Wahoo starts shipping 2020 KICKR direct connect cable: practical details

Last summer, when Wahoo announced the KICKR V5 / 2020, one of the new features was a new port on the side of the trainer that would allow you to plug it into your home (or office) network, in order to bypass any wireless connectivity. problems you might have. While most of us use wireless connections very well, some of us aren’t so lucky – especially if we live in a crowded RF space like a tall apartment building. Likewise, it could also be attractive for certain esports events.

Either way, the KICKR V5 / 2020 actually didn’t have an Ethernet port on the side, but rather something that looked like a phone port. This in turn would require you to buy an adapter (aka, a dongle) and plug it in. Then you plug the cable in there. After which, the apps would be updated to see this new kind of connectivity (in addition to the usual ANT + and Bluetooth Smart connections).

Long story short – as of this morning you can now buy this dongle for $ 99.

Now, I had planned for a full, in-depth review to be released today… but… uh… things didn’t go well. However, in this rare scenario, I don’t think it’s a representation of the product per se, but rather the timing. Simply put, the third-party apps aren’t quite ready yet and the final firmware has just arrived in the last couple of days so they can get it ready. If it was a week away, that would probably be a different story. But from the second the embargo lifts, Apps are a motley but grueling team that seems to have ended a tough night in the bars. All the bars… all the drinks… all night long.

So I’ll be back next week or so with the final review and all the app players. This review will be vaguely similar to this article, but with much more detail on some of the nuances and how each app has implemented it. Also, he’s arguably the best intro to a video I’ve ever shot.

The quick details:

Above is the box you will receive the Direct Connect cable in, this is pretty much the same as all other Wahoo Fitness boxes. Inside you will find the dongle and a quick release extension cable for said dongle. And yes, I will keep saying dongle. Because… I am a 5 year old boy.

The extension cable is actually there in case you trip over the Ethernet cable as it will come off cleanly rather than tearing your key or KICKR port. It works the same as their power cable. If there was a redeemable aspect of not having a native Ethernet port, the quick release security cable would be this one.

Either way, you’ll take the quick-release cable and dongle, and glue all the parts attached to your KICKR V5 / 2020 together.

Oh, then stick an ethernet cable in it:

After that, plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into your router / hub / switch (technically you can plug it directly into a computer’s Ethernet port if you want):

Remember, the goal here is to get the KICKR data stream over your home network. The application device you use can be wired (such as a computer) or wireless (such as a telephone). While it might seem counterintuitive to switch back to a tablet or cordless phone afterwards, the reality is that for most people, it’s not the WiFi dropouts that are the problem – it’s the dropouts with ANT +. or Bluetooth Smart (due to WiFi or other interference). Yet in my case, I used both a wired Apple TV (for fun), a Mac (WiFi), and an iOS device (WiFi) to demonstrate all of the variations.

If you were to open the Wahoo Fitness app (the one where you can pair sensors and the like), you’ll see the KICKR status of the Direct Connect connection (shown below as ‘KICKR CLIMB’). It will show “ disconnected ” for the TCP connection status when an application is not actively using it. It allows simultaneous application via Ethernet at a time.

Now open our favorite workout app to get the pairing. Officially, Wahoo says the following in its press release today:

“As of today, the SUF training system from Wahoo, TrainerRoad, FulGaz and RGT Cycling are compatible. Other platforms are expected to become compatible in the coming months, including Zwift. “

Officially, here is the actual status of all real-world apps as it goes live:

FulGaz: In beta versions, but not yet fully working in my testing
RGT: Fully functional in public production version
The Sufferfest: I’m supposed to work in production, but not for myself or for others
TrainerRoad: In some beta versions, but not yet fully working in my testing. Targeting in early February for publication.
Zwift: According to the Zwift Product and PR team, the actual official target is “later this year”

I haven’t checked with all of the other workout apps yet, but will add them to the list if they shoot their ETAs.

And since Zwift is obviously the elephant in the room here (and arguably the platform that needs it the most), here’s Zwift’s full quote on it, based on my question on exactly when it will be compatible. with Zwift:

“The initial work has started and Zwift will offer support for the Wahoo Direct Connect adapter on all platforms once all QA testing is completed later this year.

A tough in-game deadline is not in sight at this time, but we’ll communicate it as we move through the testing process.

Do you have it all? Okay, now we’re going to pick the only app that works for me today: RGT. To do this, you will use your mobile companion app to search for devices on the network. Seconds later, you’ll see the Wahoo KICKR trainer listed as both a Direct Connect trainer and a Bluetooth trainer (this was on iOS). It has a special icon that looks like a broom. I know… I know… he’s supposed to look like a Wahoo dongle.

In this case, the Direct Connect connection will take care of the power and cadence, as well as the control of the trainer. However, you can still connect to ANT + and Bluetooth connections, for example with a watch or bike computer. On the KICKR itself, you’ll see the two LEDs on the back light up and stay on, indicating a Direct Connect connection:

After that you just ride as usual. There is no difference here, nor a noticeable change. It does not transmit data faster, slower, or more frequently. It’s identical.

And on FulGaz (on Apple TV) it’s similar too – you’ll see the ‘Network’ option listed here for every connection

With that, that’s all there is to it. The point of Wahoo (and the apps I’ve talked to) is to be completely transparent to you. You just need to plug the cable into your network, then your device / app finds the trainer and you are done.

And, if you ask me in a week or two from now – I’m sure it will work exactly like that. Unfortunately, to this day, it is not yet fully cooked. So, I’ll come back in a week or two after these apps have had a few minutes to get everything working, and dive into more nuanced detail (like side-by-side comparisons of data streams). All the geeky goodness you’d expect.

Wrap:

Like I said earlier, I’ll come back with the full app test results (including those I have been running other hilarious or sketchy tests … probably both), once I get to will have the last of the incompatible applications. Since Zwift won’t be here until “later this year,” I’m not going to wait for them. A random day in 2021 where they release an update to make it compatible, so I’m going to go back and update this article with how it works in Zwift.

Ultimately though, I suspect the Wahoo Direct Connect adapter (aka, dongle) will be a short-lived product. Not because something is wrong, but because I don’t see a chance, it’s more than a one-shot wonder. This means I’d be blown away (and disappointed) if the next KICKR or KICKR bike just didn’t build it in-house. After all, the reason it wasn’t natively in the KICKR V5 / 2020 was just the complexity of the timing. And while I’m not sure when Wahoo plans to release a new KICKR, they’re historically pretty consistent for the end of every August (except the year they released a smart bike instead). Which means this product has a peak lead time for sales of 8 months. Of which, Zwift may not be compatible at all during this time.

Of course, people will have KICKR V5 trainers for years to come, and full boats have been sold in the last 6-7 months. Thus, the dongle will invariably be bought for years by these people.

Now – with the dongle itself likely to hit its peak, I would expect the underlying Direct Connect technology to become a standard option on Wahoo trainers / bikes – and probably industry standard (from a certain way). Esports demands are likely to be the driving force, although the feature is rarely used by most regular consumers. So while the adapter hardware may be a bit flamboyant, the development effort that goes into it won’t be wasted – it will likely be integrated into future Wahoo products natively.

Anyway, more in my final exam.

With that – thanks for reading!