Hi, I’ve had a Wahoo Kickr Core for around a year now. It’s my second unit since the first got fried by the static charge issue but the replacement has been fine so far. I’m using a 9spd 2002 Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bike with the trainer and it had been working well until the last couple of months when I started noticing a low vibration through the pedals when riding in the highest gears. Shifting works fine. The vibration stops when I change down into lower gears so it seems to be related to the force applied through the pedals. I have replaced the cassette, chain, bottom bracket, rear mech and even the pedals but the issue remains.
The noise/vibration is so bad the neighbours have complained when I train late in the evening which they did not do before. I’ve taken the case off the core and the belt seems tight, does not rub on the inside of the case, there are no noises coming from the flywheel and the cassette is tight.
I experience the exact same issue with my kickr core.
Glad you mention it, because since it only affects some gears I thought it could be my bike…
Did you find any solution?
I also have this problem and i had my first ride on my brand new Kickr core today. At first i thought it was my gearing so i reindexed my gears, but the problem remained. My bike works fine outside with rear wheel attached.
In the two lowest gears the trainer works Great and is pretty much silent as advertized. This means i can use yhe trainer in ERG mode as Long as im in one of the two lowest gears. However it gradually starts to vibrate and make a lot of noise as i shift into higher gears (smaller cogs). This means that i almost cannot use it in sim mode on Zwift because i have to use higher gears to get some speed and the noise is intolorable.
I have tried everything from fastening my bottom braket and cranks to indexing the gears and realligning my casette (which is brand New) to No effect.
Please write here if you find a solution and i Will do the same.
Same issue here, I used to think it was chain rub as it was mild but its getting worse and ive noticed that if I am in a high gear on a descent its very mild, when in a high gear on an ascent and putting some watts through it the vibration gets a lot worse, its like as the resistence increases so does the vibration. For that reason it seems more of a Core issue than a gearing one.
Same issue here and definetly a kickr issue as it‘s happening with different bikes, which all work fine on the road.
The first 3-4 gears in ERG mode are perfectly quiet. Anything higher than that and the faster spinning flywheel seems to causes the vibrations. Unbearable, living in a flat. No clue how to fix this either. If anybody comes up with a solution it would be much appreciated!
Swapped casettes a couple of times too, does not fix the issue. The kickr core seems to be unable to cope with the fast spinning flywheel in higher gears.
I wonder if it has something to do with the belt, maybe after a few months it stretches out and needs to be replaced? Has anyone contacted Wahoo support?
I believe it has nothing to do with belt replacement. Most probably (and let me say it again “probably”) your Kick suffers from some bearing issue. I had a Kickr18 with similar problems - strong vibrations when flywheel spun in high revs … a lot of Kickr users had the same experience. In that case, bearing od flywheel axle (bad quality and wrong size) was a problem. Nothing you can do fix at home.
I tried to post a direct link to the appropriate thread on cyclechat forum … nope. For some weird reasons my account is crippled, and I can’t post links or pics in my comments.
So, if you are interested to learn more about a possible source of your problems just visit the website mentioned above (domain is NET) and search for “wahoo-silent-kickr-kickr-core-faults” thread and at page 18 look for AndyCrx post with photos
I also have a new Kickr Core and I get vibration on the peddle down stroke when I am putting out higher watts. I had a bike mechanic look at my bike and he also got on my Kickr and he said it was coming from the trainer, no issue with my bike. I am thinking it could be a bearing issue and have not yet contacted Wahoo. Anyone have this experience?
I owned 2 Cores, both had some degree of vibration when the flywheel turns at high speeds. It’s by design, I suspect. You get used to it. It also doesn’t carry through the house, so I stopped worrying about it.
Seeing as I started the thread I thought it was about time I posted an update about my issue. Due to Covid I’ve been locked down for nearly 20 weeks without access to my core and I’ve only just been able to address the issue. I made a video of the problem which I posted to Wahoo and they said it sounded like a broken bearing. I can’t link to it here, though.
So Wahoo organised a unit replacement which I set up last week. The rumble is still there unfortunately although perhaps not quite so loud as before. I managed to test the unit with a completely different bike and the same happened so it’s definitely the unit and not the bike.
So it looks like I’m just going to have to put up with the issue and see if the neighbours complain again. I’m not bothering to get the unit swapped again.
One thing I did try was to grease the skewer adapters and the skewer. Even though they aren’t load-bearing I thought it might help muffle the vibrations as they pass through. Any improvement is negligible and definitely subjective
I’ve had the exact same issue - Wahoo suggested it was to due to my derailleur alignment but it is not. I can change gears perfectly and everything is well aligned. Pedaling in lower gears is fine but as soon as I go to high gears (small cogs on the rear cassette) I feel a vibration come through the pedals.
I suspect it is to do with the alignment of the chain. When in the low range gears it is pulling straight on the rear cassette. However in the high range there is an angle which would apply more force to the Kickr bearings.
Anyone get a response from Wahoo, i’m 1 week into using a new Core and have the same issue. Smallest cogs at speed has a vibration, also a slight throbbing hum.
@Stefan_Leszek, I never contacted Wahoo about it on my unit, but Frank did and his response is below. I don’t use those gears all that often so it hasn’t been a huge issue for me.
Thanks, that sucks. I wonder of the more expensive kicks has similar issues. i’ve opened a ticket, it’s not bad, i just worry it get’s worse. at least this way i registered the issue.
