By Paul Norman

Published: Wednesday, 02 March 2022 at 12:00 am


Indoor training is more popular than ever, thanks to the growing range of ‘smart’ products that make riding at home more enjoyable, interactive and effective, whether you’re a WorldTour pro or a new cyclist.

Wahoo’s range of KICKR indoor training products has expanded significantly over the past few years and now includes three smart trainers, an indoor smart bike and, with the launch of the Wahoo KICKR ROLLR, the company’s first set of rollers.

All are interactive, or ‘smart’, so you can connect to a computer, tablet or smartphone via one of the latest indoor cycling apps, including Wahoo SYSTM, to follow a training plan or compete against other riders, with resistance varying automatically as you ride.

Here’s the lowdown on the different indoor trainer types offered by Wahoo and the range of KICKR trainers and accessories available.

Smart trainer vs rollers vs smart bike

There’s now a range of different interactive training options available to riders, which have pretty much confined the ‘dumb’ turbo to the history books.

Smart trainers changed the indoor cycling market by offering variable resistance as you ride. That takes a lot of the guesswork out of interval training and also allows you to hook the unit up to interactive training environments for structured workouts.

The best smart trainers can also simulate steep gradients, while accurately measuring your power and performance data.

Wahoo’s line-up of KICKR smart trainers includes both wheel-on and direct-drive options, with budget, mid-range and top-end options for a range of budgets.

The flip side of the turbo experience is that there’s a bit of setup to attach the trainer to your bike. It’s also locked in place in the turbo, although accessories such as Wahoo’s KICKR Axis Action Feet and the Wahoo KICKR CLIMB can add more realism to the ride.

Traditional rollers, on the other hand, give you a much more fluid riding experience, because the bike is sitting freely on the rollers.

Learning how to ride on rollers typically requires a certain level of skill and – at least at first – courage. You’re usually pedalling against a fixed level of resistance, but Wahoo’s KICKR ROLLR changes that via a set of interactive smart rollers.

Rollers are great for developing pedalling fluidity, but not necessarily for power delivery and all-out efforts. On the other hand, they’re relatively compact to store, which is useful for riders short on space.

Finally, the latest development in training is sophisticated indoor bikes such as the KICKR BIKE.

Indoor smart bikes give you all the benefits of a turbo, but there’s no setup and your outdoor bike can stay in the garage, ready to ride on the road or trails when you need it.

The best indoor bikes can be set up to emulate the shifting pattern and gearing of your regular bike and, like a smart trainer, can simulate climbs.

An indoor bike is a more expensive option, though, and you’ll need a dedicated space where you can keep it. However, for many riders, it represents the ultimate indoor training solution.

Wahoo KICKR ROLLR

"Wahoo
The KICKR ROLLR is the latest addition to Wahoo’s range of smart products.
Wahoo Fitness

The new kid on the KICKR block is the Wahoo KICKR ROLLR.

Wahoo says the ​​KICKR ROLLR is designed for riders who want to train indoors and outdoors, but who don’t want the inconvenience of having to remove their rear wheel to ride on a smart trainer.

There’s minimal setup with the KICKR ROLLR; you just place the bike on the trainer, clamp the front wheel in place and you’re ready to go. Pairing the KICKR ROLLR with a power meter, such as Wahoo’s new Speedplay Powrlink Zero pedals, enables the smart connectivity and variable resistance.

The 10.5lb (4.8kg) flywheel and rollers under the rear wheel are designed to provide the realistic ride feel for which rollers are renowned, and to avoid wheel slippage. Wahoo says it’s easy to adjust the KICR ROLLR for bikes with different wheelbases, too.

"Wahoo
The front wheel is clamped securely in place, with the rear wheel then resting on a smart roller.
Wahoo Fitness

The rear wheel can move side to side to mimic riding outdoors, but there’s none of the nervousness of a traditional roller setup because the bike’s front wheel is held firmly in place by the tyre gripper, which can hold tyres up to 2.1 inches across. The rear roller is also more compact than that on a conventional set of rollers.

The KICKR ROLLR takes its power readings from your bike’s power meter, assuming you have one, rather than having in-built power measurement. There’s full ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity.

You can buy the KICKR ROLLR on its own or bundled with a single-sided Speedplay Powrlink Zero power meter to unluck the full smart connectivity. You can also use it in speed-only mode without a linked power meter.

Wahoo KICKR ROLLR full specs

  • Price: £699.99 / $799.99 / €799.99 / AU$1,199.95
  • Price with POWRLINK pedals: £1,199.99 / $1,399.99 / €1,399.99 / AU$2,049.95
  • Trainer type: Smart rollers
  • Resistance type: Electromagnetic
  • Resistance: 1,500 watts
  • Accuracy: +/- 1 per cent when paired with POWRLINK pedals
  • Max gradient simulation: 10 per cent
  • Flywheel weight: 10.5lb / 4.8kg
  • Metrics: Speed, distance; power and cadence when paired with power meter
  • Calibration: Automatic with POWRLINK pedals