The Zwift Hub Classic Smart Trainer Has Been Discontinued... And Replaced by the Wahoo Kickr Core Bundle

Published November 21, 2023 09:53AM

Today, Wahoo Fitness has announced that they’re not only dropping the price of the Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer but that they’re now including a choice of a preinstalled 8/9/10/11/12 speed cassette. That’s not all, however: all new Wahoo Kickr Core Bundle sales come with a free one-year membership to Zwift, as well as a few other small changes.

Alongside this announcement is the discontinuation of the Zwift Hub smart trainer, a quiet removal that leaves just the Zwift Hub One (that we reviewed recently) as the sole Zwift trainer option. Let’s dig into the changes.

Wahoo Kickr Core Updates

The Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer has been around since 2018. Positioned as an affordable option to the Wahoo Kickr smart trainer, the Kickr Core still offers a stable base and quiet operation. The only thing it really lacked was the preinstalled cassette that the Kickr smart trainer offered.

The new Wahoo Kickr Core Bundle includes the choice of preinstalled 8/9/10/11/12 speed cassette. Further, it includes a one-year membership to Zwift, all for a lower price than before. Bundling the cassette with a Zwift membership is a first for the Atlanta, Georgia-based Wahoo Fitness.

Alongside this new package – and its price drop to match the Zwift Hub One cost – is a price drop for the Wahoo Kickr Core found at Wahoo retailers. These Kickr Core trainers will not include a cassette. Fortunately, folks who buy a Kickr Core from a local bike shop or a brick-and-mortar are offered a discounted one-year Zwift membership at $99.99/ £99.99/ €99.99.

There are no physical changes to the Kickr Core smart trainer, not that there were any major changes that needed to happen anyway.

Price, Wahoo Kickr Core (without cassette): $399.99 / £349.99 / €399.99 / $739.99 CAD

What does this mean for the Zwift Hub?

Simply put, the Zwift Hub classic smart trainer – the one with a multi-speed cassette option – is no more. This leaves the Zwift Hub One smart trainer as the sole Zwift-branded smart trainer on the market.

The Zwift Hub classic smart trainer was released just over a year ago in 2022, receiving a number of firmware updates along the way: race mode, auto-calibration, and even virtual shifting to start. It featured a number of features unmatched at its price point, with only the Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer coming close.

Add in a preinstalled cassette of the rider’s choosing and the Hub made for a great smart trainer, one that could be used with just about any smart trainer program.

The Zwift Hub One with its one cog and virtual shifting sticks around. But the Zwift Hub with a multi-gear cassette is gone, and replaced with the Wahoo Kickr Core Bundle. The same price, and just about the same features, just with the compatibility with the Wahoo ecosystem of accessories.

Zwift Hub One vs Wahoo Kickr Core: Which smart trainer is best for you?

We’ve reviewed both the Zwift Hub One and Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainers. Both are excellent options with great value.

The main difference you’ll find between the two trainers is that the Hub One comes with a single cog and virtual shifting in the Zwift app. The single cog makes swapping between bikes with different drivetrain gearing very easy, and the virtual shifting (done so with the Zwift Click controller included with the trainer, or with an optional Zwift Play controller) provides wide-range gearing to bikes that may not have the right gearing.

The Wahoo Kickr Core trainer is far more traditional. You’ll have to use a standard bike cassette and use your bike’s drivetrain to shift between gears to find the right gearing. Kickr Core offers additional integration with the Wahoo ecosystem, including pairing with their Headwind fan, Kickr Climb gradient simulator, and Elemnt GPS cycling computers. The Zwift Hub One simply can’t match it.

There are a few hardware differences to note: the Kickr Core allows for multiple Bluetooth connections, and it promises slightly more accurate power readings. But for all intents and purposes, these two smart trainers are about as close as they get.

If you find yourself only using Zwift – or the ERG mode on other training programs – then the Hub One is likely the simpler solution. But if you prefer the feel of using your own drivetrain, or you intend to use other apps besides Zwift, then the Wahoo Kickr Core is likely the better, more versatile option.

Zwift adds a discounted year-long subscription option

Unless you purchased a smart trainer bundled with a Zwift membership, Zwift has traditionally only been available on a monthly basis. Now, users can sign up for a full-year membership that promises better value.

The new year-long subscription option is priced at $149.99 / £129.99 / €149.99. Monthly membership remains at $14.99 / £12.99 / €14.99. Signing up for a year-long membership represents a $29.89 / £25.89 / €29.89 savings, or 12 months of membership for the price of 10.

Existing members subscribed to their monthly membership can switch over to an annual membership, though users who have subscribed using the Apple app store will need to cancel their existing subscription and then subscribe on Zwift.com to move to an annual membership.

Fret not, monthly subscribers: you’ll still be able to maintain your monthly membership and discontinue it as soon as the weather comes back to your liking.

Update Nov. 21, 2023: This story has been updated to reflect the cassette-based Zwift Hub trainer is being discontinued, not the Zwift Hub One.