Kickr climb - worth it?

Well I bought the axis pads for my Kickr. And of course they do have more movement compared to the standard Kickr footings. I haven’t noticed a significant change In comfort levels on the various workouts I have done over the last 10 days. They do give a slightly more realistic feel to indoor training, but that’s about all!

Question in the Climb.
Does the setup feel as stable on hard sprinting with the front forks in the Climb, compared to front wheel in a riser?

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I’m curious also. I’m considering a Climb but my setup sits on a Wahoo mat on top of carpeting. I’d rather not have to place plywood under the Climb. The Core is so stable that I’d been able to remove it.

Muscle fiber recruitment difference is probably from a couple of things. If you’re standing, tilt only changes handlebar position. If you’re seated, I can see it changes the forces into your lower back a bit.

I think the biggest thing missing for climbs, other than bike motion, is the proper torque vs instantaneous pedal velocity curve, which is different on climbs and flats, and I don’t think any machine has addressed this correctly yet. That’s necessary to get the “dead spot” effect right. Systems like the TacX Neo (and maybe the climb as well, I don’t know) can in principle do this, but I don’t think they have fully implemented it, based just on what I’ve read.

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@Fantom If anything, it feels more stable to me. However, I’m not an out-an-out sprinter (5s: 896w)

As I see it, it can’t duplicate gravity, and the app already adds resistance so I don’t see the point.

Norm

It took a bit to get used to the bike rising on the climbs. I do find it really helpful for engaging different muscles and for standing on climbs, since the bike position is more upright. It feels more immersive when climbing.

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I have a decent sprint too (certainly in comparison to FTP). The wheel came off my Kickr core today (well the foot covering). I did get a new badass 5s record though.

Anyone with a CLIMB who hasn’t ridden Norway yet is massively missing out. (CC @anon8787683 - you’ll definitely want to add this to the list of supported rides for the CLIMB - The Wahoo KICKR CLIMB – Sufferfest Support)!

I like my Climb. Not a necessary bit of gear, but it makes the training just a bit more immersive. And virtual rides on FulGaz or Rouvy are definitely better with the Climb.

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Saw your comment after posting this elsewhere Your best pain cave upgrade - #23 by genolan

Totally agree

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Just to let you all know - I did it, moved to a Kickr Core plus climb some time ago. Huge improvement compared to wheel on, if only because my ftp is suddenly about 30W higher on a calibrated Core (heard others also find the Tacx Bushido is not sufficiently impressed by the Watts you produce). The Climb definitely adds to the fun but also - I hope - to training specific muscle groups for climbing, at least the feel is different. Where I live (north part of the Netherlands) it is difficult to test the gains in climbing outdoors…

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So the Kickr is amazing! But adding the Climb is like the ‘brulee’ on the ‘creme’. When the pack on the screen start up a ramp and your bike starts to follow? Amazing!!

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I experimented before buying my current trainer. Back then (and I think now) you have to choose between a variable flywheel and a variable tilt. I found that simulating the slog on steep gradients (where there is almost no momentum) is more important than being able to live change the gradient. I built a platform for a Neo 2 from spare ply wood and have the front wheel on a motorcycle jack. I have to undo the rear QR to change gradient. It’s a hassle, but it’s really cheap and it works fine for constant gradient steep climbs. Faster climbs (where you’d still have momentum) where there are frequent changes of pitch don’t work so well.

It does both gradient and resistance at the same time.

But it doesn’t do flywheel size. You currently have to pick

  1. Flywheel Size
  2. Angle

I’m not sure what you are describing. I’ve never had to pick either a flywheel size nor an angle when using my Kickr Climb. It automatically adjusts the angle of my bike while I’m riding, like ERG mode for the angle of my bike.

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I’ve just ordered a Climb. It was my 50th birthday recently so decided on something I’d really like to enhance suffering.
I’m an excited kid waiting for it to arrive, hopefully next week.

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