Is the Kickr V5 (2020) wheel height setting for 700c wheels too high?

Question

I was pretty much set to get a Kickr v5 / 2020 (considering it and the Kickr Core), but ran across this post on Reddit, where they say that the wheel height setting for 700c wheels is too high. I'm planning on getting a dedicated, inexpensive road bike with 700c wheels, so that concerns me.

The post says:

I just picked up a Kickr V5 last week, and I love it, but when I set it up, I put the height adjustment at 700c, since that's the wheels I have on my road bike. I thought it felt a little "off", so I measured floor to center of skewer on the front wheel and got 13 3/16". On the rear, it was over 14". I put it down into the 650c setting and the center of the rear skewer is at 13 1/16" from the ground, so this is the setting I use.

Is there anything to this? It seemed from the comments on the post that there might be an actual issue with the Kickr. And if I were to get the Kickr Core, which doesn't allow one to adjust the trainer to the height of the bike, would that be better, or just all around worse in the sense that you can't adjust it at all?

Answer 1

Is the Kickr V5 (2020) wheel height setting for 700c wheels too high?

No. To me, that sure seems like pretty much a garbage post.

As one reply says:

I put my 700cc wheel right next to it. 1/8" is small enough that measurement error is possible. Are you measuring from a hard surface. Did you level your kickr properly. Did you get measurements from both sides of the skewer position? It might be in your head. What sized tires are you using... there's a slight difference in tire circumference due to choice in tire thickness. Also, your tires will compress probably compress that much depending on what pressure you run your tires at.And all that is assuming the poster of that question wasn't being, well, a gubber.

note: found this because I was wondering about my kickr as well... then double checked it with my wheel and realized I was being a gubber

700C wheels are 622 mm in diameter, or 24.49 inches. That means the center of the skewer is 12 1/4" from the rim edge.

A 25 mm tire can add almost an inch to that, so a radius of 13 1/4" or a bit more is a decent approximation.

If you account for possibly larger tires, another 3/4" of added distance between the center of the skewer and the floor.

Imagine a 29er MTB with 29x2.5 or even 29x3.0 tires.

Add in some long-pile carpeting where the Kickr's feet sink further into the pile than the front tire will, and the front height can increase a bit more more.

There's a reason cycling trainer blocks exist - https://www.google.com/search?q=cycling+trainer+blocks

And all that is assuming the poster of that question wasn't being, well, a gubber.

Answer 2

Even if the difference is measurable, how critical is it? The difference is likely to lower than what someone faces when alternating between a gravel and race road bike, for example.

Also, you indicate that you are getting a dedicated bike for the trainer, so it matters much less: first, no guarantee that the position will be the same as the current bike, and second you can tune the bike (saddle orientation, handlebars height) so that the fit is close enough to what you like.