anybody using bkool pro

paodin

Hi, I just received my bkool pro from Spain on a 30 day free trial and I am impressed. I run the simulation software on a laptop and cycling against real people or bots is great fun. Setup is easy and once you get used to the way you have to set up your sessions it works very well.
I have noticed tonight that when I climb with a gradient above 4% the turbo is making a strange noise like a fan clicking against plastic. Anybody else get this?
Also be good to find some uk users to ride together on some sessions so ping me a message

gbrownzen

Yeah, I just bought a Bkool Pro for the winter. Signed up for the three month premium trial and have had a few sessions on it. No problems with the hardware yet, and no clicking when climbing. Having the VR side certainly makes it less boring than a standard turbo, and will hopefully make it more likely I'll train on it.

The software is a bit flaky, the web site seems to be missing a few pages and I can't mark any routes as favourites, as they just don't appear. The video tool is also quite fussy and it took a bit of fiddling to get the video and GPX to show as the same length, and to upload my first video. I uploaded a video I took of one of our local training routes, but it has sat waiting review for over a week, which is a shame. If they have to manually check every video they will end up with a backlog.

The 3D view helps to anticipate the changes in resistance as the gradient goes up and down. I started with an old laptop and wondered why the 3D was so sparse, then tried it with a proper desktop computer and a semi-decent graphics card and suddenly there were trees and grass and things!

So far I have mainly been taking advantage of having power readings by doing 20 minute FTP tests and trying to get a little higher each time, though it is really starting to hurt now! I was already trying to lose some weight I picked up this year after a spell in hospital, so looking at my Watts/Kg is encouraging me to reduce the Kg side.

Starting to think about a power meter for next spring, but they are crazy expensive.

Last year I had to go out on the wet and filthy roads and knackered the bearings in my bike, but having the turbo makes it much easier just to stay at home and wait for a dry day.

Cheers,

Geoff