So how easy is it to set up the Kicr smart trainer? If this is your first direct drive smart trainer purchase you will not be disappointed. The Kickr is a very easy setup right out of the box.
Set the box down on its side and pull out the foam cradles. This is the easiest way to unbox the unit! Lift off the foam cradle and voila there is your new unit. Take it out and sit it down with the legs on the floor. You will see two blue buttons at the back (refer above photo) that need to be pressed down to allow the legs to open out. Take turns with each leg/button. Hold the button down and pull the leg out. You will feel a 'click' when the correct position is reached. Do the same with the other leg.
Next, there is a blue support arm at the front of the unit below the flywheel. This has a silver bolt which will be at the 650c bolt-hole setting from the factory which is done for shipping. Most adult road bike wheels are 700c in size. 29" mountain bikes are compatible with the 700c setting also. With your foot on the back of the unit, lift up the flywheel which will raise the blue arm, and slot the bolt into the 700c bolt holes and hand tighten it.
Depending on whether you are running rim brake or disc brake, the Kickr comes with both adapter sets - qr adapters and skewer for rim brake and thru-axle adapters (see below) 148x12mm and 142x12mm for disc brake. A nice feature is the ease of removing and installing the adapters which can be done by hand. No need for a wrench here.
Next up is the freehub and cassette setup. The Kickr comes with a preinstalled 11-speed freehub and cassette compatible with Shimano or SRAM. If you have a 10-speed cassette or fewer cogs Shimano or SRAM cassette then the preinstalled freehub will work for you. If you are running a12 speed Shimano drivetrain your cassette will work with the factory installed 11 speed freehub. If you are running 12-speed SRAM you will need to purchase an XDR freehub. If your bike is set up with Campagnolo then you will need a Campagnolo freehub. One word of warning, if you have a 12-speed bike and are purchasing a secondhand unit make sure that it is a V4 or later unit (See previous blog for details). Earlier units are not compatible with 12-speed!
Finally, when it comes to power connection the unit comes with a power adapter with a lead which can be easily connected to the adapter at the back of the unit. For connectivity Wifi, Bluetooth and direct cable (not included, purchase separately) are the latest options for joining any online virtual ride platform. You should be good to go!
Something which I found when I initially set up my first Kickr was the width of the standard exercise mat I was using for the Kickr unit. Since the Kickr legs need to spread wide for stability the typical 76.2cm (30") wide exercise mat is too narrow. You will need to go for a wider mat like the popular CyclingDeal mat which is 91.4cm (36") wide. Click this link to bring you to the Amazon.com store. We make a small fee if you purchase which helps us to put out more content like this but there is no additional cost to you.
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