The Wahoo KICKR and KICKR Core are two of the most popular smart indoor cycling trainers on the market. Wahoo has quickly become synonymous with indoor cycling and cycling electronics. However, setting up the Wahoo KICKR can be a daunting task. Here is a step-by-step guide to get you riding soon.
Where to Buy the Wahoo KICKR
The most obvious place to buy the Wahoo KICKR is from the Wahoo website. However, Amazon sells Wahoo products, and used Wahoo KICKRs are often heavily discounted.
An undercover buying option for Canadian readers is through MEC. MEC is synonymous without outdoor apparel and equipment. However, they also offer some great indoor and outdoor cycling products PLUS their “rock solid guarantee”. They understand the things you buy should work and are so amazing at returns and exchanges. It’s really the best warranty in the game.
What’s in the Box?
There isn’t a whole lot to the Wahoo KICKR, which is reflected in the above picture. However, that makes the set up straightforward.
You will find the following in the Wahoo KICKR Smart Trainer box:
- The KICKR Smart Trainer with an 11-speed cassette attached
- A power cord
- Adjustable stabilizing feet
- Thru-axle and Quick Release skewer attachments
- Some stickers
- Instruction manual
The Wahoo KICKR can be set up very quickly because there isn’t much to fuss around with. It’s pretty much a plug and play operation.
Setting Up Your Wahoo KICKR
Key Steps to Set Up Your Wahoo KICKR
1. The Perfect Spot for your Wahoo KICKR
The most important part of setting up your Wahoo KICKR is to find a good spot for it. In an ideal situation, you would be riding in a large, well-lit space with a couple of windows that you can open. Even in the dead of winter you will appreciate the ability to open the windows to get some cold air in. Obviously, this isn’t possible for everyone, but you should definitely try to get at least 2 of the 3:
- Large space
- Well lit, ideally with natural light
- Windows available to open
After these three are sorted, you should consider the aesthetics. If you’ll be riding using Zwift, Rouvy, Wahoo SYSTM or similar then you’re going to need a screen set up. Having a large TV mounted in front of you would be great, but even a laptop stand or adjustable iPad stand will get the job done.
Further, you will want to consider where wall plug ins are. You will have to plug in your Wahoo KICKR, your computer/iPad/TV and some fans so ample electrical outlets around you will be key.
Wahoo KICKR footprint with bike on it
The Wahoo KICKR has a listed footprint of: 28” wide x 20” long, however that is without a bike attached. The footprint of the Wahoo KICKR with a bike attached will be dependent on which size and type of bike, due to individual geometry. The total footprint of the Wahoo KICKR with my 52 cm Specialized Roubaix road bike attached is: 28” wide x 65” long.
You also need some room to maneuver around while on the bike. I would suggest somewhere in the neighbourhood of 1 foot (30 cm) from the edge of your handlebars to the closest wall or piece of furniture. This will be particularly important when doing hard efforts out of the saddle where the KICKR can allow about 5 degrees of side-to-side movement.
2. Setting the Stabilizing Arms
The first thing you’ll have to do is set the stabilizing arms in place. This is as easy as pressing the blue locking mechanisms that look like buttons at the proximal end of the arms and swinging the arms out until they lock into place at their extended position.
At this point you can also adjust the feet under the stabilizing arms. There are 3 different options for these feet that correspond to user weight. The Wahoo KICKR comes set up with the axis feet set for mid-sized riders (141-180 lbs or 63-81kg). If you fall above or below this range, you’ll have to switch out these feet for the corresponding ones that match your weight.
3. Wheel Height Adjustment
The rear mech of your bike will integrate into the KICKR’s cassette because the Wahoo KICKR is a direct drive trainer. To ensure that the bike is in the optimal position the cassette height can be adjusted based on the size of your front wheel.
For instance, I am using a road bike that runs 700 cc wheels, so my trainer is set up accordingly, as shown below. Your front and rear tires will indicate their size to help you out. If you can’t figure out your size and you’re riding a stock road or hybrid bike then it is likely you have 700 cc wheels.
4. Wahoo KICKR Thru Axle and Quick Release Set Up
The Wahoo KICKR comes set up for a bike that uses quick release skewers to attach the wheel to the frame. If you’re wondering if your bike uses quick release, then a simple google search can help you sort that it out.
If your bike uses QR skewers then you can jump ahead to the next step. If not, your bike will use thru axles to attach the wheels to the frame. This step tripped me up a little bit. It’s quite easy to take out the QR skewer and you will likely notice that there is an adapter (Adapter B) on the non-drivetrain side of the KICKR body (as shown below). However, on the cassette side of the KICKR body there is also an adapter present (Adapter A). This is a silver-coloured adapter that I initially did not see and thus couldn’t get my thru axle through (shown below on the right).
You’ll then have to insert Adapter D into the non-drivetrain side of the KICKR body – with the skinny side toward the midline if you run a 142mm axle or skinny side out for 148mm axles. Your bike manufacturer’s website will tell you which size you have or you can just measure yours. Adapter C will also need to go on the drivetrain side of the KICKR.
5. Attach your bike to the cassette
It’s now time to attach your bike to the trainer. It’s honestly easiest to follow along with a video to help you as you go, so check out this video from GCN below.
Happy Riding:)