Team BKool CycleChat

[gbrown]

its very over rated you know - especially this time of year on the building sites - i am fracking freezing

Yes, I was a lot warmer when I was 92 Kg! And my daughter complains I'm uncomfortable to lean on... but going up hill is all I care about now!

 

[gbrown]

It's not so fracking warm up here on this golf course either...

Come to Scotland they said, you will love it they said, never rains they said....

Can't you get a Golf simulator?

 

[CXRAndy]

I did wonder, as Tommy was doing so well for most of the ride, and thought you and Bridgy would draft up to Bob!


Plenty of competition for Team Blue and Red!

Tell me about it! I keep having to put in a performance to remind the selectors I think Kipster is doing some serious base work keeping his powder dry so to speak Adam will arrive on the dot!

thinking about it we could have back up members for specific courses, Perky, Breedon, Berty are stronger on climbs, than me and would say Tommy, so we could be domestique riders burying ourselves for an early tow then pulling off? Ssssh Geoff its our little secret on tactics

 

[Daddy Pig]

9% at 102 Kg is pretty impressive, you must be maintaining a pretty good speed!

The blue figures when climbing are a bit of a smoking gun, if they go blue isn't the Bkool simulator showing that you are not going at the speed you would in real life, and therefore implying that you are not getting the resistance you would in real life, from 9% in your case?

The blue is calculated based on maxing the resistance and then calculating a slower speed which is theoretically the same as real life.... although the cadence stays higher than it would do in real life....

 

[Daddy Pig]

Slightly off topic here?. But the December chaingang look very exciting - especially to a 'flatty' like me..

Thank you - there really is a Santa..

And a fatty like me...

 

[bobinski]

We thankfully had a mild weekend - didnt get out the previous one. Getting into a routine of heading out with a couple of club members Saturday morning where possible and then the main group ride of Sundays for 60 odd miles.

On a different note, I've got myself banned from the Facebook Bkool-English page for suggesting to others that the Bkool Pro only creates resistance of 11-12% for most people. They were adamant that it can do 20%. Looks like they dont like me now since I cancelled my subscription.

Bob had mentioned his now will give up to 15% but there's no change with mine. Anyone notice more resistance at high levels these days??

Banned??!!?? Muppets!

I have just read through other more considered observations below and am prepared to accept i must be wrong about feeling a difference in resistance between 9 and 15%. My ego just wont cope with it! Stange that DCR thought bkool did ramp up to 20%-its his main reason for recommending it over other trainers given its other foibles.

 

[Breedon]

Banned??!!?? Muppets!

I have just read through other more considered observations below and am prepared to accept i must be wrong about feeling a difference in resistance between 9 and 15%. My ego just wont cope with it! Stange that DCR thought bkool did ramp up to 20%-its his main reason for recommending it over other trainers given its other foibles.

I was thinking of upgrading my Classic to a pro unit but would I be better off sticking with the classic?

 

[bridgy]

Banned??!!?? Muppets!

I have just read through other more considered observations below and am prepared to accept i must be wrong about feeling a difference in resistance between 9 and 15%. My ego just wont cope with it! Stange that DCR thought bkool did ramp up to 20%-its his main reason for recommending it over other trainers given its other foibles.

Where does DCR say this @bobinski ?

 

[bobinski]

I was thinking of upgrading my Classic to a pro unit but would I be better off sticking with the classic?

I wouldn't trust my opinion Breedon But if my Neo arrives soon ( if Amazon can source at the super low price they were offering them ) i could do you a good price on a pro

 

[bobinski]

Where does DCR say this @bobinski ?

almost...

BKOOL Trainers: These are very capable, and their $479 price point is really solid for the Smart Go (and their Pro at $699 with a fairly solid 20% incline rating is *very* impressive). But when I compare them to the other four brands at the same price point, the BKOOL Trainers are missing one specific thing: Power broadcasting using open ANT+/BLE. They do however use ANT+ FE-C, which means you’ll get it easily using desktop apps. But unless you have an Edge 520/820/1000, you won’t get it on your Garmin head unit. And thus for that tiny reason, I have to separate it from the other four. If they were to enable that, then I’d have no issues lumping it in with those other options. Or if you don’t care about that and want inclines, then go forth!

 

[gbrown]

There is no doubt that the Bkool Pro, with it's UP TO 20% rating is much more impressive than the multitude of smart trainers only claiming UP TO single figure gradients. In reality, for most riders, these others will be limited to very gentle gradients indeed, and would not get close to most alpine climbs, never mind the brutal gradients on many of the Top 100 UK climbs.

@bobinski I look forward to hearing how you find the Tacx Neo, it looks like a fabulous bit of kit!

 

[bridgy]

almost...

BKOOL Trainers: These are very capable, and their $479 price point is really solid for the Smart Go (and their Pro at $699 with a fairly solid 20% incline rating is *very* impressive). But when I compare them to the other four brands at the same price point, the BKOOL Trainers are missing one specific thing: Power broadcasting using open ANT+/BLE. They do however use ANT+ FE-C, which means you’ll get it easily using desktop apps. But unless you have an Edge 520/820/1000, you won’t get it on your Garmin head unit. And thus for that tiny reason, I have to separate it from the other four. If they were to enable that, then I’d have no issues lumping it in with those other options. Or if you don’t care about that and want inclines, then go forth!

I think he's really just repeating the marketing claim from Bkool there

 

[bobinski]

There is no doubt that the Bkool Pro, with it's UP TO 20% rating is much more impressive than the multitude of smart trainers only claiming UP TO single figure gradients. In reality, for most riders, these others will be limited to very gentle gradients indeed, and would not get close to most alpine climbs, never mind the brutal gradients on many of the Top 100 UK climbs.

@bobinski I look forward to hearing how you find the Tacx Neo, it looks like a fabulous bit of kit!

I will let you know Geoff. I got it for less than new kickr-my preferred option because of Wahoo customer support- but it is still bonkers expensive. I need to sell a few things, not just the pro, to cover as much of the price as possible I am also working on the assumption that Mrs B won't see me bring it into the house and is unlikely to climb the rickety ladder to the loft and see it there either

 

[Daddy Pig]

If you want gradients then I even stopped to take a photo...

 

[bridgy]

There is no doubt that the Bkool Pro, with it's UP TO 20% rating is much more impressive than the multitude of smart trainers only claiming UP TO single figure gradients. In reality, for most riders, these others will be limited to very gentle gradients indeed, and would not get close to most alpine climbs, never mind the brutal gradients on many of the Top 100 UK climbs.

@bobinski I look forward to hearing how you find the Tacx Neo, it looks like a fabulous bit of kit!

Agreed - the limitations of the Bkool we've been talking about apply to other trainers as well. It's just that other manufacturers are a bit more open about what rider weight/speed they are basing their max gradient claims on!

I actually think the Bkool Pro is a pretty good piece of kit for the price. But I really don't like the fact Bkool are claiming it will replicate the resistance of a 20% incline for ANY rider weight, and banning Rick from their Facebook page for disagreeing