As we leave the warm glow of summer and enter into the world of Narnia, where its always winter and never Christmas, at least in the UK. I’m going to be transitioning from the outside, like many of you, to now ramping up my indoor training… On my ZWIFT RIDE… In my paincave.
So this seems like as good-a-time as any to make a review video about my Zwift Ride indoor trainer. I mean, I say a “review video”, this is just my opinion of my Zwift Ride and Wahoo kickr core indoor trainer, having now ridden on it in well over 100 max effort races and even more max effort rides up ADZ over the past 6 months.
If you’re here looking for deep dive insights or technical comparisons into the inner workings of its setup and operation then you’re probably watching the wrong video. Me calling this a review video will have DC rainmaker and GP Lama turning in their professional studios.
I consider myself the average user, in his paincave trying to turn back time and putting that progress up on YT as much for me as it is to inspire others watching.
I’ve already made a ‘first impressions’ video, several months ago having just received the Ride and having set it up in my “paincave”, this garage.
I was really impressed with it, however that was back in March. The question is now and the reason you’re watching this video… Do I still like it now I’ve been training on it for longer than two weeks?
The short answer is Yes! I’m still very happy with how its performed over these past 6 months. So much so that I cut the umbilical cord that was my old Watt-bike indoor trainer and sold that on eBay only last week.
I initially kept the Watt-bike as backup, just incase the Ride wasn’t what I needed it to be but it is and I don’t need two indoor trainers taking up space in my garage.
I have big plans for my paincave and space is at a premium especially as I already have Nasa’s flight control as my Zwifting setup.
I’ll start with the thing I’ve enjoyed most about the trainer… It’s build sturdiness (I suppose that’s the best way to describe it)… I currently weigh 87kg and I’m still losing weight, I’m not on a diet and I’m not intentionally attempting to lose weight but with the amount of daily exercise I’m doing, losing a few KG is inevitable.
So the idea that I need a “big framed” indoor trainer like the Watt-bike is becoming less and less important to me however I’m still a lump and I throw this bike around like a rag doll in a hurricane. It’s survived the Ryan Condon “Murphy’s Law” that if it can go wrong, it will.
From a structural and mechanical perspective, I’ve had absolutely no issues and that’s important. I’m not mechanically minded, I said that in my last video, especially when it comes to bikes.
I don’t want to worry about having a traditional bike frame attached to a drive trainer. I don’t want to have to worry about making it work, I just want it to do what it says on the tin and thats exactly what this frame and trainer gives me.
In our old house, before we moved, I spent several months building a new kitchen from scratch. I taught myself how to make cupboards and worktops from a plain sheet of wood and then how to fit those cupboards and worktops to my own specifications. I did all this all on my own with no prior experience simply by watching home-improvement, YouTube videos.
My point (with this random kitchen building tangent) is that when I’m motivated to do something, I’m prepared to put the time in to learn how to do it properly, however, time is a scarce resource in my life and I prioritise other things over tinkering with bikes in my garage.
I have a Zwift Ride because I do not want to retro fit, tinker, or adjust anything.
I do not want to watch YouTube videos on how to change or repair chains or adjust gears on bikes wether that’s on an indoor trainer or a bike outdoors IRL.
The least amount of work I have to do from the moment I decide to ride to when the banner drops in a race, the better! And that, in a nutshell, is what this Zwift Ride indoor trainer gives me.
If you watched my video last week, titled “Is this the end of Zwift for me?”, then you will know how important it is to me that I’m able to train daily on Zwift.
I race at least 500km every month, with some months exceeding 1000km depending on the time of year, with the winter months being higher for obvious reasons. I wouldn’t compromise my training by riding on an inferior product.
I say this because I’ve been sent this Ride by Zwift. I haven’t paid for it and for this reason some think, in my comments, that’s why I have such a positive view of the bike, because it was free.
Quite the opposite, I still had my perfectly acceptable Watt-bike, up until the end of last week, sat there doing nothing (until I sold it). I would have lost nothing by turning my Zwift Ride into an expensive clothes hanger, not make this review video and return back to the status quo. No-one would have been the wiser.
This is my setup now, I don’t wheel this out of the way once the camera goes off and push the 140kg Watt-bike back into place, especially now I’ve sold it.
I’m not going to waste my time training and racing on a product I don’t like or isn’t as good. I simply don’t have the time for that.
My progress is very important to me. I’ve spent over two years trying to win races and better myself. I’m not going to use an indoor trainer that makes that process harder just so I can make two YouTube videos about it. That kind of nonsense is where madness lies.
I use it, every day because I really enjoy doing so. Riding on The Ride on Zwift is a lot of fun and it makes the process significantly more enjoyable which is why I keep coming back every day.
I also got some comments on my previous Zwift Ride video saying that the cost of the Ride is a big factor, for those commenters, and of course, for anyone considering this as their next big fitness purchase.
I completely get this, this is another reason why I’m making this video and not on things like what headphones I wear when I run or Zwift.
Because it is a big investment, it’s worth making this video. It’s a big decision for anyone when choosing what setup they’re going to spend their hard earned cash on, unlike what headphones I use as that is a relatively (compared to this) inexpensive and cosmetic decision.
What bib-shorts I wear, what headphones I use, what website or food delivery app I use (I don’t use a food delivery apps as I live out in the middle of nowhere, I’m lucky to have wifi).
This stuff simply isn’t important, its just “white noise”.
I know not everyone can afford to spend a lot on an indoor trainer however my view on it’s cost is based on it’s value… I’ve already spent thousands of pounds on my fitness and YouTube, pie-in-the-sky, ambitions…
As it stands, if I actually sat down and listed everything I’ve bought since 2019 to get fit, lose weight and document that journey on YT then I’d probably be close to 20 grand.
Running trainers, cameras, bikes, laptops, Wattbikes, monitors, lights, supplements, editing computers, rucksacks, hydration packs, bib shorts, clipless pedals… the list goes on and on and it all adds up…
Nothing I’ve spent money on was “cheap”. Everything I’ve bought these past 6 years (especially if you asked my Mum) could be classed as an outrageous luxury and completely superfluous to the important things like paying the bills and putting food on the table however I do not have a social life, I do not spend my weekends down the pub or ordering takeaways… The TV in my living room is nearly 10 years old, works perfectly well and doesn’t need replacing so I spend my spare cash on things I see value in (after I’ve paid the bills and put food on the table, mum).
I value my health, my fitness and the fact that I’m able to run a 10k or smash myself up a mountain on Zwift, both in under an hour and I’m still able to go to work or shopping with Tracie without having to walk like John Wayne…
This is where I see value. In the same way that I wouldn’t criticise any of my family and friends (that I don’t go to the pub with) for buying the latest 70” Ultra OLED 8k TV for their living room, because they enjoy watching Netflix on a Saturday night with a Pizza… As thats what they see value in. Who am I to tell them otherwise?
When they see me spending money on a pair of running trainers or an indoor-trainer, they call me crazy. I see it as the best investment I’ve ever made.
I see spending money on my health and fitness as an investment in my future and for that I’m willing to spend significantly more than they would, its that simple.
As cyclists, we spend thousands on multiple bikes to ride outside. One for every type of terrain (apparently). I see adding this one to my growing number of ‘two bikes’ as a no brainer.
I’m pretty sure, some of those commenting on it’s price (on my previous video), wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I went out and bought the latest £4k road bike… (I’m not sure how much the latest road bike costs, now I’ve said 4 grand, I’m pretty sure that’s nowhere near enough).
They’d probably congratulate me and then tell me I need to spend more upgrading the wheel-set and pedals saving less in weight than I had for breakfast.
Training on this indoors, I’m able to go all out, absolutely smash myself for anything up to two hours and then get on with the rest of my day.
I’d never ride like that outdoors. I’m simply not confident enough to race or ride anywhere near full capacity IRL.
I bicycle outside for fun and for the feeling of adventure. I’m probably going to enter into a few ‘Sportives’ over the next year or two however, I’ll be doing all my serious training, racing and big efforts indoors, on my Zwift Ride.
The training I have done indoors, has made these long rides I do do outside significantly more enjoyable and my confidence in my own ability is growing.
Remember, I only started riding a bike two years ago. Prior to that I was a professional coach potato with no cycling experience whatsoever.
The other thing I’ve been really enjoying about The Ride is that the controllers are built directly into the frame.
Seems obvious to me now but not having to worry about buying separate controllers to retro fit to a homemade setup is another USP.
Of course there are workarounds but you could apply that to everything I say within this video and I go back to my previous point… I just need it to work.
Having the controllers and shifters built into the handlebars makes life a lot easier when all I want to do is jump on and go.
When you’re on a long ride or in the middle of a big sprint effort during a race, you don’t want to have to move your hands to change gears. Knowing that there’s been some thought put into the button placement makes a big difference.
I like the fact that, ergonomically, I can easily tap or punch the relevant button or flap without thinking about it.
Another small point is that the buttons for changing gears have ‘haptic feedback’. They vibrate when I hit them. I don’t know why I like this so much but it’s satisfying as hell.
The buttons are also pretty much instant. Before on my wattbike, my gear changes were slightly delayed. Now having instant feedback was a game changer for me.
Steering in game is also a lot easier, the paddles are bigger than they were on my retro fitted play controllers meaning I can easily change gear or steer back into the draft if I’m in the drops or sat up on the handlebars.
If you’re watching this and you’re new to Zwift, when you get used to the in-game dynamics and you eventually do join big group rides or you start racing, then good button placement and the ability to steer into the draft, easily, will be important to you.
Now having said all of this, there are a couple of things that I do think are detractors or at least need improving.
The sizing guide that I got with the Ride, that came in the box, was completely off. It wasn’t even close.
As soon as I sat on it having followed this guide to the letter… literally, I knew it was wrong.
Instead, I just measured my old trainer and transferred those measurements across and over time, made other smaller adjustments so its dialled in.
I don’t think there can be a one-size fits all based on height etc so I don’t know what the answer to this is however I do know, from reading posts from other, newer Zwifters, on my Discord server… They said they also followed the sizing guide but instead of recognising it was wrong (as they had nothing to compare it to), they powered through the discomfort thinking it was just part “of the process”.
Even though there is a “getting used to it” phase when you first start on Zwift (trust me, my backside still has PTSD from the pain), the bike setup or fit needs to be right so I’d say to take these initial measurements with a pinch of salt and do some measuring and manual adjustments yourself.
The other thing that came up when chatting about making this video on Discord was the saddle and handle bars. The saddle seems to split the discussion (pun intended). It was a bit like marmite, some like it, others don’t.
I find that the saddle is very firm, quite thin and does need some getting used to, especially if you’re new to cycling.
On my old Watt-bike, I paid extra for their “comfort” saddle. It was a lot wider and a lot thicker. A more ‘squishy’ saddle overall.
It being bigger and softer didn’t actually help, it made riding harder as there was ‘more’ saddle to overcome (if that makes sense). Possibly because I was so heavy and my inner thighs were “chunkier” back then.
I’ve found that a decent pair of padded shorts is more than enough to make riding on the Zwift saddle acceptable. I’ve now tried four different saddles on two different indoor trainers and on my gravel bike outside.
I don’t think I’d ever describe a bike saddle as “comfortable”, regardless of its cost, brand or design.
Telling someone that a bike saddle is “comfortable” is like telling someone a trip to the dentist is fun. They’re both necessary but if you choose the wrong one then you’re in for a bad time.
With a decent pair of bib shorts, I really don’t mind the saddle however it is very easy to change so I guess its not the end of the world if you want to swap it out for a “comfortable” one.
I don’t think its a deal breaker as I’m happy with it. I just thought I’d mention it as it seems a talking point with others.
And like the saddle, the grip tape on the handle-bars also seemed to divide those in the chat on my server. Some saying it was uncomfortable or the tape quality needs improving.
Again, like with the saddle. I’ve used two indoor trainers and my gravel bike now. Personally, I wouldn’t describe the handlebars or the tape as inferior to either of the others I’ve used.
The tape on my old Wattbike handlebars would peel and roll when I gripped it too hard or I dried it with the towel and I’d have to straighten it. Which did become a minor annoyance.
The grip tape on my Zwift Ride has remained in place and to be honest, it’s quality didn’t cross my mind until a few mentioned it, in chat online.
Quite a few brought up a very good point and that’s that you can now buy the adjustable crank length as an add-on.
I also have one of these. I haven’t installed it yet as I don’t actually know why I’d need it, I’m only mentioning it as it’s an accessory you can buy, in addition, if you know that you need it.
I might try it out however, I don’t get any aches or pains and my power numbers look really accurate so I’m in the mindset, if its not broke, don’t fix it?
I also think that’s another really big USP of The Zwift Ride combined with The Wahoo Kickr Core – It’s power number readout accuracy!
I saw no change in my power numbers when I moved across from the Watt-bike which is also known for being accurate… I mean, I’d hope The Wattbike was accurate as it cost me over double the cost of The Zwift Ride but at the time, it wasn’t something I thought about. I just knew it was a bike to ride indoors and that’s all I wanted to do… Two years on, what I need it to do now is significantly more and my expectations are significantly higher.
The Zwift Ride (being half the cost of my old Wattbike) is very accurate and a big testament to this is that not a single person on my Discord or in the comments section of my previous Ride “review” video complained about inaccurate readings. This for me is the real stress test. It’s also something I’ve not seen a lot of other YouTuber’s mention when making review videos.
There are a lot of indoor trainers, exercise bikes and drive trainers out there on the market. Some of them cost a lot less than The Zwift Ride does.
I like to have fun on Zwift and for me having fun is racing. I really need my power numbers to be accurate. I don’t want to find out, 6 or 12 months down the line, that my numbers, my pacing category and my own ability has been over or under estimated by a trainer I’ve setup wrong or is inferior and quite possibly both.
Over the past two years since starting out on Zwift, I’ve discovered that not all indoor trainers (and exercise bikes) are equal and you really do get what you pay for.
Knowing I can just jump on it, workout and it does exactly what it says on the tin… That’s important to me, that’s where I see it’s value.
This thing… The Wahoo Kickr core is a beast, its rock-solid. The sound is more than acceptable. I made this point in my last video about The Ride. It’s the same if not quieter than my Watt-bike was which is my only real basis for comparison.
Its an indoor trainer, its never going to be silent. I’ve never really understood those that say it makes too much noise.
When I’m racing, I’m normally smashing myself up a hill trying desperately not to be dropped. I have two industrial fans blasting me in the face and on occasion, I have music blaring on my speaker. The sound of a chain turning a drive trainer really doesn’t register with me but I can understand that if you live in a flat or with young kids sleeping in the house (for example), this might be a consideration.
But having said that, it’s not loud.
There isn’t a lot else I can share or that I haven’t already shared in my previous video.
When I eventually reach an age where I’m not able to do the things I can do now and I look back and reflect on the decisions I’ve made, The Zwift Ride will definitely go down on the list of “good decisions”.
I have also just been sent these… If I don’t get lambasted in my comments section for anything I’ve said in this review, I’m definitely get it in the neck every time I wear these.
Will these go down on the list of “good decisions”?
I can’t justify saying yes to these bad boys, I took one look and thought “they’re outrageous”. I need to wear them, I just won’t look in the comments section.
Thanks for watching.
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