The Wahoo Kickr Core remains one of the best smart indoor trainers and is used by many riders who use indoor cycling and racing to stay fit. Its popularity stems from the unit's reliability, durability, and relative accuracy, not to mention a price point that doesn't require a second mortgage. Having first launched in 2018, there’s a new model in town – the Kickr Core 2.

While it borrows a host of modcons from the range-topping Wahoo Kickr V6, the Atlanta, Georgia-based company has kept most of the design blueprint unchanged over the original Core, which is good for two reasons: it keeps the price down and retains the familiarity that made the original such a well-received and successful unit.

The new features have elevated the overall package, boosting perceived quality while maintaining the realistic, refined user experience that the Core platform has built its reputation on.

Design details

The Kickr Core 2 is almost identical to the outgoing model, retaining the same body design and graphics, belt-drive configuration, and flywheel. While this might be disappointing to some, it ensures the Core 2 fits with Wahoo’s corporate identity and keeps pricing in line with the outgoing model – something that will appeal to both current and prospective users, given the cost-of-living crisis and rising supply chain shortages and costs.

That said, there are some structural changes around the legs and feet, which represent improvements. Where the original Wahoo Kickr Core utilised rounded legs, the Core 2 features a new colour-coded mounting bracket and flat legs, which are claimed to improve stability and provide a better support and pedalling platform. It all looks rather refined and well-manufactured.

Eagle eye users will notice a few small but significant details on the unit itself. This includes the Wi-Fi logo and a multi-colour LED panel, introduced to aid diagnostics and troubleshooting. How it all works is somewhat complicated, but the upper LED indicates the connection status (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) and flashes depending on the number of connections. The lower LED has five flash modes: green (power), white (flywheel movement), orange (Zwift protocol), purple (virtual shifting), and red (errors).

While Wahoo has improved the package quite significantly, two features have been omitted: a Direct Connect Ethernet port and a carry handle. Neither is a deal breaker, but at a claimed 13.6kg (14.1kg actual), some users might struggle to move it from room to room or up and down stairs. I’m inclined to overlook this, given what it brings to the entry-level smart-trainer segment.

Specifications

The Wahoo Kickr Core 2 can be purchased in several configurations, including the Zwift Cog and Click (pictured here), an 11-speed cassette version, and the Zwift Ride/Core 2 bundle. Whether you opt for the Zwift Cog or cassette option, the price is the same. Pictured here is the Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click, an all-inclusive package designed exclusively for Zwift. It features virtual steering with 24 gears and allows you to control the entire application via the Click buttons.

The key specifications include a maximum power output of 1,800W, Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, 16% gradient simulation, and a claimed maximum accuracy deviation of +/-2 per cent – the same as before. Updates over the outgoing Core include Kickr Bridge (data from heart rate monitors and other controllers directly through the trainer to your training app), automatic firmware updates, Race Mode, Wi-Fi, automatic spindown (zero-offset calibration), and virtual shifting.

At 52 x 59.7 x 47cm, the Core 2 is identical to the outgoing Core but is significantly lighter at a claimed 13.6kg vs 18kg. Put to our scales of truth, the Core 2 registered an actual weight of 14.1kg with Zwift Cog fitted, 14.3kg with an 11-speed cassette and 13.9kg without the cassette or Zwift Cog. It’s compatible with different wheel sizes, but unlike its pricier V5 and V6 siblings, it has a fixed height.

Owing to the unchanged innards and moving parts, the Kickr Core 2 features the same direct-drive, belt design, complete with a 5.4kg flywheel and an electromagnetic resistance unit; it utilises essentially the same flywheel as the 2016 and 2017 Kickrs.

Set up

The entire setup experience is intuitive and easy to carry out. It's so easy, in fact, you might not even need the instruction manual. The box includes the Kickr Core 2 unit with pre-fitted Zwift Cog, Zwift Click buttons, two flat legs, and AC power adaptor. Other bits and accessories include the four bolts for the feet assembly (complete with 6mm Allen key), thru-axle adaptors, a quick-release skewer, and a 1.8mm spacer (included with the cassette version only).

The axle adaptors (12x142mm and 12x148mm) and quick-release skewer allow you to fit older or newer versions of the best road bikes to the Core 2. To fit my Cannondale SystemSix, I required the 12x142mm adaptors. Unlike some older smart trainers, the Kickr Core 2 has clearance on either side of the flywheel to safely install a contemporary disc-brake road bike – no caliper rub here. There will be no issues for gravel or mountain bikes either.

Pro tip: because of the single cog at the rear, you'll need to shift your derailleur to center it under the Zwift Cog – failure to do so will result in misalignment and a horrible rubbing noise. Once you've found the correct position, you can also fine-tune the chain alignment by cycling through one of 10 positions to find the quietest setting. That said, even with the straightest chainline, there's still some chain noise, but nothing too obtrusive.

There's a bit of assembly required before you can get going on Zwift. To make things easy, Wahoo has pasted some chevron stickers on the feet and the underside of the unit's mounting bracket to ensure correct alignment and fitment. All that's required is to tighten the two-bolt configuration on each leg with the 6mm Allen key included in the box. The next step, if you don't already have the Zwift Play Controllers, is to mount the Zwift Click buttons to your handlebars or the inside of the controls/shifter – I prefer the latter.

The fastening procedure of Clicks is not very refined, requiring a double-up of two rubberised bands on each end, but they do the job. The Zwift Clicks feature a new design that gives users complete control over the app, including menu navigation, shortcut buttons, and Virtual Steering. To wake the Clicks, press any button; they will light up via their LEDs when they are ready for pairing. Once paired through the app, the LED will glow solid blue and automatically enter 'sleep mode' when disconnected from the game.

While the Core 2 is compatible with the best indoor training apps, the model pictured here is Zwift-compatible only. You'd need to remove the Zwift Cog and fit a cassette should you wish to pair it with MyWhoosh and other apps. Once you've got it built and have mounted your bike, you'll need to connect the Core 2 to the Wahoo app and your Wi-Fi network to make firmware updates a breeze – once connected, Wahoo will roll out updates automatically.

Performance and accuracy

As expected with all Wahoo Kickr units, the Kickr Core 2 is smooth in operation with a realistic road feel. The unit reacts well to gradient changes in Zwift but is found wanting in terms of inertia owing to the 5.4kg flywheel. While this sentiment might sound a bit harsh, compared to the Kickr V5 and V6, it's still very refined and shares many similarities with its premium siblings.

The Zwift Cog is compatible with ERG mode, and while I don't use this feature very often, it allows you to remain in a single gear for your entire workout because the trainer's resistance adjustments make shifting irrelevant, provided you dial in a steady cadence to avoid unnatural resistance from the 'spiral of death' (this occurs when a trainer in ERG mode increases resistance as your cadence drops).

Having used the new built-in Wi-Fi on the Kickr V6, I can confirm it works flawlessly, with no drop-outs recorded during my testing protocol. Like the V6, it also gets the auto spin down feature, which automatically calibrates the trainer whenever you coast or come off the pedals – compensating for temperature swings and ensuring accurate performance. As a rider who does a fair bit of eSports racing, I still suggest a manual zero offset (calibration spindown) after your first ride or whenever you move the unit to ensure the best performance. If at any point you are unsure of the power readings, you can connect your cycling computer to a secondary power meter (pedal, crankarm, or spider power meter) and dual-record to check how the two devices align. While the Core 2 doesn't quite meet the 1% minimum accuracy requirement for elite-level cycling esports racing, the 2% claimed accuracy is within acceptable levels for entry-level, direct-drive smart trainers.

To test the Core 2's accuracy, I conducted several rides and intervals, but felt the lack of repetition in some of the Zwift races I completed forced me to dig deeper and record better intervals than standalone workouts. All my testing was carried out in sim mode, as I feel it's more realistic and natural than ERG mode.

If we look at the graphs, the Core 2 tracked within +-2 % across the power curve. While the 1-second power appears to be off by 4%, given that the Core 2 and Favero Assioma Duo pedals could be reading +/-2% in either direction, there's nothing really ominous to report here. The longer the sprint went on, the closer the two power meters aligned, with the 5- and 15-second figures coming in at 0.39% and 0.81%, respectively. The average power for the whole session was pretty close at 324.3W (Wahoo Kickr Core 2) vs 319.4W (Favero Assioma Duo).

The longer-interval comparisons looked good, too, with the 1-, 5-, and 10-minute power showing a deviation of 2.05% at the worst. For me, the 20-minute power comparison is the most essential metric, as many indoor workouts don't last much longer than 30-45 minutes. Looking at the power curve, the Core 2 and Favero Assioma Duo power pedals tracked within 7 watts of each other, with the pedals reading slightly lower at a deviation of just 2.17%. This is very good.

Since the Kickr platform uses software and clever algorithms to estimate cadence, I didn't really focus too much on these figures, but it's worth stating that the Core 2 and Favero Assioma Duo pedals were within 0.95% of each other: 62.7 vs 63.5rpm.

Value

Despite the £499.99 / $US549.99 / €549.99 sticker price, Wahoo has done well to keep it in line with the outgoing Core's RRP of £499, which is incredible considering the original Kickr Core retailed at £699 when it first launched in 2018.

Looking at its rivals, the Core 2 goes head-to-head with the new Elite Rivo with Zwift Cog and Click, and, to a lesser extent, the Van Rysel RCR with Zwift Cog and Click. The Elite Rivo looks impressive on paper with a similar pricing to the Core 2; £499.99 / $US499.99 / €519. While it offers the same gradient simulation as the Core 2 and built-in Wi-Fi functionality, the claimed +/-2.5% accuracy falls short of the Core 2.

The Van Rysel RCR might lack the brand cachet of the Core 2 and Rivo, but it's the brand's range-topping unit and naturally boasts an array of impressive specifications such as a maximum deviation of just 1%, max power output of 2,800W, and gradient simulation of up to 27%. These are impressive features and specifications, but it comes at a cost – £749.99 / $US999 / €798.99. Like the Core 2 and Rivo, it comes factory fitted with a Zwift Cog, making it compatible with all bikes.

As it stands, there's a lot of choice here, but Wahoo has forged a reputation as one of the best smart trainers in the business with a refined and realistic riding experience and an after-sales service network to boot. Not only is it nearly £250 / $US449 / €249 cheaper than the Van Rysel RCR, but it also benefits from a better feature set than the similarly priced Elite.

For what it's worth, the Van Rysel, Elite Rivo, and Core 2 all come with a 2-year warranty for peace of mind while riding.

As an aside, with Black Friday almost upon us, there's every chance you'll be able to pick up the outgoing Wahoo Kickr Core and Kickr Core 2 on a deal, so make sure you give our Black Friday Bike Deals hub a browse to avoid missing out.

Verdict

The entry-level smart trainer segment is saturated with options of all price points and specifications, but the new Wahoo Kickr Core 2 has raised the bar and refined the concept – it's the undisputed new leader.

Tech spec: Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click

RRP: £499.99 / $US549.99 / €549.99
Weight: 14.1kg with Zwift Cog
Connectivity: WiFi, ANT+ FEC, ANT+ Power, Bluetooth FTMS and Zwift Protocol
Companion app: Yes
Accuracy: +/-2%
Max power: 1,800W
Max grade: 16%
Freehub compatibility: Zwift Cog, Shimano 9/10/11/12-speed road cassettes, Shimano 12-speed MTB, Campagnolo 9/10/11/12-speed, SRAM NX 12-speed with Shimano body and SRAM 12-speed (with XD/XDR body)

Having tested several smart-bikes over the past four years, including Wattbike’s Atom, I was intrigued to hear that the company was launching a new bike pitched to a broader home audience.

Rather than being aimed at hardcore Zwift racers, the Wattbike Proton has been designed to pique interest right across the fitness mass market, including those on a budget (it’s £600 cheaper than the Atom) and some who would otherwise gravitate towards spin classes or Peloton. That said, the Proton can cope with power outputs of up to 1,800 watts – so I knew that my puny sprint wasn’t going to cause it any problems.

I’m neither a fanatical Zwifter nor an indoor novice, so I put the Proton to the test in my usual regime of one or two shed-based sessions and races per week.

Construction

At first glance, the Wattbike Proton looks and feels very sturdy. Despite its hefty build – it weighs 48kg – it's surprisingly easy to move around thanks to integrated wheels. Being easy to wheel around is important if your living space doubles as your gym or, like us, you have a jam-packed shed.

The Proton’s compact design – it’s 20cm shorter than the Atom – makes it suitable for homes (and sheds) where space is at a premium. Aesthetically, it looks like a basic gym bike and as such isn’t exactly easy on the eye – but who cares about that, provided the price is right?

Adjustability is one of the Proton's strong suits. The saddle (height and fore/aft) and handlebar heights are easy to change simply by turning the large, easily gripped knobs – no tools needed – allowing you to dial in your exact riding position. This feature makes it perfect for households with multiple users, as each person can quickly adjust the bike to their preferred settings. Jumping on the Proton after my vertically challenged brother Matt presented minimal adjustment inconvenience.

Speaking of height differences, the seat height range of 50-83cm is even wider than the Atom’s – you’re unlikely to be too tall or too short for this bike. The standard saddle is not the most comfortable, being on the harder side, though I did get used to it after a few rides. Besides, it would be easy to swap with your preferred saddle.

Setup and connectivity

Getting started with the Wattbike Proton is refreshingly simple. The accompanying app guides you through the setup process with ease. Connecting to third-party platforms – our favoured option was Zwift via Apple TV – was seamless too. We used Zwift in conjunction with a wall-mounted TV, but the Proton has a sturdy, versatile tablet holder, if that is your preferred setup.

This Wattbike, like the Atom, supports both Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and software. We never experienced any problems with getting connected or drop-outs once riding. For those who value hassle-free tech, the Proton delivers.

Ride experience

Once pedalling, the Proton offers a generally smooth ride, albeit with more vibration than more expensive smart-bikes such as the Wahoo Kickr Bike. Similarly, gear changes are not as positive or tactile as on the Wahoo – you don’t feel the shift on the Proton. It's not always obvious when a gear has changed, sometimes requiring multiple presses to confirm – a small but noticeable interruption to the flow of your ride. This is not helped by the means of shifting: squidgy buttons that can be fiddly and hard to locate when you're in the throes of a hectic sprint finish on Zwift.

Using the Proton in erg mode revealed some quirks. When the target power changed, there was a noticeable lag of five to 10 seconds before the bike's resistance adjusted accordingly. It often overshot or undershot the target power before oscillating and slowly settling. This is a problem in reps of less than 30 seconds, when much of the interval is wasted getting to the intended power. It’s not a big enough drawback to hinder the effectiveness of your training, but it can be annoying to those accustomed to greater responsiveness.

I tended to use Zwift for my training and racing while using the Proton, simply because I have a Zwift subscription but also because the platform boasts a broader range of sessions than the Wattbike Hub app (which is not available on Apple TV). For those who don’t want a paid subscription, the free Hub app is a significant perk, offering a good spread of sessions and the option to build your own.

When testing the original iteration of the Wattbike Atom back in 2020, I had serious doubts about its accuracy. Recording a sub-40-minute ascent of Alpe du Zwift at over 350 watts all but confirmed it was reading substantially above my actual output. No such concerns (or superhuman numbers) on the Proton. Although I didn’t dual-record to compare its power accuracy, my perceived effort, as well my heart rate, seemed in keeping with the power shown on the screen – I’ve no reason to doubt its claimed accuracy of within 1% either side of spot-on.

Noise and vibration

The Proton isn’t obtrusively noisy but it isn't the quietest trainer on the market – I found myself turning up my music louder than usually I’d need to. Additionally, there's a noticeable vibration through the pedals, particularly in erg mode. Over longer sessions, this buzz may become more noticeable – a factor worth considering if extended rides are your mainstay.

Durability and longevity

In the past, Wattbikes have had issues with longevity, especially when subjected to heavy use or stored in less-than-ideal conditions like sheds. The Proton, however, seems to address these concerns. Its construction looks and feels robust, and all the delicate electronics are well-enclosed, protecting them from sweat and damp ingress. While only time will tell how the Proton holds up in the long run, the initial impression is positive.

Value

One of the most compelling aspects of the Wattbike Proton is its price. At £1,795, it’s a whopping £1,400 cheaper than the aforementioned Wahoo Kickr Bike, £400 less than the Kickr Bike’s little brother, the Kickr Shift, and £300 less than the Tacx Neo Bike. This more accessible price point makes the Proton an attractive option for those looking to invest in a quality trainer without breaking the bank.

The only significantly cheaper smart-bike currently available is the Zwift Ride. Given the range of features and the seemingly robust build quality, the Proton offers substantial value for money. It's an investment, certainly, but one that delivers a decent indoor cycling experience comparable to higher-priced alternatives.

At the time of launch the Zwift Hub One was the second of Zwift’s two direct drive trainers. Or, to be more precise, it was one of two versions of a single trainer. Fast forward a few months and now the legal dispute between Zwift and Wahoo has been resolved, the Hub One is Zwift’s only trainer.

Whereas the standard Hub used a standard cassette for gearing and resistance, the Hub One features a single sprocket and virtual gears. The minimalist design makes the Hub One compatible with any 8 – 12 speed drivetrain and so removes user cost and hassle in buying and swapping cassettes and freehubs for different set ups. This sets it apart from the rest of the best smart bike trainers. 

Colleagues have already reviewed the Zwift Hub so rather than repeat them here, this review focuses on One aspects of the trainer.

Construction and set up

Pre-installed on the Hub One, the 14 tooth single sprocket is set within a plastic body which replaces the usual cassette.

To attach your bike to the single sprocket select a mid-range gear on the mech before mounting your bike to the trainer. From here your mech should align with the single cog or just take a shift or two to get it right. I tried a range of drivetrains on different bikes (9 – 12 speed, Shimano and SRAM, road and MTB mechs) and all were equally straightforward to set up.

If / when you do mistakenly use the bike’s shifters the noise of the chain against the protective plastic discs on the Hub mean you quickly shift back without any damage.

Once up and running (in the same way as the original Hub) the resistance of the One automatically adjusts to your gear ratio which means it gives the same range of resistance whichever gearing you have.

Replacing the gear shifts of the cassette, the Hub One uses virtual shifting which is operated by the Click wireless control. The Click is a single circular unit with two soft buttons for more or less resistance. It mounts to your bars using O-rings which makes it easy to move it around until you find your preferred position. As an alternative you can also control the trainer with the Zwift Play control unit.

Selecting a gear to get the right chain alignment works well at a basic level but the devil is always in the detail. You may get lucky and the position of your mech aligns perfectly with the cog but if you’re pedantic you’ll probably want to tweak the alignment of your mech slightly. Not doing so shouldn’t affect performance in the same way as your gears would skip if you didn’t have your mech set up properly with your cassette, but it will lead to increased wear of your chain.

On the topic of chain wear, whilst the generic profile of the sprocket ensures its compatibility with a range of drivetrain speeds and brands it means that it’s not precisely profiled for a single one. In time this imperfect fit may cause wear to your chain - which is could be more significant (and expensive) with greater speed drivetrains (11 and 12), where exact alignment of the chain and sprockets is more crucial than set ups with fewer gears.

Connectivity

Bluetooth and ANT+ connections mean that you can connect the trainer to third party apps and head units as we’ve all come to expect.

One key issue with connectivity is that the Click shifter connects through the Zwift app. This means that you won’t be able to change resistance if you use any other app, your head unit or no connection at all (you can still control resistance on the Hub One with other apps or head units if you are on ERG mode).

The ride

Riding an ERG controlled session has the same feel as the cassette version of the Hub so again, head over to our review of the Hub if you are interested in that detail. For non-ERG sessions the Click shifter and the electromagnetic resistance comes into play.

Ergonomically, the design and operation of the Click is nothing like a usual gear shift and it took me a while to get used to it. On the upside, it only needs a light touch to operate and so, whilst it’s not very instinctive, it is easy to do. The biggest problem I had - even when it was well positioned - was needing to move my hands to use it because of its size and the angle at which it sits.

The range of gears / resistance is excellent and I never found myself consistently at one end or the other. Unless you’re able to consistently put out the trainer’s maximum 1,800 wattage then it’s likely you’ll find the range more than adequate too.

The One uses an electromagnet to change resistance in place of your mechanical gears. Whilst this gives a less natural feel, this approach actually offers some subtle advantages.  As the 24 gears are purely sequential, you’ll gain increments and / or absolute range over mechanical gearing (for example, typically you will have only a 13 gear range on a 2x10 set up because of overall between ratios of the two rings). 

Additionally, the spacing between each of the resistance levels is even and relatively small, so you don’t have to deal with any big jumps like you may have in your cassette spacing. All in this gives a lot of fine control over your resistance and effort on the virtual road.

The only real negative of the shift / resistance change is that as you change resistance it feels like it overshoots before settling to the new level. As you shift up there’s a ‘surge’ of resistance before it finds its new setting. The opposite happens when you shift down where the resistance falls away before finding a level just below where you were before. It only lasts for a couple of pedal revolutions and sometimes it’s barely noticeable but can still throw your rhythm off.

This is clearest seen in the data trace where you can see a sudden increase in wattage / resistance as I’ve shifted up and the opposite as I’ve changed down gear. Each jump is around 25W different to where the new resistance settles. 

Value

At $600/£550 the Zwift One Hub is well priced for an entry-level smart trainer, particularly as you don’t need to buy an additional cassette to get started or anytime in the future if you change bikes. At time of review (Feb 2024) it also includes a year-long Zwift subscription. This end of the market is really competitive meaning you can buy you a Kickr Core for the same money (with cassette installed and also a year’s Zwift subscription).

There’s also the option of wheel-on trainers which negate the need for dedicated cassettes, they’re a good chunk cheaper ($400/£350 for the Wahoo Snap with Zwift subscription) and you’re not tied to Zwift’s app to make full use of them. On the downside wheel-on trainers tend to be noisier and don’t have as good a riding feel as a direct drive trainer.

If you do have a Zwift Hub, $/£80 will buy the conversion kit to swap your trainer over to the single-sprocket version.

Conclusion

It’s worth thinking beyond the pricing if you’re considering buying a Zwift Hub One. The major advantage is the ability to swap and change bikes without additional costs (and potential hassle) of additional cassettes and possibly hubs. If you are only going to use one bike (or actually one flavour of cassette) then there’s less of an advantage over other trainers and so the disadvantages of the virtual shifting – that you’re limited to using Zwift, the unnatural shifting ergonomics and the fluctuating resistance on changing – are more relevant to your decision.

Specification

• Power accuracy: +/- 2.5%
• Max wattage: 1800 watts
• Max gradient simulation: 16%
• Connectivity: Bluetooth FTMS and ANT+ FE-C
• Flywheel weight: 4.7kg / 10.3lbs
• Total weight: 15kg / 33lbs
• Drivetrain compatibility: 8-12 speed bikes 

The world of the smart trainer has grown increasingly crowded, making it no easy task to choose the best smart bike trainer to match your needs. This is especially the case for those who just getting started cycling indoors. With this end of the market in mind Zwift has released the Hub, a smart trainer that's created to be straightforward to set up and use, and all at an affordable price point. 

I tested the Zwift Hub quite intensely as I used the trainer every single day for a month. I completed a myriad of different workouts including many, many interval sessions, some longer Zone two rides, a handful of Zwift races and two very hard Zwift FTP tests. During my time with the Zwift Hub, we became very well acquainted and I learned all the ins and outs of what it was like to use on a daily basis.

Zwift Hub review: construction and set up

When unboxing a smart trainer, usually, you're left to discover a lot of unnamed parts and maybe a manual to aid with assembly. This norm is put into harsh contrast when unboxing the Zwift Hub. The parts are simple, the instructions easy to follow and even the least technically minded will be able to set the trainer up in around 5 -10 minutes. Mounting the bike will also be incredibly simple due to the incorporation of cards designed to help you measure the dropouts of your bike and easy to understand adapters.

Connecting the trainer to Zwift or any other platform for that matter was very easy to do thanks to the ANT+ connection. However, you can also connect via Bluetooth. A real triumph of the unit's connectivity is the ability to use the trainer as a bridge, meaning you can broadcast your heart rate, speed, cadence and power numbers all in one data stream. Especially useful for devices which have limited device connections such as Apple TV. I found the connection to be rock solid and during my time with the trainer and I didn't experience any signal dropout despite the ANT+ protocol being prone to signal interference from other devices.

While this unit was created to bridge the gap between the not so tech savvy consumer and those wanting to just get going on Zwift, the Hub does actually boast some pretty decent numbers for the price tag. It has a claimed accuracy of +/- 2.5%, a maximum resistance of 1800 Watts and it can simulate gradients up to 16%. The flywheel weighs in at 4.7kilos, and the trainer is ANT+, FEC and Bluetooth FTMS controllable. 

Zwift Hub review: the ride

The ride sensation was smooth and measured and only occasionally choppy at lower cadences. I found the 4.7 kilo flywheel spun up fairly quickly however, at the other end, I didn't feel as though I was spinning the trainer out at the higher power numbers. 

The ERG mode was smooth and very quick to react to in game gradient changes. Currently, you do have to perform a spin down calibration, however, Zwift is working to include a software upgrade which means it'll be automatic. 

The handy thing with it being a Zwift product is that all software updates will be downloadable and via Zwift itself, which does make usership very simple. One aspect of the data reporting I did notice was slow to change was the power and cadence numbers. This was compared to other trainers using the same connection method, i.e. ANT+. Stability was always going to be slightly compromised with the layout of the legs, we often find this with trainers that utilise the parallel two bar format, however, I only found it to be an issue when really giving it the beans out the saddle. 

The sound of the trainer is relatively quiet and is on par with other trainers in this price bracket. Of course, when you push on, the volume will increase and I found that using ERG mode helped with keeping the vibrations and noise down. ERG mode isn’t exclusive to the Hub, but since the Hub’s ERG mode was actually rather nice to use, it meant that using it was a viable option compared to other trainers which can send you into somewhat of a death spiral of ever increasing resistance. As I live in a top floor flat, I’m sure my neighbors who live below were unknowingly very grateful for ERG mode. 

For those who love to do their research and have been eyeing up all other options in the entry-level price bracket for a smart trainer, you may have come across the JetBlack Volt. You may also be wondering why the trainers look so remarkably familiar. Well, Zwift worked with the Australian brand to bring the Hub to market. Sure, they do share a lot of the same DNA, however, Zwift put the effort into making the trainer compatible with any bike through the use of their adapters and an altered trainer housing. They also upgraded internal components to improve the performance and durability of the trainer.

A couple of other downsides of this trainer are the lack of carry handle, there's no obvious place to pick it up from and thus means it's rather unwieldy when moving around. The weight is definitely better than others in this category which is a positive. However, the lack of folding legs means it's not the most convenient thing to store or transport.

Overall, when you consider the features that are packed into this trainer, along with the simple set up and sheer value the trainer provides, it's a bit of a no-brainer for anyone looking to start training indoors. I would say it’s the best bang for buck trainer out there that leaves for wanting very little.

Zwift Hub review: value

When you consider the cost of the Zwift Hub it really does provide best in class value. The aforementioned JetBlack Volt 2 is similarly priced (the price in the US was recently lowered to match the Hub, while many UK retailers have reduced the price too) and while the maximum resistance and gradient simulation are the same, it has a lighter flywheel and on test we found that the ride feel could be distinctly 'choppy' at times. 

The Tacx Flux S costs around the same as the Hub but has a slightly lower accuracy, while Wahoo's Kickr Core matches the Hub's maximum resistance numbers but is significantly more expensive at full retail.

Zwift Hub review: Specs

• Power accuracy: +/- 2.5%
• Max wattage: 1800 watts
• Max gradient simulation: 16%
• Connectivity: Bluetooth FTMS and ANT+ FE-C
• Flywheel weight: 4.7kg / 10.3lbs
• Total weight: 15kg / 33lbs

Over the last few months there seems to have been an almost constant release of updated indoor smart bikes and trainers to see us through our winter. I set out to see how the latest version of the Wahoo Kickr direct drive smart trainer fares amongst our best turbo trainers and whether it keeps its reputation as one of the best high-end models on the market.

Wahoo Kickr V6: construction

The Wahoo Kickr V6 direct drive smart trainer’s spec is impressive:

·         16lb flywheel with electromagnetic resistance

·         Adjustable AXIS feet for side to side motion

·         ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, WiFi, Bluetooth, Direct connect

·         Maximum Power Output: 2,200 Watts

·         Maximum Simulated Grade: 20%

·         Minimum Simulated Grade: -10%

·         Claimed Power Accuracy: +/-1%

Most of this we’d already seen on the previous (V5, 2020) version of the Kickr. In comparison to the previous model, the new additions are the WiFi connectivity, ERG Easy ramp and a trainer odometer.

It was already possible to connect your Kickr to your home router either via a hardwire connection or using a dongle. Now the integrated WiFi makes it far easier to get a faster and more reliable connectivity to your paired devices via a 2.4 Ghz network. It also allows automatic firmware updates so you don’t need to remember to manually log into the app. 

Alongside the WiFi, the ERG Easy ramp is probably the biggest change you’ll notice. This new feature allows 10 secs of ramped resistance to get back up to cadence if you’ve stopped mid interval. This is a big improvement from the previous approach which just upped the resistance to something unobtainable and thus grinded you to a halt.

It’s hard to see the value of the odometer on the Kickr. From a training point of view there’s much richer available data through which ever app / system you use to control and record your workouts. It’s been said that the odometer will be useful when it comes to re-sale / second hand buying – but that strikes me as much of a curse than a blessing; we all know that a well-used but well cared for machine can often be a better buy than a little-used neglected one.

Wahoo Kickr V6: Compatibility and setup

Out the box setting up the hardware is straightforward and there’s a short printed quick start guide to help you through. The legs fan out and there’s a big adjustment pin to hinge the trainer to different positions for different sized wheels which are clearly marked.

Naturally the Kickr is pretty hefty (>20kg) but there is a well-balanced carry handle. It does fold down, but not to a particularly compact size (37cm/14.5" high) so you’re unlikely to be able to push it under your bed or sofa when it’s not in use.

There are three sets of AXIS feet to give a ‘realistic ride feel’ by allowing some side to side movement. The installed set were (nearly) the right ones for my weight so I didn’t bother swapping them over.

The only part of set up that takes a bit more care and thought is selecting and installing the rear-axle adapters to match those of your rear wheel (compatible with 130 and 135mm QR; 12x142 and 148mm). Once you’ve lined up all the adapters, it’s actually quite a simple job, probably the biggest difficulty comes in knowing what standard you actually run. If in doubt, the easiest way is to resort to the internet and look up the spec of your bike / frame.

The Kickr V6 comes complete with an 11 speed 11-28t Sunrace cassette. If you don’t run an 11 cassette the existing freehub body will also take a 9, 10 speed Shimano or SRAM cassette or a 12 speed Shimano road cassette. You’ll need the appropriate tools to change the cassette and either swap your existing one off your rear wheel or buy a second one for your trainer. If you run a Campagnola cassette or SRAM XD/XDR you’ll need to buy an additional freehub body as well as a cassette. There is no freehub available for Shimano’s Microspine system, which is found on 12 speed mountain bike drivetrains.

Given the adaptability of the Kickr to accommodate different wheel sizes and the movement of the industry towards 12 speed cassettes (and various freehub types), I’d like to see an option to select your freehub and cassette at purchase so it’s not an additional cost to run the Kickr with your chosen drivetrain.

The physical set up of the Kickr may have been easy; the technological one threw me a few more challenges.

First up, ANT connection via my Garmin Edge 1000 bike computer. Despite the relative age of my unit, connection via ANT was easy via the Garmin’s “add a sensor” menu option. The Wahoo Tickr heart rate monitor (an additional purchase to the Kickr) also connected easily. The Garmin re-connected to the Kickr and Tickr each session without any issue and the connection stayed steady throughout all the sessions that I either controlled or recorded on the Edge.

Next, the Bluetooth. I found the Bluetooth connectivity to my iPhone and iPad be pretty unstable, even with all other Bluetooth devices switched off. For example, every time I powered up the Kickr it wouldn't automatically connect so I had to manually do this (although annoyingly it would pick up my power cranks if these were transmitting). I often had to connect to each of the Wahoo System, X and RGT indoor cycling training apps separately despite them being “integrated”.  

Even after this I often found that I’d lose the connection between the app and either the Kickr or Tickr by the start of the session. I think most of this issue lay with the apps. To get a connection to Wahoo X, I had to reinstall it almost every use, the System and RGT apps were a little more consistent. Friends who are owners of previous Kickr models assured me once I got set up, then things tended to be stable. I didn’t wait to get to this point though and made use of the new WiFi connection.

Once I sorted the WiFi connection in my garage with a plug-in booster, then it was all systems go and my Bluetooth experience was consigned to the past. On the first attempt I couldn’t get the Kickr to see my WiFi network in the System app, but once it did, connection was automatic each time I switched on the Kickr and regardless of which app I used. Of course, if you have an unstable WiFi connection then this solution may be less perfect for you (although the hardwire option still remains).

Wahoo Kickr V6: The ride

Technological connections sorted it was finally time to threw my leg over my bike and get riding (nowhere).

First things, the feel. The motion is incredibly smooth and quiet, perhaps unnervingly so. Did I notice the side to side motion offered by the AXIS feet? No, not really. But then again I didn’t feel like everything was rigidly held either (which I did appreciate for reducing the stresses on the rear triangle of my bike, more so than the actual ride feel.)

The biggest thing I noticed that didn’t reflect outdoor riding was the increased momentum I got coming off a sprint /effort which I suspect was due to the heavy flywheel taking more time to slow down than your bike would do outdoors. 

Well, in truth the biggest thing I noticed is that I was staring at my garage wall, sweating buckets on a winter day, I didn’t have to steer my bike or change gear (when in ERG mode), so I’m actually not that bothered if it doesn’t feel exactly like the real thing. 

Undoubtedly the ERG feature is fantastic in helping to achieve focused and quality sessions at different power outputs. For those unfamiliar with ERG mode, this is a setting where the resistance of the trainer automatically adjusts based on your current cycling cadence and torque (the force through the pedal) so that you hit your target power outputs. To find out more about training in ERG mode, we recently put the question ‘Should I be doing my Zwift sessions in ERG mode?’ to a cycling coach over here.

Adjustment in the resistance feels almost instantaneous as you change cadence or the programmed session reaches the start and end of each interval.

As well as being really helpful in hitting your target power in interval type sessions, it’s also fantastic when you just want to hit a longer steady state effort, as you don’t need to be constantly checking your data to know you’re still on target. The new ERG Ramp Mode did its job well and I was easily able to get back up to speed if I paused for a few seconds during an effort. 

My only issue with the ERG feature is that it’s really difficult to switch off; great for discipline, less good for stopping yourself exploding when you’ve gone too far into the red. For example, during one session I’d just about topped out on my last zone 6 effort on. Usually I’d push as far as I could go before dropping a few gears and continuing at a slightly less heart-busting pace. During this session (which I was following on the Wahoo X app) I had to reach forward and try and press the small menu button on my laptop with a sweaty hand and blurred vision, choose a different tab, decrease the percentage power in single percentage points and then OK the changes. By the point I’d done this I’d come to a halt and the interval was over. Different software can make these changes a little quicker (like Zwift or on a Garmin head unit) or slower, although you still need to go through the app.

I’d like to see a development where you could toggle the level of the ERG mode setting by changing gear – with the option of turning it off completely once past a certain point. It would both simulate the real world and make it a whole lot easier to do during an effort. Developing the ERG mode so you could work to heart rate zones as well as power would be marvellous and help control for heart rate drift, which is reasonably common during indoor sessions.

And, finally, I did notice a little inconsistent quirk in the cadence measures. The Kickr features an integrated cadence measure derived from pedalling dynamics data. On the whole this was accurate, within one RPM of that from my 4iiii crank cadence sensor at RPM 30-120. One oddity was that during single-leg drills the cadence was halved even though speed and power measures were maintained. To make this even odder it wasn’t a consistent issue, occurring around half the time I tested it whether I measured on my Garmin or the Wahoo app. This is by no way a big issue in the real world, just a good reminder that simulated data is never as accurate as the real thing.

Wahoo Kickr V6: Power analysis

I cannot possibly verify whether the Kickr can really achieve its max resistance of 2,200W. But then it’s unlikely this is an issue for anyone so we’ll quickly move on.

Using ERG mode, I compared performance to my one sided 4iiii crank power meter and Favero Assioma Duo pedals. The data was closely matched across the whole session, with variations in the power curve from 10 seconds onwards no greater than three watts (1.5%). There was quite substantial variation for shorter time periods and maximum values, with over 30 watts difference (10%)  between the 4iiii than the Kickr at three seconds.  

I rather suspect that that error here falls with the one-sided cranks, as it isn’t seen from the pedals and the full data file from this session suggests the peak in 4iiii data is an outlying measure, and / or the data smoothing that you get with the Kickr which smooths out any half pedal stroke anomalies like this. Overall I was pretty happy how the values matched up and don’t feel the need to adjust my indoor and outdoor power zones to account for any measurement variation.

Wahoo Kickr 6: Value and conclusions

The Wahoo Kickr direct drive smart trainer is an amazing piece of kit. Its improved connectivity and development of the ERG mode have improved performance and reliability that much further.

As we’ve seen across many manufacturers of later, the latest versions of smart trainers and bikes are accompanied by big increases in prices which probably reflect current inflationary pressures more than product developments. The Kickr V6 retails for $1,300 / £1,100, a $/£100 increase in the price of the previous Wahoo Kickr V5 model (which at the time of writing is on sale for $1000 / £900). On the upside, this is $/£100 cheaper than the closely matched Tacx NEO 2T smart trainer.

We are now in the days of smart trainer evolution – not revolution – so, depending on your existing smart trainer (or not), you may not see the latest version of the Wahoo Kickr as worth the money. Having said that, given the massive developments we’re seeing in the smart trainer apps like Wahoo X, the WiFi enabled Kickr stands a better chance than many other trainers in keeping pace with the future.

If you’ve never ridden indoors before, have a non-smart turbo trainer or don’t want to spend more money on a turbo than your bike, a smart wheel-on turbo trainer is a great piece of kit.

We tested the Wahoo Kickr Snap, one of the most high-specced wheel-on smart trainers on the market today, and took a look at how it compares to the best cheap smart trainers.

Wahoo Kickr Snap: construction

The second generation Wahoo Kickr Snap trainer has many of the same capabilities of its big, fancy direct-drive brother, the Wahoo Kickr V6 but retails at about a third of the price.

A striking feature of the Snap is its 1,500W maximum power output, 12% simulated incline and claimed accuracy of +/- 3%. These are impressive figures in comparison to other wheel-on smart trainers such as the Tacx Flow which manages 800W max, 6% incline and +/- 5% accuracy.

There’s ANT, ANT+ FE-C, and Bluetooth Connectivity to link with your various devices for training apps and sessions.

Unlike the direct-drive Kickr and some other wheel-on trainers like the Tacx Flow, the Snap doesn’t directly measure or calculate cadence. Of course, this isn’t a necessity, but it is something that is heavily integrated into sessions on many of the smart training apps so something most riders will want. Wahoo’s cadence sensor is available separately for $40/£30 or you can use any other Bluetooth or ANT connected sensor (if you have an ANT only sensor you won’t be able to see this on your tablet / computer unless you have an ANT dongle). 

The Snap is compatible with the full range of Kickr training accessories such as the Climb incline stimulator and Headwind fan although I doubt anyone who has $/£200+ to spend on a fan would be looking at the entry level trainer. 

Wahoo Kickr Snap: Compatibility and set up

Set up is really straightforward; it took me about 10 minutes to do and I only resorted to the instructions to check I’d done everything right. In summary you unfold the legs, clamp the rear axle into the trainer, tighten the roller onto the rear tyre and then put your front wheel onto the riser block.

My bike has a 135mm QR axle so everything I needed was in the box, if you run a 12x142 bolt through you’ll need to buy the adapter separately.

You need to calibrate at the start of each ride, a process which takes a minute or so as the SNAP measures the friction of the system. You can do this either through the Wahoo app or your bike computer (in my case a Garmin Edge 1000).

Connecting to my bike computer (via ANT) and devices via Bluetooth was straight forward using the ‘add sensor’ options on each. As I found with the Kickr direct-drive I had to reinstall Wahoo X on my iPad each time I wanted to connect, an issue I put down to the app rather than the hardware as I didn’t have the same problem with the System or RGT apps.

Wahoo Kickr Snap: the ride

The Snap has a really nice ride feel; it is planted, smooth and without any wheel slipping on the rear drum. Adjusting the resistance of the trainer just made pedalling feel harder – exactly what you want – not that your wheel is being excessively jammed, as can be the case on some wheel-on turbos. The whole set up feels nice and stable with only a little side to side wobble of your bike during out-the-saddle efforts. All in all, it’s a world away from the (my) old-fashion 'dumb' turbo trainer.

There’s a reasonable amount of noise that comes from the trainer (and drivetrain) but it isn’t excessive, for example I was still able to follow sessions / watch programmes on my tablet without the need for headphones.

I tested the Snap alongside the latest version of the direct-drive Kickr V6 (full review coming soon). From a ride point of view there were two aspects that stuck out as different between the two. Firstly, the resistance / power isn’t as controlled on the Snap compared to the Kickr. This isn’t something that you notice hugely on the Snap, it's more that when testing back-to-back, the Snap just doesn't have the highly smoothed feeling and data that the Kickr V6 provides. 

This also results in power readings that are a bit ‘spikier’ on the Snap than the Kickr. If you haven’t ridden a direct drive trainer, then you’re unlikely to find the Snap ride ‘unsmooth’; I’d actually argue it better represents outdoor riding than the highly controlled direct-drive version does.

The other noticeable difference between the two Kickrs was the lag of a second or so for the Snap to react to changes in power targets during ERG sessions (when the resistance automatically changes to match your target power). Once I got a feeling for the delay then it wasn’t an issue for longer intervals as the odd second over several minutes doesn’t make a difference. It was more noticeable on shorter sprint-type efforts where there was a quick and significant ramp up in power needed. For these I tended to bridge this gap with a quick gear change to up the resistance rather than just wait for the ERG to come in.

Wahoo Kickr Snap: Power analysis

Compared to my 4iiii cranks the power readings of the Snap were a good 15W more generous at the lower end of readings of 80-120W, more in the realms of 10% than the claimed 3% accuracy. At higher power levels then there didn’t seem to be as much absolute or relative variation – perhaps 1 or 2% – although the variations in the power meter readings from both the trainer and external power meters (4iiii cranks and Favero Assioma Duo pedals) make this harder to analyse and identify any inconsistencies.

Whilst the power readings did show some variation when compared to these other dedicated power meters, overall I was quite happy with the performance from the Snap given its claims.  

Wahoo Kickr Snap: value and conclusion

At $400/£300 the Wahoo Kickr Snap is a great way to experience smart indoor training at around a third of the price of a high-end direct-drive trainer.

Compared to other wheel-on smart trainers, the recent reduction in price of the Snap results in it being great value for money in comparison to other trainers at a similar (or greater) price but lower specifications like the Tacx Flow $370 / £300 and Elite Tuo ($579.99 / £445).

It might not have the reactiveness and super smooth feel, or the consistent and accurate power measures of a more expensive direct-drive trainer, but overall the specification and performance of the Wahoo Kickr Snap is really excellent. Personally I’d rather go for a little less performance on my indoor trainer for my winter garage riding and save the rest of my money for spending on my outdoor riding in the spring.

Wahoo Kickr Snap: specs

• Maximum Power Output: 1,500 Watts
• Maximum Simulated Grade: 12%
• Product Weight: 38 lb / kg
• Drivetrain: Belt Drive
• Resistance Type: Electromagnetic
• Power Accuracy: +/-3%
• Connectivity: ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, and Bluetooth
• Hub Types: 130mm and 135mm Quick Release and 12x142 Thru-Axle with adapter (sold separately).
• Maximum Rider Weight: 250 lb / 113 kg

The Tacx Flow is certainly a very accessible means of getting connected up to the best indoor cycling training apps. The wheel-on design keeps the price low, yet you’ll be able to ride with power and ‘feel’ gradients up to six per cent on the virtual roads. It performs well, is lightweight and fairly silent to use and, in all, represents very good value, making it one of the best cheap smart turbo trainers.  

Tacx Flow: construction

Straight out the box, the Flow is very easy to set up. It’s a simple case of folding the legs out, and then attaching the resistance unit on either the position 1, for 700c wheels, or position 2, for 650b wheels. Then you fit the special QR skewer to your rear wheels and fix the bike securely. All that’s left after that is getting the resistance roller set up the right distance apart. All in all, the initial setup took less than 10 minutes.

The Tacx Flow is also very light at under 10kg, making it an ideal trainer to bring to events for warm ups, as it can be used without being connected to a power source. However, using it without a power source will mean that you don’t get the power reading functionality. 

The wheel-on setup is a tried and tested design and, thanks to the use of noise silencing plastics to dampen vibrations, this is one of the quietest wheel-on trainers I’ve used. In the largest gear going full gas, the noise does build – but that’s unavoidable when the wheel is turning at 45mph.

Speed, power and RPM are all measured and data is communicated via BLE and ANT+, so it will work with most bike computers and laptops, tablets and Apple TV. The 1.6kg flywheel allows gradient simulation of up to 6%, while maximum resistance power is 800 watts. Accuracy is claimed at 5%, which is a good level for a wheel-on trainer.

Tacx Flow: the ride

The first ride I did on the Tacx was a free ride with a Pace Partner on Zwift just to get things running. I warmed up for 10 minutes first so as to be able to do a proper calibration. The comparison device I used was the Wahoo Powrlink dual sided pedals which we’ve previously reviewed and found to be very accurate. I’ve also found the pedals track well with my Wahoo Kickr V5. 

There is a significant difference in power readings between the Tacx Flow and the Wahoo Powrlink dual, so – as you’d expect – the accuracy of the Tacx doesn’t appear to be on the same level as higher end power meters. 

However, some of that difference can be explained by where the power is being read from. For the pedals, the reading is very close to the source of the power (the leg) so fewer watts are being wasted on chainrings, chain, cassette and wheel. By the time the power is read at the wheel, several watts are lost to the drivetrain – so you would expect the trainer to read lower. 

Most relevantly, the difference in power reading between the Tacx Flow and the Wahoo Powrlink Dual is fairly consistent across the power curve – and it’s this consistency that is key. Even though the power readings are a bit lower, you can adjust the power targets of your training sessions downwards and still be working in the correct cycling training zones, which is all that’s needed for improving your fitness.

One issue I did have with the Tacx was accelerating on Zwift. Often, I would start a sprint with very little resistance, only for it to ramp up significantly after a second or two – spinning too easily to start only for the resistance to come crushing after the delay. Equally, I found that the Tacx Flow would also give some very big resistance increases when the gradient increased by only 1 or 2 percent, so I had to set the trainer realism to zero.

Using ERG mode does control the resistance well, but it can take a little while for the resistance to kick in. For longer intervals or steady state rides this works perfectly well. For micro intervals or shorter efforts where there are on/off style repeated efforts, the delay in ERG pickup is noticeable and it would be better to complete those without ERG and using gearing to get the right resistance.

The trainer itself feels well planted and there were no stability issues when doing sprint or out of the saddle efforts. The wheel riser block really helps with this feeling of stability.

It was also very easy to set up and get the resistance block at the right distance to the wheels to optimise the resistance on the tyre. Sound wise the trainer is not too loud unless you end up in the highest gear doing bigger efforts with the wheel going at 50+mph! I found when not using an app to control resistance, then the highest sustainable power I could maintain at 110RPM in the 53/11 was 400ish watts. Fine for most riders, but larger and more powerful riders likely won’t find this enough. 

Calibrating the trainer was hit and miss. Initially it was easy after 10 min of spinning and getting everything up to temperature. First time everything was good, but after seeing the difference between the Flow and the pedals, I recalibrated. Initially it said that I needed to tighten the resistance unit to get an accurate reading. I did this by a quarter turn, same message. Did it again, calibration error. It did sort itself out in the end, but I would be worried about the problem recurring.

Tacx Flow: value and conclusion

Value-wise, this trainer really does come into its strong point. Similar products are the Wahoo Kickr Snap ($399.99 / £429.99), the Elite Tuo ($579.99 / £445), and the Saris Fluid 2 ($329.99 / £299.99). At $369.99 / £299.99 (and readily available for less than that online) it undercuts most of the competition for smart wheel-on trainers.

I can’t comment on the Saris Fluid 2, but in terms of functionality the Wahoo and Elite are functionally better trainers, however they both cost significantly more. In terms of practicality, the Tacx is a little better thanks to being lighter and a bit more stable. This lower weight also doesn’t affect stability. 

All these trainers are available online for good discounts at the moment, but the Tacx comes in at the lowest price, and given the comparative functionality and practicality, it does come in at very good value for an intro into smart trainer use and also as a highly portable warm up device for races.

Wheel-on trainers are often a great option for a trainer that has power reading capabilities while also being more portable and not requiring a power source to still be useful for pre-race warm ups. The Tacx Flow is a very capable wheel-on trainer, especially for such a low price compared to the competition. The power reading appears to be consistent for a wheel-on trainer, and consistent across the power curve so good for gauging power levels and improvements. ERG mode and resistance changes can be a little sluggish, but overall the trainer works very well for most people’s training requirements. Those wanting top level accuracy and realistic ride feel should go for a direct drive trainer. But for those wanting a solid trainer at superb value that offers power measurement, this trainer is nearly as good as the best wheel-on trainers but for more than $100 / £100 cheaper!

Editor’s note: There is a new Elite Tuo available, the FE-C Mag, which ups the wattage max to 2050 watts and maximum speed of 60 kph as well as improved accuracy going up to +/-3 per cent, in line with the Wahoo Kickr Snap. However it is not available on sale and is up to £475 now.  

Founded 40 years ago by Amerigo Sartore, Elite and has been producing cutting edge cycling products ever since. The Italian brand is perhaps best known for their bottle cages and bottles, which are used by a large percentage of the professional peloton. 

Elite also has a strong arm in rollers and turbo trainers, with some of the best smart turbo trainers being their latest in a line of innovations. The Tuo slots into the range as an upmarket wheel-on model - aiming to deliver better performance than entry-level models, as well as a better aesthetic. So, how does the Elite Tuo compare to the best cheap smart trainers?

Elite Tuo smart trainer: construction

The Tuo is quite light for a smart turbo, at just 10.3kg, and with the wooden legs it looks a little more at home in many living rooms than more plasticy models. It broadcasts data using both ANT+ and BLE, allowing you to connect to most bike computers and the best indoor training apps such as Zwift, TrainerRoad and Wahoo SYSTM. Thru axle converters are included, as well as a comprehensive guide on how to set up your bike and get the elastomer in correct contact with the rear wheel. 

Power accuracy is a claimed +/-5 per cent - which is good for a wheel on but lags behind the Wahoo Kickr Snap and most direct drive trainers. Simulated gradient is +/-10 per cent which is good for this style of trainer, but not exceptional. The 1,300 watts max resistance is more than enough for most people, but if you are a particularly gifted sprinter then a direct drive is likely your only option. 

A nice feature is that the trainer folds up very small, so if you live in a smaller building and have to put away the trainer after each use, this is nice and easy. Plus the light weight makes it easier to move around.

Elite Tuo smart trainer: the ride

I had a few issues on the first attempt at getting everything set up, but a quick email to the manufacturer and some online tutorials on their website helped a lot. Using the Elite apps (myEtraining and Upgrado) I was able to connect and calibrate the trainer properly, as well as updating the firmware to the latest version. After this, calibration was easy and I linked the trainer to the Stages Dash M200, and the power meter I was using to compare (4iiii Precision 3.0) connected to a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2. 

Setting the bike up on the trainer was easy too. Simply set the bike up with the right pressure applied on the locking handle (bike should be locked in when the handle is at 55-65 degrees, then you lock fully to 90 degrees) with no additional skewer required. It was then a case of spinning the wheel and micro-adjusting the roller so it just comes into contact with the tyre without locking. Then, once the tyre is in contact, lock the system. 

The feet are stable enough for most efforts, but you need to ensure you are on a flat surface. I was on a stone floor with some variability in its smoothness, so the trainer was not flat and rocked a little bit. A few shims sorted this out, but it took a while to fine tune exactly. 

The ride on the Tuo is very smooth and the roller offers no slip or jumps regardless of power or cycling cadence. I did some big gear sprints, little gear sprints, big gear efforts and very high RPM ones. Nothing made the rollers slip at any point. Power also seemed to track really well, with the 4iiii at steady levels. Although, upon later analysis, the Tuo did perform some smoothing rather than giving an instant measurement. Cadence also tracked well. ERG mode was very responsive and worked very well when moving up power levels progressively. 

Where things got a little tricky was during higher power efforts and also when easing off the power. Firstly, cadence. When accelerating for an effort with a few six seconds hard, 14 seconds easy, the 4iiii measured the RPM correctly whilst the Tuo jumped up to sometimes over 200 RPM. Then, when easing off from the effort, the Tuo RPM jumped again. 

As for power, on screen this didn’t show the same as with the 4iiii and there appeared to be a significant lag with the Tuo, but upon analysis this was not an issue in the file. What was a problem was the power tracking, which was occasionally quite far off for sprint efforts and anything closer to maximal. 

When putting out lower powers, the Tuo actually read higher than the 4iiii. It also read higher for 15 second power. But for 1 minute and 30 second power the Tuo did read lower, but only by 3 per cent or so, fitting in line with the claimed accuracy of the Tuo. The significant and notable difference was in the 5 and 1 sec power, with a 22 and 32 per cent difference respectively in favour of the 4iiii. So for tracking sprint power the Tuo does not seem as accurate.

Another issue was that when not using the ERG mode - even using a 53/11 gearing - I was having to pedal at 122 RPM to sustain around 400 watts. For larger or more powerful riders, this is a power level that can be sustained for fairly long periods of time, so would present a problem for those who prefer to spin a lower cadence. At least the ERG mode is an option, though. 

When connected to a system such as RGT or Zwift, though, the ERG and resistance work pretty well and react quite quickly with a change of pace. This is certainly the best wheel on smart trainer I’ve ever used, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well the power correlated with the 4iiii for everything except higher power sprint efforts.

Elite Tuo smart trainer: value

The retail value of the trainer is towards the higher end of pricing for comparable units ($580 / £445 compared to $500 / £429 for the Wahoo Kickr Snap and $370 / £299 for the Tacx Flow smart) although is available for far less on many good online retailers ($348 on REI and £320 on Sigma Sports). 

I’d say the Kickr Snap is more comparable with the Elite Tuo than the Tacx Flow smart. Both are available at a similar price, but the Kickr claims to be +/-3 per cent for accuracy compared to the Tuo’s +/-5 per cent. However the Tuo is a lot lighter and still very stable, so very good for moving in and out of storage.  

At the retail price, I’d say it’s too close to some of the cheaper direct drive trainers, such as Zwift’s Hub ( a new, untested direct drive trainer for $499 / £449). However, at the sale prices that it is readily available at, it does offer an enticing entry into the smart trainer market.

Elite Tuo smart trainer: conclusion

The Tuo offers almost the same amount of ease and practicality that rollers do, no need to do anything to the bike other than lock it in and ride - and is much more attractive than other wheel-on turbo trainers.  It reads power very accurately at steady power levels and across a wide range of powers. 

Where it is let down is when performing sprint efforts or varying intensity efforts such as 20/40s. At full price, the Tuo is too close to the direct drive trainer market - really you’d be best off saving up just a tiny bit more and getting one of those.

That said, the Tuo is readily available on a good discount, and at 25 per cent off, it does represent reasonable value for money. It’s definitely not the cheapest, but the performance is good and so are its looks.

You don't normally expect a fan to cost well over £200 or almost $300, but the Wahoo Kickr Headwind isn’t just any old fan - it’s the world’s first smart fan.

What makes it smart is its ability to pair with sensors or the Wahoo app so that you can set the level of airflow to change automatically according to how fast you’re going (in the virtual training world), how many bpm your heart is doing or you can control it remotely using a paired smartphone.  Or if you want to set it off before you get onto the turbo trainer to start your workout, you can do it manually on the front of the unit.

Wahoo says the fan can mimic speeds of over 30mph and that it has a ‘Targeted Airflow Pattern’ that mirrors the shape of a cyclist’s body while riding.

I was a bit sceptical - as anyone would be, since you can pick up a powerful fan with a remote control for less than half the price - but still intrigued in particular by the ability of the Wahoo Headwind to blast more air as heart rate increases. If you do longish time trial intervals (as I do) you tend to seriously overheat towards the end of them unless you’re willing to freeze during your ‘warm-up’.

Wahoo Kickr Headwind setup and in use

I paired the Headwind directly with my Wahoo Tickr chest strap - very easy, just needing doing once and from then on it remembers the sensor and pairs automatically each time it’s switched on and you select heart rate control. Since it is BLE and ANT+ compatible it will pair with any chest strap or trainer and not just Wahoo products.

So sure enough, a warm-up becomes exactly that, and the fan picks up speed the harder you work. It’s not perfect since it slows down in between intervals as your heart rate drops while core temperature remains high - just when you could do with even more air - but that would require a further level of smartness and I’m not going to mark the Wahoo down for not being at that point just yet. However, it must be possible to build in a delay to the fan speed dropping while ensuring it tracks heart rate without a delay on the way up?

Heart rate is my preferred mode of fan speed control, but it of course depends on the heart rate monitor strap working properly. I've recently had a few issues with my Wahoo Tickr strap. I won't go into those here, but it can 'flatline' somewhere around 120bpm when the wattage in the interval I'm doing is ramping up with my heart rate following close behind. Sometimes the HRM wakes up and the fan roars into action like a Spitfire being scrambled, but other times not. The battery isn't the issue and the software is up to date.

Controlling the fan speed via the Wahoo Fitness app gets around the problem of an unreliable chest strap. I have a windowsill next to my Wattbike and it's easy to put the phone on it and operate the slider that controls fan speed as required. 

As for the airflow itself, it’s very directed, as ‘Targeted Airflow Pattern’ promises, but I’d actually prefer it to hit a wider area. The problem obviously is that if it was more dispersed it wouldn’t be quite as powerful. 

Additionally I found I needed to stack the front up on some books to aim it up at my chest and face, otherwise it’s too low. It could do with some adjustable legs at the front so that the books aren’t necessary.

Having said that, on its highest setting and assuming you've aimed it correctly at your face and chest, it is very cooling. I have such faith in it that during the hottest day in June I trained indoors as I knew I'd stay cooler than riding outside.

There are fold-out legs at the rear that are presumably for using with the Wahoo Kickr Desk, with which it's compatible. If you thought £229.99 was a lot to pay for a fan, that's also the price of the Kickr Desk. So I'm sticking with jacking the front up on some books and putting my phone on the windowsill.

I never use the speed setting - it might be realistic to have more air the faster you’re going (virtually) but I'm not the first reviewer to point out that to have less air once you slow down on a steep climb makes it a little pointless.

Value and conclusion

So although it does still have a few development areas and it’s very expensive - bear in mind it’s the world’s first -  I still count myself as a fan (sorry) and would say it's probably worth it for its heart rate setting, especially if you do a lot of indoor training.

I've been using the Wahoo Kickr Headwind for a good few months and have found it to be completely reliable: the fan can't be blamed for a Tickr strap that has a mind of its own. When I have a reliable heart rate monitor I would say it absolutely enhances the training experience to have a fan accelerate automatically as you work harder.

Pinnacle is the in-house brand of UK cycling retailer Evans Cycles.  The long-established manufacturer of Pinnacle bikes has now moved into producing kit and accessories, with the HC smart turbo trainer one of the newer additions, poised to take on the likes of Wahoo, Tacx and others in the forever expanding indoor cycling market. 

Currently, down from £700 to £499.99 ($749 from $1,050) the HC Turbo bears a striking resemblance to the LifeLine Xplova Noza S Smart Trainer (£699.99, down to £399.99/ $879.99 down to $502.85). It also places itself right alongside the Wahoo Kickr Core (£699.99/$899.99).

Evans Cycles told me that the £499.99 price is a promotional reduction, however, this reduction has been maintained for some time.

Pinnacle HC turbo trainer build

From the fast glace at the Pinnacle HC Turbo, you don’t need to look too closely to see the resemblance it has to the Wahoo Kickr Core, or, indeed the LifeLine Xplova Noza S Smart Trainer available at Wiggle. The products are all exceptionally similar, and they're often reduced, so it’s well worth comparing prices at the time of purchase if you intend to buy.

Weighing in at 15kg - 5.7kg of that being the flywheel weight – it’s light enough to pick up and move about your home, if needed, however with no carry handle it’s quite awkward to manoeuvre. The advantage is that the footprint is small, so you may not need to move it around too much, unless you’re limited on space and don’t have a designated ‘pain cave’ like the lucky few. 

The legs don't fold out laterally, as per more expensive units, but being staggered with one in front of the other does decrease the overall surface area taken up once set up.

The HC Turbo does not come with a cassette, you will either have to buy one for the trainer or, take the cassette off of your bike for the trainer. It’s compatible with 8 to 12 speed Shimano HG cassettes – a SRAM XDR Freehub is available separately through Pinnacle/Evans but if you run on Campagnolo, I’m afraid you’re out of luck, there is no option available. 

As per most turbos, you will need to build the trainer yourself once it arrives, it doesn’t come ready to ride straight out the box (if it did, the box would be even bigger than it is). The process is simple, the rear leg is bolted on using the spanner provided and the front leg is slotted into place and set to the size of your bike's wheel. 

Axel adaptors are included for both 130mm and 135mm quick-release and 12 x 142 / 12 x 148 thru-axle bikes. This should cover all of the most common mountain and road bikes. 

The Pinnacle HC turbo trainer promises an accuracy rate of +/- 2.5%. This means that, on any given day, 250w could read between ~243w or ~256w. Some accuracy drift is par for the course among all turbo trainers, and, it’s greater at lower price points. At 2.5%, the HC is on a par with the Lifeline Xplova, and a little less impressive than the +/-2% of the Wahoo Kickr Core.

However - and this is really important if you plan to race on Zwift at a high level - Zwift’s most recent ammendments to the Cycling eSports Ruleset Version 1.0.7 state that, in order to race, “smart trainers and smart bikes must have a manufacturer-claimed power accuracy of within +/- two per cent”. These rules are only enforced at higher level races, such as Zwift’s Premier League and Racing League events. However, you’ll need a higher accuracy unit if you are planning serious competiton, and we never know when the rules may change to encompass all racers - making the Wahoo Kickr Core a more viable option.

Pinnacle HC turbo trainer connectivity

Plug the HC Turbo in and there’s nothing more to do, no on button or switch, it’ll fire up and go through a moment of self calibration. You don’t need to carry out a dedicated ‘spin down’ test to calibrate the unit, it performs this ahead of each ride - however, you need to be patient and allow this process to be complete before riding.  This will happen every time you turn the turbo on, so remember to let it go through its cycle. 

The turbo trainer indicates that calibration is taking place by displaying a red flashing light on top of the resistance unit, once this has stopped flashing red and turned green, the turbo is ready to ride. 

I’ve tested the Pinnacle HC Turbo with Zwift, exclusively. It easily connected via Bluetooth, ANT+ FE-C to my MacBook Pro and suffered no ill effects. 

The ride

The claimed flywheel weight of 5.7kg suggests a good solid flywheel, leading us to expect a quality ride feel that’s reasonably close to the inertia of being outside. It’s not as heavy as premium options, the Wahoo Kickr, for example,  has a flywheel of 7.25KG and costs near enough £1,000, for example - but for the price, it’s in line with competition.  

The ride is solid, there is a smooth delivery of resistance, which can replicate a 20% climb and has a power ceiling of 2,500watts. This power and gradient ability is best in this price bracket by far, the LifeLine model replicates climbs up to 18% whilst the Kickr Core goes to 16%. Frankly, few users of any of these units will get close to surpassing the 2,500watt mark.

Being lighter than top end models, and having legs that sit one in front of the other as opposed to folding out laterally, means it's not as sturdy as the pricey juggernauts of smart training. However, I found the stability was good enough for my level of riding, even when working out of the saddle on those steeper climbs. 

Whilst top end models have been able to eliminate much of the audio accompaniment thrown up by the turbo trainers of old, cheaper units do give off a constant, rather loud, whirring as you spin the flywheel or electromagnet. The Pinnacle model is no exception. This noise can be quite loud and end up being the soundtrack to many indoor rides. The Pinnacle claims a 52dB at 19mph or 30.6 kph, however, in testing I found it to be slightly more. Measured using an app on my iPhone, I found it to be closer to 60dB at around 30kph. Increase your power, and the noise increases in line.

At slow speeds, I found the cadence and power readings to be accurate enough for my needs, once the trainer had self-calibrated. The +/-2.5% accuracy rate didn’t both me, but it would if I was worried about hitting exact power targets during my ride - that’s just a trade off which comes with opting for a lower priced unit, and how much it bothers you is going to come down to individual circumstances. 

Value and conclusions

Being owned by Sports Direct - the HC turbo trainer even arrived in a Sports Direct box - Pinnacle has huge buying power and is able to undercut much of the market. Therefore, I would argue that you would struggle to find many better turbo trainers, at the current reduced price.

Like other turbo trainers at this level of investment (such as the Lifeline model), the accuracy of +/-2.5% is a hindrance, as is the lack of cassette and initial set up process - something worth being aware of should the price ever jump back up to £700.

However, for now, Pinnacle has completely dropped the price to £499.99. Being able to mirror slightly steeper climbs than the Lifeline model, whilst maintaining equal accuracy, it just pips the closest competition on specs - but that £100 saving via Lifeline’s reduction could tempt some. The Wahoo Kickr Core would be a smarter choice for avid Zwift racers, or racers to be, though the higher climb replication of the Pinnacle would certainly be a draw. 

• Price: was £700, now £499.99
• Weight: 14.8kg
• Year: 2021
• Brand: Pinnacle
• Connectivity:Ant+ fe-c and bluetooth
• Device compatibility: Android, ios, mac and windows
• Flywheel weight: 5.7kg
• Folding legs: no
• Hub compatibility: Shimano HG, 8- to 12-speed
• Max grade: 20%
• Max power: 2,500W
• Mount: Direct drive
• Noise: 60dB
• Resistance type: Electromagnetic
• Trainer type: Smart trainer
• Wheel size: 26in and 29in/700c

We tried, tested and gave the original Wattbike Atom a grilling to within an inch of its life back in 2018, and it didn’t fold under questioning, earning full marks out of 10 and only causing the slightest of eyebrow raises due to a slight delay in gear transition – which in no way affected the riding or racing experience. It was quiet, smooth and pedalled to perfection, aping an outside ride with uncanny accuracy.

So when we heard that the Atom was getting an upgrade which was billed to improve the performance, our interest was officially piqued.

But is the new model, or 'Next Generation' a worthy heir to its predecessor?

We slung a leg over the Wattbike Atom Next Generation, which costs £400 more than the original Atom, to see if we were gifted any more bang for our buck.

With alternative options coming on to the market all the time, it's worth checking out other models of the best exercise bikes and smart indoor bikes to see how the Wattbike Atom Next Generation compares. 

Wattbike Atom Next Generation: construction

Extrinsically there’s very little separating the two Atoms – dimensions and weight are the same, it still ships solely in that slick black and red colourway and the handlebar still comprises the tri-style bar/device holder set-up.

The solid 44kg unit is fairly easily moved around using the provided coasters, and saddle height and position and stem length are easily adjusted by quick release levers or Allen keys. Again, crank length cannot be adjusted, with 170mm being the Atom’s default measurement. Happily, however, both the power inlet and power switch have been positioned out of harm’s (and sweat’s) way, on the underside of the machine, whereas they sat with some vulnerability at the back of the old model.

So far, so familiar. The similarities don’t stop there, either. When the Next Gen is connected to a device, be it an iPad, computer or smart TV (any of which effectively serve as a head unit), you’ll notice the same range of 22 gears is present… but digging a little deeper, it’s the way in which transitions are made that have earned this new model pride and place as the poster boy for Wattbike’s catalogue of indoor trainers.

Indeed, where the original Wattbike Atom was specced with a mechanically-driven resistance unit, perhaps introducing a lack of pedalling fluidity as well as gear-transition and gradient-mimicking lag, the Wattbike Atom Next Generation now gets an electromagnetic resistance unit, which is ultimately the only reason that Wattbike has introduced this new model on the market. Some may argue the new Atom has merely caught up the Tackx and Wahoo smart bikes in this regard, but Wattbike has said that its electromagnetic system is a proprietary design, offering a unique indoor riding experience.

>>> Best turbo trainers: smart and standard indoor trainers reviewed

So with the back cover blurb indicating smooth gear changes and a fluid ride over any virtual terrain, I set the Next Gen up in my shed – which is happily an idiotproof process – and took it on a test spin on Zwift’s most undulating course: Douce France.

The ride

Firstly, I couldn’t quite believe how quiet this thing was – admittedly I’d pulled down the pants of its mechanically-operated sibling and given it a metaphorical thrashing, but I don’t think it had ever sounded this clean, at any stage. However, upon consulting the user manual, the 70 decibels the Wattbike Atom Next Generation emits at 200 watts is exactly the same as the previous model, so no change and perhaps a cautionary point to myself to break out the WD40 more often.

A few simple geometry tweaks, extending the reach and changing the saddle height so I was in a position to stamp out optimal watts, I began the course in Zone 2, which equated to the same power window as on the first Atom, and moving through tempo to threshold these too married up. So power accuracy, compared to the another Wattbike product at least, appears to be good.

The real test was just around the corner though. A couple of kilometres into the 'Douce France' course on Zwift, the parcours begins to resemble what can best be described as an industrially-sized mountain biking pump track. The road rolls and rolls for kilometres on end, and only the best smart trainers will be able to accommodate these dramatic and quick changes in gradient in anything like a real-world fashion. The fact that this was an unremarkable experience on the Next Gen could perhaps be construed as a criticism, but I think this is the highest compliment that can be given to a smart trainer. That the Next Gen negotiated Douce France’s rollers in such a nonchalant manner speaks volumes about how efficiently the electromagnetic system works – changes in gradient, even by a single per cent, were felt in real time, with no jarring or the machine playing catch-up on steeper slopes.

The Next Gen’s gears were subjected to the next test, this time in Zwift’s Watopia, where the roads aren’t quite so undulant. As previously mentioned there are 22 gear positions and unfortunately there is no physical indication on the bike of which one you’re actually in – again this is where your head unit, or device, comes into play. Not a huge issue as you won’t be able to use the bike without a device but it would be nice to be able to clarify transitions. Shifting is instant with no lag at all – the previous edition’s minimal delay has been successfully remedied and the pedalling performance is a fluid as can be. Transitions do, however, lack the reassurance of a clunk or click to confirm a gear change – this is perhaps the Wattbike Atom Next Generation’s only issue in terms of simulating a ride on the road.

As a budget turbo trainer, the Tacx Boost is intended to provide an accessible entry into indoor training and so forgoes some of the functionalities seen in the higher tiers of the range.

>>>Read more: Best turbo trainers

The Boost platform received a refresh in December 2020, bestowing some updated aesthetics. But, in terms of the hardware, it is functionally identical to the original Tacx Booster wheel-on turbo trainer which was first released in 2011.

Out of the box there is no smart connectivity, it's only compatible with quick-release axles – although 26in, 28in and 29in wheels can all be accommodated – and the maximum resistance the magnetic unit can provide stands at 1,050W.

That said, the addition of a speed sensor will provide estimated power readings and does open up the use of virtual training platforms, such as Zwift, while an adaptor kit can be purchased separately from £25.99 to enable the use of thru-axle bikes.

Tacx Booster: setting up

Out of the box, this one of the simpler turbos to assemble. There are just two screws for attaching the magnetic resistance unit and the fixing plate to the trainer.

Before placing your bike on the turbo, do swap your QR skewer for the one provided in the box. This has steel ends that are better able to support the weight of you and your bike than the plastic alternatives most QR skewers come with. Naturally, you can use the Tacx skewer for road rides and keeping it in does reduce faff time when setting up regularly.

With the bike in place, you just need to turn the dial located on the underside of the magnetic resistance unit to apply the right amount of pressure to rear wheel. The tyre should be made to deform a little, but not excessively so. The final step is to attach the resistance-adjusting switch to the handlebars by the quick release mount and away you go!

Packing away again, the Tacx Boost does fold down pretty flat, helping with storage between rides. The plate for raising the front wheel also doubles as a handle for the turbo, which makes carting it around a little easier.

The ride

Hopping onto the Boost, the ride feel is reasonably good. It really helps to choose a lower resistance setting on the switch and compensate for this by using the bigger gears on your bike. Set up like this, although not quite as fluid feeling as a direct drive turbo, the resistance has a good consistency to it and doesn’t feel like you’re riding through treacle. However, if you do have the resistance up high and you try pedalling in a low gear, the ride becomes very choppy indeed.

Putting in some sprints, there was plenty to push against and the nonlinear resistance curve meant that I didn’t feel like I was going to spin out at the top end. One thing to note is that the trainer isn’t the most stable and the legs do flex quite a bit when putting in an out-of-the-saddle effort. I think it would be quite difficult to get it to actually tip over, but if you’re after a rock-solid platform, this trainer certainly isn’t for you.

The Tacx Boost isn’t particularly fond of hard sprints from low speeds. Even when carefully set up with the right pressures, you can still get some wheel slippage when putting in a fast acceleration. That said, this is something most wheel-on turbo trainers struggle with and the Boost’s performance is around what you would expect.

Even with the flywheel’s mass inertia being just over nine kilos, it doesn’t take long for the rear wheel to stop spinning once you’ve stopped pedalling. When doing steady-state rides, this isn’t particularly noticeable, but at the end of a hard interval it is a cruel extra effort to get the wheel turning again if you’ve taken a few seconds’ rest.

Noise-wise, the Boost stacks up pretty reasonably. The sound level does vary depending on how fast you are going, but even putting in a range of different intensities, I didn’t find it was loud enough to disrupt the rest of the house – provided the doors were closed. I’d say that it is a little noisy to reasonably use in the same room as someone else, but that is a pretty high bar that only a few turbos do hit.

Value

At £229, the Tacx Boost is quite expensive for the functionality it offers. For just £40 more you could get the Tacx Flow Smart which can read power, simulate climbs of up to 6% and connect to virtual training platforms such as Zwift.

At the other end of the market, the Tacx Boost faces competition from the LifeLine TT-01 Turbo Trainer and Decathlon’s In’Ride 100 Turbo Trainer, both of which retail for just £100. We haven’t yet tested these trainers and so can’t vouch for their performance, but at less than half the price of the Boost, they are certainly are a compelling option for those on a tight budget.

The Noza S is Xplova's full function smart trainer and sits in the very competitive mid-price market so is up against some established players.

Out of the box and the setup is a simple matter of attaching the two stabilising legs via a push button for the height adjustable front and two bolts for the wider rear. There are adapters for running standard 135mm quick release or two bolt through axle widths, covering both road and mountain bike compatibility. The only thing to note here is the non-driveside adapter has a tendency to fall out when taking the bike off the trainer. It is also compatible with all main wheel sizes.

The best indoor trainers for cycling

As with almost all direct drive trainers you will need to source a suitable cassette to enable it to work with your bike - something you need to factor in when it comes to the overall cost. At this point it's important to note that currently Xplova only produce a standard Shimano/SRAM compatible freehub - Campagnolo, SRAM XDR and Shimano Microspline users need look elsewhere.

In terms of the smart trainer arms race the Xplova Noza S looks to have all bases pretty much covered. It has a claimed 2500 watt maximum resistance/power output, the ability to simulate up to an 18% incline, a power accuracy of +/- 2.5% and a 5.9kg flywheel. Compare those Top Trump stats to its main rivals, the Wahoo Kickr Core, Elite Drivo and the Tacx Flux S and it bests the Tacx and Wahoo in all barring the Kickr's power accuracy. The Elite still sits at the top with a wider incline simulation range, heavier flywheel and more accurate power measurement.

In terms of computing power and connectivity, the Xplova has the power of computing giant Acer behind it and of course it can connect to a variety of devices and third party apps via Bluetooth Smart and ANT+. There's also a neat Xplova app that for once is actually pretty user friendly. My turbo needed a firmware update before I could use it (so it's now on the latest 1.134 version) but then when connected the app provides instant real time data. You can use it to connect to your TrainingPeaks account to download workouts to follow or it will allow you to replay GPX routes from Strava or Xplova's other cycle computer apps as sessions. It also has sessions loaded as standard based on power or heart rate to use including FTP (both 8 min and 5+20 min tests) and peak power tests.

Start using the Noza S and first thing that strikes you is how quiet it runs. Even putting in sprint efforts the loudest it registered on my decibel meter was 56Db. I think my breathing was louder and it was noticeably quieter than even the drivetrain. It's also incredibly stable. Yes, it does weigh north of 17 kilograms and yes it is a pig to move around but it coped with my 75kg frame wildly trying to smash out intervals. So on both noise and stability it performs excellently and would be ideal for someone living in a flat.

The ride feel is similar to many direct drive style trainers and the Noza S delivers a smooth spin up and run on. It's not life-like but then what trainer is? The heavy flywheel certainly helps in this respect. Connect to the Xplova app and you can adjust the level of resistance according to wattage via ERG mode or adjust slope to deliver simple workouts. Adjustments are felt instantly and are fairly consistent.

Connect to Zwift and the Noza S delivers the all important real time reaction to the terrain. There were a couple of times where it failed to deliver instant changes, especially on rolling circuits but it certainly delivered an acceptable ride almost on par with its rivals.

I compared the Noza S to my set of Garmin Vector 3 pedals in order to compare power numbers and here is where the Nova S started to unravel. At lower power levels (sub 200 watts) the Noza S delivered fairly similar numbers to the Garmin pedals (both calibrated and zeroed before riding) but the Noza S consistently over read by around 4% - a little outside the +/- 2.5% claimed. Push harder, especially on short sprint efforts and the variance grew wider. At times the difference grew to nearly 10%. This would cause real issues if you were undergoing performance testing or trying to work to specific power zones as you would either consistently be over performing or under training dependent upon the circumstance. The cynical part of me also thinks that it could also work in your favour when it comes to Zwift racing.

The Wahoo Kickr Bike was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. 

The Wahoo Kickr Bike is one of the new breed of indoor bikes which set their sights firmly at the dedicated cyclist market. The bike offers easy adjustment, to ensure riders can perfectly mimic their bike set-up, as well as gradient adjustments via the in-built Kickr Climb feature (from -15% to +20%) and a realistic ride feel.

It's not perfect, though. 

Before we dive in, it's worth noting that we have a page dedicated to the best exercise bikes and smart indoor bikes for home workouts that will allow you to compare all the top models on offer at the moment. 

Arrival and set up

Our test model arrived ready-built, being a media sample shipped (we assume) from appearance at a show or from testing with another title. So I can't talk about the build process.

I did however need to remove the legs to carry the Kickr up the stairs. This was a simple job, completed with an Allen key. I could move the bike around quite easily - despite its 42kg heft - thanks to the wheels at the rear of the bike.

The set up process is made possible via the Wahoo app.

To set up fit, you can do one of the following - with the options listed in order of expected accuracy:

• Enter measurements from a bike fit (Retül, Trek Precision or Guru),
• Take a photo of a bike that fits well and mark out key points
• Enter your body measurements

The app then spits out simple instructions which are easy to follow using the ruler markers on the bike.

Testing options one and two, I got similar but not identical readings. Firstly, the bikes aren't identical - so that'll explain some difference. The saddle height discrepancy is greater than it should be, though.

Using the 'bike photo' option, you need to mark the position of the centre of the crankset and handlebars via placing a marker on the screen on your phone. I don't trust my chubby fingers as much as I do the 'Zin' machine used at a Retül fit, so I'd advise new users to use bike fit measurements if they have them available.

I found some of the adjustment levers quite stiff - particularly the reach. However, remember that my test unit might well be an ex-show model. It won't have had the same life as a customer model which has spent its days in a loving home.

It is possible to use a different seatpost, which is handy if more than one person is using the bike. The specced bars are 40cm (centre to centre) but the shifters do come off as per a normal pair so you could swap these if required.

Crank length can be anything from 165cm to 175. If you're using a pedal with a longer axle, such as Garmin Vector 3's, you'll need to use a spacer to stop the pedal spindle rubbing the body of the bike.

The bike can adjust to fit riders between 5ft (152cm) and 6ft4 (192cm), so it won't be suitable for a family unit with people outside of that range. Also, those on the smaller end may not be able to enjoy the full range of the downward tilt. Adjusting my saddle height to 13cm in the app, a message warned me that I'd only get to -10% on the gradient adjuster.

You can then set up your preferred braking and shifting preference. For this bike, Wahoo developed its own shifters, and they're seriously neat. I set mine up to mirror Shimano's system and they worked perfectly.

Pulling the brakes makes it much harder to pedal. However, platforms such as Zwift don't yet support braking, so though the Kickr Bike is 'future ready' (in case this feature becomes part of the Zwift racing tactics) you wouldn't want to use them just yet!

You can adjust the gradient via the buttons on top of the shifter. Doing this locks the system, so it can't be controlled by apps like Zwift. Wahoo told me this was to avoid automatic adjustments resulting in "the cat's tail getting caught in the mechanism." To unlock it - meaning platforms can adjust gradient automatically - simply press the grey button on the outside of the display box for 3 seconds.

The display itself is located on the right side of the top tube and shows you what gear you're in, plus percentage gradient as it adjusts.

Rather unfortunately, there's nowhere to place a phone or tablet. Given the £2999.99 price tag, this seems like a pretty glaring omission, I'd be shocked if Wahoo didn't add this in the next generation of the product.

Ride quality

The Kickr bike utilises a 5.9kg electromagnetic flywheel to provide the realistic ride feel. Tacx also uses an electromagnetic system, and Wattbike adopted the tech in its latest Atom.

Electromagnetic resistance means that adjustments to the motor happen instantly - as opposed to magnets physically moving towards and away from the flywheel to adjust the braking force. This means that changes in resistance are much quicker - which is better when mimicking the hills of Zwift as well as reacting during sprint sessions.

The ride feel is incredibly natural. I found my cadence was quicker than when using my own bike attached to a turbo trainer.

The in-built motor meant that if I got off when hooked up to Zwift - on a flat surface of descent - the pedals would keep turning for a few seconds which was a slightly odd thing to see. This makes sense in a way - if you jump off your bike at 30kph it keeps moving, too.

Wahoo has built in a reassuring 'clunk' when you shift between gears, which adds to the natural ride feel.

Resistance and climbing gradient adjustments in ERG mode were quick and effective. Whilst initially I thought the Climb feature was a bit of a gimmick, ramping up over 15 per cent my body was forced to work as it would out the saddle on a real climb - so I can see a lot of real world crossover here. I'm still not sure the descent feature has any physiological benefit, but it's good fun.

During training sessions, I tend to switch ERG mode off, and changing the resistance via the shifters worked well.

Stability and noise

The max resistance on offer is 2200 Watts. Clearly, I couldn't even dream of exceeding this, but sprinting out the saddle I had a strong and sturdy base to work against. I had hoped this would allow me to reach max power numbers comparable to those outside, but alas this was not the case - my max indoor power was no different to that achieved on a standard turbo trainer with my bike fitted.

The top tube is quite wide. During the first easy sessions this wasn't an issue, but I did find when really pounding the pedals my thigh would contact it. This didn't really bother me or leave any marks - I've had far worse with protruding cables on standard bikes.

Whilst we're on the topic, the Q-factor is 150mm - 10mm narrower than the Wattbike Atom, taking it slightly closer to the feel of an average road bike. Being female with fairly wide hips, I've always wondered if I'd be better off adjusting my pedal spindle to go wider - but some might like the familiarity on offer here.

The motor itself is extremely quiet - emitting a similar level of hum to a standard turbo trainer.

Early on, I did notice some creaking. First I thought it was the unit being uneven on my rickety floorboards. Adjusting the rear feet (a bit like popping a napkin under a chair leg) made no difference. After several hours of frustration, I finally noted that the standover height lever wasn't adequately clicked into place. Resetting this fixed the issue.

Accuracy and connectivity

The Wahoo Kickr has a promised power meter accuracy range of +/- 1%. This refers to how accurate the power meter is to itself - so 250 watts on my Wahoo Kickr Bike test unit should read anywhere between 247 and 252 watts at any given time. As studies have shown, 'trueness' (and thus comparison to other power meters) is another topic and power meter brands, models and units within one model class will read slightly differently.

I tested the Kickr with my PowerTap P2 pedals fitted. There was deviation between the two - comparing a 55 minute session recorded on both, the Wahoo average power is 3.9% higher whilst the max power is 3.5% higher on the P2 data.  Typically I found the P2s gave lower readings during endurance efforts, but both were within range of zones set by my coach.

The Kickr Bike offers ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity, and I could always find it within the sensors on my Garmin, on Zwift and when making adjustments in the app on my phone.

Value

Wahoo has priced its bike at £2999.99. That's rather a lot higher than competitors - the Tacx Neo at £2299.99 and the Wattbike Atom - now £1899.99, (in its new model) up from the 10/10 scoring outgoing model at £1599. All three use an electromagnetic resistance system and cater for 2200 watts+. The Kickr bike does however offer you an experience like no other with its custom shifters and the Climb gradient feature.

There's also the comparison to the traditional option to consider. A Wahoo Kickr turbo trainer would set you back £999.99, and a Climb £499 - leaving you £1500 leftover to buy a dedicated turbo bike. However, for a family with several adult height riders wanting to hop on, the Kickr Bike option starts to make a lot more sense.

A woman wearing a sports bra and a thin sheen of sweat, high on adrenaline shouts: "ok, Peloton, let's do this!" - and with that, America's home spinning sensation announced its arrival.

Whilst mainstream audiences were bowled over with the concept of a complete in-home spin class experience, the bike riding community was hesitant. For an array of reasons Peloton didn't quite make the best first impression. 

Whilst the overall marketing concept doesn't quite fit with the image cyclists have become used to, maybe that's not such a bad thing. It's refreshing to see more than one woman in an advertising campaign that has anything to do with cycling, for starters.

It feels like we've done full circle when it comes to home training, however gone are the days of a rickety machine that was only used with spandex and legwarmers. Now some of the best exercise bikes and smart indoor bikes are so advance, you'll question the need to ever go out and get wet on a ride again no matter what level of rider you are or entertainment you need to stay motivated.  

First impressions and assumptions aside, can the Peloton bike be a useful training tool for a predominately outdoor cyclist?

How it works

Peloton's offering is made up of the Peloton app and the bike itself.

You can sign up to the Peloton Digital app for £19.49 a month, allowing you to do any of the archived sessions or follow along to a class live. There's an extensive library of spin classes, running, yoga and strength sessions.

The coaches will refer to resistance levels and cadence. If you're using your own bike or another indoor trainer, your resistance levels will be different so you'll have to put in a bit of guess work, but it shouldn't be too hard to work out if you should be in a heavy or light gear.

As a non-peloton bike user, you won't appear on the leaderboard (which ranks riders based on their current kJ output) or have interaction with the coach in live sessions.

Comparatively, if you do buy the bike, you'll have resistance, cadence and power appear on the screen and can follow instructions to the 'T' and compare your performance against other users in the class.

The bike

We received the 'Essentials' package, with a bike, matt, shoes, headphones and weights (plus a branded Peloton water bottle).

The bike itself features a heavy flywheel and belt drive, which means that most of the sound produced comes from the speakers on the attached 22" high definition touchscreen sound system, and the user themselves.

Logging on to complete a session is simple - just press the power button on the attached screen, connect to available internet (training over at the Cycling Weekly workshop, I used the hotspot from my phone), and choose either a live session or one from the archives.

I found that the screen would freeze occasionally if connection was lost, but this was rare and resolved itself within 30 seconds.

A resistance knob sits centrally between the handlebars. This was easy to use, though I did find I knocked it a couple of times in out-the-saddle efforts, resulting in a sudden and initially confusing power drop. Once I'd spotted this issue, I kept it in mind and never experienced the same problem again.

The handlebars, fore/aft and of course saddle height are easily adjustable, which made it easy to replicate my basic measurements, though of course the handlebars where much higher than those on my road bike. It's not uncommon for a family to share the bike, and I can't see this being a problem, each user could mark their position with a piece of colour coded tape to speed up swaps.

The legs can be adjusted in case you've got a wonky floor and there's wheels on the front. These meant that despite the 60 kilogram heft of the overall bike, I could move it around the workshop without too much trouble - much to the relief of our mechanic who didn't want to be stumbling over it for the three months I had the bike on test.

Both saddle and pedals can be swapped for your own, but if you stick with the pedals supplied they're compatible with Look Keo cleats. I found with my own (grey) Look cleats, there was too much float, so I opted mostly to wear the Peloton shoes. With the correct combination, the pedal/cleat interface was extremely tight, which meant I could push and pull hard without having to worry about a foot flying out, but unclipping was quite an effort.

The cranks are 170mm, and the Q-factor also 170mm. This is reasonably close to a standard road bike, and sits between the 173mm on a Wattbike and 160mm on the newer Wattbike Atom.

The bike provides an array of data feedback, but the key metrics are cadence, resistance and power. The power figure is not based on a reading from an internal strain gauge, as per a dedicated power meter. Instead, it's an algorithm based on cadence and resistance.

All power meters will give slightly different readings. However, if you're swapping from a power meter on your bike to the algorithm on the Peloton, you want to know they're at least close - so that you don't need to reevaluate your power zones as you swap between the two.

Fitting the Garmin Vector 3 pedals to the bike, I took a few snapshots to directly compare the Peloton vs Garmin pedal power readings. Most of the time, the numbers were reasonably close, but there was a bit more drift at higher power:

• 126 (Garmin Vector)/ 117 (Peloton)
• 164 (Garmin Vector) / 150 (Peloton)
• 212 (Garmin Vector) / 215 (Peloton)
• 251 (Garmin Vector), 236 (Peloton)
• 328 (Garmin Vector) / 301 (Peloton)
• 404 (Garmin Vector) / 360 (Peloton)

The bike uses Bluetooth 4.0 to connect to headphones and heart rate monitors - but it won't increase resistance to work with the likes of Zwift, as a smart turbo trainer would.

There's some wire holders at the back of the bike for your mini-Peloton dumbells, ready for upper body sections within the workouts, but I didn't put these to much use.

Tackling the Peloton sessions

I sloped off to the CW workshop once a week for lunch time sessions - using mostly archived sessions but trying one live workout too.

There's over 12,000 potential sessions, and every time a live workout takes place the library grows. Some give an idea of the content, with titles such as 'Threshold Booster', however many mention only the musical theme (60 minute hip hop ride) and they're all equally vague: none give the kind of detailed description you'd get from a cycling specific training app, showing the number and length of intervals or the specific power zones that will be used.

This lack of session description would massively grate on me if I was using the bike as my main training aid, though it might suit those seeking motivation to train over specific intervals tailored to events.

>>> Zwift vs Peloton: which is best for your at-home workouts?

The soundtracks obviously aren't as geared to your own tastes as your own Spotify library or music collection, and I was a bit disappointed to note that most 'Rock' options were more Classic Rock, so no 1970s punk, 90s thrash, industrial, post grunge or good old fashioned pop punk to keep me truly entertained, but I'll bob along to a bit of R'n'B happily too.

I quickly found two favoured coaches - Christine D’Ercole, a track cyclist who entertained me with stories of her training for the National Masters Championships in Manchester, and former distance runner Matt Wilpers who put a heavy focus on training zones, throwing in some cyclist friendly terms and even offering a Functional Threshold Power test.

Traditional spin classes include a high percentage of out the saddle time. This can promote good core strength, and it's bloody hard work, but doesn't directly translate to the demands of outdoor riding. You might find these sorts of sessions from other instructors, but the workouts led by D’Ercole and Wilpers were suitably cycling specific, with efforts which I can see coming in useful in the great outdoors.

There's some spirited mental coaching in there too, which you wouldn't expect to find amongst the likes of sessions from Trainer Road or The Sufferfest - a big thanks to D’Ercole for the "I can, I am, I will" motto which got me through three sets of 20 x 15s on/15s off (I'll be honest, in this case I was following my coach's session plan and using the on-screen instructor as background entertainment).

During my one and only live session, I filtered the leaderboard by gender, and you can narrow down your competitive window by age group too. Shout outs are issued to new riders, those riding on their birthday and those hitting a milestone (such as 200) - sadly I didn't get one, though I did join in at the half-way point.

The geometry of the bike obviously feels a little different to setting up your own bike on a turbo trainer. You'll never get the handlebar height correct, for example, something that is more achievable on the likes of the Wattbike Atom, which comes complete with time trial bars. However, the ride quality is decent, and doesn't feel dramatically different to other indoor trainers on the market.

For long, Sweetspot, FTP or V02 style efforts, I'd always prefer rollers or the good old outside over the more deadening feel of an indoor bike or turbo trainer, so I used the Peloton mostly for sprint focused sessions. In this case, I could turn the resistance up high enough to get a thorough workout with plenty more turns still available to further ramp it up, if only I had the legs.

Value

The Peloton bike loses marks here. For £1990, plus a further £19.49 a month, you're getting a home training system loaded with entertainment. You'll see a fairly accurate power trace as well as cadence and calories burned. But at this price, it doesn't seem unreasonable to provide the user with a real power meter, plus other cycling specific metrics available from (cheaper) competitors, like pedal stroke analysis.

Arguably, the bike is aimed at a different audience, one that is more concerned with music, entertainment, and motivation. But I don't see why Peloton wouldn't want to broaden the appeal by adding a few more of the features that cyclists look for.

As the nights draw in and the ebbing warmth of summer is replaced with an irksome north-easterly and intermittent drizzle, it only makes us human to take a look out the window and subconsciously start shaking our heads — this isn’t going to happen today, or possibly tomorrow. Hell, we may be found in here next spring having knocked the whole business on the head in exchange for a hamburger habit.

Yet technological advances have put paid to that little eventuality. It is, of course, now possible to close your door on the wind and rain and effectively train and even race in your home, garage, or shed — swapping the ambient conditions outside for a controlled and sheltered environment.

>>> More info or buy the Wattbike Atom here

Naysayers will argue that you can’t replicate the sensation of turning a wheel outside, and that apps like Zwift are no substitute for riding in the great outdoors. No arguments here — that’s perfectly true, but when you emerge from the dark winter months with a VO2 max of 75, you’ll probably concur that there’s a place for indoor training.

Wattbike Atom: promising the earth

“The Atom is the most intuitive, intelligent and accurate indoor trainer on Earth,” asserts the back cover blurb for Wattbike’s newest creation.

Well, that’s handy, because here at Cycling Weekly we’re rather fond of the best bicycle-related products on the planet, and immediately got one in for testing to validate the Nottingham-based company’s claim.

First off, it’s heavy. Although at 44kg the Atom is 11kg lighter than the Wattbike Pro (a previous iteration), it certainly hasn’t been designed as a portable training tool, unlike turbo trainers or rollers which are compact in comparison and could easily be bundled into the boot of a car. So the Atom will need a home of its own, and despite the handy casters at the front of the base which take the weight of the unit when it’s tipped, you aren’t going to want to move it about much.

When you’ve located a likely spot, the set-up continues with a bike-fit. Saddle height covers a broad spectrum ranging from 59-85cm, while fore and aft is adjustable up to 8cm. The Atom also features fully adjustable handlebars with time trial extensions which neatly incorporate a shelf for your smart device — this will act as your screen.

There’s also the option of using your own (26mm) handlebars, and the toeclips and saddle that come with the Atom can easily be swapped for your own items.

>>> Beginner’s guide to indoor cycling: five ways you can get your pedal fix inside

Following the geometry tweaks it’s time to plug the bike in using the provided power pack, although the lead is a little on the short side so you’ll possibly need an extension unless you’re able to sidle up relatively close to a mains supply.

Then you’re ready to get connected. As mentioned, a smart device, either a tablet or a phone, will essentially be your head unit. Unlike the Wattbike Pro there is no built-in monitor, so in order for the Atom to actually work you’ll need to own one of these, and the bigger the better, unless you enjoy squinting.

Wattbike Atom: the ride

Initially, due to a lack of shed space, I set the Atom up in my house. This presented several potential issues, the primary one being — living in a mid-terrace — noise. Consulting the Wattbike website I was comforted that at 200 watts the Atom would emit some 70 decibels, putting it in line with the average washing machine. I would hopefully, however, be able to go a little harder than that, so family members and neighbours might have to bear the brunt should I manage to obtain WorldTour wattage for few fleeting moments.

>>> Five best smart turbo trainers for autumn and winter 2018/2019

My first ride was with the Wattbike app during which I virtually climbed Sa Calobra at circa 250W, anticipating thuds of protest on the kitchen wall as I ascended. But they didn’t transpire. My children failed to stir from their television-induced hypnosis while my wife said it sounded like an aggressive washing machine cycle — replete with the occasional anguished wail. My neighbours concurred — nary a peep.

I was now free to pedal with abandon. And this came in the form of a Zwift race which played out exactly as expected: hot, sweaty, thoroughly miserable — the key components of any race worth its salt.

Although there are myriad handholds, I spent most of the race clutching onto the tri-bar elbow pads, as I found this to be the optimum position to produce the most watts. While drafting, the hoods were effective and the drops worked well for sprints — the Atom is an extremely solid platform so you can be as boisterous as you like, with the potential to wind up some wattage PBs.

Using the time trial bars offers another position, particularly if you’re training for a race against the clock, but other than supporting my iPad they were more or less redundant.

Pedalling fluidity is second to none — the Atom apes the ride of a regular road bike to perfection, both in and out of the saddle. There was a delay in gear transitions, yes, but they are subtle and in a way preferable to the jolt of a rear derailleur.

Riding out of the saddle is a nice option and makes tackling those mountains on the Wattbike app a slightly more approachable proposition.

Indeed, having fairly recently ridden the real Alpe d’Huez, climbing the same mountain in my kitchen was a similarly challenging experience during which the hurt locker was stumbled upon and a familiar rhythm of sustainable suffering could be established — just swap snow-capped peaks for white goods and a vegetable rack.

Ergo mode

Unlike Gear mode, which allows you to pedal as gently or as hard as you please, putting the Atom into Ergo mode means that you are bound to ride at a target wattage. Removing gears completely, riding in Ergo mode sees the bike adjust the magnetic resistance automatically, meaning that if you slow your cadence the resistance will increase, while the opposite occurs if you speed up. This allows you to reap the benefits of a flawless workout without having to think about it.

Wattbike Atom need to know

Cost: £1,499

Gears: 22

Gradients: 0-25 per cent

Wattage range: 0-2,000W

Connectivity: ANT+, BLE, Polar

Resistance type: Step motor driving

natural magnets to replicate the Wattbike power curve

Dimensions: 100cm (length), 50cm (width), 110cm (height to road bars), 150cm (height to tri-bars and tablet holder)

Rider size: 5ft-6ft 5in

Max rider weight: 135kg

Wattbike Atom connectivity and usability

Downloading the Wattbike app is a good start. By using the company’s in-house software you’ll become acquainted with the nuances of the machine and the riding features on offer. After this you can branch out into other training platforms like Trainer Road and Zwift for a more rounded and interactive indoor cycling experience. Connectivity between Atom and app doesn’t get more intuitive, with the hard and software promptly pairing up with minimal input from the user. Just turn on, strap up, and let rip. It really is that simple.

Once coupled with your smart device you can then select one of the 22 gears on the Atom and start pedalling, changing up or down either by shifters on the hoods of the handlebars (pretty much where you’d find them on a road bike) or on the smart device itself.

With 22 resistances to choose from, the shifts are subtle but not instantaneous, with a several-second delay separating each transition; not the kind of real-world performance found on a turbo trainer then, but not a huge hindrance and it does very little to interrupt ride fluidity. On that subject, the Wattbike app offers a Pedalling Effectiveness Score which gauges your ability to pedal with smooth and balanced strokes.

I came across an issue over winter. A summer of riding outside meant that when I took training indoors during the miserable months, I discovered that I had developed an allergy to the turbo trainer.

Buy now: Elite Arion Digital Smart B+ E-Rollers at Wiggle for £386.99

Symptoms included heavy legs, and a strong desire to stop pedalling, particularly during those nasty strength building intervals of three to five minutes.

Convinced that the deadening nature of my not-smart-turbo trainer was to blame, I turned to my trusty rollers. However, to reach the appropriate power, I was forced to ride at an uncomfortable cadence.

So when I became aware of Elite's Arion Digital Smart B+ E-Rollers, it felt like my prayers had been answered. The road-like feel and boredom busting of rollers, with controllable resistance and the capacity to handle power as high as 1,100 watts. Definitely no need to worry about topping out.

>>> Rollers vs Turbo: which is better?

The parabolic rollers use an electro-magnetic resistance unit and come with several markers to make adjusting the wheelbase easy to suit your bike. Preparing them is as simple as straightening out the central fold.

I completed my first session without plugging the rollers in, or using the adjustable resistance – just to see how well they'd function this way as it'd no doubt come in handy at race HQs. The rollers were quiet and smooth, which meant I could finally train and listen to music at a normal volume much to the relief of my partner.

There's an integrated step, but I did notice that these rollers create a higher stand over height than my previous pair – which made the ground further away when dismounting. Discovering this was a bit dramatic, but once I'd got used to it there were no follow-up 'incidents'.

Plugging the rollers in revealed a low whirr, only noticeable with my ear close to the unit. To set up the controllable resistance I downloaded the Elite myETraining app to my phone, scanned a QR code on the unit (vintage technology there!) and pedalled to pair.

Pedalling whilst holding the phone to pair could present an issue if this was also your first time using rollers at all.

>>> V02 max: how to test and improve it

The app lets you control resistance and record sessions for free. Other functions such as session planning require a paid-for subscription, but you do get six months free with the rollers.

Communication can be enabled via Bluetooth or ANT+, and you can also pair the trainer to a Garmin or other cycling computer, making the resistance easier to control from the handlebars, but this means using the power data, which I didn't – for reasons explained later.

With the rollers set up and quietly whirring, it was time to try the intervals session which had alluded me all winter. Turning the resistance up to level six, I was able to reach my three to five minute power required with relative ease, using a cadence in the mid 90s. Ramping it up for surges was again perfectly achievable at a cadence of 90-110rpm.

Rollers aren't really designed for sprint sessions but when required, it was possible to complete spin-ups on level 8, with plenty more steps available if I had the balance and inclination to try and sprint indoors.

I was concerned that changes in the resistance level would feel strange or jolting – especially when managed by an app outside of my control. However, hooking the rollers up to Zwift to ride the Innsbruck course in ERG mode, the ups and downs felt quite natural once I was accustomed.

On to the actual power data. Despite following the steps within the configuration section of the app, the Elite rollers far overread. I compared them with a pair of Garmin Vector 3 pedals, which are not without their own problems but have proved consistent when compared with other power meters.

When resting at 140 watts, the Elite rollers read 160 watts, and at 225 watts I was apparently closer to 260 watts. I jumped on the rollers for a quick 10-minute spin to compare a saved average power – and got 135 watts from my pedals and 168 from the rollers, representing a pretty hefty difference.

>>> Indoor cycling apps compared: which is best for you?

Different power meters do give slightly different readings, but usually the drift is just a few watts. Elite's strain gauge seems to be significantly overoptimistic, and a little forum searching suggests that this may be down to the method of reading – changes as subtle as tyre pressure could potentially mess with your numbers.

Personally when using these rollers I paired them with my phone to control the resistance and left my Garmin hooked up to my pedals so that my numbers would remain the same across both. If you were to use the rollers' power numbers indoors and another device outside, you'd need to do two FTP/ramp tests to define your zones, which would mess with TSS scores if you're using Training Peaks-type software. You'd have a significant advantage if you turned your hand to Zwift racing, too.

When it comes to value for money, Elite's rollers come in quite a bit cheaper than most of the direct-drive smart turbo trainers which will offer a similarly lifelike ride. They're more expensive than standard smart trainers, but if you find the ride quality too deadening when using these, then the extra investment will no doubt pay off in making your training significantly more enjoyable.

The Bkool Smart Pro 2 is the Spanish brand’s most sophisticated turbo. It’s a wheel-on unit that can produce resistance of up to 1,200 watts and simulate gradients of up to 20 per cent. The Smart Pro 2 comes with its own quick-release skewer, which lets you quickly position your back wheel in the hinged wheel holders. You can adjust your back wheel position to centre it on the resistance roller via the two threaded holders.

If your bike has a rear thru-axle, you’ll need to buy a Bkool thru-axle converter to be able to use it on the Smart Pro 2 – it’s a £50 extra and you need to choose the right one of the three available to fit your bike. You do get a front wheel riser with the Smart Pro 2 though, so your frame is level.

To keep you stable, there are telescopic side pieces that pull out of the unit’s base and increase its width to over 80cm, so no matter how much you move around when riding, the unit remains rock solid. At over 11kg, the Smart Pro 2 is luggable rather than portable, although it is lighter than many smart turbos and pretty compact for a turbo when folded. It’s self-calibrating too.

The resistance unit comes enclosed in a futuristic-looking yellow half-basketball. In use, the Smart Pro 2 is pretty quiet, with a magnetic resistance unit that whines rather than howls, so you won’t annoy the neighbours too much. There’s a reasonable level of inertia when in use too, so the unit will keep your rear wheel moving if you stop pedalling, although since there’s no motor you can’t coast on simulated downhills. There’s some resistance when not plugged in, so the Smart Pro 2 could potentially be used for pre-race warm-ups.

Coupling the Bkool Smart Pro 2 via Bluetooth to external devices is quick and uncomplicated. It also supports ANT+. To get the most out of the Smart Pro 2, you’ll probably want to couple it up to Bkool’s ride simulator or other products; it supports Zwift via the ANT+ protocol.

Three months’ subscription to the Bkool premium simulator comes packaged with the Bkool Smart Pro 2; after that it costs £7.99 a month (undercutting Zwift which is £12.99 a month), or you can revert to the free basic simulator, which provides more limited functionality.

The premium simulator subscription gives you access to a large number of pre-recorded routes and workouts as well as the option to create your own route anywhere in the world. It also lets you compete against other users in real time and gives a reasonably accurate image of the terrain you’re riding through. You can also pick one or more avatars or others who have completed the workout to compete against. As you’d expect, you can share rides or keep them and any route you create private.

You can also do FTP tests, follow structured workouts and classes or ride in a simulated velodrome. You can even control the simulated weather conditions, adding fake snow if you want to cool down and a headwind if you want to make things tougher. The simulator can be connected through to Strava, Garmin Connect and Training Peaks for automatic syncing and works with smart turbos from other makes, including Elite and Wahoo.

>>> Best turbo workouts

The Simulator gives you outputs including speed, power, cadence and gradient, along with a profile, so you can see how you’re doing and what’s coming up as you ride. As you’d expect, there’s a Bkool phone app too, which you can use to control the Smart Pro 2 resistance unit or view ride data and weather, or just play music as you ride.

The Bkool Smart Pro 2 is a sophisticated and versatile unit, which gives you a lot of training options. But you can now get direct-drive units for a similar price that give you a better riding experience and cut out wear on your tyres from the resistance drum. And if you have the space, Bkool itself has recently launched an exercise bike that includes the same features as the Smart Pro 2 and also has a direct drive turbo in the works.

The Italian manufacturer of pro gym equipment may not be on many cyclists’ radar yet but it does have history having sponsored the MG-Technogym team in the mid-1990s, for which Paolo Bettini made his professional debut.

Its new MyCycling trainer is expensive, more so than most competitors, but it shows. It’s the best looking – though of course that’s always subjective – made of glossy, curvaceous, cast aluminium rather than plastic.

Everything about it is smooth, plush and Italianate. Via Technogym the turbo’s metamorphosis from instrument of torture to luxury item is complete.

Whereas other smart trainers come in big cardboard boxes, the MyCycling comes in a chic black carry case that, given the monster weight of the average direct-drive smart trainer, is actually very useful if you want to transport it.

Having said that, the MyCycling is relatively light at 18kg but no less stable than the others in use for it, probably because of its robust fold-out legs.

Watch: Fat burning HIIT session

Technogym supplies an 11-speed Miche cassette (on a Shimano-pattern freehub), skewer and tool-free end caps for 130mm, 135mm and 142 thru-axle rear ends. These come in their own presentation case like a box of expensive chocolates.

Like the other smart turbos, Technogym has its own MyCycling app, which offers comprehensive data including pedal stroke analysis in-ride through an optical sensor – though we have to admit we did not discover where this feature was both during the ride and after – and of course firmware updates.

There are paid-for workouts devised by Ivan Basso and via the app you can even engage a real-life coach.

With Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity the MyCycling pairs with third-party apps. Sharing rides with Strava and Garmin Connect is also possible, though in a 15-minute ride the iPhone Strava app claimed that our maximum elevation was 24,324ft.

The MyCycling appeared to connect perfectly with Zwift as a ‘controllable trainer’, but although the other data was accurate – speed dropping as gradient increased etc – Zwift didn’t control the resistance as it should.

An email from Technogym explained that the MyCycling app must be used to connect the unit to Zwift – it won’t fully work if you pair the unit alone.

To sum up, the MyCycling is the classiest trainer here and the most expensive, but not the most powerful and not the most intuitive to set up and use.

If money was no object we may well pick the Technogym over its competitors such as the Tacx Neo, Wahoo Kickr and CycleOps Hammer, but it’s hard to justify the extra spend.

As one of the heavyweights in the power-measuring field it’s appropriate that the CycleOps Hammer, CycleOps’s range-topping smart trainer, achieves its smooth, realistic road feel via a 9kg flywheel that is claimed to be the heaviest on the market.

The complete unit weighs a monster 21kg, making unboxing it an epic feat. On the inside of the box lid is the legend ‘what will you accomplish today?’ just in case you thought lifting it out of the car was quite enough for one day.

How does it setup?

The Hammer comes with a Shimano freehub body and additional screw-on ‘end caps’ that allow you to run 130mm and 135mm spacing with QR hubs plus 142mm and 148mm thru-axles so standard road bikes, disc-brake road bikes and mountain bikes are all covered. There is no Campagnolo freehub replacement but if you’re running 11 speed you’ll get away with a Shimano cassette.

Two legs fold out from underneath to keep the Hammer stable. A front wheel stabilising block is also stashed under the machine, released once the legs are folded out.

Watch: Form maintaining HIIT session

The Hammer has Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity and connects to any third-party training app as well as CycleOps’s own, Rouvy. We tested it with Zwift using Bluetooth and Zwift’s Mobile Link app, which lets you use a smartphone as an in-ride remote control.

Ride feel

Related: Do you need a smart turbo trainer

The heavy flywheel certainly gives a very realistic ride feel, particularly noticeable when you get a ‘boost’ on virtual descents. Hitting a climb the resistance is piled on smoothly as in real life. The CycleOps Hammer’s resistance can replicate gradients up to 20 per cent and is able to handle 2,000 watts. The Hammer’s ride feel is possibly the best of all the smart turbos on the market at the moment.

Riding to power on a Zwift course on the Hammer is also very similar to riding to power on the road: the number jumps around as the road undulates, requiring you to concentrate on smooth pedalling.The Hammer has excellent stability for out-of-the-saddle efforts but there is no ‘give’ at all.

As for the noise, it’s relatively quiet but as with all the others, a garage is still the best place for it.

In summary, the CycleOps Hammer is very user-friendly with a world-beating ride feel but incredibly heavy and difficult to carry since the moulded handle is in the wrong place and the yellow CycleOps stickers have started peeling off.