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The Wahoo Kickr Climb works with new Kickr and Kickr Snap smart trainers to simulate elevation changes (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The power block is substantial (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Climb comes with adaptors for all three types of thru-axle and quick-release forks(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Climb is stable enough to climb out of the saddle. Most of that stability comes from the solid anchoring of the bike at the dropouts on the Kickr(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The remote toggles between unlocked (shown with blue light at right) to work with Zwift, TrainerRoad or other third-party apps, and locked (which is the unlit icon at left). The white light shows that the Climb is connected to a Kickr (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Climb's motor is audible when changing positions, but the sound is quieter than the Kickr itself when pedaling at a decent tempo(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The remote can be used to manually raise or lower the bars(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The remote nests inside the top of the Climb(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Climb only works with newer (2017) Kickr and Kickr Snap smart trainers. The original Kickr has fixed dropouts, and the bike needs to pivot (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Climb lifts the hub up to simulate a 20% climb, and lowers down to -10%(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Does the weather (or family/work/life schedule) have you riding inside? The Kickr Climb could bring a new level of engagement for indoor training(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
By raising and lowering your bike's front end in tandem with the undulations of virtual courses, the Wahoo Kickr Climb adds a new level of engagement to indoor riding.
It only works with newer (2017) Kickr and Kickr Snap smart trainers, but the Climb brings something unique to riding the virtual courses of Zwift.
Like other smart trainers, Wahoo's Kickr and Kickr Snap respond to virtual gradient changes by adjusting resistance. By pairing the Kickr Climb to one of those Wahoo smart trainers, the experience becomes three dimensional.
Similarly, ride files on a Wahoo Elemnt or Elemnt Bolt can be executed inside with the elevation changes simulated by the Climb.
The Climb lifts the hub up to simulate a 20% climb, and lowers down to -10%
Besides making the virtual climbs and undulations more mentally engaging, the Climb's tilting of the bike can engage your climbing muscles as well.
I briefly tested a prototype at Eurobike, this production sample is substantially quieter and smoother in its elevation changes.
The Climb's motor is audible when changing positions, but the sound is quieter than the Kickr itself when pedaling at a decent tempo
Wahoo Kickr Climb key features
Simulated gradient changes between -10 percent and 20 percent
Responds in real time to changes in third-party apps such as Zwift and Ful Gaz
Can be controlled manually with remote
Can also be controlled by Wahoo Elemnt and Elemnt Bolt, including following simulated routes
Only works with newer (2017) Kickr and Kickr Snap smart trainers
Works with thru-axle (12x100, 15x100 and 15x110mm) and quick-release forks
25.8in / 65.4cm tall
17lb / 7.7kg
The remote can be used to manually raise or lower the bars
How the Wahoo Kickr Climb works
The Climb comes with inserts for thru-axle (12x100, 15x100 and 15x110mm) and quick-release forks. You put in the ones that work with your bike, then mount your fork on the Climb like you would on a front wheel.
To function, the Climb needs be plugged into an outlet and wirelessly paired to a Kickr or Kickr Snap.
A remote nests on top of the Climb, and can be secured to your handlebars with a rubbery strap.
The remote nests inside the top of the Climb
You press and hold the remote's center button to pair the Climb to a Kickr or Kickr Snap, then the smart trainer acts as an intermediary between Zwift or a Wahoo computer and the Climb. The Climb cannot be used by itself, or with another type of trainer.
You can also use the remote to manually raise or lower the Climb.
The remote toggles between unlocked (shown with blue light at right) to work with Zwift, TrainerRoad or other third-party apps, and locked (which is the unlit icon at right). The white light shows that the Climb is connected to a Kickr
Wahoo Kickr Climb first impressions
To answer perhaps the first question, no, the Climb doesn't tip over when you are out of the saddle. There is a little pivoting play in the steering of the handlebars, but the lateral stability is good.
I tested the Climb with a Kickr smart trainer, which contributes the lion's share of overall stability, locking the bike in at the dropouts.
The Climb is stable enough to climb out of the saddle. Most of that stability comes from the solid anchoring of the bike at the dropouts on the Kickr
I tested the Climb on Zwift, using both Bluetooth and ANT+ with my MacBook Air and my iPhone. Zwift crashed once on my laptop, but I don't know if that had anything to do with the Climb.
The Climb reacts smoothly to undulations on Zwift. You can hear the motor making the changes, but the sound is quieter than the Kickr itself.
While the vertical adjustments are much smoother than the prototype I hopped on at Eurobike, the Climb isn't as smooth as a road.
Aside from the mental engagement, I appreciate how you can climb in something similar to your outdoor climbing position, engaging the glutes and lower back. It is weird to have the bike at a steep angle, but not be able to rock the bike side to side.
I don't know about you, but when I'm on a 10 percent or steeper grade, I start leveraging the bike laterally a bit.
Does the weather (or family/work/life schedule) have you riding inside? The Kickr Climb could bring a new level of engagement for indoor training
