IMO it’s just a bad design as you have to get it REALLY tight and it takes a fair amount of force to do that. I like the bike but that’s a serious oversight when they were testing it.
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You’re really don’t. If you adjust the preload correctly.
Help us out here, obviously we are not that smart. I even googled it. What’s the correct way to adjust the preload on the stack height quick release? A url would help.
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What are you calling the preload? I assume just tightening the screw/cap before closing the clamp? If so, I’ve done that and in order for the handlebars to not slide over time it has to be done very tight unless there is some technique I’m missing.
IMO this is proving my point of a poor design. There are tons of posts on the wahoo Kickr bike fb group discussing the issues with both sliding seatpost and sliding handlebars. There shouldn’t be a special technique. The rest of the areas of adjustment clamping mechanisms work great and there is no preload adjustment needed.
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Call Wahoo, they will either explain it or send you written instructions. I can’t remember all the details, but I seem to recall it involves pulling the bar riser out and clamping the clamp shut overnight. That squeezes the inner part of the clamp down, the riser tube fits WAY more snug and you just clamp down like normal.
It’s really easy to do, but you might have to do it twice because it’ll feel like you might be clamping down too hard when the tube isn’t in place.
Seriously, Wahoo, knows what you mean when you call the Kickr Bike people and say, “my bars keep slipping” so just call them and get the correct instructions. They are super helpful.
Would anyone buy a used unit? 9 months old, used 5-7 hours/week
For those with handlebar and seat post slipping issues. There are two fixes. One involves silicone spray and an overnight tightening. That solved my issue. I haven’t got access to the link now but Google should solve that.
If you don’t share the bike Wahoo will also send you none quick release clamps out. I have not needed to use them yet - but I have them just in case.
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I forgot about the spray! Following those directions really does make everything better, but I can also see why Wahoo doesn’t start with that much tension. It is harder to move the bars once you tighten up the preload. Someone small that needs to adjust regularly could find it too tight, but for those that have things slip, this solution is perfect!
Had mine about 18 months from new. Done about 4,000 miles on it. Absolutely love it. Great ride feel. Works seamlessly with TrainerRoad and Zwift. Can’t praise it highly enough. I had the slippage issue with stem and seatpost but just tightened them up properly. You’ll want to swap out the saddle and likely the bars/tape to replicate your road setup but that’s very easy to do.
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FYI. New Kickr Bike getting released 9/13/2022
$3,999
Will have wifi and erg mode will ramp up if you stop and restart
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That is a hefty price point. Ooof. I like my Kickr bike but I wouldn’t pay much more than the $2500. The climb feature is a nice bonus but I could live without. If I hadn’t gotten the $2500 deal I would just get a Kickr core or saris h3 or Tacx neo and be okay with that.
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Must be carbon fiber, or titanium, with a mid grade component group! Wow, pricy release, when other options for direct drive trainers are hitting the market at 1/8 the price. Glad I got mine a year ago at a discount. With inflation hitting everything, this is where fewer and fewer will spend their money. Hopefully they dtill support the v1 bike.
Thanks,
Isaac
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Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy to have my Kickr bike. But it’s a luxury item for sure. $4k is a lot.
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They’ll sell precisely zero units in Europe if that US pricing is correct
Devil’s advocate:
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The original Kickr Bike debuted late 2019 at $3500 USD MSRP. It’s listed at $3800 USD MSRP as of now (about 8.5% increase). I have no idea when that price change actually took place or if it was a single step vs multiple.
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This latest $3800 base price seems practical considering the other price increases we’ve seen in the cycling industry over that nearly 3 year timeframe. For reference, they are selling the current model for a sale price of $3000 USD.
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Stepping from $3800 USD MSRP for the Gen 1 to an even $4000 for a Gen 2 model is not a monumental leap in simple terms (about 5% increase). It may be appropriate for pending features and in consideration of related inflation.
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That said, and in light of similar comments when these smart bikes debuted years ago proclaimed “No one will buy them…” were wrong then, I predict similar claims to be proven wrong here too. I get it, stuff is expensive these days… but we see people forking over big money for new bikes at these elevated prices and it’s likely that some will do the same for these next gen smart bikes. Pros/Cons and value is in the beholder’s eyes (and pocketbook) of course
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It’s a limited market at that price point.
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Sure, but it ain’t zero.
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They can have whatever list price they like, but they are actually selling them now at USD$3k, adding wifi doesn’t add USD$1k to the price you are paying at the till.
At that USD price they’ll be retailling at ~ €4.5k (indeed could be nearer €5k depending on how their FX/Shipping etc is setup) I just don’t see a large enough market at that price point.
I’m kinda in the market myself to move to a smart bike from my OG Neo. Smart bike is interesting at ~ €2.5k - €2.7k which is obviously less than the current euro pricing for Kickr, but around Neo bike price. Like most cyclists I’ve spent stupid money on bikes and bike stuff over the years. Personally, I don’t see the value if it’s being sold at €4.5k
Bike companies have lost the run of themselves on pricing in the last few years, where a top end bike is as expensive as a top end motorbike. We’ve all seen this year cycle events and races number drop way down on previous years. Zwift also saw growth slow a bit this year. You have to question the market size and appetite for the pricing now been looked for and whether there is a cliff fast approaching. Now Wahoo have undoubtedly got far more intelligent people on their payroll than I, setting the prices. But there comes a point, as some in the industry have already found to their cost, when customers just say no thanks.
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