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TECH NEWS

Wahoo adds steering to its indoor cycling experience, including a new Kickr Steer device

New handlebar-mounted accessory allows you to position yourself when riding indoors; you can steer via RGT apps and Wahoo Kickr Bike too

Wahoo Fitness has introduced steering to Wahoo X via its RGT virtual cycling platform and a new accessory called Wahoo Kickr Steer.

As well as using the Kickr Steer, steering on RGT is controllable via Wahoo’s software and the existing Wahoo Kickr Bike.

2023 Wahoo Fitness steering - 2

Up until now, your position on the road when using RGT – which is part of the Wahoo X indoor training package – was automated with riders simply using their power to move around other cyclists.

“Now with RGT Steering, manoeuvring around fellow riders becomes part of the experience – adding a new level of strategy and engagement to virtual rides,” says Wahoo.

“Similar to real cycling outdoors, riders can find the sweet spot in the middle of the pack, push the pace at the front, cut a sweeping corner to gain position or pull around to mount an attack. When combined with Race Radio [a voice chat feature], riders can communicate and interact, to benefit from group dynamics.”  

> Wahoo X apps launch voice chat and outdoor workouts 

Wahoo says that steering offers a performance advantage, enabling riders to choose their desired line, which riders your avatar drafts and so on. It is still possible to use RGT without this functionality.

Accessing the steering function can be done in multiple ways, Wahoo saying that it wants to make it as accessible as possible. The first way is by using the shifter buttons on the Wahoo Kickr bike. Second, you can use the a and d buttons on a keyboard. Thirdly, you can steer via touchscreen buttons on a smartphone running the companion app.

Finally, as part of this launch, Wahoo is introducing the Kickr Steer. This hardware accessory mounts to your road bike bars and you put your smartphone in it.

Using tabs on either side of the mount, you then utilise the phone’s inbuilt accelerometers to control your avatar. The mount is floating and tilts down depending on which paddle you press.

This hardware accessory is for now only compatible with RGT but Wahoo tells us that it expects this technology – and therefore the accessory – to be used with other apps like Zwift in the future. This would require Zwift to build in the required software to their companion app.

 

 

2023 Wahoo Fitness steering - 5

 

Wahoo has also added a new Kickr Race Mode which “harnesses the WiFi and Direct Connect capabilities of its indoor trainers to broadcast power up to 10 times faster than standard trainers (currently 1Hz), giving riders a competitive advantage at critical race stages”.

2023 Wahoo Fitness steering - 6

Race Mode is available on new Kickr Smart Trainers with built-in Wi-Fi and Wahoo says it is coming to Kickr Bike soon. It is also available on previous versions of the Kickr with the use of the Kickr Direct Connect Wi-Fi adapter (£79.99)

In this mode, which is accessed via the Wahoo app, your trainer relays data to the training software of your choosing at a rate of 10 times per second as opposed to once per second.

Although this will not affect the power number which appear on the screen (which is usually either a 1-second or 3-second average) it will increase the responsiveness of your on-screen character and could help improve e-sports racing. This update is available now and we expect to see e-sports racers exploring this new functionality before the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Champs on February 18th.

A Wahoo X subscription, which includes access to Wahoo RGT and Wahoo Systm, is US$14.99 (around £12.50) per month, with a 14-day trial period. Annual membership is £135

The Wahoo Kickr Steer is priced at £89.99.

2023 Wahoo Fitness steering - 4

You can buy a Wahoo X annual membership and Wahoo Kickr Steer Bundle for £179.99 (which is £45 less than buying them separately).

Wahoo says that the Kickr Steer will be available at a preferential loyalty price, for a limited time, for existing Wahoo X subscribers.

We have a Kickr Steer accessory in for testing so we’ll be letting you know our full verdict soon…

Find out more from Wahoo Fitness.

Jamie has been riding bikes since a tender age but really caught the bug for racing and reviewing whilst studying towards a master's in Mechanical engineering at Swansea University. Having graduated, he decided he really quite liked working with bikes and is now a full-time addition to the road.cc team. When not writing about tech news or working on the Youtube channel, you can still find him racing local crits trying to cling on to his cat 2 licence...and missing every break going...

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9 comments

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Veloism | 1 year ago
0 likes

This thing looks like it was bodged together by a 11-year old in DT class. It's also a totally unnatural control movement and in no way reflects to cycling in the real world. There's so many other solutions which are better suited, like the Elite Sterzo Turbo Trainer Steering Frame.

Wahoo got lucky with the Elemnt and Kickr but they've failed to innovate since - and this joke of a product only proves that they're completely and utterly out of ideas. It's a real shame, as Garmin needs some competition.

Side note, NOBODY uses RGT cycling unless they are being paid. Wahoo should have acquired Zwift, but there's no way they could afford it.

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wycombewheeler | 1 year ago
0 likes

unless you are trying to race as a group forming a lead out train there seems very little benefit.

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Oldfatgit | 1 year ago
0 likes

£90 ... for that?

Looks like turbo training is aiming to become a license to print money.

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Rigobear | 1 year ago
1 like

Had it forced on me with the update today. It is rubbish on crowded narrow courses in just ride mode, like Dunoon, you can't actually ride around others ahead of you on the course. I found it frustrating and added nothing to turbo training. If I wanted a console game I would buy one. Will be leaving Wahoo RGT sharpish personally.

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Rigobear replied to Rigobear | 1 year ago
0 likes

Had a response from Wahoo support today. Apparently they forgot to test narrow courses like Dunoon! As it is unique so they have disabled reverse riding on the course and they are going to get their shovels out to widen Dunoon's roads. They hope this will make the experience better.

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Shake | 1 year ago
0 likes

I was told I needed the kickr climb and this isn't compatible. Which should I buy?

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fukawitribe replied to Shake | 1 year ago
0 likes

It mounts on the handlebars, so will have no effect on the Climb or vice versa.

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Off the back | 1 year ago
0 likes

I like the concept in principle. I have a dumb version of the Elite Sterzo. But using a joypad setup is a bit rubbish. I shift my hand position quite a lot on the turbo. I therefore would not have my hands in a position to steer all the time. If I am on the drops, then what? 

The Elite Sterzo allows me to steer by moving my wheel and my phone picking up the movement. That is a natural thing. Keyboards and paddles are a step backwards 

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to Off the back | 1 year ago
0 likes

I agree with you that it's not natural, but you can actually get to the paddles from a few positions (they're extended vertically, with paddles bits at either end), including from the drops.
Edit. Forgot to say, you're also free to rig up your own gizmo to tilt the phone (as some already have) or go another route e.g. BT buttons

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