Team BKool CycleChat

[Brusgaard]

Quality over quantity

Looking at the feedback on the Danish Bkool league ride, which eventually got started about 15-20 minutes too late, "quality" is not a word I came across... Not many happy emojiis either.

 

[gos]

Sorry for the spam (but not really ) I would like to let you know about a video ride I did here in Iceland at https://my.bkool.com/profile/detail/4783957

If you like clean mountain air, nice weather, nature, birds, sheep, dusty roads and some climbing, please try it out and let me know what you think. It's a pretty hard ride, at least for me because and I don't even make the top 50 list anymore but I think/hope you might enjoy it

Take care, Gos

 

[shimceltic]

I'll try that, thanks Gos....
I'm interested in making my own video routes, any advice?

 

[gos]

I'll try that, thanks Gos....
I'm interested in making my own video routes, any advice?

It's been a while since I did this but I did film this on a Sjcam S7star in 1080p 30fs. The camera has a built in wifi so I could "monitor" the recording on a separate tablet inside the car.

I built a stabilizer not unlike this one ( View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV_vu_nPoP49 ) but much smaller and mounted it with the camera on the hood of my car with a suction cup. This mostly solved the vibration generated by the gravel road/engine and worked surprisingly well. I got a 3 meter USB cable and plugged into the car UBS socket.
I recorded the gps data on my phone (using strava) and tried to drive slowly (at 15 -25 k/h or around that)

I tried using the Bkool editor to edit/combine the video but found it "challenging" so I would up using Garmin Virb editor which is free. I then tweaked this in the Bkool editor and uploded to Bkool.

I am by no means an expert but I did find the manual helpful at: http://static.bkool.com/static/manuals/video-route-editor_EN.pdf and also Cyclechat at: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/making-bkool-videos.211490/

I do believe there is a new version of the editor which I have not tried yet but I am hoping is better than the previous version :-) I am planning to make more videos this summer (hopefully)

Hope this helps, Gos

 

[hugopinto]

Question on RGT impressions? @
I tried RGT (as a free app and also as a subscriber for a couple on months) last year. I liked it, however, the one issue that made move on to BKOOL (aside from possibility of riding your video rides - which, up to this point I'm still unable to create) was that there was a limitation when creating your own sessions (your own created route per say). The limitation was that your session would only become active if at least 5 users committed to riding it. I believe this was a system issue and they were not prepared for the onslaught of new virtual riders at beginning of COVID times.
As far as anyone know, is this limitation still in place? (which is a big turn off - BKOOL lets me setup a session and ride it whenever I want to).
Curious if they beefed up their infrastructure by now or not?

 

[Bored Man]

Question on RGT impressions? @
I tried RGT (as a free app and also as a subscriber for a couple on months) last year. I liked it, however, the one issue that made move on to BKOOL (aside from possibility of riding your video rides - which, up to this point I'm still unable to create) was that there was a limitation when creating your own sessions (your own created route per say). The limitation was that your session would only become active if at least 5 users committed to riding it. I believe this was a system issue and they were not prepared for the onslaught of new virtual riders at beginning of COVID times.
As far as anyone know, is this limitation still in place? (which is a big turn off - BKOOL lets me setup a session and ride it whenever I want to).
Curious if they beefed up their infrastructure by now or not?

Great question.. I too am very interested in the answer..

 

[inesfra]

Question on RGT impressions? @
I tried RGT (as a free app and also as a subscriber for a couple on months) last year. I liked it, however, the one issue that made move on to BKOOL (aside from possibility of riding your video rides - which, up to this point I'm still unable to create) was that there was a limitation when creating your own sessions (your own created route per say). The limitation was that your session would only become active if at least 5 users committed to riding it. I believe this was a system issue and they were not prepared for the onslaught of new virtual riders at beginning of COVID times.
As far as anyone know, is this limitation still in place? (which is a big turn off - BKOOL lets me setup a session and ride it whenever I want to).
Curious if they beefed up their infrastructure by now or not?

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand your question well. If you mean that you can't do the race if there aren't at least 5 participants, I don't think there are any limits of this kind. If it's just you, you'll run it alone and stop. Piuttossto the limit is there and it is twenty subscribers to be published as a public event at http://rgtdb.com/.
Forgive me, but I'm new to Rgt too, and I don't have a deep understanding of the platform yet ...
I know this.

 

[Bored Man]

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand your question well. If you mean that you can't do the race if there aren't at least 5 participants, I don't think there are any limits of this kind. If it's just you, you'll run it alone and stop. Piuttossto the limit is there and it is twenty subscribers to be published as a public event at http://rgtdb.com/.
Forgive me, but I'm new to Rgt too, and I don't have a deep understanding of the platform yet ...
I know this.

I believe the OP was asking about magic roads and the minimum amount of riders required to create them.

 

[hugopinto]

I believe the OP was asking about magic roads and the minimum amount of riders required to create them.

I apologize if I wasn't clear enough, but, as "Bored Man" clarified, my question relates to the RGT "Magic" roads (routes a user can upload and ride in 3D mode). These Magic roads were what enticed me away from Zwift (was getting boring - with all the same routes to ride).

 

[inesfra]

You are clear, it is I who rely on Google translate .... So I apologize, I don't know how to help you because I am not premium, and these are aspects that I have not investigated. Sorry again.

 

[hugopinto]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/rgt-vs-zwift-which-platform-is-more-realistic/
Just to let you know what some of us are investigating.

Question on RGT impressions?
I tried RGT (as a free app and also as a subscriber for a couple on months) last year. I liked it, however, the one issue that made move on to BKOOL (aside from possibility of riding your video rides - which, up to this point I'm still unable to create) was that there was a limitation when creating your own sessions (your own created route per say). The limitation was that your session would only become active if at least 5 users committed to riding it. I believe this was a system issue and they were not prepared for the onslaught of new virtual riders at beginning of COVID times.
As far as anyone know, is this limitation still in place? (which is a big turn off - BKOOL lets me setup a session and ride it whenever I want to).
Curious if they beefed up their infrastructure by now or not?

 

[Randyberlin]

Anybody riding today? I got my second vaccine shot yesterday and expected to be affected, but only a sore arm.
If nobody is doing a rerun I may start the canceled climb early so the dogs don't have to wait for their Saturday morning walk.

 

[keithaitch]

Question on RGT impressions?
I tried RGT (as a free app and also as a subscriber for a couple on months) last year. I liked it, however, the one issue that made move on to BKOOL (aside from possibility of riding your video rides - which, up to this point I'm still unable to create) was that there was a limitation when creating your own sessions (your own created route per say). The limitation was that your session would only become active if at least 5 users committed to riding it. I believe this was a system issue and they were not prepared for the onslaught of new virtual riders at beginning of COVID times.
As far as anyone know, is this limitation still in place? (which is a big turn off - BKOOL lets me setup a session and ride it whenever I want to).
Curious if they beefed up their infrastructure by now or not?

We'll be producing a full report when (or after today's killer stage IF) we finish. However to answer your question, as a premium user you can upload your route from a gpx file and they produce a "magic road" in about 2 minutes and then you can ride it immediately. You can also create an event and non premium users can ride it with you. There is no lower limit on the number of people who have to sign up for the event to happen. I made one for our rest day ride yesterday that 1 person did and I didn't even do it as I was on RGT in the race we are in producing the best team performance of all time with @AndyMacca @perswe @berty bassett and especially @Barbes66 who rode himself into the ground to help Andy to the top of the Cipresse.

 

[shimceltic]

I'm gonna give @gos ride a go. 1530 uk

 

[Randyberlin]

I'm gonna give @gos ride a go. 1530 uk

Ill slam my second cup of coffee and see you there in 15 minutes. Ill search for Shimceltic because co have no idea how to switch keyboards to get the 3rd letter of the route name.

Edit: because its a climb ill be in video and like the Tragically Hip say you'll be"Ahead by a Century" ... Ill start with that song.