Wahoo acquires The Sufferfest to complete training ecosystem

Wahoo has announced that it will acquire The Sufferfest, the home training brand founded by David McQuillen in 2008.

Connected fitness device leader Wahoo is responsible for the Elemnt computer family as well as Kickr turbo trainers and Tickr heart rate monitors.

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

Combining with The Sufferfest, which delivers a library of training videos devised by elite coaches as well as over 100 training plans, will help increase the brand's capability to "create training solutions for endurance athletes who want to get the most out of themselves," it says.

A relatively new player in the computer and trainer market, Wahoo has quickly established itself as a forerunner in a competitive industry.

Comparatively, The Sufferfest, whose motto 'IWBMATTKYT' stands for 'I will beat my arse today to kick yours tomorrow', was one of the earliest indoor training entertainment systems.

In recent years, it has had to work quickly to develop its offering into a slick iOS, macOS and Windows compatible app format. Speaking to Cycling Weekly, McQuillen said the pair up would help the brand develop its app offerings more quickly, as well as bring several new plans to fruition.

Alongside training plans based upon overall goals, The Sufferfest's most recent addition to its arsenal is the option to purchase customised training plans, based upon an in-depth questionnaire and 30-minute consultation. 

These will be delivered by the newly created 'SUFCoaching Division' led by Neal Henderson - a coach who has trained athletes to over 50 national and world titles, multiple Grand Tour stage wins, and two UCI world hour records.

Commenting on the announcement, Chip Hawkins, founder of Wahoo, said: “We are really pleased to bring together the Wahooligan and Sufferlandrian communities. We share a common passion for the performance of endurance athletes and our collective knowledge will provide additional benefits to athletes everywhere.”

He added: “Wahoo remains committed to the growth of the indoor training and fitness sectors and will continue to integrate and collaborate with as many leading software providers as possible.”

Discussing the move, McQuillen said: "This partnership brings together two companies with a strong history of innovation.”

"Our market-leading content and sports science—together with Wahoo’s ground-breaking engineering—will allow us to develop fantastic new concepts and training solutions for our customers.”

“The strong sense of identity that has made The Sufferfest what it is today will remain, and we will continue to work closely with our existing hardware partners to ensure seamless compatibility across all platforms,” he added.

>>> Things you’ll only understand if you’re a Sufferfest convert

The Sufferfest says its most recent addition of customised training plans could save riders hundreds of pounds, by providing a solution which is tailored to their own needs and weekly schedule. The 12-week schedules cost $139/£111 for cyclists, and come with a money back guarantee. 

“Our goal at SUFCoaching is to bring the latest advances in sports science to athletes who otherwise might not have access to it,” said Henderson. “With the addition of customised training plans The Sufferfest has made cutting-edge, personalised training affordable and accessible to athletes of all fitness levels, regardless of their schedule or personal goals.”

There are no planned changes in The Sufferfest business offering or structure as a result of this acquisition.