Major new product release from Wahoo… KICKR BIKE
…and a useful addition for existing KICKR users too
The Eurobike (www.eurobike.com) show is taking place for the next four days in Friedrichshafen, Germany – and is traditionally where many of the major cycling brands release their new products.
One of those is here from Wahoo, one of the major players in the seemingly booming world of indoor training. Best known for the KICKR ranges of indoor trainers (which I know well, I have two in my household which have used regularly for the best part of two years now), today they have released an Indoor Cycling Smart Bike, called the KICKR BIKE. Available from October in the U.S. and not available to us in the U.K. and Europe until 2020, it will be priced at a not inconsiderable $3,499.99. The initial release – along with plenty of images, below.
Interesting news hidden away…
What may be of more interest to many of you in the short term – with the KICKR and the more recent KICKR CORE being among the most popular Smart Trainers on the market – is the news that was almost buried towards the bottom:
“Additionally, there are two important software updates for Wahoo’s current generation KICKR and KICKR CORE trainers. Each have been updated to allow for multiple Bluetooth connections, meaning that multiple sensor pairings are now faster and even more reliable, ensuring a trouble-free start to workouts. The KICKR and KICKR CORE now have integrated cadence reporting directly from the trainer, removing the need for a separate sensor and the associated pairing process. Both upgrades are available from 4th September.”
I’ll be checking that out later this week myself, a very welcome addition and simplification which would remove one of the few ‘niggles’ around the popular KICKR range.
Wahoo Launches Market’s Most Advanced Indoor Cycling Smart Bike
Building on successive products that have defined indoor training, Wahoo Fitness announces their fully connected, completely integrated, KICKR BIKE to serve the growing community of indoor cyclists and athletes.
Wahoo, the leader in connected fitness devices, today announces the KICKR BIKE, the first smart bike that’s built on the world’s leading indoor cycling training ecosystems.
The KICKR BIKE is the culmination of years of experience developing the entire KICKR ecosystem of integrated training products. Like all Wahoo products, the KICKR BIKE is designed for simplicity, superior ride feel, comprehensive connectivity, and maximum customisation for passionate cyclists who demand best-in-class equipment. The KICKR BIKE is ideal for anyone, but designed around those who want an uncompromising solution when it comes to year-round training.
“Over the past five years, we’ve seen an incredible increase in indoor cycling and the sales of KICKR indoor smart trainers,” says Mike Saturnia, CEO of Wahoo Fitness. “During this time, we’ve built the most complete ecosystem of connected indoor cycling products. The KICKR BIKE represents the next generation of indoor smart training for Wahoo and delivers the most complete, unparalleled riding experience in its class. It is the ultimate product for discerning, data-driven athletes who are ready for a feature-rich, top-quality, responsive, dedicated indoor bike as the new cornerstone of their fitness.”
KICKR BIKE combines the KICKR trainer’s ride feel with upgraded innovations like integrated grade simulation, both uphill and down. Front and rear braking allow riders to control their speed just as they would out on the road. The KICKR BIKE’s proprietary “gear shifters” are easily set up to replicate seven different custom gear shifting configurations from Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo. Additionally, users can easily customise their front chainrings and rear cog selection to identically match the bike shifting platforms of their outdoor bikes. There are even proprietary algorithms built into the pedaling that provide a genuine shifting feel. The extensive feature set blurs the line between the indoor reality and an outdoor experience.
Out-of-the-box assembly is simple and integrated into the Wahoo App. Step-by-step instructions, images, and video guide users through a set-up that typically takes less than ten minutes.
Like assembly, bike fit is also guided through the Wahoo App for precision, consistency, and ease. Within the Wahoo App, users can take a photo of their outdoor bike, enter their own body measurements, or import measurements from professional fit systems like RETUL and GURU to adjust the KICKR BIKE’s five contact points to generate a perfect fit immediately so training time doesn’t become configuration time.
The five-point adjustment system means the KICKR BIKE can mirror the exact geometry of a riders outdoor bike. A custom crankset with five built-in, selectable lengths mean perfect pedal strokes with no adapters needed. Virtual cockpit settings not only allow users to match their bike’s gear ratios and shifter configuration, but also feature tilt buttons to manually control grade changes or integrate with third party apps, like Zwift and The Sufferfest.
“The KICKR Bike represents the highest standard for indoor smart bike performance and has extensive features,” says Wahoo’s Director of Product Management, Jose Mendez. “However, we went to great lengths to ensure the product remained simple and intuitive to set up and operate. We’ve learned that it’s not enough to make a product with a lot of great features. We knew the KICKR BIKE needed to be as effortless as possible to use so athletes can focus on training and not troubleshooting.”
The KICKR BIKE retails for $3499.99 and will ship in October 2019 in the US. Available now at wahoofitness.com and availability will expand to Europe and other markets in early 2020.
Additionally, there are two important software updates for Wahoo’s current generation KICKR and KICKR CORE trainers. Each have been updated to allow for multiple Bluetooth connections, meaning that multiple sensor pairings are now faster and even more reliable, ensuring a trouble-free start to workouts. The KICKR and KICKR CORE now have integrated cadence reporting directly from the trainer, removing the need for a separate sensor and the associated pairing process. Both upgrades are available from 4th September.
New for 2019 is the KICKR KOM Bundle which features the KICKR Smart Trainer and KICKR CLIMB grade simulator for the combined RRP of £1349.98. This is a saving of £150 over purchasing the two units separately and is available now.
The KICKR SNAP is now even more competitively priced at £429.99 for the indoor trainer season.
The Wahoo ecosystem is rounded out by the innovative KICKR DESK and unique KICKR HEADWIND Smart Fan to provide an unrivalled indoor training experience.
Learn more about Wahoo’s full line of products at wahoofitness.com.
