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How much usage has your smart trainer survived?
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My Kickr(version 2) just crapped out.

I've had it since around 10/16. As best I can figure, I've put about 380-400 hours on it. Almost all of that is interval type workouts, with very little piddling around. I've used it for Trainer Road, Sufferfest and Zwift. I'm outside of the warranty. That puts my cost per usage hour at somewhere around $3/hour, just to own the machine. That seems kinda high. I did have some initial start up pains, but since then, it's been fairly bullet proof until now. I still need to talk to Wahoo, but this isn't a connectivity type issue, I can hear a solenoid/brake/something flopping around inside every pedal revolution, and it results in drive train bumps as well. It's obviously a mechanical or electro mechanical failure of some sort.

I'm wondering if my experience is atypical or not. What's the average life span we are seeing out of these smart trainers? Kickr, Neo and Hammer etc.
Last edited by: Technobuyer: May 3, 18 5:12
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Technobuyer] [ In reply to ]
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Wahoo can repair the Kickr. You may not have to buy a brand new unit. Give them a call.

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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Technobuyer] [ In reply to ]
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computrainer
8-14 hours/wk use for the last 4-5 years, (plus however long the previous owner used it) nothing more annoying than it occasionally heats up/eats a tyre.

My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Morelock] [ In reply to ]
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Kickr Snap 2

About 8000 miles worth of TR, Sufferfest, Zwift where 20 miles = 1hr. (approx)

Still going strong.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Morelock] [ In reply to ]
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Same here. I'm on a Computrainer, and have been since 1998. Ride 4-6 times a week inside, all year round. It just keeps on going, but it does eat tires. To be fair, I think this is my third one. I upgraded to a Lab model after my initial purchase, and the lab model died after 8-10 years, so I had to replace the load generator about 2 years ago, but the new one is going strong. I belong to the Neo and Direto FB groups, and though I realize those forums are places to list issues and receive help, they don't inspire me at all on the longevity of this new generation of wireless direct drive trainers.

I wanna go fast!
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Morelock] [ In reply to ]
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Morelock wrote:
computrainer
8-14 hours/wk use for the last 4-5 years, (plus however long the previous owner used it) nothing more annoying than it occasionally heats up/eats a tyre.

+1, I think I bought mine in 2001. If it went bad, I would replace it with a used one.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [ironmanatee] [ In reply to ]
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On my third Elite Drivo since July of last year. First one had issues in late October, then the second in January. While none of them totally stopped working the first two started making the noise typically associated with bearing failure. Replacement was easy but waiting for them to receive the defective unit before sending out a replacement means its about 3 weeks (distributor is in MA while I'm in AZ) without a trainer but at least its been a straight forward hassle free process.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Tifosi01] [ In reply to ]
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Kickr v1, bought at release. HEAVY use since purchase, actually wore out the cassette it came with and about to install a new Ultegra. Still going strong.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Thom] [ In reply to ]
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+2

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Technobuyer] [ In reply to ]
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Velodyne, purchased in 1989, over 7000 hours of use, still going strong.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [ironmanatee] [ In reply to ]
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Are you using trainer tires? I’ve never had the computrainer even break one of those down.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Technobuyer] [ In reply to ]
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I had a Elite Real Turbo Muin that stoppes working about two weeks before its two years birthday. Was replaced by Elite at no cost and upgraded to a Drivo. I was at about 10.000k all-time at Zwift and had some non-Zwift time before that.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Grant.Reuter] [ In reply to ]
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Grant.Reuter wrote:
Are you using trainer tires? I’ve never had the computrainer even break one of those down.

yeah, I've used all the colors (I assume they are all just the same tyre anyways)

I suspect the culprit is ergo mode, any time mine have ever had issue it's been on longer (1hr+) sets at steady'ish power. Once everything gets heated up and watts start to slip vs. what's on the head unit, that's the warning sign.

*although 99% of the times that has happened it has been using a fixed gear... Don't seem to have the same issue on a geared bike (although I also generally don't use ergo mode when I've got 20 gears)

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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Morelock] [ In reply to ]
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That may be. I don’t really use erg mode on it normally I just build semi flat courses so I can moderately stay awake while riding.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Grant.Reuter] [ In reply to ]
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I use the Conti Hometrainer and go through probably 3-4 a year. Black and orange. They develop bubbles and or splits, and delaminate. Usually I catch them before they would blow up. My calibration value is usually between 2.8 and 3.2 when warmed up. Been lately trying to run 100 PSI instead of 110 to see if that helps at all. Last tire I got about 1100 miles on before it warped. And FWIW, I rarely use ERG mode. Maybe only once a month.

I wanna go fast!
Last edited by: ironmanatee: May 3, 18 7:58
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Technobuyer] [ In reply to ]
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Check this post: https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...cement...__P5813202/
And https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpxb3iPU-iM
My Kickr lasts for 2200h at this moment. I had to replace the belt after about 2000h of use.
Sam
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [elf6c] [ In reply to ]
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elf6c wrote:
Kickr v1, bought at release. HEAVY use since purchase, actually wore out the cassette it came with and about to install a new Ultegra. Still going strong.

same no issues, tracks power consistent with my quarqs and P1 pedals
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [sgy] [ In reply to ]
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sgy wrote:
Check this post: https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...cement...__P5813202/
And https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpxb3iPU-iM
My Kickr lasts for 2200h at this moment. I had to replace the belt after about 2000h of use.
Sam

Sam,

Thank you Sir! I watched that video, and then took the cover off just for fun. Lo and behold my belt had begun separating, and when the separated area passed a roller, it bumped. I ordered a new one, and am hoping that fixes the issue. Wahoo had me send them a video of the noise, but but I haven't heard back from them yet.

Thanks again!


Thanks for the replies ya'll! Some of you are sure getting alot of use out of your trainers. I hope mine can last as long.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [ironmanatee] [ In reply to ]
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ironmanatee wrote:
I use the Conti Hometrainer and go through probably 3-4 a year. Black and orange. They develop bubbles and or splits, and delaminate. Usually I catch them before they would blow up. My calibration value is usually between 2.8 and 3.2 when warmed up. Been lately trying to run 100 PSI instead of 110 to see if that helps at all. Last tire I got about 1100 miles on before it warped. And FWIW, I rarely use ERG mode. Maybe only once a month.

Do you need the calibration that high? With a trainer tire I usually try to get pretty close to 2 for most workouts and a little higher if I am going to be doing hard sprints, I don't think I have ever noticed slipping. I am almost always using erg mode and my FTP is low by slowtwich standards (260). My Conti Hometrainers last a while, I have had problems with using old tires.

Two computrainers one gets about 6 hours a week for 5 months a year than a handfull of uses 'in season' for the past 4 years plus whatever the previous owner put on it. The other one gets a little less use now but my wife and I took turns on it for the first couple years we owned it.. Maybe 6-700 hours for one and 4-500 for the other. No issues other than replacing two of the USB adapters ($35)
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Anachronism] [ In reply to ]
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I've run it lower, to the 2.4-2.5 range, and there may have been some improvement, but I've gone through tires since owning a Computrainer. Below that I felt the tire slipped too much. I should try backing it off again and see if that helps. And I've only ever used trainer tires, mostly Conti.

I wanna go fast!
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Morelock] [ In reply to ]
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I had this problem even blowing up tires after 8 hours. Switched tubes and no problem for a year.

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Morelock] [ In reply to ]
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Morelock wrote:
computrainer
8-14 hours/wk use for the last 4-5 years, (plus however long the previous owner used it) nothing more annoying than it occasionally heats up/eats a tyre.

I've also put a few hundred hours a year on my CompuTrainer over the past five years and it's still going strong. I just switched to the new STAC Zero Halcyon smart trainer (disclaimer: sponsored). I expect that the durability of that trainer could be even greater since there are fewer moving parts (no wheel/tire contact with the trainer).

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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [sgy] [ In reply to ]
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is the Belt hard to replace? My wife has the 1st gen kickr... i've been looking at it thinking it doesn't look as good as it used to...

I use the computrainer... 7 years and about 250 hrs a year on it... just winter or bad weather days. Still going great.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [tridave101] [ In reply to ]
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tridave101 wrote:
is the Belt hard to replace? My wife has the 1st gen kickr... i've been looking at it thinking it doesn't look as good as it used to...

The belt is easy to replace. About as challenging as replacing a chain, just without grease on your hands.

Check out this thread for a link to $16 replacement belts (much cheaper than what Wahoo sells them for). I haven't had any issues with a similar replacement that I bought.
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Re: How much usage has your smart trainer survived? [Morelock] [ In reply to ]
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Morelock wrote:
computrainer
8-14 hours/wk use for the last 4-5 years, (plus however long the previous owner used it) nothing more annoying than it occasionally heats up/eats a tyre.

I got 14.5 years out of my Computrainer that was used 12 months a year. The internal disc got out of "true" and began making a lot of noise and had inconsistent resistance. Found a used model that was repaired by Racermate and it runs like new. The real question is the software-real course video's. If you get a new computer, will the real course video's "work"-you formerly needed registration-on a new hard drive or system.
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