Wahoo Fitness Partners with Zwift to Drastically Enhance User Experience

(Atlanta, GA – May 13, 2016) – Wahoo Fitness, the innovator behind the smart trainer category and the leader in workout apps and smartphone connected fitness devices, has just released a new firmware version for its market-leading smart trainers.Working directly with Zwift, a 3D multiplayer gaming technology for the indoor cycling experience, Wahoo has been able to take the virtual riding experience to the next level, allowing its smart trainers to provide an even more realistic road feel with its latest firmware update.

By emulating the increases in power and inertia experienced during outdoor riding, hill transitions in Zwift on the KICKR and KICKR SNAP now mimic the actual riding experience even closer than before, providing the most realistic experience possible.

“The KICKR and SNAP, with their high-inertia flywheels, already set the standard for realistic road feel on a trainer.” said Chip Hawkins, CEO of Wahoo Fitness. “With this firmware update, we’re able to ensure that same standard applies in the virtual world of Zwift as well.”

Built around a heavy flywheel and high-torque brake, the KICKR and SNAP allow Wahoo to build an extremely realistic physics model for replicating road feel—one that even further optimizes the in-game experience for Zwift users.

“In less technical terms,” Hawkins continued, “as you approach an ascent and begin to climb, the pedaling resistance you feel will be even more in line with what you would feel when starting a climb on a real road. By the same token, this is also true when you crest a climb and the effort required lessens as you begin the descent.”

Since the introduction of the KICKR smart trainer, Wahoo has always sought to provide the most realistic riding experience possible, and is committed to driving innovation in this area to attain even further advancements.

“Zwift users love the product because it’s an ever more accurate and detailed simulation of real world conditions,” says Mike McCarthy, VP of Partnerships at Zwift. “The more that key equipment, like the KICKR, can seamlessly translate grade and elevation data into its performance, the better it is for users who want the most out of their indoor cycling experience.”

This new firmware version has also added the ability to control both Wahoo smart trainers via the industry-standard ANT+ FE-C protocol, allowing riders to control their KICKR or SNAP from any display device and/or application that supports the FE-C protocol.

Available now, KICKR and SNAP users can update their firmware version through the Wahoo Fitness app for iOS and Android.

To request additional information on any Wahoo Fitness products and technology, please contact PR representative Kevin Rouse at 408-772-9902 or by email: kevin@trueoverdrive.com.

About Wahoo Fitness

Located in Atlanta, GA., Wahoo Fitness has created a full ecosystem of apps, sensors and devices for the runner, cyclist and general fitness enthusiast. Wahoo Fitness’s award-winning line of Bluetooth Smart products include the KICKR and KICKR SNAP, the world’s first smartphone powered indoor bike trainers as well as the RFLKT, RFLKT+, and ELEMNT line of bike computers, the world’s first smartphone connected bike computers, and the TICKR family of chest-based wearables. The TICKR family, composed of the TICKR, TICKR Run and TICKR X, combine heart rate training with advanced motion analytics. Learn more about Wahoo’s full line of products at www.wahoofitness.com.

About Zwift

Zwift is the first company to use massive multiplayer gaming technology to bring the outdoor cycling experience indoors. Athletes from around the globe can ride with each other in rich, 3D-generated worlds simply by connecting their existing training devices (e.g. trainers, power meters, heart rate monitors, etc). From friendly competition to casual group rides & structured training programs, Zwift is building a community of like-minded athletes united in the pursuit of a better social cycling experience. www.zwift.com