Kool Smurf
Well-Known Member
Is their any difference between the calibration on the Classic compared to the Pro? I ask because they seem to have different firmware versions?
Team BKool CycleChat
- Thread starter Peteaud
- Start date
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Randyberlin
Guru
- Location
- Sitka, Alaska
Bill, after reading Add's comment about not pushing yourself I'm going to ask to join the goats for next month. I've always looked at the past rides and thought about doing them but they seemed too intimidating.
Add
Guru
- Location
- Powys, Wales
Go for it Randy. Even if you find the first few difficult, you will notice improvement very quickly. The very beauty of this beast is you can pit yourself against an opponent of almost any ability.
I personally hold back a little bit, because Bill becomes insufferable unless you let him win.
I could kick his ass anytime I wanted, I just choose not to.
I personally hold back a little bit, because Bill becomes insufferable unless you let him win.
I could kick his ass anytime I wanted, I just choose not to.
gbrown
Geoff on Bkool
- Location
- South Somerset
I've just been out for my first outdoor ride since the start of November, felt a bit weird and wobbly, I guess I'm not used to having to balance the last 4 months, and I got quite a pain in my lower right thigh so I guess I used muscles I've not really used on the trainer.
I went up the Merry Harriers as it is my local climb of choice, and I wanted to compare my times in reality with the KICKR session from last night, and to compare the power readings from the PowerTap, as I've not used it outside before.
First my excuses, it was quite cold (3-5 C) and I was wearing heavy and non aero winter gear, so I guess it would be a little slower than in the warmth of summer, and certainly the descents were all slower so the denser air and winter clothing made a difference at speed.
Anyway, I loaded up to Strava and compared the segment, and last night I took 8:47 at 8.6 mph (271 Watts). My best ever (non trainer) time is 9:26 done in July 2013 when I was a similar weight to now.
Unlike on the trainer, I couldn't give it my all at the end, as I had another hour or so to ride so needed to save something, and I wasn't exactly warmed up (as it was near the start of the ride and it was pretty cold), so I would say I would have gone a little faster if I had been trying as hard as I was last night.
Anyway, it took me 9:29 in the real world today, 8.2% slower compared to 8:47 last night on the KICKR and the PowerTap averaged 245 Watts for the 8.2% slower time, 10% less than the 271 Watts on the KICKR last night.
I would say that makes the Bkool and KICKR remarkably close to reality, both in time and power.
In ideal conditions, and stopping at the top to recover so I can give it my all, I would expect to get 10% more power and go 10% faster, matching the simulation even closer.
Incidentally, after all the winter training I only missed my PR by 3 seconds (irritating), so in Summer I have no doubt I will be setting new PRs!
Geoff
I went up the Merry Harriers as it is my local climb of choice, and I wanted to compare my times in reality with the KICKR session from last night, and to compare the power readings from the PowerTap, as I've not used it outside before.
First my excuses, it was quite cold (3-5 C) and I was wearing heavy and non aero winter gear, so I guess it would be a little slower than in the warmth of summer, and certainly the descents were all slower so the denser air and winter clothing made a difference at speed.
Anyway, I loaded up to Strava and compared the segment, and last night I took 8:47 at 8.6 mph (271 Watts). My best ever (non trainer) time is 9:26 done in July 2013 when I was a similar weight to now.
Unlike on the trainer, I couldn't give it my all at the end, as I had another hour or so to ride so needed to save something, and I wasn't exactly warmed up (as it was near the start of the ride and it was pretty cold), so I would say I would have gone a little faster if I had been trying as hard as I was last night.
Anyway, it took me 9:29 in the real world today, 8.2% slower compared to 8:47 last night on the KICKR and the PowerTap averaged 245 Watts for the 8.2% slower time, 10% less than the 271 Watts on the KICKR last night.
I would say that makes the Bkool and KICKR remarkably close to reality, both in time and power.
In ideal conditions, and stopping at the top to recover so I can give it my all, I would expect to get 10% more power and go 10% faster, matching the simulation even closer.
Incidentally, after all the winter training I only missed my PR by 3 seconds (irritating), so in Summer I have no doubt I will be setting new PRs!
Geoff
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Rob H
Eat, Sleep, Climb, Repeat
Im still new to bkool really but as you'll seen on strava I consistently ride in the winter so while I haven't physically improved from bkool as yet, I'm already finding the psychological side of hitting a certain % gradient has improved from these goat sessions
dont know if that makes sense.. I haven't been drinking honest..yet
dont know if that makes sense.. I haven't been drinking honest..yet
Randyberlin
Guru
- Location
- Sitka, Alaska
I agree. I'm going out for a real ride today and the steep hill to get back home doesn't hold the same dread factor. Geoff did you see the ghost of Bill and Adam up there today? Or maybe felt their Bkool presence? I checked my time on Harriers for the 27th time today and saw they rode it again today.
Right - I've set a fresh time on Alpe D'uez using the Elite trainer. 53:02 with 103% effort.Let get that handicap race organised!
LOL do you think you're getting away with that?
Distance Total time In motion
Total 8.1mi 53:02 49:35
Which I make to be right up there with my best ever time
gbrown
Geoff on Bkool
- Location
- South Somerset
I thought it might be worth re-iterating my understanding of how to get a session to show up as a league result.
To get a session to show up in the league you need to have selected it from the league tab in the Bkool Indoor Simulator. A copy will automatically appear there when the league is published, and usually again as each stage goes live.
If it is not there you can get it to appear a couple of ways. Select an active stage from the league on the Bkool web site and "Copy" it to your scheduled sessions, or go into the league results and challenge an existing league result for an active stage. It should then show up in the Bsim league tab. If you use challenge, you automatically get any other ghosts/bots that were in the challenged session, along with the challenged ride!
The only other way I know of, is to join a live session that someone else has started from the League tab.
In all circumstances, if it has the League title under Session name then you're OK, if not then it will not be a league session.
The same is true of the results in your activity and your "Home Wall", if it shows the league icon/name you're OK, if not then it was not be a league session.
If you select the course normally and schedule it then it won't show up as a league session I'm afraid.
"Copy"
"Challenge"
If you do one of these, then in your Scheduled sessions on the web site, league sessions shows the league "trophy" icon next to them.
You may have to log off the simulator and log back on again to get it to appear in the league tab.
Note the league name under the session title...
Geoff
To get a session to show up in the league you need to have selected it from the league tab in the Bkool Indoor Simulator. A copy will automatically appear there when the league is published, and usually again as each stage goes live.
If it is not there you can get it to appear a couple of ways. Select an active stage from the league on the Bkool web site and "Copy" it to your scheduled sessions, or go into the league results and challenge an existing league result for an active stage. It should then show up in the Bsim league tab. If you use challenge, you automatically get any other ghosts/bots that were in the challenged session, along with the challenged ride!
The only other way I know of, is to join a live session that someone else has started from the League tab.
In all circumstances, if it has the League title under Session name then you're OK, if not then it will not be a league session.
The same is true of the results in your activity and your "Home Wall", if it shows the league icon/name you're OK, if not then it was not be a league session.
If you select the course normally and schedule it then it won't show up as a league session I'm afraid.
"Copy"
"Challenge"
If you do one of these, then in your Scheduled sessions on the web site, league sessions shows the league "trophy" icon next to them.
You may have to log off the simulator and log back on again to get it to appear in the league tab.
Note the league name under the session title...
Geoff
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Add
Guru
- Location
- Powys, Wales
Bah, rumbled....ok, I admit it, I can't beat you...but I will...you watch me!Yeah, you hold back don't you Adam.
gbrown
Geoff on Bkool
- Location
- South Somerset
Since tomorrow is the last day of February the last Chain Gang stage (Merry Harriers) should close then.
The first stage is still open due to a bug or a mistake with the date when it was scheduled.
In order to publish the March League I will need to close the February league first, so I intend to do this manually after the re-run tomorrow, unless anyone wants me to wait until the following morning.
Due to Bkool's imprecise and fussy handling of dates and leagues, it usually requires the next league to start a day or two after the previous one is due to close, so I would like to start March's as soon as possible, to try and get the first stage live by Monday morning.
Anyone who hopes to join the re-run tomorrow, please let us know.
If there is plenty of interest we can redo the velodrome as well as the Merry Harriers league short climb.
Thanks,
Geoff
The first stage is still open due to a bug or a mistake with the date when it was scheduled.
In order to publish the March League I will need to close the February league first, so I intend to do this manually after the re-run tomorrow, unless anyone wants me to wait until the following morning.
Due to Bkool's imprecise and fussy handling of dates and leagues, it usually requires the next league to start a day or two after the previous one is due to close, so I would like to start March's as soon as possible, to try and get the first stage live by Monday morning.
Anyone who hopes to join the re-run tomorrow, please let us know.
If there is plenty of interest we can redo the velodrome as well as the Merry Harriers league short climb.
Thanks,
Geoff
Add
Guru
- Location
- Powys, Wales
Yeah, you hold back don't you Adam.
That is an exceptionally rare screenshot, would love a copy. Ok, ok, so it is me with the serious issues, not you. I am sat here now typing this, feeling guilty that I'm not working towards getting fit enough to keep up with you. But I am 2 cans of Kronenburg worse for wear, and experience has shown me, they don't give the same boost as Snickers.
Add
Guru
- Location
- Powys, Wales
Or use the new 'refresh' icon works for me sometimes....not always I admit.
Add
Guru
- Location
- Powys, Wales
Hey Bill, did you do the Merry Harriers session in the end? Is that 6:41.6 the one to beat?
