BKOOL - Immersive cycling to reach your goals
Try the platform free, for 30 days
The BKOOL platform offers one of the most complete, effective and realistic systems for indoor cycling — in a more affordable package than most. Try it for free for 30 days, immerse yourself in your indoor training and see what difference it can make to your riding.
What is BKOOL?
There’s a lot to love about BKOOL and, whether you’re new to turbo training or rollers, or a seasoned indoor cyclist looking to try a new platform, BKOOL is one of the most complete systems available for efficient training. There are a number of options out there such as Zwift, but if you’re after a more realistic ride with less gamification, along with a huge variety of workouts, then BKOOL’s training platform is well worth considering. It offers efficiency, variety and an immersive experience in a very affordable package.
Who is BKOOL for?
Every cyclist who wants to have an effective alternative to riding outdoors, no matter the reason: the weather, time restraints, for more efficient training. BKOOL gives you all the benefits of other indoor cycling platforms plus more, and it’s better value than most too.
How does BKOOL work?
BKOOL is immersive and realistic. Connect your smart turbo trainer, bike or rollers to the system and get pedalling. Information is sent from the smart trainer to the app via Bluetooth or ANT+. Your smart trainer will simulate slopes through changes in resistance, and replicate the feeling of drafting, so sit behind a rider and feel the resistance drop. All your ride data is sent from trainer to screen, so you can see stats such as speed, cadence, distance travelled, metres climbed, power, and more.
See more: How to use BKOOL Cycling
What do I need?
You’ll need a computer (PC or Mac), tablet (Android or iPad) or smartphone (Android), and a smart trainer, bike or rollers (or a dumb trainer alongside a power meter, speed sensor and cadence sensor, but a smart trainer works best). Then, sign up for a BKOOL Premium subscription (the first 30 days are free and you can decide if you’re willing to commit before getting charged) and get everything connected. The simulator is compatible with most smart trainers and training sensors on the market, and you can connect it to your favourite apps such as Strava, Training Peaks and Garmin Connect. The BKOOL Spin Studio app is also compatible with Apple Health and Google Fit.
With four training modes, BKOOL is one of the most complete indoor cycling apps available
Offering thousands of real and 3D routes, structured workouts, spin-style indoor cycling classes and a choice of velodromes to put your power down on, there’s something for every rider who wants to elevate their indoor cycling experience.
Real Routes
The BKOOL library holds a huge selection of virtual cycling routes: road, gravel and MTB. You can experience your favourite mountain pass, tackle the same roads as the pros in the Classics or ride in a place you’ve never had a chance to visit, all from the comfort of your own home.
An exclusive feature of BKOOL is the Real Weather function; no matter the route you choose, the current weather will be replicated on screen. If it’s raining you’ll see rain, if it’s snowing you’ll be riding through the white stuff, if you’re riding into a headwind, resistance will increase. The intensity of sunlight and riding through the night are also recreated. So jump on the turbo late at night and your bike’s lights will turn on.
Alongside simply picking a route and riding, you can see who is riding where, and join them, or personalise a route and invite friends to join you. Another highlight is the opportunity to upload your own video routes from real rides in 3D and video, filmed on a GoPro, so you can relive your own favourite days in the saddle and share these with friends. Simply download GPX files from Strava or Garmin and convert these to routes. If you want to keep these private, you can password protect them and share them only with your friends. There really are endless options for customisation with BKOOL and you’ll never have to repeat a route, unless you wish to.
Workouts (Structured Workouts)
Choose, customise, create. BKOOL structured workouts are an experience that is 100% personalised and highly effective. The choice is huge when it comes to this mode and, designed by experts, the library of workouts will have something for every cyclist. Choose by duration, goal or intensity, or customise the workout to suit. If you’re already using Training Peaks, you can link the two and all workouts will be imported.
Once you’ve taken an FTP test, BKOOL will then adapt every workout to fit with your power zones, and resistance will change automatically throughout the ride to match the effort required.
BKOOL Premium has a number of features to enhance the training experience. Cycling training expert, Watts Lab, also offers a weekly training plan, in which a series of workouts are selected to meet training objectives.
BKOOL Spin Studio: Indoor cycling classes on video
Take part in a spin class from the comfort of your own home with BKOOL Spin Studio. The standalone app is part of the premium subscription, and allows you to choose when you ride and for how long.
There are hundreds of videos to choose from, led by professional instructors. Select your favourite instructor, and the length and intensity of the session; these classes will make you more motivated to push yourself harder.
The BKOOL Spin Studio app is part of a premium subscription and is available for your smartphone, tablet, computer, Android TV, Apple TV or Apple Watch. BKOOL’s Family subscription may make a lot of sense if you all have different cycling loves and goals. With three memberships included, all with the same access to Spin Studio, cycling workouts and routes, you can pick and choose your favourites.
Velodrome (Track Cycling):
BKOOL is the only virtual cycling app that offers three world-class velodromes: Lee Valley, Galapagar with its iconic green track and Luis Puig velodrome.
A great place to train, and perfect for sprinting, the velodrome is all about power, and BKOOL gives you a realistic velodrome experience — it feels about as close to being there as you’ll get, without actually being there. You’ll really feel the speed, and you can test yourself against others, practising your drafting, or take on the hour record or try a kilo. See how you compare to your friends and keep training for maximum benefits.
Make it social or ride with the pros
There are plenty of ways to make your rides more social with BKOOL, and most people tend to train more effectively in the company of others.
Many cycling and triathlon clubs have leagues on BKOOL, which their members can join, or you can set up your own. Clubs even get special discounts, access to special events, and their club jersey, so members can customise their avatars. You can also arrange private rides for just you and your friends.
Every week there are events to join, which happen on virtual versions of iconic race routes such as Strade Bianche and Milan San-Remo. You can join any of these open events and experience the excitement of riding on the same routes as the pros; some events will even have professional riders along for the ride. Pedal alongside, and interact on Instagram Live with, the likes of Alberto Contador, Chris Froome, Remco Evenepoel and Óscar Freire, among others.
Use Discord to chat to friends or cyclists from around the world, riding the same event or route, and share the ups and downs as they happen.
The Virtual Giro d'Italia
With BKOOL being the official platform of the virtual Giro d’Italia, premium members get exclusive access to every stage of the latest edition, displayed in a combination of real video and 3D simulation. It’s immersive and incredibly realistic.
There are also some great prizes up for grabs when you take part in BKOOL's Virtual Giro d'Italia. It’s a unique event in the virtual cycling world, where you can ride with the stars of cycling — past and present.
Try it free, for 30 days
There are a number of ways to join BKOOL. New members can sign up for a free 30-day trial — no need to commit straight away — although we’re sure you’ll be keen once you see what’s on offer.
Once the 30 days are over and you’ve decided BKOOL is for you, there’s a choice of a monthly (€11 per month) or yearly (€110 annually) premium subscription, or join as a family and get three memberships for just €129 (€43 per person), with the same access to all the training modes, including Spin Studio.
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A cyclist for over 10 years, Cat started on the road and track, and now loves riding the trails and racing cyclocross. A freelance writer with many years of experience, when not writing or turning left at Herne Hill Velodrome, she likes to spend her time in the mountains, preferably on a bike or snowboard.
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