Wahoo Kickr vs Move vs Core

The bigger the flywheel the more inertia and more realistic the road feel, as well as greater maximum watts.

The main difference is that Wahoo KICKR Move and Kickr V6  have a bigger flywheel, the unit can provide 2,200 watts of resistance with 1% accuracy, and is designed to withstand the intense forces dished out by the most powerful cyclists in the world, like pro team partners, EF Eduction. That means if you're going for an all out sprint, whether it be on Zwift or TrainerRoad, the unit won't be the limiting factor — it will be your legs!

In comparison, the KICKR Core offers 1,800 watts of resistance with 2% accuracy, which is higher than its competitors, the Elite Directo (1,400 watts) and Tacx Flux 1 (1,500 watts). Eighteen-hundred watts is plenty for most riders, but it won't suit track sprinters.

The KICKR Core has a flywheel weight of 5.4kg, which is a similar size to earlier versions of the KICKR Smart Trainer.

Thankfully, the design, ergonomics and well-positioned weight of the Wahoo KICKR V6 and Move make them some of the easiest turbo trainers to move and store. The legs fold flush against the body of the unit. It also doesn’t need any assembly when it arrives; you can just lift it straight out of the box.

KICKR Core is lighter because the flywheel is smaller. Out of the box, it requires you to bolt the legs on, but you only need to do it once. Only the front legs fold in slightly to aid storage, but it isn't as compact and, unlike the KICKR, doesn't have a handle for transport. Before you start riding the Core, you will need to make an additional purchase as the unit doesn't come with a cassette, unlike the KICKR V6 or KICKR Move, which is supplied with a Shimano 105 cassette.

The biggest selling point of the Wahoo KICKR range is the drive belt, which is pretty much silent, thanks to its ribbed belt design.

KICKR V6, KICKR MOVE and KICKR CORE are all optimised to work with the Wahoo’s Headwind and Climb. However, KICKR Move requires you to purchase a base adapter. Connection via Bluetooth or ANT+ is easy, and the units allow you to do both at the same time. External apps like Zwift, RGT and TrainerRoad work seamlessly, and while we're yet to explore others, being open source means the units should be able to connect to pretty much anything.

Is Wahoo KICKR range worth it? The Wahoo KICKR V6 Smart Trainer remains one of the best trainers on the market, thanks to the sharpened up feel from the new belt, large flywheel and AXIS feet.

KICKR Move goes one step further and is ideal for riders who struggle to feel comfortable on a static unit, riders who want to improve their whole body, or riders who are used to the feel and balance of rollers but want to train with more power than traditional rollers can provide.

The KICKR Core represents great value, with a decent flywheel, and is ideal for riders who are new to indoor training and riding with power, may not need to move their unit frequently or don't intend to spend long stints (40 minutes plus) on their indoor trainer.