Test: Just in time for autumn and with enough lead time until the really cold months, the indoor trainer specialist Wahoo has returned with two highlights. The new Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift aims to ensure the best functionality and an unprecedented riding experience in the Wahoo indoor ecosystem. We tested the new Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift in our editorial office immediately after its launch and show what the new smart bike has to offer.
As part of a joint launch, Wahoo is bringing the Kickr Move and the Kickr Bike Shift two brand new models for indoor training onto the market.
Wahoo Kickr news: Kickr Move and Kickr Bike Shift
Product news: The leading FitTech manufacturer Wahoo is back with two highlights ahead of the upcoming cold months. We're talking about the new Wahoo Kickr Move and the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift, both of which are intended to provide an unprecedented riding experience in the Wahoo indoor ecosystem. Wahoo Kickr Move Back in September last year, Wahoos got […]
The Kickr Bike Shift is intended to build on the real riding experience of the well-known Kickr Bike and ensure an even smarter and more appealing indoor bike experience with new features and functions such as Reality Shift, True Fit, Real Ride Feel and Wi-Fi. By integrating a novel braking and belt drive system, Wahoo aims to provide real-time resistance response to changes in incline and power, while also making the ride even quieter. There are quite a few promises that we would like to put to the test in detail in our test.
The Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift in the test
Unboxing and building
But let's start a step earlier, because if you talk to cyclists of all levels, they are generally rather skeptical about setting up and using such an indoor bike and are therefore sometimes hesitant to make the purchase. Wahoo has put a lot of thought into this and created a new unboxing experience with a new packaging method for easier installation and a better experience even before the first ride. Thanks to the cleverly designed packaging with the bike being removed from the side and the successful digital instruction videos, which can be accessed using a QR code, unpacking and assembly are quick and easy! If you don't place the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift on the ground floor, two people can carry it up or down.
Adjust and set up
Once the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift is in its final location, the fine-tuning begins, because new setting options give you the opportunity to completely customize the bike and adopt the dimensions of the normal bike. Here too, the instructional videos and the Wahoo app provide support. In order to best use the app mentioned, you should also connect the bike to WiFi. This can be done in a few seconds and the firmware updates are also automatically transferred. We then connected the bike to our WiFi so that we could easily and reliably establish a connection to the bike via Zwift.
This is how the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift rides!
After the setup was done, we went straight to the first test drive. From the outside, the bike looks a bit wobbly despite its impressive weight and robust construction, but this impression is NOT confirmed after the first few steps. Quite the opposite: you have an extremely natural driving feeling right from the start, which becomes apparent the first time you accelerate. This feeling is further emphasized by giving the bike some room to move.
The new brake and belt drive system with the so-called Real Ride Feel is noticeably different than a classic flywheel, but is not only (un)noticeable due to the low-noise setting, but also delivers a convincingly natural driving feeling, especially after a certain acceleration phase. Only after braking or a short stop does it take quite a bit of effort to get up to speed with the Kickr Bike Shift.
The new Reality Shift, which distinguishes the Wahoo Smartbike in more than just its name, offers real added value for the real driving experience and playful indoor experience. No matter whether Campa, Shimano or Sram, the Kickr Bike Shift offers all options and realistically simulates the shifting process. The pressure of the shift lever changes the resistance of the brake accordingly and the drive of the Kickr bike gives a certain haptic feedback so that you can feel the typical “click” when changing gears.
