Team BKool CycleChat

[Randyberlin]

Actually @bridgy you cheeky scamp it is quite helpful as I'll be aiming at late evening rides c9pm after getting Peppa to bed which will stop me snacking. Rest days I'll be practicing the guitar rather than snacking!
I find snacking in the evenings really bad, I probably trough a days worth of calories in just a couple of hours...

Best guitar work I've heard in a while is "shine on you crazy diamond parts1-5" off of "dark side of the mule" by Gov't Mule.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Best guitar work I've heard in a while is "shine on you crazy diamond parts1-5" off of "dark side of the mule" by Gov't Mule.

I liked the original.

I'm not a great classical guitar buff but when it comes to a tasty bit of strumming I like these guys:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOtaJKrim2E

 

[LBHIFI]

Ok, back at bkool and things haven't changed it seems - Still as inconsistent as ever .
Tried a warm-up with a new (to me) feature with a video with a dude telling me to go through zone 1 to bla-. bla.... on a flat course. By the time we got zone 2 I had to drop to 34 - 28 doing something like 220 (real) watt's to keep going at the recommended cadence. Well, that warm up was dropped fast and I went straight to a flat danish route and ended up with about 50 watts more than my power pedals.

The problem is not the 50 watts but rather the inconsistency. At one point I was gaining time on my opponent's rapidly without exhausting myself, while I was losing time at close to max.

Please Bkool, reinstate the possibillity of using a power meter

 

[Randyberlin]

Ok, back at bkool and things haven't changed it seems - Still as inconsistent as ever .
Tried a warm-up with a new (to me) feature with a video with a dude telling me to go through zone 1 to bla-. bla.... on a flat course. By the time we got zone 2 I had to drop to 34 - 28 doing something like 220 (real) watt's to keep going at the recommended cadence. Well, that warm up was dropped fast and I went straight to a flat danish route and ended up with about 50 watts more than my power pedals.

The problem is not the 50 watts but rather the inconsistency. At one point I was gaining time on my opponent's rapidly without exhausting myself, while I was losing time at close to max.

Please Bkool, reinstate the possibillity of using a power meter

It's good to see you back. How is your real world racing going?

 

[AAAC 76C]

Ok, back at bkool and things haven't changed it seems - Still as inconsistent as ever .
Tried a warm-up with a new (to me) feature with a video with a dude telling me to go through zone 1 to bla-. bla.... on a flat course. By the time we got zone 2 I had to drop to 34 - 28 doing something like 220 (real) watt's to keep going at the recommended cadence. Well, that warm up was dropped fast and I went straight to a flat danish route and ended up with about 50 watts more than my power pedals.

The problem is not the 50 watts but rather the inconsistency. At one point I was gaining time on my opponent's rapidly without exhausting myself, while I was losing time at close to max.

Please Bkool, reinstate the possibillity of using a power meter

Try ERG mode LB, you won't be disappointed, not only will you half kill yourself but you will feel like you have no control over your speed.
Use it in a live race for a good workout but a bad time!

 

[LBHIFI]

It's good to see you back. How is your real world racing going?

Hi Randy, how are things up there where roads are scarce and bears a plenty?

Well, feeling strong on the roads but my power meter tells me I haven't got chance qualifying for the 2017 TT championships. My spring training was crushed by bad luck and illness and I think I could expect to average about 275 watts at this moment, which is about 25 watts too low.

Think I have to change the goal from qualifying to reach > 280 watt avg.

 

[Daddy Pig]

Best guitar work I've heard in a while is "shine on you crazy diamond parts1-5" off of "dark side of the mule" by Gov't Mule.

Maybe it'll give me some inspiration... "all I have is a red guitar, three chords, and the truth"... the truth is that I'm not very good... but still trying!

 

[LBHIFI]

Try ERG mode LB, you won't be disappointed, not only will you half kill yourself but you will feel like you have no control over your speed.
Use it in a live race for a good workout but a bad time!

Thanks AAAC, but the main reason for using Bkool is for racing against others, and it just seems impossible with the inconsistency I'm experiencing. If Bkool would re-introduce the possibility of using a power meter I wouldn't have a chance compeeting with the top cyclechat'ers, but at least I would get some consistant rides and find some other competitors.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Thanks AAAC, but the main reason for using Bkool is for racing against others, and it just seems impossible with the inconsistency I'm experiencing. If Bkool would re-introduce the possibility of using a power meter I wouldn't have a chance compeeting with the top cyclechat'ers, but at least I would get some consistant rides and find some other competitors.

I'm afraid that we all Virtual Cyclists, all of the Reality Cyclists up'd and went to Zwift, boring beggars.

PS: Is the new to you BKool the one that replaced that one which was dropped on the kitchen floor?

 

[CXRAndy]

I'm afraid that we all Virtual Cyclists, all of the Reality Cyclists up'd and went to Zwift, boring beggars.

PS: Is the new to you BKool the one that replaced that one which was dropped on the kitchen floor?

How very dare you, boring, ha.

Lbh, there are plenty of closed races on Zwift, try one out. Look at Zwift power.com to get a daily list of various races and times throughout the day. Jlaw, breedon, me and Bob have recently been racing and will do more so as winter sets in.

 

[bobinski]

LBHIFI,
Good to see you here again. Us bkoolexiteers are indeed over on zwift. It may not offer as many routes as bsim but you can use your pedals for accurate power and the pro for gradient changes. There is lots of racing for you and increasingly closed group races too. Sounds like you have had a really tough time this past year and it could be that challenging racing with B or perhaps A class racers is just what you need.

 

[LBHIFI]

I'm afraid that we all Virtual Cyclists, all of the Reality Cyclists up'd and went to Zwift, boring beggars.

PS: Is the new to you BKool the one that replaced that one which was dropped on the kitchen floor?

I think it was the new one. It looked new.

 

[AAAC 76C]

BKOOL SUMMER CUP SPIUK CHALLENGE
Thursday 27 July: 10:00 UK Time, 17:00 UK Time, 19:00 UK Time or Friday 28 July 01:00 UK Time
We propose several times, so you don't have to miss out on our weekly Multiplayer Challenge. Get ready for a one-of-a-kind Multiplayer experience, with dozens of cyclists of different nationalities competing side by side.
The stage couldn't be more spectacular. An actual course from the latest edition of the Titan Desert!
And, as if that were not enough, we're going to give away a helmet and a set of Spiuk cycling glasses from amongst all the participants who complete the Challenge at any of the times scheduled. Are you going to miss it?
(Again just what I need on my turbo)
Bkool Summer Cup Spiuk Sweep-stakes
Participating couldn't be easier. Just be a follower of Spiuk and Bkool on Facebook or Twitter, and upload a photo of you with your bike, on either of the two social networks, using the #BkoolSummerCup hashtag. And don't forget to mention us, for us to take note.
You could win some Spiuk cycling shoes. So, come on and participate!

I hope spiuk isn't what it sounds like!

 

[JLaw]

Thanks AAAC, but the main reason for using Bkool is for racing against others, and it just seems impossible with the inconsistency I'm experiencing. If Bkool would re-introduce the possibility of using a power meter I wouldn't have a chance compeeting with the top cyclechat'ers, but at least I would get some consistant rides and find some other competitors.

That's one of the things I like about zwift -- there's enough of a pool of cyclists that you'll likely find good competition.

I'm seeing 30-40 in my division regularly for the KISS EUR races. With that big a group, it's almost always the case that there'll be riders I'm competitive with -- while I'm sure there's advantages/disadvantages to particular trainers, it just doesn't come into my mind while racing. Instead I'm asking myself questions about the race dynamics. How long can I stay with this pack? Can we catch this guy ahead? Am I better in the faster or slower pack based on the course? Is there a place where I could get away from my final group as we approach the finish? etc

In the end it's still about getting fit and pushing myself. But the dynamics of racing with a large group of similarly capable cyclists makes the time fly by much faster and will sometimes push me harder than I expected. But whether or not I'm advantaged or disadvantaged by my trainer really doesn't enter my mind.

 

[bobinski]

That's one of the things I like about zwift -- there's enough of a pool of cyclists that you'll likely find good competition.

I'm seeing 30-40 in my division regularly for the KISS EUR races. With that big a group, it's almost always the case that there'll be riders I'm competitive with -- while I'm sure there's advantages/disadvantages to particular trainers, it just doesn't come into my mind while racing. Instead I'm asking myself questions about the race dynamics. How long can I stay with this pack? Can we catch this guy ahead? Am I better in the faster or slower pack based on the course? Is there a place where I could get away from my final group as we approach the finish? etc

In the end it's still about getting fit and pushing myself. But the dynamics of racing with a large group of similarly capable cyclists makes the time fly by much faster and will sometimes push me harder than I expected. But whether or not I'm advantaged or disadvantaged by my trainer really doesn't enter my mind.

What Jeff said