Wahoo started with a dongle. Founder and current CEO, Chip Hawkins, wanted to use his phone as a cycling ಌcomputer, but he couldn't pair any ANT+ sensors to the device, so being an engineer, he made one.
The American brand, based out of Atlanta, Georgia, has come a long way since then, with Wahoo now producing a range of smart turbo trainers, GPS cycling computers, dual-band ANT+ and Bluetooth sensors and even an 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:indoor bike.
The brand has also acquired 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:indoor cycling app brands and pedal manufacturer Speedplay, launching its own Speedplay-compatible power meter pedals. Its Wahoo X software platform gives you trainer games via 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wahoo RGT as well as structured training from its acquisition of The Sufferfest, rebranded as 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wahoo Systm.
Our guide to the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:best smart trainers also features two of Wahoo's trainers. The Kickr Snap made the cut for our 'wheel-on' smart trainers, and we recommඣend the Kickr Core direct-drive trainer based on its competitive price and f🌟eature-heavy spec.
Once you've decided which of Wahoo's wares you fancy, be sure to take a look at our roundup of the best 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wahoo deals, and if you're in the market for a turbo trainer, don't forget to check out our roundup of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:turbo trainer deals.
Wahoo range explained
We'll start off with the trainers with which Wahoo made its name, then ⛎move on to its Elemnt cycling computers. We'll cover Speedplay next, t꧑hen round up with Wahoo's range of sensors and a brief overview of the Wahoo X training environment.
The Wahoo Kickr has arguably become the gold standard in indoor training with its controlled resistance and realistic ride feel. Equipped with ANT+, ANT+ FE-🦩C, Bluetooth and new WiFi connectivity, the Kickr can talk to your smartphone, GPS computer, external sensors and the whole world via the internet simultaneously, making indoor sessions and simulated outdoor workouts 🌠(uploaded to your head unit) trouble-free.
The Kickr is a direct-drive trainer and is compatible with standard quick-release dropouts and disc-friendly 12x142 and 12x148 thru-axle spacing. With a 16lbs / 7.26kg flywheel, the Kickr can generate up to 2200W of electromagnetic resistance, simulate up to a 20 p♚er cent grade and 10 per cent downhills, with the built-in power meter claiming an accuracy rating to a maximum deviation of +/- 1 per cent.
From Wahoo's top-of-the-range smart trainer, you get folꦛdable legs and a carry handle to simplify transport or storage when not in use. It comes complete with an 11-speed 11-28 cassette. You also get the Kickr Axis Feet, so you can rock sideജ to side through 5 degrees on your hardest workouts for a more realistic feel.
The Kickr is almost universally comp🍸atible with indoor training apps, and the trainer plays nice with the Kickr Climb and Headwind, for a complete Wahoo indoor environment.
Compact direct-drive smart trainer with the same feature set as the Kickr
Reasons to buy
+
Ease of use
+
The same ride feel as Kickr
Reasons to avoid
-
Cassette not included
-
Legs not foldable
The Kickr Core is a slightly more budget-friendly version of the direct-drive smart trainer, which takes a step down in resistance, drops 𓃲the height adjustability and f♍orgoes the foldable legs and carry handle but doesn't lose any of the functionality.
With a slightly lighter flywheel (12lbs / 5.4lbs), the Kickr Core has a 🎀maximum electromagnetic resistance of 1800W and can simulate up to a 16 per cent grade.&൩nbsp;
The Kickr Core will work with just about an🅠y bike provided you're not trying to use a mountain bike with a Super-Boost rear end, and the trainer has most of the same connectivity to de💎vices, sensors and apps as the Kickr Smart, although not WiFi. You will, however, have to supply your own cassette.
Taking another step down in price, the Wahoo Kickr Snap is the only wheel-on turbo trainer in the Wahoo lineup. Instead of a 💧cassette mounted directly to the flywheel, y🃏our rear tyre spins a drum which is attached to the resistance unit.
The Kickr Snap has a max output of 1500W and can simꦯulate a 12 per cen🐲t grade which, on paper, might look peenie compared to its wheel-off relatives, but it's still more than enough resistance to lock you away in a lactic acid-filled torture chamber.
Even though the wheel-on Kickr Snap is cheaper, again it too doesn't miss out on any of﷽ the functionality or connectivity of the higher-end units. It can still be controlled by third-party apps such as Zwift, TrainerRoad and Wahoo X, it has ANT+, ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth connectivity and plays nice with the Kickr Climb and Kickr Headwind.
Most cyclists approach rollers with some trepidation; there's a difꦏficult learning curve, usually involving falling off until you get used to balancinܫg. Many rollers offer limited resistance and no interactivity.
The Wahoo Kickr Rollr looks to sort all those problems, with a front wheel grip that holds you upright, so falling off should be a thing of ✱the past. It's also interactive, so you can plug yourself into Wahoo X, Zwift or whatever and can provide up to 1500 watts resistance and simulate 10 per cent gradients.
The big advantage over a turbo is that you can just pop your bike on and ride - no need to remove wheels or clamp your axle in place. It's bulky though and there's no in-built power measurement, so you'll need a 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:power meter on your bike.
For those with deep pockets who want a dedicated training bike
Reasons to buy
+
Incline/decline simulation
+
Fully customisable
Reasons to avoid
-
High price
Exercise bikes are nothing new. Wattbike has occupied this s🦂pace for some time and Stages, Tacx and♑ SRM have their own versions of the dedicated smart bike.
The Kickr Bike is a standalone machine, meaning your mud-splattered bike can stay clear of your living room carpet, and you won't wear through chains, chainrings💖 and cassettes. Claimed to offer an accuracy rating to a maximum deviation of +/- 1 per cent, the Kickr Bike can mimic a 20 per cent incline and 15 per cent decline. Like the Kickr, it has Bluetooth, ANT+ and ANT+FE-C built-in, links directly to the internet via WiFi and is compatible with a vast range of apps.
To mimic your position on the bike, the Kickr Bike has five points of adjustment and comes with a saddle and 42mm bars — both of which can be easily swapped. To make this easy, the Wahoo Fitness app allows you to take a photo of your 'real' bike, and it will gen൲erate the measurements needed to replicate the same geometry on the training bike.
If you already have a Kickr trainer o▨r you don't fancy dropping $3500 on a dedicated training bike, the Kickr Climb attaches to your foﷺrk and raises and lowers the front end of the bike to match topographical nuances on virtual training apps such as Zwift.
We are forever seeking ways to make indoor training a closer replication of riding outside, and the Kickr climb can help you to engage the muscle groups used during climbing and descending.&nb▨sp;It also makes spinning away in your basement a hell of a lot more entertaiꦬning and gives you a physical cue that you're climbing over-and-above the extra trainer resistance.
The Kickr Climb can simulate inclines up to 20 per cent and descents up to 10 p𝐆er cent.
Yes, it's an e🌱xpensive fan designeꦯd just for indoor training. It may seem like a silly and somewhat overpriced upgrade but the Kickr Headwind employs some very useful features that you didn't know you wanted.
The Kickr Headwind's targeted airflow pattern reaches speeds up to 30mph and focuses airflow dir🦂ectly a𒉰t your body more efficiently than a standard fan.
It's ANT+ and Bluetooth enabled so not only can you adjust the fan's speed options (of which there are ♐four) from your pho𒐪ne without getting off the bike, but if it's paired with a heart rate or speed sensor, the airflow will change based on your intensity and speed.
Not content with offering you a wide choice of trainers along with the extras to make your indoor training more realis🃏tic, Wahoo offers yet more trai🐻ner accessories.
That includes ꦍthe Kickr Indoor Cycling Desk to perch your computer or tablet on and the Kickr Training Floor Mat to catch your sweat drops a♏s you ride.
If you have problems with connection dropouts as you ride, Wahoo also sells the Direct Connect dongle, which lets you make a wired connection to the internet, although with the latest generation Kickr aไnd Kickr Bike, it's probably not going to be needed as both have WiFi built in. The dongle doesn't work with the Kickr Core, Snap or Rollr.
There are also loads of adapters fo𒀰r compatibility of the direct drive trainers with different freಞehub and axle standards.
The Elemnt Roa♎m is Wahoo's most fully featured cycling computer, with good compatibility and connec💫tivity, plus a 64-colour screen, improved mapping capabilities and 32GB of memory. It's button-controlled rather than having a touchscreen.
Wahoo hasn't turne♍d the saturation up to 11 but rather uses colour to draw attention to specific areas on the screen, which is especially useful on the maps. Speaking of maps, Wahoo has upgraded its free worldwide🤡 maps to offer more detail and on-unit navigation and rerouting.
The Roam will also redirect you back to your route should you miss a turn, allows you to navigate to saved locations and will guide you with its 'take me to' function. It also lets you take your Wahoo X training out🉐doors as well as control your trainer indoors for a seamless experience.
Much of the same functionality as the Elemnt in a smaller, cheaper package
Reasons to avoid
-
Maps aren't always easy to read
The Elemnt Bolt is basically a miniature version of the Elemnt. The head unit supports Bluetooth, ANT+ and WiFiꦕ connectivity, and offers turn-by-turn directions and the same seamless wireless syncing as its larger compatriot. The battery life, however, is slightly shorter at 15 hours.
With its smaller form factor and aerodynamic shape, the Bolt was launched as the most aero computer availab🦂le and has become a big hit among raꦛcing cyclists.
It slots into a Wahoo-specific quarter-turn mount creating a seamless aerodynamic rounded profile, and thanks to a small screw, it can be fixed into place (the Elemnt Roam has a similar mounting system). Not only is this great for securit⛎y over rough ground, but it also means that under UCI rules, the Elemnt Bolt is part of the bike, and can be counted within the 6.8kg weight limit.
Wahoo has also entered the smartwatch arena with the Elemnt Rival smartwatch. It includes a GPS chip so it can track your workouts and also records steps, although there's not another function like sleep tracking that you'll find on many of the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:best smartwatches for cycling. Battery life is around 24 hours with GPS runnin🌼g and 14 days in watch m💦ode.
It's particularly aimed at triathletes, w🌠ith seamless trans🅺itions and mirroring to Wahoo's cycling head units.
Although not branded as Speedplay, the Wahoo Powrlink Zero pedal-based power meter is the only Speedplay-compatible pedal power meter. Claimed accuracy is +/- 1🃏 per cent and there are dual-♒sided and single-sided options. They have a slightly higher stack and wider Q-Factor than non-instrumented Speedplay pedals and a battery life of around 75 hours between charges.
The power meter is easy ꦛto fit, calibrate and pair to headꦺ units. Steady-state power is comparable to other devices, although peak power measurements proved a little low.
Not as light as you think when you take account of the cleat
Wahoo's most expensive Speedplay pedal option, the Nano pedals come with a titanium pedal spindle and carbon fibre components, keeping the weigh🍸t down to 85g a pedal, although you should bear in mind that Speedplay ✃cleats are significantly heavier than rivals, so the full pedal-plus-cleat weight is actually more than Shimano or Look's top specs.
Dropping down the Wahoo Speedplay playlist, the Aero pedals swap dual-sided entry fᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚor a design with a dimpled surface on one side, leading to a smoother profile on the base of your shoes.
In other respects, it's the match of the rest of the range, with low stack height and sealed bearings in place of the original Speedplay🐽 grease squirt design. It's still an expensive option, if a step down from the Nano𝓀.
Next rung down, the Wahoo Speedplay Zero pedals, like the Aeros have a stainless steel ജspindle, but without the Aero's dimpled cover, the Zeros🌼 have two-sided entry. We reckon they're the goldilocks of the range, with a price that's comparable to other brands' high-end pedals.
As wi✅th all Speedplay's pedals, there's great adjustability, which is cleat-based rather than in the pedal and we liked the low stack height that betters other brands' options. They're still not cheap t🍸hough.
Wahoo Speedplay's entry-level Comp pedals have plenty of trickle-down from its more expensive models, being essentially the same pedal and cleat with a lower-priced spindle but the same pedal body. Th🦹e same three-way cleat adjustment and low stack height make for a very precise set-up if you have knee issues. The Comp pedals have Speedplay's Easy cleats with lower release tension though.
As with all Wahoo's pedals, there's a walkable plastic cleat cover, which also cuts down on cleat wear. You'll pay more for a set of Wahoo Speedplay Comp pedals than for 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Shimano 105 pedals though, making them an expensive e𒅌ntry to t𓆉he brand.
The Tickr is your typical chest-based heart-rate monitor picking up on electric impulses from your heart but with a Wahoo sp𝔍in. It 🔯will talk to devices with both ANT+ and supports multiple Bluetooth connections. It lets you know that it's connected with a couple of LEDs on the transmitter and comes with its own app, so you can use it without a head unit.
(Image credit: Wahoo)
Wahoo Tickr X
HR monitor with a memory
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Connectivity: ANT+, Bluetooth
Battery type: Coin cell
Reasons to buy
+
Internal memory
Reasons to avoid
-
Extra features more targeted at runners
For a bit of extra cash, the Tickr X maintains the dual-band connectivity but gets on-board memory to capture up to 16 hours of heart rate, calorie burn, and workout-duration data which will sync to your phone the next time it connects, so you can ride withou🍎t a head unit or phone if yo💛u prefer.
The Tickr X can also measure your indoor cadenc🍎e when paired with the W🧸ahoo Fitness app and advance running metrics like vertical oscillation.
(Image credit: Wahoo Fitness)
Wahoo Tickr Fit
Optical forearm-based heart-rate monitor
Reasons to buy
+
Allows you to get rid of your chest strap
Reasons to avoid
-
Optical HR is not as accurate as chest-based when you're moving around
Some people don't like chest-based HR monitors; they are uncomfortable, get wet and sweaty, and sometimes don't mesh well with sports bras. Wahoo's solution is the Tickr Fit, a forearm-based optica✱l sensor.
Using a water-resistant, adjustable band, it🌟 a🍰ttaches to your forearm, and pairs to any Bluetooth or ANT+-enabled device and has an internal rechargeable battery.
(Image credit: Wahoo Fitness)
Wahoo speed and cadence sensors
Universally compatible and reliable sensors
Reasons to buy
+
O-ring mounts
+
Dual-band connectivity
Reasons to avoid
-
Can mean extra clutter on the bike
Whether you'👍re using a computer that doesn't have GPS, or you're looking to enjoy Zwift but don't have a power meter, Wahoo offers a range of external sensors.
In ty𒀰pical Wahoo form, its speed and cadence sensors broadcast in both AℱNT+ and Bluetooth and are available in magnet-free and standard versions. They all run on CR2032 coin cell batteries and are totally waterproof. Each uses an o-ring mount, and the cadence sensor also comes with a shoe mount for measuring running metrics.
Wahoo X training software platform
Alongside its hardware offerings, Wahoo is increasingly providing the training software needed to work with it, for a seamless training environment. Its training software comes under the Wahoo X banner, with two major strands: 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wahoo Systm which is geared toward structured training and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wahoo RGT which is an interactive multiplayer༺ training game.
Have a look at our 🍰guides to the two training environments for more details of what they each offer.
Paul has been on two wheels since he was in his teens and he's spent much of the time since writing about bikes and the associated tech. He's a road cyclist at heart but his adventurous curiosity means Paul has been riding gravel since well before it was cool, adapting his cyclo-cross bike to ride all-day off-road epi𝔉cs and putting road kit to the ultimate test along the way. Paul has contributed to Cyclingnews' tech coverage for a few years, helping to maintain the freshness of our buying guides and deals content, as well as 💝writing a number of our voucher code pages.
