Wahoo KICKR Snap Gen 2 (2017) Wheel On Trainer
Released in 2017, the second generation of Wahoo’s wheel-on trainer features improved power accuracy over the Gen 1 Snap. Since its release, the original price point of $599 has steadily dropped to just $299, making it very price-competitive against wheel-on offerings from other manufacturers.
Key Specs
- MSRP: $299.99 USD
- Accuracy: +-3%
- Flywheel: 10.5lb
- Max Wattage: 1500 W
- Max Incline: 12%
Where to Buy
Support App: Wahoo Fitness
Use the Wahoo Fitness app to perform spindown calibrations (including advanced factory spindowns) as well as firmware updates on your KICKR trainers. The app also lets you configure other devices in the Wahoo indoor ecosystem such as the Climb and Headwind, as well as control your trainer for workouts.
Overall Rating
4 stars
based on 68 reviews
First time on a trainer – happy with the Kickr Snap – easy setup from nixtaoz September 30, 2020 Minor issue with Skewer. Support was quick to replace. Minor issue with rubber foot coming loose but a small inconvenience.
First time on a trainer – Happy with the Wahoo Kickr Snap – easy to setup from nixtaoz September 30, 2020 Did have an issue with the skewer being too long and breaking but support was great - had a replacement out in days. Only issue has been one of the rubber feet coming loose but it's a minor inconvenience.
Great for getting started but feels noisy from SamC September 30, 2020 I have not owned this for long but am impressed with the build quality and durability (bought used and the seller did not package it well for the cross country trip - the box was beat up but the trainer works like a champ). It is a little noisy for apartment living but the neighbors downstairs haven’t complained yet!
Gets the job done! from cstyker September 30, 2020 I started using this trainer last year and its been good so far. There was a problem with the adjustment knob which Wahoo replaced very quickly. There is a slight wobble in the flywheel that I hope they can help me fix. Aside from those issues its been reliable and fun to use.
Great Wheel On Trainer from Adam C September 28, 2020 It's a great one type trainer. Sometimes getting everything right and perfect takes some time, but usually good after that. Seems fairly accurate.
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First time on a trainer – happy with the Kickr Snap – easy setup from nixtaoz September 30, 2020 Minor issue with Skewer. Support was quick to replace. Minor issue with rubber foot coming loose but a small inconvenience.
First time on a trainer – Happy with the Wahoo Kickr Snap – easy to setup from nixtaoz September 30, 2020 Did have an issue with the skewer being too long and breaking but support was great - had a replacement out in days. Only issue has been one of the rubber feet coming loose but it's a minor inconvenience.
Great for getting started but feels noisy from SamC September 30, 2020 I have not owned this for long but am impressed with the build quality and durability (bought used and the seller did not package it well for the cross country trip - the box was beat up but the trainer works like a champ). It is a little noisy for apartment living but the neighbors downstairs haven’t complained yet!
Gets the job done! from cstyker September 30, 2020 I started using this trainer last year and its been good so far. There was a problem with the adjustment knob which Wahoo replaced very quickly. There is a slight wobble in the flywheel that I hope they can help me fix. Aside from those issues its been reliable and fun to use.
Great Wheel On Trainer from Adam C September 28, 2020 It's a great one type trainer. Sometimes getting everything right and perfect takes some time, but usually good after that. Seems fairly accurate.
Good for the “smart” part, not for the power from tyler k September 28, 2020 This has been a fine basic trainer for Zwifting, in that it's easy to use and sturdy and feels responsive in its mimicking gradient changes, etc. But the power reading has been super sporadic, and low, since I first took it out of the box. Unfortunately, I had never ridden with power before I got it and it took me several months to realize it was really undependable and that the calibration never seemed to help. I eventually bought power meter pedals (Assioma) which show that the trainer typically runs 30-50 watts low at best. (Again, it's very sporadic, sort of spiky, which is even worse than consistently low.) So I just use the trainer for the smart part and rely on my pedals for power. But this means no ERG mode for workouts... 🙁 I regret I didn't just spend a bit more in the first place and get a direct-drive trainer.
Best wheel-on experience from Rzemieniec September 27, 2020 I did own Tacx Flow, I did own for a moment Tacx Vortex and Bushido - and had to return because of failure
Tried some Elite wheel-on trainers
If You, like me lack of space for proper Pain Cave, want to easily fold it up and hide in for regular season than his monster is just for You as well
Well build, sturdy, easy to set up. It's not lightweight but it helps during strong intervals
Overall highly recommend
Great Mid-Range Trainer with easy setup from Roadbike_rva September 25, 2020 The Wahoo Fitness app makes it very simple to setup any of their trainers. The power readings were within normal ranges and didn't have any weird spikes.
All good from Paul September 25, 2020 Been pretty bombproof. Bought 2 a couple of years ago, had one power pack blow but otherwise been accurate and reliable.
A solid option for a wheel-on trainer from DanL September 25, 2020 It's fairly common knowledge that wheel-on trainers are not going to be quite as accurate as direct-drive, but if you are budget conscious and want a top of the range wheel-on trainer, the Kickr Snap is a solid option. It's built very well and in the year that I've owned mine, nothing mechanical has failed. The flywheel is a good weight and pedal feel is nice. It reacts quite quickly to gradient changes too. Claimed accuracy is +-3% but to be honest I find that a little dubious. I've done a number of comparisons with my Power2Max NG Eco (1% calibration upgrade). The power trend is very similar - so that's good - but it can vary from 3 to 8% difference. This could be because I'm using a training tire, or the nature of wheel-on trainers and gradients causing some slippage. But for the money it is very consistent so even if the accuracy falls a little short, you would get a consistent experience - which is arguably more important for training purposes that outright power matching accuracy to a meter calibrated to 1%. So overall, I would highly rate this trainer as long as you accept the limitations that all wheel-on trainers are susceptible to.
Good value. from Harold September 24, 2020 This has been a very reliable and easy to use trainer. I've use it a lot (15,000km +) and have only a real issue once when the optical tape came off. It was very easy to remove the case and stick back on. I think the power isn't wildly inaccurate for a wheel on trainer too.
Does the job from Mjd1888 September 24, 2020
Easy setup Accurate power Well-built Portable/storable Budget-friendly
Great trainer from Alex September 23, 2020 I’ve used my Kickr for three years now and had no real problems with it. I calibrated and used spin downs to start with but I don’t any more and don’t notice any power fluctuations. Nor do I use a trainer tire, just 2.5 turns of the wheel and there is no slippage even in high power sprints. The only issue I ever had was when the stickers started to come off the wheel, made a horrible noise but I took them off and problem solved!
Solid from Claxpemon September 23, 2020
Easy setup Realistic inertiaWell-built Portable/storable
KICKR Snap from KevinT September 22, 2020
Easy setup Budget-friendly
Solid Entry Level Trainer from bnagor September 21, 2020 It comes with its flaws, but overall a reasonable entry-level trainer for someone like me entering the smart trainer market but not committed to a more expensive direct drive option. The setup is very straightforward, and the unit feels extremely well-built and sturdy. With a proper tire, it's fairly quiet for a wheel-on trainer I'd say. One thing I wasn't totally aware of was the need for a spindown on every ride, though I suppose that just forces you to actually do a ten-minute warmup so maybe it's not so bad after all. I understand why it's not a top-of-the-line option, but I've been pleased with at as an entry-level pick that has a simple setup, a more reasonable price, and the ability to easily switch between multiple people/bikes.
A Good Entry into Smart Trainers from Greg September 18, 2020 I bought my Wahoo Kickr Snap in 2017 directly from Wahoo Fitness. The trainer was easy to setup and also found out that a trainer tire was more durable and quiet than road tires. The trainer was virtually trouble free, however power and speed varied significantly on the various virtual apps. The not so good part of the Kickr Snap is the spin down for every ride, ensuring tire pressure was the same as the last ride, after coasting down hills on Zwift it is difficult to restart pedaling. On more than one occasion, the signal (bluetooth) was dropped and had to restart everything. Just gave it way to a friend and replaced it with a Tacx Neo 2T trainer. Would I buy a Wahoo again, probably not.
I smelled smoke and then it died. from LK September 17, 2020 It was inaccurate despite extensive talks and suggestions from Wahoo support. One day while riding I could smell smoke and then it was dead. Bought a Kickr18 instead and it’s been flawless.
Third Time is a Charm from Rafkom September 16, 2020 I’m on my third kicker snap and this one is working like a charm. I had to replace the first two within three months of each other. Within two weeks of riding on the first one, there was a loud ‘pop’’, smell of rubber and a loud noise afterwards. The second unit stopped reading any power and speed after about a month. Both units were replaced without question by Wahoo via my LBS. This third unit is working great for almost two years now. I think I was unlucky with the first two.
The trainer works great. It is easy to setup. In the riding outdoor months, I leave my outdoor tire on the bike and mount it into the trainer. It will require a calibration every time I remount it so it is something to consider. This usually takes about 11-13 mins (10 minutes to warmup and 1-3 minutes to calibrate). In winter, I change the tire to a trainer ride and leave the bike mounted into the trainer which allows me to not calibrate it so often.
It provides fast and accurate power and speed readings which allows one to either race or run through the training programs with ease.
Kickr Snap 2017 from VitoRockadileShip September 16, 2020 When it work it is a great smart trainer. Was making a loud noise after 4 months and 1500 miles. Wahoo sent a replacement quickly, so in the end all is well. Also was very happy with wahoo customer service.
Good marks for the underdog from Freeweel September 16, 2020 I love my Kickr Snap, and yes, I prefer wheel-on trainers to wheel-off. I like using the same road bike for training and on the road, so I use my Kickr Snap as a bike stand every time I put the bike away. That way it always ready to train on, or I do a quick unmount and I go for a road ride. It is by far the easiest trainer I've owned to mount and unmount the bike. The one caveat is that it really helps to have an external power meter to use instead of the Snap's built in watt meter. It is very tedious to let the trainer warm up for 10 minutes and then do a calibration on every use. If you mount and unmount often and don't do that you are likely to get inconsistent results. My PowerTap hub gives me instant accurate power readings. Other than that it's quiet, works well with Zwift, gives good feel feedback.
Wahoo KICKR Snap – My first smart trainer from Oneriver September 16, 2020 My first smart trainer was a Wahoo Kickr SNAP. As an average rider and one just getting started on Zwift, this was a good first choice. It was reasonably priced and performed more than adequately for my knowledge of Zwift and not knowing how much I would use Zwift. In hindsight, I would have started with a direct drive trainer, but I didn't know that then. Overall a good choice for the budget conscious and beginner.
Excellent Trainer from Dave S September 16, 2020 Easy setup and works every time. What more can you want.
Good entry level trainer, but provides inaccurate power readings from brianv17 September 15, 2020 For those looking for a decent entry level trainer, the Wahoo Kickr Snap is a good option as it allows for easy bike swapping while keeping the wheel on. However, my model does not provide accurate power measurements compared to a Stages crank-arm power meter. The difference in power measurements can be as much as 10% at 300 watts (Kickr Snap shows 270 watts while Stages power meter reads 300 watts). Additionally, despite using a dedicated trainer tire and rim, I still manage to get 1 to 3 flats per season. For more serious athletes, I would steer away from the Kickr Snap and look for a wheel-off trainer.
Excellent trainer if you don’t want to jump to wheel off prices from Cam September 13, 2020 This is no wheel off trainer but it is definitely the best wheel on trainer out there. It is build like a tank, solid metal components, and a great fly wheel. I’ve had it for 3.5 years and it’s still running excellent. I’ve used other wheel on trainers, and this one is definitely a better road feel. No complaints.
Wahoo it’s a Kickr Review (…that rhymed) from b_boi September 13, 2020 This is my first smart trainer and was basically spurred to purchase it for it's value for money, I managed to get mine for a very good price (albeit with a massive wait and plenty of back and forth with the retailer who would cancel and replace my order without notice). Saying all that occasionally the trainer makes some pretty weird sounds. It's not all the time so I've not yet been able to pinpoint where it's coming from but you'l know it when you hear it. When you put a lot of power through the crank immediately you can get slippage on the wheel contact (this is despite the 2 and a quarter turns to get the contact right). I suspect this will be the same for a lot of wheel on trainers though. Occasionally and it's by no means common but sometimes this trainer just loses the plot and your power output will drop to 0 for no reason. This may be because I have a lot of Bluetooth/radio traffic in my house but something to consider especially if intending to do serious racing on this. You wouldn't want to be in a final sprint and have your power just disappear. All in all it's a nice trainer. It does the job and plays nice with the other toys I use, though I'd be inclined to look at the DD offerings from Wahoo or even the Kickr bike if I was cycling competitively as the accuracy and resistance simulations will let you down.
Setup is very straight forward. You pull this bad boy out of the box, fold out the legs and bingo bango bongo you're mostly done. I use a thru-axle and the adaptor kit (sold separatey) was again very straight forward to fit. The replacement thru axle appears to be a milled steel and looks very sturdy. A couple of swings to get the mounting bracket fitting just nicely. The flywheel feels pretty sturdy and the contact point on the wheel makes, well... good contact.
The accuracy is not as good as a dd trainer but for the price point the resistance level and power accuracy aren't to be sneezed at and are ample for the hobby rider. This trainers sturdiness was very surprising!
It's mostly quiet but you can't avoid the fact that it's on. A bit like a dishwasher or a washing machine. You know they're there but you can live around the sound.
KICKR Snap Review from Owen Irving September 13, 2020 It's a great trainer for anyone wanting to get started with Zwift. I used to use a dumb trainer and speed sensor for a few months before switching, and the difference is like night and day: road feel/inertia is probably the best you'll get on a wheel-on trainer, and I find the power to be pretty accurate as well (I'd say ~+/-5% at worst, close to +/-3% usually) compared to a stages power meter. It also folds up to be nice and portable in the car on trips (although it is quite heavy for a wheel on trainer, about 17kg, with trainers like the normal Kickr at 21kg).
On to the cons: I find mine to be somewhat loud (not unbearable though) mostly due to a slight bit of vibration from the flywheel. Not hue though and I think this may just be a fluke with mine. Dropouts also happen at times—especially in erg mode—when using Zwift Companion to connect the trainer to a laptop, but I haven't had issues with the trainer to laptop connection. Lastly, I'd say that the setup is somewhat annoying. I would say it doesn't take much less time as any direct-drive trainer, especially when changing bikes: first, you have to make sure you set the clamp to the correct size (hard when there are different bikes on the trainer, and can take lots of guessing), pump the tires to 100psi for accurate power, and screw the resistance unit on at EXACTLY two turns after you touch the wheel. Then on the bike, you have to calibrate the trainer every ride after 10mins of riding. This takes another 2mins or so. So really, it's actually not much better setup-wise than direct-drive trainers despite what everyone says.
Affordable and dependable wheel-on trainer from robotech September 12, 2020 Great wheel-on trainer to start with but definitely need a trainer tire to avoid slipping at high resistance.
Great Wheel On-Interactive Trainer from dgpogue September 11, 2020 Set up is a breeze. Good entry level controllable trainer. I did have a faulty unit initially but Wahoo was very quick to replace. Regular calibration is critical, but even then numbers seem to be a bit inflated and inconsistent at times.
Not the best from Wasabibutler September 10, 2020 Had this trainer for about 6 months. Did about 7000km on it and it started getting very noisy. Followed solutions suggested by Wahoo but made no difference. Contacted their US branch and they referred me to South Africa branch. The company did not have stock of a replacement snap due to lockdown. I asked if I could upgrade to which they said sure. I upgraded to kickr 18 and only paid the difference. I had to pay for the courier as well but was speedy and worth it. When kickr arrived I sent snap back.
Wahoo Kickr Snap Gen2 from Lyoung September 9, 2020 I purchased my unit used in Jan 2020 to use with Zwift. I have never had an issue getting it to connect via Bluetooth with the Zwift companion app. I have never tried to use it with ant+. It is built like a tank and I (100+ kilos) have never had it even start to wobble or tilt. In fact I am contemplating building a rocker plate for it. It is no louder than my old "dumb" magnetic trainer.
It is louder, but much cheaper, than a direct drive trainer. It makes as much resistance as I will ever need. The knob has words marked on it so you can always put it in the same position before each ride. The decorative chevron stickers on the flywheel do come off if it gets too hot, but so what. Just kinda startling the noise they make when they become half-attached and start slapping on the trainer frame.
Good beginner smart trainer from rkb37 September 9, 2020 I bought a used Gen 2 Kickr Snap as my first smart trainer because I wasn’t sure I’d want, or need, a direct drive smart trainer. It worked really well for me. I’ve since decided to upgrade to a direct drive trainer (Kickr Core) and didn’t notice any huge differences in power accuracy or connectivity, which is a testament to the quality of the Snap. Overall, a fantastic smart trainer for someone without the budget for a direct drive trainer or who wants the flexibility of easily swapping bikes with different gearing, or just the ease of taking the bike on and off for storage or outdoor riding.
I had no issues connecting to Zwift on my MacBook Pro with Bluetooth or ANT+ dongle. It’s really easy to set up and install the bike on. Once you have the width setup for your bike, it’s really quick to be able to use your bike for either indoor or outdoor riding. The locking lever is fantastic.
I never had wheel slippage problems; even with 1200 W sprints. I use last season’s tire as my trainer tires, rather than trainer specific tires and had no issues. I was always sure to turn the knob 2.5 times around to tighten it to my wheel and I always had to inflate my tire to the same pressure (100 psi) and do a warmup and spin down before each ride to ensure consistent power. Especially before races or workouts in Zwift. I artificially raised my FTP on Zwift by not having it calibrated before a ride. That made for some painful workouts until I corrected it.
Kickr Snap… Not the best, but not the worst. from winninggraphix September 9, 2020 A good value for someone who doesn't want to spend the $$$ on a direct drive trainer.
All arounder from Joshhartj September 9, 2020
Easy setup Accurate power Well-built Helpful support Portable/storable Quiet Budget-friendly
A good beginner trainer from geoced September 9, 2020 The Kickr Snap is a good beginner-level smart trainer, although it it sometimes not so easy to caliber. The Wahoo app hides the factory spindown option which helped me a few times when changing tire or bike. From time to time, even after a spindown, the power readings are completely off. The accuracy is about average, compared to my Vector3 pedals. On the long run, especially if you use it a lot during the cold winter months like I do (4 to 5 times a week), it will start to show signs of weaknesses, with some creaking and strange noises. I personally had to replace mine (the Wahoo support team was great in helping me). I am now considering upgrading to a direct drive trainer, even though I liked to flexibility and ease of use of a wheel-on model.
Kickr Snap review from Chabre September 9, 2020 Very good budget option for indoor training. Easy to set-up and accurate enough for a beginner / intermediate training plan. Main negative points are the noise and the requirement to re-adjust the wheel every time you start using it.
Great trainer! from Moava September 9, 2020 Easy to set up, a few bumps until a got a ANT dongle, it's never missed a beat since.
Has always been good enough for me from colinquack September 9, 2020 I've had a few times where the trainer started making fairly loud noises, including right at the start. However I always find that the noise goes away either on its own or after a bit of tightening of bolts, which makes me believe there are no serious problems. In general the trainer works first time every time and I don't have to think about it. Over a few years I've had a couple of issues with power drop out, but I believe this is caused by connectivity problems rather than the trainer itself. Only down side to the snap is the requirement to perform a spindown. This is not unique to this trainer, but is something I would prefer to do without if I bought a new trainer.
Economical and Reliable from Retzev September 8, 2020 This trainer is a very solid choice for someone just getting into Zwift. There are several issues, but as a novice I find none of these to be truly problematic for my ride. A direct drive trainer would be more accurate, but this trainer provides at least 80% accuracy and that is good enough for my usage. The issues prevent me from giving it 5 stars, but it's not so bad to warrant a 3 star review. Accuracy is decent, so long as your wattage stays above 50W -- any lower and sometimes it'll mistake you for zero. Shifting is interesting, as rarely will you "need" to shift much. On 5%+ inclines, I will shift down some, but this trainer doesn't require you to be mindful of it. Initially reaching an incline, the transition won't be a smooth one, but within 15 seconds it'll feel natural. Being a wheel on type of trainer, there may be issues with slipping, and some tweaking may be needed. Be aware for sprinting, slowing down can be an issue with this trainer. Since power is measured by how much is pedaled against the resistance part, if your wheel is spinning quickly but you're actually pedaling slowly, it does not pick up your actual wattage. Bonus perk of this trainer is that it is sturdy enough where I can have my bike vertical and against the wall, saving some space.
Wahoo KICKR Snap review from noah September 8, 2020 I have used the Snap the past two winter seasons and think it's great. Very good quality built for the money with easy to store and setup when needed to clear space (which I unfortunately am after every use). I can't say much about accuracy of power but it is consistent between rides. ERG mode works well. When rolling on a consistent higher wattage, say 300 W, the trainer can start to make this buzzing noise almost vibrations which propagate to nearby bookshelves and such. But this probably depends on your flooring and such. I do have a mat for it. Only pain point is the need for a trainer tyre, which makes it harder to switch between indoors and outdoors during the change of seasons. Therefore I have tended to make the switch once and stick to it throughout the seasons.
Kickr Snap G2 from DR September 8, 2020
Easy setup Well-built Budget-friendly
Extremely reliable, doesn’t overestimate power, best wheel-on trainer IMO from Craig M September 8, 2020 For all the bad rap that wheel-on trainers get for having inaccurate power readings, I never saw that with my SNAP. I use a PowerTap wheel outside, and ran it on the trainer a few times to test and the power readings were very consistent, the PowerTap being slightly higher. This was confirmed when I upgraded to the Core and got a power bump to where the PowerTap had been reading. I did find that the noise was less when using a trainer tire but still more than the Kickr Core, and that following the Wahoo directions to apply two full turns to the roller adjustment after contact with the tire is very important for a good experience - I found that I got wheel slip if I didn't tighten or inflate the tire. Overall extremely happy with the 3 years I used this trainer, and upgraded to a Kickr Core. My SNAP lives on with another rider in the local area.
Generates a lot of heat from R.Cooper September 8, 2020 I bought this because I was hesitant about spending money on a direct drive trainer (which I ended up doing).. it is a cool trainer and the erg mode feature is really awesome. The problem I had was the amount heat that built up in the rear wheel and cause me to have many punctures! It drove me crazy trying to figure it out. I switched to the kickr core and haven’t had a flat since!
Wahoo KICKR Snap from Eric A September 8, 2020 The Wahoo Kickr SNAP is has been a life saver during the shutdown. Not only has it kept me active, but has also increased my interest in cycling quite a bit. It very easy to set up. It is stable and quiet as well. Its a really great trainer for the price.
Training in a Snap from Sunny September 8, 2020 If you are looking for a trainer that won’t break the bank but will give you everything that you need in a smart trainer, look no further than the Wahoo Kickr Snap smart trainer. I’ve been using mine for a year and a half for my daily morning rides before work. I like it because it’s quite. The only sounds my family hears are from me grunting and growling as I smash the pedals. This is a great trainer.
Solid value Smartrainer from Tomster September 8, 2020
Easy setup Accurate power Well-built Portable/storable Quiet Budget-friendly
Wahoo Kickr Snap from jim.lane September 8, 2020 Easy setup. Connected to Zwift right away. My Bluetooth freezes sometimes, however, but I don’t know whether that’s caused by the trainer, Zwift or Apple TV 4K. I had my trainer set up in the garage, so noise wasn’t an issue. Even so, it was quieter than my old Bkool. I’m happy with the performance for the price.
Kickr Snap Gen 2 from Mickey September 8, 2020 My first smart trainer using Apple TV to run Zwift. Using companion app connects no problem to hrm and cadence sensor. Calibration is simple enough using either the Wahoo app or through Zwift.
A great trainer which is excellent value for money from Stuart September 8, 2020 I chose the Wahoo Kickr Snap because of the ease of getting it on and off the trainer compared to ‘wheel-off’ trainers. This is particularly handy when you want to warm up or cool down after riding outside - in 1 min you go from riding outside to riding inside. The Snap always gets compared to the more expensive wheel-off Kickr. Some say the wheel-off Kickr is a more realistic road feel, but I reckon the fly-wheel size on the Snap delivers a great ride experience. Another common thing I hear against the Snap (and other wheel-on trainers) is that it wears the tire out. I use Continental GP 4000s inside and outside and haven’t seen any adverse wearing of the tire - basically I think it depends on the quality of the tire. Regardless, the difference in price between the Snap and the high-end Kickr is enough to pay for about 10-15 high quality tires! There’s another advantage that I see with the wheel-on trainers like the Snap: it’s not well known that chains adapt to the cassette - as the chain wears and stretches, the cassette sprockets change shape with it like a hand in a glove. If you change cassettes (as in going from a wheel-off trainer to a real wheel), the cassette may not fit the chain properly and cause some noise). A wheel on trainer potentially avoids this. All-in-all, I highly recommend the Snap.
Great Starting Trainer from mowens88 September 8, 2020 The KICKR Snap has excellent capabilities for anyone starting with indoor training and won't break the bank at a retail of $500 USD. I've used the KICKR Snap for training on Zwift and TrainerRoad for approximately 7 months. Some minor issues I've noticed: *Power accuracy is fair when compared to a Favero Assioma Duo but degrades over the course of ride. For example at the start of trainerroad intervals you will average the specified power of the interval. By the end of a two hour workout the power can be elevated 10-15 watts. This can be mitigated by power matching to a power meter, but that probably defeats the purpose of a budget wheel on smart trainer. *It does require frequent calibration via spin-down, and will need a factory recalibration if you swap or upgrade wheels. For example upgrading from aluminum trainer wheels to carbon wheels completely changed the power readings and required a factory recalibration in the support app. *When the flywheel heats up it heats the tires up significantly and will wear them down over time. A good trick is to swap the front tire with the rear every couple months. Try not to bump your leg into the flywheel after a workout, it burns. *The rear lock ring can come loose in the middle of the ride and need tightening. Despite all of these minor issues the KICKR Snap is still very convenient and effectively facilitates training indoors. Recommended for the budget minded.
Best Wheel-on Trainer and Great overall value from trijdc September 8, 2020 Compared to direct drive trainers, I suspect that the Kickr Snap has its shortcomings; however, given that the price tag is less than half of a direct drive trainer, I think the Snap is a great bargain. The set-up is easy, connections are flawless, and maintenance is reasonable. I have not had 1 issue with this trainer over 3 years of use. Eventually I will upgrade to a direct drive trainer since there are inherent advantages over a wheel-on trainer, but it is hard to beat the snap for return on investment. I think you get about 80% of the benefit for 50% of the price. NOTE: I have an old bike that is always connected to the trainer, so I can't speak to a common situation where they have 1 bike that they use on the road and on the trainer.
Wahoo Kickr 2017 from R.ob OZ September 8, 2020 First Kickr to allow you the use of the Wahoo Kickr climb
Solid Beginner Option from GonzoCubs September 8, 2020 I decided to go with the Snap because I was (and really still am) too lazy to take my back wheel off too frequently. While I can certainly see the advantages of a direct drive trainer, I've largely been happy with the Kickr Snap. I've checked the power against my Vector pedals and found it to be accurate. I don't have a lot of experience with other trainers, but the road feel seems about as best as could be expected, I think. It's responsive to gradient changes in Zwift and my effort mostly matches what I would expect in a real world ride. It's built like a tank, but folds to a size that is easy to tuck away. In terms of negatives, I've had one or two issues with the calibration going completely off without moving the trainer (and the need to spin-down often is a negative for any wheel-on trainer), and I've had to tweak the tightness on the legs once or twice to keep it balanced. I've also noticed some odd clicking and whining coming from the flywheel from time to time. Generally, a spin-down or letting the trainer warm up in the winter has eliminated those issues. When I've had to reach out to Wahoo in the past, their support team has been responsive and helpful. In all, if you're looking to get into Zwift (or indoor training in general) and prefer a wheel-on trainer, the Wahoo Kickr Snap is a solid option.
Good lower cost trainer – but probably better options available now? from barkingmad September 8, 2020 My first smart trainer - It's a wheel on (rather than direct drive) trainer - accuracy is ok / average (+/-3% if I remember correctly). The problem is (along with many trainers) it requires *frequent* calibration every time it is moved and ideally more often that that - I used to calibrate at least once a week which is a bit of a faff requiring a 10-15 minute ride and spin-down. Positives are it is well made, less expensive than direct drive trainers (although less of a difference these days) and never had any compatibility issues with Zwift / other software. Still works but after 25,000km+ replaced it with a Tacx Neo 2T mainly for direct drive, no recalibration and better accuracy. Still a good trainer but I'd be tempted to spend a bit more on something like the Wahoo Kickr Core for direct drive or a bit more still for a trainer that does not require frequent recalibration.
Wahoo KICKR Snap review from TeamCC September 8, 2020 We have been using our trainer for the past couple year and generally it has worked well. We use both ANT+ and BT to connect our devices and it's pretty good. Also connects to my watch which keeps all my stats accurate in one place. We don't care too much about the accuracy vs exact watts but it is consistent with every ride, which is more important. We've never had to service it and with a trainer tire on it, there's no slipping, etc. For the cost, I think the Snap is worth the $600 or so savings vs the Kickr. For my wife and I, it's good enough, consistent, and well-built
Very grateful for my Kickr Snap from Gr8tfuldad September 8, 2020 It allowed me to do so many Zwift rides and I am still using it. I just had to replace the power cable once. My only complaints is that perfect calibration is not easy to do so you sometimes slip at very high power (350-750w)
Excellent value and quality from brevans01 September 8, 2020 Not having the space for a standard KICKR, I went for the SNAP (and also b/c I'm too lazy to take wheel off every time) and have been so pleased. I have used the SNAP at least 2x/week since 2017 and have never had a single issue with it. It's easy to set up, the ride feel is pretty close to IRL, and I'm able to tackle everything Zwift throws at me. I highly recommend this for anyone looking to keep costs down but who wants a reliable trainer.
Good Entry Level Smart Trainer for the Money from cogculture September 8, 2020 Purchased as a quick and easy way to get involved in the Zwifting world, and it definitely does the trick. It's no where near as good as a Direct Drive, but if you are just looking to get onto zwift and take advantage of the whole experience, it's a good way to start. However, if you start to get really into racing and pushing your limits, the wheel-on trainers aren't really up to the task. You need to get a specific tire for your wheel (i got the Conti Hometrainer) otherwise you will get flats and burn your existing tires. Overall, it served me well during those initial days of wondering whether I would like Zwift or not.....
Kickr Snap from J.Krug - B4C September 8, 2020 Trainer was a gift from a friend, so cannot really complain. Was easy to setup and is definitely budget friendly. I have noticed power drops and resistance does not always seem to be the same and it is not exactly the quietest. Good product for the price-point it is at, definitely an upgrade from previous trainer.
Nice, but I think I would have bought differently now from wmcanirlin September 8, 2020 There are some inherant issue with any wheel on trainer. There are times that a simple adjustment seems to throw it off (from 180 to 150 watts when in game). I kinda wanted a direct drive, and now that I have used this one for 3 years now, I am more tempted to go DD. I Do not regret this purchase, it was a great value and affordable, you just have to be careful. I like the fact that it is very easy to switch from on road to on trainer, especially in the spring and fall when I tend to do that.
Very reliable et good road feeling for this type of trainer from Ghyrtan September 8, 2020 Have been riding over 10000km with this trainer and never had any problem. The power shown on Zwift matches approximately the power measured with my Stages Cycle Power Meter (don't forget to calibrate the trainer once in a while with a Spindown calibration).
I really liked this trainer. I've just changed it for a Kickr Core. Can't wait to test this new one.
Very good one from Rawws September 7, 2020 I think is the best wheel-on trainer. I ride >9000km just in one season with no issues. Cons: Just missing a little bit slope. Max gradient 12%. Not quiet as direct trainer. did i buy again? Definitely yes,
Pros:Its light weight and easy portable. Robust and accurate. Budget friendly.
Great entry level smart trainer from jrowe47 September 6, 2020 As a coach and former bike shop employee when people ask me about smart trainers and which one to start with, I suggest this Wahoo Kickr Snap. It's a great entry level smart trainer that is well built, budget friendly, has incredibly easy set up, and is extremely portable. I highly recommend this smart trainer if you are just getting into riding with power on Zwift.
Snap Review! from austinrico90 September 4, 2020 This trainer has been one of the best wheel-on trainers that I've seen. If you use a home trainer tire, this trainer is extremely quiet! Easy set up and great connection.
Wahoo Snap from Shane Besler September 4, 2020
Easy setup Accurate power Budget-friendly
Fiets trainer, huge succes from Pascal September 4, 2020
Easy setup Realistic inertia Quiet Budget-friendly
Good smart entry level KICKR Snap from davidfernandezt September 3, 2020 With less than $700 usd you can start your smart training journeys
Wahoo Kickr Snap from Aussie Chops August 28, 2020 This trainer does everything that I need it to and allows me to use my road and mountain bike. I love that the machine comes with all applicable power cords as I travel a lot for work. The machine does have a slight hum to it but it's not annoying and seems normal for indoor trainers. For the cost I am very happy with it.