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Meet the treadmill that might persuade outdoor running enthusiasts to come indoors. This review of the Wahoo KICKR RUN explores how this treadmill revolutionizes indoor running for the serious athlete.
Updated: February 14, 2024
Even though I review treadmills professionally, I still divide my mileage equally between the treadmill, the trails, and the road. Despite the bitterest cold and fiercest heat, I still find a way to log my tempo runs and intervals outdoors if possible. No motorized treadmill’s speed is variable enough, and manual treadmills are just too challenging for training by pace. That is until I heard of the Wahoo KICKR RUN, a treadmill set to be released Summer 2024.
The Wahoo KICKR RUN’s speed adjusts with you to capture the feel of training outdoors. It has features most runners have only ever dreamed of having on a treadmill, and it certainly feels like a stride into the future of indoor running. There are so many great treadmills designed for new runners to CrossFit athletes, but this treadmill feels like the first for the serious runner, regardless of where you find yourself in the pack. In this review of the Wahoo KICKR RUN, I’ll cover what I’m most excited about and what makes me skeptical.
The Wahoo KICKR RUN is a brand new treadmill in a category of its own. Wahoo doesn’t have the history of treadmill manufacturing that other brands do, but they have a history of making tech-savvy, innovative products. While we haven’t gotten our hands (or feet) on this treadmill yet, we are hopeful and optimistic about its build quality based on what we have seen.
The KICKR RUN has two sturdy uprights attached on either side of its deck. I really liked the similar design that was used on the Peloton Tread, because the console moved with you when the incline changed. This keeps everything at a nice viewing height. Not to spoil all the features ahead, but the inclusion of a large laptop shelf bodes well for the stability of this treadmill. It wouldn’t be able to support all of the features that Wahoo intends for it to without a very sturdy console and thus, a robust build.
The treadmill weighs 275 lbs and supports a maximum weight of 250 lbs. This treadmill has not been released yet, so there is hope that this limit will increase to at least the industry standard 300 lbs. If not, it is one of the weakest features of the KICKR RUN and excludes a lot of runners.
The handles are long and appear very supportive. They look to be metal with a charcoal powder coating. I’m curious if they will be slippery or not. As for the foot rails, they are wide and textured. You should have plenty of room and stability to stand on them.
The KICKR RUN has a 3 HP motor. We like to say that 3 HP is the minimum to be considered a running treadmill while 4 HP is a serious running treadmill. I don’t think that holds true here. This treadmill is clearly designed for intense use by a serious runner. Unfortunately, we have no idea how well this motor will hold up in the long run, but I would hope so for its estimated $5k price.
The KICKR RUN has a 22” x 56” running surface. If you measure from the end of one roller to the other it’s 69 inches long, but you won’t be running on the very front or end of that range where the rollers are. There’s no motor hood in the front or a plastic barrier. The positioning of the console should prevent any danger of stepping off the front of the machine. I had no trouble with this design on the Peloton Tread. It does take some time to visually get used to it and trust it, but after that, it gives you a larger functional space to run. You don’t have to worry about hitting a motor hood.
I’ll update this review with my take on the cushioning if I can test this treadmill. It doesn’t appear to be very soft and bouncy, but I think that would defeat the point of this treadmill. Many of the users in the target audience for this treadmill don’t want help hitting their paces from a springy treadmill. They are looking for some shock absorption to replicate a natural running surface, and I think that’s what this treadmill has–not overly firm but not particularly soft. Either way, you can expect a softer running surface than running on the pavement.
There is no option to fold this treadmill. I don’t have measurements for the dimensions of the KICKR RUN, but you’ll need a dedicated space for it. It has front transport wheels, but most users won’t find it practical to move around often.
A -3% to 15% incline and decline range make the Wahoo KICKR RUN great for uphill and downhill training. It’s not quite as impressive as the NordicTrack X32i, a similarly priced machine, but it’s better than the standard 0 to 12% many machines offer. It’s less common to find a decline on a non-folding treadmill, so I’m happy to see that the KICKR RUN has it.
There are two incline-adjusting legs on the KICKR RUN. These legs can move independently of each other which allows the treadmill to tilt. This is a feature that Wahoo hopes to offer once the treadmill is released in the summer. Its original intention was to offset uneven floors. However, Wahoo realized it could also be used to mimic a turn and uneven trail running surfaces.
I am a bit skeptical of this feature. I love trail running, but I also experienced several injuries in college from running on canted roads. I don’t necessarily expect this feature to be injurious, but I’m curious how it will fit into a runner’s training practically. Additionally, I’m interested in how useful this feature may prove to be. The lateral tilt is only about 1% grade.
The Wahoo KICKR RUN is a high-tech treadmill. Below, I will cover all of its features, including a few I’ve never seen on a treadmill. This is where the KICKR RUN’s potential to change indoor running forever shines through.
One surprising feature that may make you love or hate this treadmill is the console. There’s no fancy touchscreen. The included screen is LED and super basic. But this is probably a good thing. One, you aren’t paying even more for a screen when you likely already have one or two compatible options lying around if you are purchasing a treadmill for several thousand dollars. It also keeps a lot of the tech off the treadmill, which will hopefully keep the Wahoo KICKR RUN relevant for much longer.
The console has very few buttons. No quick adjust buttons for speed or incline, but I don’t think that’s an issue with the other control options. The main buttons are the stop and the RunFree Mode button which is marked by a winding road. There are also two green arrow buttons and one blue circle button. These controls are versatile and should work with paired apps. For example, in Zwift, they may be used to turn left or right.
On the right side of the treadmill is a paddle for adjusting speed and on the left, there’s one for incline. I’ve been searching for a speed and incline adjustment that rivals Peloton’s dials. The Horizon treadmills come close, but I’m curious if these are even better.
The paddles adjust the speed and incline by varying levels. You can hit the paddles lightly for a small change or move them farther for a big change. You can also hold the paddles down to make a fine-tuned adjustment. The paddle design should provide an easier way for runners to make manual adjustments on the fly. They don’t require the precision or time that other types of controls do.
RunFree Mode is the most exciting feature. It allows the treadmill to adjust automatically to your speed. It almost captures the feel of running outdoors by changing speeds with you. While manual treadmills get close to this feature, their added difficulty makes hitting the right training pace much harder. The KICKR RUN’s speed change has a slight delay, but it’s impressively small from what I’ve seen. This feature uses an optical sensor at the bottom of the console that detects your distance from the front of the treadmill. As you move forward, it speeds up. If you drop back, it slows down.
So far, everyone who has tried this feature has sung its praises. I’ve tested under-desk treadmills with automatic speed adjustments, and I wasn’t thrilled with those. This looks quite different from that, but I’m anxious to see how intuitive the RunFree Mode on the KICKR RUN truly is.
The KICKR RUN has just about every type of connectivity you could want. It has Bluetooth, ANT+, WiFi, and ethernet connectivity. These features allow the treadmill to connect to your phone, tablet, or laptop. It also connects to heart rate monitors, running dynamics pods, and more.
In the place of a screen, you will need to connect to the Wahoo app on your smart device. This is where you will view your metrics. You can also connect to third-party apps to view more content. This high level of connectivity makes the KICKR RUN a great option for a data-obsessed runner.
Advanced running metrics like ground contact time and vertical oscillation are very interesting to me as a biomechanist. Yet, outside of the lab, I haven’t had much exposure to them. The Wahoo KICKR RUN tracks and broadcasts these metrics. It’s a brilliant feature for a treadmill to offer, and it could help you pick up on weaknesses in your running form.
While most treadmills are getting rid of their device racks and shelves to force you to use their restricted touchscreens, the KICKR RUN has the largest device shelf I’ve ever seen on a treadmill. You can store up to a 17-inch laptop on this shelf. It has a safety strap to hold your device in place. It also has an additional apparatus stored inside of the shelf to hold smaller devices.
The KICKR RUN has 24w USB-C charging. This is super useful considering the treadmill is designed to work with a laptop, tablet, or phone. You don’t have to worry about your device dying during your workout.
There are two cup holders on this treadmill. Keep your water on one side and electrolyte hydration or nutrition on the other!
For safety, there is the usual safety key. Then there’s also a guard on the back of the deck to keep things from being pulled under the treadmill. Since the KICKR RUN is not a slat belt treadmill, this is less likely to happen. Fortunately, Wahoo erred on the side of safety.
I (very sadly) have not tested the Wahoo KICKR RUN yet. As soon as I get the chance, this review will be updated. Until then, I want to discuss a few ways I think runners will benefit from this treadmill the most.
First, the dynamic speed adjustments get as close to the feel of running outdoors as a motorized treadmill can. This makes me feel more confident in a runner’s ability to execute a speed workout safely. I am always super nervous about pushing myself to my limits when I need to retain the ability to precisely hit a button. Then, there’s also having to trust the treadmill to slow down fast enough before my legs give out. Hopefully, the FreeMode on the KICKR RUN solves this.
The other really cool thing about the FreeMode speed adjustments is the combination with the incline adjustments. Speeding up or slowing down as a treadmill declines and inclines is really helpful. I can’t even begin to list how many times I’ve done an iFIT workout on a NordicTrack or ProForm treadmill only to frantically hit the quick adjust speed buttons as the treadmill rapidly inclines.
The real takeaway is that I need the treadmill to make speed adjustments for me when I’m dying trying to keep up with the speed.
The paradox of fitness equipment is often that the more high-tech features you have on a treadmill, the more boxed in you become in training options. Brands like Peloton and NordicTrack tie you to their subscriptions as best as possible. The Wahoo KICKR RUN won’t do that. It is certainly designed to pair with paid apps, but you are in control of what app that is. If you don’t want a subscription anywhere, you can use the free Wahoo app to view and track your training metrics.
The Wahoo KICKR RUN treadmill will support apps from Peloton, Zwift, Training Peaks, and more. When the treadmill is released, it should support automatic incline changes via FTMS. It’s unclear whether it will have automatic speed changes, but with the RunFree Mode, I don’t think it has to have it.
This Wahoo treadmill may not be the best option for runners who don’t want to use their smart devices to connect to the treadmill. Without a device, you can only view the treadmill’s current speed and incline grade. That may be very limiting for some users, but generally, I think the KICKR RUN has a great selection.
The Wahoo KICKR RUN is a novel treadmill. It has been making waves in the running community with its RunFree Mode which comes close to replicating outdoor running. It has a generous speed (0 to 15 mph) and incline range (-3% to 15%) as well as a tilting function. The treadmill does not have a touchscreen, but it has tons of connectivity as well as a giant device shelf. You can train with Zwift, Peloton, and more when the KICKR RUN is released in Summer 2024. The KICKR RUN is a premium treadmill with revolutionary features and is priced to match. With a reported cost of $4999, this is an expensive treadmill. I’ll give my preliminary ruling that this price is justified, but ultimately, you decide.
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