Wahoo KICKR RUN: 25 More New Details!

After yesterday’s announcement by Wahoo of the KICKR RUN, there were a boatload of questions I hadn’t covered in my first-run post/video. Some of them were minor spec things (like deck height), while others were larger ticket items. I’m slowly working back some of the questions into my original post, but I decided to do a quick Q&A style video with most of these questions.I sent off a big list to Wahoo for ones I didn’t have answers to, and then some of of course more for me in terms of feel/etc… 1) Is there a safety plate at the back of the treadmill?  Yes, you can see it in some of the photos/videos, but I didn’t think to specifically call it out. It runs very tightly against the back of the belt, to prevent anything (child/pet/ball/etc) from being sucked under the back of the treadmill. You can see this in the thumbnail image up above (circled). 2) What happens if you stick a towel over the time-of-flight sensor? That sensor is used for the RunFree mode, which is the automatic mode that controls the pace merely based on your body position on the belt. It’s the marquee feature of the treadmill. Someone was curious about what would happen if you threw your towel over the console railing there. Wahoo says it’ll detect something is artificially too close, and won’t increase the speed of the treadmill. 3) Will the Wahoo SYSTM App Support Treadmill Running? Yes. The SYSTM app already had running workouts, but Wahoo says by launch it’ll have full KICKR RUN control within it. 4) Why the 250lbs runner weight limit? Given many other treadmills in the $2000-$3000 price ballpark have a 300lbs weight limit, a number of folks noted the somewhat low limit. Wahoo says: “The 250 pound runner weight limit is a Wahoo standard test protocol. We plan to explore increasing this specification to a higher weight limit prior to launch, but can not confirm at this time.” As a quick reminder from my first post/video, Wahoo noted at the time that the treadmill was engineered for more than the 250lbs limit, so hopefully, Wahoo is able to accomplish what they hinted at above. 5) Will it follow gradient in structured workouts? Wahoo says, ‘as you wish’. Specifically “The user will have the option to disable grade control in Zwift at any time (whether in a structured workout or not). In addition, the user can manually set the grade of the KICKR RUN instead of using the Zwift-controlled gradient.” 6) Do you have to use Zwift with it? Nope. In fact, Wahoo is already talking with other 3rd party apps. Plus, there’s Wahoo’s own (free) app for control, as well as just using the treadmill without any app. Casual reminder though, Zwift Running is still actually free. 7) Will Zwift now support FTMS control on other treadmills? While this isn’t a Wahoo question, I fielded it off to Zwift instead. And they did indeed confirm this is coming, saying “Yes, the plan is to be open and enable FTMS support for gradient control on other treadmills. We aren’t ready to commit to a timeline but we’ve been working closely with Wahoo to develop the functionality.” Note the key word there is ‘gradient control’, which is what a lot of people are asking for. But this does fall short of ‘pace control’, which typically requires validations/certifications from a treadmill manufacturer. Hopefully, Zwift will take up other companies’ offers on that (including TechnoGym). 8) What’s the deck height of the treadmill? This is an easy one, 30cm when flat. This is notable for people with low ceilings. Remember though to add deck height + your height + a buffer + (and this is important) any incline height. 9) What’s the exact footprint of the treadmill? While I had included specs like belt length/etc in my initial post, I didn’t include the exact footprint specs. The unit is listed as 1.77m long x 0.94m wide x 1.4m tall., and here’s a nifty diagram showing it all: 10) Why use a belt as opposed to slats? Here’s their quoted answer: “The slat designs are very noisy and provide a surface that is artificially compliant. We evaluated slat designs and found the excess give absorbed too much energy and did not simulate outdoor running as well as a properly designed deck. As you noticed in your testing session and videos, the KICKR RUN will be one of the quietest treadmills on the market.” Now, obviously, people prefer different material surfaces. But I’ve long noted how I generally prefer belt treadmills over slat-based ones. Not because of cost, but simply the feeling while running. Again, to each their own. I will agree that this treadmill sounded incredibly quiet compared to the other units I have, but I do need to put them side-by-side in the same environment to validate those perceptions. ….and, I’ve hit the 5,000 character limit on YouTube, full list is here: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/01/w... #WahooKICKRUN #KICKRUN #Treadmill