I know there have been other versions of this post (now long dead) so I thought it was worth re-asking the perennial question: What are the best options for dedicated smart bikes in 2026?
I am looking for something adjustable between a ‘true’ 5’0" and 6’0" for two users. My partner and I use different groupset brands so swapping on our shared Kickr is getting old fast.
The obvious choice would be the Zwift Ride, but Zwift is a bit misleading about the sizing (it’s realistically for more like 5’2"+) and as usual the internet is full of people who have had negative experiences with literally every option out there. So I guess I’m more interested in allowing positive reviews to come through here - what is working well, best warranties if it comes to it, etc?
Current contenders:
Wattbike Proton: I asked Ray @ DCR about this and he was good enough to respond to me but suggested that it was overpriced for what is essentially older tech in a new shell. I’m in the UK so pricing is probably better here than anywhere else and they offer priced repairs (not cheap but at least there are options!). Probably offers the most adjustability but I’ve heard mixed things about weird vibrations through pedals and issues with Zwift gearing indicators (I sometimes dabble in Zwift when my seasonal riding friends go back indoors but mainly use TR throughout the year, so not a huge negative).
Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift: price is OK, and glowing testimonials from vtuber/fit-fluencer types but but loads and loads of negative reviews about the flywheel/cranks/you name it with many seemingly on 3rd or 4th replacements. I know that you only tend to read negative reviews online so keen to see if anyone is having luck with this.
Wahoo Kickr Bike Pro: Holy price point, Batman! This one is a big ticket item. I can’t find as much on this compared to V1/V2 with their well-documented issues but keen to see if it’s worth the ££££.
Tacx Bike Neo: Cheap now because the Plus is out, but not as adjustable (cranks from 170mm+, etc). Mixed reviews as to reliability and accuracy. Edit: may not be adjustable enough for a 5’0" rider.
As you can see from the above it’s proving to be a real headache to know how to spend what is relatively a lot of money, and it’s a shame we don’t have space for two Kickrs or I’d just do that! haha!
Don’t let me be the majority statement on this, but i’ve heard more bad than good about the Wahoo bike specifically because of its construction. There are chances its improved. Their customer service is otherworldly, but having to replace things is always inferior to having them work well the first time.
Your last statement is the bit that makes this hard. I wanted to us recommend a second Kickr and call it a day!
For sure, if I had the room I’d do that without hesitation. I know that with the Kickr Bike Shift and Pro they’ve tried to iron out a lot of the issues from V1/V2 (despite the other issues present with the Shift, which seem to do with the different flywheel and the price point). I am just curious to have it confirmed really as the Pro is so much more money!
I’ve had a NeoBike since they first came out (original serial # was less than 50). I’ve had 3 warranty replacements in that time, all handled very smoothly–Garmin customer service has been excellent. Current one has been fine for almost 4 years, just replaced the belt once. Consistently 10-15 hours/week, with up to 5 users–I think my daughter was 5’4 when she started, but the adult users are 5’11, 6’2", 6’4", and 6’8", and no issues with adjustments. My wife uses a different saddle, so we bought a second rail and that’s easy to swap. Changing virtual gearing has been easy. I have it on a Rockr Axis for fore-aft and side-side movement and that has worked very well.
I’m not crazy about the shifter buttons, and, although it’s easy to adjust, the marks are fairly far apart (we end up using different colored electrical tape for specific users). I had hopes that the Elite Square would be a viable solution when this one finally goes, but at least for now that doesn’t seem to be an option in the US.
I was sceptical about the Zwift ride, the old bikes my wife and I were using on the trainer (TacxNeo 2T) were coming up to end of life. I really like my trainer, so opted for the Zwift ride, it is built like a tank and the virtual shifting in all honesty is great (on Zwift)
Mt wife is 5ft 2 and she has the saddle on the ‘C’ height (goes as low as 'A) if you are worried then you could maybe try do go to a bike shop that has one set up.
Still ride my Kickr Bike Shift for training, bought in Dec 23 (15k km based on Strava). Only issues I had so far:
The original seatpost kept slipping - cheap round post and a better, cheap seatpost clamp fixed those.
the left crank keeps getting loose. Retightening the retention screw fixes that for a few months at a time.
this winter the BB gave in. Replacing it was a bit of a pain, but the Shimano one I used to replace the cheap OEM one with will likely last for all the time the bike has left
Overall still a solid equipment. Data is accurate, nothing important failed so far and it suits my life as I don’t want to put my bike in and out of the trainer every other day. Having a well fitting second bike and a regular trainer would work just as well, but during the corona bike craze the bike was cheaper.
I’ve had a Kickr Bike since 2020 without issues. For me, the convenience of not having to haul a bike into the house and being able to easily swap settings between my wife and I is worth the price. Theres no maintenance or mess.
Can I add another option to your list: how about a dedicated frame for bike training (≠ old bike) like Caveworks’ Rivet or Elite’s Square? I’m seriously considering getting a Rivet. You could combine it with any trainer. The Rivet takes standard bike parts with the (sensible) exception of the stem (as it comes with an adjustable stem).
You’d avoid a lot of problems:
Shipping is a major PITA. All smart bikes have had issues early on, and sending them in for repair is a major hassle as they are too heavy for standard shipping. Just lifting the box is hard.
It makes sense to separate the electronic bits from the “dumb” bits. You can attach the Rivet to any smart trainer. Should your break or you want to upgrade for any reason, you can.
Around a year ago, I moved away from a Garmin Neo Bike to a Caveworks Rivet frame paired with a Wahoo Kickr V6. While the Neo Bike generally worked well, I wanted to lessen my dependance on a single manufacturer for parts and support and move to an open platform without proprietary parts.
I couldn’t be happier with this setup, and there is peace of mind knowing that I can swap the trainer, drivetrain, or cockpit components at will. Virtual shifting has removed another barrier and works well with the Zwift Clicks. The Rivet - Kickr combo is also lighter than the Neo Bike which helps on the rocker plate.
Dang, someone actually bought one. Square is interesting for belt drive but expensive for what it is.
A couple other options:
-Cycplus T7 getting decent reviews so far, I don’t love the motor-resistance units I’ve tried but worth a look if you don’t mind the feel.
-SmartSpin2k plus whatever spin bike. Quite possibly cheap enough to be effectively disposable (I semi-frequently see used friction-braked flywheel spin bikes offered for free).
-Stages is lightly teasing a re-entry into the smart bike/trainer world and I’ve heard enough good things about the SB20 hardware that I’m at least curious.
One question: virtual shifting only works in Zwift, though, not in TR, correct? I would love to simply move to virtual shifting as that would make maintenance much simpler, but I solely use TR.
In general, it seems you are happy with the Rivet and it works as advertised, correct?
My bike fitter has one - they’re pretty cool but power felt a bit weird. It’s a great option if you have loads and loads of bikes coming through a studio though for testing/setup purposes.
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve had another look and my partner’s saddle is 590mm (centre BB to top) so the Tacx info reads as though it might not go low enough, whereas the Wahoo etc etc do go down to 5’0". A shame as this is at a good price point right now!
I did a bunch of research on the Zwift facebook groups etc and there’s one person who is the exact height of my partner; they ended up being given the adjustable crank for free by Zwift and it still wasn’t enough adjustment using the shortest arm length. (They’ve actually now 3D printed a cleat that adds enough stack which got reviewed on GCN’s Hack/Bodge segment). Unfortunately (and this is my major criticism of the Zwift Frame) there isn’t anywhere in SW England that stocks/has one to try out! @Norry1 this also in reply to you as you’d chipped in on the Ride frame.
Thanks for the feedback (also @Lightning_McQueen for your input) - DCR also suggested he and his wife use cheap round seatposts, which we’d probably look into for saddle swapping. Have you tried threadlocker (‘blue’/non-permanent) on the crank? Have you contacted support about this etc?
Unfortunately shipping to the UK is nearly £300 from Caveworks and it’s definitely going to attract the VAT+duties+handling fees etc, but yes I think if I lived in the US this would be a no-brainer for removing as many points of failure as possible! The Square I was interested in but I saw that there are currently a lot of bugs being fixed so I’d intended to come back and look at this again if anyone does a follow-on review. Like the Caveworks, makes sense and it’s highly adjustable, but I just need to know that Elite support is going to actually stand behind this one as they have, uh, a mixed record.