Leading smart bike brand Wattbike has introduced a virtual gearing customisation tool on the Wattbike Hub app. This allows users to personalise their ride experience.
The UK-based company notes that users will be able to choose a range of pre-set groupsets and shifter configurations to bring virtual climbs and Wattbike rides to life. Riders will be able to customise their ride on Wattbike’s flagship smart bike, the Wattbike Atom (Next Generation) as well as the Wattbike AtomX.
Virtual gearset
The Wattbike Hub app now gives users five pre-set gearing options to choose from: 11 speed, 22 speed, compact, semi-compact, and climbing.
- 11spd Wattbike Linear (Standard Wattbike gearing)
- 22spd Wattbike Linear (Standard Wattbike gearing)
- Compact (12 Speed endurance groupset, 50/34T chainset, 11-34t cassette) – best for: a balance of speed and climbing ease – e.g., spring classics
- Semi-compact (12 Speed racing groupset, 52/36T chainset, 11-30t cassette) – best for: racing and all-out speed – e.g., flat stages and sprinting
- Climbing (11 Speed gravel/adventure groupset, 46/30T chainset, 11-36t cassette) – best for: gliding up the toughest climbs
Users will be able to ride their preferred Wattbike bike set up on Zwift or other third party simulation apps. The last used setup is saved to the user’s account. This is seen as especially useful for commercial users or those moving between home and commercial environments.
Custom shifters
In the product major update, users can configure their own shifter set-up and switch between ‘Dual’ and ‘Standard’ modes.
Dual mode sees the left shifter used to change front chainring and the right shifter used to change rear cassette, like on a real bike. Whereas, Standard mode uses existing linear shifting functionality where the right shifter moves gears up and down.
Chief Product Officer at Wattbike, Duncan Bradley said “We’re continually listening to feedback from our community of Wattbikers ensuring we’re developing the right features to enhance ride experience and performance gains.
“We’re delighted to be able to bring customisation to users’ virtual gearing setup through the Wattbike Hub. We know how important realism to outdoor riding is to our Wattbikers, and digital product development is an area we continue to grow and we pride ourselves in offering new performance led features.”
The new product features complement Wattbike’s latest campaign Summer Sessions. This is a collection of workouts that interchange throughout the summer alongside the sporting calendar – Tour de France, Commonwealth Games, La Vuelta and Tour of Britain – to encourage Wattbikers to keep training indoors to complement their outdoor activities.
Wattbike is currently offering a free summer training bundle, worth £200, with every Wattbike Atom purchase. The bundle includes a Vacmaster Cardio54 Indoor Cycling Fan, Wattbike floor mat, heart rate strap and two water bottles.
The Wattbike Atom retails at £1,999, with finance options from £50 per month.
