Wahoo KICKR

[1]  Cadence transmitted by a smart trainer is an estimation of your cadence. This may not always be 100% accurate given potential changes in ride data throughout pedal stroke especially during periods of inconsistent cadence. For best results, the use of a dedicated cadence sensor is suggested, but not required.

[2] ANT+ USB or key may be required to connect to ANT+ devices.

[3] In order to use Bluetooth on Windows devices, a Bluetooth dongle is required. See more information here.

[4] Cadence is not a feature that the KICKR supports. In order to have cadence with TrainerRoad using this trainer, you will need a dedicated cadence device.

• Dropouts can be seen while riding as an absence of data. You may be experiencing device dropouts if your data values drop to zero, or to a null '--' value.

  • Why this happens: The most common culprit of dropouts are typically low batteries which cause a weak signal, and interference from other nearby devices.

  • The solution: Click the following link to learn how to avoid device dropouts.

• Click here to learn more about ANT+ Troubleshooting.

• Click here to learn more about Bluetooth Smart 4.0 Troubleshooting.

• When trying to pair your device if you're unable to see, or pair your device properly, there may be a connection issue. This could be caused by a faulty connection with the device or another application may be using your Bluetooth or ANT+ connection.

  • The solution: Click on the following link to learn more about device pairing troubleshooting.

• It takes a minimum amount of watts to simply turn the pedals on a bike. This minimum wattage requirement can increase even more in higher gears. For more information on wattage floor and what it can look like, click here.

  • The solution: Change into an easier gear. This will allow your trainer to spin slower thus allowing it to reach lower power values.

• Speed readings when riding indoors on a smart trainer are inherently unreliable. The "speeds" riders achieve indoors are often not representative of speeds they'd be going outdoors at equivalent power levels.

• Simply put, indoor speed readings can be misleading and don't add any value to the workout so TrainerRoad does not display them during your ride. To learn more about speed readings on a smart trainer, click here.

• Dropouts can cause your power values to get "stuck" in place and follow a constant power rather than changing with the workout profile. 

  • The solution: Avoiding dropouts will help reduce the possibility of this happening.

• Wattage floor/ceiling - If you find that your power is floating above your prescribed power, typically during a recovery interval, you may be experiencing wattage floor. 

  • The solution: Change into an easier gear. This will allow your trainer to spin slower thus allowing it to reach lower power values. To learn more about what a wattage floor is, click here.

• Power smoothing set to too high of a value can give the illusion that your power is not following the target power when in reality, it is. Power smoothing takes a running average of your incoming power over the span of time that you have selected in your settings, 1-30 seconds. Your average power over that time span is then shown on your workout player.

  • Common cases - You would notice this at the onset of an interval. When the interval starts, you may notice that your power is lagging behind quite a bit and then eventually rises to meet the prescribed wattage. This is due to the running average that's being calculated.

  • The solution - To fix this, you may need to lower your power smoothing value in your settings. If power smoothing is desired, we recommend adjusting your settings to around 4-7 seconds for most workouts. This should allow you to visually smooth your power while still allowing it to your power to catch up quickly when entering intervals.

    • NOTE: PowerSmoothing only visually adjusts your power during your workout. Only raw data is stored during your ride. Due to this, you may notice a difference between post, and during, workout graphs. 

• ERG Mode Not Set: If your trainer is set to resistance mode (or slope/standard mode with some trainers) your power will not be automatically adjusted to match the target power. In this case, your power may be graphed similarly to that of a power meter and float around without following any workout profile. 

• When pedaling at a low cadence, or if you change during a change in prescribed power, it's possible that your KICKR can dramatically increase the resistance and prevent you from pedaling as the resistance continues to climb.

  • The solution: Begin backpedaling for around 5-10 seconds as the resistance unit loosens its grip. Then carry on pedaling.

• If you're using a generation 1 KICKR (notice it does not have a handle and it has a zebra pattern opposite the cassette) and you're experiencing wildly fluctuating power, or a continual dropout, you may need to clean your optical sensor.

  • To clean the optical sensor, gently rub a paper towel through the area shown below.

    

     

    

• For the most accurate and consistent power readings, make sure to perform a spindown calibration before each ride.

  • If time allows, the optimal solution would be to perform a spindown calibration after spinning for around 5-10 minutes to warm up internal components.

• Updating your trainer's firmware to the latest release is very important. Many of these updates contain fixes that the manufacturer has been working on. Updating your firmware whenever the latest release is available will make sure that your device is always up-to-date with the most recent features and improvements. 

  • To update your KICKR's firmware using an Android device, follow the directions found here. 

  • To update your KICKR's firmware using an iOS device, follow the directions found here. 

• When using ERG mode, follow the gearing suggestions found in our smart trainer modes explained article for best results.

• If using resistance, or standard/slope mode, you will need to make sure to shift your gears just as you would when riding outdoors. Doing so will allow you to reach your prescribed target power during your workout.