Team BKool CycleChat

[AAAC 76C]

I've played chicken with squirrels in Battersea park ... not quite the same thing though

"I've played chicken with squirrels"
That's up the with my:
"We all do Muppet things every now and again, that's what makes us human"

 

[Whorty]

Anyone use a tablet (not apple!) for bkool and zwift? I use a laptop but as it's my birthday coming up I was thinking of asking for a tablet and connecting to handle bars. That way I could type in msgs too if required.

Any reasonable priced options?

 

[Breedon]

Use pc for bkool and zwift but have been thinking of a tablet holder for zwift so i can msg people other than picking up my phone every time.

 

[Daddy Pig]

Anyone use a tablet (not apple!) for bkool and zwift? I use a laptop but as it's my birthday coming up I was thinking of asking for a tablet and connecting to handle bars. That way I could type in msgs too if required.

Any reasonable priced options?

To get an advantage I always have to slip a few tablets before a ride... tramadol is a favourite....

 

[rob01792]

Anyone use a tablet (not apple!) for bkool and zwift? I use a laptop but as it's my birthday coming up I was thinking of asking for a tablet and connecting to handle bars. That way I could type in msgs too if required.

Any reasonable priced options?

I used to use a samsung tablet with tacx handle bar mount I now use a laptop connect to a 42" screen on the garage wall I prefer this set up to the tablet option
with the tablet make sure it supports ant + if I didn't have the tv in the garage I would go back to a tablet set up

 

[bobinski]

Use pc for bkool and zwift but have been thinking of a tablet holder for zwift so i can msg people other than picking up my phone every time.

zwift and zwift link are pc/mac/ios only so you might have to get that dreaded Apple product Dean to be able to message. I use a quad lock mount and iphone. Android is on its way but so many variations of hardware and software make it trickier to code.
Zwift on Apple tv shortly.

 

[kipster]

Hi all, just back from Five days cycling in Majorca, it's actually quite nice not to be sweating profusely in 20 degree heat in blazing sunshine up mountains

I had an amazing time, had a Specialized Tarmac which was a really nice bike, a Specialized Toupe saddle, which after 5 days and 320 miles was still reasonably comfy. I skipped the long mountainous west coast to east coast ride which included Puig Major, and opted for the easier route which skipped out to the flat plains after a good bit of climbing. I did do Sa Calobra which was really enjoyable. About 18.5k ft climbing in the five days, absolutely knackered. I will go back and do Puig Major. We were in a all inclusive hotel and I somehow managed to put on 2.5kg over the trip.

It's a great place to cycle, warm, sunny, few cars on the road, loads of cafes, great almond cake, although their tea making skills leave a lot to be desired.

 

[bobinski]

Hi all, just back from Five days cycling in Majorca, it's actually quite nice not to be sweating profusely in 20 degree heat in blazing sunshine up mountains

I had an amazing time, had a Specialized Tarmac which was a really nice bike, a Specialized Toupe saddle, which after 5 days and 320 miles was still reasonably comfy. I skipped the long mountainous west coast to east coast ride which included Puig Major, and opted for the easier route which skipped out to the flat plains after a good bit of climbing. I did do Sa Calobra which was really enjoyable. About 18.5k ft climbing in the five days, absolutely knackered. I will go back and do Puig Major. We were in a all inclusive hotel and I somehow managed to put on 2.5kg over the trip.

It's a great place to cycle, warm, sunny, few cars on the road, loads of cafes, great almond cake, although their tea making skills leave a lot to be desired.

I have been following your rides and pics on Strava. Looked and sounds fantastic. Shame you couldn't bring some of that weather back with you

 

[CXRAndy]

Kipster, glad you enjoyed your bike holiday. Amazing what a bit of fresh air does to an appetite . Tan lines need to be worked on now

 

[Breedon]

Hi all, just back from Five days cycling in Majorca, it's actually quite nice not to be sweating profusely in 20 degree heat in blazing sunshine up mountains

I had an amazing time, had a Specialized Tarmac which was a really nice bike, a Specialized Toupe saddle, which after 5 days and 320 miles was still reasonably comfy. I skipped the long mountainous west coast to east coast ride which included Puig Major, and opted for the easier route which skipped out to the flat plains after a good bit of climbing. I did do Sa Calobra which was really enjoyable. About 18.5k ft climbing in the five days, absolutely knackered. I will go back and do Puig Major. We were in a all inclusive hotel and I somehow managed to put on 2.5kg over the trip.

It's a great place to cycle, warm, sunny, few cars on the road, loads of cafes, great almond cake, although their tea making skills leave a lot to be desired.

I was very jealous kipster weather and views looked amazing.

 

[<Tommy>]

Kipster, glad you enjoyed your bike holiday. Amazing what a bit of all inclusive does to an appetite

Fixed that for you Andy

Seriously well done Kipster. Like the others I really enjoyed following your adventure on Strava. I can't believe you put on weight doing all those miles though. You must of been going back for 3rds and fourths!

 

[AAAC 76C]

Hi all, just back from Five days cycling in Majorca, it's actually quite nice not to be sweating profusely in 20 degree heat in blazing sunshine up mountains

I had an amazing time, had a Specialized Tarmac which was a really nice bike, a Specialized Toupe saddle, which after 5 days and 320 miles was still reasonably comfy. I skipped the long mountainous west coast to east coast ride which included Puig Major, and opted for the easier route which skipped out to the flat plains after a good bit of climbing. I did do Sa Calobra which was really enjoyable. About 18.5k ft climbing in the five days, absolutely knackered. I will go back and do Puig Major. We were in a all inclusive hotel and I somehow managed to put on 2.5kg over the trip.

It's a great place to cycle, warm, sunny, few cars on the road, loads of cafes, great almond cake, although their tea making skills leave a lot to be desired.

Think of it this way:
You probably lost 5 kg of baggage and put on 7.5 kg of power.

 

[bobinski]

Well, my subscription to bkool is now finished. I have emailed bkool to explain why I will not be renewing my subscription and making suggestions as to how the software can be improved and the importance ,in my opinion, of having open software that is trainer agnostic. It will be interesting to see whether they respond. In the meantime I will use Zwift and keep an eye on BRVR and RGT. Who knows, perhaps by next winter bkool will have completely rewritten their software ensuring it's realistic, reliable and consistent across all trainers. If so, I will be back like a shot
In the meantime I will keep an eye on this thread and pop in now and again to let you know about my knee

 

[bridgy]

Well, my subscription to bkool is now finished. I have emailed bkool to explain why I will not be renewing my subscription and making suggestions as to how the software can be improved and the importance ,in my opinion, of having open software that is trainer agnostic. It will be interesting to see whether they respond. In the meantime I will use Zwift and keep an eye on BRVR and RGT. Who knows, perhaps by next winter bkool will have completely rewritten their software ensuring it's realistic, reliable and consistent across all trainers. If so, I will be back like a shot
In the meantime I will keep an eye on this thread and pop in now and again to let you know about my knee

Yeah, don't disappear for good Bob - hope to be racing with you again at some point, either back on Bkool or over with the dark side maybe one day!

I won't be holding my breath for Bkool to ever get this issue properly sorted any time soon though! I think it's a very complex and messy problem to try and get some kind of level playing field between trainers, particularly when comparing direct drive trainers with rollers like the Bkool Pro - with all the tyre variables that come with that. But the people behind Zwift do seem much more pro-active in at least trying to solve the problems - and as has been said before, the limited choice of specifically created course probably helps them greatly with this compared to the endless real-life routes on Bkool.

 

[bobinski]

I hope so Paul. Breedon and Andy are already showing me a clean pair of heels, or should that be cleats, over on the dark side. RickB, Ryan and Jlaw are too.
Not the time for another exhausting email about what might be wrong with bkool etc BUT the inability or unwillingness to allow user calibration to reduce variables and difference is really frustrating and lies at heart of problems. All other smart trainer manufacturers provide it. Also frustrating is using proprietary rather than open ant fec and BT. How or why some do or don't get dead stops on same parts of courses in bsim makes no sense. So I think it's less about Zwift etc having fewer courses but fundamental issues with software/hardware integration. Of course, as you have found it doesn't prevent you all racing together.
RGT release Ventoux soon and I do hope we can get a group cyclechat ride together, perhaps using discord.
Ride on