Wahoo Fitness  KICKR Core 2 Bike Trainer with Zwift Cog and Click

Wahoo products have worked really well for me in the past. I am sorry to say that is not the case here. Functionality with Zwift Cog and Click now works for both Zwift and Rouvy (with subscription). Compared with my original Kickr, two other higher end trainers, and a Stages SB20, I think the Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog feels clunky. Acceleration is slower when compared with others, and the noise is much much higher. This may be faulty unit since the Cog with Kickr 2 is supposedly "nearly silent." This is not the case with my unit. Coupled with the feeling that I am pedaling through a ditch full of honey, I won't buy this again.

Great trainer so far! I use it with the Rouvy app and it’s been very fun !

Great trainer overall, but I’m surprised it doesn’t come with leveling feet. My floor isn’t perfectly level, so I’ve had to use shims, which shift whenever I push hard. Now I’ll need to buy adjustable feet and drill into a brand-new trainer just to make it stable. For the price, built-in leveling should really be standard.

You can not use the remote to shift with the cog without an active zwift subscription. The cog and shifter remote is effectively ZWIFT property, and you can rent functionality. There should be a disclaimer that the product will not function, without an active zwift subscription. For the month I had a subscription, it worked, but even with the app open, the remote shift function will not initiate until you enter a subscription locked ride/training program. So you will be stuck in whatever gear, forever, if zwift cancels their service or you don't keep paying them to use the hardware you purchased. Wahoo should have implemented remote shifter controls with their app, at least, so you could shift with wahoo training app or bike computer, and not be 100% dependent on zwift's subscription. Again, the remote does not function as a universal remote, like a video game controller, it is a proprietary platform locked to an active zwift ride/training program. It does function for a little time after a zwift ride is over, so the functionality is deliberately turned off to force subscription.

This is my first experience with an indoor trainer, so I don’t have much to compare it to, but I did a lot of research beforehand. I’m extremely happy with this purchase and would absolutely buy it again. Setup was quick and easy using the Wahoo app and Zwift. Occasionally, the Click controls will disconnect mid-ride, which I think may be related to interference with my heart rate monitor. They reconnect automatically again within 5-10 seconds, so it’s only a minor inconvenience and not something that would affect my rating. Ill look into the issue more soon. I’m using this with a 2007 Trek 1500 SLR, and it’s been performing great so far. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the quality and performance.

High quality trainer making winter months much more active. As an intermediate cyclist, this trainer's power, cadence, and stability will likely be more than I'll ever need. Exercise has never been so fun. I hadn't used the first Core, but from what I've read, the legs on this Core are a huge upgrade. I haven't felt unstable on it once. Can't imagine needing a "better" trainer unless you are a highly advanced cyclist. Also, it works great with MyWhoosh.

Ordered from REI on Feb.17th on March 17th I called REI to check the status of my order . they told me it was on back order that they” expect”the Wahoo to arrive in a couple of weeks but, they could not tell me for certain when I would get it. So, I Re- Ordered it with the advise of the service representative’s advise that I order it for pickup, because I then, may get it quicker. I was frustrated after waiting for a month with no end in sight so, I cancelled Both orders with REI. I went directly to Wahoo and ordered it with them.instead as, the shipping Clearly stated you will receive your Wahoo within 5-7 business days. REI did not have this in stock , Backordered for an unknown time. Cost at REI, Wahoo they had on sale for 399.00 plus tax and shipping $475.00. Wahoo charges 590$tax & shipping included.

This trainer (and a Zwift account) will get you through the winter(s) when the weather stinks or if there are other reasons why it's hard to get your cardio outdoors. I can't compare this to other smart trainers because I've only ever owned "dumb" trainers and could never stick with them. I've been using this trainer almost daily for several months. You don't need to have a nice bike. The virtual shifting is slick. Be prepared for a tender bum. Hope to virtually draft behind you soon.

Summary: The Wahoo Kickr Core 2 overall is an excellent bike trainer. It just wasn't right for me. The flywheel weight to be too heavy for me to accelerate quickly (almost 12lbs.). It was hurting my knees and legs. For a guy being over 70 years old, I'm in excellent physical shape ... except for my knees which have arthritis. I needed too much effort to get it going and accelerating which was putting too much stain on me. First used the Cog with the Clicker buttons. The buttons were too small and the repetitiveness of pressing the buttons caused my thumbs to go numb. Found the speed of shifting with the buttons too slow. Decided to swap the Cog for a cassette. Starting the ride was quite-a-bit easier and shifting was much, much better. The trainer had about 15 hours on it when it was returned to REI. Returning went very smooth. Went back to CycleOps Magnus trainer and the indoor cycling experience is very nice. If you are between the ages of 15-65 years old, this trainer would be Great. Was extremely impressed by the quietness of the Kickr Core 2. Personally, I do prefer the cassette over the Cog. At the time of this review, I think REI has a 90 day return policy which is very nice.

I bought the Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift cog and Click bike trainer buttons V2 to replace my ancient (ca. 2010) wheel-on fluid resistance trainer. The upgrade is well worth the $. Unboxing, assembly, configuring for my bike's particular rear axle, and mounting the bike weren't difficult. Adjusting the derailleur and fine tuning with the orange click setting was quick and easy. The Core 2 is much quieter than the old fluid trainer. I had no difficulty pairing the Core2 and the Click buttons to my iPad as well as connecting to my home WiFi. The iPad screen is mirrored to a 48-inch HDTV for better visibility. I made sure to update all of the firmware, on Core 2 and each of the Click button controllers, before proceeding. Note: use the Zwift app to update the Click controllers. I fIrst used the fluid trainer and then the Core 2 with Rouvy's free trial in the basic workout course, and I can say that the power guesstimates with the fluid trainer were about 30% too low -- not surprising as the exact trainer isn't supported (15+ years old). Rouvy, using the current version in September 2026, supports the Core 2 and the Click buttons for gear changes (+, -) and the gaming buttons (A, B, Y, Z) but the navigation buttons are used only for menus as Rouvy does not (seem) to have the features for moving in the lane, U-turns, etc that are found in Zwift. Not a deal breaker for me. After a few test rides with Rouvy, I really like the variable resistance. I tried both Erg mode and manual shifting. I don't know which I prefer but both serve a purpose. I then did a couple of rides in Zwift's free trial, which connected to all the devices without any issues. After muting the (to me) really irritating default music track, I found that having a lot of other riders around was fun, as were the game-ish routes in Watopia, the default environment. Overall, the riding mechanics were essentially identical to Rouvy. Now I have to decide which training app to go with. The Kickr Core 2 is highly recommended. It lacks a few features of the higher-end trainers, but it's so much better than the fluid trainer that the extra money for one of the higher-end trainers seems like spending a lot for not much improvement. Highly recommended.