Although the new Kickr doesn’t require a front wheel riser block is anyone using one and if so how high is it. I feel a bit like my front wheel is a bit low and more weight and pressure on my hands and shoulders than outside. Thanks
Skip the front wheel block. Just adjust the trainer height setting to the next smaller wheel size, or lower if that is your preference. Just make sure your pedals and cranks clear if you go more than one size smaller.
With respect to hand pressure, using a higher front end is something I use all the time and recommend that others at least try. Here is the info I stole from my rocker plate post.
- Lack of wind resistance on the body riding inside. That is a difference that I find because you end up with slightly more weight on the hands and arms, because you don’t have the wind pushing your upper body back.
- To compensate for that, I recommend that people raise the front axle about 1"-2" [25mm-50mm] higher than the rear axle. This shifts the weight slightly back onto the saddle and off the hands and arms.
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Thanks Chad….so even 1-2 inches with the wahoo kickr?
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Yes, I elevate the front axle on all of my trainer setups (Kickr, Neo, H2). I have not done a hard measurement for years on any of my setups, but I do an eyeball check with a 4’ level to make sure I am roughly 1" or more higher on the front. That, or you can use a tape measure from axle to ground on both ends and check the delta distance.
It’s possible you might want a height differential that is not directly available with the alternate trainer height I suggest. In that case, you may consider adding a riser, but I like the simplicity and lower overall height of just dropping the trainer height.
Thanks Chad ….I’ve always had a 1 1/2 inch block with all my trainers so I’ll go back to that it was wahoo saying it was not needed that confused me….
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Yeah, well they (and many other places) make the basic assumption that “level is good” since it is essentially how we ride outside. I disagree, because taking a dynamic feel even when rolling flat outside, and then matching that inside with absolutely no momentum or wind resistance is a notable difference IMO.
Some get by just fine with a flat setup, but I am not surprised anytime I hear people having issues when they take a bike that feels great outside, and gives them immediate problems inside. I stumbled on this the very first season I took on indoor training after having hand issues within 10 mins on the trainer compared to being totally happy outside on the same bike. That axle height adjustment fixed lots of my issues as soon as I tried it, so I have stuck with it since then.
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I have been doing indoor training for 29 years and always used a riser block and new the roll of the headwind in position. I am surprised Wahoo and other trainer manufactures don’t provide this role headwind plays to its customers it would benefit them and the customer.
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I actually shared my idea with the guys at the Specialized Win Tunnel and they sounded very interested in the concept. This was back at the start of the shutdowns, so they said they would have to wait to test the idea. But they said it would be super easy to test based on their balance scale setup and playing with wind speed. I may need to remind them to see if they can get some testing, but I was super hopeful to finally put my theory to the test 
No riser block is needed to level the bike with a Kickr but, elevating the bars can make any trainer a bit more comfortable. I used one for a while during a period when I was struggling a bit with my fit as it improved my comfort. But, once I found the perfect saddle and got things re dialed in, I found no need for it anymore.
I’ve been using a riser block since I got mine in July, as I did with my Road Machine for may years prior. It doesn’t seem like it’s raised a lot, but it has certainly been helpful while doing long Ironman training rides inside in the aero bars–this can be a big comfort issue for some while riding in the aero bars and the slight raise of the front end has helped others as well.
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I use this Elite one with the new Kickr, despite them saying it’s not needed: Elite Travel Block Front Wheel Riser | Riser Blocks | wiggle.com.au
I hadn’t thought about the factors Chad mentioned (very interesting!). It just felt really wrong/low without it. I could have reduced the rear wheel height but I kind of prefer the locked-in front wheel position that the riser block gives anyway.
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Also, perhaps that’s only my unit but there is no way to put my bike level with my Kickr V5. If I set the trainer to wheel size 700, my front end ends up about 2cm lower (measured from the floor to both axles) - my theory is that the new pads on the v5 are ticker but Wahoo never bothered adjusting the adjustment holes. Anyways, I ended up using a Tacx riser which is about 2” to bring my front end slightly higher and it makes my setup a tad more comfortable + I kinda like the stability of a riser block
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Great point - I never actually measured, just eyeballed it and went on feel, but my front-end definitely feels about that much lower without the riser. Those new pads might well be the reason!
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