Possible to use Wahoo Kickr (Generation 1) to broadcast to two devices simultaneously

Equipment
1

Here’s the question.

I want to use my Gen 1 kickr with TR on my laptop and then have a backup just in case there is an issue with the ride data (this has only happened one time which I posted about earlier this week in 7ish years). I really have had no issues using my current set up: Kickr and macbook running TR.

Anyone do this specifically?

I use a Wahoo bolt when I ride - and am wondering if I could record the rides as a backup on my wahoo simultaneously. If there is an issue using bluetooth on two devices at the same time - theoretically the Bolt could pick up the kickr’s ant+ broadcast? I think there is a *passive/indoor mode on the elemnt app that would allow me to record - the question is would my Bolt pick up the power data from the kickr.

2

I do Kickr Bike (gen 1) workouts using TR on my iPhone and also using a Garmin 1040, with a Polar H10 HRM. Other than pairing the devices, I didn’t have to do any special setup—maybe the Garmin defaults to ANT+ for compatible devices. You might need to do an extra step or two with the Bolt to get it to use ANT+, but it should be possible.

1 Like
3

No problem to have both my Fenix 6 or Garmin 1030+ and my phone/laptop connected.

I only have an issue if I connect one of my Garmin devices while Trainerroad or Zwift is in the middle of a ride and already controlling the Kickr Bike in ERG mode. In that case it sometimes looses ERG mode (no target power, but still recording) and I have to disable-enable ERG mode on the Trainerroad/Zwift (can also happen if you start the Wahoo app to e.g. change another Wahoo device like the Headwind which also automatically connects to the bike and screws with ERG mode).

4

Just make sure the 2nd recording device is setup with the Kickr as a power meter, not a trainer so it doesn’t try and take over control

5

Personally, I don’t think you need a backup recording device. How many failures do you get? I’ve had a single recording failure in 5 years and it was because my Garmin automatically shut down in 35F weather even though the battery was still 20% charged.

That said, I do what you want in the following way:

Record to my Garmin 530
-power from my power meter
-HR from my chest strap
-speed sensor from the wahoo kickr

With the Wahoo app on my iPhone I control the trainer. At the end of the session, the app also saves the recorded session. I don’t sync that anywhere but I could get the file and upload it to Strava/Trainingpeaks if I wanted.

6

It’s true. One failure. Workout worked today.

Also, whenever I paired thr wahoo bolt to the kickr it would via Bluetooth and then stop broadcasting to my laptop (where i use TR). I couldn’t force my headunit or elemnt app to find the kickr ant+ so it didn’t work anyway.