Well my timing is just fantastic. After doing my knighthood in 2019 I switched to TrainerRoad.
But since their head coach, Coach Chad, left I felt they’ve kind of lost their way.
So, last week I switched back, I love the old SUF videos but the juries still out on the OL videos etc.
I am surprised how little new SUF videos there has been since I’ve been gone! Maybe the corporate wahoo world just doesn’t get our sense of humour?!
If only TrainerRoad, wahoo X and zwift would all work together. Zwift for the community rides and racing, TR for its training plans and calendar. And wahoo x for the engagement and the built in strength/yoga sessions. Maybe then there would be peace on earth!
Well, he no longer works for them plus his profile along with the other coaches apart from 3 no longer exist. If you try to look for him on wahoo system his account is no longer active. Presumably then they no longer want or need his services anymore
Standing back from all this, Wahoo X is a great platform but it is also a bit of a mess. When I first joined I thought that Systm with its calendar was something like Garmin Connect or Training Peaks with workout analysis etc, but it isn’t. I thought that RGT would be like Zwift with promoted social rides, races and events, but compared to Zwift there are hardly any. I thought that RGT and Systm would talk to each other and they do, but not much. Systm doesn’t even know when I’ve done a Systm workout on RGT unless I tell it. The potential is huge and essential if Wahoo X and indeed Wahoo is to succeed, but seems unlikely with the layoffs. I really hope Wahoo prove me wrong as I really don’t want to leave. However, I have to confess I have started to look around for additional/alternative indoor cycling platforms.
I disagree regarding TrainerRoad plans, I think they’ve kind of painted themselves into a corner and are trying to get out now with the never ending Progress Levels V2 development. Aside from them, new companies have sprung up with solutions that are adaptive based on scheduling and workout results which imo work better for more people. I use one of them now, JOIN. Is it for everyone? No, but it certainly makes things more approachable and realistic for a lot. I’d like one of those combined with more workouts and some of the features of both TR and Wahoo.
@ozmadman It could have been a mutual separation or at his option as well. Maybe it allows others to assume greater responsibility or maybe it was time for a new challenge. We don’t know so it seems like we shouldn’t just assume.
@Kayak Seems like we are mixing apples and oranges. We know that someone left the sport science team but the stuff you noted really has to do with the software side. Maybe the change helps in the long run by reallocating resources to get a better product.
Also note that one of the new owners of Wahoo is an investor in Human Powered Health - Wahoo already had a partnership but perhaps that expands further to make the next leap from the current 4DP static testing approach.
One of the things that bothers me is that HPH dropped support of the Men’s teamat the end of this year. They will still be supporting the Women’s team from what I understand.
Wahoo looks to be discounting or reducing the Kickr price. This is due to the settlement with Zwift. More competition is good for the consumer, if stealing technology is kept to a minimum. Peloton lost 22% of their subscribers, had a major seat recall and are having a hard time climbing back. their stock dropped significantly.
With folks going back to the office, I am suspecting some reduction in subscriptions. However, if we have a hard winter, we may see sales climb for new equipment.
Overall, we just need more people to join.
Two new trainers that Wahoo announced without once mentioning WahooX.
DC Rainmaker reports that soon they’ll only sell on their website with a one-year Zwift subscription bundle. Seems like WahooX is going to have to find “organic” growth since the Zwift settlement/partnership is precluding more active cross-selling from Wahoo.
Finally, there’s one more interesting quirk here – which is that WahooFitness.com will now only sell the Wahoo KICKR CORE in a Zwift-bundled configuration for $699. Meaning, a consumer going to the Wahoo site directly will not be able to buy the KICKR CORE without Zwift on Wahoo’s site. Instead, consumers can only purchase the KICKR CORE individually (sans Zwift) at 3rd party retailers or local bike shops. Those same bike shops will soon have the opportunity to do the $100 upsell for a year of Zwift included as well.
The other point to note in that DC Rainmaker article is:
Then yesterday, in Wahoo’s announcement of the new Wahoo KICKR MOVE smart trainer and Wahoo KICKR BIKE SHIFT, it didn’t mention Wahoo X or RGT even a single time. Wahoo normally extensively mentions its own software platform in every press release, but here it simply didn’t exist.
What that means for Wahoo X or RGT remains to be seen, but it’s very clear and obvious the path forward for now seems heavily aligned with Zwift. Whether or not that is good for consumers remains to be seen, however, if you were in the market for either a Zwift Hub or Wahoo KICKR CORE and planned to use Zwift as a new customer, you do at least save $80 in this scenario.
PS. Stick me down for a few pounds / dollars to chip in to get David to buy SUF back!
Anyone find the silence of the minions deafening here? Rough times at the ministry for sure as they restructure/reorient.
I get the point of the settlement from a strategy pov: align similar priced “entry level” unit that you’re struggling to move with the major competitor and give a deal with the larger online platform to get some inventory movement going into the offseason/holiday sales rush. If there is one! The hoardes aren’t beating down doors for a new trainer, we’re not locked in the basement any longer for covid. Wahoo was fairly open with their debt downgrade and unsold inventory problems over the past year and the founder literally bought back the company and infused his own cash to make it float.
What I don’t get is torpedoing the robust, indoor/outdoor integrated training platform X in favor of the Z product…unless that was built into the settlement or it’s just not making enough money to support it’s own expenses via subscription model. Sure there’s a couple thousand subscribers to X, but there’s way more on the z. They’re totally different audience segments: Cyclists suffering alone for the sake of training vs. gamification of cycling for some fitness/racing/social interaction. The monastic sufferlandrian suffering to get better with a scientific results vs. some pretty robust training plans with virtual racing as the goal.
I personally prefer chewing my stem in misery over chatting/racing with virtual strangers with my dad-bod midlife crisis power:weight ratio.
If Sufferlandria can continue to exist in Zwift, I don’t care if they merge as long as it’s not left to die with Wahoo X and RGT if that is what is happening. Tho I really do hope that Sufferlandria and Wahoo X / SYSTM can survive and be promoted and upgraded to its full potential sooner rather than later. If TOS continues in Zwift it will be better than the Tour of Wahooletthedogsout in Wahoo X. But I’d prefer a true TOS and Sufferlandria where it currently exists if at all possible…
