We’re big fans of Wahoo’s KICKR line of indoor cycling products, from their stationary trainer to their creative angle-adjusting CLIMB. Suffice to say, their products, especially the latter, allow you to make those stationary cycling sessions feel a lot more like riding in the outdoors. The Wahoo KICKR Headwind wants to reinforce that outdoor feel even more.
A Bluetooth-controlled electric fan (seriously), the device is designed to sit in front of your stationary trainer, blowing wind the same way you’re supposed to experience it when you’re riding your bicycle outdoors. Whether you like to watch outdoor cycling videos when doing your workouts, imagine yourself riding at your favorite trail, or just want to make erstwhile indoor rides feel a little more fun, this wind-blowing machine could be just the thing to give those workouts that extra nudge.
According to Wahoo, the KICKR Headwind is the very first fan to be designed with the cyclist in mind, making it a unique accessory for those who like to train on stationary machines. It has a maximum wind speed of 30 mph, so things can get pretty windy wherever you are training, ensuring it can properly cool you down even when you’re putting in the most intense workout. Unlike traditional fans, the targeted airflow pattern mirrors the shape and position of a cyclist’s body while riding, so it should work a little differently than just taking the electric in your bedroom in putting it in front of the bike.
It comes with four manual speed settings, in case you want to make the airflow even throughout the whole workout, although this thing is designed to pair with Wahoo’s mobile app, using data from which it can automatically adjust the fan speed. If you choose to vary the fan’s output based on your riding speed, for instance, it will send a more powerful wind flow the faster you go, which should simulate the kind of winds you face when riding on the road. In case you choose to vary it using heart rate, on the other hand, the fan speed will go up as your heart rate increases, so it will cool you down as you put in a little more effort. Aside from pairing with the app, by the way, it also has ANT+, allowing it to pair directly to compatible workout devices, such as speed sensors and heart rate monitors.
The Wahoo KICKR Headwind measures 16 x 12 x 19 inches (length x width x height), so it’s quite a compact fan, with a design that’s meant to stand right on the floor (no need to put it on a desk) in order to facilitate the targeted airflow pattern. While the 30 mph top speed of the fan means it will likely sound like an industrial wind blower at full speed, reviews indicate it actually doesn’t. Sure, there’s some amount of sound, but not enough to overwhelm a small and quiet room. Suffice to say, you should still be able to hear your music even with the fan at full throttle.
Want one? The Wahoo KICKR Headwind is available now, priced at $249.99.