The Wahoo Kicker Smart Trainer was a great purchase and would recommend this product to anyone that wants to use their road or mountain bike to train on in the off-season. I have ridden many trainers in the past and made the decision to upgrade this year. The cost was a concern to me and the main reason it took me so long to make this purchase. It is worth it! I have never owned a trainer that is so smooth and quiet!
The Wahoo Kicker AXIS feet allow up to 5 degrees of movement. I did not think this would make an impact, but you can feel the difference. It makes for a more comfortable ride.
Provides power measurements of +/- 1% and generates 2200 watts of resistance.
Automatically calibrates through a simple process that is easy to follow. It is recommended to do once per week and is easy to do at the end of your training session or just after you warm up.
The Kicker has a 16 lb. flywheel that helps in initiating a real outdoor riding feel. When you stop pedaling the bike does not just stop! This is one of the most realistic rides I’ve had training indoors.
Your bike will make more noise than the Wahoo Kicker Smart Trainer! This may be one of the best things for me. You can easily listen to music and talk to others you are training with without yelling.
When connected to your favorite app the Kicker Smart Trainer resistance is controlled by your training program. You can also control the resistance level on your smart devices. The manual says it can adjust up to a 20% climb!
The physical setup of the Wahoo Kicker was extremely easy. There are detailed instructions and videos on the company’s site. We have paired this trainer easily with a PC laptop, iPad, iPhone 6+ thru 12 with no issues.
We ride Thru Axle 12 speed mountain bikes and had no issues with the cassettes or disc brakes fitting. We did purchase a low-cost 12-speed cassette instead of removing the cassette from our bikes. The Wahoo Kicker comes with an 11-speed cassette in the box. It would have been nice to have the option to purchase the 12-speed cassette with the Kicker. This would have saved us around $100.
Bluetooth, ANT+, and ANT + FE-C capable. We only use the Bluetooth function, and the Wahoo Kicker connects instantly to all our devices.
Trouble-free setup and the trainer is well labeled and easy to read. Settings match 24″, 650c, 700c, 26″, 27.5″, and 29″ wheels. Both of our bikes have 29” tires and we have not had any issues at all. This trainer also worked with our youngest’s 20” tires. You will have to use a device under the front to level the bike, but it did work just fine.
While we cannot say (yet) how long this will last, but it appears to be built solidly. You will notice the weight when you pick it up and the construction looks robust.
