Wahoo Kickr Steer & Race Mode


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I don’t know how i actually steer but on a real bike I never steer to steer…

Sure, this isn’t about “simulation”, it’s about “game play”. Different implementations for different goals. These devices are aimed at working with the static nature of the most common setups that people have. I will try to test their RGT app with my E-Flex setup to see how it compares to the testing I did with the original phone bases steering I used in Zwift. I’m guessing it will “work” but suffer from the same response lag, but simple enough to test.

I need to get around to shooting some video, but I made what is an attempt at a proper “lean to steer” setup. I hacked my Elite Sterzo Smart with some Legos and attached it to my E-Flex. It uses the normal lean action of the motion platform connected to the Sterzo guts. I lean for lane changes in normal riding.
I can also select directions at intersections with more lean towards the limits of travel. It all works well and blends into general interactivity. It’s fun to work on drafting riders as well as steering through corners via wide entry to apex and wide exit.

Shouldn’t it be the Kickr Str?

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Considering how simple this new Steer device is, I wonder how long until someone throws a setup together in CAD and then offers it up for 3D printers? At the full $100 price, it’s pretty damn expensive for what it really is. I could probably hack a DIY in wood as well for practically nothing.

I think Wahoo would welcome that. The point is the concept of how it works in the game and the mount accessory is just a way to make things easy. I feel pretty confident they would love a robust ecosystem of accessory choices.

Just one extra point of data that I’m seeing incorrectly pointed out in some places. The phone mount works just fine with Zwift. I would even venture to say it works better than the Sterzo. The only problem is that Zwift only allows steering with a phone, without an extra accessory, on the single mountain bike route. So the Zwift software will only offer to let you steer with your phone in that one spot. I’d call that a Zwift issue, not an accessory issue.

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I could be out of the loop as I don’t have any sort of steering mechanism in my setup so I don’t keep up with it, but I thought this wasn’t the case anymore and steering was wide open and not limited to select locations/events now?

That is definitely not the case. It’s only available on events if the organizer allows it. It is available while free riding but only if you have a device (basically the Sterzo/Rizer or others that I forgot) that pairs with Zwift so that it knows you have steering. It won’t just offer to let you steer with your phone.

I tried to test if I could get the Wahoo Steer to work with a steering enabled race but I couldn’t. Or I didn’t find a steering enabled race. It was hard to tell what the issue actually was but again, that’s a Zwift issue not a Wahoo issue.

The one place I could get Zwift to let me steer using their app and a phone was the mountain bike test track. When you start it asks if you’d like to enable steering. Once that happens, the Steer was a joy to use although you do have to put your phone the opposite way of the tray. It still worked well though.

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That is my understanding as well. Additional devices are the JetBlack wheel support / turntable, along with smart bikes that have “steering” buttons. For sure this works on the Wahoo Kickr Bike, and I think that includes the others like the Stages, Neo and Wattbike, but am not 100% certain on all of those.

That’s right. I forgot about the Jetblack and the Kickr Bike but those both offer steering as well. The Tacx Neo Bike Plus does not allow steering with the buttons and I don’t think the first gen does either.

Regardless though, it is all 100% a Zwift issue. Zwift has to allow the steering and if they do, it will work with the Wahoo Steer as well as the Garmin bike.

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This was released and available to buy from their web site last friday, why so long before reviews? Or should I not base release dates on facebook posts to bike clubs local to Atlanta where Wahoo employees might be members?

Because Wahoo broke their own embargo by sending a consumer email offer before anyone was allowed to talk about it.

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This is cool… but let me know when you can crash and take out the peloton in a zwift race. :smile:

Last I remember, CADESport has some actual crashing related to steering. Might have only impacted you as the rider, but I have not spent more than 5 minutes researching that app lately.

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It was posted publicly on their web site on Friday is where I’m confused

The explanation is that it was only available if you were a subscriber and got their email then followed the link. Obviously that’s not high security but they asked that it not be reviewed until today.

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Racemode confuses me. Ant+ currently sends new data every 8182/32768 seconds
(approximately 4.00 Hz) so why can’t devices use that update frequency? Sure, some ant packets may be lost but you can still get updates more often than once a second.

@mcneese.chad I have one and the handlebar mount is aluminum and can be used with either a Garmin or Wahoo bike computer so there is some value beyond the steering platform.

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True, good point on the dual purpose nature. I have a dedicated indoor bike setup, so it’s of less benefit in that light for me.