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microkid

Senior Member
Location
netherlands
I got a Bkool Pro 55f6 for my wife so we could train together (I have a Trax Flux S). We're trying to ride together on Zwift. Her power is WAY off making it impossible. I also have a pedal-based power meter which confirms mine is correct.

I did side-by-side tests of compatible gear, effort and cadence and the Bkool is reporting less than half the power. For example, a leisure 62 rpm at 120 watts on my trainer is the same effort as 62 rpm at 50 watts on the Bkool.

Basically, the calibration is WAY off, less than half of what it should be. I can't find any method of calibration. For my trainer, there's a calibration icon in Zwift, but for the Bkool in Zwift it doesn't offer a calibration icon.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? We've both been searching and trying different apps for hours now with no results. Basically, this is useless if it can't be somewhat similar in power output so we can ride together.
Bkool receives the power from the trainer, if available. On the Flux S, power is available. But: On most trainers you have to enter your weight and also that of your bike. Wrong weight = wrong resistance = wrong power = wrong speed, etc... I had a Tacx Flux S, so I know you have to enter your weight in the Tacx Trainer app. Your description sounds like the correct weights have not been entered. Please check.
 
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gos

Well-Known Member
Location
Iceland
Hi guys,

I have been off from Bkool for a while now but after a few rides it feels like the simulator has "changed". It feels much harder and acceleration feels slower. Ok, my shape is not what it was but I could swear it "feels" different than before. Have they (Bkool) made changes to the algorithm in the last few months or is it just me :-)

Thanks, Gos
 
Hi guys,

I have been off from Bkool for a while now but after a few rides it feels like the simulator has "changed". It feels much harder and acceleration feels slower. Ok, my shape is not what it was but I could swear it "feels" different than before. Have they (Bkool) made changes to the algorithm in the last few months or is it just me :-)

Thanks, Gos
Welcome back. It’s only harder for the Icelandic riders. It is only fair because you have so many other advantages.
Seriously, the new SIM is much more realistic.
 
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teckel

New Member
Bkool receives the power from the trainer, if available. On the Flux S, power is available. But: On most trainers you have to enter your weight and also that of your bike. Wrong weight = wrong resistance = wrong power = wrong speed, etc... I had a Tacx Flux S, so I know you have to enter your weight in the Tacx Trainer app. Your description sounds like the correct weights have not been entered. Please check.
I don't have a problem with the Tacx Flux S, the problem is with the Bkool Pro. Also, there's no ability to connect to Bkool Pro and enter a weight or any other kind of info. I can connect to Zwift, and I can enter a weight in Zwift. But nothing directly with the trainer.
 

teckel

New Member
https://support.bkool.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=360000379631

You can not calibrate the trainer, but BKOOL can do something via remote support (TeamViewer). Which BKOOL trainer is it, the Pro “1” (all black chassis), Pro 2 (yellow/black chassis) or the Pro 3 (black/yellow chassis)?
I guess it's the Pro 1 (all black). It connects just fine to Zwift and everything woks, just totally wrong info. Like I'm going up a little hill 15mph according to my Garmin ANT device which monitors wheel speed/cadence. But Zwift says I'm going 3mph because my watts are so far off.
 

Brusgaard

Über Guru
Location
Skive, Denmark
I guess it's the Pro 1 (all black). It connects just fine to Zwift and everything woks, just totally wrong info. Like I'm going up a little hill 15mph according to my Garmin ANT device which monitors wheel speed/cadence. But Zwift says I'm going 3mph because my watts are so far off.
OK, if it is the Pro 1, I see no other resolution than having BKOOL resetting/calibrating it. However, given its age, it could be some physical. But if it feels "normal", ie. not too much resistance and it does simulate inclines etc., it is probably some settings in the trainer's firmware, that needs resetting. Firmware is up to date, I presume (latest is from around 2017)?
 

Goldwolfie

Veteran
Location
Chesterfield
OK, if it is the Pro 1, I see no other resolution than having BKOOL resetting/calibrating it. However, given its age, it could be some physical. But if it feels "normal", ie. not too much resistance and it does simulate inclines etc., it is probably some settings in the trainer's firmware, that needs resetting. Firmware is up to date, I presume (latest is from around 2017)?
I think I had a similar problem with my old bkool trainer sometime ago. I had to raise a support call with Bkool and they dialled in and reverted back to a previous version of the turbo firmware. They told me to never upgrade the turbo firmware again, as the latest version caused problems on older Bkool trainers. This worked in my case and the turbo behaved normally after the downgrade.
I think it took about a week before they could arrange the dial in, but that was in the days when they 'supported' the hardware.
Good luck - at least it is worth raising a support call.
Also you can amend the riders weight in the user profile settings on the Bkool web interface.
 

Brusgaard

Über Guru
Location
Skive, Denmark
Also you can amend the riders weight in the user profile settings on the Bkool web interface.
Doesn't help much in Zwift etc. :smile: I agree it is a firmware thing that needs to be fixed, either some parameters stored in the trainer (?) or a FW downgrade.
I haven't used my Pro for at least 2 years, but I remember something similar happening to mine, when BKOOL updated their (simulator) software back in 2019 or so. At the time I also had my Elite Direto so I just used that and never really deep dived in to finding a solution for the Pro. :smile:
 

microkid

Senior Member
Location
netherlands
I don't have a problem with the Tacx Flux S, the problem is with the Bkool Pro. Also, there's no ability to connect to Bkool Pro and enter a weight or any other kind of info. I can connect to Zwift, and I can enter a weight in Zwift. But nothing directly with the trainer.
Like I said: you must enter your weight in the Tacx Trainer app. It will search for your Tacx trainer and then you can enter the configuration and enter the weight of yourself and your bike.

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Brusgaard

Über Guru
Location
Skive, Denmark
Like I said: you must enter your weight in the Tacx Trainer app. It will search for your Tacx trainer and then you can enter the configuration and enter the weight of yourself and your bike.
You still don’t get it. :laugh: He doesn’t have a problem with his Flux! It is that old BKOOL (Smart) Pro trainer, that doesn’t work as expected (anymore).
 
I did find where I had 22 pounds entered for bike weight. Did a level ride this morning and didn’t notice any difference. I’ll try a climb and see if changing it made a difference.
 

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Brusgaard

Über Guru
Location
Skive, Denmark
@Brusgaard . So I sauntered down the full thing just in case I needed to complete the whole session to get a compliant adjustable time. Much more relaxing not having to chase you guys in full damage limitation mode.
OK, I have approved your time, but I was not sure how to adjust the time... So I entered -100 in the Adjustment box and hit "enter", which adjusted your time by 100 seconds BUT also approved the attempt at the same time! :sad: That wasn't expected, so I'm afraid your adjusted time was 8 seconds too fast (the approved time was 21m27s and should have been 21m35s). Hopefully that doesn't skew the league too much. More competition for @shimceltic is always good... :laugh:
 
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