has had a sw update before their testing. Maybe some of the non bkool trainer owners could check if they a now have the latest bsim sw to check the inertia adjustments as I can't check that.
I am on a bkool classic (pre aug 2014) with fw 2.04. Unless they have added the up hill adjustment I had on fw 1.13 iirc.
Baldo Mero
Senior Member
Just completed the col de la madeleine in the goats league. Boy that was tough.Maybe i was just in bad form but I felt harder than san Glorio.
@Baldo Mero your ghost fairly spurred me on and there was nothing in it at the end.
Impressive performance Alan, congrats.
It would have been fun to do it on live. I feel like cheating though: you can efinitively notice the vortex superpower in this kinds of climbs.
Thanks Baldo. But in this course i had the bkool down hill advantage and gravity on my side for the first 8k. I think i had about a 4 minute advantage at the foot of the climb and you gradually got me back. It is definately an advantage to have someone to compete against. I think if i didnt have a ghost to pace me along id have finished with a much slower time.Impressive performance Alan, congrats.
Maybe the idea of live a goat race has been tried before but i would be up for it if anyone else wanted to set up a regular day & time like the chaingang. Maybe 7pm uk time on Tuesdays?
Ryan lawman
Über Member
- Location
- Kempten Germany
. Good idea but it would have to be Saturday for me . Because of work I never no what time I will finish . Gona give it crack this afternoon
Ryan lawman
Über Member
- Location
- Kempten Germany
I have seen a photo on strava from a freind of mine where he does have his trainer strapped down to a wooden board . I just tried to copy the photo but it will not let me . I am not sure of this is such a good idea as it would cause a lot of friction and I suppose the tyre would get hot , and I'm not sure if it is good for the bkool having continues pressure on it . I shall ask my freind of it really works ..
Thanks for replying Ryan, I was thinking of sitting on my bike and getting someone to secure the straps so that the tension
on the roller would be no different than when actually riding sat down, after I finish each ride I would release the straps but
mark them so as I could tighten them again myself before my next session, I also have my trainer on a wooden board but
at the moment its free standing, I would be interested to know how your friend finds it.
