One consequence of the open design is that inquisitive pets or children, as well as sweaty towels, can easily come into contact with the flywheel. But, if its the same crap design, I will conintue to use my own. If so, do you know when its due to have a 2020 model? Do you have any comparison data to share by chance (side by side with Vector)? Ensure that the number of speeds matches your bike (e.g. Image attached to better explain what IM trying to achieve. Power data were about 8 % too high in average, up to +25 W at 250 W. No way Ill keep that unit. Again you can see some transient droppages occurring here for both the SRM and Stages power meters for a second or two each. With the last Kickr (excluding the CORE) being release back in 2018, do you think we can we expect a new Kickr 2020 to be released in the near future? Ive now had 3 Cores in the last couple of years that have all failed. I regularly change my race wheel between an 11-28 and a 12-25 without problems depending on whether I expect to see significant undulations or a flat course, for example (because I know the chain and derailleur were originally set for an 11-28). I have the Wahoo Core. slight move on the legs/no calibration anymore. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering What does Ray use when not testing new products?. Yesterday the Core and the freehub body arrived and today I tried to put it together. All is fine now resistance wise. What I cant do is assess how the Core now stands up to other products in the 800-1100 range. So my Kickr Core gets replaced. Another tip would be to remember the initial position of the ring so after mounting your wheel you can easily go back to previous setting. They were extremely confident in the product and agreed that taking off a jacket should not cause a failure. Its listed on the Wahoo website.It concerns the chainstay not clearing the trainer. Love it compared to my old Kurt Kintetic Road Machine. Its still performance-oriented but cant quite keep up with the maximum simulated powers and gradients of the best smart trainers on the market. What would you suggest to get? I guess I am a little disappointed if this is what it is supposed to be like, given these things arent cheap, it is advertised as being silent and I didnt get this issue with my old trainer. However, on the second half of that, the KICKR CORE overshoots a fair bit about 80w or so for one second, and then backs down to just barely 40w or so overages. You'll likely only use this tool once every 2-3 years. Hopefully you found this review useful. Elite Direto X | Elite Nero | Relaxdays Rollentrainer | Tacx NEO 2T Smart | Tacx Satori Smart | Wahoo KICKR BIKE | Wahoo KICKR CORE. Max. 2020 Core S/N 40201801240 My current unit no warranty added working smooth and perfect but for how long? Required fields are marked.If you would like a profile picture, simply register at Gravatar, which works here on DCR and across the web. Last I looked, I think it was within cooee of my power meter, but I dont know for certain its not something I worry about, since its not a figure I record. I dont see any difference with my first core (okt 2018) and quite shocked that the problems on the core went on and on. * I asked if the replacement Kickr Core would come with a return shipping label. I know it far too late, but I use my Kickr in an unheated garage and see the garage door being opened in winter as a cooling perk. has dropped by 20%. They will prepare a return label and as soon as they received it replacement unit will be send. Increasing levels of ticking sound from inside the flywheel in late July-20. The Wahoo KICKR CORE follows the industry norms as youd expect from most trainers these days. Similar to the Tacx NEO 2T Smart, the noise produced by the KICKR CORE stems mainly from your chain, as the bike trainer itself is hardly audible. Theyre saying they replied that last week after his e-mail. Ray- How many complaints have you had on the reliability of the Kickr Core? Note that after this review originally published, Wahoo released a firmware update to include cadence data within the existing ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart channels. They asked for the shipping address and I gave it to them. Ray, perhaps you can assist me and confirm what I am seeing on my Kickr Core. I have contacted Wahoo but they dont know when theyll be able to ship one outand I cant get them to tell me the size either. Distance and time was reasonable, but cadence and power was only showing some data points maybe only, when the app was active (and not Netflix)? Compatibility: 130/135 QR, 12142 & 12148 Thru-Axle Digital & free: First review: New Cervlo S5 Ultegra Di2 2023 The greatest aero bike of all First review: Vittoria Corsa N.EXT TLR The next level of tire technology? Wattage is not hard-set, only incline levels. Im using a normal trainer with Vector 3 pedals but I really want to go smart and get erg mode. In general people that have backorders in place are usually the ones where the inventory goes. So far, Im pretty damn happy with it, major upgrade from a fluid trainer. The specific workout is called Jons Mix in Zwift, and its what Zwift uses for development testing and also what I tend to use as well as its a great blend of differing wattages and responsiveness. However, one thing youll notice across all three sets is that purple line as I spin back down. My conclusion is: the Power meter % accuracy claim is a pure joke. The distances between the gearrings and everything should be the same While waiting for my exchange Kickr Core I was told (and I quote the Wahoo rep) We would rather have you be using a product that you are satisfied with instead of being dissatisfied with ours. The three big spikes you see in the middle there are supposed to be 800w efforts held for 10-seconds per the workout. Is the app just not very good and I should switch to Zwift or TrainerRoad (I was planning to test that anyhow)? going to subscribe, hopefully you will have some better info!! There is a cyclingtips article that discusses the exact cassette specs etc. Their 877 line still says to email them with questions. 200w), Includes motor to drive speed (simulate downhill), Can directionally steer trainer (left/right), Can simulate road patterns/shaking (i.e. First, it's got wheel locks (so the darn thing stays put), and second, it has two water bottle holders (also useful for putting other things like remotes). I cant believe Wahoo is still sending out these defective units as replacements and expecting their customers to be happy with that. Thats what you get from Wahoo for saying that youd rather not get the free Tickr or cadence sensor yikes. (please dont discard my wordy post! After all, they essentially just took an existing KICKR 2017 trainer (that almost everyone loved), made it silent, slapped less fancy legs on it, and called it the KICKR CORE for $300 less. Ray, and anybody else who owns one of these, I just wonder if you could clarify what the normal feel is like. The Kickr is worlds apart from the Elite Fluid I had, the ride feel is actually realistic, super smooth, and just really easy to use. While I am left confused at the seemingly impossible coincidence, last nights signal disruption was not the result of permanent damage to the trainer. After a while I stopped biking unplugged the Core, waited a few seconds and then plugged it back. It doesn't have smartphone/ANT+/Bluetooth integration, but it does have secondary outlets. Hi, Tried this with iPhone and Android devices.I can do everything else, update firmware and spindown. I guess its considered a smart trainer but did not have the Zwift controllable capability. Any suggestions? On a borrowed ipad the same worked fine, so it was not a connection problem with the unit but confirmation that the android app is no good (see all the reviews/comments in the Google Play store). I have twin boys and we like to ride indoors on Zwift together. App Compatibility: Every app out there basically (Zwift, TrainerRoad, Rouvy, Road Grand Tours, SufferFest, Kinomap, etc) It seems that the issue was the back derailleurs hanger which was deformed a bit from a small static fall I had. Plus, you'll be more awesome. I bought a Kickr core yesterday to spice up my winter training. Im still concerned with the impact of ESD on the device, but am more confident now in resiliency and a power cycle/ reconnect process reestablishing connection. And to compliment that, heresThe Girls (my wifes) list. Im looking to buy a new trainer and Im really intrigued by the Kickr Core (low price, characteristics of an $1200 trainer, a bunch of 30 day free trials on multiple apps plus 12 weeks free Sufferfest etc.) Im planning on setting up a smart trainer in my cellar and after reading your comments am considering getting an Elite Direto XR. This has put me off purchasing from Wahoo and would look for a more solid trainer with a longer warranty like TACX I have heard they have issues but hey you do get 2 years!. Thats just how my story went and where we are now. Inversely, if something takes 8-10 seconds, thats a third of the interval itself. What I do know though is that they arent typically 20% easier. Put in support ticket after reading scads of posts in Wahoo user forum. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I hope that Wahoo does the right thing by you. I believe that if you are using the app on IOS, whenever you switch application, effectively moving the wahoo to the background, then it stops recording or controlling the trainer. Probably this could be a thing to exchange at first unless they are already new.. I run a 105 cassette with chorus 11sp without problems. Hope you saved the box. But! Only if youre running Zwift on the Apple TV, which has a very limited number of Bluetooth connections. I now have my replacement and it sounds exactly the same. Of course, you can go SRAM if you have SRAM. It is not up to the company to decide for me and let me know that they have changed their mind about the exchange. The KICKR CORE transmits data on both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart as well, allowing interactive resistance control across both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart. my kickr core just died. The replacement read exactly the same as my PM every time I measured it. NAME has not provided the requested information and he has not responded. Do you think any other company will come up with a Climb-like unit? I sent a video to Wahoo just asking if it was normal and they told me to replace the trainer. I've had this for years, and use it in places where I don't have a big screen or desk, but just an iPad or tablet on my road bike bars. The SRM briefly drops out at the 5-minute marker that could just be some transient signal thing or a Garmin Edge 1030 thing or magic pickles. Re the gear indexing it surely needs tweaking as Ive screwed up on this while trying to understand the issue. I'm one of the ones that do. Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. The 2022 Trek Checkpoint SLR 7 in review More than just a thoroughbred gravel Highway to heaven, or hell First ride review of the 2023 Pinarello GREVIL F! Ive changed power reading back and forth from instant/3 seconds. Just the way it is. Youre timing is impeccable I noticed a lot of KICKR CORE units just listed up on REI. Also, in this case I changed it up and used Bluetooth Smart to control it from the Apple TV. But, it would also be true within the accuracy ranges of both. Thanks. They work just fine. If youre new around these parts, heres the long version of my story. From a timing standpoint, it seemed to take about 2-4 seconds to stabilize between those two wattages, which is what Id expect/want. I have no idea, Im not concerned with it for this particular chart (instead Id be concerned that from one interval to the next a mere 30 seconds later the power is different on the SRM). And at higher speed of flywheel I get some clicking sound on top. With this trainer, (or any direct drive trianer for that matter) can the bike pivot up on the axle vertically while still attached? In the UK/EU/Australia/New Zealand? I am going to buy a Kickr Core and need to buy a cassette as well. Either way, its different than the full KICKR which allows you to adjust the height as well. I did some steep incline testing and didnt see any issues. But is it really that simple? Canyon Bike Setup #3: PowerTap P1 (Dual), Stages LR (Dual). Not sure if anyone else has had this issue, but my Kickr Core is a heap of shit. Could someone make a recommendation to me? Youve essentially got a 25% chance of getting it right. This is a Shimano 105 cassette (thus, slightly more budget compared to the Ultegra), in most cases, you probably won't notice the difference. Below are the most popular. First of all, thank you for all your wonderful reviews, theyve been an invaluable source of information and major help in deciding my gear purchases over the years, the latest being thw Wahoo Kickr Core. You are moving from bigger cassette to smaller so you are on a safe side but probably your derailleur should be closer and that can make swithich gears less elegent (but still the chain shoulnt rub or make a noise while pedalling, just swithing gears can be more harsh) This is a super basic trainer mat, which is exactly what you'll see me use. Yeah, theres honestly a pretty big difference between the Flux and the Core. Those trainers appear roughly on par, so that should be the main buyers criterion. No problem at all. I dont have a power meter on my bike and Im probably going to use Zwift on it, so all I can do is hope I get an accurate one. I guess Wahoo is just too smart for me and knows better when to throw random resistance in. In October 2019, I purchased a new Kickr Core. Power meters arent real big in my circle of riders (cx, mtn, and gravel) but from analyzing some zwift data from guys with power meters (like at Chequamegon) it looks like Im pulling a lot more outdoor watts than indoor. So I contacted Wahoo and they told me a wrong power control board was installed. Typically when that happens (across any trainer), its because some other device has control over it. I checked firmware version to see if its latest and was surprised that version number was much higher than what is listed on Wahoo support site. that sucks. But . Any views? I am new with direct drive smart trainer , currently i own MTB 29er 112-speed drivetrain This impacts inertia and how it feels primarily when you accelerate or otherwise change acceleration (such as briefly coasting). So there have been some developments. I know its an old review but i bought my trainer after reading it so hope there are still people usind Kickr Core here who can help. I do think its kind of amateurish that they have nothing in place to allow the registration of refurbished devices that they are constantly selling. Have you heard of this issue frequently? Youll then plug it in using the included 110-240v power block/plug. Ive done multiple spindown calibrations with no change. I think they can damage your brand. Yeah, I cant share anything more specific than that as my usual rule buying trainers in August is a poor idea unless you get a really good sale on them. A week from 2018 I get a Kicker 2018 (not the Core, which is a good detail on their part). Yes ive calibrate both, it just seems like this thing is quite frankly, a paperweight and a waste of money. Its silent, works good and cheaper, and with the money I saved, I went for the Wahoo Smart Fan. Donezo. That said, generally speaking Ive seen weekly inventory availability for REI/CompetitiveCyclist/Backcountry (all partners here on the site). Do ensure that you set the wheel size on the combination using the Wahoo App, that way it knows how much it can descend properly. The Campy freehub for my Core is not prsently available becausehold for it, hold for itthe coronavirus has dried up their supply lines for Campy freehub bodies. I am not an athlete just average joe and will not think I will go over 900w. Wahoo doesnt do this for any trainers. For me a definite dealbreaker. Nope, I got the right one. A good quality power brick from a third party should be fine. Ordered 6 weeks ago, money gone, no shipment, no answer. Instantly the Core was working well again. My chain makes more noise than the core. Very grateful for it. One company will always blame the other for the inaccuracy. This process allows us to send automatic notifications to you via email when changes are complete. Max Incline: 16% simulated grade Probably you have to correct your rear derailleur a little. It seems its a lucky dip whether youll get one that reads accurately. I have also ordered a 34 cassette just in case. This thing is worse than useless. Im in CA so it doesnt get super-cold, but it does get down to ~5C, and Ive never had any problems with the trainer. Is my current cassette too old or something? In my case, I was looking to see how it reacted in two core apps: Zwift and TrainerRoad. You can click here to Subscribe without commenting. wears off with the cassette so as long as they have similar millage (even high) they work good together, but if you put an old chain (the wear of a chain means the spaces between each roller gets bigger the chain gets longer) the rollers of the chain are more appart then the grooves of the cassette so they cant go as deep as they should, they hit the cassette tooth and the chain can jump (you can check if the teeth on the old cassette are kind of bitten from behind by the rollers go make space for rollers futher appart, compare with the new one). And then theres the simple reality that its something Wahoo can probably fix in a firmware update. been looking for a Kickr Core but they seem to be sold out. Downgaded to 1.1.12 and all is good now. . Given that almost all KICKR CORE woes have come from bad power bricks, I wouldnt chance it. No deal, Wahoo sent me a freehub body that DOES NOT fit the Core trainer.Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Even he stopped pedalingthe lag was still there. In the meantime I am back to using my old wheel on trainer. But Im not sure e-mailing the same question every week expecting a different answer helps, it just means that other people dont get answer faster. Im on my 3rd Core. Ive been capturing all that data and have it here for you to dig into. Wahoo has been swapping out units (and stickers) for those that have had the issue. Just so annoying. Disappointed. We have an open ticket with our developers and they are working on a fix for it currently. Do I need to buy another cassette? Now after 4 months i have a scrubbing sound and they suggested i should align flywheel with a screwdriver O.O. Ive reached out to Wahoo again tonight, and if I cant have an honest discussion about this issue, and the chance of it repeating a third time, I will look elsewhere this winter. The relevant topic is covered online, sort of, but requires iOS to even try to fix it. A bit of a domino effect unfortunately. The replacement was a newer serial number, again with the improved power block. Very disappointing. I am currently on my third Wahoo Core Replacement and I can honestly say they dont last very long before they break and would recommend going a different brand. Flywheel: It has a 12lb flywheel, which is slightly less than the 12.5lb KICKR 2017 flywheel and the 16lb KICKR 2018 flywheel Looks like the flywheel has become misaligned and is making contact with the frame of the KICKR. Also, I did some brief testing with a pair of Favero Assioma pedals too but I didnt collect a meaningful amount of data on that configuration. I use the EDGE to change resistance on the CORE, and use mostly ERG modeso no need to change gearI will change gear in ZWIFT and alike. First though, the usual note that a loaner unit was sent to me, which Ill shortly be packing up along with the KICKR CLIMB and a few other gizmos from the summer Wahoo releases. Keen to be able to get this resolved as it is Zwift season and I want to use Apple TV and get cadence. But when I install the bike and ride it, it makes a lot of noise, so I think something is not right. Does anyone have any experience of running their KICKR in the cold and how does it behave? Yup, the CORE folds on itself as well a bit. Was set for my first indoor ride since March. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by! Then when i put the cassette on i cant tighten the lockring. Think my written reviews are deep? My core is quiet as a mouse tiptoeing. I also replaced the chain and cassette on first bike to no benefit. Well yeah the chain makes more noise for now, but theres also some other sounds which is sometimes hard to tell if its a normal sound or not. Update Nov 2018: Some folks have reported having issues on the KICKR CORE. Had same problem just after first ride. Im not sure if its the absolute best out there (trying to compare them all over time is near impossible), but its pretty solid. First is how quickly it responds to the commands of the application. Anybody experiencing the same or is it normal? Here's a few other variants or sibling products that are worth considering: And finally, heres a handy list of trainer accessories that most folks getting a smart trainer for the first time might not have already: There's no better bang for your buck in getting Zwift (or FulGaz/etc) on your big screen TV than Apple TV - it's the primary way I Zwift. Wahoo wont reply to any more questions about temperature, which is disappointing. Do any of those have a PM? Stated Accuracy: +/- 2% All in all Im disappointed by quality of refurbed Cores. Just bought the Kickr Core and was wondering if I could use the heart rate from my Fenix 5plus (its in broadcast mode over ANT+) and have it picked up by the Kickr Core before its bundled in the Bluetooth connection to my phone. First off THANKS for posting the holiday sale announcements. The Shimano 112 uses a new freehub called Micro Spline, so you need another body on the Kickr if im not mistaking. I suspect this is impacting between 3-8% of people, based on the unit volumes being shipped. Replacement unit took 2 months again. Its hard to say the exact difference, but looks to be in excess of 50w at times when the pedals are reading at 400w+. I checked online for compatibility issues but couldnt find any related information. Just bought a Kickr Core and have a few questions: Biggest issue is: I bought an Ultegra 11 speed (11-28) cassette with it. In the manual it says that all 10 speed cassettes need to use the spacer. While I believe that, now understanding the limits of the hardware, I could work around the Kickr Cores flaw on a 3rd unit, thats not a concession Im willing to make for a $900 device. I'm loving it! * Another support person (NAME) asks me if maybe I want a Tickr or some other small stuff thrown in. I went up to about 700w, and then backed off slightly, and then went back up again. Probably overbuilt really for the price point but I suppose thats Wahoos problem to own. Since we have an open ticket with our development team, all customer service tickets related to the issue (including this one) will be marked as On-Hold and merged with the developer ticket to be monitored internally. I was assured that the one on their website was the right one, so that was the one I ordered. Maybe just ride outside for the next while and / or go back to the Stone Age Kurt Kinetic thats been collecting dust since I purchased the Core. Wahoo took 10 days to respond to my message to their customer support If youre not using the Apple TV as your main recording device, theres absolutely no issue. And youll have your proud trainer looking back at you: The power cords are off to the side. With the latest firmware updates, the CORE can broadcast cadence as part of the data stream, so its no longer an issue for Apple TV users. How does one downgrade_ a firmware update. my weekly podcast - with GPLAMA, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness! The KICKR CORE is the best total package in test. After upgrading to Firmware 1.1.1 I had the same issue. Recently after the CORE upgrade, it looks that the problem is more frequent I hope this is not corporate war between GARMIN/TAXC and the competition, meaning the big G is by purpose creating connectivity issues So still wondering if its me or the Kickr Core having a problem!? CompetitiveCyclist just got in stock of all the major KICKR models, and all are currently showing in stock for immediate shipment. In the end its your choice and this is just my experience but I would think considering the internals of the core and kickr and even the new models are all the same I would be very wary purchasing from Wahoo. This was not one of those days. From our experience the most data loss in the comparison with a direct drive system and a crank based measurement is on the cassette and the chain those are the wearing parts which affect the measurement and the which lead to the difference. But probably it should be more or less ok. You can try to ride like that, buy another chain and shorten it to 28 cassette size or sell the 28 cassette and buy 34. As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments and theres quite a bit of detail in there as well. Either way, doesnt matter here. I will continue to take my jacket off in my cool, dry, concrete environment and if the trainer should permanently break, I will update this post. It seems to be most significant when theres a combination of high(ish) power, low cadence and low flywheel speed, and makes these Zwift segments even more unpleasant than they are meant to be. Any ideas on if tacx/Garmin are planning on releasing a new version this year? Thanks for your input. Checking reviews in the Google Play Store shows an average rating of 1 star everyone saying the android app does not work. I dont know what will happen when my current unit breaks as I will be very out of warranty but it would have been nice if each new unit came with 1 year warranty. If you're shopping for the Wahoo Fitness KICKR CORE or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! Im on my 4th Core. Not sure you have tested this one, but any idea which would be more quiet? Is this realy just a dashboard? No cost to you, easy as pie! This is all very new to me and I have found your channel a godsend. So two things battling for control. My suspicion is it will be fine, but curious if anyone else has done the same? I think If I added a Rocker Plate, I would have to skew/angle the bike & trainer positions to get the COG right. While I know it would be expensive to replace the defective unit with new fixed ones, sending out garbage replacements as well as the whole saga of the original defective units has done Wahoo irreparable damage to their reputation IMHO. I also lost money paying for Zwift as I was expecting a faster turn around I am not a high watt user max 900watts and I keep busting the bearings and both units were confirmed as bearing faults. Ran through the procedure for a factory spindown. I have a 2012 Cervelo R5 VWD with SRAM Red/Black components. I've been using it as my main trainer desk for a long time now and love it. What a horrible experience Im having. Thought it might be helpful to others to reply to my own question. With that thanks for reading and feel free to drop any questions down below! But the explanation of the leg imbalance for 10 % data difference is an insult from Stages. Im headed to Paris what do you recommend for training or sightseeing? Unsurprisingly, everybody appears to be out of stock of Kickr and Kickr Core. Are the two legs on your trainer parallel, at least as much as you can tell by eye? kickr reads always higher (ftp test on kickr 270w, ftp test on stages 245w) from my analysis they track well below 200w , then they start to come apart. It works just fine. Read the new issue of GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine now. This drop in watts is hard on the ego! He was wondering if he could use a generic 12V, 5A power brick instead. Registration is not currently possible for refurbished trainers, however this will not have any impact on your warranty or service coverage. Thats because you could (try) attaching the leg to the wrong side. I also dont have a bike shop nearby. As Ludo and Cypher mentioned also, I had expectation/hope that those unity get a kind of QA before they leave out to customers, especially as issues were known/confirmed by Wahoo and units have been in use already. Its clear the act of removing a jacket in my dry climate is more than the PCBAs in this trainer can handle.