Anybody have a Wahoo Kickr 2018 that DOES NOT have any issues?

I just ordered a Kickr 2018 that will be here on Thursday and I’m already preparing for some sort of issues and sort of regretting the purchase.

It seems like all I’m hearing about are noise issues and the fact that you will either be offered a kit to fix yourself or people going through multiple units. I find this ridiculous for a $1200 item and even with a fix kit I wonder what issues may occur down the road outside of warranty.

Anybody actually happy with theirs?

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I am Happy, no issues. I also believe gplama has said he hasn’t had any issues to date with his either.

No issues here. Plug and play.

Do you guys keep the power on all the time or unplug it?

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Took a while to sort out, was frustrated and kind of dissapointed initially, but a year on I can honestly say I am thrilled. Well worth the money.

Long time reader and newly subscribed to TR

I keep the power on though am also wanting to know what everyone else is doing.

Also no issues with my Kickr Core.

I use a Kickr 2016 and I unplug it every time I’m done with it. I don’t do this for any other reason other than power savings, and I think bluetooth devices are always trying to pair if they’re in range.

Never had an issue with mine. I recognize the question was about a 2018 model…

Get past that first month, you’ll be happy. I tried another brand and still came back. Hoping they get this figured out also. Never made it past a month without failure. Second week with my third unit of the 2018.

Mine works fine, no problems.

I just upgraded from a 2015 Snap to the Kickr 2018. I did 2 rides on it and then it developed the infamous knocking sound. I knew there was a high potential for issue before purchase, but that didn’t dissuade me (although I will admit I hoped that there wouldn’t be a problem). I made this decision for a few reasons:

  • The Snap has been great and any time I’ve had issues with it Wahoo have been very responsive and helpful
  • After reading extensively on the Wahoo Kickr/SNAP/Elemnt Support Group it’s clear that the fix is widely understood, quick, easy and permanent. I know there are people that have continued issues and are unhappy, but they sound in the minority and is to be expected with any complex product.

I understand that your question is “is anyone happy with their Kicker 18” and that it’s implied to mean “has anyone bought one and not had a production issue”. I’m taking a wider definition of happiness here and I’m happy with the purchase despite experiencing an issue. What I bought it for was an upgrade on my Snap. The Kickr is an improvement over the Snap, no question. The couple of rides I had on it before the issue were buttery smooth, quiet and had a much more ‘connected’ experience than the Snap, especially at low wattage. I’ll get the fix kit and I’m confident that I’ll have a fully functioning trainer in only a few days. Over the life of the trainer, the countless TR workouts, the pain and suffering, a couple of days of annoyance and disappointment will seem like nothing. The Wahoo Support Group is full of people who are enjoying using their Kickr 18; people who have not had a need to fix the trainer and those that have.

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Let us know how the fix goes if you don’t mind. Were you also offered the $100 Wahoo credit in addition to the fix kit?

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Sure, will provide an update. Yes, I was offered a $100 credit if I chose the self-repair option. Here is the email from Wahoo after reporting the issue with the options:

  • Self-repair : you may service your current KICKR yourself following these instructions. Parts needed for the repair will be provided and express shipped, free of charge. Wahoo Support can also facilitate complimentary repair service through an authorized Wahoo dealer. In addition, Wahoo Fitness will include a $100 one-time-use discount code redeemable at www.wahoofitness.com for up to one year from the date issued.
  • Replacement with a new tested unit : you may enter the queue to receive a brand new, tested unit with new hardware installed. Note that this option may have a longer wait time.
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Hoping I don’t jinx myself here but I have an '18 Kickr and have not experienced any problems so far, other than a few ERG Death Spirals when I first started using it (likely user error/weakness).

And for informational purposes I run Powermatch but I also have my Kickr controlled by my P1s via ANT+ through the Wahoo app. I also unplug after every use and actually put the whole Kickr + bike away after almost each use (I share my pain cave with the kids).

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This was posted in the Wahoo Support Group (message is from Wahoo):

The cause of these noises is mainly due to one component being slightly outside of the tolerance on the small end. The noise would become readily apparent if your component was out of tolerance. This is not a component that wears down under normal use or falls out of tolerance. As mentioned before, if you are not experiencing this noise after an initial few uses then you are unlikely to experience this problem going forward.

For you to experience this issue on normally functioning unit will require a steel rectangle to uniformly and proportionally shrink a small amount of NM. We will offer the repair kits for all of our users. Considering the parts involved with the repair kit, I doubt being able to access the kit at a future date will be an issue.

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No issues here. I had the original Kickr and upgraded to the 2018 and am happy with it.

Edited: I take it back. I’ve been riding regularly for 3+ months and I just started getting the noise. I have an early serial number. 011828+

I’ve been super happy with mine, it’s been incredibly solid for me. I plug it in, turn on TR and go. No issues to report at all.

I’m not aware of the problems you’re mentioning re: noise issues, fix kit, etc.

Consider yourself lucky then, because there’s a lengthy thread in the Wahoo FB group. It features dozens and dozens of people with videos showing loud clicking and other noise from faulty trainers.

It’s a big PR problem, but they seem to be working to make all the buyers happy.

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Cool, glad I’ve been blissfully unaware :slightly_smiling_face:

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I Purchased a 2018 Kickr in August of this year. It’s been great. No issues whatsoever - it’s been silent. My bike’s drivetrain makes more noise than the Kickr. I like it so much I’ve been lugging it along on our road trips.

I’ve been leaving it plugged in, but will start unplugging it moving forward.
Dave

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I am on my second Kickr Core, first one was duff with a loud clanging noise. Second one seems a lot better. I did notice that this one had been put together (maybe for testing) so it has potentially had the fix already and won’t have any future problems. Watch this space.

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I purchased a Kickr 2018 at the beginning of October and have been happy with it. Much quieter than my series 1 kicker
However I am now getting noises when in the smaller cogs using either of the chainrings. KIckr has not been moved - it is in my garage and I power it off when not in use. I doubt it is the Kickr but I am a bit worried now

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