Perhaps I’m missing something but what’s the seat tube angle and seatpost offset? I don’t think I can find it anywhere but as they are fixed it’d be good to know.
But it seems to be a package deal, so sticking a pulley on the Core would seem to be no big deal.
One thing that gets me is why make it a ‘strap on bike’ for the Core, and not sell it separately, Is it a ‘universal’ bike that others could use on their own (non-Wahoo) trainer? It seems like this product, perhaps, wasn’t fully thought out? People are going to be looking at this component of the announcement and wonder why it’s tied to the Core. (I do)
It could be the first (name brand) trainer specific bike FRAME system sold in the US. An interesting idea. I’ve heard of riders that have purchased naked frames and have built their own ‘Ride’ frame… And also bought a lower end full bike for trainer use exclusively.
It’s an interesting product, the devil is in the details. Will they sell it by itself. Is there a frame/Ride tie in that would stop it from being used on, say, a Tacx 2T?
How is seat fore / aft adjustment done? I can’t tell from the pictures / videos I’ve seen
So should they make 2 sizes, one for smaller riders, and one for average riders (this current size)?
@Deleteme I believe multiple reviewers have stated that it will be available as a standalone frame in future and it should work with other trainers.
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The more I think on it, the use of a chain is ridiculous!
How many wheel off trainers use a chain inside? None?
Using a chain on the ‘Ride’ seems hopelessly neanderthal. They don’t NEED a chain, NOTHING is being mechanically shifted. Throw a pulley on a Core, and they solve the question on ‘will it work with other brand trainers’; not without a pulley…
Doing belt drive just makes absolutely undeniable perfect sense. Using a chain is just ‘stone age’… (But maybe they have a ‘Ride Pro’/‘Pro Ride’ for the future that uses belt drive?)
No bueno…but thanks still…
I’m surprised this isn’t mentioned clearly as it’s quite an important piece of information…
I’m not sure but to me this is quite the deal breaker…
Correct me if I’m wrong but the offseat and seat angle on the Kickr bike are effectively zero and one can just move its position over the bb as he/she pleases?
With the tackx bike instead you can adjust the offset (not sure about seat angle either in that case)
That is likely coming shortly…see DC Rainmaker’s video. As I posted above, my guess is that Wahoo has a period of exclusivity for the introduction.
It is in Zwift’s interest to have the frame compatible with as many trainer brands as possible, but they needed a launch partner. So they probably gave Wahoo an exclusive for a set period of time, after which they will let other trainer suppliers in on the action.
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You can adjust the angle and offset, not the same way the Kickr bike can, but you get the same idea…
That would make some sense. Doing the same thing for multiple brands at once would be a tough act to arrange. Before I went smart bike, I had considered going the bare frame route and doing a bare bones ‘ride’ trainer bike. But some frames are so expensive, just going smart bike was just a no-brainer…
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- Yes (as covered in the reviews), Zwift plans to sell the “frame-only” option in the future.
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At present, the lack of Virtual Shifting support for other trainers/apps means that the Zwift Ride Frame could only be used in ERG mode since there is no physical shifting for gearing.
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But the comments (and hints I got from elsewhere) point to the current state not being the end state. More to come… zoon?
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Belt related background info from Ray: (2nd paragraph)
- I assume you mean “smart bikes” since those all use belts AFAIK.
- All wheel-off trainers (like the Kickr Core) use regular cassettes and chains.
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Thanks. I’m watching his video, and I see a couple no’s for me. Steel frame? No. Chain? No. Crank length? No. Seat offset? No.
But it is an interesting first version. Cool idea…
What I was thinking, and should have mentioned is: how many use a chain INSIDE the trainer or smart bike. Even the cheap Peloton uses a belt. Belts don’t give the rider the usual sounds of a bike, but using a chain adds drama over time for people that sweat a lot as the chain freezes and needs to be replaced. Magic coating or not, that thing is going to get sweat on it, and it’ll end up needing to be replaced. It’s just physics and metallurgy. Still, an interesting product for some people…
I wonder if other manufacturers/brands will release their own ‘bikes’ like this. Hmm…
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OK, that makes sense (internal = key).
- I think it is a near 100% probability. I see this as the basic way forward (modular bike/trainer) and “smart bikes” will become even more rare than they already are.
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Honestly, I’m not surprised by the lack of a belt. We looked at it back in the day for our cruisers but opted out of it. Belts are really difficult to do well and a challenge from an engineering standpoint.
Things have improved substantially over the years, along with durability, but I would imagine there are some unique challenges when trying to use a belt on an indoor trainer. Besides sudden spikes in power, there is also a loss of efficiency, so how does that factor into the game? Are those people permanently penalized or do you create an algorithm to eliminate the loss in efficiency? How does that algorithm chabge across power zones and duration, etc.
And finally, there is the cost increase to moving to a belt. They aren’t cheap (especially when compared to a chain).
Chains may be “old” technology but there is a reason they are still used today…they remain the most efficient method of transferring power on a bicycle.
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I get it, but THE big reason I got the Neo Smart was it’s all ‘drama free’, meaning I don’t have nearly as much maintenance. No chain, no headset, no bearings (aside of the BB), no cables and very little noise.
So they use a chain, AND a tensioner. With a belt you would need a tensioner too.
Whatever… They chose a chain, and it works. But since it doesn’t physically ‘shift’, there was no requirement that it be a physical metal extra maintenance item like a chain. I think it would have added to the ‘exotic look’ of it if they had used a belt. Made it more ‘high tech’, more stylish, and quieter. Maybe the ‘Pro’ version…
One thing is sure, they needed something between the crank and Core. It just would have been more elegant with a belt. 
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Sometimes it’s better and more profitable to ship good enough instead of ideal.
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This in spades. This is a V1 product that Zwift (and probably Wahoo) needed to get out into the market to actually determine viability as a product category. If this does well, then I can easily see the future introduction of a V2 product, or a Frame+, that uses a belt and introduces compatibility with the Kickr Climb.
If this takes off, then I see the demise of smart bikes as a product category replaced by wheel off trainers + dedicated trainer frames. Plus ideally moving the virtual shifting control from apps (e.g., Zwift) to the trainer, similar to how Smart Bikes work today. If I was a trainer manufacturer, I would want virtual shifting to be a trainer feature, and not be dependent upon app developers to have to implement this functionality. Plus as @DCRainmaker said, having this functionality be part of the app can lead to glitchiness based upon the hardware (Apple TV in DCRainmaker’s case) being used.
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Honestly, the category is likely already dead. Too pricey, too heavy and too many trade offs.
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