Expert consulted: 
The holiday shopping season coincidentally aligns with the annual return of indoor riding season. And if you’re in the market for a new trainer this holiday—for yourself or as a gift—there are great deals on some of the best indoor cycling trainers live now for Black Friday.
Bicycling’s editors are big fans of several trainers in Wahoo’s Kickr product range—previously awarding them Gear of the Year and Gold Awards in testing. We’re also known to frequent the digital racing and riding worlds of Zwift during colder and darker months. So, it piques our interest when the two brands combine for a special deal.
The Best Kickr x Zwift Black Friday Bundles
Wahoo KICKR CORE with 1-Year Zwift Membership
Wahoo KICKR MOVE with 1-Year Zwift Membership
Wahoo KICKR BIKE SHIFT with 1-Year Zwift Membership
KICKR BIKE with 1-Year Zwift Membership
Arriving just in time for the holiday season, Wahoo Fitness announced new Kickr x Zwift membership bundles. The bundled pricing includes one year of Zwift and is available across the entire Wahoo Kickr indoor trainer range. With each bundle, riders have the necessary hardware and software to start riding, training, and racing on Zwift.
When purchased directly through wahoofitness.com and zwift.com, Wahoo’s base-level direct-drive Kickr Core trainer has a new lower bundle price ($599) and now includes a pre-installed cassette—riders can choose 8-, 9-, 10-, 11-, or 12-speed. The Kickr Snap, the brand’s lowest-priced wheel-on smart trainer, is available for $399.
Riders with Kickr trainers purchased at other Wahoo retailers can take advantage of a discount-price Zwift annual membership for $99 upon registration of their product.
Additionally, Wahoo introduced a new onboarding process through its Wahoo app that simplifies and improves product setup. Along with the improved ready-to-ride functionality, all rides on Zwift are now shared with the Wahoo app. Riders’ workout history (indoors on Zwift and Systm or outdoors using an Elemnt computer) is accessible in one place.
More Black Friday 2023 Wahoo Deals
Wahoo Fitness Wahoo Fitness KICKR CORE Smart Power Trainer
Wahoo Fitness Wahoo Fitness Kickr Rollr
If you want to purchase a Kickr without bundling a Zwift annual membership (or to register later), a few Wahoo trainers are steeply discounted this week. The Kickr Core, for one, is 20 percent off right now, down to $479.99.
As one of the most affordable direct-drive trainers, you might expect the Kickr Core to be no-frills and feel cheap, but compared to the standard Kickr, the Kickr Core makes some sacrifices in watts (max 1,800W for Core vs. 2,200W on Kickr), power accuracy (2 percent on Core vs. 1 percent on Kickr), and ease of storage. But the Core has a similar ride feel at a much lower price.
The Kickr Core was test editor Tara Seplavy’s home trainer for the past three seasons without issues. She says it’s a solid choice if you are not concerned with pushing big watts or competitive racing leagues.
Which Wahoo Kickr Should You Buy?
Test editor Dan Chabanov recommends grabbing the Kickr Move (read full review), which shares its flywheel with the Kickr V6, making the ride feel identical. It ramps up and responds to accelerations or virtual gradient changes like the V6. “Noise output from trainers is a big concern for apartment dwellers or riders with roommates,” he says, “and, like the Kickr V6, the Move makes almost no noise. Like most high-end, direct-drive trainers introduced in the last few years, the Kickr’s most significant sound when riding is your bike’s drivetrain.”
The latest Kickr (V6) (full review here) is photographer Trevor Raab’s go-to trainer. “The Kickr has a few key advantages over lower-cost direct-drive units, including more accurate power readings, a wider range of gradient simulation, a heavier flywheel (for a better ride feel), and increased stability for harder efforts. The Kickr also includes soft, flexible Axis feet that provide just enough float to make you more comfortable during longer training sessions. The ability to easily attach your preferred bike to the Kickr makes it a good choice for the space-conscious indoor rider.”
Wahoo’s Kickr Bike Shift (full review here) is the next step from a bike-on-smart-trainer setup for serious indoor riding, according to test editor Matt Phillips. “Not only will you stop the wear and tear on your bicycle, but the Shift is a quieter and smoother experience. With multiple connection protocols, the Shift works with most riding and training platforms, with a hardwired connection for the most robust link when participating in competitive online racing.”
More Deals on Indoor Training Essentials
As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.
Kevin Cortez is an editor for Runner's World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics covering reviews. A culture and product journalist for over ten years, he’s an expert in men’s style, technology, gaming, coffee, e-bikes, hiking, gear, and all things outdoors. He most recently worked as the Style Editor for Reviewed, a top product recommendation site owned by USA TODAY. He also helped with the launch of WSJ's Buy Side commerce vertical, and has covered the music and podcast industries for Mass Appeal, Genius, Vulture, Leafly, Input, and The A.V. Club. Equally passionate about leisure as he is his penmanship, Kevin dedicates his spare time to graphic novels, birding, making cold brew, and taking long, meandering walks.
A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling, Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race.
Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master’s National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer.
Trevor Raab is the staff photographer for Runner’s World and Bicycling, a CAT 1 cyclocross racer, and, occasionally, a product reviewer for the Test Team. He fits the typical “how I got in to bikes” story: his dad introduced him to mountain bikes when he was a kid, then he had a stint as a skateboarder in high school, and since 2011 he’s been riding every sort of bike he can find.
