Drivetrain Compatibility [CORE]

This article applies to KICKR CORE. In order to identify your trainer, please see this Wahoo wheel-off smart trainer identification article.  In order to confirm if your bicycle's frame is compatible with a CORE, please see the bicycle frame compatibility article for CORE.  

Compatibility Principles

Drivetrain compatibility with a CORE requires that a cassette to be installed on the trainer is compatible with:

• your bicycle's drivetrain in:
  1. cassette cog count (how many cogs/gears are on the cassette),
  2. cassette min/max tooth count (how many teeth on the smallest and largest cogs), and
  3. in some cases, your drivetrain's brand (as some brand chains/derailleurs will only interface properly within that brand's system).  
• a freehub body (the component of the trainer, or a wheel, onto which the cassette is mounted).

Using a cassette incompatible with your bicycle’s drivetrain can result in damage to the cassette or other parts of your drivetrain. 

Most current and recent bicycles have a cassette with between 7 and 13 cogs.  Due to the similarity in cassette cog spacing within 8, 9, 10, and 11 speed drivetrains across brand (brand A 9 speed with brand B 9 speed, NOT 9 speed with 11 speed), many riders have found that many drivetrains can be used with a different brand cassette with the same number of cogs (brand A 11 speed drivetrain with brand B 11 speed cassette) such that many 8, 9, 10, and 11 speed bikes can be used with the stock cassette provided with some COREs.  For the most precise shifting, please refer to your drivetrain manufacturer's documentation for acceptable compatibility.

Supported Drivetrain Systems

To support the broadest range of modern drivetrain standards, Wahoo offers 3 freehub bodies. These are:

• The stock Shimano HyperGlide 11 (HG 11) compatible freehub body is compatible with Shimano HG, SRAM PowerGlide (PG), and other drivetrain cassettes with 7-12 cogs. This is included with KICKRs and CORE.
• A SRAM XDR compatible freehub body, sold separately, for SRAM XG and XS cassettes for Eagle, Eagle AXS, Eagle Transmission, AXS, and AXS XPLR drivetrains with 11-13 cogs.
• A Campagnolo compatible freehub body, sold separately, for most Campagnolo cassettes with 10-12 cogs. See below.

Known CORE Trainer Incompatibilities

The following drivetrains are NOT COMPATIBLE with CORE:

• Shimano 

  • Micro Spline 12 speed mountain or gravel (requires an unavailable freehub body)
    • Workaround for 12 speed Shimano mountain drivetrains -- Many users have found they can be used with:
      • the stock Shimano HG 11 compatible freehub body and
      • a SRAM PG-1210 or 1230 11-50t cassette (or other 12 speed cassette designed for an HG freehub body, purchased from a third party)*
    • Workaround for new GRX 12 speed drivetrains, use with:
      • the stock Shimano HG 11 compatible freehub body and 
      • if the cage will support 50 tooth low cog, use the SRAM PG-1210 or 1230 cassette.*
      • if it will not, use the 105 12 speed 11-34 (CS-R7101-12) or 11-36  (CS-HG710-12) cassette
    • Workaround with Zwift Cog.

* the nominal center-to-center spacing of Shimano MicroSpline to SRAM PG cassettes differs by .1mm. Shifting/experience may vary by drivetrain.

• Campagnolo

  • 7-9 speed drivetrains (legacy design not supported by current Campagnolo freehub body design)
    • Workaround with Zwift Cog for 8-9 speed.
  • 10 speed drivetrains with older 8-arm style cassettes
    • Workaround with Zwift Cog.
  • 12 speed Super Record Wireless drivetrains (requires unavailable N3W freehub body)
    • Workaround with Zwift Cog.
  • 13 speed Ekar drivetrains (requires unavailable N3W freehub body)

• Rotor

  • 13 speed drivetrains

CORE Trainer Compatibility

The following drivetrains are COMPATIBLE with the CORE trainer when the conditions noted below are met.

Zwift Cog Compatibility [v1 and v2] [KICKR CORE Zwift One] 

The Zwift Cog is compatible with the great majority of 8-12 speed drivetrains.  It is not compatible with belt-driven bikes or internal gear hubs such as Shimano Alfine or Nexus. Bikes equipped with 12 or 13 speed drivetrains using SRAM Flattop chains [Red, Force, Rival, or Apex AXS or Eagle Transmission], may experience slightly accelerated wear than when used with their outdoor wheel.

CORE Pre-installed Cassette Compatibility

The 8 to 12 speed cassettes pre-installed on COREs sold at WahooFitness.com and Zwift.com use third party cassettes built to Shimano cog spacing standards for their respective cog counts.  8-11 speed cassettes have an 11-28 tooth count range and the 12 speed cassette has an 11-30 tooth count range.

Before purchasing, please confirm -- 

• that your drivetrain is compatible with Shimano-standard cassettes
  • For 8-10 speed, this means Shimano, SRAM, and Microshift drivetrains
  • For 11 speed, this means Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo, and Microshift drivetrains
  • For 12 speed, this means Shimano, and some SRAM drivetrains
    • This excludes drivetrains using SRAM AXS and Transmission Flattop chains.
• that your current cassette's lowest/largest cog's tooth count is equal to or larger than the 28 or 30 teeth of the cassette installed on the trainer.  If the tooth count of the largest cog on the trainer is larger than the one on your bicycle, you can damage your drivetrain.

These cassettes are optimized for modern road bikes, which often use a larger cassette than bicycles produced prior to the late 2010s.  They can be used with mountain bikes, but you will not experience the full gear range available with your outside wheel. If you wish to use a cassette (with a larger low cog) that more closely matches your bicycle's current cassette, it will need to be purchased separately from a third party retailer.

If you have a SRAM 12 speed drivetrain, are uncertain about your drivetrain, or have other questions about compatibility, please contact our support team with the make and model of your rear derailleur, cog count, and high/low tooth count of your cassette, and an image of both and we are happy to help.