Team BKool CycleChat

[AAAC 76C]

And it's good night from him.
Thanks to you going at exactly the right speed for me to cling on, I didn't have to overdo it too much. I did blow near the end but your gentlemanly instincts got the better of you and you waited then let me pass you on the line. I did wonder why you ended up 6s behind but now I see.

PS: Meant to say, that was my speed as well today, it all seemed so heavy.

 

[OldYews]

Looking at the spec it says it is ANT + so as long as it sends out an HR signal over ANT+ it should be OK.
If you have Windows 10 then you can pair over BT.

£227 new, that's an expensive HRM.

I took delivery of the PRO earlier in the week. Everything paired up ok and 3 months Premium subscription included.
Now for the Newbie questions that you have probably answered many times!.
What sort of gearing do you use? The few little 'easy' trial runs I have done i've found myself on the slightest of inclines really having to 'grind' it out and not really being able to get a flowing pedalling style. I appreciate it is a simulator and shall probably just have to adapt and get used to it. I may dig out an MTB cassette from the garage and start off using a really low gear on the inclines, as the sudden increase in resistance seems to catch me out and I lose all momentum.
I shall not become obsessed with any stats for a while as It is more about getting used to it for now.
So, any little tips on set up or tyres etc will be a great help.

 

[Bored Man]

I took delivery of the PRO earlier in the week. Everything paired up ok and 3 months Premium subscription included.
Now for the Newbie questions that you have probably answered many times!.
What sort of gearing do you use? The few little 'easy' trial runs I have done i've found myself on the slightest of inclines really having to 'grind' it out and not really being able to get a flowing pedalling style. I appreciate it is a simulator and shall probably just have to adapt and get used to it. I may dig out an MTB cassette from the garage and start off using a really low gear on the inclines, as the sudden increase in resistance seems to catch me out and I lose all momentum.
I shall not become obsessed with any stats for a while as It is more about getting used to it for now.
So, any little tips on set up or tyres etc will be a great help.

I've got 30 on the back and I'm still pedling squares on anything over 8%

I do have legs made of putty though.

 

[Whorty]

I've got 30 on the back and I'm still pedling squares on anything over 8%

I do have legs made of putty though.

Changed my 11-28 to an 11-32 (for the DD) but didn't really have too many issues with the 28 on BKool hills but then I'm happy to grind away (fnar fnar) for a couple of hours on Madeleine. The 32 is more 'spinny' but OK. It's still the transitions between +1 to -1% that catch me .... the resistance doesn't seem to change much so the effort to keep 35kph on the +1% seems the same on the, if not worse, on the -1%.

 

[Randyberlin]

I took delivery of the PRO earlier in the week. Everything paired up ok and 3 months Premium subscription included.
Now for the Newbie questions that you have probably answered many times!.
What sort of gearing do you use? The few little 'easy' trial runs I have done i've found myself on the slightest of inclines really having to 'grind' it out and not really being able to get a flowing pedalling style. I appreciate it is a simulator and shall probably just have to adapt and get used to it. I may dig out an MTB cassette from the garage and start off using a really low gear on the inclines, as the sudden increase in resistance seems to catch me out and I lose all momentum.
I shall not become obsessed with any stats for a while as It is more about getting used to it for now.
So, any little tips on set up or tyres etc will be a great help.

Tire pressure makes a huge difference. Pump them up. Also weight makes a big difference. Us heavy riders pay the price.

 

[berty bassett]

Tire pressure makes a huge difference. Pump them up. Also weight makes a big difference. Us heavy riders pay the price.

PAH -!!! not down hill you don't ! any advantage teeny people have going up is wiped out completely as soon as we all go downhill - and i see you all coasting away effortlessly while my legs are like bees wings
but just like the murphys i am not bitter !

 

[theboxers]

PAH -!!! not down hill you don't ! any advantage teeny people have going up is wiped out completely as soon as we all go downhill - and i see you all coasting away effortlessly while my legs are like bees wings
but just like the murphys i am not bitter !

YOU LIE, . No way can I make up an hour or two on a descent. Seconds, definitely, minutes, maybe if long enough. But when doing Alpe d'Huez or Pikes Peak no way will I make up the 1 or 2 hours extra it'll take me .

 

[berty bassett]

YOU LIE, . No way can I make up an hour or two on a descent. Seconds, definitely, minutes, maybe if long enough. But when doing Alpe d'Huez or Pikes Peak no way will I make up the 1 or 2 hours extra it'll take me .

well i didnt mean when its a huge mountain ! i may have weight on my side then - but if its a 20 miler downhill the larger gentlefolk plummet rather than float down
much the same as real life - i may get away from some people going up hill but a tried and tested standing start coast leaves me waaaayyy behind

 

[theboxers]

well i didnt mean when its a huge mountain ! i may have weight on my side then - but if its a 20 miler downhill the larger gentlefolk plummet rather than float down
much the same as real life - i may get away from some people going up hill but a tried and tested standing start coast leaves me waaaayyy behind

I'm sorry about that. I've spent years developing my descending physique, but it has been at the cost of my climbing abilities. Maybe we could tag team the mountain stages. You do the uphill section and I'll do the down l'll then use the http://www.goatbikes.com/section811575_327661.html bike to get to the next KOM point and wait for you.

 

[berty bassett]

doesn't having no pedals sort of give the game away ?

 

[theboxers]

Yes just a bit

 

[AAAC 76C]

What sort of gearing do you use?

In doors and out of sight of the public I like this sort of gear:

I dug through my attic and found my old Army Training Gear:

But on the hotter days this is my favourite

Hope that helped Dave

 

[AAAC 76C]

I took delivery of the PRO earlier in the week. Everything paired up ok and 3 months Premium subscription included.
Now for the Newbie questions that you have probably answered many times!.
What sort of gearing do you use? The few little 'easy' trial runs I have done i've found myself on the slightest of inclines really having to 'grind' it out and not really being able to get a flowing pedalling style. I appreciate it is a simulator and shall probably just have to adapt and get used to it. I may dig out an MTB cassette from the garage and start off using a really low gear on the inclines, as the sudden increase in resistance seems to catch me out and I lose all momentum.
I shall not become obsessed with any stats for a while as It is more about getting used to it for now.
So, any little tips on set up or tyres etc will be a great help.

Dave, to be honest if you are finding it harder than the road you perhaps have a problem.
You do sometimes get odd outputs if you start up from new and don't log off and log on again.
The turbo is not quiet but if there are any grinding sounds then that is wrong.
I started out on a compact chainset 50/34 and went to a 11/34 block for climbing the likes of 14% climbs or more.
The programme now flats out at about 10% depending on how light you are and the speed goes blue on the screen and it calculates your weight.
As a result to help on the descents and to get a close as possible to a straight thru block I am now on a 52/34 up front with a 11/28 block which does require a bit more work on the chainrings but is worth it when you want to keep your cadence steady.
However if you are talking about 2% gradients then it should be reasonably 'realistic' (he waits for Ski to pipe in).
Do an FTP and let us know how you got on.
If you have kept up on commuting and climbing you should be above 200 watts even for a short lardy git, or have you lost weight since College or perhaps put on a cm or two.
Also as you can see from my phots above I have big lungs as well and that helps.

 

[bobinski]

[QUOTE="AAAC 76C, post: 4817369, member:
However if you are talking about 2% gradients then it should be reasonably 'realistic' (he waits for Ski to pipe in).
.[/QUOTE]

 

[OldYews]

Dave, to be honest if you are finding it harder than the road you perhaps have a problem.
You do sometimes get odd outputs if you start up from new and don't log off and log on again.
The turbo is not quiet but if there are any grinding sounds then that is wrong.
I started out on a compact chainset 50/34 and went to a 11/34 block for climbing the likes of 14% climbs or more.
The programme now flats out at about 10% depending on how light you are and the speed goes blue on the screen and it calculates your weight.
As a result to help on the descents and to get a close as possible to a straight thru block I am now on a 52/34 up front with a 11/28 block which does require a bit more work on the chainrings but is worth it when you want to keep your cadence steady.
However if you are talking about 2% gradients then it should be reasonably 'realistic' (he waits for Ski to pipe in).
Do an FTP and let us know how you got on.
If you have kept up on commuting and climbing you should be above 200 watts even for a short lardy git, or have you lost weight since College or perhaps put on a cm or two.
Also as you can see from my phots above I have big lungs as well and that helps.

I see your dress sense hasn't changed much!, that's a nice bike she has.
I shall setup an FTP and a couple of rides and see what happens, I definitely agree the chainring is the key, rather than the block, id prefer to keep that as close ratio as I can or I find you are forever searching for the right gear.
With regards to the fitness, I am at an 'ok' level and climbs are not too much of a problem on the road, I tend to get out on the bike 3 or 4 times a week 40, 20, 20 miles. Over the years I have been to the Alps to do a few of the Cols, And I also had a moment of madness and cycled from Cairo-Aswan-Suez doing about 110 miles a day with panniers. All done with a bout of dysentery, so was a shade over 8 stone on my return!
I shall keep you posted.