Popular indoor cycling technology brand Wahoo today announced two new products.
These come in the form of the Kickr Move turbo trainer and Kickr Bike Shift smart bike, each with opposing approaches.
The Kickr Move sits atop the Kickr V6, the top of Wahoo’s Kickr smart turbo trainer series, and features new motion features aimed at creating a more natural ride and improving user comfort. . The price will be $1,599.99 / £1,399.99 / €1,599.99.
The Kickr Bike Shift sits below the Wahoo Kickr Bike V2, which was released last year. It simplifies some features, removes the tilt feature that perfectly mimics the Kickr Climb, and costs $2,999.99 USD / £2,699.99 / €2,999.99.
Both will be available for purchase at Wahoo Fitness soon.
wahoo kick move
The big deal about the Kickr Move is the 8-inch “gravity track” that the main turbo trainer hardware is attached to. This is basically a very shallow U-shaped curved track with a set of wheels on the inside that holds the top of the trainer and slides the trainer back and forth.
The shape of the track also allows for a small amount of side-to-side movement, complementing the 5 degrees of movement already offered by the Kickr Axial Feet, which first appeared on the Kickr V5. According to Wahoo, this allows you to move freely on the bike during your workout, reducing fatigue and increasing overall efficiency.
The sliding track can also be locked via a large rocker switch located in the middle of the three legs of the trainer. This is said to make transportation and initial bike installation easier.
To pair the new trainer with the Kickr Climb, you’ll need an additional hardware adapter that allows the Climb to mimic the same back-and-forth movements. The price will be $49.99. It won’t be offered on either Move or Climb, but a Wahoo spokesperson said: cycling news For those who have previously purchased Climb, a bundle deal will be available to offset the additional cost.
Other than the rolling track, the rest of the specs are largely unchanged from the 2022 Kickr V6. This means you benefit from the same Bluetooth, ANT+, WiFi connectivity, and direct wired connectivity available from the Kickr Direct Connect accessory.
It boasts output accuracy within 1%, a maximum resistance of 2,200 watts, and a simulated slope range of -10% to 20%.
It also maintains the ERG Easy Ramp feature, which allows you to easily return to a hard interval if you stop in the middle. Race mode was introduced in Kickr V6 and uses your WiFi connection to measure power up to 10x more often than before, maximizing the responsiveness of your in-game avatar.
Shipped with an 11-speed SunRace 11-28T cassette. Even though all of the major groupset manufacturers now offer 12-speed groupset options, Wahoo has conducted research and found that 11-speed is still the preferred option among its user base. It states that
Naturally, the weight of the new model has increased given the additional hardware. Weighing in at 64 lbs/29 kg, it’s 17 lbs/7 kg heavier than its predecessor. It is also larger in size, longer front to back to allow for the sliding track, and approximately 5 cm wider when the legs are spread to improve stability for the added weight.
Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift
The Kickr Bike Shift is a more affordable smart bike product that sits below the Kickr Bike V2. It’s built around a similar three-legged triangular base and monotube frame design, but it’s made of steel instead of aluminum found in more expensive models. The frame’s main horizontal tube, which acts like a standard bike’s top tube, was made thinner due to complaints from Kickr Bike owners.
The overall weight is 2kg lighter, for a total of 40kg. It is belt-driven, provides 2200 watts of resistance with an electromagnetic brake, and power measurement accuracy is claimed to be within 1%.
WiFi connectivity is also available in addition to the more common Bluetooth and ANT+, and an Ethernet port for Direct Connect cables, but there’s nevertheless no Race Mode option.
It offers the same 5-point fit adjustment as its stablemate, with 5 crank lengths and an app-based setup system. This allows you to input data from a professional bike fitter and output the correct measurements at each point (handlebar reach, saddle setback, saddle height, etc.). You can also calculate the same measurements just by using a photo of your bike.
It differs from the Kickr Bike V2 in several ways. The biggest feature is that there is no tilt function. While more expensive bikes lean to mimic gradients of -15% to 20%, the Kickr Bike Shift model stays in place.
It also lacks the inertia of a motor drive and the downhill feature that drives the flywheel when your in-game avatar starts pedaling, mimicking reality while descending. The LED display on the handlebars that shows the current gear selection has also been removed, as has the haptic feedback on shifts that produced a clicking sound in the bike’s resistance each time you shifted to simulate a gear change. I did.
The shifter itself remains similar to the brake lever, and the buttons are fully configurable to mimic Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo functionality.
Similar to the Kickr Move above, the ERG Easy Ramp also appears here, making it easier to restart high-output intervals if you stop midway through.
Price and availability
Both Kickr Move and Kickr Bike Shift will be available for purchase at launch.
Kickr Move is priced at USD 1,599.99 / GBP 1,399.99 / EUR 1,599.99.
The Kickr Bike Shift is priced at USD 2,999.99 / GBP 2,699.99 / EUR 2,999.99 and will begin shipping in late September.
If you need a base adapter for the Kickr Climb to pair with the Kickr Move, it will set you back $49.99 USD / £44.99 / €49.99. We’ve heard that bundle deals will be available, and these are also expected to start shipping in late September.
Cyclingnews received both units for testing and plans to publish a review within the next few days.