Team BKool CycleChat

[bobinski]

For me, if you're a serious racer then go do it in the real world not on a cartoon simulator. Swift and bkool are games and shouldn't be taken seriously. Incorrect, stupid times should be removed, but who really cares if someone is weight doping, or has a trainer that gives them an advantage? I want to compete with those who are as fast as me, how they get that speed and whether they are actually that fast in real life is irrelevant to me. Its a bit of fun to get fit but I want the organisers to keep the leagues updated.

And fwiw Bob, I take it as a given you won't agree with anything I sày.

But then we are not talking about you Carl but people who do take it seriously and want to race competitively against their peers. It is they, and others, who have set up the races not Zwift, they that categorise them and set the rules. That’s not unreasonable. They don’t ask for evidence of irl rides in cats b,c and d. some of the A cat racing has been ruined by people weight doping etc to extremes, setting bots racing and so on. Why shouldn’t there be rules to exclude those that are blatantly doing this at Cat A level which is fiercely competitive and now beginning to attract serious E sports money? What you want and need, and to an extent what I want and need to, has nothing to do with Cat A racing. There’s lots of other riding for us elsewhere on either platform.
Oh, and Carl, I don’t disagree with you for the sake of it. We all hold opinions and you are free to give yours and frequently do. if you say something I disagree with I may say so here. It’s not a knee jerk reaction. In fact on occasion I have refrained from replying to some of your posts. Be assured though that If I agree with something you say I will say so as well.

 

[berty bassett]

dark isn't it

 

[Whorty]

dark isn't it

Very. Winter is coming.

 

[Daddy Pig]

I have been lurking here all summer. I jumped on in the spring after an elbow fracture kept me off the road. Followed the summer cup then came back on the road recently only to find I've gotten too fast for my usual cycling group. Now summer cup is over too so I am lonely both actually and virtually. What groups can I join for fall?
I sent a request for CG but never got approved

You have to ask about @bobinski knee/list of excuses and then take the p1ss before youre allowed in, it's the rules...

 

[Daddy Pig]

GMT!

Great massive tit... never heard of that bird before...

 

[Daddy Pig]

[QUOTE="bobinski, post: 5020389, member: 13154" It’s not a knee jerk reaction. [/QUOTE]
That's a relief, you probably would have hurt it!
How is the knee these days Bob?

 

[bobinski]

You have to ask about @bobinski knee/list of excuses and then take the p1ss before youre allowed in, it's the rules...

 

[bobinski]

[QUOTE="bobinski, post: 5020389, member: 13154" It’s not a knee jerk reaction.

That's a relief, you probably would have hurt it!
How is the knee these days Bob?[/QUOTE]

I am glad someone noticed it there

 

[Whorty]

But then we are not talking about you Carl but people who do take it seriously and want to race competitively against their peers. It is they, and others, who have set up the races not Zwift, they that categorise them and set the rules. That’s not unreasonable. They don’t ask for evidence of irl rides in cats b,c and d. some of the A cat racing has been ruined by people weight doping etc to extremes, setting bots racing and so on. Why shouldn’t there be rules to exclude those that are blatantly doing this at Cat A level which is fiercely competitive and now beginning to attract serious E sports money? What you want and need, and to an extent what I want and need to, has nothing to do with Cat A racing. There’s lots of other riding for us elsewhere on either platform.
Oh, and Carl, I don’t disagree with you for the sake of it. We all hold opinions and you are free to give yours and frequently do. if you say something I disagree with I may say so here. It’s not a knee jerk reaction. In fact on occasion I have refrained from replying to some of your posts. Be assured though that If I agree with something you say I will say so as well.

 

[bridgy]

What are the main differences between Bkool and Zwift?

I bought a Bkool Smart Pro about 15 months ago. I used it last winter instead of going out on the road when it was icy and enjoyed it much more than a static turbo. I had a few problems with videos freezing, but on the whole found it a huge step up from an old style turbo.

I enjoyed the Summer Cup, and after lurking around on the Cycle Chat forum, finally decided to join up and enter the Chain Gang. This month was my first league. It's the first time I've ridden any significant downhill rides. They've taken a bit of getting used to, but I've enjoyed them, even with soem video freezing issues on CG4.

A friend of mine was trying to get me to ride Zwift last year. My thoughts then were that Bkool had pretty much everything I wanted, so I stayed with it. Since then, having read more 3D rides on Bkool, I can't help but compare the small number of riders on Bkool rides to the numbers on Zwift, and with soem more freezing videos and reading the number of negative comments on here, I'm planning to give Zwift a go.

So, really, I've got a couple of questions. As I asked at the top, what have you found the main differences to be and have you found Zwift a better experience than Bkool. Secondly, does Smart Pro work well with Zwift? I thought I'd seem somebody question how well they work together.

Also, anyone have any views on alternatives like BigRingVR?

Sorry for the long question, but would appreciate other's views.

Hi @Del C - to answer your question from my perspective - in practical terms I find Zwift feels a little different to ride than Bkool (plus the different layout of speed, watts etc takes a little getting used to). There is more resistance on the flat, and downhills. Like Bkool, Zwift also takes over your speed on long/steep descents to replicate freewheeling, but the resistance doesn't back right off like on Bkool. Also with drafting the resistance doesn't ease off when you get in the draft like Bkool, but you do get a very real speed benefit from drafting (I much prefer the "feel" of the drafting effect on Bkool though). There's also a bit of a lag between my increasing or decreasing power and the reaction of my avatar's speed - I thought this was a Bkool Pro issue until I tried my friend's Neo and it was pretty much the same. All these things take a bit of getting used to having only done Bkool!

My experience of the Zwift races is the opposite of @Whorty 's in that I don't think I've ever worked so hard or been so exhausted! In fact I've found it a bit of a shock to the system which I think I needed to be honest as I was maybe getting a bit complacent in Bkool. Main reason for this is probably trying to keep up with the Cat A riders when I am really Cat B -but because the Bkool Pro over-states the watts on Zwift I have no choice! (Race categories are based on the watt/kg you do - or what your Bkool Pro says you do!). So races are as hard or as easy as you want them to be, depending on who you try to keep up with!

I'd like to take some of the best things from Zwift and Bkool and mix them together to be honest - but definitely have the Zwift developers in charge!

 

[Daddy Pig]

Hi @Del C - to answer your question from my perspective - in practical terms I find Zwift feels a little different to ride than Bkool (plus the different layout of speed, watts etc takes a little getting used to). There is more resistance on the flat, and downhills. Like Bkool, Zwift also takes over your speed on long/steep descents to replicate freewheeling, but the resistance doesn't back right off like on Bkool. Also with drafting the resistance doesn't ease off when you get in the draft like Bkool, but you do get a very real speed benefit from drafting (I much prefer the "feel" of the drafting effect on Bkool though). There's also a bit of a lag between my increasing or decreasing power and the reaction of my avatar's speed - I thought this was a Bkool Pro issue until I tried my friend's Neo and it was pretty much the same. All these things take a bit of getting used to having only done Bkool!

My experience of the Zwift races is the opposite of @Whorty 's in that I don't think I've ever worked so hard or been so exhausted! In fact I've found it a bit of a shock to the system which I think I needed to be honest as I was maybe getting a bit complacent in Bkool. Main reason for this is probably trying to keep up with the Cat A riders when I am really Cat B -but because the Bkool Pro over-states the watts on Zwift I have no choice! (Race categories are based on the watt/kg you do - or what your Bkool Pro says you do!). So races are as hard or as easy as you want them to be, depending on who you try to keep up with!

I'd like to take some of the best things from Zwift and Bkool and mix them together to be honest - but definitely have the Zwift developers in charge!

And if you're good at Mario carts you'll be excellent on zwift....

 

[Bored Man]

November league looks a little spicy

 

[Whorty]

November league looks a little spicy

Stop trying to tempt me to stay Luigi and his friends need me in the other arcade game

It's my last day of subscription today - do I stay with my friends in Bkool or try to make other friends in Zwiftland? Or both? My head hurts

 

[BILL S]

Stop trying to tempt me to stay Luigi and his friends need me in the other arcade game

It's my last day of subscription today - do I stay with my friends in Bkool or try to make other friends in Zwiftland? Or both? My head hurts

Take it a month at a time if I were you Carl. November league will be a good one so worth paying your month subscription just for that.

 

[BILL S]

And I hope they all get to read this Jim.
So cruel are those that have left you!
Me and @BILL S will always keep you company through your dark northern nights.

Funnily enough AAAC, I thought it might end up as just you and me. Still over 20 in the CG results though