Hmmm, I missed out on the Kickr bike sale from Wahoo earlier this summer. Perhaps there will be more sales coming to get rid of current stock?
Presumably, if they have enough stock on hand that isnāt possible or practical to convert up to the new V2. As of yesterday, they had been selling the V1 at $3000 USD right from their site.
Perhaps some searching at retailer locations can yield similar deals as of today on remaining stock outside of Wahooās hands?
ETA: Just a couple pulled from Google that are at the $3k price:
Iām really curious what updates they did to the Kickr bike besides the obvious inclusion of WiFi & Direct Connect - though itās a little crazy Direct Connect still needs the dongle
- Answers from the Zwift Insider article linked above:
Items in bold are new features/upgrades from the previous gen 1 model:
- WiFi connectivity
- ERG Easy Ramp
- Odometer
- Direct Connect capability
- MSRP: $3999 USD (increased from $3499 USD)
- Ā£3,499.99 GBP, ā¬3,999.99 EURO, $5,299.99 CAD, $6,299.95 AUD, Ā„495,000 JPN
- Maximum Wattage: 2500W (increased from 2200W)
In addition to the list above, we spoke with Tyler about two other issues in the original KICKR Bike which have been addressed in the new model:
- Motor redesign: resonant frequency noises in the 68-72 rpm range have been addressed
- Seat and handlebar height adjusting: steering tube and seat tube tolerances have been tightened and quick release bushings improved in order to address the issue of people breaking quick release skewers while trying to tighten down their handlebars and seat.
Also Kicker V6
Just a small FYI from Ray about a pending DCR review of the V2 Bike:
Oh, and on the bike ā the shipment was properly untangled this afternoon, and is now showing for delivery on Thursday. Iāll start giving it a whirl, but I suspect itāll be a few weeks for a final review.
I had a quick-list of fixes/changes post I started and was trying to get out today, but this week is a bit bonkers in terms of new stuff and that list hasnāt quite made it off my laptop yet.
So no increase in movement like a built in wobble board for that much money?
No, they have not apparently added any motion other than the existing Climb tilt. I do seem to remember some discussion long ago when V1 was released, about people detecting some lateral angle motion as a result of the connection at the lower end of the bike pivot. I was never certain if this was designed and intended, residual deflection/slop from the parts involved or something else.
To top it off, most people install these on some form of trainer mat or even carpeted floor. If that motion is anything like the minimal motion of the Kickr Axis feet, those other conditions likely mask any movement in the bike itself.
Disappointed but not surprised by this iterative update. Was hoping that the prospect of competition from things like Muoverti would spur the 2nd gen bikes form Wahoo or Stages to add some type of movement. More of my time spent demoing smart bikes was spent on the SB20 than the KICKR bike but my biggest impression was how unnatural it felt to ride since the thing is built like a tank and doesnāt give an inch.
While I wouldnāt say that motion platform / rocker plate designs have revolutionized my indoor riding Iām still not keen on going back to something static.
Iām struggling to understand V2. I love V1 - use it four or five times a week. Great product. āUpgradesā now seem to be:
- WiFi - why? It already connects with Bluetooth. What does WiFi possibly add?
- erg ramp - no idea what this is - canāt be something Iām obviously missing
- odometer - I have Strava. Itās free.
I admit I havenāt looked closely at this so maybe thereās some other upgrades, quality improvements, etc. but if I didnāt already have one and I was in the market for one now Iād be trying to get a V1.
- I moved your post directly under the V2 topic, that has plenty of useful links and data to review, and fill in the blanks for you info.
- This quick copy/paste from article captures some good info.
- Great that you donāt have connection issues, but plenty of users have data dropouts from the interference in their particular area. The ability to use either WiFi or the wired Direct Connection may well solve connection issues for users.
- Helps make it way easier to get up to power with an easier start if/when you get interrupted or restart an interval after coasting to a stop when in ERG workouts.
- This can work, but it is not directly connected to your device. Presumably, someone with the Wahoo app can connect to a tracked bike or Kickr, and see the actual āmileageā of that device. It precludes the need for you to provide that data. Not to mention, that depending on the number of users for a device, Strava data could be lacking and incomplete to the pure data recorded on the device.
All fair enough - guess Iām lucky - no drop-outs, nobody else using my Kickr and never stop during a work out
My understanding is the Erg Easy Ramp will be rolled down the V1 soon, so thatās not even technically a āplusā for the V2 (according to that CyclingTips article).
Odometer is neat, tho. Especially for those purchasing used or for those who use one bike for multiple people (like me and my wife).
Iām not personally bugged by the 70-rpm resonance (still much quieter than my 2012 Kickr), but Iām glad they worked it out on the V2. This is THE premium trainer⦠it shouldnāt have those small issues.
Lastly, I donāt think most of us V1 owners are the main target audience for the V2⦠could be wrong about that though.
I think youāre right - they donāt seem to be suggesting that you roll your V1 for a V2, so itās just some upgrades for new buyers. I think though if I was in the market afresh and I could get a good discount on a V1 Iād go for that over the list price V2 as the differences arenāt great enough. I hadnāt noticed the resonance at 70 but I rarely pedal at that rate so maybe thatās why.
V1 is now down to $2600 on their site, but I still donāt know whether itās worth it over a regular bike/trainer/rocker plate combo. Not many reviews out there for how V1 has held up after a year or two of day to day use.
Iāve had mine since January 2021. During the winter-ish months it gets used 4-5x a weeks and during the summer-ish months it gets used 2-3x a week.
Iād definitely buy it again. Especially at the price you can get the V1 for now
Would you buy again if you have a new smart trainer? What makes it worth it in your opinion?
I know that if I had space and budget for the Kickr bike Iād get that immediately.
For once Iād have a permanent dedicated indoor setup around.
Second even finding an āoldā bike to put on a trainer is rather hard actually with all the constraints then you might have in terms of different riding position.
Finally even if you had an old bike my feeling is that with the kickr bike the experience might be much more immersive.
So yeah, I was very sceptical when I first saw these bikes but now Iād get them immediately I think.
I was coming from an Elite Direto with a homemade rocker plate which I had for maybe 3 years?
I got āannoyedā always having to pull my bike on and off the trainer. While it doesnāt take too long, time is tight for me in the morning so I wanted both my indoor setup and outdoor setup to be ready to go at any given time. So what I decided to do was build up a bike grabbing cheap used parts and a used frame. I used that for about a year. It worked well. The downside was I still had to lube the chain every once in a while and there was still the potential it would make a mess inside my house. And I still wondered if all the sweating would damage the bike (in case I wanted to ride it outside or sell it).
Anyway, I picked up a couple extra shifts at work and this had some extra money so I decided to just dive in. I sold the direto and the bike I had on it and the rocker plate which was able to recoup a decent amount to put towards the kickr bike. The big selling points for going to it were the ability to play with my fit, not having maintenance and cleaning issues, that my wife could potentially use it too, and the climb seemed like a fun feature.
I spend a lot of time riding indoors since Iām riding before 5am most weekdays and sometimes am alone with my kid on weekends. So I figure I might as well go āall inā to make the indoor riding as enjoyable as possible.
The ability to play around with the fit is great, the climb is fun (Iāll do different inclines during TR intervals to practice different positions). Itās smooth and easy to clean and take care of. 18 months later and my wife has yet to try itā¦even though I put a 42ā tv in front of it