THE LATEST GEAR - TESTED BY EXPERTS
WAHOO KICKR BIKE SHIFT
£2,699.99 Wahoo introduces a cheaper indoor bike, but is it any good?
Autumn’s arrival means one thing: Wahoo launches its winter season of indoor trainers. And so it was in September, with two new models: the Kickr Move smart turbo and the Kickr Bike Shift. We got our hands, legs and buttocks on the Bike Shift, its primary sell being ‘a lower price point’ and similar features to last year’s Kickr Bike 2, which retailed for £3,499.99. But the Shift still comes at a hearty £2,699.99. So, what’s been lost and gained from that £800 reduction?
The major change is its lack of real-time gradient shifts, the previous bike ascending or descending depending on what’s happening ahead on the virtual software like Zwift. We tested one and it was a nifty feature, but after a short while it felt a little Emperor’s New Clothes. So, no huge loss.
Out the box it’s a heavy beast, weighing 36kg. It lacks wheels so when you set up, do so where your trainer will live. Talking set-up, it’s a seamless and intuitive process via a set-up app. Not only are you guided through constructing the bike, but you’re also given the detail to match your outdoor geometry indoors. That’s down to its impressive adjustability. You can change top-tube length, both at the saddle and cockpit ends, as well as raising or lowering the entire unit. Crank length ranges in 2.5mm increments from 165mm to 175mm, and you can even customise the Shift to match your bike’s shifters.
The flywheel’s different to the last model but it’s just as impressive, ensuring a quiet drivetrain that’s appreciated by all. Its power output maxes out at 2,200 watts, which is sufficient even for the Chris Hoys out there. As for the precision of its power measurement, Wahoo claims the Shift’s within 1% accurate.
Connectivity is impressive, as it taps into WiFi rather than relying on Bluetooth. The aim is to bolster the data reliability between app and trainer, and so it proved in practice despite the training taking place in the garage beneath our abode, with not one dropout during the testing.
We trained using a mix of Zwift and Wahoo X. Until 31 October, Wahoo is offering three months’ ‘complimentary’ membership to Zwift, which raises a bugbear that Wahoo X is £135 for the year (which you can pay monthly). While it’s an impressive app, you’d think as you’ve just dished out over two-and-a-half grand on a Shift bike, it’d be gratis for at least a year. You’d also expec
