Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift: Smart bike for the living room in a practical test

How good that the Wahoo Kickr Bike was carried straight into the flat with my help. The box is quite heavy and unwieldy to boot.

Unpacking

"Do not lie down" is written on the box. So I open it standing upright. Inside you can immediately see some Kickr Bike Shift attachments and a note with a QR code, click here for the instructions.

Smartphone out, code scanned in. Now it's time to log in to Wahoo or create a new account. And then there is a video instruction that starts with:

Before you get started, you need a friend. If there are two of you, start by laying the box flat on the floor. - Wahoo

Get a friend and off you go. The instructions explain simply and step by step (in English with German subtitles) how to get the indoor bike out of the box and into the living room, or wherever. The seat position and gears are then adjusted.

Adjustment

For the seating position on the bike, the Wahoo app uses body measurements to provide setting values for:

1. Protrusion height
2. Saddle height
3. Saddle offset
4. Handlebar height
5. Reach
6. Crank length

What cannot be adjusted is the handlebar width. The handlebars were clearly too wide for me.

Adjustment is easy, at least in most places. The quick-releases used for the saddle and handlebar height require quite a bit of force. Although the quick release can be adjusted a little more loosely with an Allen key, the seat post will then no longer hold. So force is required.

You can either enter data from the bike fitting or body measurements into the app to receive adjustment suggestions. First, I set up the bike the way I felt comfortable, because of course that works too. Then I tested what happens when I enter my data. The seat height was exactly the same, otherwise the bike was significantly longer with the settings suggested by Wahoo.

However, the app always provides good pointers. The only thing you shouldn't look at is the German translation. Reach is translated as "Reach". This looks like an automatic translation without checking. So there is still room for improvement here, but as the images show what is meant, it doesn't detract from the user experience.

It is also possible to individually specify which shifting logic and gear ratio should be used. To do this, the bike must be connected to the app.

Riding with the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift

Now comes the really exciting part: riding. The bike is connected to the indoor cycling app in a matter of seconds. Then I get on the saddle. As with a real bike, the saddle on the Kickr Bike Shift is not suitable for every bum. But we are all different. So I fit my own saddle for the next ride. Much better. Pain-free riding is now possible. The rubber grips could be more ergonomic. Back to the riding experience. Right from the start, the Kickr bike feels safe to ride, regardless of whether it's a sprint, FTP test or intervals on the threshold. As a test rider with an affinity for long distances and weighing just under 60kg, I certainly didn't reach the limits of the Smart Bike. The noise development was particularly positive - or in other words: it was not noticeable. Thanks to the belt drive and the virtual gears, the bike is pretty quiet. You could easily get used to it if it wasn't a test device that has since found its way back to Wahoo.

Technical data

• Maximum braking power: 2200 watts
• Simulatable gradient: 20 %
• Weight: 36 kg
• Drive: Belt drive
• Resistance: Eddy current brake
• Connectivity: ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, WLAN, Bluetooth, Direct Connect
• Crank arm length: 165, 167.5, 170, 172.5 and 175
• Handlebar width: 42 cm (centre-centre)
• Maximum rider weight: 113 kg
• Rider height: 152 cm to 193 cm
• Price: 2999 Euro

Conclusion

Of course, a complete indoor bike takes up more space than a Smart Trainer. But only if it is standing unused in the corner, if a bike is mounted, a Smart Trainer plus bike takes up just as much space as the Kickr Bike Shift. The Kickr Bike Shift is flexible - not spatially - and can imitate many bike sizes and gear systems, so that you quickly feel at home on it. Provided your own saddle is fitted. Another practical feature is the belt drive, which makes the bike cleaner than any Smart Trainer with a chain. And the noise level is also audibly low, so that motivating music or podcasts do not have to be switched on excessively loud.

Who is the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift suitable for?

The Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift will first of all appeal to those who have the necessary financial means at their disposal. For households in which several people use the Smart Trainer, a Smart Bike can be a real relief, as the bike can be customised to each person in no time at all. Please note that the handlebars are 42 cm wide. If it does not fit, it may need to be replaced. You may also need to invest in the saddle again.

Incidentally, if the bike is just standing around, it naturally takes up more space than a Smart Trainer or roller trainer. However, the trainer with bike is slightly longer than the Kickr Bike Shift.

>> Two new 2023 smart trainers put to the test: Zwift Hub One and Wahoo Kickr

Advantages

• Video tutorial
• Intuitive operation
• Quickly ready for use
• Quiet
• Clean, as there is no chain
• quickly to different people

Disadvantages

• Handlebar width not adjustable
• Thin aluminium handlebars can be uncomfortable in the long term; a thicker handlebar tape can help
• Quick releases on saddle and handlebars require a lot of force