If you recognize a factor or two about biking, Wattbike wants no introduction. This model is a family identify within the health business and plenty of athletes have come to endorse its flagship Wattbike Atom sensible bike since its launch almost 5 years in the past. Why? Its meticulous method to exercise monitoring makes Wattbike a go-to for these severe about boosting their biking efficiency. This additionally signifies that Wattbike machines don’t are usually a primary selection for the typical exerciser — however this can be about to alter.
The model launched a brand new mannequin referred to as the Wattbike Proton within the U.Okay. in September final 12 months and plans to launch it within the U.S. someday in early 2025. This sensible bike was primarily designed to attraction to a broader viewers, together with those that would usually go for one thing extra fun-oriented like a Peloton bike. The Proton is barely much less highly effective and “beefy” than the Atom, however on the entire, has the identical key options and gives a equally reasonable using expertise.
The largest distinction is within the design. Because of its adjustable saddle and handlebars, the Wattbike Proton fits a a lot wider vary of customers (together with youngsters taller than 4 ft 6 in/137 cm), and it takes up much less ground house. It might effectively be one of many finest train bikes for household use. Plus, this sensible bike is claimed to be priced at $2,499 — making it a wallet-friendly different to premium fashions just like the Wahoo Kickr Bike.
Wattbike Proton sensible bike assessment
Wattbike Proton: Arrange and value
- Consumer peak vary: from 4 ft 6 in to six ft 6 in (1.37 to 1.98m)
- Most person weight: 297.6 lbs (135 kg)
- Free Wattbike Hub app
The Wattbike Proton is among the most adjustable train bikes we’ve got examined. As talked about earlier than, it fits person heights from 4 ft 6-inches to six ft 6 -inches (1.37 m to 1.98 m), making it accessible to each youngsters and adults, and the utmost person weight is ready at a formidable 297.6 lbs (135 kg). For comparability, the pricier Wahoo Kickr Bike can solely maintain as much as 250 lbs (113 kg).
Our testing unit got here absolutely put collectively, so we won’t remark a lot on the meeting course of. Nevertheless, organising our Wattbike Proton was swift, intuitive and required no instruments. The handlebar and saddle heights might be adjusted by turning the knobs and dialing them into the precise place.
As soon as the bike is ready up, it connects to your telephone or pill — both by means of the default Wattbike Hub app, or by the use of third-party apps like Strava or Zwift. Nevertheless, that doesn’t imply you need to pay for a subscription to make use of the Proton. The Wattbike Hub app is essentially free (solely a handful of non-essential options are hidden behind a paywall) and has all the important thing options it’s possible you’ll want for efficient coaching, from in-depth exercise stats to guided exercises and efficiency checks.
For the reason that Wattbike Proton helps Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, it can be used alongside health trackers, coronary heart fee displays and different well being gadgets.
Wattbike Proton: Design
- Heavy and troublesome to maneuver round
- Simple to mount and comfy to experience
- The management buttons might be fiddly
Key specs
Approximate dimensions (in): 38 x 40 x 22 (H x L x W)
Approximate dimensions (cm): 98 x 102 x 57 (H x L x W)
Weight: 105.8 lbs (48 kg)
Consumer peak vary: 4 ft 6 in to six ft 6 in (1.37 to 1.98 meters)
Max person weight: 297.6 lbs (135 kg)
Drive kind: Chain
Resistance: Electromagnetic
Most energy output: 1800 Watts
Show: None
Guarantee: Two years
Compatibility: Wattbike Hub and third-party apps
Different options: Drinks holder, machine holder
The Wattbike Proton is comparatively small when in comparison with different sensible bikes, making it possibility for these quick on house. Additionally it is moveable, due to a pair of wheels on the entrance of the unit. Nevertheless, we nonetheless discovered it fairly troublesome to maneuver round. The bike weighs a stable 105.8 lbs (48 kg) and its wheels didn’t all the time glide easily on our carpets (exhausting flooring is perhaps simpler in that regard), so it did take some power to maneuver it across the room.
That mentioned, we favored the user-friendly design of our Wattbike Proton. The saddle was fairly skinny, however surprisingly well-cushioned and comfy to experience — and that doesn’t occur typically in sensible bikes. The vast handlebars provided grip, the pedals didn’t really feel stiff, and the machine mount stored our pill secure even throughout probably the most intense rides.
We additionally favored that the Wattbike Proton has a step-through design, that means you wouldn’t have to swing your leg excessive to get on the saddle. This makes it extra accessible for these with stability points or poor hip mobility than sensible bikes with a step-over design, such because the Wahoo Kickr Bike or Wattbike Atom.
The management buttons had been the one factor we didn’t like about our Wattbike Proton. They’re situated on the handlebars, proper underneath the fingers, and at the very least in concept shouldn’t be too troublesome to seek out and press on the proper time. In apply, nevertheless, these buttons might be hit-and-miss. Their squidgy design makes them fairly fiddly and it isn’t all the time apparent you probably have really pressed them. The response from the bike might be fairly sluggish, too (extra on that later.)
Wattbike Proton: Options
- Gear and Ergo modes
- Loads of workout-tracking options
- Pedaling Effectiveness Rating (PES)
The Wattbike Proton has two modes. In Gear mode, you employ the buttons to alter gear, identical to you’ll on an out of doors bike. In Ergo mode, however, you persist with your goal wattage irrespective of how rapidly you pedal. Put merely, the slower you go, the extra resistance you need to overcome.
There are many workout-tracking options obtainable on the Wattbike Hub app, from primary metrics corresponding to cadence and distance to superior efficiency indicators just like the Wattbike’s signature Pedaling Effectiveness Rating (PES).
Distinctive to the model, the PES ranges from 0 to 100 and displays the effectivity of your pedaling approach, primarily based on the information collected by the ability sensors situated within the crank and pedals. The upper your rating, the higher your muscle engagement and energy technology. Every PES rating comes with a graph that helps the rider establish areas for enchancment. For instance, when there’s not sufficient pressure on the high and backside of the pedal stroke, the PES graph seems to be like a determine of eight.
The Wattbike Hub app additionally options dozens of coaching plans, guided exercises and health checks. Whereas it isn’t probably the most strong or aesthetically pleasing health platform we’ve got examined, the Wattbike Hub did job of protecting us match. The app is well-structured, customizable and comparatively straightforward to make use of.
Nevertheless, it’s nowhere close to as enjoyable and interesting because the Peloton app, for instance. The Wattbike Hub app has no instructor-led courses, rides on location or enjoyable little challenges that maintain customers coming again for extra. Whereas this isn’t an enormous problem for seasoned cyclists, newbies and those that wrestle with sticking to their train routine could also be postpone by this lack of “enjoyable” options, except they go for subscription-based apps like Zwift.
Wattbike Proton: Efficiency
- Sturdy and balanced
- Pedal vibrations might be noisy
- App connectivity might be patchy
Efficiency-wise, the Wattbike Proton is a stable workhorse. This sensible bike could not have the technical finesse of extra premium fashions, however it’s sturdy and dependable. It didn’t wobble or shake, even throughout probably the most sweaty and lung-busting exercises. We additionally favored its big selection of resistance, with sufficient settings to fulfill customers of all health ranges. Nevertheless, some efficiency hiccups can spoil the general expertise.
For instance, gear adjustments might be irritating at occasions. As we talked about earlier than, the management buttons are fairly fiddly and could also be sluggish to reply. This in flip can have an effect on how effectively you alter the settings throughout train, typically diverting your consideration away from the exercise itself. It may be annoying if you’re within the midst of an intense experience and your bike doesn’t behave the way you need it to.
Secondly, the Wattbike Proton might be fairly loud, principally because of extreme pedal vibrations. Once we measured the noise ranges made by the bike with the Sound Meter decibel-counting app, we famous sounds as excessive as 70 dB — equal to a washer or a hair dryer. Whereas we might not take into account this a deal-breaker (train bikes are typically fairly noisy), it’s one thing to take into consideration in case you dwell in small or crowded areas.
Lastly, we had some minor points with the app connectivity. On a number of events, the Wattbike Hub app struggled to attach with our bike, and the information transmission was lagging badly. In all equity, although, most Wattbike Hub customers don’t appear to be having these points.
Do you have to purchase the Wattbike Proton?
✅ Purchase it if: You’re a passionate bicycle owner seeking to enhance your train efficiency, however don’t wish to spend an arm and a leg on a premium sensible bike. The Wattbike Proton can also be a sensible choice for multi-person households, principally due to its vast adjustability and durable, dependable design.
❌ Do not buy it if: You’re a biking novice or somebody who struggles with sticking to your train routine. The Wattbike Proton lacks among the “enjoyable” options that assist increase engagement and motivation, corresponding to instructor-led health courses or rides on location. Additionally it is comparatively loud.
If this product is just not for you
In order for you a top-class sensible bike (and don’t thoughts spending an eye-watering $3,999), try the Wahoo Kickr Bike. It’s a beast of a machine, extremely customizable and broadly suitable with third-party apps, and in contrast to most bike trainers in the marketplace, it comes with incline adjustments so it might probably higher simulate outside circumstances. An actual deal with.
On the lookout for one thing cheaper? Think about the Zwift Experience. This bike setup is compact, intuitive to make use of and easy to experience, however extra importantly, it delivers an awesome sensible bike expertise for slightly below $1,300.
Need one thing extra beginner-friendly? The Peloton bike is a good different right here. This iconic train machine has loads of participating health content material on provide, corresponding to enjoyable instructor-led health courses, and it’s exceptionally effectively made, too. Plus, it’s cheaper than the Wattbike Proton by round $1,000.
Wattbike Proton: How we examined
We examined the Wattbike Proton for almost a month, assessing its design, options, efficiency and ease of use. We put this sensible bike by means of a variety of exercises, together with mild energetic restoration rides and high-intensity sprints, working by means of a variety of resistance settings. We additionally gave our verdict on the accessibility, connectivity and worth for cash of the Wattbike Proton.
