Wahoo KICKR MOVE

Wahoo KICKR MOVE – Opinion

More plus full specs: Wahoo Fitness

Wahoo’s 2023 iteration of its top-end KICKR indoor trainer is an interesting one. It has identical performance specs to 2022’s V6 model but has a built-in real-world road feel with a newly added mechanism that gives fore-aft and side-to-side movements.

I’m one of those cyclists who dread extended indoor training due to discomfort. So, for me, the 40% price hike could be worth it but only if comfort is improved.

TL;DR – This is Wahoo’s best indoor trainer (bike on) with every feature you’ll ever need plus full compatibility with Zwift or Wahoo’s own, impressive training platform. It’s 2023 and obviously plays nicely with Garmin Edge, SRAM Hammerhead and Wahoo ELEMNT devices.

Price: $1600, £1400, 1600 EUR

Who Would Buy The Wahoo KICKR Move

KICKR move is aimed at more serious cyclists who want the very best equipment for indoor riding. You could be fully invested in the Wahoo ecosystem. But it doesn’t matter if this is your only Wahoo product as almost all trainers nowadays follow the same standard that bike computers and cycling apps use.

Wahoo Indoor Trainer Product Range

It’s a top-end product. Personally, I’d be happy with any of these apart from KICKR SNAP.

Wahoo Kickr Bike/Shift – Adjustable standalone top-end indoor bike
Wahoo Kickr Move – Identical to Kickr 2022 but with extra movement
Wahoo Kickr 2022 – Top-end bike-on/wheel-off trainer
Wahoo Kickr Core – Normal, entry-level bike-on/wheel-off trainer
Wahoo Kickr Snap – Entry-level wheel-on trainer (ruins your tyres)
Wahoo Kickr Rollr – surprisingly good smart rollers that link to your bike’s power meter.

Wahoo KICKR MOVE – Technical Specifications

This is a deep dive look into the technical specifications of the Wahoo KICKR Move. Unless you have a specific requirement you don’t need to understand all this. KICKR MOVE is classed as a direct-drive smart trainer:

Includes an 11-speed Shimano/SRAM compatible cassette (11-28T) worth at least £50.
Supports through-axles (142mm and 148mm) and ‘normal’ quick release (130mm and 135mm)
Supports different wheel sizes, 700c, 650b, and 29 inches.
Includes a mechanism to adjust the height of each leg and level your saddle
Dynamic movement: Approximately 10 centimetres of backwards-forward movement plus a side-to-side movement that is considerably more than offered by the KICKR AXIS feet alone
Widely connectable: ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth FTMS, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Direct Connect protocol with a cable. Some of these connection protocols can interfere with other electrical items in your house and also could be impacted themselves. This will be the same for other trainers you buy but the direct cable connection is the way to 100% eliminate that potential problem as well as provide a potentially faster and more robust connection (I don’t use that).
Accuracy to +/-1% – that’s as good as you will get. The identical KICKR 2022 model is widely accepted to be repeatably accurate. 2200 Watts max power. There is a grade simulation range from +20% to -10% (-8% with CLIMB)
Top-end Flywheel weighs 7.25-kilogram flywheel. Increased flywheel weight is an important feature that ensures a more realistic road feel during your workouts.
Auto-calibration and more: The KICKR Move comes equipped with an odometer for tracking usage and allows for easy firmware updates via the Wahoo Fitness app.
Comes fully assembled and ready to pair
As a minimum, you will need to pair to an app (free)
You can match KICKR’s power to your (optional) bike power meter’s power if they do not align

Optional Accessories: Bike computer of your choice, Heart Rate monitor of your choice, Wahoo KICKR CLIMB (replaces the front wheel and moves up and down, adapter required), Wahoo mat (for your sweat), Wahoo Steer (provides an in-game advantage when steering round corners), Wahoo HEADWIND smartFan to stop the sweat and improve road-feel; and a KICKR Desk to hold your stuff as well as your TV/iPAD/PC

Q: What’s missing from KICKR?

A: It’s a complete deal even down to a carry handle. However, the only vaguely useful technical feature that’s missing that I can see would unify all your sensor data into one stream…basically, your heart rate would be visible through your KICKR’s pairing rather than needing a separate pairing itself.

Q: What’s missing from the KICKR Range?

A: A smart treadmill (Wahoo KICKR Run)

Other notable Features

Lock-out – You can enable or disable the fore-aft movement in-ride by unclipping your left foot and pressing a button. You might want this movement disabled during sprints.

10Hz data – 10 data points are transmitted every second when enabled. this makes zero difference to your data analysis. However, it significantly improves power responsiveness in-ride, particularly in Zwift or Wahoo X/RGT.

Once you’ve paired to the Wahoo app, firmware updates should be automatic over WiFi.

Pricing

Price: $1600, £1400, 1600 EUR

Configuring the trainer via the Wahoo app is a breeze, offering seamless Wi-Fi setup and essential toggles for ERG mode power smoothing and race mode, delivering a remarkable 10 Hz update rate.

Summary and Conclusions

Wahoo’s indoor cycling ecosystem rivals Garmin’s, with the added bonus that its gamification platform, Wahoo X/RGT, in many respects surpasses Zwift. While Wahoo’s bike computers maximize usability, they lack features, which is why some prefer Garmin Edge devices. However, the same cannot be said for KICKR. Wahoo KICKR is a top trainer when it comes to features.

Even if you analyzed the indoor game platforms feature by feature, you might find that Wahoo is the winner for you. The only thing Wahoo’s indoor apps lack is a huge volume of users. They simply aren’t as popular as Zwift.

I use a lot of Wahoo equipment myself and have no hesitation in recommending KICKR to cyclists and triathletes alike.