Wahoo's New KICKR Desk V2

Triathlon Forum
1

Originally published at: Wahoo’s New KICKR Desk V2 - Slowtwitch News

KICKR DESK V2

Let’s speak in general terms for a moment. If you are riding indoors on a trainer (like a lot of us do), any sort of “desk or stand” is needed, or at least preferred. So, with that said, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that some kind of “stand” is going to be third on my list of things that are most important for indoor training. You probably have a thousand different options of things you can use, so buying something that is made for this specific purpose is not truly needed. But, if you do want something specific to make your life a bit easier than the old music stand or stool you’re using, you probably have 15 to 20 pretty decent options.

The KICKR Desk is one of those products that you don’t really think you need until you have one. And, If have one, you will NEVER go back, or at least you won’t want too. The first version was pretty good. Easy to install, nice push buttons that made it super adjustable during a ride, along with a nice, big, wide slip-resistant platform for all your devices, snacks and drinks. It was made out of steel so, unless you left it outside in the rain all the time, chances were it was going to last a really long time. It even had wheels made it easy to move around but, like a true endurance athlete, just moved forward and not side to side. And it was also a single flat platform. It was priced at a somewhat reasonable $299 so, all in all, it was better than most options on the market place.

KICKR DESK V1

Fast forward to version 2 of the Kickr Desk. It turns out that Wahoo seems to think they got most of the first version right with the first version, but have made the latest desk even better. Here’s how:

Roller Wheels

My favorite is the new wheels they have added. To start they have added a fourth wheel for improved adjustments and stability. The front two wheels now rotate 360 degrees, making it easier to move your stand into that corner spot in your garage, basement or stationary bike spot. While it’s still not as easy as the good old IKEA cart, it’s also not as annoying trying to control four wheels that want to move in four different directions. (You know what I mean.)

Bottle Inserts

Two dedicated water bottle holders keep things secure. It would be a really fun statistic to know how many laptops and iPads have had a bottle tip over when someone got a little too aggressive during a trainer sprint, adjusting the position of the desk while riding, or when a child, pet or loved one decided to come say “Hi” and knocked into the trainer desk.

Wheel / Towel Hooks

This is my second-favorite add on. The ability to add a wheel or wheels to the side of the cart is pretty clutch. Wahoo does say that these can be used for towels, but all know that towels goes around the handle bars or the head.

Cable Routing

This isn’t super special, but they do ship six dedicated stickies that can be applied to the side rails for power cables. It really cleans things up and basically saves a trip to go get them.

Price

The second version of the desk drops just over 33% of the MSRP, bringing the prices from $299 to $199. This adds to a lot of price cuts that Wahoo has been able to bring to the marketplace as of late as they have figured out how to manufacture produces more efficiently. Which is a good thing for consumers and, besides, if they don’t, someone else will.

Take Aways

What don’t like I like about the new desk? While it’s still very easy to assemble, the new desk requires some extra steps. It also would have been cool to get locks on the front two wheels. The side thumb buttons you use to adjust platform height are slightly smaller, too. Finally, I have no idea what some of the holes in the platform are for, and there’s no information about them (yet).

I’m guessing that eventually Wahoo will offer an add-on for some sort of iPhone/ iPad holder.

But, so far, the desk has been a huge improvement over the already clutch first version. Takes about 10-15 mins to install

More information can found about wahoo @ www.WahooFitness.com

1 Like
2

For people who already have the V1 Wahoo desk, would you recommend an upgrade?

3

absolutely this desk is totally next level, its totally unparalleled to any desk ever made. it saves you 10 watts at least.

2 Likes
4

HOLY CRAP!!! I’m ordering 2 to help make up for my lack of training.

5

Only if you are really sick of having to pick up your current desk to move it in and out of corners…

6

whats the rolling resistance of the wheels ?
hookles or hooked wheels ?

1 Like
7

What about the cheap knockoffs at half the price? Amazon.com

8

I have the RAD desk and got it form Amazon. Paid $125 and it is darn near identical to the Wahoo desk.

1 Like
9

There’s a $49 adapter so you can hang a disc wheel :rofl:

Joking aside, you can easily replicate this desk’s functionality for a fraction of the price; but there is a market for well-designed, purpose-built solutions at premium price points.

1 Like
10

$299 was never close to reasonable for the V1. Knockoffs with better features (basically the V2 features) have been available on Amazon for years in the $125-$150 range.

Now Wahoo is catching up on the features and thankfully dropping to $199. That’s close enough I might pay the extra $49 for the name brand, if I hadn’t bought a knockoff 3 years ago.

2 Likes
11

Same, paid $85 US for a Lifeline Trainer Table from Wiggle several years ago that is identical to this V2 trainer minus the towel hanger…
Next they’ll prob develop some overpriced fan… :wink:

12

If only there were some way to hold water bottles on your bike…

3 Likes
13

I Also have the RAD desk, That I bought for under $100. V2 looks literally identical to my, two year old RAD. The whole world has turned upside down…

The brand name is copying the “knock off”, and the knock off has increased in price by 50%, while the brand name dropped by 33%.

14

I bought my RAD desk from Amazon about 18 months ago, I think I paid about $80 and that included shipping

15

I have the v1 and it’s overrated. The rubber matt shreds into pieces in no time. Overpriced.

16

Looks are one thing… Specs are another… And like I said in the article this is one of MANY that are worth looking at.

For example the Rad has 3 wheels , 8 points of adjustability and 28"L x 27.75"W x 47"H

The Wahoo has 4 wheels, 9 points of adjustability, Side hooks, and is a bit wider at the base 28"L wide x 30"W x 47"H

Where the rad 100% beats wahoo is the wheels lock. ( my opinion )

so yea 100% It’s $49 more money but …Both work… Maybe

17

The V1 was expensive, but at the time I got mine, there were no clones. It took mine several years for the rubber surface mat to break down, which is not unexpected for that material. When I called Wahoo, long out of warranty, they sent me a whole new replacement unit. I would have been happy with just a mat, or even the option to purchase a mat. Wahoo took care of me like a champion.

Just a data point…

2 Likes
18

The wahoo was obsurrdly overpriced at $300. I understand the economy of bringing new products to market. That’s what I do, as well.

I’ve had the RAD for two years. I think I paid $80. I wouldn’t pay $150 for it today. That’s obsurd for a 18x32 table with wheels, locking or not, 3 or 4 of them. I can’t think of what the 8 points of adjustment might be… Doubt I need one more.

Product differentiating features doesn’t actually mean the product is materially different. At the end of the day, it’s an injection molded top some bent square tubing and two slide locks.

Tpday there are knock offs of the RAD, for $80 - $120. Again…it’s a table… Tall… With wheels. If I needed a new one… I’d probably buy one of those.

1 Like
19

Look Im not here to argue with you. but if you truly bring products to market for a living then surely you know the difference between your examples. And once again… I have said many times. Both of which are good options depending on what someone is looking for.

The 8 points Im talking about are the height adjustments. It just simply meant that someone would have more of them.

20

That’s fine. I’m not really either. But, yes…

Product Engineer (of various flavors), 32 years, in 5 different industries, from less-than-10 total units markets to >1M units per month (per product line).

Yes, there’s a difference in the examples. But, in some sense the difference doesn’t matter…or rather it has to be considered in the business case for assessing the r&d investment, the pricing model, the ultimate ROI, and the expected timeframe to recover investment. Cost based pricing is an antiquated model.

The $300 price tag associated with V1 and to a lesser extent the $200 for V2 smell like cost-based models without consideration for the perceived market value. Admittedly, that’s an assumption on my part, biased by my own perspective on the value.