We recently highlighted the Zwift Spring Sale and the brilliant deal on the Zwift Ride Smart Frame, which for the first time had been discounted by a huge $200/£200, taking one of the best smart bikes out there down to a bargain $599/£549.

The Zwift Sale also had equally big reductions on the Zwift Ride Smart Frame, equipped with our best overall choice when it comes to the best smart trainers, the Wahoo Kickr Core 2. This bundle is reduced by a huge $300 in the US, and £200 in the UK, and matches the best-ever price on the Zwift Ride with Wahoo Kickr Core 2.

Shop the Zwift Spring Sale – Ends March 31.

If you're looking to gear up with the best setup for Zwift, or already own a Zwift-compatible smart trainer and are upgrading to the outstanding Zwift Smart Frame, then the clock is ticking, and both of these incredible Zwift deals end on March 31.

Below you'll find all the Zwift deals, with pricing relevant to your location. These discounts are only while stocks last, and sadly, the Zwift Ride Smart Frame is now showing as out of stock in the EU shopping region.

A Zwift Membership is essential, of course, to use Zwift, and an Annual Membership is the best value option, which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscribers.

Zwift Ride Smart Frame deals

In our Zwift Ride Smart Frame review, we awarded it an impressive 4.5-star rating and considered it a significant step forward for indoor cycling. Highlights include a real ride feel, quiet and customizable virtual gear shifting, and full control of Zwift from your handlebars. Zwift says the Ride Smart Frame provides the ultimate Zwift experience, and with this discount, it's also at a best-ever price.

Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2 deals

The above Zwift Ride Smart Frame bundle comes equipped with the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 smart trainer, which is also our best smart trainer choice. The Kickr Core 2 comes equipped with the brilliant Zwift Cog, which replaces the traditional cassette, simplifying indoor cycling with virtual shifting.

The Zwift Cog is paired with Zwift Click controllers and enables silent, virtual shifting. It gives users full control of gearing, but also in-game control of all of Zwift. Meaning you can navigate with ease to queue your next ride or workout, use PowerUps, give a Ride On, and more without ever taking your hands off the bars.

It's worth noting that Zwift Ride and the Cog system are only compatible with Zwift, so if you already subscribe to another platform, then you will need to subscribe to Zwift Membership on top.

If you're not looking for a deal on Zwift and perhaps gearing up for summer, then why not head on over to the Cyclingnews Amazon Spring Sale hub, where you'll find all the best Amazon deals on cycling essentials from Amazon's Spring Sale, which, like the Zwift Spring Sale, ends Tuesday, March 31.

We recently highlighted the Zwift Spring Sale and a brilliant deal on the Zwift Ride smart frame, equipped with the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 and Zwift Cog, which has up to 23% off.

However, if you already own a Zwift Ready and Zwift Cog-compatible smart trainer and are perhaps fed up with the faffing when setting up your outdoor bike, then a definite upgrade is the always-ready Zwift Ride Smart Frame.

For the first time, Zwift has just dropped a massive $200/£200/€200 of the Zwift Ride Smart Frame, taking it down to just $599/£549/€599, and the best price it has ever been.

Running from now until the end March, the Zwift Ride Smart Frame discount equates to 25% off for US and EU Zwifters, and 27% for the UK.

If you're after one of the best indoor smart bikes on the market, this is a great time to buy one. All the details are below:

• USA Pricing
  • $200 off Zwift Ride Smart Frame: $799.99 $599.99
• UK Pricing
  • £200 off Zwift Ride Smart Frame: £749.99 £549.99
• EU Pricing
  • €200 off Zwift Ride Smart Frame: €799.99 €599.99

The USA deal in detail

The UK deal in detail

The EU deal in detail

In his Zwift Ride review, Cyclingnews' Associate Editor, Josh Croxton, reckoned the Zwift Ride pushed indoor cycling to new heights. At the time of review, and at full price, Josh thought it offered great value for a smart bike option, and was easy to set up and adjust for different riders, which is easily done with the included frame key.

If you already own a Zwift Ready and Zwift Cog-compatible smart trainer, then an upgrade to Zwift Ride Smart Frame will take your Zwift experience to another level. Compatible trainers include some of our top picks, like the Wahoo Kickr Core 2, the Elite Justo 2, and the Van Rysel D100. Zwift has a comprehensive trainer checker on site, making it easy to check your trainer is compatible.

It's also equipped with Zwift Click controllers and enables silent, virtual shifting. It gives users full control of gearing, but also in-game control of all of Zwift. Meaning you can navigate with ease to queue your next ride or workout, use PowerUps, give a Ride On, and more without ever taking your hands off the bars.

It's worth noting that Zwift Ride and the Cog system are only compatible with Zwift, so if you already subscribe to another platform, then you will need to subscribe to Zwift on top.

All these Zwift deals are live now, and they run until 31st March, so we'd advise grabbing yours now, as with all the best cycling deals, it's only while stocks last.

The Zwift Spring Sale has dropped some of its biggest-ever discounts, meaning you can grab one of the best indoor cycling set-ups at a fraction of the cost.

Running until 31st March 2026, the Zwift Ride frame, which comes equipped with the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 and Zwift Cog, has a huge $300 off, a 23% reduction for US shoppers.

For UK shoppers, the Ride bundle has a huge £200 off, and for those in the EU, there is €200 off, which equates to 18% off for both the UK and EU offers.

And if you'd prefer to head straight to the Zwift deals, you can do that here:

• USA Pricing
  • $300 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: $1,299.99 $999.99
• UK Pricing
  • £200 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: £1,099.99 £899.99
• EU Pricing
  • €200 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: €1,199.99 €999.99

Across all territories, these discounts take the Zwift Ride with the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 and Zwift Cog to a best-ever price-matching reduction.

It takes a few seconds for the deal to appear when you click over to Zwift, but it will eventually show the discounted price, relevant to your location.

The USA deal in detail

The UK deal in detail

The EU deal in detail

In his Zwift Ride review, Cyclingnews' Associate Editor, Josh Croxton, reckoned the Zwift Ride pushed indoor cycling to new heights. At the time of review, and at full price, Josh thought it offered great value for a smart bike option, and was easy to set up and adjust for different riders. For a multi-rider household, it also adds to the value and convenience.

The Zwift ride is a great solution to a set-and-forget indoor cycling setup that not only saves putting additional wear and tear on your outdoor bike but also avoids traipsing it through the house every time you want to switch between riding indoors and out.

It comes equipped with the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 trainer, which is also our top choice when it comes to recommending the best smart trainer. The Kickr Core 2 comes equipped with the brilliant Zwift Cog, which replaces the traditional cassette, simplifying indoor cycling with virtual shifting.

The Zwift Cog is paired with Zwift Click controllers and enables silent, virtual shifting. It gives users full control of gearing, but also in-game control of all of Zwift. Meaning you can navigate with ease to queue your next ride or workout, use PowerUps, give a Ride On, and more without ever taking your hands off the bars.

It's worth noting that Zwift Ride and the Cog system are only compatible with Zwift, so if you already subscribe to another platform, then you will need to subscribe to Zwift on top.

All the Zwift deals are live now, and they run from now until 31st March, so we'd advise grabbing yours now, as with all the best cycling deals, it's only while stocks last.

The Wahoo Kickr Core 2 is our pick as the best smart trainer on the market. It builds on the legacy of the original Kickr Core, and this latest iteration is even better with a host of upgrades and trickle-down tech from its top-of-the-range Wahoo Kickr V6 sibling.

Right now at Zwift, the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 has been discounted to its best-ever price across multiple territories, taking it down to just $399.99/£399.99/€399.99, and an impressive saving of $150/£100/€150. To sweeten the deal further, Zwift has just added FREE shipping to any purchase of the Kickr Core 2, which generally means an additional $20/£20/€40 saving.

Below you'll find more details on the Zwift deals relevant to your territory. They run exclusively until March 1st.

If you wish to go straight to the deals, you can do so here:

• USA: $150 off the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 $549.99 $399.99 + FREE shipping
• UK: £100 off the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 £499.99 £399.99 + FREE shipping
• EU: €150 off the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 €549.99 €399.99 + FREE shipping

The USA deal in detail

The UK deal in detail

The EU deal in detail

In our Wahoo Kickr Core 2 review, we scored it with an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's made even better when paired with the Zwift Cog and Click tech, which makes for effortless set-up and seamless, quiet virtual shifting and in-game navigation.

The Cog and Click system means a wide range of bikes can be easily mounted to the trainer, increasing compatibility for your bikes or family members. The Zwift Click shifters also give you more in-app control from your handlebars, saving faff and making everything feel that little bit more realistic.

For the purists out there, this deal also includes an option for the 11-speed cassette version. It's worth noting that the Cog and Click is only compatible with Zwift, so if you use another training app, the cassette version is the way to go.

However, Zwift also includes one free month of Zwift access, but only for new subscribers.

Below you'll find deals on the Kickr Core 2 and the original Core from other retailers, with Amazon appearing to match the Zwift deals.

As some of the best smart trainers jump above the £1500 mark and smart bikes are often in excess of £3000, the Van Rysel D100 aims to go the other way, becoming the first direct drive trainer to include the Zwift Cog for under the price of £300.

In theory, this represents incredibly good value, and in some ways it does. It looks very similar to stalwarts of indoor training, such as the Wahoo KICKR Core range. However, dive into the tech specs a bit, and it is lacking in some areas, which testing the D100 confirms, as well as adding other features that are not quite there.

It is certainly an effective direct drive turbo trainer, but is it smart enough to be a smart trainer?

Design and specifications

The Van Rysel D100 smart trainer is the entry-level model in the brand's lineup. At present, it is the cheapest direct drive smart trainer readily available on the market.

The design looks quite similar to the Wahoo KICKR Core or JetBlack Victory, using two wide bars for feet with a wider one at the front and a narrower one at the rear. This gives a footprint of 490 x 450mm with a 600mm height. The front leg can, however, be folded up for storage to give measurements of 280 x 540 x 600mm. Total weight for the unit is 10.5kg.

Interestingly, the D100 uses only Bluetooth, rather than the industry standard of ANT+ and Bluetooth options.

Specifications-wise the D100 has a maximum resistance of 600 watts and a maximum simulated gradient of 6%. Power accuracy is 5%, well below the required 1% necessary for high-level Eraces, but then so are the max power readings.

Of course, this version of the D100 comes pre-fitted with the updated Zwift Cog, which allows for virtual shifting. This updated Cog allows for adjustments to position the chainline with a total of 10 different settings. This allows for virtually any 8-13-speed bike to be used on the D100 without the need to change cassettes or freehub bodies.

Performance

Initial setup of the unit was incredibly easy and very promising. The feet require attachment, but all tools are supplied, and the relatively low weight of 10.5kg for a smart trainer makes this process all the more simple. Simply put it in place, and plug it in.

Or it would be that easy had my floor not been so uneven. Given the lack of adjustable feet, this required a careful folding of some errant cardboard in my office to try and get the D100 levelled perfectly. There is also some adjustment of the Zwift Cog to get the correct chainline, but again, this is incredibly easy.

Connecting to the likes of Zwift or TrainingPeaks Virtual was also simply done, just search for the device in the Bluetooth connection settings, and there it is. The Zwift Cog shifter also connects once it’s been clicked. However, the Zwift Cog will not work with any app other than Zwift.

Starting the ride and the ride feel is very promising. It’s not got the largest flywheel, but if anything, this actually helps the D100 feel a bit more reminiscent of smaller gear pedalling out on the road. Sometimes the large flywheels can give a false inertia. Power was able to be maintained consistently with resistance applied reliably across steady riding. Clicking up a gear or two, the resistance was applied a bit more gradually that made it less jarring

To test out power accuracy, I dual-recorded a few rides with a pair of Wahoo Powrlink dual-sided pedals to see how they compared. The Wahoo generally reads a bit higher than smart trainer,s given the power reading is at the pedal rather than the hub, so fewer watts are wasted on drivetrain efficiency and the kinetic chain. Interestingly, though, the D100 read about 10-20w higher across most intensities. The good news here is that it was consistent in its slope. So at 200w on the Wahoo, the D100 read around 220w, and at 300w it read 320w. This means it followed a consistent slope rather than increasing by a percentage as the wattage increases. From my experience, this does at least mean it can be used as a consistent training tool even if the numbers are not necessarily correct.

The problem, however, lies in the max power reading. 600w is quite a low max power. I coach a lot of riders, including junior women riders, and they all produce in excess of 600 watts in sprints. For larger and more powerful riders, this rules the D100 out for things like short-duration efforts below 1 minute in length. It’s quite a large limitation in my view.

Not as limiting as the frankly nonsensical cadence readings. Dual recording, I could see that when I was riding at a consistent 90 RPM, the D100 was recording between 30-70 RPM. This seemed to change based on the virtual gradient in Zwift, going to 30 RPM on climbs and 70 RPM on the flats. Given that cadence drills are a useful element of training, and monitoring cadence for efforts is, I think, essential, this is a big flaw of the D100 for those wanting to conduct accurate training sessions.

I’d go into the 5% power accuracy not being suitable for Eracing, but frankly, the cadence readings and low peak power rule the D100 out from being useful for competitive events. This trainer is certainly a very accessible point when it comes to smart training, but it doesn’t really offer training that is particularly smart if I’m to be honest.

Value

The Van Rysel D100 with Zwift Cog is undeniably cheap in the smart trainer market, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is good value.

The likes of the Wahoo KICKR Core 2 is £499.99, which is nearly twice the price. However, this also includes a Zwift Cog, but far more importantly, it is far more accurate, reads higher power outputs, simulates climbs better, and has accurate cadence measurements. It can also be folded up, but it still lacks adjustable feet.

Now the Wahoo KICKR does have the adjustable feet, but it is £899.99. At that point, you are getting more marginal returns on investment. This means really that the likes of the Wahoo KICKR Core 2 is the sweet spot, and I would say it represents better total value than the D100.

Yes, the D100 is cheaper, but the lack of features means it misses out on a lot of smart training components. It’s more akin to a wheel on resistance trainer, which was perhaps less accurate for power readings, but similar in terms of cadence and maximum power readings.

The D100 does the job as a direct drive smart trainer that can be used for doing indoor training on the likes of Zwift. But it misses the accuracy and features required to be a truly SMART trainer, and I think that the extra money for a KICKR Core 2 is well worth the investment for smarter indoor training.

Verdict

The Van Rysel D100 with Zwift Cog is easily the cheapest direct drive trainer on the market at present, and the addition of the Zwift Cog makes it a great value option for getting the hours in on Zwift over the winter months. However, low max power readings, not the most accurate power readings, and downright incorrect cadence measurements mean that it lacks the overall accuracy to really be a smart trainer. A Wahoo KICKR Core 2 is well worth the extra investment for the greater functionality it comes with, and will be a genuinely better training platform than the D100.

The Zwift New Year Sale is live, and although it's technically still 2025, Zwift has dropped some of its biggest-ever discounts, meaning you can get set for 2026 and your best year of indoor riding at a fraction of the cost.

Highlights that caught our eye straight away are an incredible 43% off the Wahoo Kickr V6, our choice as the best smart trainers for Zwift. It takes Wahoo's highest specification trainer down to its lowest ever price, dropping it to just $599.99, and a massive saving of $450 off the MSRP of $1,049.99.

The real sweetener on this Zwift deal is that the Wahoo V6, which is now at its lowest ever price, also comes with the Zwift Cog and Click. This Zwift system enables full control of Zwift from your handlebars, complete with 24 silent, instant virtual gears, which gives a real ride feel, less chain wear, and almost silent running. It also allows full in-game control of Zwift, meaning you can not only shift gears with the click of a button, but also steer, navigate menus, and give 'Ride Ons' with ease.

Elsewhere, the Zwift Ride has a 23% reduction for US shoppers, while for UK shoppers, the Ride has hit its lowest price with a huge £200 off, taking Zwift's always-ready smart bike down to just £899.99, from its RRP of £1,099.99.

The Ride deal also comes with the brilliant Wahoo Kickr Core 2, our best value choice for a smart trainer. For UK cyclists looking for a smart trainer, the Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click has a £95 off, down from £499.99, to just £404.99, and one of its lowest ever prices.

For EU shoppers, the standout deal sees a nice €145 off the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click, taking it down to just €404.99, down from €549.99, and that's the best price we've seen for EU shoppers.

All the Zwift deals are live now, with full details below. They run from 26th Dec to 5th January, so we'd advise grabbing yours now and get geared up with some of the best indoor riding gear on the market.

If you'd prefer to head straight to the deals, you can do that here:

• USA Pricing
  • $300 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: $1,299.99 $999.99
  • $450 off Wahoo Kickr V6 with Zwift Cog and Click: $1,049.99 $599.99
• UK Pricing
  • £200 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: £1,099.99 £899.99
  • £95 off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: £499.99 £404.99
• EU Pricing
  • €200 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: €1,199.99 €999.99
  • €145 off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: €549.99 €404.99

The USA deals in detail

The UK deals in detail

The EU deals in detail

The Zwift New Year sale ends on January 5th at 11:59pm, so act fast if you want to avoid missing out, and as with any deal, it's available while stocks last.

I used to have a love-hate relationship with indoor training. Over winter, when I used to race ‘cross, I was pretty religious about commuting home from work, then hopping straight on my basic, wheel-on trainer for an hour or so of intervals, with nothing to go on but a stopwatch, a resistance dial, and a heart rate monitor.

For reasons I’ve gone into before, I used overtraining as a handy veil for what basically amounted to an eating disorder, and so I don’t massively look back on this time of my riding life with a great deal of fondness, to the point that I avoided indoor training entirely for many years.

Last year, I finally relented, thanks primarily to the offer of a comped subscription to Zwift and the need to actually review some indoor hardware. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was enjoyable, but I muddled through a handful of sessions and tried to convince myself that racing a random Finn up a pretend volcano on a screen was somehow a substitute for going outside.

This year, though, I’ve come to realise that I don’t want a virtual world. I just want the ease of my basic, wheel-on trainer and some simple interval sessions, but no matter what I try to do to facilitate this, I run into the same painful headaches.

I don’t know my FTP

With my free Zwift membership over, I scratched around for a solution that best represented my needs, and happened upon the Elite Zona, a bar-mounted control pad that allows one to select a workout zone, which directly communicates with one's smart trainer to change the resistance level to the required level. “Sounds perfect", I thought to myself, before realising I didn’t know my FTP, which was necessary for the Zona to set the zones correctly.

I had my old one from Zwift, but that was a year old, and I’d got a lot fitter in the intervening time thanks to an old injury dissipating. Off to MyWhoosh I went, given it was free, and set about doing an FTP test, which I had to do twice as the first one started at a default, low baseline meaning I maxed out the ramp test, so that was two evenings wasted before I could even use the Zona, but eventually I succeeded in distilling my value as a rider down to a number. (a paltry 259, if you must know).

Once I’d plugged this into the Zona, I could then happily use it to ride at Zone 2 for an indefinite period, but the inbuilt interval sessions were totally useless on account of the device neither having a screen, nor the Elite website having any information on the contents of each interval session. You just have to pick one and ride it blind until either you stop or it does.

Back to the apps

The Zona wasn’t going to cut it, and I was slightly downhearted. MyWhoosh seemed like the best option as it is free, and has intervals, so back in I logged, having got dressed and girded my loins for an hour or so of trying to think about anything else but the task in hand.

Please update to continue.

Alright, let’s update the app then, while I sit, shivering in the garage. That will surely be it, then it’s interval time, right?

No, then I had to download a new map, as the previous map I used was only available on certain days of the week. Only once this was downloaded was I permitted to crack on with a session that was cut short by my phone battery dying on account of the earlier downloads. Give me strength.

Eventually, armed with a fully charged phone, I managed to complete one (1) interval session, but even that was marred by frustrating glitches. The ‘free ride’ session at the end resulted in an infuriating perpetual power spike that meant I had to just call the cool-down early, and any intervals involving sprints couldn’t actually reach peak power. Every time I have come in from the garage, I have felt frustrated rather than invigorated.

I’m buying a stopwatch

I’m not a total luddite, though I do appreciate that the last few paragraphs have painted that picture. Modern smart trainers feel night and day compared to my ‘smash the looms’ wheel-on model, and while I don’t use a power meter I do prefer the better control FTP-based zones give me when actually doing an interval session, so I’m not advocating that anyone ditches their lovely, smooth trainer for something you can pick up on Facebook Marketplace for £30.

What I do think, though, is that if you are paying several hundred pounds for a smart trainer, there should be a free way of doing a small number of interval sessions without having to subscribe to yet another platform. I’m already overwhelmed by Netflix, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Mob, Hulu, Pingu, Bloopi, Gurnr, Beepo, Shnurt… please, don’t make me enter my email just to ride a damn bike!

My solution? I’m going to buy a stopwatch and just use the Zona, combined with a notebook of handwritten sessions ripped off the internet. Actually, let’s be real, I’ll use the stopwatch app on my phone, but the image of a vintage stopwatch on my bars is hard to shake and deeply appealing. No more avatars, no more volcanoes, no more required updates before riding, no more firmware, no more Finnish men. Just me, a handful of buttons, and a brick wall. Bliss. Peace.

Black Friday 2025 is officially over, and we are now comfortably into Cyber Monday. However, we're happy to report that the Zwift deals are still alive and kicking.

One of the offers is a Wahoo Kickr Core 2 smart indoor bike trainer deal, complete with Zwift's Click and Cog system that broadens bike compatibility and adds silent virtual shifting to your indoor setup. The trainer is now available at the same discounted price with a preinstalled 11-speed cassette if you prefer.

The deal dropped the already-budget-friendly smart trainer down to a lowest-ever price, with a discount of 27% in the USA, a matching 27% off in Europe, and a still-impressive 20% off in the UK. It also includes two months of Zwift for new users.

As I suspected, it's been our most viewed single-deal story this Black Friday, sneaking in just behind our roundup of the best Cyber Monday bike deals.

According to our sources inside Zwift, the Black Friday price will remain available for the rest of Cyber Monday, but only as long as stocks last.

We believe the deals will conclude tonight at midnight for EU CET, US EST and GB GMT timezones respectively, so there's still plenty of time to get involved.

It won't get any cheaper than this either, so if you're planning to buy but currently holding out in hope, we strongly recommend you take advantage now, before the deals disappear.

You can head straight to the deals now:

• 🇺🇸 USA: 27% off - $549.99 $399.99
• 🇬🇧 UK: 20% off - £499.99 £399.99
• 🇪🇺 EU: 27% off - €549.99 €399.99

The Kickr Core 2 was only launched in September, and it comes with a nice list of updates compared to its seven-year-old predecessor (which is still available, but no cheaper than this, before you scurry off looking).

Those included integrated WiFi for a more seamless connection, redesigned legs for better stability, a choice of cassette, and 'Race Mode' for faster data transfer for those crucial moments where it matters.

This particular deal gives you the Zwift Cog and Zwift Click devices, too. The Cog replaces your cassette, making the smart trainer compatible with almost all bikes, while the Click acts as a virtual shifter, adding resistance in-game to silently and immediately mimic shifting, no matter what bike you're riding.

In detail: Zwift Cyber Monday deals on Wahoo Kickr Core 2

Should you buy the Wahoo Kickr Core 2?

If you're looking to buy a smart indoor trainer for the winter(s) ahead, and you want something that's at the lower end of the pricing spectrum but with known reliability, easy to set up, and with WiFi connectivity, the Kickr Core 2 is absolutely worth considering.

There aren't many smart trainers priced less than this right now. In the UK, there's a deal on the Saris H3 at Tredz that's worth checking out while stocks last, but with the caveat that it's around six years old itself, misses out on the WiFi connectivity, and doesn't come with a cassette or Zwift Cog.

What's more, Wahoo is famous for its long-term software support, meaning the Kickr Core 2 will receive updates for many years to come and should last more than just a couple of winters; I know riders still using the first-gen Kickr Core they bought in 2018.

In our recent review of the Kickr Core 2, which, bear in mind, was considering the unit at full price, we described it as a "no-brainer," adding that it represents a viable option for "new adopters of indoor training or current users looking to upgrade from wheel-on trainers to direct-drive functionality."

We can only echo those thoughts and add to their sentiment at this new lower price.

Our other Cyber Monday deals

USA deals

• Amazon: Cyber Monday is still going
• Rapha: Save 25% sitewide
• Competitive Cyclist: Up to 40% off bikes
• Mike's Bikes: 25% off Kickr Core 1
• Specialized: $2000 off Tarmac SL8
• Jenson USA: Up to 90% off cycling gear
• Trek: Huge deals on a range of road gear
• Canyon: Up to 50% off in 'stealth' sale

UK deals

• Amazon: Cyber Monday is still going
• Rapha: 25% off apparel sitewide
• Specialized: £1250 off Tarmac SL8
• Sigma Sports: Up to 60% off
• Balfe's Bikes: 40% off road bikes
• Hunt: Up to 40% off wheels

All deals

🚴 Cyber Monday bike deals: Our overarching hub, with deals on everything from bikes to clothing, tech and more

⚡️ Amazon Cyber Monday: Deals specifically for cyclists, with Amazon's next-day delivery

Brand-specific Cyber Monday roundups

🚲 Cyber Monday Trek bikes: Deals on all of Trek's bikes, clothing, helmets, shoes, accessories and more, found at Trek and beyond

🚲 Cyber Monday Canyon bikes: Our pick of the top deals on Canyon's bikes, sold direct to consumer from Canyon's website

🚲 Cyber Monday Specialized: Our pick of the best deals on Specialized's bikes, including Tarmac and Aethos, plus shoes, helmets, kit, tyres and so on, from Specialized's own website and beyond.

👕 Cyber Monday Castelli: A roundup of our favourite Castelli kit deals, found across the various Cyber Monday sales.

👕 Cyber Monday Rapha: With 25% off sitewide, we've rounded up our favourite items from the British brand.

💾 Cyber Monday Garmin: A live, ever-changing roundup of our favourite deals on Garmin's bike computers, smartwatches, heart rate monitors and more, from Garmin's own site and beyond.

💾 Cyber Monday Wahoo: A roundup of our favourite deals on Wahoo tech, such as smart trainers and bike computers, from Wahoo's own website and beyond.

Category-specific Cyber Monday hubs

💻 Cyber Monday indoor bike trainers: A collection of deals related to cycling indoors, with bike trainers, software, fans, and perhaps even the odd laptop or TV.

👟 Cyber Monday cycling shoes: A roundup of cycling shoe deals from around the world, with everything from budget options to high-end carbon race shoes.

👕 Cyber Monday cycling clothing: A handpicked roundup of deals on cycling apparel, with everything from socks to speedsuits.

🚸 Cyber Monday kids' bikes: Our pick of the best deals on kids bikes from the US and UK, with options for all ages.

Picture an exercise bike in your head for me real quick… got an image in your head? Good. Now chuck that image away and instead picture an enormous, 85 kilogram disc of polished marble, with horns, and miraculously a saddle and pedals. Now we’ve reached the very design-forward Ciclotte Exercise Bike, which by some miracle, is discounted down from a heady £14,000 to... uh, a still-unaffordable £10,500.

I’ll be honest with you, despite a saving of £3.5k this isn’t a deal that’s going to sneak into our Black Friday Bike Deals hub, or even our list of the best exercise bikes, but it has got me thinking if you did have 10 grand to drop this Black Friday, where you should splash your cash and still get an aesthetic indoor training setup that doesn’t fall short when actually training.

First up, let's start with the trainer. Looking at our list of the best smart trainers, all of which represent quality options for getting a workout in, the Elite Justo 2 is probably the most aesthetically pleasing option, as well as being our ‘best overall’ for its balance of features and price. It’s also available at Halfords currently for £849, which isn’t listed as a sale, but it is cheaper than I’ve ever seen it before.

USA: Quick Black Friday Deals

• Amazon: Black Friday Early Deals now live
• Rapha: 25% off cycling apparel sitewide
• Competitive Cyclist: Up to 40% off Holiday Sale
• Mike's Bikes: 25% off Wahoo Kickr Core $534.99 $399.99
• Capo: 40% off cycling clothing site-wide

UK: Quick Black Friday Deals

• Amazon: Early Black Friday deals available already
• Rapha: 25% off cycling apparel sitewide
• Specialized: £1250 off Tarmac SL8 in Outlet Sale
• Sigma Sports: Sign up for early Black Friday access
• Hunt: Up to 40% off road and gravel wheels

What you should buy instead

Obviously you need something to sit on the Justo, and in order to stick to the theme, let’s go for a 1st gen Specialized Aethos Comp. The white paint is minimalist and marbled, and to my mind, it’s a much more attractive object than ‘Big Rock Circle’. What’s more, you can use it outside, and it’s at a whopping 40% off.

Actually, regardless of the silly nature of this article, this Aethos deal is truly sensational and well worth a piece on its own.

Finally, I tried to find a vibey indoor mat for everything to go on, but they’re either black (yawn) or hideous. The best I could manage was a marble yoga mat to keep things consistent, but you might have to freestyle this one.

Since the Covid pandemic, it seems that the indoor training market has had an absolute boom. Riders, more than ever, are trading riding outside in the foul and wet weather for riding in the comfort of their homes.

Previously, this meant staring at a blank wall more often than not, with only headphones or perhaps a DVD, and heavy breathing for company.

Now, though, there are a host of indoor training apps that have been designed to make indoor training far more interactive and enjoyable. Less of a ‘pain cave’ and more of a ‘training paradise’.

However, it can be difficult to work out which indoor training app might be the right one for you. Some people enjoy the gamification that comes from the likes of Zwift and MyWhoosh, while others want a more realistic riding experience, more akin to virtual reality, with apps such as Rouvy.

To make matters a little easier, I’m going to summarise the key features of each of these apps, the potential pros and cons for different riders, and, of course, pricing details.

For ease of explanation, all of these apps connect to smart trainers, which can then control the trainer resistance based on how hard you pedal and the terrain of the virtual world you’re riding in.

They also all work with virtual shifting options and can pull workouts from apps like TrainingPeaks while uploading completed sessions to the likes of Strava.

Zwift

Founded back in 2014, Zwift has come on leaps and bounds over the years to become a real powerhouse in the indoor cycling app world. Sponsoring the likes of the Tour de France Femmes and Paris-Roubaix Femmes, along with Mathieu van der Poel and his Alpecin–Deceuninck team.

The app itself has taken on the mantra ‘Fun is Fast’ since 2021, acknowledging the app’s gamification elements alongside a more dedicated training and racing focus.

Zwift features a host of virtual cycling worlds, some fictional, such as the largest Watopia map, while others are based on real locations, such as the Champs-Élysées.

All these maps feature set routes alongside the ability to ride your own based on taking different turns. Virtual mountains and climbs are also available to test your mettle on simulated real-world challenges.

To add an element of gamification to the system, you can level up by riding your bike while building up virtual ‘Drops’ currency as you exert yourself. Levelling up unlocks new outfits, while Drops can be used to purchase new bikes, wheels, and upgrades for those.

For those with a completionist mentality, it’s a great way to motivate you to train and ride. Route badges can also be collected with more routes added routinely to the app. Visuals are also animated, giving a more gamified sensation rather than seeking virtual reality-style graphics.

It’s not all about games, though, as there are a host of training plans and sessions to choose from. These have not had the most updates of late, admittedly; instead, new workout events are added, such as Base Camp or the now-postponed to 2026 Zwift Academy. These offered set workouts to complete at various seasons, with virtual and sometimes real-world rewards available.

Until 2024, Zwift also hosted the Indoor Cycling World Championships, as well as a professional racing league. That, however, is set to be disbanded in favour of focusing more on community events and workouts. Zwift has long been used as a place to ride and socialise with groups of riders virtually, with the ability to set meet-ups and direct messaging.

If you want an app that focuses primarily on fun and social aspects without forgoing a dedicated training element, then Zwift is likely the option for you. However, as the years have gone on, the price has increased to £17.99/month or £179.99/year.

MyWhoosh

That brings us on to our next platform, a relative newcomer and something of a disruptor to the market, UAE-owned platform MyWhoosh.

Since 2024, MyWhoosh has become the new host of the UCI E-Sports Cycling World Championships, with a similar offering to Zwift, but with a few key differences and distinctions.

First and foremost, MyWhoosh is completely free to use, making it a very attractive option for those who are doing indoor training on a budget. The graphics are not quite as fluid and smooth as Zwift, with a somewhat halfway house between video game graphics and more virtual reality. I personally find Zwift more visually pleasing, but I also generally just watch a film or series when riding, so I don’t pay that much attention to that.

MyWhoosh has also set itself apart when it comes to workouts and races. In terms of racing, MyWhoosh allows professional indoor racers to exist and earn a legitimate salary. The virtual race series on offer have large sums of prize money available, although competitors must go through rigorous procedures to ensure that equipment is calibrated and accurate, while body measurements also require verification. This is done frequently through the season to try and ensure there are no artificial boosts in performance, similar to the UCI biological passport, but more of a virtual physiology passport.

Another key selling point of MyWhoosh is the expansive workout platform. It features a huge array of workouts, training plans, as well as features such as Live Coach with group sessions completed live with other riders and special guests such as Peter Sagan. You can also create your own workouts to quite an advanced degree, which is more akin to TrainingPeaks’ workout builder. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by it.

There are also similar features to Zwift, such as pacing bots, group rides, the ability to chat in-ride, and also unlock new bikes, wheels, kit, allowing a lot of personal customisation.

MyWhoosh uses a host of different maps, again, some are fictional locations, while others are based on real-world courses. However, unlike Zwift, these courses are on a rotation and not accessible at all times. There is also a smaller overall user base, but this is ever-increasing. If you value a broad spectrum of workout options and training plans, and love the idea of it being free, then MyWhoosh is an excellent platform to use.

Rouvy

Rouvy takes a different path from the other options, in that the focus point here is virtual reality and real-world simulation with routes.

You can ride the Lighthouse route in Mallorca, the Stelvio Pass in northern Italy, and thousands of other routes. To provide some realism, Rouvy overlays your virtual rider into real-life videos of the routes. There are also robot ghost riders for the company. In addition to the routes available, you can also upload your own routes and route videos if there is a specific route you’d like to ride and share with other users.

It’s not just about the virtual reality aspect, though. Rouvy sponsors World Tour teams Visma Lease a Bike and Lidl Trek, and features workouts claimed to be used by the teams. This means a total of more than 600 workouts that riders are able to complete.

Rouvy also makes sure to keep a social element to your virtual cycling. You can meet other riders along the routes, connect with them by adding them as friends, and then give kudos and such to other riders. This is also paired with competitive events such as bunch races and time trials, and although there are no cash prizes like MyWhoosh, you can be entered into prize draws. You can also customise your bike and avatar, although not to the same depth as the other apps mentioned here.

Pricing of the app is similar to Zwift, starting at £17.99/month, or £159.96/year. However, there are discounts available to Duo accounts, where perhaps two users in the same household have an account each, or group accounts for clubs and teams, where five users can split the £53.99/month or £450/year.

If you want a platform that offers a more real-world-like riding experience, then Rouvy is definitely the platform to go for. It forgoes the more gamified elements of MyWhoosh and Zwift in favour of trying to recreate riding out on the open roads as best as possible. If this sounds like your kind of thing, Rouvy may be the way to go.

When it comes to indoor training, it may seem something that can be done very easily for quite a limited cost. And in essence it is; you use the same bike that you would use out on the road, whack it onto a trainer, and away you go. You can certainly do it this way, but more often than not there are a few hidden costs that can be classed into the following categories; necessary, comfort based, and performance based.

Necessary hidden costs

Indoor training mat.
This is an absolute essential, especially if you are using the same bike that you use to ride outdoors. There is a good chance that you will not clean your bike after every ride, so a chain covered in dirty black oil is a real possibility. Add this onto your indoor bike, and there will be particles of filthy chain grease ejected from your cassette and chain. If your training is set up in a room with carpets, or has any fabric furniture nearby, you need a turbo mat to avoid stains and filth. I say this with firsthand experience.

Regular new bar tape.
Indoor training has zero wind chill, and can build up in heat and humidity quickly. A consequence of this is increased sweating with very reduced evaporation both on yourself and you kit. Often bikes have aluminium bars, and sweat is a corrosive liquid. As the sweat settles in through the tape and onto the bars, you can get salt build-up which can eventually lead to bars becoming brittle. If you use the same bike outdoors, this can have serious consequences. Unwrap your bar tape to check your bars regularly, replacing the tape, and in some cases, the bars, more often than you would ever need to outside.

Nutrition.
Again, closely linked to indoor riding generating more heat, it is likely that you will need more indoor specific nutrition. This can be in the form of sports nutrition supplements, or just needing to buy more food and salts. As we train in elevated temperatures, out body does two things. We sweat more, expending more salt and liquid, and we use more carbohydrates for the same relative intensity. This means fuelling and hydrating indoor sessions is key, so even in winter using salt/electrolyte tabs and carb drink may be necessary. You can however, save some money and make your own.

Frequent kit washing.
You should always wash your kit straight after use for hygiene purposes anyway, but with the increased prevalence of sweat when indoor training, it becomes all the more important. A sport wash detergent is a great investment as they are non-biological to avoid irritation in sensitive areas, and also help remove sweat odours.

Chamois cream.
This should ideally be used when road riding as well to reduce friction and irritation, but with indoor training being on a fixed platform and with higher sweat prevalence, chamois cream becomes even more vital to avoid any saddle discomfort over time.

Comfort based costs

A fan.
Following on from the increased body temperature element of indoor training, this means keeping cool can make a big difference to comfort while training. Having a good flow of ventilation through the room can make a big difference, while a fan will provide airflow to aid evaporative sweat loss. Nothing fancy is needed here, a desk fan or standing fan will do the job well, but still present an additional cost.

Indoor training apps.
We no longer have to spend our indoor training looking at a brick wall, even if I have weirdly fond Type 2 Fun memories of training in the cellar. Now we have a spate of indoor training apps to use which vary from the more gamified elements of Zwift with its mantra of “fun is fast”, to the real world simulation of Rouvy and the pared back IcTrainer, to mainly function indoor training systems like TrainerRoad. These all offer different elements to cater to individual wants and requirements, but do also tend to come at a cost per month or year. Outliers such as MyWhoosh offer much of this on a free to use platform for those who would like to avoid this cost.

Indoor media system.
Moving on from indoor training apps, we then have how we view them. A smartphone in front of you doesn’t really make best use of real world simulation or advanced training dashboards. You can opt to run this on a laptop, or even a tablet as many smart bikes have tablet holders inbuilt. For a larger scale setup, apps like Zwift and MyWhoosh have an AppleTV app so you can view your virtual riding platform on the big screen to increase the immersive action.

Dedicated indoor bike.
You can use the same bike you use outside, but to reduce time spent cleaning, using a dedicated indoor bike can be useful. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, I use an old rim brake frame with a small hole in one of the chainstays. It’s not road worthy, but has done seven years on the indoor trainer. This also removes the risk some people have about damage to carbon frames on indoor trainers.

Motion add-ons.
From rocker plates to the new MUOV bike, there are varying degrees of movement you can have on your indoor bike. Given how we move around the bike and tilt slightly each side when pedalling, locking ourselves in place can mean excessive movement around the saddle and increased chance of saddle sores. Rocker plates are large platforms that allow side to side movement, while Wahoo and Tacx have their own inbuilt versions on the Kickr and Neo trainers. Fore and aft movement is also included on the Wahoo Kickr Move and Tacx Neo 3T models, but at a cost. At the highest end is the MUOV bike, with lots of lateral movement to better simulated real world movement on the bike.

Performance based costs

Drivetrain cleaning.
Often indoor trainers measure power at the hub, in direct drive trainer cases this is always the case. This means that there is the potential for more power to be lost through the kinetic chain or crankarm, chainrings, chain, and cassette before the power is read. This can lead to power readings sometimes a handful of percent lower than what is measured at the pedals or crank. This can result in needing to adjust indoor versus outdoor power thresholds, and becomes more apparent if drivetrains are not kept clean and spotless. This is why many indoor E-racers use waxed chains and even oversized pulleys, to limit the reduction of power losses by the time power is measured at the hub. For your own performance, you don’t want to be missing out on a handful of watts because your chain is dirty.

Enhanced cooling equipment.
For those looking for peak performance and wattage, enhancing your indoor cooling will boost performance on the day. Smart fans are an option, which can link to your heart rate monitor to increase the airflow. Serious E-racers also use dehumidifiers to improve cooling further, although these can also be really useful to maintain the health of your room/furniture/house as a whole.

Turbo specific kit.
Following on from the trend here, most of these costs around indoor cycling when it comes to performance or comfort are temperature related. You can get specific indoor cycling kit aimed to improve cooling. Perforated bib shorts, more breathable cycling shoes, wrist and neck coolers, or base layers with inserts for ice packs. All of these are similar in function to why World Tour Pros use icepacks and slushies in advance of hot weather races.

Conclusion

Obviously several of these costs are not necessary to make indoor training possible. You can do perfectly useful indoor training sessions to boost fitness or avoid the rain with a very simple setup in reality. However, for those that train indoors regularly, there are several costs which truly are essential for health and safety, namely ensuring no sweat damage to components and keeping yourself clean.

The rest of these points are not necessary, but certainly do improve comfort or performance, in some cases both. The way to go is start with the basics, and then build up from there if you feel you would benefit from enhanced comfort and performance on the indoor bike.

Daylight saving clock changing arrives in the US on the 2nd of November, and the return of the dark nights has already landed in the UK over the weekend. This, for many, means indoor riding is back, and to mark the dreaded dark nights.

The Cyclingnews indoor training plan has all the best advice to get the most out of your indoor training this winter. We also have advice on selecting the best smart trainers, and a rundown of the best indoor cycling apps.

Zwift is the market leader when it comes to indoor cycling, and we have an exclusive Zwift 'Clock Change' offer on one of the best smart trainers on the market – the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click.

Right now, and until November 9th, you can grab up to 20% off the Kickr Core, which equates to a brilliant $110/£100/€55 reduction. It's also the cheapest the latest Kickr Core has ever been.

In our Wahoo Kickr Core 2 review, we scored it with an impressive 4.5 out of 5-star score, and it's made even better when paired with the Zwift Cog and Click tech, which makes for effortless set-up and seamless, quiet virtual shifting and in-game navigation.

Below you'll find the exclusive Zwift deal for your territory. There's no code to enter; simply click the 'View Deal' link, and the discounted price will appear. It's worth noting that, based on our experience, the 'discount' price typically takes around 5-10 seconds to appear once you land on the Zwift website, so don't panic if it appears at full price immediately.

The deals in brief

• USA Pricing
  • 20% off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: $549.99 $439.99
• UK Pricing
  • 20% off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: £499.99 £399.99
• EU pricing
  • 10% off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: €549.99 €494.99

The USA deal in detail

The UK deal in detail

The EU deal in detail

The 'Clock Changing' sale ends on November 9th at 11:59 pm, so act fast if you want to avoid missing out on this exclusive Zwift deal.

With that said, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, and we'd expect other Zwift deals to land then. The Black Friday weekend runs this year from November 28th to December 1st, so be sure to check out our Black Friday deals hub for more.

The original Wahoo Kickr Bike was launched in 2019 as the ultimate indoor training and racing solution. Despite it being the best smart bike on the market, it was replaced by the Kicker Bike V2 after just three years, with the most significant update being Direct Connect technology (a wired connection between the bike and internet router to reduce the chances of wireless dropouts further).

Wahoo also added a paired-back, brake and belt-driven Kickr Bike Shift to the range in 2023 as a more affordable smart bike option. While resolute in many ways, all three smart bikes (V1, V2, and Shift) lacked ergonomic refinement when it came to the saddle, bars, and controls, so Wahoo elected to improve these attributes rather than redesign an entirely new platform. The result is the Wahoo Kickr Bike Pro, which sits alongside the Kickr Bike Shift as the brand’s premier smart bike offering.

Apart from the touchpoint alterations, everything else on the bike remains the same as the Kickr Bike 2, including its internals and electronics. Have these minor changes altered the way the Kickr Bike Pro rides and feels, or improved the recipe if at all? We spent a good few weeks on the Wahoo Kickr Bike Pro to find out.

Design and Aesthetics

Structurally, there’s nothing new to see here. The aluminium/steel frame architecture remains unchanged from the Kickr Bike V2, as do all the materials and design elements used in its construction, including the grey/back colour scheme, Wahoo logo placements, and the Kickr Bike wordmark graphic on the seatpost holder and headtube. Despite being promoted by Wahoo as a ‘Pro-level’ machine, no ‘Pro’ designation appears anywhere on the bike. In fact, apart from the new touchpoints, the Kickr Bike V2 and Kickr Bike Pro are indistinguishable from one another.

To improve all touchpoints, Wahoo partnered with Fizik to deliver updates the company describes as “Pro-grade features” – this includes a Fizik Aliante R5 saddle and Fizik Solocush bar tape wrapped around a new 40cm-wide handlebar with 16 degrees of flare. Wahoo also redesigned and updated the ergonomics of the shifters and controllers to match the functionality of Zwift Play controllers/Click buttons, but I’ll get into these details a little later.

Specifications

While there’s nothing new in terms of system specifications, it’s worth revisiting the features and numbers. It utilises a motor-driven electromagnetic flywheel system that provides resistance of up to 2,500w and can simulate a maximum and minimum slope of 20% and -15%, respectively, matched to an integrated incline actuator that does the same thing as the Kickr Climb, albeit in a more sophisticated manner. In terms of claimed accuracy, the Kickr Bike Pro boasts a +/-1 per cent maximum deviation, while Bluetooth and Ant+ connectivity, Wi-Fi Race Mode, and virtual steering remain unchanged.

What is new, however, is the Kickr Bridge feature, which transforms the Kickr Bike Pro into a central hub, routing data from devices such as heart rate monitors and controllers directly to your chosen indoor training app or computer. It acts as a sensor bridge, enabling a single data stream, thus freeing up Bluetooth channels on devices such as an Apple TV, which only supports two Bluetooth channels.

The controls signify the most notable change from the outgoing model and have been refined to enhance the user experience. There are two sets of buttons, all of which are identical to the Zwift Play Controllers or Zwift Clicks. The left controller features four buttons for directional input, followed by a steering button located on the inner side of the left shifter – there’s a steering button on the corresponding right shifter. The right shifter houses a second set of buttons for confirming commands such as ride-ons, activating power-ups, and confirming actions within the menu bars – just like the Zwift Plays. Wahoo says these buttons are not platform-specific and could potentially be used by other platforms down the line.

The buttons and controls are significantly better than those of Zwift Plays, especially the steering buttons, which are conveniently placed and easier to engage. The controls are very refined and don’t require charging or specific positioning, unlike the Plays, which can often move around on the handlebars due to the one-size-fits-all rubberised clasp.

Set-up

Like the Kickr Bike V2, the Pro weighs 42kg, so it’s a relatively heavy bit of kit. It comes packaged in a way that makes it easy to set up and unbox, requiring you to simply remove the box structure from its base and strip away all the protective foam – it’s extremely easy and intuitive. The bike comes partially set up, so it’s a matter of lifting it from the base (I recommend asking for help to avoid any potential injury) and placing it on the floor. As a tip, it’s probably worth moving it to your bike room/pain cave before building and unboxing it, after which it's a matter of fitting the stabilising legs with the supplied Allen key. These legs feature wheels at each end, which will help manoeuvre it around to find the best position within your space.

The 121x76cm footprint is quite significant, but on par with indoor smart trainer/bike setups that utilise a rocker board/plate. The saddle, seatpost, and handlebars are packaged separately and will need to be slotted into place – it’s all straightforward. All in all, the complete assembly, including setting it up according to my specific body measurements, took around 15-20 minutes. There are a total of five fit adjustments that can be made to the bike: handlebar height (up/down), handlebar reach (forward/back), standover height (up/down), saddle height (up/down), and saddle setback (forward/back). All of these are adjustable via quick-release clamps. As before, the five-holed crankarms have provisions for five lengths that increase in 2.5mm increments – 165/167.5/170/172.5/175mm. Minimum and maximum user heights are rated at 152cm and 193cm, respectively.

The final step involves connecting the Kickr Bike Pro to the Wahoo app and Wi-Fi network to ensure it has the latest firmware installed and to allow for future updates to roll out in the background.

Performance and accuracy

Since the internals of the Kickr Bike Pro are the same as those of the outgoing Kickr Bike V2, and considering we reviewed the Kickr Bike V1 in 2020, which is identical in terms of internals, I won’t go into too much detail here. I did, however, perform a few tests as part of my smart trainer/bike testing protocol, so I’ll share the results anyway.

The first thing you’ll notice is how smooth and quiet it is – sure, there is a faint hum which I think complements the bike, but it’s nowhere near as audible as some of the best smart trainers. The road inertia feel produced by the flywheel is realistic, including the virtual shifting, which is intuitive and instant, and can be customised based on your preferences and requirements in the Wahoo app. Here, you can specify chainring and cassette combinations, including the range of cogs in the cassette, the chainring layout and sizes, as well as the shift style – SRAM, Shimano, or Campagnolo.

It’s still got the downhill drive simulation, which drives the flywheel forward via a motor when you’re coasting, so it feels like you’re descending. It’s a very cool feature, as is the ability to brake like you would in the real world – here all you need to do is pull the levers back and your avatar will come to a stop.

My accuracy testing protocol involved a secondary power meter source to validate the numbers produced by the Kickr Bike Pro, including wattage and cadence. The testing was conducted in simulation mode with ERG mode deactivated over two sessions – an easy 90-minute ride and a session comprising a mix of 1-minute efforts within a series of interval groupings. The primary objective was to assess any drift over time and compare the cadence values and average power with those from my Favero Assioma Duo power meter pedals.

Looking at the numbers, they all tracked within the claimed +/-1% deviation across the board, including the short-duration sprint intervals. A closer look at the 1-minute intervals conducted at 400-420w shows a relatively clean and accurate graph overlay, well within specification. No issues here.

In terms of longer-duration intervals, the Kickr Bike Pro proved to be accurate over the 20-minute and 60-minute critical power bands, as well, which was also echoed by the Assioma Duo power pedals. In fact, from 1-second all the way up to 60-minute power duration, the most significant deviation was just -0.94% during a 15-second sprint.

Like the Kickr Bike 2, the Kickr Bike Pro estimates cadence by analysing power fluctuations and pedal stroke over time, rather than relying on an external sensor. Examining the graph, which encompasses a 150-minute workout that included low-cadence drills, periods above 80rpm, and freewheeling, the results appear to align with Wahoo’s claims. The average of 63.3rpm (Kickr Bike Pro) versus 63.4rpm (Favero Assioma Duo) means a difference of just 0.16%.

Value

Current users of the Wahoo Kickr Bike V1 or V2 won’t see the value of upgrading to the Kickr Bike Pro for just a few ergonomic tweaks. After all, many users would have already upgraded the saddle and bar tape to something more comfortable. Current users were hoping for a significant overhaul of the platform, particularly the drive system. For Wahoo, however, the update allowed the brand to introduce a clearer naming convention, separating the ‘budget’ Kickr Shift from its halo offering, now named the Kickr Bike Pro.

At £3,499.99 / $US3,999 / €3,999.99, it still represents a significant investment, but the fact that many users are still on the original Kickr Bike V1 and V2 provides peace of mind in terms of reliability and long-term durability for prospective customers. While the internals don;t require any servicing, Wahoo recommends ensuring regular maintenance and care of the external features. This involves wiping it down, regularly checking the bolts for corrosion and torquing them, and vacuuming any dust and debris from the motor vent cover. The complete maintenance guide can be found on the Wahoo support website.

In terms of options, the similarly priced £3,499 Tacx Neo Bike Plus is the main rival of the Kickr Bike Pro. Spec for spec, there’s not much in it between the two smart bikes, and it will likely come down to user preference. It doesn't feel significantly different from the Kickr or Wattbike in terms of ride feel, but you can use it without mains power, as it will regenerate energy from your legs.

At £2,495, the Wattbike Atom is significantly cheaper than both the Tacx Neo Bike and Kickr Bike Pro. It’s just as reliable and provides a good mix of ride feel and resistance, along with loads of adjustability, albeit perhaps blighted by the fixed 170mm crankarm length and the difficulty of moving around due to a lack of wheels.

The Zwift Ride is not your archetypal smart bike, as it’s an indoor-specific frame that attaches to a Zwift Hub-compatible smart trainer. It comes with integrated Zwift Play controllers and a significant degree of adjustability, but lacks the polish and refinement of its dedicated smart bike rivals. At high-wattage sprints, it can feel unstable owing to the small footprint of the central leg, and unit accuracy will vary from smart trainer to smart trainer. The upshot is that it’s the cheapest option among all the platforms listed here – £749.99 gets you the frame only, or you can purchase it with a Kickr Core 2 bundle at £999.99.

All things considered, if you’re an indoor cycling enthusiast who trains and races on the best indoor cycling apps and requires a dedicated setup that is reliable and durable, you can’t go wrong with the Wahoo Kickr Bike Pro. It’s durable, accurate, and boasts adjustability levels of the highest order. It’s also designed to work in multi-rider households and shared between users where space is a premium. Furthermore, if you’re dead-set on purchasing a Wahoo-stamped product and the £3,499.99 Kickr Bike Pro sticker price is just out of your reach, you could always consider the more affordable Kickr Bike Shift at £2,199.99, or look out for some of the incredible deals on the outgoing Kickr Bike V2, which is currently heavily discounted.

Verdict

Now with improved touchpoints, ergonomics, and controls, the Wahoo Kickr Bike Pro remains the best smart bike.

The Wahoo Kickr Core is one of the best smart trainers on the market, and for Amazon Big Deals Days, it has just hit its lowest price of the year, making it one of the best Prime Day cycling deals to have landed so far.

Amazon Big Deals Days run from October 7th to 8th, and right now, you can grab the Wahoo Kickr Core for just $427.49 in this Amazon Prime Day Cycling deal.

This price smashes the previous best price on the Kickr Core, which was $454.75 back in July, and is a huge saving of $171.51 on the usual Amazon RRP.

It may have been recently superseded by the Kickr Core 2, which costs a whopping $549, but the Kickr Core, the cheapest direct drive trainer in the Wahoo lineup, still has plenty going for it, even more so at this staggering price.

In his Kickr Core review, trusted Cyclingnews tech expert, Josh Ross, scored the Core with a 4.5 out of 5 review rating, highlighting its winning combination of price and performance as some of the many reasons to purchase. In his final verdict, Josh summed up the Kickr Core by saying,

"Wahoo has made its second-tier offering as good as anything else on the market. Resistance changes are incredibly fast, it's quiet, and the ride feels very good. For most people, it'll most likely be the only smart trainer you'll ever need."

If you're new to the indoor training scene, then there are plenty of reasons to consider the Kickr Core as your first smart trainer purchase.

It has hundreds of Amazon reviews, with an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars, and 81% of reviews give it top marks. Accuracy is excellent at +/- 2%, which means it falls well within the requirements for racing on the best indoor cycling apps, such as Zwift, should you get bitten by the online cycling racing bug.

If you just wish to ride or follow occasional training blocks, then the ERG and SIM modes provide a reliable and realistic ride experience. The Kickr Core also boosts its accuracy and realism credentials with a 12lb flywheel for precise inertia, and if you put out heavy wattage, resistance maxes out at 1,800 watts.

Elsewhere, the Kickr Core is compatible with almost all cassette and speed options. However, it's worth noting that you'll have to buy a cassette separately.

This deal is only available at Amazon US, but below you'll find all the best Wahoo deals in your territory. For UK Prime Day in October shoppers, the Wahoo Kickr V6 has a 15% discount, bringing it down to just £849.49.

Be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day deals hub, too. There you'll find all the best cycling deals, regularly updated as we find them.

To take advantage of the Amazon Prime cycling deals, you'll need to be signed up for Amazon Prime. Amazon offers a free trial period for new users, but you can cancel your trial before the first payment is taken.

The Zwift Ride smart frame marks the latest instalment in a series of Zwift making life easier for cyclists to get rolling indoors.

While initially just a software company providing an interactive indoor cycling app, the American brand has expanded in recent years into providing the hardware its customers require. It started with the smart trainer, but later partnered with fellow American cycling tech brand Wahoo.

Over time, the two have together added accessories to simplify pain points such as groupset compatibility and app connectivity,a nd most recently, Zwift has amalgamated them all into the Zwift Ride adjustable Smart Frame, which can mount to a host of indoor trainers, and the Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2, which comes complete with Wahoo's latest indoor trainer offering.

This means your entire household can jump on and ride in a matter of seconds; no bike swaps, no dirty carpets, no oily hands.

For this weekend only, Zwift's 'Big Weekend' sale is effectively tackling another wannabe indoor cyclist's pain point by bringing down the price of these items, with a smattering of other offers available too.

The deals in brief

• UK Pricing
  • £100 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: £1,099.99 £999.99
  • 15% off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: £499.99 £424.99
  • Free Wahoo Trackr HRM with full-price Kickr Core 2
• USA Pricing
  • $300 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: $1,299.99 $999.99
  • 15% off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: $549.99 $467.49
  • Free Wahoo Trackr HRM with full-price Kickr Core 2
• EU pricing
  • €200 off Zwift Ride with Kickr Core 2: $1,199.99 $999.99
  • 15% off Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog and Click: $549.99 $467.49
  • Free Wahoo Trackr HRM with full-price Kickr Core 2

The USA deals in detail

The UK deals in detail

The EU deals in detail

The 'Big Weekend' sale ends on October 6th at 11:59pm, so act fast if you want to avoid missing out. Happily we've secured the 15% off code for a little while longer, but as with any deal, it's available while stocks last.

With that said, with two Amazon Big Deals Days running from October 7th to 8th, other deals are likely to pop up next week.

We expect plenty more indoor training offers and cycling bargains to be had then, and we'll be bringing you all the deals as they appear, so be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day bike deals hub for more.

Much as I try to bury my head in the sand and pretend it's not still shorts-and-t-shirt weather, the fact of the matter is that Jon Snow was right, and for those of us in the northern hemisphere, winter is coming.

If the endless 'Fall-Winter 25 drop' emails landing in my inbox weren't evidence enough, and Zwift's recent host of updates didn't give me the hint, the almost-coordinated unveiling of new smart turbo trainers from two of the leading brands in the indoor cycling space, Wahoo and Elite, confirms that summer 25 is behind us. Sad faces, anyone for a Jet2 Holiday?

But every cloud has a silver lining, and today's comes in the form of two budget-friendly smart turbo trainer launches: Wahoo's long-awaited Kickr Core 2, and Elite's Rivo, complete with Zwift's Cog and Click V2. To throw in a second season-appropriate film reference and to quote Arnold Schwarzenegger and my all-time favourite Christmas film: It's turbo time.

This means that if you're a new cyclist looking to take your newfound passion indoors through the winter, or if your seven-year-old Kickr Core (yes, it's been that long) has seen better days, your investment in setting up (or upgrading) your 'pain cave' – hate that term – will go a lot further than it would have a month or so ago.

Both new smart trainers are priced similarly to existing entry-level smart trainer models, each at £499.99 in the UK (US and EU prices differ slightly), but the new Kickr Core 2 gets a host of upgrades such as WiFi connectivity, automatic firmware updates and ERG Easy Ramp; each previously exclusive to the brand's supra-1000-pound/dollar options.

Let's take a quick dive into what's new for each model individually.

Wahoo launches Kickr Core 2

The original Kickr core was launched in 2018, and ever since, it has been the go-to entry-level smart trainer (excluding the brief period in which Zwift had the Hub).

Thinking back, that's an incredible feat given that those seven years included the Covid-19 pandemic, and with it, indoor cycling's popularity explosion. It also included Zwift's foray into hardware with the aforementioned Hub, which massively undercut the price of the Kickr Core, leading to a lawsuit and later a collaboration between the two USA companies.

That process, though perhaps not great for Wahoo's bottom line, was excellent for consumers. It forced down the price of the Kickr from £699.99 to £499.99, and forced all brands to look more closely at the setup process, simplifying it no end, and adding a cassette to the equation in a move that further increased the value proposition.

The new version follows suit, with the inclusion of Zwift's Cog and Click system or an 11-speed cassette within the price, and a new leg system that is both more stable and colour-coded for quicker setup.

Elsewhere, the Kickr Core 2 retains its accuracy within +/-2%, 16% grade simulation, and a maximum resistance of 1800 watts. It gets WiFi connectivity to piggyback off your home's internet connection to connect to your laptop, rather than relying on Bluetooth. It also gets 'Race Mode' for faster transfer of power data, ERG Easy Ramp to help you get moving again if you stop mid-interval, and the new 'Kickr Bridge' functionality, which will let your heart rate monitor pass data through the trainer, reducing Bluetooth noise.

All of these were features previously exclusive to premium smart trainers, adding performance to your budget-friendly indoor cycling setup.

The Kickr Core 2 has also been on a diet, dropping down from 18kg to a little over 14kg, without losing any weight in the flywheel. It will be priced at £499.99 / US $549.99 / CA $899.99 / EU €549.99 / AU $899.95.

Read our Wahoo Kickr Core 2 review for more.

Elite goes live with Rivo

For the very same price of £499.99, or the marginally better price of €519.99 if you're in Europe, Elite's new Rivo smart trainer might be your preferred choice. This price is complete with the Zwift Cog and Click v2, but can be bought at the slightly cheaper price of €499 without it.

UK pricing is yet to be confirmed for this derivative, and international pricing is to be confirmed for all options. Assuming it follows the latest conversion rates, we can expect to see the Rivo loosely match the Kickr Core 2's pricing across all territories.

Now, if you're getting deja vu, that's because this isn't the Rivo's grand unveiling. It was first announced at IceBike in February, and later shown off at Eurobike, but today is its official go-live day, meaning you can now buy it.

For your money, you get accuracy within +/- 2.5%, grade simulation of up to 18%, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, automatic firmware updates, and a 'Bridge mode' that lets you push heart rate monitor data via the smart trainer to your laptop in the same data stream as your power and cadence.

Its unit weight is just 10kg, and a carry handle is included, should you need to store it away between uses. It's even functional without mains power, with two standalone modes that let you use the trainer for car-park raceday warmups, or in the event of a power outage.

The original Wahoo Kickr Core remains one of the most popular smart trainers on the market, having built a reputation for its easy setup, accuracy, and durability – with some riders still training on the original unit from 2018. It’s this sense of reliability that has attracted new customers to the brand, and the new Kickr Core 2 aims to build on these fundamentals while setting a new precedent for smart trainers in the entry-level space to follow.

Despite boasting a host of refinements, including mod-cons borrowed from one of the best smart trainers, the venerable Wahoo Kickr V6, the company has retained much of the original Kickr Core DNA to avoid increasing the price, all while ensuring a top-tier indoor riding experience that few of its rivals can match.

While improved in many ways, the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 is not without fault – namely, the lack of a carry handle and portability features such as fully foldaway legs.

Design and aesthetics

Visually, Kickr Core 2 looks strikingly similar to the outgoing model. In fact, it’s basically identical, utilising the same smart trainer body, belt drive assembly and flywheel design – even down to the chevron graphics and “Crank it Up” glossy decals on the flywheel housing. The result, while disappointing to those who wanted to see something completely new, still aligns with Wahoo’s recognisable style and, given the global supply chain issues and the cost-of-living crisis, I believe it represents a prudent move by the company.

Those with a keen eye will notice some structural updates to the unit’s underpinnings. Wahoo claims these will “improve the experience and create a more intuitive assembly process.” These updates include the legs, which feature a new mounting bracket and flat profile with colour-coded stickers for easy setup. The new flat legs were introduced to improve stability over the rounded contouring of before, creating a better support footprint and platform from which to pedal.

Closer inspection also reveals a Wi-Fi logo and multi-colour LED panel. The upper LED indicates the connection status, which can be either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, with flashes denoting the number of connections. The lower LED will display a powered-on unit (green), flywheel movement detection (white), Zwift protocol in use (orange), Virtual Shifting (purple), and any detected errors (red) – the latter helps with diagnostics, making it easy to understand what is going on with the trainer when troubleshooting.

That said, there’s no Ethernet port facility for Direct Connect – this is not a dealbreaker, but something many users of the original Core might have expected.

Another unfortunate omission is a carry handle. The Core 2 is still relatively heavy at 13.7kg (actual weight with no cassette) and might prove difficult to move around for some, especially for those who live in multi-storey houses – but again, the addition of a handle might have driven up the price and added to R&D costs.

Specifications

The Wahoo Kickr Core 2 can be had in two configurations (three configurations if you opt for a Zwift Ride/Core 2 bundle), optioned from purchase – fitted with a Zwift Cog or 11-speed cassette, the choice of which doesn’t impact the pricing. Why an 11-speed cassette, I hear you ask, given the industry’s move to 12-speed? According to Wahoo, 11-speed is still very popular among users, possibly because most riders are using an older, training bike for their indoor setup.

The overarching key features read as follows: 1,800W maximum power output, 16% gradient simulation, +/-2 per cent accuracy deviation, Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity – these are the same as before. The new features include Wi-Fi, Kickr Bridge (which allows data streams from a heart rate monitor to be transmitted directly to the trainer, and then from the trainer to apps, reducing the number of Bluetooth connections your laptop needs to receive), automatic firmware updates, Race Mode, automatic calibration/spindown, and virtual shifting functionality.

In terms of dimensions, the Core 2 is virtually identical to the outgoing Core at 52cm x 59.7cm x 47cm. It’s a little lighter than before, with a claimed weight of 13.6kg vs the 18kg of the outgoing model. On our scales, the Core 2 registered an actual weight of 14.1kg with the cassette fitted (13.7kg without the cassette).

Like before, the Kickr Core 2 utilises a direct-drive design complete with a belt drive and 5.4kg flywheel that's controlled by an electromagnetic resistance unit. That's smaller than the 7.3kg flywheel weight you'll find on the Kickr V5 and V6, but a similar size to the flywheel on Kickrs from 2016 and 2017. It’s compatible with different wheel sizes but has a fixed height that can't be adjusted.

Setup

Everything you need to set up and assemble the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 comes in the box. This includes the Kickr Core 2 unit, the feet (x2), and the AC power adaptor. Ancillary items include four bolts for the feet assembly, a 6mm Allen key, 1.8mm spacer (included with the cassette version only) and a quick-release skewer.

There are also a slew of axle adaptors in the box, including provision for a quick-release skewer setup and thru-axles for 12x142mm and 12x148mm rear assemblies. As someone who prefers using a road bike on the turbo trainer, the 12x142mm adaptors were necessary to fit my Cannondale SystemSix. While some early smart trainers posed compatibility issues for certain bike brands, the Kickr Core 2 has ample clearance on each side of the belt drive and flywheel, so you don’t need to worry about the rear disc brake caliper knocking against the unit, gravel bikes and mountain bikes included.

Like the outgoing Core, the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 requires some assembly, but nothing too complicated. Wahoo has included handy colour-coded chevron artwork on the feet and mounting brackets to ensure correct alignment and secure bolt placement of the legs. The two-bolt assembly is easy and can be tightened with the included 6mm Allen key.

While the Core 2 can be connected to the best indoor cycling apps and used out of the box, Wahoo suggests connecting the smart trainer to the Wahoo app and Wi-Fi network to ensure it has the latest firmware installed, not to mention allowing for future updates to roll out in the background without worry. It’s very intuitive and something that takes the effort out of future updates – a godsend if you’re a cycling eSports racer who wants reliable data.

Performance and accuracy

The Kickr Core 2 feels smooth and fluidic, and performs as expected. It’s a polished offering that matches its predecessor for refinement – and is much like what we have come to expect from Wahoo smart trainers. The flywheel provides impressive realism and road feel, reacting instantly to gradient changes on Zwift and MyWhoosh, but lacks feedback and inertia – this is no surprise given its 5.4kg weight. That said, Wahoo has done a good job to ensure the Core 2 feels in line with the outgoing model and Kickr V6 sibling.

It performs well in ERG mode, and it successfully enables consistent power output without unnecessary swings over and under your target. While there's no ERG Easy Mode like you get on the Kickr V6, there is an ERG Easy Ramp feature, which slowly increases resistance if you return from a break or distraction. Alternatively, you can reduce the target wattage in the workout to a more manageable level.

The new built-in Wi-Fi, according to Wahoo, “will solve drop-out issues and deliver on-screen stats over 65% faster than previous models using only Bluetooth or ANT+." Having used this feature on the Kickr V6, I can confirm it works as advertised on the Core 2, with no drop-outs experienced during the entire test duration. Another great addition is the spindown feature, which automatically calibrates the trainer whenever you freewheel, correcting for any swings in temperature – but this shouldn’t be taken as a given. I suggest doing a manual calibration in the app after your first ride, or after 30-40 minutes of riding, or whenever you feel it’s over- or under-reading. This can be checked by using a secondary power meter connected to a cycling computer.

While the Core 2 doesn't meet the accuracy requirement (1% maximum deviation) for elite cycling eSports events and racing, it’s still an impressively reliable unit. Wahoo claims a maximum accuracy deviation of 2%, which is considered an acceptable value among entry-level, direct-drive smart trainers. To test the accuracy of the Core 2, I dual-recorded several sessions using a secondary power meter, the Favero Assioma Duo pedals. My testing protocol for benchmarking accuracy always involves a thorough mix of steady-state riding, sprints, and interval work with varying power outputs – all carried out in simulation mode on Zwift to keep things realistic and natural.

Looking at the numbers, the Core 2 tracked within the claimed +/-2% deviation, sometimes a little more. This was particularly noticeable over the 30-second and 1-minute intervals, where the deviation was closer to 4%. This, however, is still in line with the claimed +/-2% figure as the Favero Assioma Duo pedals I tested against might have been overreading +/-2% in the other direction, bringing the total accuracy deviation to 4%. It’s worth mentioning that for the majority of the power curve, the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 was reading lower than the secondary power meter, but this is to be expected as a smart trainer is further down the power chain, after losses such as friction in the drivetrain have occurred.

Over longer intervals, the power tracked well within the claimed accuracy levels. From five minutes through to 20 minutes, the difference between the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 and Favero Assioma Duo pedals was around 2.5% on average. The 60-minute comparison was 220W (Kickr Core 2) vs 225W (Favero Assioma Duo), just a five-watt difference.

The sprint results were excellent, with the 1-second and 5-second intervals coming in at a deviation of 0.5% and 1%, respectively. At 61/62kg, I’m not what you’d describe as the archetypal sprinter, so I can’t comment on accuracy once the wattage surpasses 1,000W, but the peak 768W achieved during testing matched up well with the Assioma Duo’s 764W.

I didn't focus too much of my testing on cadence accuracy, but there was nothing alarming to report when looking at the recorded figures. While the Wahoo Kickr platform, including the V5, V6, Core 1, and Core 2, utilises clever software and algorithms to calculate cadence – without the need for an external sensor – the company claims its measurement falls within 1% of an external cadence sensor. Looking at the figures recorded by the Core 2 versus the secondary power meter, the deviation was pegged at 0.47%, so pretty decent overall.

Value

Quality direct-drive smart trainers are not cheap, and before getting into the value of the Kickr Core 2, we need to address this point. Athletes who spend a significant amount of time training indoors are aware that the experience is not always pleasant, and the need for enhanced comfort, reliability, and durability is high on their list of must-haves. While the Wahoo Kickr Core 2's asking price of £499.99 / $549.99 / €549.99 is still a significant amount of money, it’s impressively priced given it matches the outgoing model's retail price. In fact, at one point, the outgoing Kickr Core had a list price of £699, so the price has come down considerably over the years.

Looking at the competition, the Elite Direto XR-T is the biggest challenger coming in with a sticker price of £599.99, £100 dearer than the Core 2. It gets a better featureset which includes a maximum accuracy deviation of +/-1.5%, maximum slope simulation of 24% and a grab handle. The Direto XR-T, however, is lacking a factory-fitted cassette, Wi-Fi, and Race Mode functionality, as well as auto spindown calibration, and doesn’t quite match the Kickr Core 2 in terms of refinement and build quality. There’s a lot of flimsy plastic in the structure, and the flywheel shape and design pattern make keeping things clean a bit of a challenge.

Elite has also just announced the launch of its new entry-level direct-drive smart trainer, the Rivo. While it also gets Wi-Fi and firmware updates, it lacks automatic calibration functionality and can't compete with the Core 2's +/-2% accuracy claims, coming in at a rated +/-2.5%. It is available in Zwift Cog and Click configuration only in the UK, with the same £499.99 sticker price as the Core 2.

Looking at pricing and compatibility alone, the new Wahoo Kickr Core 2 is a no-brainer. It represents a viable option for new adopters of indoor training or current users looking to upgrade from wheel-on trainers to direct-drive functionality. Factor in the latest improvements – Wi-Fi connectivity, auto firmware updates, Race Mode (for Zwift users) and automatic spindown – and it makes a compelling case, with few other entry-level smart trainers currently able to match it on price.

Alternatively, if the new Kickr Core 2 is out of your budget, there are many incredible deals available on the outgoing Wahoo Kickr Core.

With 'trainer season' fast approaching for cyclists in the Northern Hemisphere, Zwift has announced updates across its hardware and software platform for autumn 2025, designed to make it easier and cheaper to get started on the app.

There are also updates to automatically suggest activities to help Zwifters improve their fitness, an extension to the New York world, and a full Zwift Racing schedule announced.

More Zwift Ready trainer options and a new Zwift Click controller

The updates start with a wider range of Zwift Ready smart trainers, with 12 models from brands including Wahoo, Elite and JetBlack and prices starting at £279.99 / $299.99 / €250.00. US purchasers can choose a trainer from Tacx, and Zwift is also increasing availability in brick-and-mortar outlets.

All come fitted with Zwift Cog virtual shifting and are shipped ready to ride (after plugging it in and mounting your bike, of course) as well as offering compatibility with the Zwift Ride smart frame.

To complement the trainers, there’s a new version of the Zwift Click controller, which, in addition, replaces the Zwift Play controllers. While the old Zwift Click just provided up and down virtual shifting in one unit, the new controller consists of two units, each with multiple buttons. These offer a greater range of controls from the handlebars, including steering and shortcuts in addition to the virtual shifting.

They’re also designed for easier mounting to tri bars and flat bars, and in multiple positions on drop bars, thanks to configurable buttons.

Also new are Zwift Cog and Click upgrade kits, available for trainers from all the major brands, including Tacx, and with a price drop to £49.99 / $49.99 / €49.99.

These include the new Zwift Click, as well as a Zwift Cog pre-installed on a freehub body, which enables setup without specialist tools.

Along with the hardware updates, Zwift has made it easier to pair your trainer to the device you use to run Zwift by offering a recommended best connection type, rather than a menu of options. It’s also easier to bridge a heart rate monitor to your trainer, should your device be limited on Bluetooth connections.

Better targeted workout recommendations

Zwift says that since it opened up the app to outdoor workouts, 5.3 million activities have been imported from Garmin, Wahoo and Hammerhead cycling computers. That’s been good for riders, helping them to maintain streaks, but also for Zwift, which now has more data on its users’ overall fitness.

Starting in November 2025, that will allow Zwift to provide a variety of personalised workout recommendations, driven by AI, that fit better with a rider’s current level and fitness goals and which auto-adjust weekly.

It also makes choosing what to do a lot easier by narrowing down the options while offering increased variety.

Accompanying this is a new 'Progress Report' screen in Zwift and a 'Review and Celebrate' screen in the Zwift Companion App, also rolling out in November.

Follow Zwift’s recommendations and you might have enough Drops to buy one of the new Canyon Aeroad custom colourways, which mirror Canyon’s latest real-world customisation options. There's new real-world clothing available too, from Australian brand Pedal Mafia.

New roads in New York take to the subways

Zwift has also announced an imminent extension to its New York world. While its routes were previously confined to Central Park landscapes, as of 27 October you’ll be able to ride over the Brooklyn Bridge and into Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on 31km of new roads.

Plus, there are routes that take you through the New York subway network, which will be the first to include Zwift’s new Power Segments. These are marked by a start arch on a route, and the objective is to push out as many watts as possible until the countdown timer hits zero. Zwift’s leaderboards for power segments will rank your own efforts first.

A full Zwift Racing schedule

Zwift will offer its full Zwift Racing event schedule again in 2025/26, with tighter banding making races more competitive.

It’s introducing a new event series from the 6th of October to the 16th of November called Zwift Unlocked, with five stages, each with new long and short routes. Competing will unlock extra XP.

Team racing options start with Z//Racing in September and roll through to the Zwift Games in February and March 2026. The Zwift Racing League has a parallel series of four rounds of team events from September to April.

Finally, from 17 to 23 November, Zwift will host the online Brompton World Championships on custom London routes, complete with tweed kit in the DropShop.

If you have been thinking about investing in an exercise bike to boost your cardio with spin classes at home, Amazon Prime Day has loads of great deals right now that shouldn't be missed. Many of the best exercise bikes that we featured in our buyers' guide, from top brands like Peloton and Echelon, have some big discounts of up to 64%. I have rounded up the biggest savings below for both US and UK customers.

Not everyone wants to go to a gym to do a spin class workout; having your own exercise bike gives you the convenience of quickly fitting in a workout in the comfort of your own home. Not only that, but many of the top brands offer membership services and companion apps loaded with everything from live classes to libraries of workouts, so you can pick the best option to fit into your busy schedule.

• It's Prime Day! Head to the USA sale
• Head to the UK Amazon Prime Day sale

Its not just spin classes either, brands like Peloton and Echelon have off-bike workouts that you can follow for a full body workout. If you aren't in the mood for a workout, you can still spin the legs while enjoying built-in streaming content too.

Another benefit of the exercise bike is that once set up, it's ready to go whenever you are. Just jump on, choose your workout and get some training in. All the models I have featured have adjustable resistance levels and either built-in screens or a holder for a tablet device.

Exercise bikes aren't to be confused with the best smart bikes. Smart bikes are generally more advanced and designed to work with virtual indoor cycling apps like Zwift. The best smart trainers are another option, although these require you to attach your outdoor bike to the trainer before you can ride.

So what are you waiting for? Check out the deals below and elevate your fitness at home.

Quick Links

Best electric bike deals in the Prime Day sales (USA)

Best electric bike deals in the Prime Day sales (UK)

The Wahoo Kickr Core is one of the best indoor smart trainers on the market, and it has long carried the title of 'best value' in our best smart trainers buyer's guide.

It may have been around for a good few years and be the cheapest direct drive trainer in the Wahoo lineup, but the Kickr Core has plenty going for it, even more so at this price.

Our reviewer, Josh Ross, gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars in his review and highlighted its winning combination of price and performance as a few of the reasons to purchase. Right now, at Amazon, you can get the Wahoo Kickr Core for just $454.75. That's a decent $144.25 off the RRP of $599.99.

Grab your Wahoo Kickr Core for $454.75 in this Amazon Prime Day Cycling deal.

To take advantage of the Amazon Prime cycling deals, you'll need to be signed up for Amazon Prime. Amazon offers a free trial period for new users, but you can cancel your trial before the first payment is taken.

If you're new to the indoor training scene, then there are plenty of reasons to consider the Kickr Core as your first smart trainer purchase, and for most people, it'll most likely be the only trainer you'll ever need.

It has hundreds of Amazon reviews, with an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars, and 81% of reviews give it top marks. Accuracy is excellent at +/- 2%, which means it falls well within the requirements for racing on platforms such as Zwift, should you get bitten by the online cycling racing bug.

If you just wish to ride or follow occasional training blocks, then the ERG and SIM modes provide a reliable and realistic ride experience. The Kickr Core also boosts its accuracy and realism credentials with a 12lb flywheel for precise inertia, and if you put out heavy wattage, resistance maxes out at 1,800 watts.

Elsewhere, the Kickr Core is compatible with almost all cassette and speed options, including 8, 9, 10 and 11. It is worth noting that you'll have to buy a cassette separately, but there are cassette deals to be had over on the main Amazon Prime Day cycling deals section, along with a wide variety of cycling tech, parts and components.

This deal is only available at Amazon US, but for UK Prime Day shoppers, the Wahoo Kickr Core with Zwift One has a 15% discount, taking it down to just £386.49.

Be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Live deals hub, too. There you'll find all the best deals on cycling tech, helmets, apparel and bikes as they drop. We'll also have a dedicated Amazon Prime Day Wahoo deals page with discounts across the Wahoo range of fitness tech too.

Wahoo doesn't often do big sales, even in the face of Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday.

Most of the year, its website includes a small selection of 'reconditioned' smart trainers with a modest discount, as well as a handful of merchandise.

And when Wahoo does decide to get involved with the Prime Day bike sales, it's usually with a solitary product.

Today, however, that changes. As highlighted in our Prime Day live report, there's a host of Wahoo deals.

• Head to the Wahoo USA Amazon store
• Head to the Wahoo UK Amazon store

This includes a flat discount of 15% across a host of products, plus a bigger discount on others, such as Speedplay pedals and the Trackr heart rate monitor.

The deal is available in both the USA and the UK, although the specific products on sale differ between the two countries.

In this page, we'll highlight some of the key deals, but if you want to browse for yourself, hit the link above for your respective country.

But not all good discounts are good deals, and in the case of the Wahoo Elemnt Ace, we think there's a better alternative at an even better price. Yes, it's a top-of-the-range bike computer, but we didn't think it was very good when it was reviewed, and as such believe you'd be better off spending less money on a full price new Roam v3 – You can buy us a drink to say thank you with the spare change.

Top Prime Day Wahoo deals USA

Top Prime Day Wahoo deals UK

The deal we'd avoid

The Wahoo KIckr V6 is undoubtedly one of the most impressive indoor smart trainers on the market. It carries the title of the best smart trainer for racing, and just narrowly missed out on the best overall to the Elite Justo 2 in our best smart trainers buyer's guide.

The Kickr V6 still claimed a 5 out of 5-star review from Cycling News' Associate Editor, Josh Croxton. Josh was torn between these two excellent smart trainer models during his testing when it came to awarding the best in guide title. The Elite Justo, with its slightly better max power and max simulated grade, meant it narrowly got the nod.

However, right now at Tredz, you can pick up the Wahoo KIckr V6 for just £829.99 – the lowest price we've seen this year. The £270 off the RRP of £1,099.99 also means it's now significantly cheaper than its Elite Justo rival, priced at £1,099.99, also at Tredz.

Wahoo is renowned for producing highly rated indoor cycling products and the Kickr has been a market leader for many years. Its sibling, the Wahoo Kickr Core, is also our best budget trainer and is another top-rated turbo from the Atlanta-based fitness giants.

If you're a Zwift Racing fanatic, then the Kickr V6 has an all-new Race Mode which uses WiFi capability to broadcast power up to 10x faster, giving racers a competitive advantage at critical race moments.

Elsewhere, the Kickr's top-level specs include 2200-watt resistance, 20% gradient, +/- 1% accuracy and five-degree left-right movement courtesy of the Axis feet. It comes with the choice of an 11-spd or 12-spd cassette or (for an extra £40) a pre-installed Zwift Cog.

This Wahoo Kickr deal is UK only, but below you'll find the best deals available in your territory on Wahoo trainers including the Kickr.

Zwift held its first-ever Community Live event in Mallorca last week, in part to celebrate the platform's ten-year anniversary but also to bring Zwifters from around the globe together to enjoy spending time and riding with each other, in real life. 

The event was a huge undertaking, with media days earlier in the week, followed by paying Zwifters arriving to spend a weekend riding with stars like Sir Chris Hoy and Mark Cavendish as well as enjoying all kinds of industry talks and Q&As.

The event included a presentation from Zwift’s Director of Women's Strategy Kate Veronneau on the Watch the Femmes campaign and movement, what it has achieved so far, and what the future holds. Watch the Femmes has been the campaign to simply get more people viewing and engaging with women's cycling, from social media engagement and creating fan experiences at races to in-game events on Zwift and not forgetting those bright, standout 'Watch the Femmes' cycling caps with the slogan boldly emblazoned on the peaks. 

Speaking in the outdoor theatre, metres from the ocean, Veronneau described the original concept behind 'Watch the Femmes' was simply to get people to tune into the race and watch. 

Veronneau, herself an ex-racer, joined Zwift back in 2016 and was instrumental in getting the first Zwift Academy competition off the ground, which awarded a female winner with a pro team contract, unheard of in years gone by. In contrast, during the presentation, triple Olympic gold medallist Kristin Armstrong spoke about how her first professional road team contract came with no salary in 2003. The UCI introduced minimum women's WorldTour salaries in 2020. 

Alongside the Zwift Academy competitions, the company is the title sponsor of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, which began in 2021 for women. The women's Tour de France has a longer and more inconsistent history, being run in various formats over the years and from 2014 to 2021 as a single-day event - La Course. Zwift's involvement in 2021 helped usher in a new era for the women's version of the race in a longer and more popular stage race format. 

It's not a secret that women's cycling has been an afterthought for years, with well-documented salary, exposure and race opportunity inequalities. Has a company with the power, reach, finance, and crucially willingness of Zwift to get involved and make a change helped give women's cycling the boost and support it needs to make a difference and to start to balance things out? 

Veronneau's passion and message were tangible in the theatre as she described some of the changes that have occurred over the last four or so years. Cyclingnews sat down with Veronneau to hear her thoughts on the growth of women's cycling, how it may represent a golden opportunity for all, and the desire for it to no longer be simply an afterthought. 

The women's side of professional cycling doesn't enjoy the same level of investment that the men's does. Zwift has put its money where its mouth is to support and grow women's racing, Veronneau explains Zwift's involvement comes from genuinely caring about trying to improve things. 

"I think our intention and our passion is authentic and truly comes across that way. It's genuine like I always say, we're not just sponsors we are the biggest fans, and that comes from, a lot of places within the company that are truly caring, love women's cycling and feel a responsibility and an opportunity to do everything we can, using our platform and our community to elevate the sport."

Zwift appears to have led by example by investing in the women's side of the sport and clearly outlining its intentions to grow women's cycling. This has had the knock-on effect of creating both excitement and exposure, which means other brands and potential investors are now more interested than they have been in the past. Veronneau explains brands are coming to her now and wanting in. 

"This is one of the most exciting developments. I'm getting calls and emails and WhatsApps all the time saying, ‘What can we do? How do we do it?’ brands are seeing it working, seeing the impact that it's having on our sport, seeing the excitement that it's driving, seeing the fans, new fans.   

"The growth of women's cycling is an opportunity for all of us. Literally bringing new fans, new sponsors, new money, and new investment into the sport. Because it's in such a great phase right now. So brands are really coming to me and saying, like, ’We want in, how do we do it?’ And that's why this year we want to share that Watch the Femmes campaign; you're not going to see it locked up in Zwift. We're saying, ‘Take it, take it and run with it, and we'll amplify it.

"Besides Strava, we have the largest global cycling community, you know. And we'll work with Strava, too. We have such a unique position within the industry to be able to affect this change.”  

It's said a rising tide lifts all boats, at this point, it sounds like other brands are seeing the exposure, goodwill and general direction of travel that women's racing and, subsequently, cycling is starting to generate. Salaries are improving, women's races are being added to the calendar, and more brands are getting involved. 

One such example is Nike re-entering cycling in an apparel deal with FDJ-Suez and Demi Vollering. Of course, things are far from being perfectly balanced between the men's and women's sides of the sport, but improvements are happening. More brands getting involved with sponsoring and supporting racing should indeed benefit all and create a snowball effect.

Zwift has achieved a lot in this area in a short space of time; has it taken the right blend of passion and means to make inroads into the state of the women's side of the sport? The imbalance has been present for a long time. Nicole Cooke and other female riders strove for more equality whilst they were racing over a decade ago, but Veronneau can't remember another company or brand striving for change in the same way; maybe they just weren't able to. Verroneau agrees that Zwift is the authority now when it comes to spearheading the charge.  

"Absolutely, and we understand the responsibility behind that, and we're grateful for the opportunity because we have put ourselves out there, we put our money out there, put community out there, we have tried things. That first Zwift Academy was risky, you need that kind of energy in the sport. 

"We can learn a lot from other sports, too. You have to do things differently, and we specialize in doing things differently."

Veronneau cites one positive impact of the very first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift which was the creation of the Uplift - Women in Cycling industry mentorship programme by Rachael Burnside which aims to mentor women and keep them within the cycling industry, which has helped bring hundreds of women together. 

"I would have killed for a mentor early on in my career. I didn't have a mentor. I've been in this sport for 15 years, and that has now grown to be one of the most powerful industry connections. 

"We're doing business, we're making friends, we're making connections, we're finding synergies. And that is again, that rising tide, that's going to keep so many more women in the industry and moving up in the industry, which has traditionally been very challenging, but now you have leaders who are giving advice, helping the next generation jump over the barriers that they tripped over."

Zwift has released impact reports using data to show the positive impact that the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, in particular, has had on participation and viewing figures in the millions, with the latest report set to be released later this year. 

Does this rising tide and momentum depend on Zwift's sponsorship of two of the sport's biggest races? The American brand agreed on four-year deals for the Femmes and Paris-Roubaix. Zwift extended for another year with the Tour de France Femmes, which takes the race up to 2026, but what then?  

Veronneau didn't give too much away, but it sounds like talks are ongoing regarding Zwift's sponsorship of the race beyond 2025. 

"We're in conversations now to see what the future is, no matter what we're gonna be behind this race, no matter what." 

Yann Le Moenner, the CEO of A.S.O, the organisers of the Tour de France, was present in Mallorca and spoke in glowing terms at the presentation regarding the partnership. Perhaps conversations were happening behind the scenes in person about Zwift's involvement in the race in the long term. It would be a shame to see the Femmes profile wane if Zwift's sponsorship were to end. If that does happen, perhaps by then, the rising tide will mean more brands than ever before will be ready and willing to step up and continue Zwift's good work. 

Veronneau acknowledged that the imbalance is beginning to level up and explained that things are only moving in the right direction for women's racing and the sport in the long term. 

"We're just starting to harness the power of that. [Levelling up] As people recognize what incredible ambassadors for the sport these women are. The sport has been done one way for so long, and we're seeing so many gains from trying new things, balancing out the coverage, balancing out the investments. It's like a new project, we are not trying to replicate men's cycling. This is a whole new opportunity."

Almost five years after the launch of the Atom 'Next Generation,' Wattbike has today unveiled the next 'next generation' of its popular smart bike platform.

Called the Wattbike Atom Uplift, this latest iteration has a definite sense of my favourite phrase – evolution, not revolution – about it, and with five years having passed since the previous Wattbike Atom crossed the Cyclingnews reviews desk, it's a real test of one's memory to notice the differences. 

They include a different saddle, a switch from silver legs to black, the addition of quick-release – and thus tool-free – adjustments, and according to the British brand, a host of internal erg-mode updates. 

The brand says the updates were formed on the back of feedback from over 2000 existing Atom owners. 

On the erg mode adjustments, the brand says the latest Atom Uplift now delivers smoother, more stable resistance adjustments, though it's not said exactly what internal changes were made to achieve this. 

One of the more visible changes, the quick-release adjustability, comes at the handlebar, and at the saddle. The previous iterations used allen key adjustment for the saddle fore/aft and the handlebar reach, utilising quick release only for the saddle height and handlebar height adjustments. 

The Uplift prioritises quick adjustment throughout, with a shift to quick-release levers at all four points, allowing users to adjust their position without tools. 

This is more in line with competitor smart bikes such as the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift, and the Zwift Ride, although the latter adopts a unique approach of offering hex key adjustment with a magnet-mounted tool built into the bike's frame. 

One missing adjustment, however, which was released as an optional extra for the Zwift Ride as part of Zwift's announcements just last week, is crank length adjustment. The Atom Uplift has stuck with a fixed crank length of 170mm and comes fitted with a dual-sided pedal. 

The other functional hardware change comes at the saddle, in the form of a switch to a model that the brand describes as 'more ergonomic option for both male and female riders.' This is still a Wattbike-branded saddle, but by comparison to the outgoing model, it is wider and more padded. The brand says it has been 'designed for maximum comfort during long rides.'

The other area to see a change is the Wattbike Hub app, which gets the addition of simplified navigation and access to replicas of real-world climbs. The brand says the new erg mode improvements also mean improved analysis within the app, too. 

Finally, the app has been given an expanded 'Get fit in 2025' training series, which serves as a training plan for time-crunched athletes to follow. 

The new model will be priced at £2,495 and begin shipping immediately. International shipping, and indeed pricing, will be confirmed later in 2025.

Cyclingnews has the latest model in for test, and will be putting it through its paces for a full review in due course to see how it compares to the best exercise bikes and smart bikes on the market. 

Professional cyclists take several different routes to make it into the peloton, be that from the route of racing as a successful youth, junior, U23 and finally making it as an elite rider, or by switching across from another sport like ski mountaineering, for example. However, only 15 people in history can say their journey to cycling pro involved getting identified for their numbers on Zwift and earning a spot through competition. 

18-year-old Australian Emily Dixon and 22-year-old Canadian Noah Ramsay are the latest to be added to that list, as the winners of the 2025 Zwift Academy finals, with their places on Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto and Alpecin-Deceuninck's development teams being won across four days of competition in December. The whole journey was captured in a series on GCN, for those eager to follow the competition in more detail.

But with over 100,000 registrations to the popular worldwide talent ID competition and riders from more than 70 nations completing the six Zwift Academy workouts during the expanded August to November entry window, how is it narrowed down to just one men's and one women's rider?

"It used to be a very focused training plan for everyone, and then some people who completed it would be identified over the years. We've moved that on, so it's now more of a testing protocol to really lean into the talent ID side of things, which I feel is a better reflection of what the talent ID process should be," Associate Director of Marketing at Zwift, Henry Nixon told Cyclingnews at the women's Zwift Academy finals in December.

"It's not the kind of training program that people used to look forward to at the end of the season to help keep them fit, but it's actually now a lot kind of harder. 

"We asked people to do a 15-minute all-out interval at the start of the program," in the first workout - 'Pro Potential Prologue', "because that helps to filter down from a really early stage, the kind of people that we're looking to bring to the finals. 

"Also, a quarter of the program is racing on Zwift, and in fact, a couple of the finalists here were identified through their efforts in racing, putting in efforts that were above how they performed in the workouts."

By the time the ID process is done, riders are shortlisted down to less than 10 possible finalists, with such a strong pool of men's riders specifically leading to four finalists being chosen for 2025, instead of the three each for men and women in 2024.

Coaches and judges assemble for the finals

From there, once the riders arrived in Portugal and Spain for the respective finals at Canyon and Alpecin's team camps, it was up to the Dip Deep coaching duo of former pros Stephen Gallagher and Dan Fleeman and the judges, Adam Szabo, Gosia Jasinka, Christoph Roodhooft and Kristof De Kegel, to narrow it down to just two.

"A lot of people who've come through Zwift Academy have not necessarily had a lot of experience racing at a high level, but they're really good cyclists, and they're competent," said Gallagher to Cyclingnews in December.

"This project gives them an opportunity to show themselves. We obviously look at the physical capabilities and capacity over challenges and workouts, and from that, we have to – with the teams and with Zwift – think: okay, who potentially could have the best potential for the future? 

"So it's not necessarily always that the winner has to be the best now, or has had results in a certain time, but it's more about the potential because that's the ethos of the project."

It's a process that has been developed significantly by Zwift and by Dig Deep, since they took over the mantle of running the coaching at short notice back before the 2020 finals. In looking for that pro of the future, and the right fit for the WorldTour pathway, much of the process is about looking beyond the power numbers.

"We know 90 to 95% of their physical capabilities, so nothing is too much of a surprise. The big difference here when you're physically on location and in contact with them, is seeing their interaction with their colleagues, how they take instructions and how they deal with surprises," continued the Irishman.

"It's now quite different to how we did it before when it was a lot more about timing, a lot more about longer efforts. We're probably focused a lot more on more explosivity, also not necessarily the absolute best, but the best relative to your rider type."

"We are more looking into their other qualities, rather than to power numbers on the ergometer or on the road," Head of Sport at Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto Adam Szabo told Cyclingnews.

"It's quite challenging to test other skills, that's why, when we come here, we more put emphasis on that. The finalists come from a long list of riders who are who are hitting the right target numbers set by our coaches."

The importance of repeatability

Another crucial aspect to picking the winner during the women's finals specifically, was the repeatability of efforts, with comparisons between an eight-minute max effort after day one of testing and a fatigued eight-minute max effort on day four after the whole competition becoming the essential decider.

"There's the big element of fatigue resistance. What some of the Zwift riders, just during a one-off effort, let's say, eight-minute effort, 10-minute effort, or whatever it is, can be better than a World Tour rider sometimes," said Fleeman speaking alongside Gallagher to Cyclingnews.

"But can they do that after three hours, four hours? And can they do that after three days, four days, five days? That's one of the biggest strengths of a professional cyclist, what you can do after 2000 kilojoules, 3000 kilojoules."

"The teams are looking at what day four performance is compared to day one performance, because many amateur cyclists who are aspiring professionals could put in a massive effort on day one and achieve a huge result, but four days later, they might not be able to get anywhere near it," concurred Zwift's Nixon. 

"That's what they're looking to identify as riders, and this has kind of developed over the past few years with sports science that's evolved around fatigued efforts and the value of performance, two, three or four days in."

Looking beyond the numbers in skills testing

Looking past the pure power numbers, a big focus was placed on technical skills during the four days of competition. The four women's riders took on Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto multi-discipline star Zoe Bäckstedt on a flying lap around the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve, before being surprised with a gravel challenge en route back to the hotel.

"We've put more of an emphasis on, actually, bike control skills, technical skills, that sort of thing," said Fleeman, "because all of them on physical ability are pretty similar, which is always the case with the finalists. 

"Last year, we had a downhill assessment. This year we had the track challenge, and then the gravel test, which told us a lot about their skills."

"It's a whole more complex thing to develop a world-class professional, rather than just the data, which does give a really good indication of power and strength," Canyon team boss Ronny Lauke told Cyclingnews. "But the success overall comes from very many aspects, tactical understanding, technical skills, and mental strength, for example."

During the men's finals, a similar role was taken on by two of the top bike handlers in world cycling, Mathieu van der Poel and Gianni Vermeersch.

"First you have the data of course but there's a lot that has to follow [technically] as well. When that's not happening, they won't make it anymore," said Roodhooft at Alpecin's camp. 

"We saw in the past that some Zwift riders struggle with staying upright in the peloton or put others in danger so it's important to know the technical side.

"All of a sudden you have to perform in a team and you have to listen. It's a completely different approach in the end, and we look a bit also to personality, because they really have to fit in the team."

More coincidentally than decisively, perhaps, both the winners of the skills test in the men's and women's finals did end up being the overall winners Ramsay and Dixon, however, they also impressed for other reasons. Ramsay because he crashed when the riders were testing out the track before bouncing back to perform the best, and Dixon for punching above her weight in a test not particularly suited to her best capabilities, as a climber, and still coming out on top. 

The search for the next Vine and Bradbury

There is a big caveat with the technical side of testing, in that the most successful Zwift Academy winners so far are Jay Vine and Neve Bradbury, who both won their spots into the WorldTour in the COVID-19-affected finals in 2020. 

"It's important to see how they're on the bike, but the best two riders to ever come from the Zwift academy that have translated their talent into the road success are Neve Bradbury and Jay Vine," said Dig Deep's Fleeman. 

"They both came from the virtual year, so we never saw them ride outside."

Both the Australian riders were put into bubbles at Airbnbs in their hometowns to complete the finals, with their numbers and attitude through a screen ending up as the only thing to go off. Nonetheless, they've both gone on to win Grand Tour stages, at the Vuelta for Vine and Giro for Bradbury, vitally proving the credibility of the process for Zwift.

"Some people have preconceptions about Zwift, about riders who come from Zwift, and others understand the real value that the Academy offers in finding the talent and identifying potential with it," said Nixon. 

"Every time anyone from the Zwift Academy goes on to enter a race at World Tour, or Pro Tour level, it just shows the credibility of the program. 

"If we put 10 riders through the Zwift Academy over a number of years who never went on to achieve anything, it would be a waste. But you can see from Neve and from Jay Vine what it's about. That's the payoff for me, seeing those riders years down the line winning their first stage, like Neve this year, with two massive results," with a stage win at the Tour de Suisse and Giro d'Italia Women. 

The blueprint of Vine was important to note for the Alpecin judges De Kegel and Roodhooft, with the Australian surprising them back in 2020 and impressing most once he turned pro through an immeasurable quality - mental resilience.

"How they perform is the main thing, but then maybe you still take the wrong guy. We all hope to find the next Jay Vine let's say, that was a real success, but he was really hidden, in the big field of cyclists," said Roodhooft. "He struggled a lot and we had to help him, we tried to help as much as possible and then he was able to win stages in a GT.

"Vine didn't overly stand out at first, the Zwift guys have comparable engines as Jay. But Jay Vine then actually transferred it to racing performance and was able to bring it to the road for wins," said De Kegel, "and he is very tough - I think a lot of guys would have given up already," finished Roodhooft.

With Ramsay and Dixon following the new path onto the Alpecin-Deceuninck development team and Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto Generation squad, they have time to hone their bike handling skills and build up their confidence as a racer in Europe, with an eye on joining the WorldTour in the coming years.

Whether they can live up to the expectations that Vine and Bradbury have set since 2020 has yet to be seen, but with the most varied set of testing yet at Zwift Academy finals, the teams were prepared to select them as a star of the future.

Summer is only a few months away so if you have signed up for a race, an epic adventure or simply have a fitness goal to achieve before the riding season gets underweigh, it's time to put the work in.

By far the best way to jump-start your training is by using an online platform like Zwift. There's a load of training, racing and social rides on Zwift, mimicking real-world cycling with a gamification element to take your fitness to the next level. If you want to boost your fitness though, Zwift's customisable training plans cater for all riding whether your goal is to improve your endurance, increase FTP or you're preparing for a race.

One of the best ways to experience the virtual Zwift world and get the most out of the training plans is by investing in one of Zwift's own smart bikes. The Zwift Ride with Kickr Core combines the Zwift Ride Smart frame and a Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One to create a smart bike.

While you could connect your current bike to a Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One, opting for the Zwift Ride Smart Bike setup has several advantages. Firstly you don't need to set up your bike on a trainer every time you want to do an indoor ride and eliminates any extra wear and tear from indoor miles on your outdoor bike. The Zwift Ride Smart also integrates the Zwift Play controls, allowing you to shift virtual gears, brake, steer, and navigate Zwift's menus all from the Ride Smart frame's handlebars.

Currently, Zwift has the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE on sale however Cyclingnews readers in the UK, EU and USA can get an additional 5% discount using the code below.

The Zwift deals

Terms: Codes are redeemable on Zwift.com in US, UK and EU, 5% off Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE, with or without bundled membership, 1 use per customer, Valid while supplies last, Offer void where prohibited, can not be redeemed for cash, can not be combined with other discounts. Expires Mar 17th, 2025.

Two of the most widely used indoor cycling apps, Zwift and TrainerRoad, have today announced a partnership that will allow users to combine the functionality of both platforms into one seamless indoor cycling training experience. 

The brands are two of the longest-standing in the space, and have long coexisted catering to different markets of indoor cyclists. 

Founded in 2014, Zwift is one of the market leaders. Its primary focus is on providing immersive worlds to cycle through and a community of like-minded riders to pedal alongside, with regular races and social rides that connect people from around the world. 

TrainerRoad meanwhile was founded in 2011 and caters to those looking to get faster. Its in-ride interface is little more than a line on a graph of the workout being completed, accompanied by metrics such as power, cadence and heart rate. Its value, however, comes in planning one's training, with AI-generated training plans that adjust each day to help you reach your goals.

While Zwift does offer its own training plans and workouts, it's not uncommon for cyclists to have an account with both, letting TrainerRoad provide the workout in the background, while having Zwift on screen to provide the rolling scenery and interactivity. 

But from now on, an integration between the two apps will push your TrainerRoad workout straight into Zwift's 'For You' menu, allowing you to follow the workout in Zwift, without having to open TrainerRoad at all. 

It will still require users to have an account with both platforms, which given Zwift's recent price hike to £17.99 / $19.99, might be a put-off to some users. 

But TrainerRoad says that the feature isn't only a benefit to users looking for a full training plan and that everyday riders can benefit too. 

"A lot of cyclists don't want the obligation of a training plan, but when they do want to do a workout, they want to have the right workout at the right time – one that feels appropriately difficult and productive."

For those riders, TrainerRoad will use its ongoing analysis of a rider's past rides to predict their current fitness and freshness level and send an AI-recommended workout. Those familiar with TrainerRoad already will know this as its TrainNow functionality, but in this case, it will be passed automatically to Zwift. 

The move comes almost three years after it was rumoured that the two brands could be about to merge. That rumour came about following a visit to Reno, Nevada - TrainerRoad's hometown - by Zwift CEO Eric Min, and a curiously timed survey. 

According to TrainerRoad, this is an 'oft-asked-for' and 'long-awaited' feature among its users. The reason for announcing it now is unknown, but it perhaps allows the two companies to stay competitive against competition from the rising Training Peaks Virtual. 

That app, known as TP Virtual, resulted from the revered training planning app Training Peaks' acquisition of the growing indoor cycling app IndieVelo, connecting the training planning and analysis which Training Peaks is built upon, with the interactivity of a virtual world with other riders. 

The news comes with a host of other integrations too, including a TrainerRoad Club on Zwift and TrainerRoad kit for your in-game avatar. 

The Saris H3 Plus is one of the best smart trainers available – with a spec that is similar to more expensive indoor trainers like our best-in-guide choice the Elite Justo or the ever-popular Wahoo Kickr. The Saris H3 Plus delivers accuracy within 2%, up to 2,000 watts of resistance, and can simulate gradients of up to 20%.

Right now, you can pick up a massive discount on the Saris H3 Plus at Amazon with a brilliant 38% discount, reduced from $649.99 to $399.99 – a whopping $250 off the RRP. 

This Saris smart trainer deal also includes a month's free trial of the Rouvy virtual training app and it's compatible with all the best indoor cycling apps including Zwift, BKOOL, TrainerRoad, and more...

The Wisconsin-based brand is renowned for producing highly rated indoor cycling products and the H3 Plus has a load of positive Amazon reviews. With an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, they're on par with our Saris H3 model review – which is the same spec as the newer H3 Plus which now has the added benefit of seamlessly integrating with 12-speed drivetrains.

One of the key features of the H3 Plus is its heavier flywheel and at 20lb, it delivers precision balance creating realistic inertia and giving a smoother, more realistic feel. The overall weight of the H3 Plus comes in at 9kg, making it on the heavier side compared to its rivals – the Wahoo Kickr Move weighs in at 7.3kg.

It's worth adding the H3 Plus doesn't come with a cassette so you'll have to factor that in when considering a purchase.

This Saris H3 Plus deal is US only, but below you'll find the best deals available in your territory.

Amid a racing season marred by multiple racer annulments, mid-series format changes, and ruleset amendments, Zwift has halted its elite five-race Zwift World Series.

In an email sent to racers this week, Zwift announced the decision to pause the Zwift World Series, confirming the series' fourth race scheduled for December 5th will not go ahead.

Zwift's Director of Racing, Sean Parry, explained the platform's predicament, "This decision has been made after a thorough review, and it has been driven by our desire to uphold the reputation of our sport and protect the well-being of the athletes."

At the heart of the issue is a series of athletes' power readings that have unnaturally drifted upward during certain efforts, somewhere in the region of six to eight per cent. 

But rather than anything sinister such as equipment tampering or attempted cheating, it appears this is due to smart trainers reading inaccurately under certain stresses. The drift occurs during high-torque low-cadence efforts, such as those found on steep climbs, and has affected smart trainers from both Wahoo and Elite. 

They are described as an "edge case" that affects only a handful of elite racers pushing their equipment to the limits, rather than an endemic issue affecting all indoor cyclists. 

It has only come to light due to the dual-recording requirements of elite cycling esports races, something that everyday users tend not to do. 

Athlete AnalytiX, an independent performance verification service headed by the former head of ZADA (Zwift Accuracy and Data Analysis), Bjoern Ossenbrink, contracted by Zwift for the 2024/25 elite season, detected the accuracy issues.

All elite cycling esports races require dual power meter recordings to ensure consistency by comparing readings from multiple sources, usually a crank or pedal-based power meter alongside the smart trainer. 

A problem occurs when the two separate power files show unacceptable differences, that vary under different race scenarios without specific definable causes or logical explanations from the manufacturers and auto-calibration protocols that introduce errors and the false perception of accuracy.

Parry summed it up, stating, "This season in the Zwift World Series, we have seen, and we continue to see, a much higher volume of issues with hardware accuracy than we ever have in the past. Unfortunately, this has resulted in many annulments, race-to-race uncertainty for athletes, and created considerable challenges for our performance verification team and commissaire. We understand and empathize with the strain that this has put on riders throughout the series, and this is not something we can allow to continue."

Not a new issue

Word of the problem initially went public before the series' second race in early October. Athlete AnalytiX identified anomalies in power output for several riders, occurring exclusively during climbs (steep gradients at high power outputs) on the race route.

These discrepancies prevented the verification of their performances. Since all affected riders used the same Wahoo trainer model, Zwift and Athlete AnalytiX initiated an investigation with the Wahoo to determine the cause, prompting this statement at the time from the smart trainer brand.

“Under extreme conditions—specifically high absolute power on extended climbs at 100% trainer difficulty—power may drift slightly on KICKR V6 and MOVE only. We believe this to be an edge case that impacts only the most powerful indoor racing specialists. We are working on a bug fix, but in the interim, we advise elite riders to set trainer difficulty to 50%.”

Until today, that fix had not arrived, but Wahoo tells Cyclingnews that a fix is now being rolled out specifically for esports racers for the Kickr V6 and Kickr Move. 

"Zwift have been in communication with all the relevant hardware manufacturers and Wahoo is one of these," read a statement from Wahoo. "We have worked quickly on a fix for elite indoor riders competing in events over the coming month - this is now available for KICKR V6 and KICKR MOVE, we expect a fast follow for those KICKR V5. There will be a full rollout to all Wahoo users in early January 2025.”

In late September, New Zealand's Kate McCarthy used a Elite Justo smart trainer to win the Zwift World Series second race, but her result was subsequently annulled. The Independent Commissaire absolved McCarthy of any intent to cheat, stating, "The rider experienced a hardware malfunction which led to a material difference between the trainer and power meter for the duration of the race."

But the court of public opinion felt otherwise, prompting McCarthy to fend off performance authenticity questions following her 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship victory, hosted in the UAE by MyWhoosh. 

“I had a point to prove this week," McCarthy said in her winner's press conference after riding a UCI-standardized smart trainer in a live setting, dispelling doubts. 

Brazil's Gabi Guerra, silver medallist in that World Championships race behind McCarthy, used an Elite Justo 2 smart trainer when Zwift annulled her after winning Zwift World Series race 3 in a solo breakaway.

The Independent Commissaire's report read, "The rider was riding a brand-new Elite Justo trainer that had undergone factory calibration. This was the first time the smart trainer was used in the Zwift World Series. Throughout the duration of the race, for reasons unknown, material and inconsistent variances between the smart trainer and the power meter occurred. This rider is not at fault, the performance cannot be verified."

Several other male and female racers fell a similar fate and experienced significant stress and anguish due to ZWS annulments.

"To have our whole race season hung up like this is insane"

The postponement decision has sparked consternation among racers, many of whom structure their competitive seasons around the Zwift World Series. Frustration is mounting as racers find themselves catching the most heat, forced into the position of defending their integrity amid ongoing challenges.

Zwift plans to reschedule the final two races of the elite season to follow the Zwift Games in March 2025. Given qualification for the Zwift Games depends on performances in these concluding Zwift World Series events, this raises questions that Zwift is yet to answer. 

"To have our whole race season hung up like this is insane," passionately exclaims elite racer Dean Cunningham, "but it shows how reliant we are on this hardware."

Unfortunately, this is not a new problem anyone thinks will be realistically solved soon, and questions also surround the involvement of the sport’s world governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

The UCI's Head of Innovation and Esports at the time, Michael Rogers, in a January 2024 interview, told The Zommunique, "We are quite advanced in homologation of smart trainers. We are prepared to announce something within two to three months."

Rogers alluded to the UCI's collaboration with Purdue University's Engineering department to create a smart trainer homologation program. Ten months later, the initiative isn’t implemented.

New rules and more trust

"Given the events that have occurred," states Zwift's Parry, "we will also take this opportunity to revisit and update our ruleset for elite racing. Our emphasis remains on maintaining the highest levels of fairness possible but we would like to explore sanctions and remedies that are less severe than the current rules when athletes encounter unintentional infractions outside of their reasonable control."

The racing community worries that the only viable solution might involve lowering verification standards to compensate for the industry's slow adaptation. It could also lead to more restrictive and potentially costlier equipment requirements, adding to the already significant technological barriers to entry into the sport.

Parry urges that Zwift is taking steps to dissuade this, stating, "Whilst the equipment on the ZWS whitelist (approved hardware for elite competition) works extremely well for 99+% of indoor cyclists, the extreme demands that some elite racers place on hardware mean that there are edge cases that have emerged. We firmly believe these edge cases can be remedied by hardware manufacturers developing firmware updates."

Some racers applaud Zwift for taking action and making the difficult decision to progress the sport.

Ollie Jones, who rose to prominence by winning the 2018 Zwift Academy, has been a consistent force in cycling esports, representing New Zealand in every UCI Cycling Esports World Championship and securing a top 10 finish in 2024. As the current GC leader poised to claim the $3,000 Zwift World Series top prize, the pragmatic Kiwi remains optimistic, viewing this turn of events as an opportunity to drive positive change in the sport.

“I’m obviously disappointed for the postponement, “ shares Jones. “I was excited to defend my leader's jersey over the last two rounds of the ZWS. On the other hand, as a rider who’s seen the highs and lows of this scene for seven years now, I understand that as a remote sport, we don’t have anything without a strong mutual trust in the accuracy of the framework underlying an event. This includes everything from hardware manufacturers to the verification process. I am happy to see further progress implemented into that framework for future events and will be ready to defend my lead when the time presents itself.”

Zwift is postponing the ZWS to give riders and manufacturers the necessary time to better understand, diagnose, and resolve issues, ensuring greater certainty and confidence for athletes moving forward. For Zwift, perfect may be the enemy of good, and the risk of binning its only elite racing series could have irreparable repercussions for the platform and the sport.

South Africa’s James Barnes, a prolific winner in Zwift elite racing and a top 20 finisher at the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship, is keenly watching how this decision will shape virtual racing and impact his peers.

"I am glad they are addressing the equipment annulments that have been out of the rider's control, taking action, and rewriting the rules and regulations relating to such incidents. It's a shame it caused huge stress for riders at the mercy of the hardware."

The sentiment highlights a core issue: hardware manufacturers, virtual cycling platforms, and governing bodies must collaborate to establish universal standards of accuracy and fairness tailored specifically to cycling esports.

"Joint collaboration between Zwift, hardware manufacturers, and riders during this time will ensure that we can all move fairness in the sport forward together," urges Parry.

Until then, surrendering to the inability to effectively verify athlete performance due to hardware inadequacies casts a poor light on a sport striving to establish itself as a unique cycling discipline. It comes at a crucial time, with the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board soon deciding which sports will feature in the Olympic Esports Games.

The best exercise bikes allow you to get a workout and stay fit without leaving home. That may be via an online class or just by pedalling by yourself, perhaps following a training plan or workout routine.

If you're looking to follow a class online, the best known spin-style exercise bikes are from Peloton and Echelon, although both have a hefty up front price and a recurring monthly subscription.

If you're looking for a connected exercise bike, our top recommendation is the Echelon Connect Sport, which gives you much of the same functionality as the Peloton Bike, but at a more wallet-friendly price.

Basic exercise bikes are typically more affordable and don't require a monthly subscription. They let you sit on and pedal, with a dial to alter the resistance offered. They may fold away easily for storage and may be light enough to carry around the home.

Another alternative is a smart bike, which works with an indoor cycling app such as Zwift is a more sophisticated (and expensive) alternative to a smart trainer. There is a difference between indoor cycling vs spinning, but both types are broadly classed as exercise bikes.

Choosing the right exercise bike for you can be difficult. Below, you'll find our pick of the best exercise bikes, from the basic to the sophisticated. Towards the bottom of the page, there's a buyer's guide to how to choose, which explains the key features of an exercise bike, while our glossary will explain the terms you'll read below.

Best exercise bikes

Best budget Peloton alternative

This budget Echelon exercise bike, the Connect Sport, offers much of the functionality of its higher-priced siblings but saves money by excluding a front-mounted screen. Instead, owners of this exercise bike will need to bring their own screen, which if you already own a smart device such as a tablet (or want the versatility of owning a separate tablet device) won't be an issue at all. Simply load up the Echelon Fit app on your device, connect the bike via Bluetooth, and you'll have access to all the classes you need.

It comes with a 7kg flywheel, which left us wanting more on occasion, although the magnetic resistance did help to prevent the draggy feeling that can plague some of the more budget exercise bikes. A total of 32 resistance levels offers a good spread of difficulty levels, while the 96 x 51cm footprint is stable enough for all but the most rigorous efforts.

You can make Echelon purchases even more affordable with our Echelon coupon codes.

Best budget Peloton Bike

Exercise bikes have been in gyms for as long as we can remember, but Peloton has changed the game and reinvigorated a segment of indoor training for the masses beyond the Zwifters. In terms of the Peloton Bike itself, it's really not all that revolutionary; a knob near the handlebars adjusts the resistance, a 17kg flywheel maintains inertia, the saddle and bar position are adjustable without tools and there is no freewheel so you can't coast.

But it's not the bike itself that has created the phenomenon, it's the sweatproof 21.5-inch touch screen at the front. This enormous head unit is WiFi, ANT+ and Bluetooth enabled and runs the Peloton app which features thousands of pre-recorded classes as well as live classes run by professional instructors.

One thing the app doesn’t do is adjust the resistance; you’ll have to do that manually to hit your targets. The higher-priced Bike Plus, seen below, can offer this functionality.

As with any of the other training apps, the sessions range in difficulty from easy spins to disgustingly difficult; there are scenic rides too. Peloton has also added a community aspect to its ecosystem; you can follow and chat with other people who are doing the same class and see live rankings on who is pushing the most watts.

Best premium Peloton alternative

The EX-5S is a more premium step into Echelon's ecosystem, and in this case, there's no need to bring your own screen, since it comes with a large 22-inch sweatproof HD screen mounted up front. A slightly larger footprint helps to offset the top-heavy weight added by the screen, so I found that it remained stable in all workouts, and it's widely adjustable, so it will fit most of the family.

The same 32 levels of resistance provide the variable resistance, however, unlike even the budget smart bikes, it still doesn't offer 'ERG' mode, so all resistance changes will need to be done manually, rather than electronically.

Best Peloton exercise bike

Peloton's most recent response to the rise of the smart bike is the Bike Plus. This takes the original Peloton Bike and adds a slew of updates like a larger screen that is more adjustable, more speakers, a better camera, Apple Watch integration, USB-C charging and more. However, for us, it's the integration of 'auto follow' that sets this Peloton apart from its direct competitors.

Auto-follow - perhaps better known as 'ERG' mode among the smart bike scene - allows the app (in this case, the Peloton app) to control the resistance, rather than relying on the athlete to twist the knob on the top tube (though this does still exist). It also includes a power meter to more accurately measure and report on a rider's output. In use, I found this could be a little delayed at times, but it mostly made life easier, not having to remove your hand from the bars to adjust the resistance.

Among this genre, I see the Peloton Bike Plus as the most complete device currently available, but in my opinion, from both a technological and user interface standpoint, smart bikes still win out due to the addition of gradient replication, power measurement accuracy, and the varying choice afforded by third-party app connectivity.

Read our comprehensive review of the Peloton Bike+ for more.

Best for features on a budget

The 'Basic Exercise Bike 100' from Domyos is a very simple design, but while I found that the overall number of features is low, each one is a welcome inclusion that adds to the experience without unnecessarily adding to the overall cost.

Up front, there is a multi-position handlebar that offers no fewer than 10 different positions. There's a small LCD display at the centre that offers the basic ride metrics like speed and time.

There are a couple of small caveats: at higher resistances, I found the resistance pad can start to heat up and smell due to friction. This isn't detrimental to its performance, but will likely accelerate wear over time. Secondly, the Domyos exercise bike's stability can falter during all-out sprint efforts, as it's not the most planted of things. A small trick here: if your floor is flat enough to do so, remove the adjustable feet and place the bike onto an indoor trainer mat for grip. This lowers your centre of gravity by a couple of inches and helps keep it a little more stable.

Those aside, if you're after a simple exercise bike without the big expense, the Domyos 100 is a good place to look.

Thinking about investing in an exercise bike? You can often save on selected models and accessories by checking our Decathlon coupons before you buy.

Best basic exercise bike to design your own workout plans

Merach's exercise bike offers useful features on a budget. The accompanying app allows you to design your own workout plan and sync your data to Zwift, Apple Health and Google Fit and there's even a gamified ride option.

There are 16 resistance levels to choose from and, in addition, it tilts on its axis through 6 degrees, so you can simulate shallow climbs and descents. The 10kg flywheel is adequately heavy for a basic exercise bike and should help with ride feel. It does contribute to a 50kg claimed weight, so you're not going to want to move the Merach around and will need a dedicated exercise space for it.

Best basic spin bike

The Schwinn IC7 is a good at-home replica of the 'spin' bikes you'll likely know from the gym. Its fixed freehub and 18kg flywheel take a little bit of extra torque to get going, but the inertia generated helps to prevent that 'pedalling-through-treacle' feeling you can get with cheaper, lighter flywheels.

The IC7 comes with an LCD display that shows your speed, time, distance, RPM, and estimation of calories burned. Its 58cm width and 45kg weight help to make it stable, and while it's certainly possible to unsettle it, I found that doesn't happen during normal use, even when sprinting.

It also comes with dual-sided pedals, which include SPD 'clipless' pedals as well as a toe clip side, so you can wear your normal shoes, and this also means it's rideable straight out of the box. Like other simple exercise bikes, you will have to bring your own entertainment, but it comes with a screen holder at the front, as well as a bottle holder for your hydration. And finally, its fit is widely adjustable, so it'll be good for the whole household.

The best exercise bikes compared

How to choose the best exercise bike for you

With such a wide array of different options competing for the title of best exercise bike, making a decision on which to buy can be daunting. In this section, we'll run you through a few questions to answer and considerations to make, which should steer you in the right direction.

• What type of exercise bike do you want? Do you want a spin bike, a basic model or one with more interactivity - the difference is explained below. Do you want an upright or a recumbent model?
• Do you want interactivity? Do you want to be connected to classes and other riders, or are you content to ride alone?
• Do you want automatic resistance changes? Do you want resistance controlled by a class or are you happy to adjust resistance yourself?
• Do you want to keep abreast of your heart rate, power output and other stats? Not all exercise bikes measure these or have connectivity to other devices.
• Do you have somewhere to keep it? Can your exercise bike stay out all the time, or does it need to be portable and foldable?
• How much do you want to pay? Peloton and some other options require an up-front purchase for the bike then a recurring charge to access classes (although you can rent the Peloton Bike rather than pay up-front).

All you need to know about the best exercise bikes

Best exercise bikes: glossary

• Basic exercise bike: Does not usually link up to an app and often has manual resistance adjustment.
• Cadence: The number of times the pedals are turned per minute.
• ERG mode: The exercise bike adjusts the resistance automatically, following the changes in effort level in a workout.
• Flywheel: Driven by the pedals, usually via a belt, to provide inertia.
• Indoor cycling app: An app that runs on a smartphone or other device to deliver a workout, often with a ride simulation. May link to the exercise bike to automatically change resistance.
• Power meter: Measures how much effort you're exerting when riding against the exercise bike's resistance.
• Recumbent exercise bike: An exercise bike on which you sit lower down behind the pedals on a seat rather than above them on a saddle.
• Resistance: The drag created by the exercise bike to make pedalling harder.
• Smart bike: Can be linked wirelessly to an indoor cycling app to change the resistance as you ride.
• Spin bike: An indoor bike with a heavy flywheel and usually without a freewheel, designed for spin classes.
• Spin class: An instructor-led workout with differences in pedalling speed, which can be delivered over the internet or in a group class.
• Turbo trainer: A device that connects to the rear of an outdoor bicycle to provide resistance to pedalling when riding indoors.

How we test the best exercise bikes

When we review an exercise bike, we'll use it over several months to understand how easy it is to live with, what its capabilities and limitations are and everything that makes it one of the best exercise bikes, before we recommend it to readers like you.

If the exercise bike comes with access to classes, we'll follow along, while if it lets you use an indoor app from a different brand, such as Zwift, we'll use that to see how well the two work together.

We'll keep a detailed score sheet for each exercise bike across several factors and offer you a balanced appraisal, as documented in more detail in our guide to how we test.

When the weather starts getting unbearable outside, many riders retreat to the virtual worlds of Zwift to escape the cold and wet winter realities that are faced when stepping out the front door.

The online platform provides a warm sanctionary for training, racing and social rides, mimicking real-world cycling with a gamification element to make indoor training even more engaging. To celebrate Zwift's 10th anniversary, it recently unveiled a load of new routes and features too.

To explore the Zwift world, you will need to invest in a smart trainer, the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One is Zwift's smart trainer of choice. This is the same as Wahoo Kickr Core which we awarded Best Budget in our buyer's guide to the best smart trainers except it features a Zwift Cog. This essentially turns your trainer into a single speed and uses virtual shifting to simplify setup and reduce wear to components. 

Zwift includes its Zwift Play Bundle with the smart trainer too which gives you the ability to steer, braking controls, virtual shifting and quick access to power controls. If you want to get serious with your setup though, you will want to invest in the Zwift Ride, a smart frame which turns your smart trainer into a smart bike.

Here at Cyclingnews, we have secured a discount code from Zwift for our UK, EU and USA readers so you can get a deal on a new indoor setup. Use the code CYCLINGZ10 to get a 10% discount off Zwift Ride, Zwift Frame and all Wahoo KICKR CORE variants, with or without bundled membership from Zwift.

The Zwift deals

Terms: Codes are redeemable on Zwift.com in US, UK and EU, 10% off Zwift Ride, Zwift Frame and All Wahoo KICKR CORE variants, with or without bundled membership, 1 use per customer, Valid while supplies last, Offer void where prohibited, can not be redeemed for cash, can not be combined with other discounts. Expires Dec 31st, 2024.

Elite have long been known for their high-quality indoor cycling trainers and the Italian company is continuing that tradition with the new Elite Avanti smart trainer.

The Elite Avanti is a new offering, bringing you the same top-tier features at an unmatched price, £300-400 lower than top-of-the-range trainers usually set you back. The Avanti, priced at £749, benefits all types of cyclists, whatever you are – from dedicated road cyclists hoping to maximise their off-season performance to cyclists who want to stick to their training schedules through the winter rain and cold, and more.

If you don't want to miss a day on the bike or simply just want to avoid the harsh winter weather, then the Avanti has a range of useful, accurate and convenient features to make indoor training rewarding rather than merely bearable, keeping you fit and active throughout the year. 

Unlike other smart trainers in the £1,000+ range, the Elite Avanti packs the same advanced features for just £749.

The Avanti can simulate steep inclines up to 18% gradients, letting you ride on the most challenging of climbs and really test your legs. The ±1% power meter means that you'll enjoy accurate readings and reliably log all of your training and plans, too.

Further realism comes via Natural Motion Flex Feet, which features a 4.5-degree tilt – a feature only previously found on Elite's top-tier Justo 2 trainer. These Flex Feet mimic the sway of a bike as you ride outdoors, adjusting to your riding style. These can also be swapped with 7-degree Flex Feet for even more movement as you ride, available for purchase separately.

The Easy Start feature means you can get going quickly after short stops, letting you resume intervals as fast as you want to. Elsewhere, an adapter storage drawer is on hand to keep all of your adapters organised and on-hand, while the Avanti also has a range of connectivity and integration options, too.

The Avanti's Seamless Connectivity further enhances your training experience, with WiFi, Bluetooth, and ANT+ allowing effortless synchronisation with your favourite training apps. Dual Bluetooth channels allow you to connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, a feature which will come in handy for an Apple TV and dual-device users out there.

Shimano Di2 integration makes riding even more convenient, letting you control resistance levels or pause with your electronic shifters.

Elsewhere, the Avanti's 10Hz Data Transfer ensures that you enjoy smooth, real-time performance data without any lag – ideal for those intense indoor training sessions. Heart rate monitor and cadence sensor sync are also included. 

For cyclists of all levels – whether you're a casual rider aiming to stay fit, or a serious racer sticking to a rigorous training plan – the new Elite Avanti offers high-quality experience at unparalleled value.

Packed with features offering convenience, accuracy, comfort, and realism, as well as offering a range of seamless and reliable connectivity options, the Avanti is designed to cover all the bases – and then some – at a price well below the norm.

A few years ago, Zwift teased an exciting smart bike project based on the design of its in-game Tron Bike. Unfortunately, amid the post-Covid slump that affected the industry, the project was eventually scrapped. 

Since then, the launch of the Zwift Hub all but overhauled the pricing structure of the best smart trainers and eventually led to a partnership with fellow American indoor cycling giant Wahoo. 

Then earlier this year, the brand unveiled the Zwift Ride. 

It's best described as a smart bike, but in reality, it's unlike any other. It's actually the amalgamation of multiple parts, including the Zwift Frame, the Zwift Cog, a Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer, and an adapted version of the Zwift Play controls. All of which will be explained in more detail below. 

To the paying customer, there are actually two new products: The first is Zwift Ride, which pairs the Zwift Frame, Cog and integrated Play-style handlebars with the Kickr Core smart trainer. The second is the Zwift Frame, which foregoes the Kickr Core.

The Zwift Frame is the bit that's important here, as it's the bulk of what's new. It is a one-size-fits-all bike frame made from oversized steel tubes with a series of adjustment points at the seatpost, saddle, stem and handlebar. 

At first glance, it simply replaces the bike portion of a traditional indoor cycling setup, but on closer inspection, there's more. At the handlebars, the shifters include a series of buttons that combine the functionality of Zwift Play controls and Zwift Click shifters, adding brake levers too. This lets you shift virtual gears, brake, steer, and navigate Zwift's menus all without removing your hands from the handlebars. 

Whereas previously you'd mount your outdoor bike to a smart trainer, you instead mount the Zwift Frame, using a Zwift Cog in place of a cassette. Mechanically, it will fit onto any smart trainer, but due to the singlespeed gearing of the Cog, not all smart trainers are compatible from a software standpoint. The list is ever-growing, but I'll dive into this in more detail below.

If you already own a compatible trainer, for £749.99 / $799 the Zwift Frame will essentially convert it into a smart bike that's ready to ride and adjustable for multi-rider households. 

For those needing to buy a trainer too, the Zwift Ride is an everything-you-need solution which comes with a Wahoo Kickr Core. It aggressively undercuts the existing smart bikes on the market at £1,199.99 / $1,299.99, although there is a shipping cost to be factored in. 

Technically you're getting the Kickr Core Zwift One, but Importantly, the bones of the Kickr Core is the same revered smart trainer that it's always been, just with the Zwift Cog singlespeed sprocket at the rear. Read our Wahoo Kickr Core review for a deep dive. 

Design and specifications

The Zwift Frame largely resembles a bike frame, with a traditional two-triangle design. The absence of a front wheel means the front fork is replaced by single leg approximately four inches thick that extends down to the floor. There's no foot at the bottom of this, and despite looking unbalanced at first, it's easily more balanced than a wheel would be. 

The frame itself is white, with a cool holographic Zwift logo on the down tube. It's made from steel and is pretty sturdy. The whole weight is around 17kg, not including the smart trainer. 

The handlebar, which is 42cm wide with a drop of 125mm and 31.8mm clamp, sits in a channel that allows you to adjust the fore/aft position. This channel is then mounted onto what is essentially a quill stem that can be raised and lowered. Atop this whole ensemble is a small platform with a silicone cover, giving you somewhere to put your snacks and your phone (or, as the imprinted symbols suggest, pizza, donuts and drinks). An out-front laptop holder is also available as an optional extra.

The seatpost can also be adjusted for rider height, as can the saddle's fore and aft, and its angle.

All adjustments are done using the included Frame Key, which is basically a hex key with a magnetic handle. Every adjustment point on the bike uses this same tool, making adjustment super simple. The magnetic handle clips it into a housing on the underside of the top tube, which keeps it within reach and means you can even adjust it without stepping off the bike.

The cranks are 170mm long, with a Q-factor of 150mm (modern Shimano road groupsets are 148mm). Flat pedals are included but you can fit your own clipless pedals when setting up. The same can be said for the saddle too, the included one is basic, but the traditional round rails mean you can easily swap in your chosen saddle. 

Overall, it is suitable for riders between 152cm and 198cm tall, with a maximum rider weight of 120kg. 

Up front, the controls are battery-powered and rechargeable, but neatly integrated cable routing beneath the bar tape leaves two charging ports exposed beneath the stem. A double-ended USB-C cable is included, so you can either charge them both simultaneously or as I do (and suspect most people will), you can leave them plugged in. 

At the rear, the chain is routed via a sprung tensioner. When setting up, you'll push the orange handle down to release the tension and let you mount the Frame to your smart trainer. Once mounted, push the orange handle back up and it'll add tension to the chain. 

It also comes with two bottle cages. These are quite 'open' in their design, more like cradles than cages, but given the lack of movement of the bike, this is all that's needed - they work fine and make grabbing and restowing a bottle super easy. 

Performance

To state the obvious, the ride feel of the Zwift Ride / Frame is very much like riding a road bike on a smart trainer. The only real differences are in the frame stiffness, which feels quite stiff when trying to crank on the bars or push big watts. Given there's no road buzz coming through the handlebars, this isn't an issue to the comfort. 

The chainset itself is fairly basic and uses a square taper bottom bracket. The 150mm Q Factor isn't too far from a traditional road bike, so hasn't caused any issues for me despite some pretty heavy training. The crank length is fixed to 170mm. This is a good 'everyone' solution, but I would have liked to see the same solution that is employed by Wahoo, with multiple holes to let people choose their desired length. 

I've not had any real issues with stability either. The Kickr Core's not the widest or most stable trainer out there, and it doesn't have adjustable feet to account for uneven floors, but I've used it on multiple occasions with both a bike and with the Zwift Frame and never felt like I couldn't give my all in a sprint. 

Noise levels are slightly higher than other smart bikes, but are overall quieter than a bike-on-trainer setup. Of course, how clean and well-lubricated your chain is will dictate the ongoing noise somewhat, and a benefit here is that the indoor-only nature of the Zwift Frame means it'll never get caked in mud, grit or grime, and thus the chain stays relatively clean for long periods. However, the biggest source of noise on a traditional bike-on-trainer setup is the clunk you get each time you change gears. With shifting made virtual, that noise is gone. 

I would like to see Zwift work on a belt-drive version for the next iteration to bring the noise down even further, but as it stands, it's no noisier than a fan. 

Compatibility

During my time using the Zwift Ride, I've only used it with the Kickr Core smart trainer. I've spent my time predominantly on Zwift, TrainerRoad and MyWhoosh, and there are some compatibility issues to highlight. 

As explained earlier, the problem relates to the firmware, rather than the physical compatibility. The upfront controls that enable virtual shifting are essentially just passing a signal to the smart trainer (via Zwift) to add some resistance to mimic a gear change. 

Until a smart trainer updates its firmware such that it can receive this prompt and adjust the virtual gear accordingly, you'll be stuck in a single gear when you try to ride. Erg mode - where the app controls the trainer's resistance to follow a workout without the need to shift - works fine. 

It's for this reason too that the Zwift Ride is only fully compatible with the Zwift app. If you try to shift in MyWhoosh, for example, nothing will happen, because the shifters are designed to talk to the Zwift app, rather than directly to the trainer. 

It doesn't look as though a fix for this is coming any time soon, but there are reports of Zwift working on an API to enable other apps to connect to the controls. 

If you want to follow a workout in Erg mode in another app, it works fine. I've done this in MyWhoosh and TrainerRoad, and although it works, it removes all functionality of the buttons on the handlebars. That's not a major issue but it would be pointless paying for it if you spend your time exclusively in these apps, rather than on Zwift. 

Functionality

Assuming you'll spend your time using Zwift, the bulk of the buttons are something of a game-changer. They make navigating the menus, giving 'ride-ons' and activating 'power ups' super easy. No faffing with a smartphone screen using sweaty hands. 

The buttons are conveniently placed and sweat-proofed, but care needs to be taken not to hit the Z button as it sits quite close to where I place my hands. Shifting can be set up to mimic Shimano or SRAM groupsets, or it can be set up in sequential mode, which is essentially a straight line of gears from 1-22. There is a very faint vibration upon shifting, but you'll easily miss it. 

The tactility of the buttons isn't super clear. The shifters and brakes especially are vague, and although you could argue brake levers shouldn't have a 'click' button feedback, I find them to be stiff, with nothing to tell you whether you've pressed them. 

I also found the handlebars quite uncomfortable. The tape is really thin so I'd be looking to double wrap, and the angularity of the shifter hoods isn't much more comfy. In most cases, I have just thrown a towel over the bars to catch the sweat and add padding, but this hides the buttons, so doesn't work so well when riding in Zwift. 

Connectivity

The hardware side of the bike has been flawless, and for the most part, the connectivity was exactly as you need it to be, but on a handful of rides I suffered recurring connection drops during rides, which meant I was unable to shift gears for around 10 seconds while it reconnected. This was particularly frustrating at the bottom of climbs.

The shifter also stuck 'on' a few times, sending me hurtling down the virtual cassette to the hardest gear without warning, forcing me into leg-sapping high-torque efforts to stay with a group while mashing the down-shift button. 

I've had the Zwift Ride for approximately six months and this has only happened a handful of times. I believe it was more as a result of multiple Bluetooth devices fighting over a connection. While it's unlikely to be a regular issue for most users, it's one to watch.

Value

To assess the value of the Zwift Ride - and the Zwift Frame - there are a few ways to look at it. If you compare it to existing smart bike setups, the value here looks incredible. It offers similar functionality, with inbuilt app controls, at a significantly lower price than the competition. The Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift is £2,199 / $2,499, for example, and it's not even the top end of what's available.   

If compared to a bike-and-trainer setup, you're paying £749.99 for the bike portion of an indoor setup, along with in-built controls. Or £1199.99 for all of that and the Kickr Core smart trainer. 

Given the Kickr Core would set you back £449.99, that's £750 for a bike frame and the Zwift Play controls, although it can only be used indoors. You could get a very entry-level road bike for similar money, but it won't get you the up-front controls or the multi-rider adjustability. 

It's a fairly big outlay on a pretty specific product for a niche use case. It's probably not worth buying if you're the only user in your household and already have a spare bike you don't mind leaving on the trainer, but if you're looking to build your indoor training space, have family members that want to ride, or want to keep the wear and tear off your other bike, the value is great. 

The competition

There's only really one competitor in the space, and that is the Elite Square which launched shortly after the Zwift Ride. I've not had the chance to try that yet, but on paper, it does address some of the downfalls I've mentioned with the Zwift Ride, such as multiple crank lengths and belt drive, but at £1,199 without a smart trainer, it's a significantly higher outlay to get started. 

Verdict

Overall, the Zwift Ride is a budget-friendly foray into smart bike tech, thanks to the clever decision to leverage the existing tech of smart trainers and the Zwift Play, and simply design the rest of the equation. 

For riders using Zwift as their primary platform, it's a great solution to a set-and-forget indoor cycling setup that saves putting additional wear and tear on your outdoor bike and traipsing it through the house every time you want to switch between riding indoors and out. It helps that it can be used by other family members too.

There are some compatibility limits though, so if you find yourself using any other app where shifting is required - such as MyWhoosh or Rouvy - then you'll be stuck in one gear for as long as it takes for Zwift and those apps to collaborate on the necessary firmware. 

Enhance your fitness journey from home. Discover our Zwift coupons and gear up for interactive workouts.

You’ve almost certainly heard of Zwift Racing and its opportunity to compete on-line. But you’ve maybe been intimidated by the quality of the fields it attracts – after all, some former amateur Zwifters are now racing at WorldTour level.

Racing on Zwift is a fantastic way to train and now Zwift has introduced a totally new ranking system, which it’s spent years perfecting. Called Zwift Racing Score, it ensures that you are matched against riders of a comparable level, but still allows you to rise up the rankings as your performance and race results improve. 

Here’s how it works.

There are hundreds of races which you could join on Zwift at any time of the day or night. You can browse upcoming races, the course and distance and when they’re scheduled both on Zwift’s calendar and on the Zwift Companion phone app. You can join some races as an individual rider or join a team on Zwift.

There are more details of how to get started with racing on the ZwiftInsider blog.

If this is your first entry into a Zwift race, you’ll be able to find races at the right level for your abilities, and you won’t be competing with elite racers. There are five race categories from beginners to experts, dependent on racing score.

Initially, your racing score will be based on your power numbers when using Zwift.

As your fitness increases and you start to garner race placings, your Zwift Racing Score will change to reflect your results. Your Zwift Racing Score points total will change dependent on your race performance and there are extra points for podium finishes, as well as when you race against larger, more competitive fields. 

Athletes are graded from 0 to 1,000, so there’s plenty of room to improve. You can enter races at a category above your current level, to help you move up more quickly, but are prevented from joining many races in lower categories.

Your score can go up or down, dependent on your power output and your race placing. Immediately after you finish a race, you’ll be shown your score and any movement in your profile in the Zwift game and your new score in the Zwift Companion app and on Zwift.com. 

Zwift Racing Score is a great addition to Zwift to help make racing more rewarding than ever, regardless of your level and your ambitions and is designed to track personal progression and make every race even more competitive.

Workouts to help you improve

While racing on Zwift will give big fitness gains, it’s not just about racing, as Zwift has a comprehensive range of workouts and training plans. You can work on specific aspects of your fitness, to maybe increase your anaerobic capacity or your endurance to improve your performance in Zwift races. 

There are new hero workouts each week and you can pre-select workouts in the Zwift companion app, which will be on your home screen next time you log into Zwift, ready for you to follow.

The best hardware for Zwift

Zwift has the hardware to help you achieve your indoor racing ambitions too. Its innovative products give you an ideal platform to race and make it easy to select the best Zwift set-up for your needs. 

You can, for example, now leave your outdoor bike outdoors and have a dedicated Zwift set-up, with the Zwift Ride smart indoor bike. It will be ready to ride when you are, with no need to remove your wheel or mount your bike on your trainer. 

Zwift Ride connects up to a turbo trainer to provide a complete, modular indoor bike, with in-built shifting, steering and Zwift control. It includes the second generation Zwift Cog. This is a single sprocket freehub that fits on your trainer in place of a multi-gear cassette and gives you smooth virtual shifting with up to 12 speeds, with no more crunched gears.

You shift from the Zwift Ride Smart Frame’s handlebars via the in-built Zwift controllers, which also provide buttons for steering and in-game control for Power Ups and other functions, so you don’t need to interact with your screen while riding hard.

At present, Zwift Ride is designed to work with the Wahoo Kickr Core trainer, and you can buy the complete Zwift Ride with Kickr Core set-up from Zwift. If you are looking for a turnkey indoor riding package, Zwift Ride with Kickr Core gives you all you need for your smart bike set-up to get you Zwifting. Just bring your pedals.

Alternatively, you can now buy the Zwift Ride Smart Frame stand-alone. It includes everything except the turbo trainer and its resistance unit, including the Zwift Cog. It’s compatible with all Zwift Ready trainers – there’s a list of current Zwift Ready models on the site. The number of options is ever-expanding and currently includes trainers from Wahoo, Elite, Decathlon and other leading trainer brands.

An offer from Zwift on its smart bike hardware

Zwift is offering a discount on a range of its hardware from now until the end of the year, when bought from the online Zwift Shop.

The discount applies to the new Zwift Ride with Wahoo Kickr Core and Zwift Ride Smart Frame, as well as the Kickr Core trainer, with or without bundled Zwift membership. 

Just input CYCLINGZ10 in the promo code in the basket during check-out and Zwift will automatically apply the discount. 

It’s not available on other products in the Zwift Shop and valid for a single use per customer, while stocks last. You can’t combine this offer with other offers, can’t redeem for cash and the offer is void where prohibited. 

If you’re looking to join Zwift, rejoin Zwift or want to set up the ideal indoor cycling environment, now’s a great time to purchase the hardware you need, maybe bundled with a year’s Zwift membership to kick-start your Zwift racing.

With more and more riders venturing indoors for their cycling over the winter, it can be at times difficult to remain social in the virtual cycling world. However it’s important to keep the social aspect of things; we are social animals after all, and with new technology comes new ways to keep things social.

How to keep it social indoors

One of the largest indoor cycling platforms is Zwift. This app offers riders the opportunity to ride with thousands of other cyclists at the same time, and does feature some specific social elements such as the chat function, as well as a huge amount of group workouts, races, and social rides that you can join. 

The Pace Partner function also helps ensure that you can ride with a group of the same relative ability as you as you can select which Pace Partner you ride with by watts per kilogram (W/Kg). So if you know your comfortable cycling speed for a Zone 2 ride is 2 W/Kg, you can select to ride with a group maintaining that average power.

Having spent a lot of time on Zwift over the years, I’ve made several friends over Zwift both in the UK and internationally. I’ve even ended up meeting up for rides with some of them out on the real world roads. Afterall, most of us on Zwift already share a common interest for cycling.

You can also use Zwift to keep in touch with real life riding buddies. Zwift has a meetups feature so you can ride and text with your mates and even features a no-drop element so that you can keep everyone together. To keep things even more social, the likes of Discord or WhatsApp group calls mean you can have the social ride chat even in the virtual world.

For those missing the fast paced group rides of the summer, you can always organise with your friends specific Zwift races to enter as a group and see who gets the bragging rights in your race-within-a-race. You can also work together as a team to take it in turns working for one rider to try and get them the win. This is something I used to do during lockdown with my teammates, and made for some great fun and team bonding even when we weren’t able to do so in person.

Even for those not using Zwift where you can ride together virtually, you can still use group chat apps to keep in touch while you’re doing your own indoor rides. Be that a steady hour of Zone 2, or doing intervals. You might just have to mute yourself breathing heavily during any higher intensity efforts. 

A good time to do this for any groups who work from home might be during a 'virtual commute' either before or after work. You can always meet up after these virtual rides for a real life coffee and cake as well, give the virtual group ride that real café ride experience without having to get totally soaked, freezing, or play with the traffic in the dark.

How to keep it social outdoors

We can of course continue to ride outdoors, but a problem with the weather getting worse can be gathering the group motivation to ride in wintery weather.

My old local group ride found a useful way to boost motivation, which was to enforce a mudguards rule for the winter training rides. The best road bike mudguards are definitely full coverage ones, and they ensure that people would not have to worry about enduring hours of road filth and muck being sprayed up into their faces by the wheel in front. We also changed from doing the same loop each week to doing a different one each time so as to keeps things fresh and also discover some new roads.

There is of the course the staple of group rides, which is the café stop. However, even if you don’t want to do the entire winter training ride, you can always work out with a group when the proposed café stop is and meet up with them for that part of the ride. You could even set up just a specific meetup at a café that’s fairly central to a group of you, and then ride out just to meet up there.

For those getting slightly tired of the same old same old throughout the winter season, giving a new discipline a go is a great way of keeping things interesting as well as social. With the boom in gravel riding, a heap of new trails with no threat of road traffic are open to explore with other riders. 

Cyclocross and mountain biking present other opportunities for social riding while achieving some new skills. Track cycling is another great place to ride with groups and can avoid the winter weather for those looking to do that. All of these different cycling disciplines can also lead to meeting with and riding with new groups of people and building up your cycling community.

The summer is often a great time for people to get into cycling, with the nice weather, blue skies, big dose of sun and limited cause for punctures or bike cleaning. But for those riders who took up cycling in the summer, and are now faced with lower temperatures, wind, rain, and bike cleaning, there are two options. We can get properly kitted out to keep up cycling through the winter, or take up indoor cycling. 

But with the price of everything seeming to go up and up, what are the costs of either option? Which should you choose? And how can you achieve the best results for lowest cost for each option?

Riding outdoors over winter

When it comes to riding outdoors over the winter, there are several factors to consider to make it the most enjoyable experience possible. With the temperatures being cooler, we need to optimise our clothing and change from the shorts and jersey of the summer. 

The minimum needed for riding in temperatures down to about 10˚C are a solid pair of arm and leg warmers, plus a thicker cycling base layer to ensure you stay warm enough. This is to keep your core temperature in the right range and also ensure ideal muscle function as cold legs are not as powerful. It’s normally a good shout to get a packable waterproof jacket as well, since it’s easy to take on rides as well as increasing the range of weather conditions you can comfortably ride in. 

For temperatures between 0-10˚C, heavier duty thermal kit will likely be needed. This means thermal jerseys or a winter jacket, plus fleece backed bib tights, and likely an even thicker base layer with insulating gloves for your hands, plus overshoes for feet. You can even get winter specific shoes! With all of these items, prices can vary significantly, and more expensive does not necessarily mean better performance or function.

There are other considerations to take when riding outdoors, especially if riding before or after work. A good set of the best bike lights will be essential for safety, both for being able to see and being seen. One of the other most common issues with riding through the winter is the presence of more rain and dirt, which in turn can reduce the lifespan of components such as tires and drivetrain pieces. Cleaning your bike regularly is the best way to ensure that dirt and grime doesn’t build up and components last longer before they wear out. You can generally get away with a bike cleaning spray, degreaser, and a couple of brushes and a cloth. 

Beware of spraying degreaser around bearings though, as this will require these to be re-greased and serviced more regularly. Mudguards can help reduce the level of dirt and grime that builds up around the bike and improve lifespan of components, however this won’t sort the mucky drivetrain, but will keep your friends happier with you on the winter club rides.

On the topic of servicing, a lot of bikes nowadays come with integrated headset bearings. These look smart, clean, and have some aerodynamic gains, but they are also a mechanical headache. For this reason, it’s not uncommon for people to have a specific winter training bike. This will often include cheaper specification components, so replacements are cheaper, and easier servicing with non-integrated headsets, given that a headset service can cost upwards of £100 with the time required now. Winter tires with better puncture protection will also be worthwhile with fewer stops to fix punctures, as well as lasting longer than faster and more supple race tyres.

Taking your cycling Indoors

The alternative to riding outdoors is to venture indoors for training. The bare essentials for this are your bike, and a wheel on trainer, which even with power measurements can be purchased relatively cheaply. However, you will likely need to get a turbo training tyre, which will be thicker and have a longer lifespan on this type of indoor trainer. 

Clothing wise a pair of shorts and your cycling shoes are the necessaries, however indoor specific clothing can make things more comfortable. You can increase the resistance and improve the ride feel of your trainer, as well as integrate with smart training apps, by spending a little more on a direct drive smart trainer, which have started to drop in price significantly the last couple of years.

When it comes to smart trainers though, price can get higher and higher depending on accuracy, ride feel due to greater inertia, and features like lateral and fore/aft movement with the Wahoo KICKR Move and Tacx Neo 3M. It is worth considering though that using a standard carbon frame on a turbo can cause excessive stress on parts of the frame such as the bottom bracket, potentially causing damage. 

Some bike brands suggest not using their carbon frames on turbo trainers, and won't offer warranties on frames used on direct drive turbos. Sweat also builds up indoors a lot and has the potential to corrode and damage both carbon and metal components. Options to avoid all this are to invest more money into a smart bike, of which there are plenty such as the Wattbike Proton, or to get a specific bike for using indoors. I used to use an old training bike with a hole in one of the chain stays which worked for 6 years, although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using a broken bike. One of the latest options is the Zwift Ride indoor bike, however this is indoor use only, and limited both in the compatible trainers as well as software.

That brings us on to the other additions to indoor training. Indoor cycling has seen a huge boom over the last 10 years, driven in part to the popularity of apps such as Zwift, SYSTM, Rouvy and MyWhoosh. These are all subscription based with varying prices, and also require a phone, or for a larger screen a tablet, laptop or even a TV setup. From personal experience, and many others, these apps can make training indoors a lot more engaging, fun, and even social! You can also make it a far more enjoyable experience cycling indoors with a good fan. There are smart fan options available, but cheaper alternatives do work pretty much as well as them.

So which is better value?

All of this has the potential to sound incredibly daunting to riders who got into cycling over the summer, and are now working out how best to make the experience enjoyable over winter without excessive cost.

My recommendations for indoor cycling for the minimum are to use your current bike, but change out the tyres for heavier duty winter ones, and make sure you clean your drivetrain each time it gets dirty. Learning some basic bike maintenance and mechanical skills will also save a lot of money in the long run, and are free to do. As for kit, a thermal jersey, deep winter base layer, warm gloves and overshoes, a pair of thermal tights, and a packable waterproof will cover pretty much all weather eventualities. For riding in the dark, a powerful front and rear light will keep things safe.

For indoors, a cheaper direct drive smart trainer and a music stand to place a laptop will make for an effective and easy training base with entertainment centre. Add to that a pair of shorts and a towel and clothing is all sorted, plus a standard fan and sweat catcher to make things more comfortable and keep your bike protected. You can always add to these starting points in the future, but these initial setups should provide a good base for effective winter riding both outdoors and indoors.

We've put together a triplet of menus below to - in very broad terms - compare the costs. One basic setup, with just enough to get you going, a mid range scenario where you want some decent kit to have an enjoyable time, and a money-no-object setup involving new bikes, wall mounted screens, and high end gear. 

Budget option

Indoor - 

Using your own bike: £0

Wheel on Wahoo KICKR Snap: £299.99

Schwalbe Indoor turbo training tyre: £32

Honeywell TurboForce Power fan: £20.99

Using your summer shorts: £0

Total: £352.98

Outdoor - 

Use your current bike: £0 (but expect maintenance costs)

Cleaning product: ~£35-50/year

Van Rysel Winter cycling tights: £34.99

Van Rysel Winter cycling jacket: £34.99

Van Rysel essential base layer: £9.99

Van Rysel thermal gloves: £19.99

Van Rysel waterproof jacket: £19.99

Continental Gatorskin folding tyre: £37.99 per tyre

Total: £235.93

Mid range option

Indoor - 

Zwift Ride smart frame: £749

Wahoo KICKR: £939.99

Jetblack Smart fan: £119

Zwift Subscription: £179.99/year or £17.99/month

Turbo towel: £10

Total: £1,997.98

Outdoor - 

Specialized Allez with Shimano Claris: £1000

SKS Blummels mudguard set: £42

Pirelli P Zero Race 4S TLR tyres: £80 per tyre

Cleaning product: ~£35-50/year

Rapha Core Winter Jacket: £140

Rapha Core Tights: £150

Rapha Core waterproof: £140

Rapha Winter overshoes: £65

Rapha Pro Team Winter gloves: £75

Total: £1,686

High end option

Indoor - 

Tacx Neo Bike Plus: £3499

Apple TV 4K: £149

LG C4 55 inch OLED evo 4K HDR Smart TV: £1399

Zwift Subscription: Zwift Subscription: £179.99/year or £17.99/month

Total: £5,226.99

Outdoor - 

Assos Mille GTO Tights: £420

Assos Equipe RS Johdah Winter Jacket S9 Targa: £635

Assos Mille GTO Fuchsröhre shell: £345

Assos GTO Ultraz winter themo rain gloves: £165

Assos GT Ultraz winter booties Evo: £95

Ribble Allroad SLR Hero: £8299

Fizik Tempo Artica R5 GTX Road shoe: £260

Cleaning product: ~£35-50/year

Total: £10,259

With the seasons changing, a lot of us will be swapping the road for indoor training. For a lot of indoor cyclists, Zwift is one of the most popular indoor training platforms that people use with a multitude or virtual worlds and routes. A big part of the appeal of Zwift is the inclusion of virtual famous climbs that we can test ourselves on for personal bests, against our friends, or see how we compare to the fastest riders in the world. But just how realistic are these virtual climbs compared to the real thing? To discover what differences there are between them, we’ve looked in detail at Box Hill, Alpe d'Huez (du Zwift), and Mt Ventoux (Ventop) to see how they compare.

Box Hill

One of the most ridden Strava segments in the entire world (ridden 1,404,940 times by 128,680 people), Box Hill hit international fame with its inclusion in the 2012 London Olympic Games Road race route. Tackled nine times in the men’s race and twice in the women’s, while also being a staple of the Ride London sportive while it did the southern loop. The climb features two switchbacks and an average gradient of 5.2% on the official Strava segment over 2.29km with 119m elevation gain.

The Verified Zwift segment is ever so slightly different, with the KOM starting around 300m earlier and finishing 500m later giving a total length of 3.01km with 136m elevation gain and 4.4% average gradient. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to compare the KOMs between the two, since the Zwift segment appears to have some anomalous results at the top of the leaderboard. 

But let’s take some known results - Back in 2020, while I was racing for a UCI team, my best time virtually was 5:31 with a vertical ascent in meters (VAM) of 1477 with a power of 464w and weight of 72kg, giving an average speed of 32.8kph. Funnily enough I did more power on another attempt but the fastest was mid-Erace showing the benefit of virtual drafting.

The current real KOM is held by Dom Jackson who did 4:05, 518w, 1750 VAM, and held 33.7kph average speed. This was done with a team leading out over specific parts of the course and planning every element of the attempt. Even faster genuine times up the Zwift version are not as fast as this, even when accounting for the shorter distance of the real KOM. 

Some of this is may be down to weather, as the real climb can be positively impacted by a north-north westerly wind, whereas in the virtual world tailwinds are not a factor. In the virtual world there is no traffic impact though, be that for better or worse, and doesn’t require a fairly grim slog through the city to reach the segment.

Alpe d’Huez

Another iconic climb, made famous by its inclusion in the 1952 Tour de France, and since then more than 30 reappearances as well as the finale of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes where Kasia Niewiadoma held on to her Yellow Jersey after Demi Vollerings relentless onslaught. The Strava segment has been tackled 335,949 times by 171,422 people and is 12.02km long, has 1047m elevation gain, and an average gradient of 8.8%. Alpe Du Zwift on the other hand is 12.22km, 8.5% gradient, and 1047m elevation gain.

Looking at the two segments, they track very similarly, however the virtual one is rotated about 90 degrees to the left from the starting point. The KOM time for the real climb is held by Sepp Kuss with a time of 36:05 putting out 374w with a VAM of 1741.5 and average speed of 20kph. Again, I set my best time back in 2020, and managed a shocking similar time of 35:33 with 418w at 72kg with an average speed of 20.6km, but sadly only in the virtual world. I know for a fact I am not as fast as Sepp Kuss up climbs and never have been! 

Kuss did his effort on stage 12 of the Tour de France, 154.5km into the stage after 4 hours and 31 minutes of racing. It was also 33 degrees average and 38 degrees on the climb. The two efforts are not comparable in any way. I will also add the fastest Zwift segment time is 30:54, more than 5 minutes faster than the fastest world tour riders so it is perhaps safe to say that the digital version is an easier beast to tackle. 

It’s also worth considering that the real climb starts at an elevation of 728m and finishes at 1776m, so altitude may have an impact on performance. Additionally it is traditionally a bit of a heat trap so hot temperatures along with the limited airflow of slower speeds can really affect power output and the onset of fatigue. Finally, I did my effort using level mode, where you use the same gear and just sit at a power. No variations, better chain line efficiency, bigger gears so greater inertia, and no variable speed with changes in gradient on switchbacks.

Mt Ventoux

Finally we have a more recent addition to Zwift, and a climb famous for its use in the Tour de France since 1951 with 16 further inclusions, and infamous as the place where Tom Simpson lost his life during the 1967 event. The Zwift version is the climb from Bédion and via Chalet Reynard, as there are three official routes up to the summit of the climb. The real climb has been taken on 241,830 times by 162,565 people. It is 20.75km long, 8.1% average gradient, and climbs 1564m in total. By comparison, the virtual climb is 19.05km long, climbs 1480m at an average grade of 7.7%. The real climb seems to start a little earlier and also finish with the iconic steep right hander past the radio tower.

The real climb has a KOM time of 58:36 set in 2021 by Tadej Pogačar with a speed of 21.3kph and VAM of 1601. Richard Carapaz is second, 12 seconds further back but has power data showing an average power of 346 watts. This time is humbled by the Zwift time up the segment, with the KOM which features a realistic power, heart rate and cadence set by Olympic Rower and former eSports World Champ Jason Osbourne. His time was set in 2020 of 50:40 with an average power of 428 watts, 1748.4 VAM and 22.6kph average speed.

Similar principles apply here to Alpe d’Huez, with Pogačar’s KOM being set on stage 11 of the Tour de France after 4 hours of racing over 155.1km. Whereas the Zwift KOM was set after about 5 minutes of riding. Other factors include the real temperature being 28˚C average and 34˚C peak, as well as a peak altitude of 1881m having an altitude effect. 

Mont Ventoux is also traditionally a very wind affected climb, with headwinds across the exposed top. Using MyWindSock to analyse the GPX file, we can see that there was actually a tailwind for most of the climb on the longer first section, before the traditional headwind across the top. Yet this time is still obliterated by the virtual assault on the Giant of Provence.

So how alike are they?

As far as the climbs themselves go, Zwift's virtual ones are pretty good imitations of the real deals. The changes in gradient are pretty consistent with the real versions, while the lengths and routes are very similar albeit with some extra run-in or another final twist or turn between the two. 

The biggest differences come more from the physics of indoor vs outdoor climbs. The virtual climbs lack the same changes in gradient with result in us having to use our gearing more to maintain optimal power and cadence. Riding indoors also removes the necessity for muscles to work in stabilising us on the bike as we cycle at lower speeds so we don't have the additional fatigue element of this. The impact of smaller gear ratios used when climbing in reality rather than virtually also result in an efficiency loss as well as reduced inertia. Finally, real world heat and altitude affecting performance ceilings whereas indoors neither of those present as much of an issue for most of us with a fan. This also likely contributes to the longer real world climbs having significantly slower KOMS than the virtual ones and why the shorter climbs are more similar between the two. 

Another element is when the KOMs were set. It’s no surprise that the only KOM that is more consistent between virtual and real world was set not two weeks into a stage race or after 4 hours of racing. Although the virtual times up the Alpe and Ventoux are impressive, they are not an accurate reflection of World Tour pros being bested by high level eRacers. I think most of us would put money on Pogačar putting minutes into any eRacer's time up Alpe du Zwift with his own fresh legged assault on Alpe d'Huez.

If you’re trying to choose between MyWhoosh and Zwift, the choice is more difficult than ever. MyWhoosh is increasingly snapping at the heels of Zwift and it has one key advantage: it's free.

While apps such as Rouvy and Bkool offer a slightly different experience from Zwift, MyWhoosh works in a way that's very close to Zwift.

Both MyWhoosh and Zwift allow you to ride in a variety of virtual worlds, with your avatar shown on bikes and in kit that you can customise, with added customisation available via points earned in-game, although you can also use real money to buy upgrades in MyWhoosh, but not in Zwift.

Both offer a range of workouts and training plans, as well as the chance to join group rides or race against other riders. Both include workout builders so that you can create a custom session.

So how would you choose between Zwift and MyWhoosh? We’ll run through the main differences between these two of the best indoor cycling apps to help you decide if MyWhoosh is the best Zwift alternative.

Lots of routes to ride 

MyWhoosh has increased the number of worlds it offers for you to ride in, as well as the number of routes in each world, at a faster rate than Zwift, although it still lags behind its competitor here.

You can now ride in ten worlds in MyWhoosh with a total of 74 routes, as of October 2024. Although most worlds are based on real places, MyWhoosh World is totally imaginary, with volcanoes, jungles and other landscapes. Other worlds include California and Australia, although desert landscapes still dominate, with Arabia, Abu Dhabi and AlUla all featuring.

Zwift’s equivalent of MyWhoosh World is Watopia, which again features fantastical imaginary landscapes. It’s one of a current total of 12 Zwift worlds and 120 routes, as of October 2024. Options include a southern Japanese island landscape and New York. Note though, that at any one time, only three of the worlds are available to ride: Watopia and two others.

MyWhoosh too has started to ration its world’s availability. You can ride MyWhoosh World and AlUla any day of the week, but other worlds are available on specific days only. As with Zwift, this is designed to prevent riders from being too spread out in game and increase the chances of interaction with other users.

Different hardware requirements 

You can ride both MyWhoosh and Zwift on a wide range of smart trainers, but only Zwift supports riders using just a speed sensor and a cadence sensor with a non-smart trainer, for a budget Zwift set-up. 

Both apps can be run on a wide range of computer, tablet and smartphone hardware, including Apple TV and both have a companion smartphone app, so if you want you can also just mount your phone to your bars and ride in the app. 

Different numbers of companions and competitors 

As the dominant player in indoor cycling, there are over a million active users of Zwift. That size allows you to find other riders to ride with or compete against at any hour of the day and night. 

Although growing, MyWhoosh’s user base is still significantly smaller than Zwift’s, so if you’re looking to ride with or race against others you’re probably going to need to organise your own group ride or join a race.

Different esport competition orientation 

MyWhoosh has targeted elite esports competitors with its large prize purses and its affiliation with the UCI for its esports world championships, which it has wrested from Zwift from 2024 to 2026. Its largest cash prize pool totalled over $1 million and the Sunday Race Club offers up to $50,000 for each month’s winning team and $10,000 for the elite-level individual winner. 

Although there are plenty of pros on Zwift – its headline riders in 2024 include Mathieu van der Poel and Kasia Niewiadoma – there’s also a big amateur contingent. Zwift does offer prize money and real cycling hardware as prizes for some events, but the value of these is much lower than on MyWhoosh. Mostly the rewards are virtual.

For wannabe pros, Zwift does have the allure of the Zwift Academy though and the prize of a pro contract, while there’s no equivalent in MyWhoosh. 

Different game hardware purchase options

Although its primary focus remains its game, Zwift is increasingly branching out into hardware, offering a turnkey solution for new users. Its Zwift Cog offers virtual shifting and the Zwift Ride with Kickr Core is a complete indoor bike set-up. You can use its Zwift Play controllers for in-game power-ups, steering and other control functions.

MyWhoosh focuses on its software platform, so you need to choose and buy your own set-up to ride on MyWhoosh, although it does offer guidance on what you need.

Different pricing 

One of MyWhoosh’s key attractions is that it’s free. 

In contrast, you’ll pay £17.99/$19.99 a month for a Zwift membership. You can also pay annually, which gives you the equivalent of 12 months for the price of ten.

If you relish a bit of variety though, there’s no reason not to run both apps and it won’t cost you any more than just riding on Zwift.

There was a time when us cyclists faced  a bit of a grim choice when the seasons changed. You either continued to ride outside, getting cold, wet, and straining your eyes to see by the dim glow of a half-charged bike light, or you put your bike on an old, dumb magnetic wheel-on trainer and rode indoors with nothing to entertain yourself besides the entirely un-natural feel of having your bike locked in place and a real wheel constantly slipping despite having a turbo tyre fitted.

Fortunately for us, that world has been consigned to the history books, in no small part due to the rapidly proliferating Wahoo ecosystem. The company that pioneered smart trainers for the masses has, in the last few years, brought to market enough peripheral tech and accessories to transform indoor training from a necessary drudgery for only the keenest athletes to something that many of us actually look forward to; so much so that it’s far from unusual for indoor training to be a year-round activity rather than just a winter necessity.

The thread that ties all of the latest Wahoo tech together is realism. By creating as immersive an experience as possible, with as few setup barriers as possible, you are more likely to enjoy the ride whenever you head indoors for your training. The more you enjoy it, the more you’ll ride, and the better an athlete you’ll become. 

How to create that immersive experience? Well, obviously compatibility with indoor training apps such as Zwift, but on the hardware front the great leap comes in the form of moveable, dynamic riding, rather than simply a static trainer. The latest Wahoo KICKR MOVE allows your bike to move both fore and aft and side to side, creating a more realistic ride feel that is also more comfortable. Riding out of the saddle always feels a little stilted on a static machine, but throw in some dynamism and once the virtual road starts to rise you can dance on the pedals just like you would outside. Generally speaking it’s a subtle movement, just adding a little bit for comfort, but it really comes into its own on harder efforts and sprints when you really start wanting to throw the bike around a little bit. 

The virtual road rising was previously only met with an increase in resistance at the rear wheel. Immersive for sure, especially with the KICKR’s dual axis motors providing such a smooth pedal feel, but perhaps lacking in a little realism. Enter the KICKR CLIMB. Swap your front wheel out for this moveable, lockable elevator and once you’ve paired it (in a matter of seconds it must be said) it will raise and lower your front wheel to match the on screen gradients, up to 20% uphill and -10% for descents. Not only does this feel more real, but it puts you in a more natural climbing position. More power, more comfort, better outcomes. The KICKR CLIMB is lockable, if you want to set it to a certain gradient, and controllable via an on bike remote. It even works with the KICKR MOVE smart trainer with a base adapter that allows it to rock, meaning you don’t have to choose between the two, and thanks to a whole suite of axle adapters there are very few bikes it won’t work with.

Sometimes it takes some unusual thinking to break the mould, especially in the world of cycling. 

Years ago I bet few of us would have banked on smart, integrated fans to cool us as we ride indoors, but with the KICKR HEADWIND that’s exactly what we’ve got. The days of starting an ugly white desk fan as you begin your warm up, often too chilly to start with and never quite powerful enough for those max efforts either when the chips are down. The KICKR HEADWIND sits on the floor, out of your eyeline and responds either to your virtual world of choice, or to your body. Paired with an indoor training app like Zwift and the HEADWIND will increase in power the faster you ride up to a furious 48km/h; surely the final piece of the realism puzzle. Not only that, but it can also be paired with your heart rate monitor: The harder you work, the harder it works to keep you cool and performing at your best. If you ever do want to control it manually though you can, just like the KICKR CLIMB. Four manual speeds can be chosen from the off for those days where you just want to get on and ride.

Whatever your level, and whatever your reason for heading indoors - be that traffic, time, weather, controllable training, or just that you like it - Wahoo has you covered to keep you immersed, for a fitter, faster, stronger you.

Given those of us in the northern hemisphere are plummeting out of the heady heights of summer and into the cold dark depths of winter, a discount on a fan probably isn't hard to come by, and certainly not something most of the population will be getting excited about. 

But this fan is unlike most. It's a Wahoo Kickr Headwind, and as anyone who's ridden indoors for more than about 10 minutes will tell you, it can be a game-changer. 

I own one of these fans, and it gets almost daily use. In fact, after a day of searching for the best Prime Day cycling deals yesterday, I decided to cap my day off with a 90-minute training ride (3 x 20-mins sweetspot if you care). The weather outside was rubbish, so off I toddled to the spare bedroom where my latest review trainer - the Zwift Ride, complete with a Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One - is set up, and there, staring me in the face, propped next to the TV on which I watched Sina Frei win the latest round of the UCI XCO World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, was the Kickr Headwind. 

It's an item I've had since around 2019, and it's been put through some serious hardship. It has suffered flooding and temperature swings of -8C to around +35C in its time, but it still goes (and blows) strong every time I ride inside.

I'll be honest and say that many other fans would easily do a similar job, especially the industrial fans that have a powerful flow with narrow air direction, rather than the massive round ones with huge propellers that blow air in a general direction, but its app-based controls and automation based on speed or heart rate are just some of the things that set it apart.

It's not the only indoor cycling deal worth looking at today, the final day of this latest Prime Day sale, but if you're looking to kit out your own spare bedroom (or garage, shed, wherever...) for a winter of indoor cycling, and you don't have a high-powered fan, then at least consider it. 

And if you are getting set up indoors for the first time, here's a collection of offers that we've pulled out of Amazon and elsewhere that we think are worth considering. These are all products that either my colleagues or I have personally used and rated highly. 

Quick deals

US

• Camelbak bottles: Up to 30% off
• Wahoo tech: Kickr Core for $425
• Garmin computers: 20% off Edge 1040
• Smartwatches: 20% off Epix Pro Gen 2
• Apple AirPods: 32% off AirPods Pro 2

UK

• Camelbak Bottles: Up to 42% off
• Bike lights: Up to 54% off Cateye
• Apple: AirPods Pro 2 just £179
• Garmin: Edge 530 at £181.99
• Muc-off: Cleaning kit for under £75

Indoor cycling deals - USA

Indoor cycling deals - UK

Other Prime Day deals

• Amazon Prime Day cycling deals
• Amazon Prime Day live
• Amazon Prime Day Garmin Deals
• Amazon Prime Day Lights Deals
• Sealskinz waterproof socks get 62% off in Prime Day sale
• Why this Camelbak bottle is the Prime Day deal that everyone should buy
• Prime Day Apple AirPods deal sees Pro 2 hit best-ever price
• I'm a bike mechanic and I've found one of the best bike toolkits on sale for Amazon Prime Day
• I've used this base layer every winter for ten years and it's nearly half price for Amazon Prime Day
• I wrote our bike lights buying guide and one of my favourites has a mega discount for Amazon Prime Day

Right now, you can pick up massive discounts across the Saris smart trainer range including its top-of-the-range model, the Saris H3 Plus, which seamlessly integrates with 12-speed drivetrains and carries a whopping $250 off the RRP. The H3 Plus also includes a month's free Rouvy virtual training app subscription and is certified for use on Zwift, BKOOL and other indoor cycling apps.

The Wisconsin-based brand mightn't carry the same clout as it once did, following a few tough years financially, but it still has some highly rated products, including the H3 Plus and the H3 direct drive trainers, and a range of 'wheel-on' smart and non-smart trainers all carrying similar excellent discounts.

Quick links

US

• Winter kit: 43% off Icebreaker 175
• Wahoo tech: Kickr Core for $425
• Smartwatches: 20% off Epix Pro Gen 2
• Apple AirPods: 32% off AirPods Pro 2
• Camelbak bottles: Up to 30% off

UK

• Bike lights: Up to 54% off Cateye
• Camelbak Bottles: Up to 42% off
• Apple: AirPods Pro 2 just £179
• Garmin: Edge 530 at £181.99
• Winter socks: Sealskinz under £14

Saris smart trainer deals

We've highlighted our choice of the best Saris smart trainer deals below, but if an indoor trainer isn't on your shopping list our Amazon Prime Day cycling deals hub is packed with the latest deals and is updating live as we find them.

Other discounted Saris products 

• Saris H3 – now available at $349.99
• Saris M2 Smart – now available at $299.99
• Saris Fluid 2 Smart – now available at $249
• Saris Mag – now available $99.99

Other Prime Day deals

• Amazon Prime Day cycling deals
• Amazon Prime Day live
• Amazon Prime Day Garmin Deals
• Amazon Prime Day Lights Deals
• Sealskinz waterproof socks get 62% off in Prime Day sale
• Why this Camelbak bottle is the Prime Day deal that everyone should buy
• Prime Day Apple AirPods deal sees Pro 2 hit best-ever price
• I'm a bike mechanic and I've found one of the best bike toolkits on sale
• My favourite bike light gets mega discount in Prime Day sale
• I've used this base layer every winter for ten years and it's nearly half price for Amazon Prime Day

Zwift is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and as part of its birthday bash, the indoor training app-turned-ecosystem is giving away a pair of Zwift Play handlebar-mounted controllers with every eligible smart trainer purchase. Initially, this offer was only set to run for a short time, but Zwift has just extended its giveaway until Monday 14th of October.

The Zwift Play controllers have an RRP of $99.99 / £99.99 and with the winter nights drawing in for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, many of us are getting back on The Turbo or considering delving into the virtual cycling world for the first time – which makes this deal very appealing and well timed.

Eligible products 

To take advantage of this offer, you’ll need to purchase one of the listed smart trainers from Zwift’s website.

• Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One
• Wahoo Kickr Core with cassette
• Wahoo Kickr
• Wahoo Kickr Move
• Wahoo Kickr Snap

Once a smart trainer and the Zwift Play controllers are added to the basket, Zwift says the discount will automatically be applied at the checkout. 

To be doubly sure, we checked and it works!

What is Zwift Play? 

Zwift Play allows you to control everything in Zwift from the convenience of your handlebars. That means there's no more reaching out for your smart device or keyboard and mouse while riding to dish out ride-ons, activate your power-ups or navigate the in-game menus. Plus, thanks to the new steering and braking controls, the gameplay is extra immersive.

It also unlocks virtual shifting for quiet and smooth gear changes on compatible smart trainers. Check out the Zwift comparison chart to see if your trainer is virtual-shifting compatible.

Other Amazon Prime Day deals

Although this Zwift offer isn't strictly an Amazon Prime Day deal, the big Prime Day discounts are currently active and below we've listed the best cycling deals we've found so far, including huge reductions on Zwift-certified Saris turbo trainers.

• Amazon Prime Day cycling deals
• Amazon Prime Day live
• Amazon Prime Day Garmin Deals
• Amazon Prime Day Lights Deals
• Saris goes big on Amazon Prime Day with price drops across its indoor trainer range
• Sealskinz waterproof socks get 62% off in Prime Day sale
• Why this Camelbak bottle is the Prime Day deal that everyone should buy
• Prime Day Apple AirPods deal sees Pro 2 hit best-ever price
• I'm a bike mechanic and I've found one of the best bike toolkits on sale

If you call the northern hemisphere home, summer is fast coming to a close and with it, long days and warm weather too. The sun is setting earlier and the temperature is on the decline, and for many of us, motivation to ride outside is starting to wane. 

For even the most motivated riders, the transition from endless warm, dry, and sunny miles to wet, windy, cold rides can be hard to swallow. When you add in the additional effort of keeping the bike clean and running smoothly, getting your winter kit clean and dry ahead of the next ride, and dealing with the added dangers of riding after dark, winter makes consistent riding a tough task. 

Luckily, the advent of Zwift means that rain, snow, or long nights should no longer discourage you from cycling. The convenience of riding indoors will enable you to keep up your summer routine, and with the social side of Zwift letting you join organised group rides and races or simply meet your friends, your regular group ride never needs to be rained off again. 

Since it first revolutionised indoor training in 2014 when it was first released, Zwift has established itself as the market-leading indoor cycling app, continually pioneering fun, immersive indoor cycling. 

Now, 10 years on, Zwift is synonymous with indoor training and following a flurry of launches in the past 18 months, boasts a range of hardware specifically designed to make getting onto Zwift easier than ever, and to ensure your experience when there is as fun and immersive as possible. 

As Zwift says, "'Zwift is the App that Makes Indoor Cycling Fun," so here are seven ways in which Zwift can transform the cold, dark winter of cycling outdoors ahead into a fun, immersive experience that will help you get faster in the process. 

1. Consistency is key

There is no getting around it, the most critical element to any progress in cycling is consistently putting in the work. If you stop riding, your fitness will deteriorate, and if you ride more, the chances are it'll improve! 

But whether your goals are focussed on your cycling performance, shedding a few pounds, or you simply want to keep riding because it makes you happier, the same principle applies that the fewer hurdles to overcome in order to ride, the better off you'll be.

One of the great benefits of Zwift is how easily it makes fitting a ride into a busy schedule. When your bike is set up already, it is easy to hop on and complete a constructive 30-40-minute structured training session or a social group ride without needing kit up, plan a route, prepare the bike, charge your lights, and so on. You don't even need to leave the house, and given the time it takes to dress for a winter ride sometimes, you might have even finished before you'd have otherwise been out the door.

What's more, for those with children or a busy and unpredictable schedule, being able to squeeze in a ride in at impromptu moments can help with your consistency week to week. 

Whether you choose to 'Just Ride' in 10 of Zwift's available worlds (there are 12 in total, but two are exclusive to events), 'Workout Anytime' using one of Zwift's hundreds of workouts, or join an event with real people from around the world, there's something for everyone at every stage of their cycling journey, no matter how much time you have to ride. 

You could even enrol in one of the platform's 17 available training plans to build your fitness, such as Fast Track Fitness with its sub-30-minute workouts or at the other end of the spectrum, Active Offseason pushing you upwards via eight hours per week of structured work. Whichever you choose, this takes a lot of the brain work out of planning a ride and allows you to be on the bike training in no time. 

2. Indoor cycling is safer and more efficient

It might be a well-trodden discussion, but there's no getting around the fact that training indoors is the way to go if you want safe, high-quality workouts.

When following an interval session on real roads, your intervals can easily be interrupted by a junction, traffic lights or slow-moving cars, forcing you to cut them short and in turn, cut down on the training stimulus you're out there trying to achieve. Or you might find yourself riding up a hill when between intervals, forcing you to ride harder than you want to, adding stress and ruining your recovery ahead of the next effort.

That's before we get to the safety aspect too. Riding in winter after dark on wet and potentially icy roads can present a safety risk that could derail your training plan entirely.

With Zwift, you can complete your training sessions from the comfort of your own home, without any of the risks and with minimal interruption to your sessions. 

Zwift's Erg Mode also provides you with a constant resistance, when riding both uphill and down, allowing you to maximise the time available to train and not waste a moment.

3. Ready-to-ride simplicity and convenience

Riding through winter is harsh on any bike. They need cleaning after almost every ride, while your kit gets filthy and your shoes get wet. Ensuring everything is ready to go again on your next ride can be a military operation that takes extra time which you could have spent riding. 

And that's before we consider the extra cost of servicing due to the wear and tear on components from the road salt, grit and rainwater. 

Instead, taking your training indoors with Zwift removes all that grit and grime from the equation, while bringing about a host of other benefits. 

Of course, it is worth mentioning that indoor riding comes with its own considerations, and you will still need to look after your bike from salt corrosion caused by sweat, but that's where Zwift Ride comes in. Available as a complete package with the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One, or as a standalone smart frame package for those who already have a compatible indoor trainer, it can be the perfect upgrade to protect your outdoor bike.

Because Zwift Ride essentially takes the place of your bike, mounting onto an indoor trainer to provide the rest of the equation, it removes your bike from any sweat-related issues, while also doing away with the hassle of needing to traipse your dirty bike through the house to mount it onto the trainer.

Zwift Ride is always there and ready for use, complete with virtual shifting courtesy of the in-built rechargeable handlebar-mounted controls (20 hours run time) and seamless setup thanks to Zwift Cog, you can easily configure the gearing to match your bike, helping to fully immerse you in your virtual surroundings.

4. Train on terrain that you don’t have on your doorstep

Unfortunately, a lot of us are not privileged enough to have endless alpine climbs at our doorstep. If you are training for an alpine event next year like the Marmotte or l’Etape du Tour, or simply want to improve at cycling up hills, getting the right training in on your home roads can be a tough ask. 

But in much the same way that Zwift can create perfect interval sessions to maximise your training efficiency, it can also replicate the gradient of world famous climbs to let you experience them from the comfort of your home. 

Being able to replicate the demands of an event is the best way to prepare both your body and mind. Along with virtual climbs such as Epic KOM and The Grade, Zwift also features some of the most iconic climbs from around the world, such as an Alpe d'Huez replica – Alpe du Zwift – as well as Mont Ventoux. 

What's more, there's also a list of famous climbs featured in Zwift's Climb Portal, including the pro cyclist training stalwart Rocacorba, Richie Porte's favourite Willunga Hill, and even Cyclingnews' local, Cheddar Gorge.

This allows riders to tackle an ever-growing library of real-world ascents with one climb changing every few days whilst another remains the climb of the month allowing you to test your climbing legs. 

5. Zwift has multi-rider households covered

In the past, riders looking to share an indoor training setup have struggled, and it's often been easier for both riders to invest in their own set ups, doubling the household cost. 

For example, if one is running 12-speed and the other is using 11-speed then this meant repeated cassette changes and an investment in time before and after a ride that made it hard to justify. 

Now though, with Zwift Ride, riders from 152cm to 198cm can share the same indoor cycling setup without the need to swap anything over at all. Just adjust the saddle height, handlebar height and handlebar reach using the included Frame Key tool, and you'll be ready to ride in seconds. 

Alternatively, if you'd still prefer to use your own bike, The Zwift Click & Zwift Cog upgrade kit allows almost universal compatibility of bikes via a single-speed sprocket and virtual shifting. 

Zwift Ride, Zwift Click and Zwift Cog have a growing list of compatible smart trainers. For a full list, check out the Zwift website. 

6. Control your experience from your bars 

If you are a social Zwifter or a racer then you are more than likely familiar with the Zwift companion app to hand out a Ride-On to fellow riders or to deploy a PowerUp at a crucial point in a race. 

But fumbling with your phone or your keyboard while trying to ride is easier said than done, especially in the midst of a hard race. Fumble no more, as the Zwift Play Controllers are the perfect upgrade for riders looking for control in Zwift from their bars. 

The Play controllers clip onto the hoods of your bike and allow riders to control their route and menus all from the comfort of your natural riding position meaning no more reaching for your phone or laptop mid-ride. While the Zwift Play controllers are available as an aftermarket addition to compatible trainers, those using the Zwift Frame sporting these controls integrated into the bars allowing for easier than ever in-app navigation. 

For riders that either already have Zwift Cog, or are looking to invest in one, it is worth noting that the Zwift Play controllers can also take care of the virtual shifting, bringing it all into a neat ergonomic package. 

7. Incredible, evergrowing value

At £179.99 / €199.99 / $199.99 per year or £17.99 / €19.99 / $19.99 per month, a winter season of riding on Zwift will cost you less than a set of winter tyres, less than a gym membership of similar duration, and less than a replacement for those drivetrain components that would otherwise be worn down with a winter's worth of use.

Although the hardware to get set up on Zwift requires an upfront outlay, that cost is significantly less than it was just a few years ago. While it might not have the allure of 'new bike day' - even a winter bike specifically bought for riding in bad weather - a smart trainer and a Zwift subscription could transform your winter and help you arrive in Summer '25 fitter than ever.

And with Zwift's neverending desire to improve, be that through additional worlds, new features or its evergrowing library of events and workouts, your value for money never stops improving.

What's more, use code CYCLINGZ10 at Zwift.com/shop for 10% off the Zwift Ride, Zwift Frame and all Wahoo KICKR CORE variants, with or without bundled membership. 

Code Expires 31/12/2024, is for use on select trainers for sale on Zwift.com/shop. One use per customer while supplies last. Code cannot be combined with other offers or redeemed for cash. Offer void where prohibited.

Riding your bike indoors is considered by many to be a winter-only affair, but for professional cyclists, aspiring amateurs, and pretty much everyone else in between, it can be so much more. 

For those training for an event, ROUVY is a popular indoor cycling app that can let you undertake hyper-specific training sessions to drive the exact adaptations required to hit your goals. It can also take you to far-flung corners of the world in an instant, let you engage in a like-minded community of fellow cyclists, and allow you to race against your peers. Best of all, it allows you to do all that from the comfort of your own home, totally devoid of all the risks that come with cycling outdoors. 

No matter which of the above attracts you the most, be that ROUVY's series of training plans and workouts, events, or route-creation tools, you're in the right place. 

Here at Cyclingnews, we are experts in indoor cycling with thousands of hours of turbo time completed between us. We convert that experience into advice for you, our readers, rounding up everything from buying advice on the best smart trainers to guidance on the best indoor cycling apps. 

We've also compiled a selection of training advice, for example, guidance on strength training, optimised nutrition, and how core temperature regulation can benefit your performance. 

Three GoPros and a lot of driving: Riding along with Rouvy’s route creation team at the Vuelta a España

We take a look at how the augmented reality routes are created and get a sneak peek of the future of the platform.

Strength training for cyclists: How resistance training can enhance cycling performance and prevent injuries

Investing in training away from the bike can transform your ability and make you a more rounded athlete.

If you are looking to step up your training and want to increase your performance, one of the best places to start is with your bike nowhere in sight. Strength training stimulates your muscles in a way that is hard to replicate simply by riding and can go a long way to eliminate any imbalances and prevent injuries. 

The importance of nutrition in cycling performance: Dietary strategies for optimal performance and recovery

Cycling performance is an intricate combination of key elements, from your physical training to mental health, through to on-bike skills and your bike fit. In and amongst all of these is arguably the most important element for both performance and general health, but it is also the one with seemingly the most contradicting information whenever you head online. Nutrition. 

In this feature, WorldTour nutritionist Dr Sam Impey shares simple and easy strategies to get the most from your riding. 

The role of motivation and goal setting in cycling: How to set goals and stay motivated without burning out

Cycling is a sport that heavily rewards consistency with regular training as the cornerstone of any good training plan. Motivation is the underpinning element that is arguably the most important if you are looking to maximise your performance with everything else stemming from a place of motivation.

Ride the world without leaving home with ROUVY

Discover how indoor cycling app ROUVY brings famous cycle routes to life with the power of high-quality video and augmented reality technology. Let ROUVY bring the iconic cycling locations of the world to you at home.

Take on the Vuelta a España with ROUVY's La Vuelta Virtual routes

The climbs of the Spanish Grand Tour are among 25,000km of real-world roads available on the indoor cycling app.

Keep it cool: The importance of temperature regulation in indoor training

A look at why indoor riding feels harder and how to do it more comfortably.

What is VO2 Max and how does it affect our performance?

We take a look at what VO2 Max is with the help of a cycling coach.

Do pro cyclists train indoors? Looking at how WorldTour pros use indoor cycling over winter

Even pros living in Monaco need to take to the turbo.

Mindful miles: How indoor workouts can benefit mental health

Take time for some more relaxed indoor workouts to increase your enjoyment.

How it works: The science behind indoor cycling calorie burn and physiological adaptation

Indoor cycling can boost your performance once you head outdoors.

The science of sweat: The health benefits of cycling indoors

Even when the weather is great it may be worth continuing to ride indoors.

Wattbike has added not one, but two new indoor bikes to its range, with the launch of the Wattbike Proton and Wattbike Air. Both are lower priced than Wattbike’s flagship model Atom, at £1,795 and £1,895 respectively. 

Both also give you access to Wattbike’s subscription-free training hub, which offers workouts and training plans. Wattbike says that it has revamped the Wattbike Hub’s contents to coincide with the launch of the new training bikes.

But why bring out two new indoor bikes with just £100 difference in their price? 

The Proton is a smart bike with magnetic resistance that can be app-controlled and competes with the best smart bikes and is designed for indoor cycling. 

The Air is a non-smart model with fan-based resistance aimed at cross-trainers and team sports players wanting to work on their peak power and fitness generally.

Wattbike Proton smart bike 

The Wattbike Proton is a smartbike that uses an electromagnetic resistance system and the same patented power meter system as used on the rest of Wattbike’s range. 

Wattbike claims that its smart bikes often have multiple users in a household, so adjustability is vital. The Proton has been designed around tool-free adjustment to fit a range of rider heights, with the saddle height adjustable from 49.8cm to 82.7cm and a wide range of ride positions. The Proton also has a much lower step-over height than the Atom.

The Proton has a lower peak resistance level of 1800 watts, as against the Atom’s 2500 watts. However, not many of us will need to worry about those sorts of numbers. It ramps up resistance more gently too, so Wattbike recommends the Atom for competitive road cyclists and those racing online. 

Both the Proton and the Atom can simulate gradients up to 25 percent and have the same 8.05kg flywheel weight and ANT+ and BLE connectivity.

You can hook the Proton up to a wide range of the best indoor cycling apps, including Zwift, Rouvy and also to Strava, as well as the Wattbike Hub.

At present, the Wattbike Proton is only available via Wattbike’s site in the UK, but the brand says that availability in other markets will follow.

The new Wattbike Air indoor bike 

Wattbike is also launching the Air model, which can be pre-ordered now, with delivery scheduled for 7 October 2024. 

It’s a non-smart bike, meaning no connectivity with mobile devices or training apps. It uses Wattbike’s fan-based resistance system, which the brand says reacts smoothly, progressively and immediately to all-out efforts. Peak resistance is 2500 watts. 

Wattbike already has an air resistance trainer, the Pro/Trainer, but this is considerably more expensive and targeted at gym and club users. The Wattbike Air brings this tech to a lower, more home-user-friendly price point. While the Pro/Trainer has added features including magnetic resistance and a monitor, the Wattbike Air strips these out. 

Wattbike says its target users include team sports players and CrossFit enthusiasts, who are aiming to increase their peak strength and power. It also suggests that the Air will be good for low-resistance rehab. 

As such, it targets the same market as spin bikes and non-smart exercise bikes. Wattbike says that the Air is useful for high-intensity and HIIT training, while the Proton is designed to compete more with smartbikes and trainers.

As with the Wattbike Proton, availability will be UK-only initially, with pre-orders open for delivery from 7 October. 

Now more smart bike options 

The exercise bike market is heating up. While it used to be the preserve of pricey models such as the £3,500 Wahoo Kickr Bike and the similarly priced Tacx Neo Bike Plus, more lower-priced options are appearing, including the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift.

Zwift has its new Ride smart bike, which is priced at £750 and docks to a smart turbo trainer to form a complete modular indoor bike. It has just announced broader compatibility with a wider range of smart trainers, including the Elite Diretto and the V6 Wahoo Kickr, adding to the Wahoo Kickr Core with which it was launched.

If you have space for a dedicated smart bike, the price differential with a top-tier smart trainer is now not that great.

The Wattbike Proton is priced at £1,795 and the Wattbike Air at £1,895, as against the Atom’s price of £2,395, although the Atom is currently discounted to £2,145.

It’s 10 years since Zwift launched. Over that time, the indoor cycling app says that collectively its users have covered 8.72 billion kilometres and climbed 81.56 billion metres, with over four million events organised on the platform.

To celebrate, it’s announced a series of updates to the platform, as well as its forward calendar of events and challenges going into 2025. More on that later. 

At the same time, the Zwift Ride smart bike and Zwift virtual shifting are opened up to a range of new trainers, including the Wahoo Kickr V6, and there’s new backwards compatibility so you can upgrade your existing trainer to work with Zwift’s hardware. 

Zwift Ride can be bought stand-alone for the first time, so you can link it to your existing smart trainer to convert it into a full-blown indoor bike.

You’ll also be able to buy the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One and the Zwift Cog and Click from Wahoo dealers and choose whether to buy with or without a Zwift subscription.

New hardware compatibility for virtual shifting 

Zwift has expanded its Zwift Click virtual shifting and Zwift Cog to a wider range of trainers. Initially launched with the Wahoo Kickr Core, it’s now available with other Kickr trainers as well as trainers from other brands, including JetBlack, Elite and Decathlon.

Some of these trainers will be sold pre-installed with the Zwift Cog and with the Zwift Click controller included in the box.

From this month, you’ll be able to buy not just the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One, but also the V6 Wahoo Kickr and the Kickr Move, as well as the JetBlack Victory trainer with Zwift’s hardware. Later this year, Zwift Cog and Click will be available with the Elite Direto and Decathlon's £240 Van Rysel D100 trainer too.

If you have one of these trainers already, all the above, plus the retired Zwift Hub, can also be upgraded to work with Zwift’s hardware. Zwift says that there will be additional upgradable trainers announced too.

To make it easier for you to spot a trainer that’s compatible if you’re buying one new, there’s a new Zwift Ready label that will be applied to trainers that will work with Zwift’s hardware.

Zwift Ride smart frame available to buy separately 

When it was originally launched, Zwift Ride only came as a package with the Kickr Core. It’s now available to purchase without a trainer so that you can mount it to one of the above Zwift Ready trainers. It’s priced at £749.99 / $799.99 / €799.99.

The Zwift Ride smart frame has been enhanced to work with these trainers. Updates include a new adjustable front foot so that the ride height can be changed to match the trainer. 

There’s a new V2 Zwift Cog included with the Zwift Ride frame, which allows it to be indexed for better chain alignment and quieter running. 

Zwift Ride is compatible with all the Zwift Ready trainers above, although the Wahoo Kickr Move must be locked in its fixed position to work.

You can buy the Zwift Cog and Zwift Click as a bundle to upgrade your trainer. The pair are priced at £79.99 / $79.99 / €79.99.

New Zwift software features and forward events programme

While Zwift has been working on its hardware, it’s not neglected its software, with a range of enhancements to the platform and its series of events going into 2025 also announced. 

Updates to heads-up display functionality 

Zwift has updated the on-screen data displayed when riding. There’s now a choice of seven metrics, including average watts, watts per kilogram, heart rate and cadence. If you’re into running on Zwift, the runners’ heads-up display has also received a refresh. 

New roads in Watopia 

Zwift will be adding new roads to Watopia in November during its Tour of Watopia, with its best new landscape features saved until the Stage 5 finale. It promises three distance options, double XP for live events and 1.5x XP if you choose to ride the stages on demand. 

Updates to Zwift Garage 

A series of update challenges will allow you to upgrade your bike, if your virtual machine is holding you back. Earn Drops and you can make your bike lighter, more aero, lower its rolling resistance and make other enhancements – cheaper than upgrading your real bike.

If you’ve got Drops to burn, you can swap them for a halo bike, such as a Pinarello Espada. It may be your only chance to ride a non-UCI legal bike in competition and Zwift says it will only offer its halo bikes to its most loyal Drop Shop customers.

New challenges 

There’s a range of new challenges in September, with the first being Cardio Crusher, which launches on 9 September. This includes five sub-60 minute workouts with 250 XP on offer on completing them all.

October 3 will see the unveiling of Route Crusher: The Grade. This includes five routes, of which three are new, with new badges on offer on completion.

Zwift promises additional challenges in the coming months.

Zwift Camp: Baseline 

Running from 18 November to 5 January, this workout programme includes six workouts. Finish the six and Zwift will provide you with a report that highlights your strengths and weaknesses as a rider, with new challenges available to help you develop. 

Zwift Racing calendar 

Zwift has announced its racing calendar for the next season too. It’s split into four sections: Z-Racing Monthly, Zwift Racing League, Zwift World Series and Zwift Games. 

Z-Racing Monthly gives you new routes each month.

Zwift Racing League runs from September 2024 to February 2025, over three rounds of six races each.

Zwift World Series runs from September to January with three tiers each month.

Finally, Zwift Games launches in March 2025, allowing racing at Community and Elite levels. 

Zwift Academy returns 

Finally, if you fancy yourself a budding pro, Zwift Academy is back from 5 August to 3 November. A development contract is on offer with Canyon//SRAM and Alpecin-Deceuninck for the women's and men's competition winners respectively.  

Join a global community of cyclists. Access our Zwift discount codes and start your virtual rides today.

As Prime Day has drawn to a close, this deal has now ended. To find an alternative, we have compiled a roundup of the best smart trainers on the market, so check that out for help on choosing the right one.

Original story continues below...

It might be the middle of summer right now and the idea of indoor training has resided in the back of your mind however there are some worthwhile deals to be had this Amazon Prime Day. 

One of the deals we have found for those looking to refresh their indoor training setups is the Wahoo Kickr Core. This is the brand’s entry-level, direct-drive indoor trainer that sees the rear wheel of your bike replaced by a cassette mounted to the trainer itself. 

Wahoo’s Kickr Core has been a firm favourite among indoor riders for several years striking the balance between cost and functionality. As a smart trainer, the Kickr Core can vary the resistance it provides to match the terrain of an indoor training platform such as Zwift of Rouvy. Smart trainers are great for anyone looking to get specific with their indoor training or make indoor cycling more interesting. 

In detail: Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer 

The Kickr Core features a built-in power meter with a claimed accuracy of +/-2% which is typical for a trainer at this price point and for the majority of riders will be accurate enough for training, riding and racing. 

If you are looking to use the Kickr Core for virtual riding it is capable of simulating a maximum gradient of 16% and as low as -10%. More premium trainers can simulate up to 24% slopes however unless you are looking to recreate the sensation of riding on the road as accurately as possible it is not something that will hold you back and isn't worth the added cost.  

Buying a Wahoo training like the Kickr Core allows you to pair the trainer with Wahoo’s greater indoor training ecosystem. The Kickr Core is compatible with the Wahoo Kickr Climb which replaces the bike's front wheel and actively pitches the bike up or down to match the simulated virtual terrain. It is also compatible with the Wahoo Kickr Headwind a smart fan that can be configured to increase its cooling effect based on heart rate, power output or terrain. 

Currently, the Wahoo Kickr Core is part of Amazon’s Prime Day sale for £374 saving 17% from its original £449.99 list price, or a saving of 29% in the USA maming it $425, down from $599. This makes it one of the cheapest direct-drive smart trainers currently available, however before you rush to Amazon with your credit card in hand there are some things to take note of. 

Know this before you buy:

Firstly the Prime Day offer is for a Wahoo Kickr Core unit alone, this means that you immediately need to add the price of a cassette onto your total to get it into a usable state. This is a fairly common situation among budget trainers, but if you shop around, you can buy the same trainer with a cassette pre-fitted if you're unsure how to do that or don't have the tools. 

The deal price also does not come with any subscriptions to a virtual training provider, if you are a seasoned indoor rider with an existing subscription to Zwift, Trainer Road or another, then this is probably of no concern but if you are just getting started it is another additional cost to bear in mind. 

If you head over to Wahoo’s own website you will find the Kickr Core available for the noticeably higher price of £579.99, but it is important to mention that this deal does come with a cassette of your choice and a year's subscription to Zwift. The retail value of the Zwift subscription alone is £179.99 bringing things closer in price to the Amazon sale. Once the cost of a new cassette is factored in with a 12-speed 105 cassette costing around £50 the Prime Day sale might not be the bargain it first seems for everyone. 

With the greater savings on offer in the States, it's a more convincing deal to buy it on Amazon currently for $425, as even when you factor in a year of Zwift and a cassette it's probably going to come out cheaper than the Wahoo bundle at $649.99.

Who is this sale good for? 

If you are an established indoor rider and you have an ongoing subscription to a virtual training platform, then the Prime Day deal could represent a significant saving for you. If you don’t anticipate using the Zwfit subscription then you can save a notable amount over Wahoo’s bundle pricing. 

For the unit on its own, Amazon is selling the Kickr Core cheaper than anyone else right now with all other online retailers sitting firm on the £449.99 price point. 

Who should avoid this sale?

If you are new to indoor training and need more than just a smart trainer then this sale might not be for you. The package offered by Wahoo is not time-sensitive and ships with everything you need to get started for your first year of indoor training. There is also the added bonus that at the end of the year’s free subscription you can purchase the following year’s for £130 saving a further £40. 

If you see Zwift as your host platform of choice then the Prime Day sale might be one best avoided. 

Italian cycling brand Elite has released three new indoor smart trainers, including an all-new indoor smart bike featuring virtual shifting. 

Eurobike, one of the world's biggest cycling trade shows, takes place this week in Frankfurt, Germany. The show often sees brands bringing their latest shiny and exciting products to launch to the international audience that descends on the show each year. 

Elite looks to have done just that, launching a new budget-focused smart trainer in the shape of the Avanti, the Square virtual-shifting indoor bike, and the Justo 2 updates the brand's existing best smart trainer. 

Avanti packs high end features in to a value package

The first new trainer from the brand is aimed at the value end of the market. Smart indoor trainers have been steadily dropping in price and Elite will be hoping that the Avanti hits the sweet spot between functionality and cost. 

For a trainer that comes in at €749, the Avanti boasts a very respectable claimed power accuracy of +/-1%, something that is typically reserved for trainers costing over the €1,000 mark. 

Riders that are looking to use the Avanti with a virtual training platform such as Zwift or Rouvy will be able to simulate gradients of up to 18%. While Elite’s more premium trainers do exceed this, the Avanti does trump the likes of Wahoo’s Kickr Core which peaks at a maximum simulated grade of 16%. 

The Avanti packs in some additional smart features for riders using Shimano’s Di2 platform with the ability to adjust resistance and pause the brake directly from the bike's shifters. 

Intending to create a more comfortable and realistic riding feel, Elite has fitted the Avanti with black Flex Feet. These rubber feet allow up to 4.5º of micro oscillation which means the trainer can move with your pedalling stroke. There is also the option to purchase red Flex Feet that are softer in their makeup, allowing for up to 7º of micro oscillation. Elite says that using Flex Feet increases the muscle effectiveness of the shoulders, back, glutes, and quadriceps.

As standard, the Avanti will ship with a free 12-month membership to Elite's My E-Training indoor training software as well as a range of trials and discounts for other virtual cycling platforms. 

Elite updates its top tier trainer with the Justo 2 

The other direct trainer launched at Eurobike comes as an update to one of Elite’s existing trainers, the Justo. Priced at €1,099 it incorporates the same features as the Avanti with an increase in power accuracy and maximum simulated gradient. 

Unlike the Avanti, the Justo 2 also comes equipped with a Shimano 105 12-speed cassette making it useable straight out of the box. 

The Justo 2 has a claimed power accuracy of less than +/-1% making it one of the most accurate indoor trainers available on the market. When compared to the existing Justo trainer, the Justo 2 has an updated flywheel which has increased in mass to create a more realistic road feel. 

Elite has kept the Justo 2 maximum simulated gradient at 24% which should be more than enough for even the most brutal virtual climbs. 

Some additional features over the Avanti include compatibility with the brand’s Rizer smart gradient simulator and the Aria smart fan allowing users to create a complete smart training ecosystem. 

Much like the Avanti, the Justo 2 also comes with Flex Feet to increase muscle effectiveness, but in this case the softer red versions come included. 

As standard, the Justo 2 will ship with 36 months of free membership to Elite’s My E-Training software. 

Elite releases its first indoor bike with the Square 

Most notable from Elite is the release of its first indoor smart bike called the Square. Much like the newly released Zwift Ride the basis of the Square revolves around an existing trainer and an add-on frame. Notably, the Square’s drivetrain revolves around virtual shifting that can be configured to match gearing from Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo.

Users have the choice of creating their own gearing profiles, or can utilise the preloaded configurations with Shimano 11-30 acting as the default setting. The ability to tailor your gear range is something that could be valuable for riders looking to decide on what gearing to fit to their bikes.

The Square’s intentions as a virtual training tool are also made apparent by the presence of integrated controls on either shifter. These can be used for controlling virtual training apps as well as the Aria smart fan.

Dialling in the perfect bike fit can be something that indoor smart bikes have suffered with in the past, however, the Square has seven adjustments available to accommodate a wide range of cyclists. 

Saddle height, tilt and fore-aft, handlebar height and fore-aft position, horizontal tube length, and crank lengths can all be configured to give you a fit that matches your bike. 

Elite says that the Square "is a frame designed to replace your bike during training with the smart trainer, eliminating the need to switch bikes or mount the one you use outdoors when you want to train at home."

As far as power and gradient simulation are concerned, the Square uses the Justo 2 resistance unit. As a complete bike, the Square also allows riders to use power meter pedals to gather power data. This is a feature that some riders will be pleased to see as it allows for complete consistency between data on the indoor bike and road bike. 

At €1250, the Square presents itself as Elite’s most premium indoor trainer coming in just over €150 more expensive than the Justo 2. The advantage of the Square is that there is no need to fit your bike to a trainer which also removes the potential sweat-based corrosion that can afflict the bikes of avid indoor riders. 

Both the Avanti and Justo 2 will be available for purchase towards the end of August with the Square available for pre-order with deliveries expected to take place in December this year. 

The indoor cycling software specialist, Zwift, has had a tumultuous relationship with hardware over the past two years, but its latest product is a smart idea that could disrupt the industry and create an all-new category of product. 

Called the Zwift Ride, it simply takes an existing smart trainer – namely the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One – and provides the rest of the equation: the bike. Everything from the handlebars and the frame, via the seatpost and saddle, to the cranks and drivetrain are supplied, taking the intelligence offered in the best smart trainers and turning them into a smart home exercise bike. 

Like any smart bike, it saves you from having to use your outdoor bike on your trainer, in turn keeping your carpets clean, prolonging the life of your bike's components, and reducing setup faff time between deciding to ride and turning the first pedal. 

All of the touchpoints are widely adjustable too, via an integrated 'Zwift Key' which mounts magnetically to the underside of the top tube. The frame can be adjusted to fit riders between 5ft and 6ft 6in tall, meaning it's suitable for the whole family.

The alloy frame features a single central leg at the front, positioned as your forks and front wheel are, to hold the bike up. Upwards from this is a fairly traditional bike design, with head tube shape and height- and reach-adjustable handlebars. The handlebars are pre-fitted with shift/brake levers that mimic the Zwift Play controls, allowing the user to virtually shift gears silently and instantly, and control their Zwift app directly from the handlebars. 

A rubber-covered smartphone tray sits atop the handlebars, and an additional tablet holder can be bought to mount up front. 

Heading to the rear of the bike, past the two included bottle cages, towards the height-adjustable seatpost. The included saddle sits on traditional round 6mm rails, so can easily be swapped for your own preferred option. 

The drivetrain is a singlespeed affair, taking advantage of the Zwift Cog device. The chain is looped around a tensioning device to help simplify installation. The frame fits to the included Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One trainer using a traditional 142 x 12mm thru axle (included). 

Software meets hardware

Back in March of 2022, Zwift teased a smart bike design, but amid an industry-wide downturn and financial difficulty, it quickly scrapped the idea in May of the same year. Months later, it launched a smart trainer, the Zwift Hub Classic, which led to a near-12-month court case with Wahoo for infringing on patents. 

Towards the end of this, Zwift also launched the Zwift Hub One, which comprised the very same smart trainer, but with a universally-compatible single-speed sprocket and housing replacing the cassette. 

Once Zwift and Wahoo agreed to settle their differences, they entered a new realm of hyper-collaboration which saw the Zwift Hub Classic ultimately be replaced by the already-existing Wahoo Kickr Core, while the Zwift Hub One become the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One. 

Today's launch is another collaboration between the pair. Zwift provides the frame and the up-front Zwift Play-like controls, while the Wahoo Kickr Core supplies the smart trainer.

Zwift says that later this summer the Zwift Ride will be available as a standalone frame that users can pair with the smart trainer they already have. However, non-Wahoo users will have to forego the virtual shifting feature (unless other brands release a firmware update to let it work). The pricing for that is yet to be determined. 

For now, you can only buy it coupled with the Kickr Core device, priced at US $1299.99 / €1299.99 / £1199.99 / AU $2,299.95. The add-on tablet holder is priced at US $49.99 / €49.99 / £39.99.

Units will begin shipping on June 26.

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