Today we see Wahoo launch Generation 2 of the Tickr and Tickr X heart rate straps.
Back in 2014 Wahoo were one of the first to launch a dual band Ant+ and Bluetooth heart rate strap
And it's been my go-to ever since because it is pretty much compatible with anything that I connect to.
Now 2014 to 2020 is a long time in technology years
So what's changed with Generation 2? First up measuring heart rate from a chest strap is a solved problem.
It was solved many many years ago. Well before Wahoo came along.
So nothing changes in that regard. The issues around heart rate straps are usually around durability and now the need for more connectivity.
Straight to the updates for Generation 2 and it looks very similar to the older version
The pod has been redesigned just a little bit but more so on the back.
On the back now the strap integrates a lot smoother or a lot flatter with the pot itself
So when you're clipping it and pressing it to your body
It should be more comfortable.
Me personally, never had any problems with heart rate straps
But for a few people, that's going to be a welcome change.
The LED status lights are now on the top of the heart rate monitor rather than the front
So when you're clipping your heart rate monitor in,
if you're looking at the status lights you no longer have to flip it up to see the
the status of the unit. You can look straight down and it's flashing straight back at you.
Connectivity wise there's Ant+ and now
Three (3) Bluetooth connections to the ticker and ticker x. Why three?
Well, it solves a problem for Wahoo
And their own ecosystem. If you had a headwind,
A training app such as Zwift or Sufferfest and you're running a head unit all at the same time,
(Three units) you can connect to Bluetooth to your heart rate strap.
The Tickr also comes in white and stealth black.
Over to the Tickr X Gen 2. Same physical design updates for that.
So a little bit flusher on the back side with the integration with the strap
The onboard memory has been improved from 16 hours up to 50 hours. It will record some running metrics
So if you're using that unit for a run, it'll record some additional running metrics,
Which can be viewed by the wahoo app and for indoor cycling.
It will give you an estimated cadence with the accelerometers.
Really handy little tool if you're using an apple tv (you're limited to those two device connections)
And if you're using an older trainer that doesn't have cadence
You only really have the option to connect direct via a heart rate strap or a cadence sensor.
The Ticker X can act as a heart rate monitor and a cadence sensor. Let's have a look at that.
Okay, here we have Zwift on Apple tv and we have one connection already taken up via the Kickr Bike.
We'll switch over to heart rate and select the Tickr X
As a source for heart rate. That's happy.
Over to the cadence. Now the Kickr Bike does have cadence
but you can see here the Tickr X
Will show up as a cadence source
And once selected and we're pedaling
We are not hitting the limits of device connectivity on Apple tv. So the Kickr Bike is one connection
And the Tickr X is the other connection
But it's giving us heart rate and cadence and you can see that i've just increased my cadence and decrease it and it's pretty responsive.
So it's not perfect cadence,
but it is a solution if you want to simplify things and have direct connections for your Apple tv. So the Tickr X
May solve a problem there.
Battery life quoted: Tickr is up to 500 hours and the Tickr X with the accelerometers is working a little harder all the time
It's in use so over 200 hours for that. A few things of note:
The Tickr Run is gone and the Tickr Fit optical strap is still there for those who don't like [chest] straps.
Price wise remains the same as the original Tickr units, so US$49.99 for the Tickr and
$79.99 for the ticker x which is unchanged
So there we are all the details of today's announcement of the new Tickr Gen 2 from Wahoo.
Now they're keeping the same naming convention as they do with the Kickr. The original Kickr was the Kickr
The next version was the Kickr. The next version was also the Kickr and then the kicker again. We do give them code names
So the Kickr 14, 16, 17 and 18.
Same here with the heart rate straps.
They're just called the Tickr, but they are Generation 2.
I have been testing the Generation 2 Tickrs for the last six months
So it has been quite the lead-in for this product launch. No issues to report there from the data
I've been using for the llama lab and data recording indoors and out
All is good with the latest firmwares. Comfort and fit-wise no issues for me,
But I never really have any issues with chest straps anyway, but if you do there is that alternative of the armband optical strap
Which is the Tickr Fit that's still on sale.
So there we are new product from Wahoo today, happy days. All right. Thanks for watching