Wahoo have released a new Kickr.
Don’t see anything g about it yet on DCRainmaker but GPLama has a short YouTube video released in last 30 mins.
Edit to add info and review links:
This seems pretty “meh” to me…adding a little bit of cushioning to the feet to allow “natural movement” seems like a minimal half-measure. This seems like they’re simply keeping up with the Tacx NEO, which has similar flex, rather than trying to jump ahead of them…I would’ve expected them to release something along the lines of an InsideRide E-Flex competitor that’s better integrated to the overall system.
1 Like
Doesn’t seem like it’s enough to do anything
It’s a good idea, especially since they’ve incorporated the new system without hiking the price up. How effective it is is a different discussion though I guess.
I’ve always thought that Wahoo shot themselves in the foot when they launched the Kickr Core. Since the Kickr offered so little extra over the Kickr Core for the average user. An extra feature like this starts to justify a bit of price difference between the two.
5 Likes
The 2 degrees wobble in the Neo makes a nice difference, rather than sitting on a gate, I can’t see the 5 degrees (lateral, so 10 overall so about 16cm … I think) being worse
Edit
I think my math was a lttle wrong, but it should still be the same if not more than the Neo’'s
1 Like
Gotta read more, but seems like the as the K18 with movement added. No change to the resistance unit or possible issues with either failures we continue to see.
As usual I will likely wait to see how this pans out for early adopters to see if they “fixed” the prior problems.
3 Likes
“I felt zero difference from the axis movement”
1 Like
Is it really a new Kickr or just an add on? Sounds to me more like it’s just the feet - at least it sounds like you can purchase them separately and mount them to the ‘old’ Kickr. I’m tempted - this might replace the little washing machine damper mat pieces I use at the moment.
I mean the Kickr Axis feet don’t sound like a high tech solution. But people also build rocker plates with tennis balls. If it looks stupid but it works it ain’t stupid!
Edit: Conclusion after reading DC Rainmaker’s review. Yes, there is a new Kickr and the auto calibration is a nice feature.
3 Likes
You never need to calibrate is the biggest difference.
4 Likes
As someone who uses powermatch from my pedals, calibrating is never needed anyway.
I don’t see anything about them fixing the issues they had last year which were plentiful, so this is essentially like putting makeup on a pig.
I have a quote direct from them on exactly this. Let’s see how things go when people start unboxing and riding them.
7 Likes
From the DCRainmaker article
The feet are designed to give up to 5* extra movement/sway side to side. The main idea here is less about feeling like outside motion (such that a rocker plate would provide), and more about giving a little bit more sway that helps in longer trainer sessions by allowing your butt to make micro adjustments on the saddle (as it would outside). Also, the feet help dampen vibrations on harder surfaces, for those that might need that (such as in some apartments)
So, does it actually make any difference to ride feel? In short, not really. At least not on a trainer mat – which Wahoo kinda seemed to agree with on the call I had with them. The trainer mat will already give you more cushion than this well .However, they did note (correctly) that you’ll feel slightly more movement on a hard surface, like concrete.
4 Likes
Just had a notification on this. Power accuracy improved from 2% to 1% with automatic calibration, no spin down required. Power readings from mine are lucky to be within 20%, but I think mine is 3rd gen.
Feet will be available to purchase and are backwards compatible.
1 Like
I’m happily surprised by the retrofit option. Too often that gets overlooked or deliberately made incompatible. I may get a set for testing, but from what I see in Shane’s video, it is a half measure at best, for motion.
Improved comfort is likely though, based on my stiff rocker plate testing. So it may well be worthwhile and an easy add for those not wanting to go to a rocker plate. To that end, I am happy to see it possible to retrofit and hope people give it a shot.
3 Likes
I’m also pleasantly surprised.
However, as Ray points out, Wahoo themselves seem to admit that their trainer mat offers just as much “flex” as the feet do. And given that the mat is more multipurpose than the feet, I know where my money would go (if I didn’t already own the mat).
2 Likes
Great point on the mat. It and other hacks are things I have suggested to those not able or willing to make the jump to a rocker. Still better than fully rigid in the way that matters most, saddle comfort.
It does make you wonder what other basic DIY hacks could be achieved that aren’t quite as involved as a full rocker plate. Maybe simply chopping up the foam balls (as are sometimes used in DIY rockerplates) and mounting them directly to the trainer (like the axis feet) would provide an easy and cheap middle ground option.
Given my experience with those types of rubber feet, I expect you wouldn’t gain a great deal of movement with them. They aren’t particularly “squashy” vertically. And when you consider that there’s less weight over the feet that need to move (the ones on the far left and right of the trainer) you realise that you really would need quite a soft material
I hope they did it right, I really do, but they also said that about the last one after they figured out he keyway issue, yet people kept having the problems on both new and refurbished warranty replacements.
It’s frustrating, I don’t know why trainers as a whole seem so unreliable
1 Like