Zwift HUB $499 vs Wahoo KICKR $1,299: The Flagship vs Midrange Debate

Рет қаралды 32,651

Күн бұрын

#zwifthub #wahookickr
Buy the Zwift HUB One at Zwift.com [Affiliate link]: zwiftinc.sjv.io/6eq7oQ
Buy WAHOO KICKR 6 (2022) [Affiliate link]: smtbk.co/kickr6
The Zwift HUB comes in at a budget-friendly $499. Despite its affordable price, it offers many premium features that you would typically find on high-end trainers. On the other hand, the Wahoo KICKR is the flagship premium trainer and has been my trainer of choice for many years. The latest KICKR 6 comes in at a steep $1,300, almost three times the price of the Zwift HUB. So, the question is: how close does the Zwift HUB get to the Wahoo KICKR? And why would you spend almost three times the price for the KICKR V6?
-- Chapters --
00:00 Intro
01:03 My 6 Pillars
01:38 Build Quality
03:09 Connectivity
05:28 Ride Realism
07:29 Noise Level
08:03 Power Accuracy
10:20 ERG Mode Experience
12:22 Summary
-- GEAR I USE --
[Affiliate link]
- WAHOO KICKR 6 (2022): smtbk.co/kickr6
- Stages SB20 Bike:
- KOM Cycling Desk: amzn.to/34W2qeL
- Favaro Assioma Dual-Sided Power Meter Pedals: amzn.to/3t3D9ae
- GoPro Hero 10: amzn.to/3sYNynL
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Пікірлер: 80

@PureNRG2 Жыл бұрын

Originally I saw the Zwift Hub as a stepping stone to later buying the Kickr. After 5 months with the ZH, I don’t see any reason to buy a Kickr. For my needs, there’s just not $700 worth of improvements with the Kickr.

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

There isn’t much to justify an upgrade at this point unless you are experiencing some sort of issues. But yeah, the HUB should deliver and glad you are enjoying it.

@PureNRG2 Жыл бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers The only issue I experienced was with using my Apple TV. There just weren’t enough BT channels to accommodate my Hub, HRM, Sterzo and BT earbuds, even with the Hub bridge. So now I just play my earbuds through my iPhone to solve the problem. I spent some of the extra cash I saved on the Hub buying a nice KOM rocker plate which makes long rides a whole lot more comfortable.

@StellaHulliet 11 ай бұрын

Original comment: Originally I saw the Zwift Hub as a stepping stone to later buying the Kickr. After 5 months with the ZH, I don’t see any reason to buy a Kickr. For my needs, there’s just not $700 worth of improvements with the Kickr.Reply: Hey there! I completely understand where you're coming from. It's always important to assess whether an upgrade is truly worth the cost. Speaking of new products, I recently came across a project called the Freebeat Morph 2-in-1 eBike. It offers some really impressive features, including the ability to charge the bike when using it indoors. It seems like a great option for those looking to combine indoor fitness and outdoor exploration. Have you heard of it?

@mikeburton8426 Жыл бұрын

As a Canadian… where we use indoor trainers about 6-7 months of the year… here is the biggest difference between the Zwift Hub and the Wahoo KICKR. Wahoo sells the KICKR in Canada.

@skiak004 Жыл бұрын

Great review as always- thanks for your continues high quality videos!

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Glad you found it helpful. Thank you for watching 🙏🏼

@sandles003 Жыл бұрын

I've purchased the Jetblack Volt V2 6weeks ago. No complaints from me. The Bluetooth connection has been great. I love how quiet it is, and the update with the auto spin down calibration is a great feature. Love the blue tooth bridge with my heart rate monitor. I'd consider myself to be an intermediate cyclist who rides for fitness and fun. So, yep, this trainer ticks all the boxes for me.

@ShawnIsBatman Жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great video! Based on your previous reviews, I recently purchased the Zwift Hub (and moved to Trainer Road from Wahoo Systm). While I don't have much time in the ZH so far as we are in the midst of the outdoor season, my first few rides have been great and I am confident that I made a great choice. Unless you are a dedicated/serious Zwift racer or an elite-level cyclist, I can't see the justification for moving to the higher-end trainers.

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Glad you found my reviews helpful. Enjoy your outdoors now and the HUB will be waiting on you once the indoor season is back in swing.

@serjjpv 6 ай бұрын

Very helpful video, especially for newbies. Thanks a lot man. ❤

@SmartBikeTrainers 6 ай бұрын

Awesome. Glad you found it helpful!

@MrLuigi-oi7gm Жыл бұрын

Such a great overview of these two machines! 👏👏👏👏👏‼️ Maybe some of your subscribers would appreciate knowing that REI is offering members a 20% discount on the Wahoo Kicker through May 29th. In addition, if you purchase the Kicker with your REI credit card, you earn 5% back. That's a total of 25% off the Kicker which may make it a more attractive purchase. BTW, a lifetime REI membership costs only $30. So if you are not a member, you can become one at the time of purchase and qualify for the discount. 25% of $1300 is $325. 🤓 P.S. REI is offering similar % discounts on the other Wahoo trainers

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

That’s a good point. REI got their Spring sale on the Kickr 6 right now and other trainers as well. Thanks for bringing this up 🙏🏼 REI: snp.link/f14844ad

@CrescentRollCarl 11 ай бұрын

My puppy basically ate my kickr one day when I wasn't paying attention. Bought the Zwift hub, and honesty can't really tell a difference between the two. Both are good, but the Zwift hub's price is just amazing.

@cristiansan 11 ай бұрын

Wahoo kikr is premum, no doubt. But, because of my budget I bought a used jet bolt (the one that Zwift was based on) for 200u$s and it works great. I disagree regarding 60% connectivity, just because it doesn't have ethernet connection doesn't mean it's any less accurate. It might have less latency but Zwift is not an FPS where you need less latency. Wireless is ok. Thanks for the review, was interesting.

@joebriggs8422 11 ай бұрын

Thanks for the informative video Tariq! The first I've watched and am now subscribed. Any experience to share for either on durability, parts availability if needed, and customer support? Thanks again.

@SmartBikeTrainers 11 ай бұрын

Personally I haven’t had any issues with the trainer itself to have to reach out to support or get any parts. Also, I didn’t see anything out of the norm on forums in regard to support from Zwift. Appreciate your support and I’m happy to hear you found my videos informative. Thank you for subscribing 🙏🏼

@joebriggs8422 11 ай бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers Thanks for the reply and information!

@MattSwain1 Жыл бұрын

I’ve got one of the first gen Tacx Neo trainers, quite a few years old now. I had various wheel-on trainers prior to it and they all sucked. I couldn’t believe that I was about to spend $1000 (approx) on a trainer but was sick of wasting money on cheap units that always failed to deliver in some way. The difference was immediate and immense. My Neo has covered well over 10,000km and never misses a beat - the bike that is on it has faired less well and needs replacing soon 😂 It would be unfair of me to suggest the Zwift Hub was comparable to one of those wheel-on trainers; it’s undoubtedly many times better than they are and for the price it would be really tempting if I had to replace my Neo today. Ultimately though, I like features such as my Neo rocking from side to side and that it can do a 20% gradient (there are such roads near my house) so I would buy the Kickr. It’s impossible to justify why you’d pay so much more for the little extras that the Kickr has but having lived the premium trainer life for the past 5+ years, I’d go premium again

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Haha… it’s like flying first class. Hard to go back to economy 😂 The OG NEO was a classic and rock solid trainer. Good to hear you still ride it and hopefully you get to replace your bike which is more fun than replacing a trainer.

@galenkehler Жыл бұрын

OG Neo crew represent! I love my Neo, just keep replacing the freehub bearings every few years and keep rolling!

@thierrysf 10 ай бұрын

Many riders think they need the very best hometrainer but they do not because they are very average riders. Same with riders who insist on things like Durace groups or high end carbon wheels, which are total overkill for them. In my experience most users would do just fine with the Zwift hub (if it turns out to be reliable long term).

@victorschepisi590 Жыл бұрын

For me the WiFi, race mode, power accuracy and shifting perfomance make the V6 worth the extra $.

@thecyclinggreek274 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the excellent summary. In my case, budget and noise is important. 2.5% power variation is acceptable. I do use Campy 10 wwhich the Hub has no shell for, however would shimano 10 work just as well? Is the spacing the same?

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

I’m not sure if a Shimano would work. I would contact Zwift to see if they have experience with that setup or if they have other options that might work better.

@BuchmannLabs Жыл бұрын

If the Zwift Hub was a thing a couple years ago I would have easily bought it instead of my Kickr. I literally only use my Kickr for basic zone 2 and HIIT intervals... definitely the ZH is more than perfect for that.

@StellaHulliet 11 ай бұрын

Hey there! I just stumbled upon an exciting new project called Morph eBike, and it seems to offer some outstanding features. With its dual mode capability and the ability to be recharged indoors, it definitely presents a unique and convenient cycling experience. The brushless 750W motor, 80mm front suspension, and puncture-resistant fat tires make it perfect for conquering any terrain. The Smart Saddle Detection+ feature is also a great addition for fitness enthusiasts. It's impressive how this eBike combines fitness, technology, and sustainability. Definitely worth checking out! 👍

@DFlo780 Жыл бұрын

How would you rate the Kickr Core 2019 to the Zwift Hub? would it be worth to sell and change to the Hub? Thanks!

@zaahierstanley955 Жыл бұрын

I think if one have budget people will not bother with the budget trainers at all. I have one so often wish I saved more for the premium option however I am really happy with the "wahoo copy" if I can put it that way fairly or unfairly. With power accuracy I use my trainer as the control option and my quarq as my power source which takes accuracy completely out of the equation as quarq is a reputable brand. Awesome review Smartbike Trainers ...

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

That’s a good option using your power meter as the source for power measurement. Hopefully your fitness is coming back nicely after your break.

@zaahierstanley955 Жыл бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers I had my second ride today after off the bike for around a month. I lot alot however equally looking forwards to the fitness journey again. 2 easy 2hr rides this far and looking to build on that. Hope you are well and Thanx for always sharing awesome content

@Mr_Web 10 ай бұрын

On a totally unrelated subject, which mic and field recorder do you use? And do you do any post-production tweaks to your audio? It sounds amazing...

@SmartBikeTrainers 10 ай бұрын

Happy you think the audio is good. Best compliment as this is a hard one to get right 😆 I use the Oktava MK 012-01 microphone connected to a Beachtek adapter. Just slight post production tweaks in FinalCut and that’s about it.

@Mr_Web 10 ай бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers thanks

@Daimoku1938 Жыл бұрын

Tariq The Most Great...The Community strongly appreciates your fantastic work... i have had the Kickr V5 sold it out and bought the V6...supreme machine 99% like riding outdoors !!! in case you have the possibility to spend some money on something that will last forever then buy the V6,the main practical problem with the Hub is that can not be folded, the V6 is so much easier to move around and is absolutely silent when zwifting, as i have only one bike is quite difficult to take the back wheel out and put it back, i have a Scott HMF frame bike endurance geometry and nowadays is quite hard top set it on the V6...do you have any tricks to make it easier to set it up ??? your answer would be very much appreciated !!! just keep on the good work !!! Tariq The Most Great.

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Hi Daimoku, just make sure you are using all the rights adapters and cassette and the bike should go on and off easily. If everything is correct, I would look into taking it to a bike shop to see if everything looks ok on the bike and trainer. It shouldn’t be that difficult.

@Daimoku1938 Жыл бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers Tariq The Supreme... it's a question of good technic to set the bike on the Kickr 6...needs some practice,i have as well the Wattbike Atom New Generation and together with Apple TV4K 2022 it's for me the best Zwift setup as long I don't have 2 roadies...Atom works perfectly with Zwift,has electronic gears which makes it very easy to change them and u can even use 50/34 system or even 12 speed setup,the best with the Atom is that u save your components and frame and is always ready 4u...just keep on the good work.

@8rk Жыл бұрын

I live in 2 places right now so unfortunately that means 2 trainers. In the UK, I bought myself a Wahoo Bike since most of my rides there are indoors. In California I have a Zwift Hub. I also run power2max on my bike that I put on the Zwift Hub. I can honestly say that overall if you're thinking about overall fitness goals, both will get you there. Wahoo Bike seems suuuper overkill to me especially if you're gonna use the power meter that you own on the bike. Wahoo Kickr then becomes a good middle ground but still not absolutely necessary in my opinion. Good power meters are so cheap nowadays and if you ride outside AT ALL, I feel like having a power meter on your bike and using something like Zwift Hub is the best price / performance.

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Right. Having a good power meter on the bike is essential these days. Do you then use powermatch? Do you find erg mode experience as good when using powermatch?

@8rk Жыл бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers I do use powermatch and find the responsiveness to be on point. Not noticeably laggier than when zhub is the powermeter. However, zhub does tend to oscillate a lot to hold the target power. for example if your interval is 230 watts, it will jump up and down beteen 223 and 236 pretty consistently. I haven’t found to be too annoying or detrimental to a quality workout session but people with mild case of OCD might be annoyed by it 🤣 disclaimer: I rarely practice sprints on trainer/indoors so hard to say how zwift hub performs there. I just go out and tack on sprints throughout an endurance ride.

@michaelvaewhongs2579 Жыл бұрын

Any plans to compare Zwift Hub to Wahoo Kickr Core?

@androiduro 8 ай бұрын

I don't have a roller. I want to buy a zwift. For road bikes mainly. My bike has a 12v sram rival. sporadic use when there is bad weather and also 1 afternoon a week 1 hour. Better to buy the hub one or the classic now. thanks for the video

@SmartBikeTrainers 8 ай бұрын

You are welcome 👍

@chrisjames9710 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this review. I'm looking to upgrade my gen1 Elite Direto to either a Kickr6 or Elite Justo. Does the multi Bluetooth connection on the Kickr6 allow you to connect to 2 apps on separate devices and run them simultaneously (Zwift and TrainerRoad)?

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Yes the multi Bluetooth connection allows you to do that. I use TR and Zwift together most of the time. You can even run both on one device kzfaq.info/get/bejne/id13ls50x5jFY4U.html

@chrisjames9710 Жыл бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers much appreciated. It's frustrating trying to connect one device via Ant+ and the 2nd via BT.

@darthvulcanis4002 Жыл бұрын

I'm about to order the Hub but I have to ask... Hub vs older, used Kickr? Assuming the used Kickr works well, which would you suggest?

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Depends on how old the kickr is and it’s condition. Older kickrs can be loud. If it is in good condition and the price is right, then go for it.

@zerstorer78 Жыл бұрын

How would you rate the Cycplus T2 in comparison to both the zwifthub and kickr with regards to ride feel?

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

I had a decent experience with the T2 but it does have its issues particularly on climbs. The flywheel will slip as the resistance increase.

@__marshie 7 ай бұрын

V6 vs Hub ONE? Does virtual shifting change things?

@sethcycle4591 10 ай бұрын

How does the Zwift Hub compare to the Kickr Core? The Core is similarly priced when it is on sale.

@SmartBikeTrainers 10 ай бұрын

The biggest difference is the Core has more Bluetooth connections and heavier flywheel giving you better road feel. Other than that, you will find both to be very similar.

@augustgames6502 9 ай бұрын

The anguish. I've saved up for the kickr v6, but now with the zwift virtual shift and being able to share the trainer within the household makes the decision tough. Any point in holding out for wahoo to implement the virtual shift and their own cog on the kickr?

@SmartBikeTrainers 9 ай бұрын

It’s possible Wahoo implements shifting in the future but I don’t see it happening in the near short term.

@augustgames6502 9 ай бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers Since they already have virtual shift on the kickr bike the software could potentially be just a flip of a switch for wahoo. The main hold back then being the cog. But there could ofc be a lot more hurdles that I'm unaware of.

@johbuldmann0206 Жыл бұрын

what about the kickr core?

@Digitalbath570 9 ай бұрын

Is the wahoo ehternet kit still an additional buy or is it being bundled with the kickr now.

@SmartBikeTrainers 9 ай бұрын

The newer kickr some with WiFi capabilities so no need for the Direct Connect bundle. But if you still need a direct Ethernet connection, you still need to get the Direct Connect.

@MrBirdshell666 9 ай бұрын

unfortunately, when you pay premium, it doesnt always mean you will get premium quality. my fellow racer's kicker needed bearing replacement after one winter season already. and my neo2t had developed loud creaks after a couple of month of use and some strange gouging on the freehub's axle. Also one of the hex bolts in the plastic cover around the stator snapped, and i had a hard time extracting it. They cut some corners on mounting hardware lol

@SmartBikeTrainers 9 ай бұрын

Oh gosh. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with both trainers 😑

@technovelodos Жыл бұрын

I can't seem to find an answer to this question: If connecting a Kickr v6 via ethernet (or over wifi) with an Apple TV, does it still use one of the 2 available BT connections? In other words, can I also connect my HR and Stages PM to the Apple TV at the same time as the Kickr v6 over ethernet?

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

So if you connect the kickr via WiFi as controllable, then it shouldn’t be using any of the Bluetooth channels. You should be able to connect the stages PM and your heart rate to the Apple TV.

@technovelodos Жыл бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers "it shouldn't be" sounds like a guess. I read on Reddit that it is using BT over TCP, so still uses a BT channel. Would love to know if it works in practice.

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Just tested it on my Apple TV 4K and KICKR 6 over WiFi. It works. I had the kickr connected as controllable and cadence, Assioma connected as power and my Polar H10 HR sensor. Also, my Jabra Bluetooth headset was connected to the Apple TV. Worked like a charm with all 4 devices connected.

@technovelodos Жыл бұрын

@@SmartBikeTrainers Thank you! Another reason to upgrade my old Kickr Snap.

@mlee6136 7 ай бұрын

The kickr feet has negligible to no side to side effect, let’s be honest here. The accuracy comparison is also negligible since the difference is 2% against the wahoo, not your how you get the 70% figure. I own a wahoo v5 and really like it, glad to see the Zwift hub trainer which will work for 99% of consumers.

@reltsihW Жыл бұрын

Can't get the ZH in Canada and that is it's downfall imo, even so, with the exchange, shipping it wouldn't be worth it. I just bought a Kickr V5 for $989, the Jetblack was $750, ZH is missing the Canadian market.

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

That’s a big downfall for sure. Glad you were able to get the kickr 5 discounted. That’s a good deal.

@jarenci1 8 ай бұрын

Right now the Kickr Core is the same price as the Zwift Hub. Which is the best buy ?

@SmartBikeTrainers 8 ай бұрын

The core offers a few features that Hub doesn’t have. For example, you have three Bluetooth connections with the core vs one. From a power measurement accuracy standpoint, the core is slightly better and also a better flywheel. On the other hand, the Hub integrates better with Zwift and its Play controllers. Virtual shifting is really nice.

@johnthebiker300 10 ай бұрын

The hub h@bing a power drift after 50 minutes would worry me. A lot of my trainer rides are between 1 and 3 hours.

@pagey007 Жыл бұрын

Fly wheel on my kickr is so hot after 2hrs of climbing at 100% setting leaves the fly wheel so hot I cannot even touch it , I do hope it lasts "Rouvy is set at 100% by default" which has been much more effective in real world riding ..

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

It is normal for the flywheel to get hot. Never had an issue with the heat.

@GoustiFruit Жыл бұрын

Bluetooth multiple channels is OK, but it was, oh, so much better when smartphones had Ant+ enabled…

@SmartBikeTrainers Жыл бұрын

Ha… I’m not an Android user. Are they not making them with ANT+ anymore?

@dblissmn 10 ай бұрын

I got the Kickr version 5 at a $500 discount, because of the sale price with the folding legs, big flywheel, silence, accuracy and easy movability. But $1,300? I'm just not sure, even with my previous miscues with under-specced trainers. I can see exactly why the Zwift Hub is doing as well as it is. Also, the 11-speed standard setup on Wahoo products is great for me, but not much good for those with 10 and 12 speed rigs, who will need to budget for a cassette.

@alimaleki217 9 ай бұрын

This is a flawed comparison; You give extra points to the Kickr in the Build Quality category because lots of professionals use it? What does that have to do with build quality?

@SmartBikeTrainers 9 ай бұрын

I didn’t say that anywhere in the video. I gave the kickr extra points because of its history, reputation, and wide use between beginners, age groupers, and pro athletes alike. Not because professionals use it.