Zwift Chat

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

IrishAl

** Full Time Pro **
Location
N.Ireland
Interesting. I'm quite (pleasantly) surprised how well the shape of the Bkool graphs mirrors the power meter. As others have said though, as the power increases the Bkool power diverges which I think we all saw with our units. 15 - 20 % error again is what most of us saw on Zwift (even higher at times on the Bkool simulator). Good test though :okay:

You would think that Bkool would develop a way to calibrate the unit via their software / simulator. It seems crazy that they don’t offer this.
 

IrishAl

** Full Time Pro **
Location
N.Ireland
Great reality check. Use a Neo for another one.

I don’t have a Neo - are they meant to be reliable/accurate?

Edit - I read the DC Rainmaker review and the Neo comes out v. accurate compared to a few other power meters.
 
Last edited:

Aleman

Knees are FUBAR but I don't like to mention it
Location
Blackpool UK
I don’t have a Neo - are they meant to be reliable/accurate?
As accurate as my Vector3's. The thing I love about it, having had it since Feb, is that it just works, and I don't get any rediculous BKool Fairy dust assisted watts ... Actually there are times I hate it for that as well :rofl:

The only issue that I am aware of, and I think it applies to the Neo in all simulators, is that it doesn't work particulalry well in Erg mode, taking a few seconds to 'settle' when there is a change of effort required ... most obvious with short intervals like the start of 'Jon's Mix' ... I've also seen it in BigRingVR in workout mode. If you want a trainer that does respond well, then the Kickr 18 is a better choice, assuming you get one that is free of the vibration issues, although that also has issues with overheating on extended (>Hour) long hill climbs.
 

bridgy

Legendary Member
Location
Cheddar
I don’t have a Neo - are they meant to be reliable/accurate?

Edit - I read the DC Rainmaker review and the Neo comes out v. accurate compared to a few other power meters.
I went from a Bkool to a Neo. I don't have a PM so have to trust that the Neo is accurate, but all the independent tests/reviews suggest it is. My average power dropped by 10-20% when I changed from Bkool to Neo. One of the biggest things I notice is the Neo is much harder to hold power on - the slightest easing up and your power drops instantly. By contrast, the Bkool (in hindsight) had a feeling of being able to get up some momentum, so the power dropped back less quickly. It's harder to overcome the resistance on the Neo and it's slower to increase power when you stand on the pedals for example. I never used the Bkool with a PM to broadcast power, so I don't know how this setup compares to the Neo for feel and accuracy etc - but clearly your setup is more accurate than just using the power broadcast by the Bkool.

I have no complaints about the Neo though (despite it making my life harder!), it's quiet, solidly built, and the direct drive is a big improvement from the wheel-on Bkool trainer.

Well done on your ride last night by the way! You and the other front runners dropped me on the first hill, and that set a pattern for the rest of my ride as I got dropped by group after group every time we hit an incline. I finished with a couple of minutes down on my previous time with similar power figures, which I guess is down to the smaller field and slower group I ended up in. But your power at 322 watts was really impressive and I think you improved your time didn't you?
 

Whorty

Gets free watts from the Atom ;)
Location
Wiltshire
Well done on your ride last night by the way! You and the other front runners dropped me on the first hill, and that set a pattern for the rest of my ride as I got dropped by group after group every time we hit an incline. I finished with a couple of minutes down on my previous time with similar power figures, which I guess is down to the smaller field and slower group I ended up in. But your power at 322 watts was really impressive and I think you improved your time didn't you?
I did stg 1 again n Monday and, as with you, the reduced field meant even though power was (very slightly) up on my best I was still a minute slower. I compared my Monday against my fastest times and the time differences are really interesting. I was in groups leading into the jungle, and whilst climbing through the jungle. By the time I was at the bridge on Monday I was 44 seconds faster than previously, but crucially on Monday I had lost the group I was in and was now with one other rider only and he seemed dead on his legs. By the time I have climbed back out the jungle route and to the gate I was pretty much on par with my fastest time even though I pushed more power in the climb - just that lack of riders to draft with lost me 30 or so seconds. By the time I was down the bottom of the KoM I was on exactly the same time as previously, so I lost 10-15 seconds just on that small descent. A group of 6 riders caught us and we rode together to the end; during the initial fast ride I was in a group closer to 30 riders. During that last 7km I lost another 60 seconds. I hate to think how much I would have lost had that group not been there with me!

It really does go to show how being in the right group massively increases speed and times in Zwift (and I assume in RL too).

The lesson learned? Get your best attempt in early when there are loads of riders in the race :biggrin: But I think we all knew that already :okay:
 

JuhaL

Guru
I have to say i am very pleased now that i change my Bkool Smart Pro1 to Elite Drivo 2 dd trainer. After few irl rides now i can say the power readings with Elite Drivo 2 and Quarq powermeter are consistent, no disappointments anymore. Not for sure do i go any faster irl but now i know where do i go. I think i might progress more as a cyclist if i ride more with erg mode on Zwift. Events simulate well races and they can be fun but i think that dd trainers are more useful as an erg mode.
 

bridgy

Legendary Member
Location
Cheddar
I did stg 1 again n Monday and, as with you, the reduced field meant even though power was (very slightly) up on my best I was still a minute slower. I compared my Monday against my fastest times and the time differences are really interesting. I was in groups leading into the jungle, and whilst climbing through the jungle. By the time I was at the bridge on Monday I was 44 seconds faster than previously, but crucially on Monday I had lost the group I was in and was now with one other rider only and he seemed dead on his legs. By the time I have climbed back out the jungle route and to the gate I was pretty much on par with my fastest time even though I pushed more power in the climb - just that lack of riders to draft with lost me 30 or so seconds. By the time I was down the bottom of the KoM I was on exactly the same time as previously, so I lost 10-15 seconds just on that small descent. A group of 6 riders caught us and we rode together to the end; during the initial fast ride I was in a group closer to 30 riders. During that last 7km I lost another 60 seconds. I hate to think how much I would have lost had that group not been there with me!

It really does go to show how being in the right group massively increases speed and times in Zwift (and I assume in RL too).

The lesson learned? Get your best attempt in early when there are loads of riders in the race :biggrin: But I think we all knew that already :okay:
Yeah - I think I prefer our own "meet up" races for the league really. Not only is it good fun racing against a small group of people you know, there's not the possibility to do the same race at a different time and get a better time just because you happened to be able to latch onto a faster group. Having said that, it's still good fun to have the league table and it does make you push that bit harder!
 

Norry1

Legendary Member
Location
Warwick
Yeah - I think I prefer our own "meet up" races for the league really. Not only is it good fun racing against a small group of people you know, there's not the possibility to do the same race at a different time and get a better time just because you happened to be able to latch onto a faster group. Having said that, it's still good fun to have the league table and it does make you push that bit harder!

Worth trying to set one up for our league this week?
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
:notworthy: The most I've ever done is 95 miles / 160km. Couldn't imagine doing 400km That's some mega effort :okay: Where was this?
It was called the Auld Alliance, started at Haymarket station in Edinburgh at 9pm, rode to Brechin and then back again.

If you can do 160 you can do more, it's just a case of grinding it out. I took up audax because I am not very fast but can persist!
 

<Tommy>

Illegitimi non carborundum
Location
Camden, London
Yeah - I think I prefer our own "meet up" races for the league really. Not only is it good fun racing against a small group of people you know, there's not the possibility to do the same race at a different time and get a better time just because you happened to be able to latch onto a faster group. Having said that, it's still good fun to have the league table and it does make you push that bit harder!

I prefer just having one attempt at each stage too. Kind of takes away the safety net doesn’t it. Having said that it’s annoying for anyone who misses a live race and wants to complete all the stages in a league. Maybe when the dust has settled on this tour malarkey we should think about doing re runs ala the Bkool days.
 

bridgy

Legendary Member
Location
Cheddar
With our private races there's minimal drafting benefit for most of us in most races because with only 15-20 of us racing and with different abilities most of us end up riding most of the stage solo anyway. You should be able to have a solo attempt to set a time if you can't make the group meet-up time, but we won't see the big time differences like we do in the Zwift Tour rides where as has been said before, your time is hugely reliant on group draft.

Nothing to stop us setting up a second meet-up as well for anyone who can't make the usual 7pm Thursday slot - although might need someone else to set that one up. You just need whoever wants to go to be following you on the companion app for you to be able to set up the meet-up.

I don't mind setting one up for tomorrow night if people are up for that? Any requests?
 
Top Bottom