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theboxers

TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
Hi - new member of forum here.... getting to grips with Bkool and love it as a training tool.... but I must admit I'm finding it bloody hard work! Obviously working with a turbo is always going to be different with no freewheeling etc but I am not getting anywhere near my normal speed without really overworking and burning out.... for example I have ridden the Vitruvian course on the simulator but can't get anywhere near the average speed that I do on the actual course. Literally about 3mph difference... and when I ride the actual course, as a triathlete I usually run straight 'off the bike' for 5-10km... not a chance after the course on the bkool... my legs are toast. Is there some way to calibrate the unit?
There is no way to calibrate these turbos trainers like a power meter. They do not have a true strain gauge. Also the power readings on Bkool can be different to a true power meter, + and -, dependant on bkool registered weight.

Make sure you have set your weight correctly in the profile page. The resistance is set using your weight as part of the calculation. My 5% (I'm 128kg) for someone who is lighter would be like 10%.
 

AAAC 76C

Large Member
Location
LIVING THE DREAM
Hi - new member of forum here.... getting to grips with Bkool and love it as a training tool.... but I must admit I'm finding it bloody hard work! Obviously working with a turbo is always going to be different with no freewheeling etc but I am not getting anywhere near my normal speed without really overworking and burning out.... for example I have ridden the Vitruvian course on the simulator but can't get anywhere near the average speed that I do on the actual course. Literally about 3mph difference... and when I ride the actual course, as a triathlete I usually run straight 'off the bike' for 5-10km... not a chance after the course on the bkool... my legs are toast. Is there some way to calibrate the unit?

That's odd because most say the turbo power is a little under reality however as the Boxers says make sure you have set your weight in your profile correctly.
Also make sure your rear tyre is fully inflated.
A lot of the calibration carried out on other turbos is related to the clamping force of the turbo roller onto the wheel but as the BKool Turbo roller does not clamp onto the wheel this is not required.
Lastly, regardless of what you can achieve on your reality rides train on your turbo to the effort on the turbo not what you can achieve in real life however that said most find that they can complete courses quicker on the turbo as there is no braking or cornering required.
A recent firmware upgrade has resulted in some dead stops when climbs starts which is pretty much the polar opposite as to how the Bkool Turbo behaved before.

Most importantly have fun and enjoy the live racing and pre and post race banter.
 

AAAC 76C

Large Member
Location
LIVING THE DREAM
Can folk stop challenging my times please, its filling up my home page with depressing entries. My page 1 has 4 'you have been beaten" entries on it including one from the Boxers!
TheBoxers (Cyclechat Mammoth) has beaten your time by 00:44 in Descenso Col du Galibier Using Bkool Trainer Classic
[URL='http://www.bkool.com/user/home/58']04/09/2016 08:48 Pep Tatche has beaten your time by 00:23 in Vuelta España 2016 S1 Using Bkool Smart Pro[/URL]
04/09/2016 09:31 Pep Tatche has beaten your time by 00:10 in Vuelta España 2016 S17 Using Bkool Smart Pro
(Note the timing on the two above, he beats my PB on one and then starts the other straight after and beats me again!)
That all said, well done Bridgy, you must have gone some to beat me by almost a minute considering how much time I made up chasing you when setting my time.
Bridgy has beaten your time by 00:49 in Hurst / Wokingham / United Kingdom Using Bkool Smart Pro
 

Dango

Active Member
Some time ago I uploaded a personally ridden route to the BKOOL and added the indoor session thereafter to my Strava activities, got a KOM and some other nice times too, so it's unrealistic but better than riding in the winter muck and ice :rain::smile:
 

theboxers

TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
Well that the last chaingang stage this time round. PB on average power (245w), although no rise in ftp due to the short length of the stage. But I'll take the win for the time being.

Summer Cup league completed this week and still in the top 100 at the moment.

I may have to schedule an ftp run this week to see where I am power wise. Getting better but not great, I think.
 

Goldwolfie

Veteran
Location
Chesterfield
Well that the last chaingang stage this time round. PB on average power (245w), although no rise in ftp due to the short length of the stage. But I'll take the win for the time being.

Summer Cup league completed this week and still in the top 100 at the moment.

I may have to schedule an ftp run this week to see where I am power wise. Getting better but not great, I think.

Thanks for the heads up on the chaingang TB - didn't realise it ended today.

I better get my lycra back on and have a crack at the last stage. I've been out and about in the real world today up on the moors, so I'm not expecting a great showing.

I'll take the dog for a walk first as a warm up.
 
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