Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Indoor & Stationary Cycling Forum
Reload this Page >

Kickr and Zwift Setup Tips and Accessories

Notices
Indoor & Stationary Cycling Forum From spin to Zwift to Peloton, this forum is dedicated to any and all indoor training on stationary bikes

Kickr and Zwift Setup Tips and Accessories

Old 06-28-21, 06:38 PM
  #1  
kosmo886
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 224
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 192 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times in 7 Posts
Kickr and Zwift Setup Tips and Accessories

So I am just about to get a new Wahoo Kickr and start using Zwift. What do I need for the setup? Thinking I clearly need a TV and probably Apple TV to stream Zwift to the TV. Will I need a front wheel block? Or does one come with the unit? I am thinking about getting the climb unit at some point, but not yet.

What am I missing/what are best tips for an optimal setup?
kosmo886 is offline  
Old 06-28-21, 06:48 PM
  #2  
spelger
Senior Member
 
spelger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,275

Bikes: yes, i have one

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1124 Post(s)
Liked 1,171 Times in 682 Posts
Bare minimum is pc or apple with Bluetooth and a fan. That was my first setup. No wheel block.
later I added a 40 inch TV over hdmi cable added ant dongle heart rate monitor and cadence.
I use a brick or cinder block to simulate grade.
the fan really is necessary by the way.
spelger is offline  
Old 06-28-21, 08:31 PM
  #3  
atwl77
Kamen Rider
 
atwl77's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: KL, MY
Posts: 1,071

Bikes: Fuji Transonic Elite, Marechal Soul Ultimate, Dahon Dash Altena

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 351 Post(s)
Liked 277 Times in 164 Posts
Definitely need a towel. If not for yourself, then for your bike. My stem bolt and cap got pretty nasty from all that sweat and had to be replaced.
atwl77 is offline  
Old 06-28-21, 09:06 PM
  #4  
caloso
Senior Member
 
caloso's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur

Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times in 1,417 Posts
I covered my stem cap bolt with electrical tape for that reason.
caloso is offline  
Old 06-29-21, 09:56 AM
  #5  
spelger
Senior Member
 
spelger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,275

Bikes: yes, i have one

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1124 Post(s)
Liked 1,171 Times in 682 Posts
Originally Posted by atwl77
Definitely need a towel. If not for yourself, then for your bike. My stem bolt and cap got pretty nasty from all that sweat and had to be replaced.
good point about the towel. forgot that and definately needed althogh i still wear my bandana even riding in teh garage. and still when 20 degrees outside.
spelger is offline  
Old 06-29-21, 09:57 AM
  #6  
spelger
Senior Member
 
spelger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,275

Bikes: yes, i have one

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1124 Post(s)
Liked 1,171 Times in 682 Posts
Originally Posted by kosmo886
So I am just about to get a new Wahoo Kickr and start using Zwift. What do I need for the setup? Thinking I clearly need a TV and probably Apple TV to stream Zwift to the TV. Will I need a front wheel block? Or does one come with the unit? I am thinking about getting the climb unit at some point, but not yet.

What am I missing/what are best tips for an optimal setup?
maybe check out this thread.

https://www.bikeforums.net/indoor-st...ng-setups.html
spelger is offline  
Old 06-29-21, 10:45 AM
  #7  
blacknbluebikes 
Senior Member
 
blacknbluebikes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: NJ, USA
Posts: 1,276

Bikes: two blacks, a blue and a white.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 442 Post(s)
Liked 840 Times in 407 Posts
got a cassette for the kickr ? I also needed a new chain, which was not obvious until I tried running the old chain on the new cassette. wouldn't index.
blacknbluebikes is offline  
Old 06-29-21, 10:47 AM
  #8  
blacknbluebikes 
Senior Member
 
blacknbluebikes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: NJ, USA
Posts: 1,276

Bikes: two blacks, a blue and a white.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 442 Post(s)
Liked 840 Times in 407 Posts
also, I got a sweat catcher and iphone mount combo on ammo-zon for less than $20. totally worth it.
blacknbluebikes is offline  
Old 06-30-21, 05:47 AM
  #9  
Viich
Hack
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,251

Bikes: TrueNorth CX bike, 88 Bianchi Strada (currently Sturmey'd), 90's Giant Innova (now with drop bars), Yess World Cup race BMX, Redline Proline Pro24 race BMX Cruiser

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 343 Post(s)
Liked 181 Times in 127 Posts
So - bare minumum - you can run Zwift on a mid-range android phone, and chromecast to a TV.
I used a laptop and chromecast to the TV for quite some time, ended up getting a new desktop using the TV as a second monitor now.

You'll want
  1. A fan
  2. table or something to put
  3. handlebar mount for phone to run 'Zwift companion app' (annoyingly, many things are a pain to do without it)
  4. ant+ dongle (I find it runs better than BT)
  5. usb extension cable (get ant+ dongle closer to trainer)

There's a facebook group "Zwift PC Master" (ZPCMR) that's about budget builds using older office desktops, adding a couple parts and running fairly high frame rates at high resolution.
Viich is offline  
Old 07-07-21, 05:42 PM
  #10  
kosmo886
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 224
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 192 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times in 7 Posts
Should I be using my stages power meter at all indoors? Or just for cadence? I have a Kickr for trainer…so that obviously does power. Lots of moving parts setting this all up!
kosmo886 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.