Team BKool CycleChat

[CXRAndy]

Tommy, I have got the same tyre. For me it was an immediate fantastic improvement. I had been using an old Durano, roughed up, but would slip if I accelerated quickly. Did you get the cheap white rubber version?! I've put the spare on the front now to see if it makes me faster still

 

[<Tommy>]

just opened an account there got the first quote - 4k with solid wood tops posh sink posh cooker boiling hot tap , now waiting for the second quote from them
been down b&q and to be honest their top kitchen again with solid tops posh sink cooker tap curved units 3.5k again waiting on second quote and will hopefully play them against each other
out of interest Adds - have you fitted a b&q kitchen and would you rate them - the units look the same with solid backs
i done a 40k kitchen supposily made from oak and it was the poorest laminate i have ever seen - before even touched it the laminate was peeling - and that was 40kbefore the worktops
as there isnt going to bee much space it might be better to have the b&q flat pack and do them as i get to them rather than have all the carcasses dotted every where

The mark up on kitchens is massive so there's always room for a haggle.

we got ours from wickes in the end and I'm very happy with it. About 40% cheaper than the magnet equivalent the missus first wanted but the wickes one had same thickness and depth of carcass' etc so... A good friend of mine makes bespoke kitchens so that helped out a lot and as Andy said earlier it's the install that'll make or break the finish. Silly me for telling the missus what we saved on the units as she then plumped for a oven that cost the equivalent of a half decent holiday but anyway, that's a different gripe!

 

[<Tommy>]

Tommy, I have got the same tyre. For me it was an immediate fantastic improvement. I had been using an old Durano, roughed up, but would slip if I accelerated quickly. Did you get the cheap white rubber version?! I've put the spare on the front now to see if it makes me faster still

Yeah the white one Andy. Is there different versions?

 

[Whorty]

A friend of mine was putting a kitchen on my Howdens account, and Howdens rang up to check this was ok, then asked if I wanted them to add £300 to the price of the kitchen, and give me the cash!! I said no I didn't, and have closed my account.

We did some research prior to ordering and read quite a bit about their sharp practices. We spoke to our builder too and we were happy with the deal, but yes, we were careful.

 

[CXRAndy]

Yeah the white one Andy. Is there different versions?

I don't think so, in the delivery note I did ask for a sprinkle of fairy dust

 

[CXRAndy]

I don't understand how bkool calculate watts/kg as mine is similar to yours and i know I am much higher than that

W/Kg. Average power developed for the ride divided by your weight.
Light riders with good power can have high W/Kg= good climbers. Bigger powerful riders with much bigger watts but their weight reduces the W/Kg. Better at flat courses and obviously downhill

 

[CXRAndy]

We did some research prior to ordering and read quite a bit about their sharp practices. We spoke to our builder too and we were happy with the deal, but yes, we were careful.

As a customer who benifitscfrom having a trade account. I know they are keen to elevate prices and you need to just as keen to play the game against them.

 

[MasterDabber]

What tire do you use?
In the last November Chain Gang stage I think I did one of the most clear demonstrations of how important the choice of tire is.
I did the stage 2 times averaging the same power (I have a power meter), one with 25mm Conti Ultra Sport, another with a hard pumped 23mm Conti GP4000 S. I averaged 269 Bkool watts in the first ride and 338 Bkool watts in the second attempt.
So that's roughly 70 watts more just by changing tire.

I can't get my head around the logic/science of this. How can a tyre make such a massive difference. Providing it doesn't slip and is being run at a suitable/correct pressure what can be happening? I'm not challenging the fact that this is what you are experiencing but I can't understand why?

 

[CXRAndy]

I can't get my head around the logic/science of this. How can a tyre make such a massive difference. Providing it doesn't slip and is being run at a suitable/correct pressure what can be happening? I'm not challenging the fact that this is what you are experiencing but I can't understand why?

It does i got a 40W improvement

 

[MasterDabber]

Any theories on why?

 

[bridgy]

I don't understand how bkool calculate watts/kg as mine is similar to yours and i know I am much higher than that

What do you mean @Monte ? You watt/kg in the last stage was 3.05 vs Smutchin's 1.4

 

[bridgy]

Any theories on why?

I think it's the rubber compound in contact with the roller. I'm actually using a 25mm Continental GP400S currently as I left my "outdoor" wheel on a couple of weeks ago and still haven't got round to changing it. The surface of the tyre is a bit softer than others (even when pumped up hard) and it's also slightly sticky. My theory is that this creates a very good "purchase" on the metal roller and therefore turns it more efficiently. If the tyre's under inflated or has too much give, some of your energy is going into making the tyre bounce up and down rather than roll in the direction you want. If it's too hard, it will slip instead of grip - and I think this type of slipping can be very minor so not really noticeable but the effect builds up.

An analogy I imagine turning the trainer roller is like opening a tight jam jar lid. The easiest way to get it to turn is with something with just the right amount of give and grip, rather than something too hard or too soft. That's my theory anyway!

Just for the record, when I first put this same tyre on my road bike instead of the stock tyre that came with it, I found it had a very noticeable improvement in grip and speed on the road as well.

 

[bobinski]

I think it's the rubber compound in contact with the roller. I'm actually using a 25mm Continental GP400S currently as I left my "outdoor" wheel on a couple of weeks ago and still haven't got round to changing it. The surface of the tyre is a bit softer than others (even when pumped up hard) and it's also slightly sticky. My theory is that this creates a very good "purchase" on the metal roller and therefore turns it more efficiently. If the tyre's under inflated or has too much give, some of your energy is going into making the tyre bounce up and down rather than roll in the direction you want. If it's too hard, it will slip instead of grip - and I think this type of slipping can be very minor so not really noticeable but the effect builds up.

An analogy I imagine turning the trainer roller is like opening a tight jam jar lid. The easiest way to get it to turn is with something with just the right amount of give and grip, rather than something too hard or too soft. That's my theory anyway!

Just for the record, when I first put this same tyre on my road bike instead of the stock tyre that came with it, I found it had a very noticeable improvement in grip and speed on the road as well.

I think that is spot on bridgy. I suspect its about hitting a sweetspot-Just enough tackiness to allow minimal amount of tyre to "hold" the roller at high pressures.

 

[MasterDabber]

I was thinking I might continue with an old Gatorskin at 100psi when I first try the Bkool. That's what I'm using on my current old Tacx Sirius but I appreciate the clamping technology is totally different and I have no idea on my power output on that anyway.
I guess it may be a case of trial and error at first.

Btw, Thanks for the explanation - useful.

 

[CXRAndy]

Any theories on why?

See Bridgy's comment. Bear in mind that Bkool Pro trainer watts can be quite generous. I have a significantly lower FTP when I use my Kickr. It all about trying to get a platform which is near identical in performance for everyone, then its just down to ability/fitness.