Team BKool CycleChat

[<Tommy>]

So did anyone get a Pru-RideLondon place? I got ANOTHER rejection.

Rejected this year, but not unhappy as I got in last year. Tip for the future, apply as your wife as well, women are much more likely to get in, something like a 50% chance where men have less than 20%. You don't even need to take her along to the registration, just all the required documents in her name. Wack the number on your bike and off you go. If as a bonus you both get in, and only one of you wants to ride, defer one until next year.

I'd not heard that tactic before. Would you not get suspicious looks with a woman's name on your registration card?

 

[CXRAndy]

I did the Prudential in 2014, 'the Storm' I enjoyed it immensely. There were some crashes due to bad weather but nothing that couldn't be mitigated with holding back a little and paying attention

 

[kipster]

I'd not heard that tactic before. Would you not get suspicious looks with a woman's name on your registration card?

As long as you have their ID you can do the registration on their behalf

 

[kipster]

Well, I was "minted" but have given the buggers so much money over the years and still no place i am positively poor! I am certainly poorer of spirit

I know a group that rode the empty roads overnight! Am very tempted to do that this year especially if the weather is good

Plenty of people join at the slip road for the A12 just after the start or elsewhere in the first couple of miles of London. Some put a number on the bikes from previous years to make it look like they should be on the ride.

 

[<Tommy>]

Ah, shhneaky

 

[gbrown]

Geoff
Do you have an electronics background.
If so are you at all interested in photographs of the BKool Classic and Pro PCB's.
It's all electrickery to me at a level I don't understand but there are some marked differences.

I was able to identify a photocell gate (common to both) and the speed pickup that picks up on the passing magnets on the flywheel (common) but other than the obvious power input (common) , socket for the magnet stepper motor (common), USB port on the Classic the rest is Chips and 'stuff'.

Strictly computers, and mainly software, especially system software and networking.

I've just soldered up an adapter for a headset to fit a 2.5mm phone socket and it's the poorest solder job I've ever seen, deeply embarrassing! Still, it worked so that's some kind of success! Think I need a better soldering iron than the 30 year old crap I found in the garage!

I would be interested in the photos though, just out of curiosity. From what you said it sounds like they use normal magnets (not electromagnets) and just move them to intersect more of the disk or less.

Geoff

 

[Roleur1]

is there a handicap ride tomorrow? where are the handicaps?

 

[gbrown]

I'm working on an idea to encourage the drafting thing, kind of like something we discussed here before.

I had thought that a team time trial would encourage drafting, but was worried that the difference in ability would mean that the fastest guy just sat at the front and did all the work. However, with the Handicap system I may have a solution.

If we take the Handicaps from a stage suitable for lots of drafting, then form the teams from closely matched starters, the work can be shared and the benefit of drafting would be important to gain time. If the time is taken from the last or last but one rider in the team, then no reason for anyone to clear off, they have to stay around to take a turn at the front and give a tow to the rest of their team.

If each team starts at the Start Time of the slowest members, then the fast teams will have to work together to overhaul the slower teams, and likewise the slower teams will only stay ahead if they work together. Could be interesting, what do you guys think?

One problem is knowing who is going to turn up, as ideally you would want equal size teams and need to allow for one or two to go by the wayside so count the time of the guy one or two form the back of the team.

Could perhaps give this format a try the week after next, if people are keen. Should be able to get 4 or 5 teams of say 5 or so?

Geoff

 

[gbrown]

is there a handicap ride tomorrow? where are the handicaps?

Yes, Handicaps in the usual place ... Chain Gang Handicap Race

I'll post an announcement here as well, and a reminder of Start Times, shortly before the race starts, just in case anyone needs an adjustment!

I'm hoping that TheBoxers is well enough to join me in the warmup, and that Rick finally gets to have a go (unless Gail nicks his trainer)..

Geoff

 

[Soarerv8]

I'm working on an idea to encourage the drafting thing, kind of like something we discussed here before.

I had thought that a team time trial would encourage drafting, but was worried that the difference in ability would mean that the fastest guy just sat at the front and did all the work. However, with the Handicap system I may have a solution.

If we take the Handicaps from a stage suitable for lots of drafting, then form the teams from closely matched starters, the work can be shared and the benefit of drafting would be important to gain time. If the time is taken from the last or last but one rider in the team, then no reason for anyone to clear off, they have to stay around to take a turn at the front and give a tow to the rest of their team.

If each team starts at the Start Time of the slowest members, then the fast teams will have to work together to overhaul the slower teams, and likewise the slower teams will only stay ahead if they work together. Could be interesting, what do you guys think?

One problem is knowing who is going to turn up, as ideally you would want equal size teams and need to allow for one or two to go by the wayside so count the time of the guy one or two form the back of the team.

Could perhaps give this format a try the week after next, if people are keen. Should be able to get 4 or 5 teams of say 5 or so?

Geoff

Oooh yes that sounds fun, I will stay behind drafting and wait for their hand signals for me to take the front

 

[AAAC 76C]

Strictly computers, and mainly software, especially system software and networking.

I've just soldered up an adapter for a headset to fit a 2.5mm phone socket and it's the poorest solder job I've ever seen, deeply embarrassing! Still, it worked so that's some kind of success! Think I need a better soldering iron than the 30 year old crap I found in the garage!

I would be interested in the photos though, just out of curiosity. From what you said it sounds like they use normal magnets (not electromagnets) and just move them to intersect more of the disk or less.

Geoff

The first picture below is of the classic and pro flywheel.
Item 1. is the four magnets that provide the flywheel speed. The classic magnets mount in plastic tubes connected to the flywheel fan but I broke one so I had to screw some small magnets on myself.
Item 2. are the small magnets I screwed on in place of what should stick through the holes as with the Pro.
Item 3 are the securing screws for the conductve disc that is the brake. The disc on the Classic is held closer to the circumferance and as a result is less likely to come away from the flywheel
The fourth picture are the flywheels side on and you can see how much thicker the Classic flywheel on the left is.
The second picture are the Classic and Pro PCB's side by side:
1. USB B Port for FW loading
2. DC Power In
3. No a clue and have never used it but looks a bit like and aerial socket
4. Socket for the stepper motor
5. Photocell gate for null position of the Magnet Carrier
6. Power inidicator light and probaly has some form of fault indication as well
7. Flywheel speed pickup
8. I assume this is the ANT+ Antenna
The rest is electrickery
The third picture is the Classic and Pro Stepper Motor and Magnet Carrier.
The motor turns the threaded brass drive screw which moves the magnets in and out of the path of the flywheel conductive disc.
More magnet presented = more braking, Higher Flywheel speed = more braking.
You can just see the tab on the far side of the closest magnet carrier that motors back into the photocell gate which stops the stepper motor whilst nulling the magnet start position. I assume all braking is calculated by the number of rotations of the stepper motor drive from this null position.

Images 5 and 6 are the Pro and Classic rollers. The Pro Roller keys onto the shaft whereas the Classic shaft is splined all be it due to the picture image you cannot see then to well

 

[Roleur1]

geoff -- the team test is a great idea...I have been having similar thoughts for a couple of weeks. As with all team testing/ team pursuits the strength of the team is not only physical but also in the discipline of the team members, just is its in in a road race breakaway. All must work together for mutual benefit..its not an easy thing to do well & it falls apart double quick....'internal conflict' was the press name we used to use to explain away a shite performance.

Thats why I asked the question the other day about understanding the terms bit and bit and through and off....both will be needed in a TTT.

Count me in...my personal record is a 50 minute 25 mile as a 'four up' TTT...it was fecking quick....

 

[gbrown]

The first picture below is of the classic and pro flywheel.

Very interesting, thanks!

I expect one of the integrated circuits is an ANT+ chipset, as I understand that these things tend to come just as solder on IC's.

Other than that, not a clue... sorry.

Geoff

 

[AAAC 76C]

I was totally stationery with regards no speed, watts etc. The timer started, I seemed frozen. I did consider that it was a problem between trainer and lap top. I'll buy an extension for the ant+ dongle. With regards the wifi, would that matter if I've run a cable direct from the router to the lap top?

That is the best way to do it however as was also said you would need to turn off your laptop WIFI.
Also I understand that Bluetooth, WIFI and ANT+ all work in the same frequency range so if you home wifi router is close to your trainer set up and your laptop is still there is a lot or room for interferance.
Can't say that I have ever been stuck on the start line other than starting too early.

 

[gbrown]

That is the best way to do it however as was also said you would need to turn off your laptop WIFI.
Also I understand that Bluetooth, WIFI and ANT+ all work in the same frequency range so if you home wifi router is close to your trainer set up and your laptop is still there is a lot or room for interferance.

Usually Windows and Mac OS X are clever enough to use a wired Ethernet connection in preference to a wifi connection, if both are available and both have automatic metrics, but safer to turn of the wifi if you are using Ethernet, and it will also remove a strong 2.4 Ghz transmitter...

Bluetooth, WiFi and ANT+ all use the 2.4 Ghz radio band, and WiFi is a relatively high power transmitter so I would think it is definitely a good idea to avoid having any functional WiFi transmitter in the same room as the ANT+ equipment!

The same goes for any DECT (digital cordless) phones!

"ANT, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and some cordless phones all use the 2.4 GHz band" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANT_(network)

Bluetooth is much lower power than WiFi so will probably be OK, but I would keep any bluetooth device away from the ANT+ dongle and the trainer. If the ANT+ dongle is on the end of a USB extension and laid close to the trainer it should be fine.

Geoff