When Dave reviewed the original WattBike Atom last year, the two problems that he found were sluggish virtual gear changes and app support issues. WattBike says that the engineers have been busy fixing both, with a switch from a mechanical to an electromagnetic resistance system for faster gear changes.
WattBike says that the new Atom uses a custom-designed electromagnetic resistance system. The switch to an electromagnetic system like you would find in the Tacx Neo Bike and the Wahoo Kickr Bike means that “not only does the bike react faster to gradients in third-party apps such as Zwift and The Sufferfest, but its own gear changes are crisper and faster.”
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WattBike says that “the new system will also enable an improved experience for a greater range of workouts including HIIT and standing starts.”
Wattbike says that they have also added a cadence sensor to the flywheel and a new crank angle sensor that they claim will not only allow better accuracy for simulated gradients in Zwift, but will also provide more granular data from which to gain performance insights. The new crank angle sensor reads 48 times per revolution, compared with the two per revolution of the Atom launched
in 2017. This, WattBike says, “enables the bike to make faster decisions, adjusting the resistance system without having to wait for either a half or full turn of the pedals.”
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There’s good news too for the track sprinters as the maximum resistance has been boosted to 2500 watts at 130rpm.
While the external appearance of the Atom remains the same, it will be very interesting to see how the internal changes will impact the performance of the Atom as the price has gone up from £1599 to £1899.99. We’ll be tasking Dave with finding out.










6 thoughts on “WattBike’s updated Atom includes new electromagnetic resistance unit to fix Zwift issues”
Still waiting for mine to be
Still waiting for mine to be delivered, and got an upgrade offer. At a reduced price.
It means a further delay to delivery but I know I’d regret not getting it.
I’m guessing lockdown will be well over by the time it finally arrives
Is there any possibility for
Is there any possibility for existing owners to upgrade? I’ve had mine for less than a year. Build is good but resistance unit is incredibly slow even on supposedly improved firmware.
This sounds very worthwhile upgrade and I would be prepared to pay but if Wattbike hasn’t considered a pathway to support it’s existing user base then I doubt I’ll buy another product from them.
I’ve emailed WattBike to ask
I’ve emailed WattBike to ask
From WattBike:
From WattBike:
“There are currently no plans to offer trade-ins or buyback schemes for existing Atom owners. We are offering upgrades to those customers who have recently purchased an Atom but have not yet received the bike; these upgrades are subject to availability and will be issued on a first come first serve basis.”
liamparry wrote:
That’s progress for you. Not everything can be fixed with a software update. If you get upset with a company for improving its products over time, you’ll forever be swapping brands for your bike trainer, television, car, phone, vacuum cleaner, toaster…
For comparison, there has
For comparison, there has been a Wahoo Kickr hardware variant released every 18 months since 2014 (14, 16, 17, 18). Whilst firmware updates have been free (and, for a training device, reasonably plentiful), there has never been a hardware upgrade path other than repurchase. Similarly for Tacx, again, no hardware upgrade path.
You’re going to run out of trainer brands pretty quickly.