Hey @shooj, any news on the whys and wherefores of them not being usable with the Wattbike Atom? Ordered my Zwift Plays in a fit of rampant enthusiasm and only a few hours later noticed the lack of Atom compatibility, by which time they were already on their way…
@Andy_Stout
The shape of the stock Wattbike Atom handlebar positions Zwift Play at an ergonomically unfriendly angle. It will sit low and tilted forward in a way that makes the buttons hard to reach.
While you could replace the stock Wattbike bars with more conventionally shaped bars - you’d also remove the ability to change gears, so we advise against it.
Oh I think I would advise against that too. 
Thanks for the feedback, @shooj. I tend to ride fairly upright on the tops mostly though, and it looks like there could be room to mount them in front of the control bulge from a rider’s perspective. Or am I trying to convince myself a bit too much because I really want the new shiny thing?
Interesting. And I ditched the tri-bar mounts so have a bit more room to play with. Hmmm…
Yeah but I have a 24" touchscreen sitting on mine!
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Looks like they will work on the hoods just need to be sat a little lower.
I went through the pain of readjusting the position of the bars & hoods on mine a long time ago so they are in a better position than the original, so it possibly might work.
The problem with having them lower is that I cannot see how you will the able to steer and change gear at the same time.
I have tried putting them on top of the hoods, so my thumb would rest along the orange tilt button and my insect finger on the shifters to change gear. I am still finding it difficult to steer and change gear at the same time though.
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captains log…
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Just received mine today hooked them up to my Wattbike attom positioned just below the gear change switches , not an issue for me . Yes the angle is low but if your hands are on the hoods I can totally reach all the buttons and change gear perfectly not an issue at all . Haven’t changed a thing on the hoods. I can see why they say not compatible, but putting a intercooler on a clio isn’t recommended but people do and make it work 
by the wa y opens them up turned them on and
Snapped up straight away no issues there either . Using I pad air m1 main and last gen for companion app.
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Are you using with Apple TV?
Not Apple TV just iPad Air M 1 for main screen A14 for companion app and a Samsung for music from YouTube
I also have a Wattbike Atom and was disappointed to see the lack of compatibility for the Zwift Play but interested to find this thread.
How are you finding it so far in the positions that you have them in the photos?
Any chance that you could do a video of them in use please?
Thanks.
Hi, Rich
So far so good. Second ride today, still working spot on. My take on these is . I’m the type of person if I invest in an eco system like Apple or Zwift I do my research and get the things to complement it . The position is actually quite good for me because your thumb is resting in a natural position if your resting on the hoods,rather than the upright position on other handlebars I have seen on the reviews, Another thing i ride with towels on my bars to stop my hands sweating so all I do is put the towel at the side of the controller so I can get to the buttons.
As an I pad user myself and it being close I can use the menus on there but sometimes I’ve pressed too many times if I’ve been riding hard so the buttons help me navigate a lot better if I need to. I don’t constantly use the buttons anyhow probably at the start to find my ride then 3 or 4 times in game if I really need to. The real advantage would be a laptop or computer user who has to navigate on a keyboard that’s a little distance away then these make absolute sense, they look like they will last forever although I’m not a heavy user . By that I mean mashing buttons, some people have the ability to make a 2 month old remote look like 20 years old lol . On the fence , I would say it’s worth it if you can spare the outlay, for me personally as it seams Wattbike and Zwift haven’t sorted the steering problems and if they did the buttons on the hoods are not as natural unless your in racing position and use your thumbs. It’s worth the investment. This is just my take on them though.
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Thanks Richard - that’s helpful. Your setup is not dissimilar to mine so I think I may give them a try, particular whilst they are at the beta price…
I have changed the position of my controllers to the standard position, just below the lower button on the atom.
They are fine and work reasonably well.
A couple of issues…
Firstly on a 45 min ride, each controller lost connection to zwift probably twice, the only fix I found was to turn them on and off again… if this is a common thing it is going to be really annoying. Considering how expensive they are they should come with Ant+ connection and not just BLE.
Secondly, this may sound daft but it gets very annoying, after most turns you end up having to steer back into the pack you are in so you don’t lose the draft… shocker you end up having to steer but there ought to be some auto positioning feature to keep you in the draft regardless. As it stands there is absolutely no way I would have the controllers turned on in a race. Not only would it get annoying, but if a controller loses connection, go round a corner, cannot get back into draft, pack is gone.
I get they are at a reduced price but definitely very much in beta stage.
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Arrived, tried, and sending back for a refund. Like what Zwift is trying to do with these, and admire the build quality of the top part of the unit, but their positioning so far forward on the Wattbike is not ideal, with a definite annoying reach forward no matter what position you ride in.
Also there are some non-Wattbike issues with them for my setup that contributed to their downfall:
- I’m on ATV, and using ZC as a bridge is definitely flaky
- I’m less enamoured of the steering controls. They feel counterintuitive - I want to push not pull - and flimsier than the rest of the very solid unit
- Having now tried steering I’m not sure it’s a compelling enough experience to want to put up with all the above
But hey, if anyone wants to release a version with a toggleable accelerometer that can react to the angle of a rockerplate for steering, I’m up for testing it 
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I’ve found that with some lever adjustment and some shims at the bottom of the controllers that the levels are fine.
I’m going to try some normal shape handlebars to see if that solves things. I don’t think the shifters are the problem here. Yes, the bottom button may be obscured slightly, but it’s still usable.
My first ride with native Bluetooth though. Wow. What a complete crash! The controllers wouldn’t stay connected for more than a few seconds. They nearly went back, but they’re OK with Companion, so I reckon (I hope) it’s my Bluetooth USB dongle.
If only Zwift had made the button platform a little adjustable. Feedback for the next revision.
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Interestingly, I’ve had far fewer problems on Apple TV with the Companion than I have with my Windows PC and Bluetooth dongle.