Team BKool CycleChat

[Bored Man]

Hi Guys
Some feedback for you.

I was returning to cycling from a bad ankle sprain and wanted to train on a flat terain using my bkool trainer but I found this much more convenient on zwift ( didn't think to use the velodrome).
So I joined the dark side and really enjoyed the ease of logging on and just riding for fun and found the simulator software so much more user friendly compared to Bkool.
As my injury improved I joined some organised racing events and the fun really began to start.

The Bkool trainer issues then came to light.
Without going into too much detail Zwift became more like an arcade game, they give you power ups as you ride and one moment I'm struggling to maintain 180 watts and on a power up I reached 700 watt and suddenly I was a doped Lance Armstrong passing everybody.

In summarry the Bkool trainer is too unreliable on Zwift for power calculations and their use of power-ups.
It was virtually impossible to ride and work in a group with a Bkool trainer and if by some miracle you did manage to latch on, drafting didn't appear to have any benefits.
I can't justify buying a Tacx Neo or kickr for Zwift just yet as my Bkool is only 6 months old so I've decided to rejoin Bkool and beg for your forgiveness for leaving you in the first place ( not that you noticed ).
Hopefully see you there.

My dearest friend @Marino.g - welcome back. Also, thank you for the summary of your experience.

As I travel back home from holiday to a very wet and windy Scotland, faced with my Bkool as penance for overindulgent, I very much look forward to cycling with you again in the virtual world, and based on my waste line, trying to hang on to your tailcoat for dear life.

Dimitri

 

[Whorty]

Hi Guys
Some feedback for you.

I was returning to cycling from a bad ankle sprain and wanted to train on a flat terain using my bkool trainer but I found this much more convenient on zwift ( didn't think to use the velodrome).
So I joined the dark side and really enjoyed the ease of logging on and just riding for fun and found the simulator software so much more user friendly compared to Bkool.
As my injury improved I joined some organised racing events and the fun really began to start.

The Bkool trainer issues then came to light.
Without going into too much detail Zwift became more like an arcade game, they give you power ups as you ride and one moment I'm struggling to maintain 180 watts and on a power up I reached 700 watt and suddenly I was a doped Lance Armstrong passing everybody.

In summarry the Bkool trainer is too unreliable on Zwift for power calculations and their use of power-ups.
It was virtually impossible to ride and work in a group with a Bkool trainer and if by some miracle you did manage to latch on, drafting didn't appear to have any benefits.
I can't justify buying a Tacx Neo or kickr for Zwift just yet as my Bkool is only 6 months old so I've decided to rejoin Bkool and beg for your forgiveness for leaving you in the first place ( not that you noticed ).
Hopefully see you there.

H Marino, I've seen similar strangeness in Zwift. I tend not to use the powerups as they're a bit gimmicky for me but I do some days cycle like a superhero! Other days, I cycle like I'm in treacle. What I like about Zwift though is the ability to just get on the bike and ride, and there are always loads of other riders with you to keep things interesting. However, Bkool racing, using ghosts to chase down, and the massive selection of classic mountain stages will always keep me more interested. I switch between the 2 at the moment, but if I had to choose only 1, it would definitely be Bkool

 

[Marino.g]

This was the auto power-up and no space bar press needed.
Other riders seem to use it as an advantage but I remember doing something similar in Super Mario Karts which reminded me of my supersonic ride on Zwift.

 

[Marino.g]

H Marino, I've seen similar strangeness in Zwift. I tend not to use the powerups as they're a bit gimmicky for me but I do some days cycle like a superhero! Other days, I cycle like I'm in treacle. What I like about Zwift though is the ability to just get on the bike and ride, and there are always loads of other riders with you to keep things interesting. However, Bkool racing, using ghosts to chase down, and the massive selection of classic mountain stages will always keep me more interested. I switch between the 2 at the moment, but if I had to choose only 1, it would definitely be Bkool

Your spot on whorty but I think you would get a differnt ride with the Neo to which Monte can vouch for.
Zwift does give you a more arcade Xbox game feel though which can be good fun but the courses are very limited.

 

[Marino.g]

My dearest friend @Marino.g - welcome back. Also, thank you for the summary of your experience.

As I travel back home from holiday to a very wet and windy Scotland, faced with my Bkool as penance for overindulgent, I very much look forward to cycling with you again in the virtual world, and based on my waste line, trying to hang on to your tailcoat for dear life.

Dimitri

Holiday or no holiday you can't fool me!

 

[Marino.g]

H Marino, I've seen similar strangeness in Zwift. I tend not to use the powerups as they're a bit gimmicky for me but I do some days cycle like a superhero! Other days, I cycle like I'm in treacle. What I like about Zwift though is the ability to just get on the bike and ride, and there are always loads of other riders with you to keep things interesting. However, Bkool racing, using ghosts to chase down, and the massive selection of classic mountain stages will always keep me more interested. I switch between the 2 at the moment, but if I had to choose only 1, it would definitely be Bkool

Great ride Sunday by the way, well impressed....

 

[bobinski]

This was the auto power-up and no space bar press needed.
Other riders seem to use it as an advantage but I remember doing something similar in Super Mario Karts which reminded me of my supersonic ride on Zwift.

I am going to think of you as Mario.g from now on...

 

[Marino.g]

I am going to think of you as Mario.g from now on...

Whorty can be my faster brother Luigi!

 

[Whorty]

Whorty can be my faster brother Luigi!

"faster" or "fatter"? Probably the latter

 

[Randyberlin]

My dearest friend @Marino.g - welcome back. Also, thank you for the summary of your experience.

As I travel back home from holiday to a very wet and windy Scotland, faced with my Bkool as penance for overindulgent, I very much look forward to cycling with you again in the virtual world, and based on my waste line, trying to hang on to your tailcoat for dear life.

Dimitri

Jim,
Just in time for your return one of the featured rides in this week's email is in Greece.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Jim,
Just in time for your return one of the featured rides in this week's email is in Greece.

Greece the Movie?
Would that be the drag race along the flood canal?
Greece lightning!

 

[Randyberlin]

Greece the Movie?
Would that be the drag race along the flood canal?
Greece lightning!

VR Greece is as close as I'll get. Its today but the time doesn't work for me.

 

[Whorty]

Just about to do CG2 and chase down @rob01792 and @bugno ghosts .... could be short, painful and fruitless!! Added some bots to keep me company just in case my legs give up

 

[rob01792]

Just about to do CG2 and chase down @rob01792 and @bugno ghosts .... could be short, painful and fruitless!! Added some bots to keep me company just in case my legs give up

what time u doing it

edit well done

 

[AAAC 76C]

just warming up for a GDI stage 2