Team BKool CycleChat

[theboxers]

Hang on, are you suggesting some of you are NOT already using e-bikes for the chain gang races???

I am only trying to improve my performance . You only get better by playing a better opponent, or words to that effect. I'm just trying to be smarter , honest guv

 

[bridgy]

Have you guys had that thing when you get overtaken going up a hill buy a guy in non cycling gear who hardly seems to be trying? It's quite a relief when you realise he's on an electric bike. And quite demoralising if he isn't...

Yes! In Mallorca - by a guy in his sixties. And his wife. Casually sat up looking around at the views . I did a double take, but then dug in and took them again before the top of the hill to retain some self esteem!!

 

[gbrown]

fter last night and also seeing the excuses being put forth recently (some of them mine). I have decided I need to add to the collection of bikes with one that is guaranteed to help me improve my performance

I think this should help a bit

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Specialized/Turbo-Electric-Bike-2015/4PA5

I think I may have a struggle finding the cash though

This is the one I have ordered... http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/road.e.1/24987/90635/

A proper road bike, with drop bars and a front derailleur, hydraulic disks, etc. but a 250W motor to help on the steep climbs and c. 100 mile range!

Even though I have a good medical reason to ride it, and several doctor's recommendations to avoid over exertion, I still feel like I'm cheating!

The only problem is when riding with my cycle buddies, it will be hard to match speeds, on the climbs I will have to wait for them, but once you get past 15.5 mph it will stop assisting, so on the flatter terrain I expect I will hit my heart rate ceiling and they'll drop me. Could be a bit of a yoyo, with them leaving me on the level and me flying past on the climbs!

Geoff

Edit: Just seen Kips post, great minds, eh?

 

[Breedon]

Did think about joining in tonight but im totally knackered, been commuteing for the last 3 days with almost 2k of climbing aday, knocking off 18 seconds off a strava segment and last night's Chaingang.
I know what your thinking another piss poor excuse

 

[<Tommy>]

Yes! In Mallorca - by a guy in his sixties. And his wife. Casually sat up looking around at the views . I did a double take, but then dug in and took them again before the top of the hill to retain some self esteem!!

Haha yes!

 

[theboxers]

This is the one I have ordered... http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/road.e.1/24987/90635/

Even though I have a good medical reason to ride it, and several doctor's recommendations to avoid over exertion, I still feel like I'm cheating!

Geoff

Edit: Just seen Kips post, great minds, eh?

I think nobody likes to accept their body just aint what it used to be . I feel that I have got a lot of improvement potential in me . It's just sometimes it feels too hard to put in the work to get the gains . The last couple of months of almost constant problems preventing any real chance of work on the fitness levels has kinda knocked me back a bit . I just need to MTFU and get back to the program, I think .

 

[kipster]

Have you guys had that thing when you get overtaken going up a hill by a guy in non cycling gear who hardly seems to be trying? It's quite a relief when you realise he's on an electric bike... And quite demoralising if he isn't!

Had that going up Caerphilly mountain, struggling like hell and a rotund teenager zoomed passed on the grass on a mountain bike, thought 'what the f...' Then realised there was a bloody great battery on it.

 

[gbrown]

Do you by any chance know which Core i5 version is in that laptop (and how much RAM you have)?
I have a pretty low-end version in mine, and it runs BSim fluently.

A laptop is not the best thing for graphics, a desktop is better, especially with a proper graphics card rather than graphics integrated into the CPU, as laptop components have power, size and heat restrictions that don't apply to desktops, and so tend to be less capable.

Having said that, mobile chip-sets have focused on improving graphics performances for the last several years, and a modern laptop will be much better than one just 3 years old. One with a dedicated graphics chip from Nvidia or AMD will tend to give the best graphics performance (I prefer Nvidia drivers), but the very latest Intel integrated graphics are getting there.

The first character of the Intel chip code gives the generation, so i5-6xxx is 6th generation (Skylake), 5xxx is 5th (Broadwell), etc..

The latest Skylake CPUs (6xxx) claim integrated graphics twice as fast as the previous Broadwell (5xxx), which was faster than Haswell (4xxx), Ivybridge (3xxx), sandybridge (2xxx). If it only has 3 digits it is first generation (Nehalem), e.g. i5-750. There was roughly a year (or slightly more) between each generation.

If you are buying a new laptop and can't afford a dedicated graphics chip-set, it is worth looking for one with a Skylake CPU (i3-6xxx, i5-6xxx or i7-6xxx) if you can, as the graphics performance (and battery life) should be much better than an older chip, and at very little extra cost. I would avoid anything with a lower CPU, say a Pentium or (spit) Celeron, and I don't know much about AMD processors.

Anything with a dedicated graphics chip from the last several years should be more than capable of running bkool sim.

Geoff

 

[gbrown]

anybody use a chromebook to run Bsim?

I don't think bkool indoor will run on a chrome book, as it runs Chrome OS, and Bkool is only supported on Windows, OS X, Android or IOS.

Geoff

 

[gbrown]

My laptop is ancient (6 years old) a Core 2 Duo processor, 256mb graphics card. It does have good wifi, and it has never failed to deliver on Bkool video or 3D, and its never kicked me out. It wont do Zwift though.

Interesting that it won't do Zwift but copes with Bkool.

 

[Roleur1]

http://www.ebuyer.com/726168-acer-aspire-e5-573g-laptop-nx-mvmek-011

is this any good Geoff?

 

[kipster]

Interesting that it won't do Zwift but copes with Bkool.

The frame rate on zwift is dire, probably 5 or 6 fps so really jerky, and that's on the lowest graphics setting. We use it on my sons laptop for zwift now, which is an i3 broadwell and it runs fine. I do need to upgrade my laptop as it is falling apart.

 

[bridgy]

http://www.ebuyer.com/726168-acer-aspire-e5-573g-laptop-nx-mvmek-011

is this any good Geoff?

That's pretty much the same spec as my laptop, but I have 8gig of ram. And bsim runs fine - I have had problems but I think that's at their end not mine

 

[kipster]

http://www.ebuyer.com/726168-acer-aspire-e5-573g-laptop-nx-mvmek-011

is this any good Geoff?

The 920m isn't a great deal better than the latest Intel hd520 graphics, the processer is a couple of gen old, the latest are 6xxx. So this is probably a bit swings and roundabouts with the latest processors with hd520.

It will run Bkool fine as the spec is much better than the laptop I'm currently using.o. Upgrade the ram to 8gb and replace the hard disk with a ssd (solid state drive) and it'll be pretty quick.

 

[Soarerv8]

I'll start a session for Geoff's handicap qualifier this evening, at 7:50'ish to start at 8pm sharp, for anyone that's interested or needs a base time.
I know a lot of you will be hitting the bottle hard about that time on a Friday, but hope to see a couple of the AA members and teetotallers.

Ooh 8pm sharp, I do like it when you get all masterful.

I have just scoffed enchiladas they are sat like a big cheesy ball in my tummy. Obviously not an excuse more of an explanation for why I am cycling naked because the lycra doesn't stretch that far.