Team BKool CycleChat

[gbrown]

I though Bkool outdoor was an iPhone app.

What the heck was up with that race? There doesn't look like any draftable ghosts. The lowest watt/kg is 3.9!!

Yes, I didn't expect to average nearly 300 Watts and get my ass kicked by everyone! Couldn't hold a draft on anyone.

I sat on the line thinking, me and the fast boys, this is going to hurt!

And it did ...

I've updated the times for the dummy session and they are showing in the league.

I don't think I will be able to make Saturday's, rerun. Hoping to do a run to Sidmouth sea front and back (55 miles or so) with friends, if the weather stays dry and the wind is not too bad.

Bill, if I don't show please can you do the honours? Just need to schedule a 50 lap Velodrome then use the Details tab to set it up without Bots and with a password of chat.

Thanks,

Geoff

 

[BILL S]

Yes, I didn't expect to average nearly 300 Watts and get my ass kicked by everyone! Couldn't hold a draft on anyone.

I sat on the line thinking, me and the fast boys, this is going to hurt!

And it did ...

I've updated the times for the dummy session and they are showing in the league.

I don't think I will be able to make Saturday's, rerun. Hoping to do a run to Sidmouth sea front and back (55 miles or so) with friends, if the weather stays dry and the wind is not too bad.

Bill, if I don't show please can you do the honours? Just need to schedule a 50 lap Velodrome then use the Details tab to set it up without Bots and with a password of chat.

Thanks,

Geoff

I was having similar feelings on the start line, fairly certain I would get my ass handed to me when I saw who I was up against. When the light went green though all I saw was red mist and I forgot I'd just done Telegraphe with literally 15 mins rest including the warm-up (actually surprising how rested and cooled down you can get in 15 mins).

I just took a look at the Rankings and surprisingly we are all right up there for 50 laps from last nights session:

• United Kingdom
• Absolute
• All times

1 Guy Steel-Jessop 09/04/2015 CycleChat Chain Gang 13m 25s
2 Bill S 09/04/2015 14m 42s
3 JON WHEELER 10/03/2015 15m 7s
4 Kipster 09/04/2015 CycleChat Chain Gang Friend 15m 31s
5 Geoff 09/04/2015 CycleChat Chain Gang Friend 16m 37s
6 chartley 31/01/2015 16m 48s
7 Philip_A 27/11/2014 16m 56s
8 Simon Partner 04/03/2015 17m 26s
9 Adski 26/02/2015 CycleChat Chain Gang Friend 18m 6s




I will set up the session for Saturdays re-run if Geoff's not around, so if anyone fancies a good workout at 5pm, please join in.

Adam, as you are in a lowly 9th position in the UK for 50 laps, I suggest you join in and get a wiggle on

Geoff, regarding your comment about 300 watts and not being able to draft anyone, I reckon that your performance would have won the race not so long ago.

 

[uncle_adolph]

Can someone please confirm what version firmware we should have? V3.4, isn't it?

The trainer I bought less than a month ago was stuck at V3.2 and wouldn't update. I got in touch with BKool who actually phoned and remote-controlled my PC and confirmed that the resistance unit wasn't working properly and so I had it replaced. The new unit arrived today....showing V3.2....and what do you know, that doesn't update either!

If anyone has any tips on how to get this to update I'd love to hear them as this is just ridiculous.

 

[BILL S]

Can someone please confirm what version firmware we should have? V3.4, isn't it?

The trainer I bought less than a month ago was stuck at V3.2 and wouldn't update. I got in touch with BKool who actually phoned and remote-controlled my PC and confirmed that the resistance unit wasn't working properly and so I had it replaced. The new unit arrived today....showing V3.2....and what do you know, that doesn't update either!

If anyone has any tips on how to get this to update I'd love to hear them as this is just ridiculous.

I can confirm that I have the same problem updating my unit, in that it will not update. I think it is at V3.2 also.

 

[RickB]

I can confirm that I have the same problem updating my unit, in that it will not update. I think it is at V3.2 also.

Pretty sure the one I've just got is on 3.2 as well. Watts seem consistent but cadence is all over the place fairly often.

 

[gbrown]

They've published my Burrington Combe (near Cheddar) video http://www.bkool.com/profile/detail/676408?durationType=DISTANCE&lapCount=1

Video taken from the handlebars of my bike, so a bit wobbly at times. It's a short (3.5 Km) climb averaging 5.5% and max 11.5%, no flat bits or descents. Took 13 minutes in real life, so around 10-15 minute session I guess.

If anyone gives it a go, please let me know how you get on.

Hopefully off to Sidmouth tomorrow so will try and get some more video.

Geoff

 

[Randyberlin]

Pretty sure the one I've just got is on 3.2 as well. Watts seem consistent but cadence is all over the place fairly often.

I'm on (4F05) v 3.4 bsim v2 25 on a cheap windows 8.1laptop with an hdmi port to the tv. I have never had the fan problem.

 

[uncle_adolph]

I can confirm that I have the same problem updating my unit, in that it will not update. I think it is at V3.2 also.

Well, I'm going to try it over the weekend through my other PC and see what happens.

The guy from BKool thought it was a serious problem so if this one doesn't work I'm just going to ditch the whole thing and get my money back.

 

[gbrown]

Have you tried using a usb extension lead to put the ant+ dongle actually touching the bkool while you do the upgrade. When they upgraded mine I had to get the dongle with 5 cm! They might as well have used a USB port, at least that would be reliable.

Geoff

 

[uncle_adolph]

Have you tried using a usb extension lead to put the ant+ dongle actually touching the bkool while you do the upgrade. When they upgraded mine I had to get the dongle with 5 cm! They might as well have used a USB port, at least that would be reliable.

Geoff

Tried that with the old unit; haven't done so yet with the new one but I had the laptop right next to the unit and literally touching it. Switched it on and off a couple of times, did manual pairing.....the lot. Can't be bothered to do any more just now but will try again tomorrow.

With the previous unit BKool sent me a link to remote-control my PC and tried to update the unit using their software but the connection just repeatedly failed. Tried it with and without the USB extension. The guy just said the simple fact is that it was faulty and would never update. Hence the replacement.

It's a shame because I really enjoy using it but I'm not going to pay out the best part of £350 for something which might work now but will cause me problems with essential updates six months down the line.

 

[LBHIFI]

Can someone please confirm what version firmware we should have? V3.4, isn't it?

The trainer I bought less than a month ago was stuck at V3.2 and wouldn't update. I got in touch with BKool who actually phoned and remote-controlled my PC and confirmed that the resistance unit wasn't working properly and so I had it replaced. The new unit arrived today....showing V3.2....and what do you know, that doesn't update either!

If anyone has any tips on how to get this to update I'd love to hear them as this is just ridiculous.

I have the same firmware and have e-mail Bkool about missing update. Apparently there are different versions of the Bkool Pro, and some needs to update to v.3.4 and others don't. With V3.2, what I have found so far is that as long as the gradient stays at >= 0, the average Watt is OK, but cadence is always silly high. It is nearly impossible to do do watt intervals, because it is always calculating watts and virtual speed. The average watt is the number that work IMO, and combined with the Bkool online world, this is enough to make me keep my Bkool.
I have a Tacx Genius for more precise short watt intervals, which instantly reports the correct wattage.

 

[gbrown]

I definitely won't be doing the rerun today, the last one literally gave me a stroke and I'm back in hospital! Bit fed up, but not feeling too bad thankfully. Waiting for an MRI scan and may need to take a few weeks of rest to make sure the bleeding has stopped. Not sure how much the cycling was to blame, I should have warmed up better but it appears I have a weak artery in my brain as it has now leaked twice, so I think it may need some strengthening!

Not great timing, April again, just as the nice weather starts to appear!

Geoff

 

[RickB]

I definitely won't be doing the rerun today, the last one literally gave me a stroke and I'm back in hospital! Bit fed up, but not feeling too bad thankfully. Waiting for an MRI scan and may need to take a few weeks of rest to make sure the bleeding has stopped. Not sure how much the cycling was to blame, I should have warmed up better but it appears I have a weak artery in my brain as it has now leaked twice, so I think it may need some strengthening!

Not great timing, April again, just as the nice weather starts to appear!

Geoff

That's awful Geoff. Really shocked by that news. All I can say is that I wish you a full and speedy return to full fitness.

Rick

 

[gbrown]

Thanks. At least it gets me out of another thrashing this afternoon! I may pop in on the iPad to watch.

Was going to ride out to the seaside today, gutted to be stuck in hospital again instead...

 

[kipster]

Geoff, that is awful news and I hope you have a speedy recovery.