Wahoo just released firmware updates for the KICKR v6 and KICKR MOVE, bringing two new Zwift-specific features to their flagship smart trainers: virtual shifting and race mode over Bluetooth!
Not sure which version KICKR you have? The KICKR v6 has a WiFi status light instead of an ANT+ light. For more, read Differences Between Wahoo KICKR Versions.
Virtual Shifting
With virtual shifting, your chain doesn’t move between different rear cassette cogs when you shift. Instead, when you click to shift using your Zwift Click or Play Controllers, the resistance on your trainer changes so it feels like you’ve changed cogs.
This is how smart bikes like the Wahoo KICKR Bike, Tacx Neo Bike, and Stages SB20 have worked for years (although they use their own shifters, not Zwift’s). Today’s update adds virtual shifting to the KICKR v6 and KICKR MOVE, bringing the list of smart trainers supporting Zwift virtual shifting to four:
- Zwift Hub
- KICKR Core
- KICKR v6
- KICKR Move
You don’t need the Zwift Cog on your trainer to enjoy virtual shifting. In fact, we would argue that virtual shifting is smoother and quieter with a standard cassette! All you need is a Zwift Click or Play Controllers and your updated KICKR trainer on Zwift.
Keep in mind that you won’t get virtual shifting capabilities if you pair your KICKR via ANT+. It must be paired via Bluetooth directly on your device, via the Companion app, or via your local network.
Race Mode on Bluetooth
Race Mode sends power data to Zwift 10x per second (10Hz), instead of the default of once per second (1Hz). This increased responsiveness can be advantageous in races.
Before today’s firmware update, Race Mode was only available if you connected your KICKR via WiFi or the Direct Connect adapter. Now, as long as you’re connected via Bluetooth, Race Mode will be available.
Updating KICKR Firmware
Installing new firmware is easy using the Wahoo app (available for iOS and Android). Just add your KICKR to your list of sensors if you haven’t already, then click it for details. Tap “Update Firmware” and follow the instructions:
What About Older KICKR Trainers?
Wahoo has said they’ll be releasing virtual shifting for KICKR v4 and v5, but we haven’t seen any hard release dates yet. Stay tuned!
Questions or Comments
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That’s very interesting about Race Mode over Bluetooth. Any plans for that coming to other models? Would love to activate it on Kickr Bike v1
Not sure on plans (haven’t heard anything, but I rarely do from Wahoo) – but my bet is that it’ll come to the bike and recent KICKR models soon. No technical reason why it wouldn’t, that I know of…
Quick comment that I just discovered today unrelated to this but applicable. IF you use Android 13 you CANNOT update the firmware on V6. See Wahoo https://support.wahoofitness.com/hc/en-us/articles/9504620572050-Firmware-update-failure-with-Samsung-phones-on-Android-13
I have to find another device to update my kickr
I thought this was only a one-time problem, and once you get it updated past a certain firmware it’s no longer a problem. I guess I’ll find out in a little while when I get home to update my kickr v6 with my s21+.
Actually, I think that may be correct. But I haven’t gotten past that firmware yet
Ah ok. Need to get a friend over with a different device then. I am lucky to have an iPad laying around from my son. I successfully updated, and Zwift prompted me to activate shifting upon connecting everything. I’ll have to play with the shifting another day as it’s erg workout time.
I concur. I have android 13 on a pixel 4a and even getting the app to connect to trainer V6 is a chore. I hope these aren’t mandatory updates. This trainer drops the wifi and bluetooth for me. I haven’t had a problem using FE-C though.
Had the same issue with my brand new Powrlink pedals. No way around it. Had to get my brother to do it.
I bought a Zwift Hub One for my vacation place on clearance sale before they cancelled it. I regularly ride on a Kickr v5. The Hub One is a much smoother experience with more gears and what seems like (to me anyway) more accurate power readings. Of course I’m using two different bikes as well so not sure what is bike vs trainer. Still, glad to hear they are making virtual shifting available on the Kickr v5. Can’t wait actually.
Just a question to clarify me, please Eric:
Virtual shifting works with the trainer paired via WiFi, or not?
Yes. Pairing via WiFi or DirConn is basically just like pairing via Bluetooth. Uses the same data fields, just sends it a different way.
Is it possible to use virtual shifting on Kickr Core with Zwift Click as appose to Play controllers and if so is ‘click’ available as a stand alone product?
Yes, virtual shifting requires either the Zwift Click or Zwift Play controllers. Click is not currently available as a standalone product, though.
So does it means that there will be race mode for kickr core? @Eric Schlange
Not necessarily. Wahoo seems to be holding race mode back as a feature for their premium trainers.
Is there any information if they will sell the Click as stand alone? I have MTB flatbars which don‘t fit with the current Play and I don‘t need the Cog.
No info thus far. I’ve told Zwift that the community wants it, though!
I have a 2016 Kickr. Will this model receive the firmware update?
Probably not. I’ve heard only v4 (2018) and up will get it.
I’m with you, I love this on my Kickr Core, fingers cross it’ll also come out for my Kickr v3 as well.
I don’t want to go back to using real gears again.
Is race mode also supported when the trainer is connected via WLAN with the Zwift app instead of bluetooth?
No… you could already do that before this firmware update. This update makes it so you can have race mode over Bluetooth.
I hope the v4 gets it. I have the play controllers and want that shifting soooo much!
Is this new shifting compatible with Wahoo SystmX?
Not that I know of, although I haven’t tested it there, either.
Between the click or the play controller, which is considered the better option for shifting?
No one better option. I prefer the Play because it’s in a natural place for shifting, and because of all the other stuff it gives me (steering, group ride on buttons, etc). Some prefer the Click because it’s simpler, only takes one Bluetooth connection, etc.
Zwift Cog+Click for $79.99, whereas Zwift Play for $99(Beta version). I guess Play is worth the extra $19.01. Alas not available in AU yet.
Any word on whether Zwift Play controllers will be sold outside US/UK/EU to take advantage of this update?
No word on when. I know Zwift is working on getting them certified for sale in other countries, but I don’t know timelines.
Thanks for the info Eric.
Dang 😭, and I just ordered a XD/XDR freehub for my other 12 speed bikes the day before to be able to set them up on my Kickr. Thanks Wahoo 😭 and thanks for doing it even though I already bought the freehub. tested it out on 3 bikes tonight and it’s amazing (with the exception of the time mounting up a thru axle setup for a bike). can’t wait to try out my old 6 cog Merckx tomorrow on the QR setup
OK, so I just used virtual shifting on my Kickr v6 with Play controllers. Pretty neat and I imagine I’ll keep it turned on since many of my Zwift rides are short pacebot rides that are in 1 to 2 gears anyway.
The only fairly interesting issue I have with it, and I imagine not many people will experience this, is if you have a Kickr Headwind, specifically if you keep it in Speed mode.
Because the Headwind in speed mode is based off of trainer speed, not virtual speed, it causes the headwind to be in reverse. So, going up a climb when using virtual shifting will cause the headwind to speed up as if you’re going faster (because indeed the trainer itself is going faster or at least not slowing down).
Thought that was an interesting thing, but I’ll keep using it (and perhaps still keeping the headwind in speed mode despite the weirdness described above). I better be careful though, it’s making me want to outfit my outdoor bike with electronic shifting 😉
I really hope they quietly fixed the bug in the Kickr v6 that gives random power spikes of 2000 W when the ERG mode is switched in/out.
Nope. I got that after the firmware update yesterday. Riding along at 178w then resistance drops and see 2000w lol. One day.
I tested the virtual gears on my Kickr Move + Zwift Play yesterday.
Actually I “only” got 13 gears. And gears 1 to 9 offers a very low resistance (even if my chain is on the 53X15). Which means I just got 4 effective gears (10 to 13). Is there any possibility to increase the resistance of the virtual gear (if I want to sprint I got to switch to the 53X11 + the maximal virtual gear (13) and I’m quite light and not very powerfull (max 700W over 15s)
There should definitely be 24 gears so something seems wonky there
🤔 Typically I find myself between 12-20 range depending.
Finally I got the 24 gears. Don’t understand why at first, I was limited to 13 ???
That is weird. I wonder if you pedaled so slowly at the start of the ride that the trainer auto calibrated the shifting to a super easy setting…?
Yes. Sure. I pedaled very slowly because I just started my warm up. Is there any way to change this auto-calibration? Or it’s done “for ever” ?
Restarting Zwift will redo it. I think just exiting to the Home Screen and starting a new activity will do it too… but I haven’t actually checked this in a while.
Thanks. Actually I have done other sessions of Zwift and it remain super easy. They should ad a possibility to manualy increase the rolling resistance.
It definitely auto calibrates even in the pre ride menus I’ve found so probably best to do the super soft pedalling before starting up Zwift 🤷♂️
Thnaks. It make sense. But this means I always need to do my warm up before entering Zwift ?
I now just make sure it’s on the 14 tooth cog in the big ring beforehand (big ring is my preference) and then cope with the first few seconds at a low cadence while doing all of 100 odd watts before the calibration happens quickly and then shift down the virtual gears to get a more comfortable warm up in. It barely takes any time to calibrate thankfully.
Bit disappointing that they have not released the update for the V5 yet, i need a practical use for the play controllers!
When virtual shifting becomes available on my older Kickr, will I have to remove the cassette and buy the plastic adapter that now comes with the Core or can I just leave my chain in one cog on the cassette and then use the Play controllers to virtually shift the bike? I would think that would be the same as if it had the new single cog.
Yep you can just stick with the cassette you have and leave it in one of the rings.
Since updating this firmware update, power accuracy is off with the virtual shifting. Power measurements were always within the 1% with the Assioma duo. After testing in a few events, power is 3-4% off using virtual shifting.
I sent a ticket to Wahoo support. Will see what they say.
That would explain my race power today since I switched to virtual shifting. And I felt that the lag from shifting virtually was instant but the in game result was delayed significantly resulting in being unable to properly regulate power on the Titans grove rollers
Exactly the same for me. Before the virtual shifting, my Assomia were always minus 1% vs the Wahoo Move. Now, they are above the Kickr for 1% (that doesn’t make sense since the power applied on the pedals should be higher than on the rear wheel).
I’ve done multiple tests on mine with and without virtual shifting. My Kickr 6 is 3-5% higher than my Assioma Duo’s. Prior the updated firmware it was consistently 1%. I’m thinking the auto calibration is off. Still waiting from Wahoo support for the next steps.
That’s really odd. My KICKR v6 is actually more accurate than ever since the firmware update… tracking within about 0.5% of my Assiomas!
Erik, did you do a manual calibration after the update? I wasn’t done this yet.
Nope. Haven’t manually calibrated my V6 in years! I just let it autocalibrate and do its thing.
Just used the virtual shifting for the first time. It’s different, but very easy to use. I have the Zwift Plays for steering and other uses. I thought the braking buttons were not only useless but interfered with good riding. I mean why would you need to brake on Zwift riding anyway. So now those buttons are for up and down shifting.
If you want to use virtual shifting you DO NOT NEED to get the Cog and Click. You can use it by leaving the bike on a mid range gear in the back and using the Plays to up and down shift.
I have eTap wireless shifting on my bike so shifting was easy to begin with. And I kind of like moving the gears around to change my effort. But I get 24 gears on virtual instead of 18 on manual.
Eric, could you communicate to the Zwift developers that it would be nice if there was one clicking sound when upshifting and a different click sound when downshifting. They already mimic real sounds from riding so this should be easy to do. If I think of any other ideas I’ll come back here.
Am I right in thinking you remapped the gear shift buttons on the Plays? If so, how so? Thanks.
I did nothing. The software and trainer apparently figure out what gear ratio you are using and adjust the virtual ratios to get their range of 24 “gears”.
I’m referring to this bit of your post that makes it sound like you remapped the shift buttons to what are otherwise the brake buttons:
“I thought the braking buttons were not only useless but interfered with good riding. I mean why would you need to brake on Zwift riding anyway. So now those buttons are for up and down shifting.”???
Thanks.
It does sound like I remapped the brake buttons. Sorry, that’s wrong. There are shift buttons AND brake buttons. But still the Cog and Shift and unnecessary and in fact will complicate the issue. Forget about them and just use the Plays for all virtual shifting.
Braking is useful during Team Time Trial to not overshoot the wheel you are supposed to follow. Also when racing allows play controllers, keep your avatar from riding in front and let others do the work.
Hi, will there be a update for the V5 virtual shifting
Yes, but Wahoo isn’t saying when. V4 as well.
Have a ‘too many variables’ pre purchase question about ‘number of connections and my possible setup. Sorry for length of this question/comment?!!
I hope to have everything other than Apple TV remote and heart rate monitor on a Ethernet cable (two) talking to modem LAN ports (kickr I hope as below, and already Apple TV), or the Wi-Fi (iOS for companion)
Is the below gonna work … or am I having a heart rate monitor problem?
1) adding a Direct Connect to my V5 2020 kicker for race mode (which has a climb which shouldn’t matter for anything I think) ok no problem
2) AND buying the Zwift Play controllers which take all 2 of the Apple TV BLE’s (along with third just for Apple TV remote)
3) I’m already running Ethernet LAN to my Apple TV, and using companion app on either an iPad or iPhone iOS device (which uses Wi-Fi ‘same network’ (IP?) as Apple TV)
4) Have arm tickr fit but that’s not gonna be able to go to Apple TV separately with ‘play’ controllers.
Q1: how the heck will I do the heart rate signal?
Maybe wahoo kickr somehow can carry the heart rate signal? Or some other heart rate monitor solution?
Hope I DON’t have to use (if this even works) my old North Pole engineering ‘cable’ to use to bundle the play controllers with the heart rate signal (IF it even would do that clunky).
Q2) OR what other problems will I have that I didn’t even consider lol?
Am open to buying different heart rate solution if helps would like to move to chest band anyhow I think?
Thanks anyone in advance for any experiences, suggestions, or other help!
Any news about kickr v5 and Zwift cog
Just to clarify one thing, is the Wahoo v6 now compatible with the Cog? On the Zwift website it doesn’t mention anything about it, just the virtual shifting. I really need the cog so we don’t have to change cassette every time we swop rider (me and my partner uses the same trainer with different bikes) Thank you and Ride On!
If you can get the Cog mounted onto your KICKR then you’re good to go.
The ZCog that Zwift sells separately, in their shop, the Zwift Hub, won’t mount straight onto your KICKR because the freehub it has isn’t compatible with the KICKR.
So what you can do is, buy the ZCog, remove the cog and plastic bits from the included freehub, then put those onto your KICKR’s freehub after removing your cassette. That’ll work.
But the only reason to do that is if you really need that single-cog compatibility. Otherwise, just keep your cassette on there in a middle gear around the 14-tooth cog, and you don’t need to mechanically shift anymore.
Again, no one NEEDS the cog. Just leave your cassette on the bike. Put it in a mid range gear and on the trainer. Then use the zwift plays to change virtual gears. It will be more intuitive to change gears on the plays than on the clicker. I promise.
Still crickets from Wahoo on updating the Kickr v5 firmware for Zwift virtual shifting. I can’t figure out how to contact them that doesn’t spew back AI nonsense.