So you bought a smart trainer. Now what?
I have finally bought a smart trainer – a Wahoo Kickr Core to be precise. I agonised over the choice thinking that the more expensive option, the Kickr, must’ve been the better choice. But for me, the Kickr Core is more of a trainer than I could possibly outgrow anytime soon so that was where I landed. Here’s what was important to me in the purchasing decision.
I’ve been riding on a traditional fluid trainer for years and it’s been great. But I wanted more. I wanted to take my riding up a level (or 20) and therefore removing my rear wheel and having a more realistic feel for gradient, resistance, effort etc was becoming more important. The Wahoo Kickr Core uses some pretty serious technology through its flywheel and advanced algorithms in order for the rider to feel as close to riding on the road as possible.
My second most important decision was I wanted the smart trainer to feel sturdy. I wasn’t going to move it around regularly, so it didn’t matter if it was heavy or bulky to move. What I wanted was for it to feel like it wasn’t going anywhere. I wanted to be able to really push some effort without worrying about tipping over, sliding around etc. I wanted to feel confident that I was securely attached to the trainer and it was stable underneath me. The Wahoo Kickr Core still folds up neatly if I need to move it to the side or to transport it but when my bike is locked on, I feel rock solid.
The third factor in my decision was it needed to be easily set up. Unpack, put the bike on without the need to convert any of my gear, tighten the skewer, plug it in, connect and ride. It was that simple. The initial power test to calibrate was simple enough to get done and before I knew it, I was riding.
If you need me, you’ll find me on my new smart trainer learning to connect my other gadgets, exploring Zwift and levelling up my bike form.
By Pushys sponsored athlete - Michelle Cooper.
