Wahoo is getting a jump on the early season, unveiling two brand new units: the KICKR MOVE, which takes the KICKR base, adding fore and aft movement, and the KICKR BIKE SHIFT, a lower-cost entry into a KICKR BIKE. So, if you’re looking to update or upgrade your indoor riding experience, stay tuned.
Wahoo KICKR MOVE
It felt like Wahoo just updated the KICKR, which they did — last year. The Wahoo KICKR V6 introduced WiFi to indoor training, but there was no real update to the unit itself. The KICKR MOVE keeps the same base unit of the KICKR and adds movement.
How Much Movement?
The Wahoo KICKR MOVE has eight inches of fore-aft movement and slight side-to-side movement, more than the axis feet add alone. Wahoo went all in with the new fore-aft movement, and they updated their KICKR CLIMB with an additional piece to complement the new movement while giving the rider an immersive riding experience.
How Does the WAHOO KICKR MOVE Work?
The KICKR MOVE works exactly like previous versions of the KICKR, with no new hardware or plugs. The MOVE update is to the chassis of the KICKR. Now, the unit sits on wheels in a fixed, curved track. The unit allows for natural forward and backward motion when the rider pedals. The movement isn’t wild or extremely fast; it’s slight and allows for natural pedaling.
There isn’t any additional movement added to the unit. The guide track has a slight curve, allowing gravity to control the amount of movement for the rider. When you’re seated pedaling, you’ll experience slight movement, when you’re out of the saddle sprinting, you’ll experience more.
Are we not Feeling the MOVE today?
Unlike platforms, the KICKR MOVE has an “off-switch.” So if you’re not feeling the movement for the ride or workout, you can quickly stop it, and it’s foot-kick-friendly, so you don’t have to unclip.
KICKR MOVE and KICKR CLIMB Base Adaptor
Since the KICKR MOVE trainer adds movement to the Wahoo world, their design team updated KICKR CLIMB. The unit stays precisely the same, so you don’t need to run out and get a new one. Wahoo created an add-on base adaptor that slides over your existing unit, giving it compliance with the new eight inches of movement from the KICKR MOVE.
The KICKR CLIMB Base Adaptor follows the same arc as the KICKR MOVE, so the pair moves together without tweaking and offers natural movement.
Price: KICKR CLIMB Base Adapter: US $49.99, Europe €49.99 and UK £44.99
Key features — KICKR MOVE V6 Smart Trainer
- MOVE eight inches of fore and aft movement
- Four Axis movement
- WiFi Connectivity
- ERG Easy Ramp
- Odometer
- KICKR Ride Feel
- KICKR AXIS Feet
- Auto Calibration & Updates
- 2200 Watts of Resistance
- CLIMB Compatible with CLIMB Adapter Base
- Wahoo X – Train Without Limits
- Rear wheel size: 24″, 650C, 700C Mtb: 24″, 26″, 650B, 29″
- Cassette (Included: 11-Spd 11-28T, compatible with SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo
- Price: US $1,599.99, Europe €1,599.99 and UK £1,399.99
KICKR BIKE SHIFT
A complete indoor bike is the best setup for those who want to avoid taking a bike on/off the trainer all season. An excellent indoor bike can be costly, and the flagship Wahoo KICKR BIKE SMART BIKE echos that, coming in at $4,000. But what if you don’t need all the bells and whistles, just a dependable unit for training/racing that offers familiar features? That is where the KICKR BIKE SHIFT comes in, and it’s $1,000 less than the current KICKR BIKE model.
KICKR BIKE SHIFT vs. KICKR BIKE SMART BIKE
What’s the same? The KICKR BIKE SHIFT offers the ride feel of KICKR BIKE and retains vital features like Wahoo Reality Shift, True Fit, Real Ride Feel, and WiFi. The touch points remain similar, but the chassis is where the BIKE SHIFT differs.
What’s different? If you’re familiar with the Wahoo KICKR BIKE, you know it’s a highly stiff and resilient frame. The chassis can take a mound of pealing abuse and is more like a studio spin bike than some home gym kit. The KICKR BIKE SHIFT is less overbuilt but still has quick-release adjustability. The KICKR SHIFT doesn’t have the KICKR BIKE built-in climbing movement either.
It has all the exact shifting, resistance, and fit features of the KICKR BIKE without the chassis. But having a lighter frame does have its advantages. The lighter (100lb) KICKR BIKE SHIFT is much easier to move around the workout room and has super detailed building instructions via Wahoo (same for the KICKR MOVE)
Price: KICKR BIKE SHIFT: US$2,999.99, Europe €2,999.99 and UK £2,699.99
Availability — KICKR MOVE and KICKR BIKE SHIFT
The Wahoo KICKR MOVE and KICKR BIKE SHIFT should be available next month for purchase on Wahoo.com. Look back for a full review of the Wahoo KICKR MOVE and KICKR BIKE SHIFT.
For all things indoor training, check out our Best Indoor Trainer Accessories for more ways to make your training fun.
