Team BKool CycleChat
- Thread starter Peteaud
- Start date
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Very interesting info on that page. Race data from all of his competitions. E.g. he averaged 332 Watt when he won the danish Gran Fondo TT.
I'm afraid you'll find my name a long way down the list in those first 2017 Chrono Cups
. To my defense, I wasn't really trying 100%. Just recovering from a terrible season and didn't even use aero clothing.
Hi Keith. I think the different colours represent the level of the rider - green=elite, blue=pro, red=active, yellow=amateur.
My own uninformed question.....
When descending, sometimes the speed value turns blue and says 'virtual speed'. I assume this happens when the descent is so steep that the turbo effectively 'spins out'. I thought that when this happens I would be able to take it easy and effectively freewheel and maintain the same speed. But when trying this a few times in group rides I have lost the wheel in front and have had to spin frantically to catch back up. Does anyone know what the blue figures mean and how best to utilise it?
simonsch
Senior Member
Hmmm. I find that it is saying "virtual speed" much of the time, and not just on descents. I don't think it used to, this started occurring on one of the recent software updates.
keithaitch
Veteran
- Location
- barcelona
SorryYou make too many posts on this forum
When the speed goes blue on a descent the only way to go any faster is to spin faster than your virtual speed. Worth trying if the speed is 20-30mph or so, less worthwhile trying when it is 50mph plus!
The person going faster than you may be heavier, so accelerating with virtual speed quicker, or they may have taken higher speed into the descent initially.
theboxers
TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
- Location
- OTC (on the couch)
Q
The blue speed values are calculated speeds that are, usually, greater than the actual wheel speed (it used to happen on climbs where the calculated speed was lower than wheel speed, but that stopped with a fw/sw update about 2 years ago).
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Ah that makes sense.
I don't know if this new found knowledge will improve my times/performance, but I can always hope
I find the virtual speed uphill to be more of an issue. I guess the weight that defines your speed once you hit gradients above 10-11%. So I find I cannot do much about my speed on those segments. But...comparing to my IRL performances (the few opportunities I have, living on the plains) on 12%+ gradients, the virtual speed does not punish me more than it should, so I shouldn't really complain. So I guess the only thing you can do on the steep sections is just to pedal through them with as little effort (well...) as possible...which of course is an advantage over IRL where I wouldn't be able to "rest" on a 15% gradient. But it is a little anoying to see lighter cyclists sprint past me on a 12-15% gradient section in Bkool sessions. On the other hand, that would also be the case IRL for me.
Daddy Pig
Veteran
I'll correct the first two... Blue is elite and green is pro. Red is active and yellow is amateur...
Apologies - I don't have much experience of blue/green. They are always disappearing far into the distance
theboxers
TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
- Location
- OTC (on the couch)
I've found that the calculated blue speeds on climbs for me are only, at most, 0.5-1.5kmh above real wheel speed (I rarely get this). However there are exceptions to this. Slingshots, fairy dust or whatever, where a significantly higher speed is possible due to a lack of resistance/delayed resistance or the calculation says it should be higher.
A large part of my difference is weight related (127kg registered) I seem to max out the trainer (a 2nd gen classic) @about 5.8%. Above this the resistance does not get any harder but the displayed speed/actual wheel speed are about the same, IRL it would go down.
Aleman
Knees are FUBAR but I don't like to mention it
- Location
- Blackpool UK
I've somehow managed to propel myself into the ranks of the Elite category 
I know it was because of a screwy strava upload that because it's connected to BKool loaded itself up there, and there is no way to delete it 
I guess the only way to 'correct' it is to do an FTP test deliberately holding back the watts to get where I think I really should be (FTP around 230-240, and Active 5) .... FTP Tests generally giove me a big dose of fairy dust as well which doesn't help 
I may try it after completing Stages 12-15 of LeJog today ... I dont think I'll be able to put any power down after that little session
I know it was because of a screwy strava upload that because it's connected to BKool loaded itself up there, and there is no way to delete it I guess the only way to 'correct' it is to do an FTP test deliberately holding back the watts to get where I think I really should be (FTP around 230-240, and Active 5) .... FTP Tests generally giove me a big dose of fairy dust as well which doesn't help I may try it after completing Stages 12-15 of LeJog today ... I dont think I'll be able to put any power down after that little session
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
I've somehow managed to propel myself into the ranks of the Elite category
I may try it after completing Stages 12-15 of LeJog today ... I dont think I'll be able to put any power down after that little session
I wouldn’t worry about it mate. Safely assume a very high proportion of people’s FTP is from sessions effected by fairy dust. The more you use BKOOL the higher the chances. Even if you intentionally lower your ranking it’ll go up again as soon as you get more of the special treatment. I personally maintained a pro ranking all last year even though I attained it via a generous sprinkling, and didn’t use the turbo from early March until a few weeks ago. I’m pretty sure the ftp is supposed to be recalculated and down graded through lack of activity so...
Having a different coloured hat doesn’t give you a performance advantage either so it’s just one of those things.
