Wahoo Kickr Core one or Kickr Core

Equipment
1

What do you recommend and why? I’ve done some research and am still confused about when I’d want one over the other. I’m under the impression CORE is best if I plan to use TR and “sometimes” Zwift. CORE ONE is if I plan to mostly use ZWIFT…

2

  • Yup. That’s because the single cog requires the Zwift-Wahoo Virtual Shifting for anything other than doing ERG workouts. And since that virtual shifting is restricted to Zwift at this time, it’s not the most long range minded option if you ever think you want to head in a different direction the single cog is limiting.

  • All that said, it’s super easy to just buy or use an existing cassette and swap that onto the trainer in place of the single cog. So choosing to get the ONE and access to the virtual shifting is a fine direction.

  • The biggest reason the single cog has as a benefit is sharing multiple bikes on that trainer that have different gearing and drivetrains. So if you swap bikes and/or users with different stuff, this is a nice option.

1 Like
3

Ah, makes a little more sense now. My goal is (90%) of the time to not use zwift and either put my gravel or MTB rig on there and do TR or TP workouts.

4

They’re the same trainer.

The Core One comes with a single cog and the remote control.

The Core comes with an 11-speed cassette.

The freehub is the same and will take an HG-style cassette. Take a minute to change, if you have a chain whip and FH wrench.

I went with a One. Because my main trainer bike is a single-speed and my other bikes are all 12-speed. If I bought the regular Core, I’d have to swap cassettes.

It’s pretty silly they don’t sell with a 12-speed option. Or a “no cassette, save $20” option.

5

Thanks… I’m actually finding the Core is avail with no cassette option (REI and such) and save $100 over Wahoo direct with cassette.

6

As said above, if you get the Core One, you are tied to Zwift. Or at least, right now, you can only use Zwift to adjust the trainer’s virtual gearing. Will Wahoo add that functionality to their app or their head units? Dunno, not impossible, but not sure they have the commercial incentive to.

If you get the Core and you later decide to, uh, defect to Zwift - I am not advocating this - you can buy the Zwift Click kit. It says it’s only for the old JetBlack trainer version that they sold and discontinued. That’s not strictly true, you can take the spacers and cog off and put it on the Core’s freehub. And Zwift might decide to sell retrofit kits for the Core and/or other Wahoo trainers later.

1 Like
7

Thanks… Your reply is crucial. while I’d love the ability to just throw on ANY bike and not change my cassette, the fact that I’l have to use zwift to shift is a deal breaker. I’ll rarely use zwift (or at least I think so :wink: ) I will mostly be doing custom Training Peaks and Trainer Road workouts.

8

If you’re doing prescribed workouts from TP and TR on a smart trainer, you won’t be shifting because you’ll be in erg more - the app will set your power, gear selection doesn’t matter.

2 Likes
9

Right this is how I do it. I have the core one and never need to shift because I’m following the TR prescribed workout. Sometimes I run Zwift in the background simultaneously (with the resistance disconnected) and sometimes I just run TR alone.

But bottom line is I always do the prescribed workout from TR with the trainer in Erg mode and it’s great.

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10

Great points. In this regard, neither system matters as they’d behave the same, right?

11

Yep.