| Wahoo KICKR MOVE Move Smart Trainer |
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| £1149.99 |
| BUY NOW FROM WAHOO |
PLEASE NOTE: I was gifted the Wahoo KICKR MOVE Smart Trainer by Wahoo to give a honest review. This page may contain affiliate links. Making a purchase via our affiliate link means I may receive a small share of the sale.
My name is Justine, I am an avid runner and co-run an Instagram account with my close friend Vicky (@girlsreallyrun).
As a runner who recently discovered they have hip impingement and a labral tear, I have spent the last year adapting my training and having to look outside of running to maintain and continue to build fitness.
As part of that continued adaptation to my old training regime, I have been using a smart turbo trainer at home and incorporating a significant amount of virtual cycling into my week.
However, after increasing my time in the saddle and relying more on virtual riding as a substitute to my running, I have found that my less-than-optimal home set up has been quite limiting. Anything more than an hour and the hip stiffness and lower back pain begins to creep in, and it is only a matter of time before I have had to abandon ship.
I was recently extremely fortunate to get to speak to one of the world’s leading physiotherapists and cycling innovators, Phil Burt. Phil has over 12 years as Head of Physiotherapy at British Cycling and five years as Consultant Physiotherapist at Team GB/Sky. He is at the forefront of innovation in the field of sports performance and health, particularly within cycling and is a leading expert in biomechanics, injury prevention, and performance optimisation.
Phil has partnered with Wahoo Fitness to examine how bike set up can impact cyclists both on the road and on the trainer. He has produced an Ergonomic Insight Report which has then enabled Wahoo to design their latest range of turbo trainers with a view to offering the optimal experience for riders of all levels and ride styles to best suit their needs.
Following my discussion with Phil, I have been extensively testing the Wahoo KICKR MOVE. Below is a breakdown of its features and benefits and what I found from this new approach to a more personalised turbo set up.
FEATURES
- New - 8" (20cm) fore-aft motion responds to changes in riding tempo.
- KICKR MOVE base allows for additional side to side movement as well as the adjustable AXIS feet.
- Auto-calibration and firmware updates.
THE SPEC
- Power Accuracy: +/- 1%
- Metrics: Speed, Distance, Power, Cadence
- Maximum Power Output: 2200W
- Maximum Simulated Grade: 20%
- Minimum Simulated Grade: -10% (-8% with CLIMB)
COMPATIBILITY/CONNECTIVITY
- The Wahoo KICKR MOVE offers connectivity via ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, WiFi, Bluetooth, Direct Connect.
- It also offers full integration with apps like Zwift and TrainerRoad as well as Wahoo’s own app which offers numerous training rides and metrics if like me, you love to analyse your post workout statistics!
INCLUDED IN THE BOX
- Kickr Move
- AC Power Adapter
- Quick Release Skewer
- Disc Brake Spacer
- 1.8mm Spacer
- Adapter A – For 130mm and 135mm Quick Release
- Adapter B - Reversible hub spacer for 130mm and 135mm Quick Release
- Adapter C – For 12x142 and 12x148 Thru Axle
- Adapter D - 12x142 Thru Axle
- Adapter E - 12x148 Thru Axle
- Axis Feet - Small
- Axis Feet - Medium (Pre-installed)
- Axis Feet – Large
- SunRace 11 speed Shimano HG Compatible Cassette.
WAHOO KICKR SET UP
QR CODE
The bike comes with clear and concise set up instructions which are easy to follow. There is also a very useful QR code included which takes you straight to a Wahoo video showing set up if you prefer to watch visually as you go.
The trainer is fully built in the box and aside from a few simple steps to optimise the set up for your individual use (specific to the bike being used and the rider, i.e. wheel size, weight etc).
With just a few simple steps it is ready to use straight out of the box.
ADJUSTABLE POINTS
Wahoo have further improved set up ease by making all of the adjustable points on the base blue and therefore very easy to identify.
Various adaptors are included as standard in order to cater to a wide range of bikes and riders.
LEVELLING FEET
The trainer is stabilised by two levelling feet which you have to open out to maximum width (for stability) by pressing down on the blue leg-lock tabs and pivoting the legs outward until they snap in place and the blue tabs pop back up.
CAP
When setting up, you also need to ensure you have the correct cap fitted to the axis feet for your weight.
The KICKR MOVE comes with three different cap sizes:
- 0-140 lbs (0 – 63 kg): smallest diameter cap
- 141-180 lbs (63 – 81 kg): middle cap (installed by default)
- 181 lbs + (81kg +): largest diameter cap
The cap is very easy to switch if required. I found the switching of the feet caps very simple with very easy to follow instructions.
You can also adjust the tension on the feet to either increase of reduce lateral movement, again further enhancing the rider experience and mimicking that real life riding feel.
PERSONAL PREFRENCE
I have opted for maximal movement range to reduce risk of pressure on the joints and stiffness. It is the closest I have come to road cycling in terms of experience both in and out of the saddle.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are changing the SunRace 11-28T cassette for an alternative, you will need to have an appropriately sized lockring and chain whip in order to change over the cassette. I was able to buy an 11 spline lockring on Amazon for next day delivery at minimal cost.
PAIRING AND CONNECTIVITY
This is one of the easiest turbo trainers I have had to date in terms of ease of set up.
It offers connectivity via ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, WiFi, Bluetooth, Direct Connect.
Once I had mounted my bike on the hub and plugged into the mains, the blue Bluetooth and white Wifi connectivity lights on the base were immediately lit and ready to be paired with compatible devices.
In order to complete the registration, set up and ensure the firmware is up to date, you will need pair the turbo with the Wahoo app (free to download and register on Apple App Store or Android Google Play Store).
Once paired, you can complete your profile, perform necessary firmware updates, and pair your sensors. The app is extremely user friendly and within seconds of connecting, the turbo was ready to go.
RACE MODE
The WiFi/Wahoo Race Mode setting is an excellent additional feature. This is as an alternative to the ANT+ or Bluetooth connectivity and offers a speedier data sharing between the trainer and apps like Zwift.
This means greater accuracy and feedback from the apps on current output, speed, cadence etc, which is particularly great if you are into virtual racing. The WiFi connection is reported to be ten times faster than the ANT+ connection, so this is no small difference if virtual racing is your thing.
The WiFi connectivity also ensures that the firmware is always up to date and doesn’t need to be manually checked which can be quite cumbersome with other trainers.
The Wahoo app also automatically calibrates for more accurate power output readings which is much more convenient than having to complete a spin down as I have had to with previous turbo trainers.
THE DYNAMIC MOVEMENT TECHNOLOGY
This latest development by Wahoo to their range of turbo trainers, is the biggest distinguishing feature between the Wahoo KICKR MOVE and the popular Wahoo KICKR V6.
Wahoo has clearly invested a lot of time, thought and energy to design a turbo trainer that offers a virtual ride that incorporates lateral and back and forward movement.
The Dynamic Motion Technology is Wahoo’s introduction to “fore-aft motion” which enables the bike to move naturally with your pedalling effort. This dynamic movement helps reduce the static load on your joints (and for me my hips) when compared to traditional stationary trainers. In real terms, this means:
- Improved Comfort: The natural sway and rocking motion mimics outdoor cycling much more closely. The additional lateral movement distributes forces more evenly which offsets the pressure concentration from joints and more evenly across the body and the bike.
- Reduced Joint Irritation: These small micro-movement shifts during your workout, help to alleviate the repetitive strain that can exacerbate joint stiffness and for me more specifically my hip impingement symptoms. I’ve found I can ride for much longer without the usual onset of stiffness and lower back pain.
The back-and-forth movement comes from the sliding and rocking system that the flywheel is mounted on which rolls backwards and forwards on an 8-inch curved track.
The new movement ability is most noticeable as you rise from the saddle and as you return to a seated position. The backwards rocking as you return to your seat helps to absorb impact and seems to alleviate saddle soreness. However, the movement is much more dramatic than it would be if riding outdoors.
LOCK FUNCTION
The base also has a movement lock function so that you can prevent it from rocking which can be clicked on or off at any point and is easily reachable with your foot whilst in the saddle.
This is useful if you want to limit movement and is particularly useful during mounting and dismounting and could spare you any blushes getting on and off the bike.
The lateral movement comes from the axis feet tightness and can be adjusted to allow more or less movement depending on personal preference. I have personally opted to have my set up with maximal movement to limit unnecessary stiffness or impact absorption on my joints.
This has the added benefit of reducing likelihood of saddle sore as you return to seated much less aggressively. I will say the lateral movement is far more nuanced than the back and forth movement and is not as noticeable during your rides.
CUSTOMISATION
The KICKR MOVE has a number of adjustable components in order to obtain a more precise fit for your bike, which for me has been a game changer for ensuring correct riding posture and alignment.
The axis feet caps can be changed depending on the rider weight.
The stable base allows offers a range of lateral movement (which is customisable via the axis feet adjustments mentioned above).
NOISE
The KICKR MOVE’s belt-driven system is impressively quiet in operation. The majority of sound I have experienced during my virtual rides comes from my drive chain.
This is particularly useful for a busy working mum like myself who needs to cram training sessions in at unsociable hours and avoid waking the entire household!
PORTABILITY
The KICKR MOVE is very robust and sturdy and best suited to hard floors for optimal stability and ease of use.
The additional stability and robustness does however come at the expense of a pretty heavy turbo trainer when compared with some of the other options on the market.
Although in theory the unit is moveable and can be packed up and used anywhere, in practice I think this would be quite challenging. The unit itself is quite weighty (almost 30kg!), in large part because of it’s impressive 7.3kg flywheel.
PRICE
The Wahoo KICKR MOVE currently retails for £1149.99 which is at the top end of what I would spend for an indoor training system, but is well worth the price when considering the huge array of additional features, it offers when compared with the other turbos on the market offering similar more immersive movement options.
This is a product I would consider a long-term investment and the additional capabilities it offers justifies the price tag.
RIDER EXPERIENCE
I absolutely love the KICKR MOVE as a rider. To begin with it is a very bizarre feeling as virtual riding is inherently very fixed.
It didn’t take long for me to adjust to this additional movement and once you have adapted to it, it feels like the bike is moving with you although somewhat more dramatically than it would do if you were cycling outside however, it is a big leap forward for Wahoo in trying to mimic that outdoor riding experience on a indoor turbo trainer.
I have found that in ERG mode particularly, the power and resistance are much less jumpy than with other trainers and the resistance adjustments are seamless.
I’ve not had to touch my gears and the turbo takes complete charge of the workout for me. I feel much more confident that I can attack some of the harder preset workouts offered by the various training apps with this model.
CONCLUSION
The Wahoo KICKR MOVE really stands out in an otherwise busy market of wheel off turbo trainers. It sets itself apart with the additional movement options which have helped my virtual riding no end in my first month or so of using it.
I wouldn’t now go back to a fixed turbo trainer style. I have seen a dramatic reduction in saddle soreness or lower back pain on my longer rides which was a real problem for me on my fixed turbo.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?
I think it would make an excellent addition for anybody looking to incorporate more virtual cycling into their training routine while not sacrificing on accuracy and comfort (and fun!).
I have managed to increase my amount of time in the saddle without experiencing any joint/hip issues which has never previously been the case and for that alone, it’s a yes from me.
I would recommend it for any athletes like me, balancing a busy work life, children, performance gains and injury management and would consider it a very worthwhile investment in long-term health and fitness goals.
| Wahoo KICKR MOVE Smart Trainer |
|
|
| £1149.99 |
| BUY NOW FROM WAHOO |
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions you would like to ask about the Wahoo KICKR MOVE monitor, please get in touch.
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