Pairing the Wahoo KICKR

KICKR with Bluetooth and Ant+ Connections

The hardest part of setting up my Wahoo KICKR with Zwift was pairing it with my computer. The KICKR can pair with the computer using both Bluetooth and ANT+. Initially, I chose to use ANT+ because my Garmin cadence sensor and heart rate monitor were ANT+. Since most laptops aren’t ANT+ capable, I had to use a USB ANT+ dongle. Luckly, I already had a Garmin USB ANT+ dongle that I could use.

Even if your computer isn’t ANT+ or Bluetooth capable, generic USB ANT+ and Bluetooth dongles are cheap and relatively easy to find, so your computer can still be used for Zwift. In my case when I later switched to Bluetooth my computer’s Bluetooth was not compatible with my KICKR, so I had to use a Bluetooth dongle. Regardless of which protocol you use, the setup is basically the same.

Garmin ANT+ and a generic Bluetooth dongle

Nevertheless, if you still find pairing difficult, another alternative is to use the Zwift Companion app on a mobile device as a bridge that can convert the trainer’s Bluetooth signal into a format that your computer can recognize.

Over the past few years, I have paired my devices with ANT+, Bluetooth and the Zwift Companion app. All three methods have worked for me. Once everything is paired you are ready to go.

Ken Whittaker