Team BKool CycleChat

[LBHIFI]

I totally understand the training side of having a Turbo trainer as that is why i have bought one recently, i just don't get the reason to "cheat" the trainer in order to get more power,faster times etc

Well, I understand what you mean, but I think it's just too difficult to apply self-restrictions whilst in a fierce battle against each other.
I think we will have to rely on Bkool to set the bounds and make the system more realistic.
Luckily we now have the handicap races where it does not matter which technique we use or which turbo we've got.

Oh, and I can assure you, the power is REAL (the speed is not), I nearly died on the finish line

 

[Randyberlin]

One of the things I have always known on the road but never really got the hang of is to pedal over the top of the hill. Not let up right at the top. With the Bkool I try to power over the top to get a good jump on the downhill and now in real life I have gotten much better at it. So in this case the "Bkool cheat" has done me some good.

 

[berty bassett]

I checked out recordings for the speeds of a number of the riders at 4.6 miles in at the end of the -4.6% decline just as it leveled out to -0.8% and got the following ..

Bridgy = 33.3 MPH @ 216 W
AlanC = 34.9 MPH @ 146 W
BillS = 34.9 MPH @ 178 W
Runar = 35 MPH @ 225 W
Roleur1 = 36.8 MPH @ 280 W
RickB = 40.7 MPH @ 170 W
Berty Basset = 32.6 MPH @ 161 W
John18 = 34.3 MPH @ 116 W
Alfie = 33.3 MPH @ 190 W
Steven = 33.6 MPH @ 152 W
Baldo = 34.1 MPH @ 148 W

Fairly consistent, but for some reason @RickB got about 20% faster. It looks like you go for it for a while (247 W) and then coast when up to speed. For whatever reason, @RickB gets about 20% more speed the entire descent than, say @bridgy!

@Roleur1, @Norseman and @bridgy, are you still going for it on the descents to get such power figures?

Apologies if I am giving away anyone's secret techniques!

Geoff

I TOLD YOU !! i peddle at 100% going down just the same as going up but at 64kg bkool seems to think that i can only go as fast as a sicamore seed . handicap the lot of you more ! twice !

 

[bridgy]

Call me "old fashioned" but why is everyone using these little tricks and the like to get better,faster,stronger more powerfull rides..............surely the idea of having a Turbo trainer is to improve your fitness by doing what you would on a road?

I will continue to ride as i would on the road.......if it means i am lagging behind on races etc then so be it i'm afraid......

I kind of agree with you but firstly not everyone is doing it - far from it. And secondly as Bill's pointed out above some "tricks" are more about riding efficiently - like drafting, powering into a hill, saving energy on descents - just as you would on real rides too.

I do pedal hard from the start but that seems a natural thing to do and the benefit is just a by product of the system and the same for everyone.

I don't use the on/off power thing though* because like you, I want to replicate real riding as much as possible and can't see the point. It's easy enough to see if someone else has done it though - on their ride detail, the power and speed graphs will look like a row of sharks teeth, even on the flat!

(*the only exception is sometimes when trying to draft someone it kind if happens as you speed up to get in the draft then back off to try not to fly past them! I actually find this annoying though!)

 

[RickB]

I TOLD YOU !! i peddle at 100% going down just the same as going up but at 64kg bkool seems to think that i can only go as fast as a sicamore seed . handicap the lot of you more ! twice !

Solution: Eat more

 

[bridgy]

Alfie, I ride in an "old mans" club where most just enjoy riding in a steady pace, but the more ambitious clubs often do interval training and sprints in their real life rides.
Doing sprint intervals probably does more for your fitness than just keeping a steady pace.

I'm sure it would be good for fitness but doing a whole ride/race like this would not help your overall speed on the road - the opposite - which I think is the point

 

[Goldwolfie]

One of the things I have always known on the road but never really got the hang of is to pedal over the top of the hill. Not let up right at the top. With the Bkool I try to power over the top to get a good jump on the downhill and now in real life I have gotten much better at it. So in this case the "Bkool cheat" has done me some good.

That is exactly what I aim to do as well, as the extra 15 seconds of pain going over the top of a climb gives me a real thrust on the downhill - especially with considerable bulk. Even more so on Bkool as there are no corners to negotiate on the way down.

 

[berty bassett]

Solution: Eat more

my missus would love you ! she already says that i hit the kitchen harder than a swarm of locust !

 

[bobinski]

I am not sure I understand the power on off thing properly. Anyway, I know it's not the same thing but often the pros ramp speed up and then down to wear down the field, to identify who is strong that day. Millar writes about it. The shifts in speed can be significant.I certainly try to do it, especially given I cannot frigging draft anyone! I would happily have drafted Bill the other night and then jumped ahead, he trailing, just before the finish...
And on the downhills I have actually gone down an incline faster in zwift than in bkool. What does that mean? I certainly had to power up to speed. Oh, and I was overtaken.

 

[theboxers]

Just a heads up for anyone after a time for Geoff to work with for the handicap session that does not have one already (no unusuallly slow reruns please, Geoff is on to that ). I am doing the tin can ten this evening at 6pm warm up, 6.10pm session proper. There are some ghosts already selected so possibly expect some emails

 

[Rob_H]

@Rob_H , Bkool support told me that I can share the Beta BSim software with virtual speed support for vortex with you as long as it is not posted for public access, so please contact me through PM if you are still interested

Thanks for the offer Baldo. I was kind of hoping that the beta you had would somehow have some fixes for the issues we see in the goat league too. My last go was the final straw for me. I was speaking to BKool and they don't have a date for when they expect to fix that. I've decided to not renew the premium option and probably not ride BKool for a few months and see what they come up with. I'm sure they will get it right eventually. Thanks again for the offer.

 

[Baldo Mero]

Thanks for the offer Baldo. I was kind of hoping that the beta you had would somehow have some fixes for the issues we see in the goat league too. My last go was the final straw for me. I was speaking to BKool and they don't have a date for when they expect to fix that. I've decided to not renew the premium option and probably not ride BKool for a few months and see what they come up with. I'm sure they will get it right eventually. Thanks again for the offer.

No problem! Curious about what are the issues that you see in the goat league, I have not run any stage yet with the new version but from what I see in normal rides, I expect my speed uphill to be cut dramatically and be rather on par with other trainers.

 

[Rob_H]

S

No problem! Curious about what are the issues that you see in the goat league, I have not run any stage yet with the new version but from what I see in normal rides, I expect my speed uphill to be cut dramatically and be rather on par with other trainers.

see my time in first round of feb goat league. Its way too quick

 

[theboxers]

Nope nope nope nope lungs are not coming to the party

All I am doing is coughing up a stream of gunk

Not had a problem all day, then this ectoplasm from somewhere that I can't get shot of .

All I want to do is a full , . Has anyone got some clean lungs they can lend me .

Sorry Geoff no numbers for you.

 

[<Tommy>]

Some interesting stuff. As a newbie I ultimately think it's a bit of a shame these glitches seem to exist. I tend to agree with Alfie in that a bought my turbo to improve my fitness and that's my primary aim. I do understand what it is to compete though, and I understand people using the software in a way to maximises their times in a league / competition situation. Often competing is about finding small edges and that's obv different to training.