This is big news for Australian Zwifters who have been waiting for virtual shifting capabilities. While Australians still don’t have easy access to purchasing Zwift’s Play Controllers, the CORE One ships with the Zwift Click device which provides simple up/down buttons for easy virtual shifting.

It also ships with the Zwift Cog which, when coupled with virtual shifting, makes the trainer easily compatible with a wide range of bikes including mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel rigs and more.

CORE One Specs

Built on Wahoo’s well-established KICKR Core line, the CORE One has all the capabilities required to deliver a high-quality Zwift experience. Here are the trainer’s key specs:

• Zwift Click included for virtual shifting
• Calibration: automatic
• Cassette: Zwift Cog (compatible with most 8-12 speed bikes)
• Accuracy: +-2%
• Flywheel: 12lb
• Max Wattage: 1800 W
• Max Incline: 16%
• Cadence: built in
• Communication: ANT+ and 3-Channel Bluetooth
• Axle Compatibility: 130/135mm quick release, 12×142/12×148 thru-axle
• Weight: 18kg
• Physical Dimensions: 9″L x 23″W x 21″H (closed), 20″L x 23″W x 19″H (open)

About Virtual Shifting

With virtual shifting, your chain doesn’t move between different rear cassette cogs when you shift. Instead, a virtual shift changes the resistance of your smart trainer so it feels like you’ve changed cogs. This is how smart bikes like the Wahoo KICKR Bike, Wattbike, StagesBike, and Tacx NEO Bike have always worked.

Why do Zwifters like virtual shifting? Because it beats mechanical shifting in several ways:

• Fast, smooth, quiet: with no chains skipping between cogs, your shifts are completely silent, perfectly smooth, and lightning-fast.
• Less wear and tear: your chain won’t wear out as quickly, and neither will the Zwift Cog, since it is built beefy because weight is not a concern.
• Shift under full load: no need to ease off the pedals when shifting under power, as your chain isn’t going to “skip” when virtual shifting like it can with mechanical shifting.
• Compatible across many bikes: no more spinning out on your low-geared mountain bike, or needing to swap cassettes if you swap bikes. Virtual shifting works with almost any 8-12 speed bike and auto-calibrates to your physical gearing.
• No more fine-tuning: many riders have to fine-tune their physical shifting when moving between outdoor riding and a direct-drive trainer, since the cassettes aren’t lined up exactly the same. The Zwift Cog doesn’t require any such fine-tuning… just shift to a physical gear that has your chain lined up straight on the Cog and you’re ready to ride.
• Expanded gear range: Zwift’s virtual shifting currently supports a virtual 24-speed setup, which is more gears than most riders have on their outdoor setups. Additionally, the gear ratio range is very wide (from .75 to 5.49), meaning everyone should find that virtual shifting offers more easy gears and more hard gears than your mechanical gearing.
• In-game visualization: with Zwift’s virtual shifting, you can always see what gear you’re in on screen.

Zwift’s virtual shifting was rolled out to the Zwift Hub in late 2023, and it’s arguably the most significant technological advance we’ve seen in smart trainers in years. The CORE One is the first non-Zwift trainer to support virtual shifting, and that’s big, good news for Zwifters.

Shop Now

Australians can purchase the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One on Wahoo’s website today.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Today, Wahoo’s added the CORE One to their Canadian website, priced at CA$999.99.

This is big news for Canadian Zwifters who have been waiting for virtual shifting capabilities. While Canadians still don’t have easy access to purchasing Zwift’s Play Controllers, the CORE One ships with the Zwift Click device which provides simple up/down buttons for easy virtual shifting.

It also ships with the Zwift Cog which, when coupled with virtual shifting, makes the trainer easily compatible with a wide range of bikes including mountain bikes, road bikes, gravel rigs and more.

CORE One Specs

Built on Wahoo’s well-established KICKR Core line, the CORE One has all the capabilities required to deliver a high-quality Zwift experience. Here are the trainer’s key specs:

• Zwift Click included for virtual shifting
• Calibration: automatic
• Cassette: Zwift Cog (compatible with most 8-12 speed bikes)
• Accuracy: +-2%
• Flywheel: 12lb
• Max Wattage: 1800 W
• Max Incline: 16%
• Cadence: built in
• Communication: ANT+ and 3-Channel Bluetooth
• Axle Compatibility: 130/135mm quick release, 12×142/12×148 thru-axle
• Weight: 18kg
• Physical Dimensions: 9″L x 23″W x 21″H (closed), 20″L x 23″W x 19″H (open)

About Virtual Shifting

With virtual shifting, your chain doesn’t move between different rear cassette cogs when you shift. Instead, a virtual shift changes the resistance of your smart trainer so it feels like you’ve changed cogs. This is how smart bikes like the Wahoo KICKR Bike, Wattbike, StagesBike, and Tacx NEO Bike have always worked.

Why do Zwifters like virtual shifting? Because it beats mechanical shifting in several ways:

• Fast, smooth, quiet: with no chains skipping between cogs, your shifts are completely silent, perfectly smooth, and lightning-fast.
• Less wear and tear: your chain won’t wear out as quickly, and neither will the Zwift Cog, since it is built beefy because weight is not a concern.
• Shift under full load: no need to ease off the pedals when shifting under power, as your chain isn’t going to “skip” when virtual shifting like it can with mechanical shifting.
• Compatible across many bikes: no more spinning out on your low-geared mountain bike, or needing to swap cassettes if you swap bikes. Virtual shifting works with almost any 8-12 speed bike and auto-calibrates to your physical gearing.
• No more fine-tuning: many riders have to fine-tune their physical shifting when moving between outdoor riding and a direct-drive trainer, since the cassettes aren’t lined up exactly the same. The Zwift Cog doesn’t require any such fine-tuning… just shift to a physical gear that has your chain lined up straight on the Cog and you’re ready to ride.
• Expanded gear range: Zwift’s virtual shifting currently supports a virtual 24-speed setup, which is more gears than most riders have on their outdoor setups. Additionally, the gear ratio range is very wide (from .75 to 5.49), meaning everyone should find that virtual shifting offers more easy gears and more hard gears than your mechanical gearing.
• In-game visualization: with Zwift’s virtual shifting, you can always see what gear you’re in on screen.

Zwift’s virtual shifting was rolled out to the Zwift Hub in late 2023, and it’s arguably the most significant technological advance we’ve seen in smart trainers in years. The CORE One is the first non-Zwift trainer to support virtual shifting, and that’s big, good news for Zwifters.

Shop Now

Canadians can purchase the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One on Wahoo’s website today.

What About Australia?

Watch this space – the CORE One is coming to you soon!

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

We’ve also selected a training update video, a long-term review of the KICKR Bike Shift, and a Zwift race commentary/analysis video.

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

We’ve also chosen videos covering indoor cycling news, the discontinuation of the Zwift Hub One, a newer category B rider’s race recap, and a race recon.

Ramp Test Number One, First of More to Follow!

After a couple of years of not having done an FTP test, Linda Messinger, Zwifting with Granny, decides to do a Ramp Test on Zwift. Watch as she tackles the dreaded FTP test. Note: Hit the subscribe button to help her get to 1000 subscribers!

Indoor Cycling News

Were We Duped By Zwift? The Hub One Has Been Discontinued!

Following the discontinuation of the Zwift Hub One, lots of Zwifters were left frustrated, questioning whether their purchase was right. Team Saunders shares their thoughts on the situation and shares their story with the Zwift Hub One.

Zwift Racing in Category B – What is possible for the new guy?

As a newer category B rider, Georg attempts a category B race as part of Zwift’s Race Like a Champ series. Can he hold onto the lead group?

Zwift Loop de Loop New Route Recon

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

Not sure which version KICKR you have? The KICKR v6 has a WiFi status light instead of an ANT+ light. For more, read Differences Between Wahoo KICKR Versions.

Virtual Shifting

With virtual shifting, your chain doesn’t move between different rear cassette cogs when you shift. Instead, when you click to shift using your Zwift Click or Play Controllers, the resistance on your trainer changes so it feels like you’ve changed cogs.

This is how smart bikes like the Wahoo KICKR Bike, Tacx Neo Bike, and Stages SB20 have worked for years (although they use their own shifters, not Zwift’s). Today’s update adds virtual shifting to the KICKR v6 and KICKR MOVE, bringing the list of smart trainers supporting Zwift virtual shifting to four:

1. Zwift Hub
2. KICKR Core
3. KICKR v6
4. KICKR Move

You don’t need the Zwift Cog on your trainer to enjoy virtual shifting. In fact, we would argue that virtual shifting is smoother and quieter with a standard cassette! All you need is a Zwift Click or Play Controllers and your updated KICKR trainer on Zwift.

Keep in mind that you won’t get virtual shifting capabilities if you pair your KICKR via ANT+. It must be paired via Bluetooth directly on your device, via the Companion app, or via your local network.

Race Mode on Bluetooth

Race Mode sends power data to Zwift 10x per second (10Hz), instead of the default of once per second (1Hz). This increased responsiveness can be advantageous in races.

Before today’s firmware update, Race Mode was only available if you connected your KICKR via WiFi or the Direct Connect adapter. Now, as long as you’re connected via Bluetooth, Race Mode will be available.

Updating KICKR Firmware

Installing new firmware is easy using the Wahoo app (available for iOS and Android). Just add your KICKR to your list of sensors if you haven’t already, then click it for details. Tap “Update Firmware” and follow the instructions:

What About Older KICKR Trainers?

Wahoo has said they’ll be releasing virtual shifting for KICKR v4 and v5, but we haven’t seen any hard release dates yet. Stay tuned!

Questions or Comments

Share below!

Virtual Shifting Upgrade Options for Wahoo KICKR CORE Owners!

Shane Miller, GPLama, provides an amazing video answering a question that many have been asking following the recent announcement: how can I get virtual shifting on my KICKR CORE? Shane gives four different ways that Zwifters can use virtual shifting, including a workaround for using the zCog on the Kickr Core.

Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One Is Here

Zwift x Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One Review // Virtual Shifting Comes to the KICKR!

DesFit reviews the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One, giving details on virtual shifting, how it works, and more.

Zwift virtual shifting on Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One: details and ride impressions

Ben Delaney shares his take on the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One in his latest review video. The video covers the details of the trainer, power accuracy, and his thoughts.

Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One Review: Best of Both Worlds?

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

This means you’re getting a direct drive smart trainer with auto calibration, virtual shifting, 10Hz race mode, and +/-2.5% accuracy for an effective price of $350… making this, perhaps, the most smoking smart trainer deal we’ve ever seen.

The Big Question: What About Support?

Some Zwift Hub owners have been concerned about Zwift’s support of the trainer ever since it was announced that the new Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One would replace the Zwift Hub One moving forward.

But Zwift has said all along that they will continue to support the Zwift Hub with firmware updates and warranty service. In fact, today, when asked about Zwift’s support of the Hub, they told us, “Absolutely yes, full support is expected for the lifetime of the product. Zwift remains committed to hardware and will continue to invest to bring increasing value and innovation to our customers.”

Plus, as many Zwifters have recently pointed out, the Zwift Hub is already a super-capable trainer. Even if Zwift didn’t issue another firmware update, its capabilities rival smart trainers costing 2-3x as much. We have no reservations in recommending the Zwift Hub… especially at this closeout price.

Virtual Shifting Basics and Benefits

Hub One is built for virtual shifting. What is that exactly, and is it even something you want?

Virtual shifting means your chain isn’t moving between different physical cassette cogs when you shift. Instead, a virtual shift changes the resistance of your smart trainer so it feels like you’ve changed cogs. This is how smart bikes like the Wahoo KICKR Bike, Wattbike, StagesBike, and Tacx NEO Bike have always worked.

There are many benefits to virtual shifting, including:

• Fast, smooth, quiet: with no chains skipping between cogs, your shifts are completely silent, perfectly smooth, and lightning-fast.
• Less wear and tear: your chain won’t wear out as quickly, and neither will the Zwift Cog, since it is built beefy because weight is not a concern.
• Shift under full load: no need to ease off the pedal when shifting under power, as your chain isn’t going to “skip” when virtual shifting like it can with mechanical shifting.
• Compatible across many bikes: no more spinning out on your low-geared mountain bike, or needing to swap cassettes if you swap bikes. The Hub One works with virtually any 8-12 speed bike and auto-calibrates to your physical gearing.
• No more fine-tuning: many riders find they have to fine-tune their physical shifting when they move between outdoor riding and a direct-drive trainer, since the cassettes aren’t lined up exactly the same. The Zwift Cog doesn’t require any such fine-tuning… just shift to a physical gear that has your chain lined up straight on the Cog and you’re ready to ride.
• Expanded shifting: at launch the Hub One supports a virtual 24-speed setup, which is more gears than most riders have on their outdoor setups. Additionally, the gear ratio range is very wide (from .75 to 5.49), meaning everyone should find that virtual shifting offers more easy gears and more hard gears than your mechanical gearing.
• In-game gear visualization: with Zwift’s virtual shifting, you can always see what gear you’re in on screen.

More About Hub One

Zwift’s Hub One is the same smart trainer as the Zwift Hub Classic but ships with a Zwift Cog instead of a standard cassette plus the handle-bar mounted Zwift Click to enable virtual shifting.

Hub One Specifications

• Accuracy: +-2.5%
• Flywheel: 4.7kg
• Max Wattage: 1800 W
• Max Incline: 16%
• Calibration: automatic
• Axle Compatibility: 142/148 thru axle + 130/135mm QR
• Weight: 16.5kg
• Cadence: built in
• Communication: ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth FTMS
• Cassette Included: Yes (Zwift Cog)
• Physical Dimensions: 49.7 cm length x 61.2 cm width x 46.1 cm height

Learn more about the Zwift Hub One by reading our detailed post, which includes a full review.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Wahoo has been busy in the hardware department with the new Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One (a mouthful!) and the Wahoo KICKR RUN (which is a game-changer). Will we see more attention given to the run aspects of Zwift, are treadmills actually viable as an in-home alternative for the masses, or is this something that will enhance the gym experience?

There has been a big shake-up at Zwift. They are a leaner company now and no longer the co-CEO structure.  Anna and Nathan speculate on what this could mean for the end-user in the coming year.

Finally, Zwift racing etiquette is discussed. When a competitor has a drop-out, what do you do?  Is it better to wait for them to rejoin the group? Do you just maintain group speed, or do you attack like crazy and ensure they never get back on?!  

The Wrap is live weekly on Thursdays 11pm CDT/5pm NZT (Friday).  Catch it live on Youtube, Twitch, Facebook & X (formerly Twitter). Subscribe to  Zwift Community Live on YouTube for all the latest episodes and live notifications.

The podcast is available on all podcast platforms. The audio version of all episodes is always available on the Zwift Community Live Website.

Zwift Cribs! Our Ultimate Pain Cave – 2024 Updated Edition

Watch as Caitlin and Tiffany, aka Team Saunders Tri, provide a tour of their updated pain cave for 2024. 

My Zwift Return Didn’t Go to Plan…

W/KG Vs Raw Watts in Zwift

Michael from Zwift Analysis Network is back with another helpful video. This video covers a commonly asked question on Zwift: When are w/kg more important than raw watts?

Tips to Avoid Dropouts on Zwift

Everyone hates dropouts, especially when they come mid-race and force you to call it a day. Learn all about how you can avoid getting dropouts on Zwift from Michael at Zwiftalizer.

MAGENE T300 Plus Smart Trainer: Details // Improvements // Lama Lab Tested

Got a Great Zwift Video?

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It’s the KICKR Core we know and love from Wahoo, with a Zwift Cog installed in place of a cassette, and a Zwift Click included for virtual shifting.

I’ve had the CORE One (yes, I’m shortening the name) in the Zwift Insider Pain Lab for a few weeks, running it through its paces. And today I’ll be sharing my experience, along with key specs and other details. Let’s go!

Features and Specs

The CORE One is priced a full $1000 below Wahoo’s newest KICKR, the KICKR MOVE. And the CORE One comes with a full year of Zwift membership, while the KICKR MOVE does not!

So how do the two trainers compare?

	KICKR CORE Zwift One	KICKR MOVE
Price	$599/£549/€599	$1,599/€1,599/£1399
Max Power	1800W	2200W
Accuracy	+/-2%	+/-1%
Calibration	Automatic	Automatic
Cadence	Built In	Built In
Brake/Drive Type	Electromagnetic	Electromagnetic
Max Gradient	16%	20%
Weight	40lb/18kg	64lb/29kg
CLIMB Compatible	Yes	With base adapter
ANT+ and Bluetooth Connectivity
Multiperipheral Bluetooth	Up to 3 connections	Up to 3 connections
Axle Compatibility	130/135mm quick release, 12×142/12×148 thru-axle	130/135mm quick release, 12×142/12×148 thru-axle
Pre-Installed Cassette	Zwift Cog	11-Speed
Virtual Shifting		Coming soon
Direct Connect
WiFi Connectivity
ERG Easy Ramp
Odometer
10Hz Race Mode
Fore-Aft Motion
Includes 1 Year of Zwift

Unboxing/Setup

CORE One setup is very easy. It can be done by just about anyone, even if you’re not an experienced cyclist.

Unboxing and Assembly

My CORE One arrived in the same box as a standard KICKR Core, but Wahoo says this will be changed soon. Assembly was quite easy:

1. Open up the collapsable front arm
2. Install both legs using the enclosed hex tool
3. Install the correct axle adapters for my bike (135mm quick release) – if you aren’t sure which adapters to use, read this post

Firmware Updates

Checking for firmware updates whenever you get new hardware is always a good idea. This is especially true with the CORE One, since it’s shipping with older firmware that doesn’t support virtual shifting or auto-calibration!

Installing the new firmware is easy using the Wahoo app (available for iOS and Android). I added the CORE One to my list of sensors, clicked it for details, then clicked the “Update Firmware” button and followed the instructions:

Note: when I installed the update, the app hung on the “Finishing up…” screen. After waiting for around 10 minutes, I restarted the app (which is a scary thing to do in the middle of a firmware update) and it showed the firmware as installed. The CORE One has been working fine ever since.

Bike Setup

I left my bike in a middle gear on the rear cassette, and it installed easily on the CORE One. After shifting up and down a few times I found the gear that was smoothest, and visually checked to see if it was lined up nicely on the cog. Good to go!

Ride Experience

Virtual Shifting

Of course, the big news with the CORE One is that it’s the first non-Zwift trainer to support virtual shifting. With virtual shifting, your chain doesn’t move between different rear cassette cogs when you shift. Instead, a virtual shift changes the resistance on your KICKR Core so it feels like you’ve changed cogs.

So how well does virtual shifting work on the CORE One? It works great! I tested it using the included Zwift Click and also the Zwift Play Controllers I already had installed on my Zwift bike. Both worked perfectly, without hiccups.

I will say the shift “curve” on the CORE One feels a bit different from the Zwift Hub – like a steady ramp up in resistance vs a quicker spike. But that’s not a bad thing… just different. Both trainers shift very quickly and smoothly.

One thing that isn’t mentioned much is that you must pair the CORE One via Bluetooth for virtual shifting to work. Then just pair the Zwift Click and/or Zwift Plays as well, and you’re good to go. The trainer automatically senses your gearing in the first few seconds of riding, then sets up your base resistance and puts you in 12th gear (you have a total of 24). And that’s it! Just use the Click’s +/- buttons, or the shift buttons on the Zwift Plays, to shift whenever you’d like.

I prefer the location of the Zwift Play shift buttons to the Click, because it’s reachable when my hands are in their default position on my hoods. Of course, if you’re on flat bars or some other setup, the Click may be better for you.

Noise Level

When it comes to noise levels, the CORE One is… cantankerous. It’s not the trainer’s fault – the actual KICKR Core trainer (flywheel, freehub, etc) is very quiet.

The issue is the Zwift Cog. I experienced the same noise issues with the Zwift Cog on the KICKR Core as I did with the Zwift Cog on the Zwift Hub. Specifically, there’s more chain/cog noise than I’d like.

But the noise level depends on your chain. And also your gearing.

I’ve tested the Zwift Cog with three different chains:

• The chain I’ve used for (literally) years on my Zwift bike (a YBN 11-speed chain)
• A nearly-new Dura-Ace 12-speed chain on my outdoor bike
• A new KMC 11-speed chain on my Zwift bike

All three chains received the same Molten Speedwax treatment, and all three have been tested to run near-silent on a standard cassette. None of them show as needing replacement when tested using Park Tool’s Chain Wear Indicator, although my well-used YBN chain is, logically, a bit stretched compared to the other two nearly new chains.

The Dura-Ace chain was the quietest of the three (+1 for expensive hardware, eh?), while my well-used YBN chain was the loudest. The KMC was somewhere in the middle.

I would characterize the noise level of the Dura-Ace chain as acceptable, while the other two are not. But I’m also fairly picky since I’m used to near-silent trainer setups!

As any cyclist knows, a noisy bike is an inefficient bike. When you hear drivetrain noise, you’re losing watts. So it hurts my cyclist heart to have a noisy chain/cog interface. It’s rough enough, in fact, that I can actually feel the teeth of the cog interfacing with my chain. That feeling is amplified the faster I turn my cranks.

This noise issue has been mentioned by other reviewers, too. Listen to DesFit do a nice comparison of the Zwift Cog vs cassette sound volume on the CORE One:

Zwift has always recommended riding in the little chainring when using the Zwift Cog + virtual shifting, and although they don’t say it, I can’t help but think part of the reasoning is because the Zwift Cog is quieter in the little ring. It’s quieter simply because the chain isn’t moving over the cog as rapidly. The faster the chain moves along the cog, the noisier it will be.

I may put together an article soon focused on taking apart the Zwift Cog and trying various things to make it quieter. What I’d really like to try is installing a cog from one of my spare cassettes, in place of the beefier steel cog used in the Zwift Cog, to see how that affects noise levels. Removing the plastic guides on either side of the cog will also reduce sound, but the truth is, Zwift needs to change something to make the Cog quieter.

The good news for KICKR Core owners is, you don’t need the Zwift Cog in order to enjoy virtual shifting. Just buy the Zwift Play Controllers, update your firmware, and you’re good to go on your existing cassette… which will be quieter than the Zwift Cog.

Power Accuracy

The KICKR Core’s new firmware brings what Wahoo calls “auto spindown calibration” to the trainer. This is just a wordy way of saying the trainer automatically calibrates itself for accurate power readings, so you don’t need to worry about doing it. Excellent news for KICKR Core owners!

Having completed several workouts, rides, and races with power dual recorded from the CORE One and my Favero Assioma pedals, I’d say my CORE One with its new auto-calibration is fairly accurate and close to being within spec… but it could use a bit of improvement.

First, as some other reviewers have already mentioned, you’ll need to put a hard ride or two into the CORE One before the auto calibration run enough to really dial in the accuracy. But that’s no big deal, and not unlike some other trainers.

My only real disappointment with power accuracy is that the CORE One seems to suffer from a bit of thermal drift, similar to the Zwift Hub. (Which is odd, since the CORE One has a thermal sensor, so Wahoo’s engineers should be able to compensate for temperature changes during a ride.)

Here’s an example (click to interact with the data):

My pedals were right with the CORE One when the ride began, but by the end the CORE One was reading around 5% higher. This is classic thermal drift, where a cold trainer reads higher the warmer it gets.

I’ve seen this on multiple rides, including sessions that began with the trainer already warm. Here’s a 90-minute ride that started with the trainer already warmed up. It’s reading a bit high to start, but even higher when the ride ends.

In these examples, if I’d stopped pedaling midride the CORE One would have recalibrated and probably improved in accuracy. But that shouldn’t be needed if the only issue is temperature.

You can see thermal drift again in my ZI Labs Power Meter test, where the CORE One reads a bit higher at the end than at the beginning:

That said, thermal drift isn’t apparent on all rides. Here’s a 40-minute race done just before the 90-minute ride linked above, and the CORE One is tracking nicely with my Assiomas throughout.

Oddly, I didn’t see the small-ring sprint issues that GPLama noted in his review, where his CORE One was rewarding him for being in the big ring (high flywheel speed) on sprints. The two sprints at the end of the workout above were done big ring (first sprint) little ring (second sprint).

Is the CORE One woefully inaccurate? Nah. It just appears that Wahoo’s engineers could tune the auto-calibration and/or temperature compensation algorithms to keep the trainer more firmly within the +/-2% accuracy specification.

Let’s be clear, though: compared to the days of manual KICKR CORE calibration, the auto-spindown feature is light years ahead, especially for the many Zwifters who rarely calibrate their CORE. My firm hunch is that this new auto spindown calibration will result in much more accurate power on average throughout the universe of CORE riders.

Inertial Feel

The CORE One’s 12lb flywheel is the same size as older KICKR trainers (generations 1-3). Many people say they can’t tell the difference between various physical or simulated flywheels, but I find the differences quite apparent, especially when accelerating my cadence or doing workout intervals.

The CORE One’s flywheel feels a bit better than the Zwift Hub, which makes sense since the Hub’s flywheel is a bit smaller. Still, the standard KICKR’s larger 18lb flywheel feels even better, which is partly why that trainer demands a higher price.

Wrapping It Up

Wahoo’s KICKR Core has the best reputation of any mid-range direct-drive trainer, which is why it commanded a price of $900 without a cassette for the first 5 years of its existence. Then Zwift entered the market with the bargain-priced Zwift Hub, a lawsuit happened, then a settlement… and here we are, with the KICKR CORE Zwift One available for $599 including a year of Zwift.

That’s a sweet deal, even if the Zwift Cog is noisy on some chains and power accuracy isn’t perfect.

With the CORE One replacing the Zwift Hub One moving forward, this is simply the best trainer for the money on the market today.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!