We stopped by the Wahoo booth to talk with them about getting a Kickr trainer for long-term review. For those unfamiliar the Kickr indoor bike trainer, it’s not just your average trainer. First, you actually remove your rear wheel and mount your bike via the rear dropouts. The trainer itself is controlled by the Wahoo App on your iPhone, compatible Android devices, iPad, BTLE enabled Mac Book Pro or ANT+ enabled PC. The Kickr also has direct power measurement, something many will find useful during off-season training. Truth be told, that’s actually exactly why we originally stopped by the booth. We were looking to set up a review for November \ December to coincide with the start of winter training blocks.

However, while we did talk with Wahoo briefly about the Kickr, we ended up spending quite a bit more time talking about the Tickr X and RFLKT+.

Tickr X

The Tickr X is a member of Wahoo’s original Tickr family. The Tickr is their basic ANT+\Bluetooth heart rate monitor. The Tickr Run adds running form analysis via built in accelerometers, which can measure cadence and help provide form analysis. With both of these devices, you are forced to carry a smart phone to record the data. While that may not seem like a big deal for most of us, if you’re looking to do a swim brick (or you’d just like to unplug and leave your technology at home) this presents a challenge – a challenge the Tickr X was built to solve.

The Tickr X allows you to track heart rate, calorie burn, duration, and even indoor cycling cadence without a smartphone – up to 16 hours’ worth. Rapid double-tap controls allow you to double tap the Ticker X to drop markers for you to review once you sync your data, a great feature for those doing interval type workouts.

The Tickr X is available for $99.99. (The Tickr Run is available for $79.99, while the Tickr can be had for $59.99).

RFLKT+

If you’re like us, you typically ride with two computers – a cycling\triathlon computer and your smartphone. Although the smartphone typically spends the majority of the ride safely hidden in a back jersey pocket, only there if you need to make an emergency call. But of course in that smartphone you also have GPS, Bluetooth, and recording capabilities. If only there was a way to harness that power while still leaving the phone tucked away out of harm’s way.

Wahoo’s RFLKT+ is the answer. The RFLKT+ displays (mirrors) the data from fitness Apps (such as Strava, Training Peaks, Map My Ride) on your smart phone via Bluetooth, thus allowing you to use the App while keeping your phone out of sight. The RFLKT+ also serves as a remote for your phone,  you can use the buttons on the side of the RFLKT+ change data screens start and stop the timer, and control other App functionality such as music playback and more. The RFLKT+ also includes a barometric altimeter for accurate elevation data, percent grade, and feet climbed. You can even sync your ANT+ devices to the RFLKT+ and have that data shared back with your smart phone.

The RFLKT+ is available for $129.99 and is something we look forward to spending time with. For us, it’s a very intriguing option vs purchasing a full-fledged cycling computer. Stay tuned for us to take a deeper look.