Team BKool CycleChat

[BILL S]

Its a good work out for me having to adjust my tempo on the hoof to suite other riders.
Virtual riding does not make it as easy as reality.
I must admit I was a little frustrated that we came so close to the two Danes out front, I thought if only I could make our group a trio you would get more draft.
I was half watching the race ahead in the leader board and was surprised to see how long I featured out front from my last ride, perhaps I could get some time back.
I was also surprised how late Pep came through.
Edit: Then I looked at the stats graph from his ride!

I've never done any road bike racing so not that familiar with drafting in the real world. Back in my motorcycle racing days it was useful to help with overtaking on the straights, but in my mountainbike racing days it wasn't useful at all. Anyway, I was also surprised to find myself drafting behind Pep near the start and not finding it that hard going, at which point I think you were slightly ahead before dropping back to assist me. I think we even pulled ahead of him a bit with you at the front, but that was never going to last long with me on tow. Later on I was also wondering if we had a chance at catching the Danes but I was seriously tired by then and just had no oomph left. I think it was a lot down to the fast cadence that was really draining. I need a bigger chainring for a lot of these courses. I spent more time monitoring what was going on behind with my ghost and the guy directly behind me who was at about a minute and for a while I thought he might catch us by the end but instead you turned it into 2 minutes.

 

[AAAC 76C]

I've never done any road bike racing so not that familiar with drafting in the real world. Back in my motorcycle racing days it was useful to help with overtaking on the straights, but in my mountainbike racing days it wasn't useful at all. Anyway, I was also surprised to find myself drafting behind Pep near the start and not finding it that hard going, at which point I think you were slightly ahead before dropping back to assist me. I think we even pulled ahead of him a bit with you at the front, but that was never going to last long with me on tow. Later on I was also wondering if we had a chance at catching the Danes but I was seriously tired by then and just had no oomph left. I think it was a lot down to the fast cadence that was really draining. I need a bigger chainring for a lot of these courses. I spent more time monitoring what was going on behind with my ghost and the guy directly behind me who was at about a minute and for a while I thought he might catch us by the end but instead you turned it into 2 minutes.

Re chainring,
I found exactly that as I started BKooling with a compact 48/34 running a 12 up cassette.
That quickly went to a 50/34 and an 11 up cassette (keep wanting to call it a block but that's old speak).
I now have a 52/34 which is just out of spec for Shimano front road changers but it works OK but you do have to back off a bit changing up.
Having now kitted out my bike with cropped bull horns and bar end shifters going up on the chainring works even better.

Anyone after some 105 front brifters?

 

[BILL S]

Re chainring,
I found exactly that as I started BKooling with a compact 48/34 running a 12 up cassette.
That quickly went to a 50/34 and an 11 up cassette (keep wanting to call it a block but that's old speak).
I now have a 52/34 which is just out of spec for Shimano front road changers but it works OK but you do have to back off a bit changing up.
Having now kitted out my bike with cropped bull horns and bar end shifters going up on the chainring works even better.

Anyone after some 105 front brifters?

Thanks for the info. Might have to look into finding a 52 chain ring. My more immediate challenge will be to try riding my old racer to work without falling off. Worked well last week with the mountain bike but the gearing is a nightmare trying to stay in the power on the road and I was overtaken by a couple of guys that never would have got away with it if I'd been on a racer.

 

[AAAC 76C]

My new 'cockpit'

 

[BILL S]

Nice! Can the fan blow enough air with the radiator so close behind it? Your fan is below your screen whereas I look down on my screen and have the fan above it.

 

[Randyberlin]

My new 'cockpit'

View attachment 365074

I thought you put the bar end shiters on the drops because of your unusual riding style as shown on your avatar. It looked like with your feet on the seat you can only reach a bar end shifter. Thanks to your post I've been googling a 52/34 set up. I didn't think it could be done but it's an interesting idea.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Spotted this on-line.
Reminds me how we used to deliberately damage our expensive Campag equipment to make us go faster:
Some of the smaller holes are original.
The rest is unadulterated massacre of metal all be it well done and quite attractive.
The red paint was mandatory.
The large upper centre slot would have had Campagnolo stamped inside it.

 

[bobinski]

Blimey, AAAC and Bill talking as if they are already in a retirement home for old bkoolers

 

[AAAC 76C]

Nice! Can the fan blow enough air with the radiator so close behind it? Your fan is below your screen whereas I look down on my screen and have the fan above it.

Fan is fine as long as the radiator is switched off.
In the winter having warmer air blowing is not an issue as this room has a flat roof and 50% glazing so is always pretty cold in the winter months.
The TV sits where it is because of the radiator and so I can watch it from the sofa off to the left (the TV pulls out an swivels)
I had noticed I was getting a neck ache which was down to the height of the TV and my glasses slipping down my nose a bit when on the Turbo.
I experimented by turning my glasses upsidedown and it was much better so the end solution was to raise my bars a couple of inches and fit the above handlebar setup.
Only downside is now my hips have rotated up this increasing the width of my sitbone pressure points so I may need a wider saddle.

 

[Bored Man]

Fan is fine as long as the radiator is switched off.
In the winter having warmer air blowing is not an issue as this room has a flat roof and 50% glazing so is always pretty cold in the winter months.
The TV sits where it is because of the radiator and so I can watch it from the sofa off to the left (the TV pulls out an swivels)
I had noticed I was getting a neck ache which was down to the height of the TV and my glasses slipping down my nose a bit when on the Turbo.
I experimented by turning my glasses upsidedown and it was much better so the end solution was to raise my bars a couple of inches and fit the above handlebar setup.
Only downside is now my hips have rotated up this increasing the width of my sitbone pressure points so I may need a wider saddle.

How do you deal with the world being upside down? Or is it ok for the length of time you're on the trainer? I'd struggle due to having one really bad eye - I'll try it though - marginal gains and all that.

 

[BILL S]

How do you deal with the world being upside down? Or is it ok for the length of time you're on the trainer? I'd struggle due to having one really bad eye - I'll try it though - marginal gains and all that.

Jim, the brain is very good at compensating for the eyes seeing things upside down, for example when someone wears prism shaped glasses or puts their glasses on upside down. After a short time the brain compensates for what the eyes actually see and soon the image looks like its the right way round. Similarly, when we look in the mirror and think what a fine looking chap is looking back at us, that is the brain compensating for the reality.

 

[berty bassett]

How do you deal with the world being upside down? Or is it ok for the length of time you're on the trainer? I'd struggle due to having one really bad eye - I'll try it though - marginal gains and all that.

simply turn the telly upside down - job done

 

[BILL S]

Fan is fine as long as the radiator is switched off.
In the winter having warmer air blowing is not an issue as this room has a flat roof and 50% glazing so is always pretty cold in the winter months.
The TV sits where it is because of the radiator and so I can watch it from the sofa off to the left (the TV pulls out an swivels)
I had noticed I was getting a neck ache which was down to the height of the TV and my glasses slipping down my nose a bit when on the Turbo.
I experimented by turning my glasses upsidedown and it was much better so the end solution was to raise my bars a couple of inches and fit the above handlebar setup.
Only downside is now my hips have rotated up this increasing the width of my sitbone pressure points so I may need a wider saddle.

All good but I couldn't cope with having my head at an upturned angle as I have arthritis in my neck and it would soon start to hurt. I used to think arthritis was only for "old" people but at the age of 32, having just had an x-ray of my neck I was told I had arthritis and I should give up sports. Something that fortunately I paid absolutely no attention to at all.
As for your fan, I guess it can suck in enough air from behind it even with the radiator there to blast it out at you.

 

[Bored Man]

Jim, the brain is very good at compensating for the eyes seeing things upside down, for example when someone wears prism shaped glasses or puts their glasses on upside down. After a short time the brain compensates for what the eyes actually see and soon the image looks like its the right way round. Similarly, when we look in the mirror and think what a fine looking chap is looking back at us, that is the brain compensating for the reality.

Ahh.. ok, thanks Bill. That explains a lot and will if you don't mind, I can use this post to explain to HiD why I'm googling prism shaped glasses? Nothing yet, perhaps it's an American thing? I'll try USA EBAY.

Do I need to have a giant calculator on my bar stem and if so, have you any suggestions where I should place my Garmin?

If I get these, will I be as good as @AAAC 76C? I've got wine in and if pushed, I can stay up late on Friday nights..

What's the calculator for?

 

[Bored Man]

Aha... found em..

I'll look a right Bobby Dazzler in these..