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Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator?
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As per the title really. I recently got a Tacx neo and am exploring the various virtual training environments on the market. I am hooked on Zwift, but thought I'd give Bkool a go yesterday. I managed to sign up ok and downloaded the training simulator program. I couldn't work it out though. I only had a few options on the main screen which were current rides happening now and a few track circuits.

One of the big sells for me was the ability to upload your own rides into the system and ride them virtually. For instance yesterday I was all setup with the intention of uploading the Mallorca 70.3 route into the program and riding that. Couldn't see how to though. I ended up finding an Alp D'Huez route which looked cool but it wouldn't let me do it - I had to schedule it for the next day at the earliest.

I don't want to have to schedule rides as some of the point of buying an expensive trainer for me is in being able to look out of the window, see it's pouring down and thinking ok, let's do a trainer ride instead.

Anyone an expert? Only thing I can think of is that I am on the trial period and not a subscriber so perhaps certain things have been disabled?
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [Ironmike78] [ In reply to ]
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Aha, ok, think I have cracked it. I need to go onto the website and then fiddle things from there? I successfully scheduled a Mallorca 70.3 ride for today and it then showed up on my simulator home screen for me to select. Panic over.

As an aside, anyone with any thoughts as to how this is as a training tool? What I love about Zwift is that there are others around you all riding the routes, so you get that carrot and stick effect of someone being up ahead and trying to catch them. It also has loads of rides on each day that you can join. I was reading with Bkool that there are events and leagues, but can't find any mention of them on the site.
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [Ironmike78] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah, I used BKool for a bit while Zwift was in beta, but it was always too clunky. I hated having to go to the website to set up a ride, and I didn't like that the AIs were always at my FTP. I think it woohoo be fine if you had a group dedicated to riding at the same time, but it doesn't compare to Zwift for the ability to log in and join a group. Also, I found that BKool over sells the course upload aspect. I uploaded a few, and it seemed to take an eternity before it was available to ride.

Overall, I found it to be better graphics than Tour de Giro but with a similar AI concept. However, TdG allowed me to tweak to AIs' power output. Compared to Zwift, the only upside is multiple courses, but even then, they are only based on terrain not the actual depiction.

https://www.endurancelab.fit
https://www.teamodz.com
https://discuss.endurancelab.fit
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [ianm98] [ In reply to ]
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From November from bkool:
Hi Ged,

Thanks for your message. To get a track converted to 3D, it must be shorter than 60 km, up to 15% slope and have consistent gradients. 3D view is automatically generated. Our target is to process every route and generate its 3D view in the short term, but it takes some time. Please note that our users upload hundreds of routes everyday.

See you at Bkool,

Bkool Team.

BKOOL Connect | Sport
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [Gmehje] [ In reply to ]
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I've uploaded a few routes. They are ok. Nothing amazing.
The 3D versions bear only passing resemblance to the real routes. And you can't skip forward on a route to the exciting bits (the hills).
The graphics are nowhere near Zwift but there are lots of routes to programme them in the desktop version. The video routes seem to be hit and miss quality.
It's also has a really frustrating UI which is very offputting.
Have you tried http://www.fulgaz.com on iOS - much simple but with real routes and rock solid app.
Ged
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [Gmehje] [ In reply to ]
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The fulgaz looks interesting, but I really like the racing and workout mode portions of Zwift. For me, it's got the best parts of trainer road plus I get to race when I feel like it. Lots of tools for everyone out there, so whatever works.

https://www.endurancelab.fit
https://www.teamodz.com
https://discuss.endurancelab.fit
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [Ironmike78] [ In reply to ]
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Ironmike78 wrote:
Aha, ok, think I have cracked it. I need to go onto the website and then fiddle things from there?

I use Bkool with their sim. What I do is find a few courses with good specs (for me 30-60 minutes constant uphill) and add them as favorites. Then they're pretty easy to find in the sim. But I don't do the social trainer thing, of course.
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [rasken] [ In reply to ]
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Have you tried Virtual Training? it sounds to me that it would do everything that you are trying to do and it's pretty easy to set up/use.

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http://www.instagram.com/cyclewise
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Re: Anyone with experience of Bkool simulator? [Ironmike78] [ In reply to ]
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OOPS! if you use Windows based PC then windows 8 or "above" is needed to pair the devices. Out of luck with Windows 7.
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