Long term review of the Wahoo KICKR turbo trainer.
Foreword:
I have owned and used many turbo trainers, spinning bikes and exercise bikes. I have been using the wahoo kickr for a few years and also own the mk2 version.
Wa-Who?:
Wahoo fitness are a forward thinking, modern and thoroughly innovative modern company that invent (and reinvent) workout tech.
Turbo trainers:
For almost all cyclists there will be times when it is not convenient to get out on the bike. Weather conditions, injuries and time constraints can all get in the way. This is where a turbo trainer is a great addition to your cycle training. They have come a long way in recent years with wheel off designs and smart phone connectivity becoming common place but this all really started with the wahoo kickr. When it launched the kickr was something of a revolution. It had a power meter, was controlled by your iphone and fitted to your bike without the back wheel.
Un-boxing:
Un-boxing and setting up takes no time at all. There is no real assembly and the 11 speed cassette is already installed (my mk1 was 10s when it arrived but the current model ships with 11s).Your smartphone or tablet connects via bluetooth without hitch and once you have performed a spindown (using the wahoo app , taking it up to a set speed then freewheeling until it slows down) you are good to go.
Apps:
Third party apps can then be connected and the options are amazing but do not discount the simple wahoo fitness app as it has lots of great features. The erg setting in which you can set a wattage to ride at and have the kickr adjust resistance to match your cadence is worth the price of the whole unit!
Another app worth its weight in gold is the free hurts ergo app. An amazing amount of free workouts that cover literally all aspects of training. Simply enter your FTP in watts and all the workouts are tailored for you accordingly.
Download it and have a look at the workouts even before you buy a kickr.
The icing on the cake are the simulator style apps that allow you to ride videos of the famous climbs from around the world with an accurate feel of gradient. The kickr increases the watts required according to the climb profile. These are excellent for training motivation and to give you experience if a climb before you visit an area.
Bottom line:
From the first ride on this turbo I knew it was something special. The most realistic feel and the closest road like experience along side and awesome workout make it a compelling option. If only the best will do or if you are super serious about your training then this is it.
WAHOO KICKR SMART TURBO TRAINER
What wahoo say: The Wahoo KICKR Smart, official trainer of Team SKY & winner of the 2014 Eurobike Gold Award for Best Accessory, is the ultimate Smartphone/Tablet powered trainer.
What we say :The original wahoo turbo. Amazing quality unit with power meter control that be adjusted by as little as 1 watt increments!
Although expensive the use of third party apps make this able to create some amazing workouts. A serious piece of training equipment as used by many pros.
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