Team BKool CycleChat

[berty bassett]

Not likely Berty - I tried following your ghost on last weeks and got left for dead! I've a long way to go to get bike fit again.

yeh ! its about time i beat someone ! i'de about had it with all these super humans everywhere i look ! please don't tell me now you are recovering from having a leg off or summat - wont be long before your just another tyre track i follow

 

[kipster]

Watts seem pretty stable to me, so long as I have the ANT+ dongle near enough to the back wheel and the Bkool trainer.

When I was having problems keeping a steady link with the trainer it did tend to stick, shoot up, then suddenly reduce again!

I've just left it on a USB extension lead now and have it sat just behind the front wheel, and tend to get rock solid readings now.

It has to be said the watts don't really make much sense on a descent, as it is giving very little resistance and you have to pedal like mad to get beyond coasting speed.

Incidentally, what's the maximum wattage anyone has managed to get out of their bkool? Mine is just under 700 watts, not sure if it would go any higher or if I'm just not capable of pushing any harder!

Geoff

Thanks Geoff, I'll try with a USB extension lead, I have also emailed bkool to see if what they say.

 

[gbrown]

Today we have published a new version of the simulator bkool indoor.

The main changes are:

- wind: You can choose to do the sessions with or without wind. The data weather are real, and relate to the geographical place in which develops the session. ( be active in our own simulator in detail " shape )

- models new for bots and cyclists in 3d.

- messages in the road: the spectators in the way 3D can write messages in the road

- searching session ' live ': It has added a new filter that allows you to look for user or name of the session, inside of the session ' live '.

- panel data: it indicates the type of opposing ( bot, ghost or human ) in The ranking during the session.

- notes of the session: the user can write a note on his training.

- Register, since the simulator.

- devices not monitor: You can make session having just one of these devices:'s power, speedometer, cadenciómetro or pulsómetro. Even if you can do a session with no facility conectable.

- pairing: new screen pairing for the inclusion of new equipment.

- So guest: Can we make session without doing loggin and no need to register.

 

[BILL S]

Nice one Geoff. Big improvement!

Bkool thinks there's something iffy about your coherent weight so your time had to be approved.

This happened to me in the first league I joined because I had reduced my weight to my new lighter weight. Bkool doesn't like that for some reason.

 

[gbrown]

Nice one Geoff. Big improvement!

Bkool thinks there's something iffy about your coherent weight so your time had to be approved.

This happened to me in the first league I joined because I had reduced my weight to my new lighter weight. Bkool doesn't like that for some reason.

Thanks! Felt quite a good run, some days you just feel stronger than other days.

I was pleased to get my Watts/Kg above 3 for around an hour. Very impressed that you can average 273 Watts up that climb, with all the negative gradient bits.

Geoff

 

[Randyberlin]

Wow, they've finally put my first video live ...

http://www.bkool.com/profile/detail/542874?durationType=DISTANCE&lapCount=1

An easy 9 mile loop that my missus and I use for winter training, no longs climbs but rarely flat.

Took the video on a Garmin Virb elite mounted on my handlebars (so a little wobbly) and had to scale it down a bit to get it to upload.

The best time I've managed on the road (with traffic and junctions) is 30 minutes and 5 seconds (damn those 5 seconds!)

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

One of my friends makes a cameo in the first few seconds, jogging past ...

Geoff

Rode it this morning. Great job. Thanks.

 

[Add]

Well done Geoff and Berty, two good times there. Geoff, you knocked the spots off your old time, think you have got too much air in that tyre now.

Well you guys have, quite literally, left me a mountain to climb. I'd be very pleased if I could register an improvement, even half as good as you managed Geoff. Didn't get round to it last night, fingers crossed, barring any unforeseens, will reattempt this evening.

 

[BILL S]

Well done Geoff and Berty, two good times there. Geoff, you knocked the spots off your old time, think you have got too much air in that tyre now.

Well you guys have, quite literally, left me a mountain to climb. I'd be very pleased if I could register an improvement, even half as good as you managed Geoff. Didn't get round to it last night, fingers crossed, barring any unforeseens, will reattempt this evening.

Well done to everyone who's tried it The good thing is tomorrow is fun night at the velodrome I'm hoping Bkool will let me join in this time.

You're lucky with that mountain to climb though Adam. Its the getting there that's the real fun bit, every time you move up a level, beat your previous time or beat a respected opponent. Unfortunately it gets harder and harder to do the stronger you become.

 

[RickB]

yeh ! its about time i beat someone ! i'de about had it with all these super humans everywhere i look ! please don't tell me now you are recovering from having a leg off or summat - wont be long before your just another tyre track i follow

Actually I'm only 7 years old but tall for my age.










(Ok, I'm 40, an ex casual mountain biker, who needed to get back on a bike after a 5 year break to try and keep some element of fitness. Joints don't like the rough now so trying to be a roadie. Only just started back so bought a bkool to try and motivate me through he winter.)

 

[lintax]

Is there anything messy with the site atm? Im not getting points etc for the ride i did last night? I can se it beeing registered on my recent activity though. It also says 3 ppl has taken the same ride, but cant see there times in the ranking session, cant even se my own time in the ranking session.

//L

 

[kipster]

I was thinking about the watts issue I may have, and recalled that when I had the resistance issue with the classic trainer (stuck at 2% ish), the watts displayed in BSIM changed relevant to the gradient (ie when I was on a descent the watts dropped off, and when on a climb the watts increased even thought the turbo itself wasn't changing resistance). My conclusion is that watts must be calculated in BSIM from the speed and possibly cadence from the turbo, based on the gradient you're in at the time.

The speed last night was fairly static within gradients, the cadence was rubbish (130 - 140 up hill, I would estimate my actual at 75 - 80). The cadence sensor I had, went back with the classic, so I'll buy a new one for the pro, put a USB extension lead in place so the ANT+ dongle is closer to the turbo and see what readings I get after that. That said as you don't need a cadence sensor, maybe it doesn't have any impact on watts at all.

I was looking forward to the Thursday night velodrome session, but have been informed we're going out with friends so I wont be able to join you all, I will be there for next weeks (Tuesdays ride?). I will be doing some velodrome intervals tonight to punish myself for missing tomorrow!

 

[gbrown]

My conclusion is that watts must be calculated in BSIM from the speed and possibly cadence from the turbo, based on the gradient you're in at the time.

the cadence was rubbish (130 - 140 up hill, I would estimate my actual at 75 - 80). The cadence sensor I had, went back with the classic, so I'll buy a new one for the pro, put a USB extension lead in place so the ANT+ dongle is closer to the turbo and see what readings I get after that. That said as you don't need a cadence sensor, maybe it doesn't have any impact on watts at all.

I was looking forward to the Thursday night velodrome session, but have been informed we're going out with friends so I wont be able to join you all, I will be there for next weeks (Tuesdays ride?).

My understanding is that Watts is just a combination of speed and resistance, nothing more. Cadence is not relevant.

The simulator may set the resistance based on programmed gradient, wind, weight, etc. but the actual Watts calculation just involves the applied resistance and the speed maintained against that resistance.

From comments here, it appears that with the Pro without a cadence sensor the Cadence is "approximated" by looking at the way power is applied and I guess assuming the peaks in power are as the left and right legs push downwards, thereby giving a cadence set by every second power peak. This must be a poor approximation, as power is constantly varying anyway and the figures people see are way out. A cheap cadence sensor is a must if you want to see your cadence.

I really like the Garmin magnet less one, it just wraps around your crank arm and works great. No need to worry about fixing a sensor to your frame and a magnet to the crank, just hook the elastic around the crank and go ...

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/05/garmins-spd-cad-magnetless-sensors.html

Sorry you can't make the Velodrome, see you (your avatar) next Tuesday.

I just hope it lets us all in this time.

Geoff

 

[Add]

Anyone tried to install the firmware update? I've timed out twice now, just wondered if it was me, or BKool up to their usual shenanigans?

 

[gbrown]

Just about to give it a go ...

"There is a new firmware update (3.03) for the trainer. Do you want to update it now?"

Geoff

 

[gbrown]

"Trainer firmware update correct."

Took less than a minute, I hope it fixes more bugs than it introduces ...

Geoff