Like clockwork, it’s that time of year again! The now annual 20% off sale has begun. Now technically, it’s semi-annual since it happens now and in the spring. But I don’t think anyone’s complaining about the chance to buy a brand new just released trainer for 20% off.
No matter what you call it, there are some amaze-balls deals in here. And while my title says almost all trainers and many power meters, the reality is that this applies to boatloads more devices/products too. More about your imagination than anything else, in terms of finding solid deals.
To briefly back up: Historically speaking we see the biggest sports tech sales clustered in two timeframes: November (up to/around Black Friday), and May. It’s now November, and we’re starting to see some companies announce sales. Plus we’ve seen some Black Friday ads start to appear on the interwebs.
In general, sales fall into two buckets:
A) Retailer driven sales
B) Manufacturer driven sales (specified by the manufacturer, but then sold through retailers)
Within the US, manufacturers have to approve virtually all sales, to stay compliant with MAP policies (Minimum Advertised Price). Said MAP concept doesn’t exist elsewhere. So in the case of the sales that begin tomorrow, those fall into bucket ‘B’ above. Whereas everything else in this post falls into bucket ‘A’ above. Make sense? Good.
Plus Another Sale that Begins Tomorrow (Fri – Nov 15th):
UPDATE – THESE ARE NOW LIVE: See this post here! This includes the FR945, Edge 1030, Fenix 5 Plus and many more.
In addition to the huge 20% VIP sale below, there’s a *huge* pile of wearable and cycling sales that start tomorrow, Friday. I can’t post them yet. But…they’re from multiple brands – so hang tight if you’re looking for some deals in those realms that aren’t covered by the below.
In other words, this little section is a placeholder for another 23 hours and 59 minutes.
Clever Training 20% VIP SALE (Live Now!):
For many of you, this is actually the much bigger sale. And it only happens twice a year, starting now (today). In this sale, each Clever Training (CT) VIP member will automatically have 20% discounted off a single non-sale item including most trainers.
But it’s not just power meters and trainers, it’s almost anything.
With that in mind, there are some incredible deals to be had for trainers and power meters here – or other high-value items. Especially new trainers and newly released power meters, even more so going into trainer season. Here’s some quick guidance on both categories:
Power Meters: You’ve seen all there is to see on new power meter announcements for the year. The next time we’ll see meaningful power meter announcements is usually in April, clustered around Sea Otter (usually for shipping months later). So basically – if you want a power meter for the next 6 months or so and want to save 20%, it won’t get better than this anytime soon. And honestly, there was almost nothing new in 2019 anyway.
Trainers: This is super simple – everything has been announced, and don’t expect anything new till at least next summer (likely June or July). And even better is that almost everything is available immediately, save a few last minute stragglers going into the next couple days or weeks. Definitely check out my just published 2019 Trainer Guide here!
The sale is members only, but it’s simple to get started. If not a member:
1. Go to this page and add the Clever Training VIP membership to your cart
2. Check-out and use DCR coupon code FREEVIPDCR to waive the fee
[Update: You can now order up to 5 items at the 20% discount – woot!!!]
Once a VIP member, simply:
1. Pick out the item you want to buy and add to cart (see below list as a starting point)
2. Go to checkout and add code VIP20 to save 20%
3. Enjoy gadget!
There are too many deals to list, because obviously that’d be tens of thousands of items that Clever Training carries, even helmets and other sports gear. But you can find all trainers Clever Training carries here on the trainer landing page (it’s basically everyone). ALL trainers listed qualify for the sale! Yes, all of them!
You can find all power meters Clever Training carries here on their power meter landing page including Stages & Pioneer. Plus another tomorrow.
I’m going to call out the most notable ones in the table below:
| Product | Sale Price | Amazon | Other site | Sale Notes |
 | Garmin Enduro 3: ~$50 off!
$899 | $851 | Amazon | | This is the first time we've seen this on sale, and I suspect this is a transient Amazon sale. The Enduro 3 is basically the 'cheaper' Garmin Fenix 8 with a MIP display (but without the scuba or voice calling features). |
 | Garmin Epix Pro Series - 20% off!
$899/$999 | $649 | Amazon | REI | ⚡ This is the lowest price to date for the Garmin Epix Pro series, likely due to the Fenix 8 coming out a few months back (Epix as a brand was merged into the Fenix 8 branding). Still, if you don't care about diving or voice bits, this is an incredible deal. |
 | Garmin Fenix 7 Pro - 31% off (All Variants)
$799+ | $549+ | Amazon | REI | ⚡ This is the lowest price to date for the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro series, likely due to the Fenix 8 coming out a few months back. Still, if you don't care about diving or voice bits, this is an incredible deal. |
 | Garmin Varia RVR315 Radar - $50 off | $99 | Amazon | | ⚡ This is Garmin's radar without the light, so it's a bit smaller as a result. Same radar tech though, and compatible with Garmin/Stages/Hammerhead/Wahoo bike computers. |
 | Garmin Varia Radar (RTL515) - $50 off | $149 | Amazon | REI | This is Garmin's standalone radar+taillight option, and $149 is pretty much the standard sale-price. |
 | Garmin inReach 2 Mini Satellite Communicator (2-way) - $100 off | $299 | Amazon | REI | ⚡ This is my defacto satellite communicator when out of coverage area, and I've used it on a number of major treks over the past two years when well outside of cellular service, both in a 24x7 tracking mode for friends and family, but also there in case of emergency. Would strongly recommend for anyone doing anything in the wilderness. |
 | Scosche RHYTHM+ 2.0 ANT+ & Bluetooth HR Monitor
$79 | $39 | Amazon | | This isn't the newest chicken on the block, but for $39?!?! That's a solid deal for something that's actually pretty darn accurate. Really accurate. |
 | Tacx Flux 2 Smart Trainer - $300ish off
$899 | $399 | N/A | REI | I mean, I guess. Really, I don't see why anyone would buy this trainer at any price above $299. With the JetBlack Victory at $399 being more accurate, quiter, including WiFi, including Zwift Cog support (or mechanical cassette), including dual-Bluetooth, including Race Mode, and...one could go on and on. |
 | Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One (COG V2) + Play Controllers
$499 | $499 | N/A | Zwift.com | This package includes the KICKR CORE with the Zwift V2 Cog, but notably now also includes the Zwift Play controllers. Basically, this saves you about $100 or so, and is the first time we've seen them bundle it. |
 | Wahoo KICKR MOVE - $300 off!
$1,599 | $999 | N/A | REI | ⚡⚡ This is actually a very solid deal, and the first time we've seen this discounted. In fact, frankly, this is the first time in years it feels like Wahoo is actually doing a legit sale on something. Kudos. |
 | Wahoo KICKR ROLLR - $100 off
$599 | $499 | N/A | REI | |
 | Wahoo KICKR SNAP - Lowest Price Ever
$499 | $199 | Amazon | REI | This is lowest we've ever seen the KICKR SNAP priced. While the trend has moved towards wheel-off/direct drive trainers, this is still really solid deal if your budget it tight. That said, if you're in Europe, Decathlon has the D100 on sale for $199 also, and in my testing, I'd go with that almost every time. |
And, here’s a pile of other categories, many of which aren’t directly sports tech but are things you and I buy just as much. So if you need some shopping inspiration, here ya go:
Main sale landing page (shows all of the categories below):
o Bike Trainers
o Power Meters
o Cycling Gear
o GPS Watches & Fitness Trackers
o Running Accessories (there’s a lot of mark-down items in here that can still have 20% applied to them)
o Sunglasses
o Outdoor Gear
o Other Sporty Things
And of course, your gadgetry purchase helps support the site here (as all Clever Training purchases do).
The only power meters excluded from this sale are Favero Assioma and Quarq/PowerTap. Those are manufacturer specific choices by those companies. Non-power meter exclusions are GoPro, most non-power meter Garmin stuff, again, also per manufacturer requirement. Finally, the smart bikes are all excluded, as is the Wahoo Desk and ELEMNT/BOLT/ROAM.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here’s what I expect to be a few frequently asked questions:
How many items can I get a discount for?
One item. Just one, and only one.
Is this per household?
No, it’s one item per member (per human). Thus, if you have multiple unique VIP members in a household, then you can have multiple people. You can sign-up to be a Clever Training VIP member here. I explain more of the details here.
Which brands doesn’t it work on?
At this time, it’s not valid on most non-power meter Garmin stuff (but does work on some things, see list above), GoPro, and Quarq/PowerTap. Also, the Wahoo bike computers (ELEMNT/BOLT/ROAM) and Wahoo Desk are excluded. Finally, the indoor smart bikes are excluded. There are some additional non-tech exclusions listed on CT’s site.
What about other things like socks and such?
Actually, a lot of those are included. So if you don’t need a new trainer, you can pick up stuff like shoes, clothes, etc…
In the cart it says it doesn’t work?
Validate that you only have one item in the cart, and that it’s not one of the above listed items. Also, validate that you’re signed in as a CT VIP member.
Do I get VIP points on top of this?
No, since it’s a large sale item. No double-dipping here.
Are there some fancy details I can read somewhere?
Yes, right here (end of page, some text).
When does this end?
November 24th, 2018 at 11:59PM US Eastern Time. However, I’d really stress to get orders in now. You’re a million times better off getting your order in and canceling later if you change your mind, than waiting. This isn’t so much a sales pitch, but just word to the wise (be it inventory, etc…). Clever has done a good job stocking up (containers worth!) based on what demand looked like last year for this sale, but it’s always hard to know.
What happens when it ends?
It’s over. End of the road. Time to eat turkey for Thanksgiving. Don’t do Thanksgiving? Fake it – eat Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream…or just go straight chocolate.
What about Europeans and CT Europe?
In this case, it’s a Clever Training USA-specific sale, though per the next item some things can be shipped internationally. In the case of Clever Training UK/Europe, you get 10% off all year round on everything, whereas the US folks get caught up on the whole MAP thing I mentioned earlier on.
Is shipping free?
Yes, US shipping is free as long as your order is over $79. For items that can be shipped internationally, it’s $29 flat rate. Generally speaking, trainers can’t be shipped internationally.
Should I wait for a better deal?
Frankly speaking, for the items in this post, there won’t be any better deals this year. There’s never been a case in recent memory where people got trainers or power meters for more than 20% off (aside from accidental small retailers bulk loading sales and then having to undo them).
Typically speaking for the US folks we see Black Friday-specific sales (meaning, just those couple days) as more accessory in nature rather than big ticket items like trainers/power meters. In Europe, you tend to get more selection, but that’s because European retailers don’t need approval from the device manufacturers like in the US. Whereas within the US, MAP basically means all these sales are pretty much locked and loaded already.
Is this the end of the FAQ section?
Yes.
—
Phew – there ya have it! Go forth and enjoy. And feel free to drop any questions you have down below on recommendations, etc… I’d be happy to try and help ya out. Thanks for the support!
The 14th, right? Thursday rather than Friday? Usually the 2nd Thursday in November.
Today, the 14th it begins. Tomorrow the 15th a new sale starts for items not yet listed.
Cool. Kickr 2018 ordered through your link. Thanks for all you do, Ray.
Any chance for Stryd sale? Do you know if they were any Stryd sales in previous years?
In the US, Stryd doesn’t utilize retailers – purely selling directly. Historically they’d done some sales on Black Friday, so we might see something again then.
Last year I think Stryd had a Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal where if you bought two Stryds, you got like $50 off, or something like that. If they repeat that this year, you may want to spend this time to seek out a buddy who wants one and get it when (and if) the deal hits. There was no promotion for single a Stryd.
Forgot to say I’m in Ireland, Europe. Fingers crossed they’ll do some discount on Black Friday here.
Thanks Sam. Unfortunately I’m the only tech geek/runner in my group.
They mentioned in the newsletter that there will be a promotion next week, but didn’t say what…
Would have gone for some assiomas….had the EU site been included….sadface
They aren’t included in the us anyway
For those in the Netherlands (and maybe in western Europe), I found this site (www.i-mobile.nl), which has both the Saris H3 and the Tacx Neo 2 (non T) for 899,- euro’s. Including shipping (at least in the Netherlands).
I have no experience with the site myself, so “buyer beware”. But they offer payment after delivery…
I ordered my Stryd running sensor from this site in 2016. No problems than, and when it died in 2018 the service was good and the sensor was replaced.
Does it work on zwift membership?
Just checked, no, unfortunately not. :(
I like the nifty new listings with pictures!
Thanks! The Girl came up with the idea yesterday…and then immediately got the pleasure of having to get all the pictures loaded in. Pretty quick work by the developer support folks to get everything in place in less than 24 hours. Hope it makes it a bit easier to see/understand everything!
I’m too paranoid to order the Vivoactive 4 before Ray’s review.
I was expecting this, but still held out a little bit of hope…….I am in the market for a second Tacx Neo2 for my wife, and am debating between another 2 or a 2T……and of course the 2T is excluded this year.
Another interesting note. I was on the clever training site last night, and the Neo2 was $999 (like other retailers have it for now if you look…REI, etc) with the VIP points included. Although it’s included in the sale, they raised the price back up to $1,199. So, essentially, it was a better deal yesterday ($999 – $99 future credit vs $1,199 – $199).
I’m still probably leaning towards the 2T (and give my wife my 2), so not really impactful anyways.
For the $999, basically CT matched the $999 of REI last night, and then today they shifted it back to $1,199 but with the VIP sale you get it down to $959 – so actually $40 lower today than yesterday ($1,199 *.80 = $959).
I don’t think yesterday did include the VIP points (or, it shouldn’t have anyway, as it’d been marked as ‘sale or clearance’). Though, sometimes folks luck out in last minute deals with things not getting marked correctly.
is the new garmin vector air on sale yet? LOL
Hey Ray – I signed up on CT and bought the VIP membership for $0 with the coupon code above – all smooth there. But when I loaded the item (GoPro Hero 7 w 32g card) it never applies the 20% discount and I went all the way to payment method. Am I doing something wrong? Is there another coupon code we need to enter? Thanks again for all your helpful reviews!
Hmm…odd – on it! Should have an answer shortly!
Ok. Fixed. Mostly.
There was a bug for the GoPro products, so they weren’t showing up on sale. Now it is, though only the camera (not + the 32GB card). Given a 32GB card is only about $10, it’s probably not a game-changer.
But, it’s live now! link to clevertraining.com
U da man! Yea – I wasn’t particularly interested in the 32g card add-on anyway but that’s what was specified in above table. Also interestingly – after your reply I went to purchase the camera using the CT site search and selected the Hero 7 w/o card, etc it still did not give discount. But when I used the exact link in your reply above it worked – so using your links from this page I guess are whats needed. :thumbsup: Thank you! Wishing you and The Girl a wonderful holiday season especially with the new peanut!
Thanks for the support!!!
Clicking on the photo of the Saris TD1 desk brings you to this 2012 post – link to dcrainmaker.com
Thanks!
(For fun, that’s actually a moderately interesting way that particular hyperlink failed. Also, kinda like a random link generator…)
…and, found a few more quirky bugs based on that. Working on them now…
Didn’t see the Garmin 6 series mentioned, any chance that will be discounted?
I’d be surprised to see anything there.
Not working for Garmin Varia RTL510 which is listed on link to clevertraining.com
I am logged into my account and it is the only item in the cart. Adblockers turned off.
Correct, that falls under the general Garmin exclusions listing for the moment.
However, tomorrow is a new day, with new sales. Maybe it’ll show up there.
I imagine organizing the sale pages so items show up on certain days might be a pain and could see the wisdom of having them all on the same page since there is only a day. ;)
Now if only the forerunner 245 would magically be listed for sale somewhere…
“I imagine organizing the sale pages so items show up on certain days might be a pain”
You…have…no…idea.
Collectively The Girl and I spent 6-8 hours each last night alone (plus most of yesterday) working through it all. So many nuances to it all, triple-checking things, etc… Of course, this year adding in all the imagery was a big lift too, but honestly that’s only a small part of it.
Thanks for the support!
There are some duplicate items in the list, specifically the scosche rhythm 24 and rhythm plus. One of the rhythm 24’s is listed at $69 in the listing, the other at $89, but at clever training it’s $89. :)
Yeah, someone on purpose. Technically two different sales.
Also, because last night I didn’t quite have the ability to fully break-out some items in my sales database. You’ll see that change in the next few hours to filter out some of these.
Does this also include the 2T? Looked like the list only included the Neo2. Sorry to be repetitive if you have answered this already. Thanks!
Not at this moment.
REI typically honors coupons on trainers. Tomorrow starts their 20% off one item Sale. Is there a way for you to provide a link to rei so that you’ll get some compensation if I purchase a 2T, similar to what it appeared you did for the Tacx Neo 2?
Yeah, that kind of link would be used if it benefits you. I’m waiting for their sale to start to decide if I go with 2T from REI or 2 from CT.
Yup, here’s the generic REI link (once you land there, you can search/buy anything). Anything bought off of this link helps support the site:
REI: link to avantlink.com
Note, CT generally will match anything REI offers almost immediately. But appreciate the support either way! Thanks!!!
Thanks!
Looks like as of right now REI has actually included the NEO 2T in the 20% off sale: link to bit.ly
If years of REI trainer sale history is any indication:
A) They’l continue to honor it
B) But they probably have a very small quantity of inventory
Said differently: Grab it quick!
Any indication Clever Training will match it? Website doesn’t really have anything updated :(
They’re working to get those matched. But I’m good with support either way using the links above (those REI links support the site too). Thanks!
Thanks! I called them and got the same response.
Ok – hearing CT isn’t being permitted by Garmin to match the REI deal. In other words – jump quick on that REI deal and grab it while you can. Usually when that happens REI is lone-wolfing it, and will quickly run out of stock.
Just to clarify. If REI runs out of stock, do they tend to exclude the item from the promo once that occurs?
It varies…but most of the time yes, it’s considered a dead deal.
Thanks, Ray! Much appreciated.
Thanks for rei link Ray!
One funny thing though, when I clicked through i had to refresh a couple of times (workplace restrictions and phone browsers don’t really work well :() and when I called customer support to check if the affiliate code/redirect went through, the person I talked to said she’d never heard of an affiliate redirect or anything of that sort.
Thanks for the support!
Yeah, undoubtedly generic REI customer service probably isn’t aware of it. But, it’s most definitely a real thing. I can generally lookup a specific order time (down to the second), and the contents of that order. But I have no visibility as to the actual person (name/address/nothing). Like most affiliate programs, it’s run by a 3rd party company, though it’s a pretty popular company used by many other big names in the industry. That said, I do talk directly to REI people from time to time as well (but far less communication than with the CT folks, which I chat with daily – or multiple times a day during sale periods).
Thanks again!
Awesome! I’ll send you a mail at yourName@yourDomane in case you’d like to follow up with your 3rd party peeps!
Anxiously awaiting the 4iiii Fliiiiiiiiiight review before I order one up to replace a Cyclops Fluid 2 dumb trainer. This is a great deal! Thanks Ray!
Do we know when these will be available for shipping?
I think the Fliiiight is supposed to start shipping either this week or next.
Excellent thank you. I put my order in this morning after the Mrs said “go ahead, that’s your Xmas gift from me”. Even though I said I was waiting on your review, I took the plunge… I’m still anxious to read it though! I think it will more than meet my needs as I’m using TrainerRoad for my indoor training and only really require a good ERG mode and not simulation of outdoor riding/climbs a la Zwift. I also run Campy so I don’t have to mess with extra $$$ to convert a direct-drive model.
As mentioned, I’m upgrading from a Fluid2 dumb trainer so day and night on that. The main selling points are the lack of noise, tire-wear, compact size when stored and the fact that my bike remains road-ready as I still get outdoors in the winter here on the We(s)t Coast and would like to ride my “good” bike on the dry days rather than the rain beater.
Ray have you ever heard back from Elite about the Suito vibrations and crooked flywheel issues? It’s a training I’ve been looking forward to, and especially at this price but hate to get a bad unit.
Thanks!
Let me loop back with them.
Looks like the KICKR and CLIMB bundle doesn’t qualify for the discount… is that correct?
Ahh, that’s right – I heard that somewhere. My understanding is that’s a manuf restriction. I’ll add it above. Thanks!
Anyone have experience using one of these power meters (that are available for the sale) on a cx or mtn bike? My friends use pedal based options but I really love my eggbeaters..
I use a 4iii single sided one on my mtb. Works fine, no issues. My friend who is a far better rider than me loves quarq and tells me daily how single sided power meters aren’t really power meters!
Quarq has fantastic customer service. if you have any problems, they back their product. But, it was too expensive for me.
Hey Ray, you forgot to write a story about new Road Aerobars from Garmin. I don’t know how you could miss the biggest story in the sport’s tech field this year. Wahoo is very jelous ;-)
I’ve got an original Kickr, purchased in September 2013. It’s never hiccuped but has a ton of hours on it in New England winters. Any idea on the lifetime of these? Should I consider a replacement before trainer season gets going?
I’d just keep using it till it does honestly, if sound doesn’t bother you.
Thanks Ray, sound is not an issue — i had a LeMond before the Kickr…
Going through check out and now seeing state sales tax? Is this a recent change?
I think it’s been for a while now. I don’t know if that’s tied though to either the JackRabbit acquisition (which has far more state locales), or the increased CT regional distribution centers in various states to speed delivery.
Or, just some random US law now. Sorry!
It may have to do something with the acquisition. I remember not having to pay any when I first started purchasing from them last may, but then it started getting charged shortly after. Which is a shame, CT is loosing one of the edges they had compared to the others. Recently, their inventory tracking is quite bad (I had to wait close to three weeks for something that was supposed to be instock) as well.
I’ll ask. They were acquired in May 2018 (so about 18 months ago). But there have been other JackRabbit acquisitions as well since then – which may have been the trigger for your specific state.
Do you know if I can buy the Wahoo Kickr Core with the Campy cassette. I know we have to buy our own cassette, but I don’t remember if the mounting spindle for the cassette is specific to Campy vs. Shimano vs. SRAM.
No, aftermarket only. Here’s the EU site, but you can find the some for other countries: link to eu.wahoofitness.com
Has anyone from Canada made an order on Clever Training before? I want to buy the Kickr Core and the shipping is cheap, but I’m afraid that I’ll be charged hundreds of dollars is duties/taxes/fees and end up not saving any money vs buying from a store here. Any experiences/advice?
I bought Assioma Duo pedals a couple months back. They shipped them (very quickly!) via FedEx directly to me. I didn’t pay duty, but I did have to pay the GST/PST on the CAD equivalent. I still saved a couple hundred bucks over what I would have paid for them here. AFAIK you don’t pay any “duty” per se on sporting goods, but I would check with the seller just to be sure. As I said, I only got dinged for GST/PST which you would pay here anyway (and on a larger amount).
I am planning on ordering the Fliiiight trainer and apparently it does not ship to Canada, but I am near the border so I have a receiving company I use just across the line. It ships free within USA. i will have to pay Washington state sales tax, but whether I get dinged for the Canuck tax will depend on the border agent when I come back across. I expect I will have to pay, but it’s still a good deal at 20% off. That’s an option for you if you are relatively close to the border.
Purchased the refurbed kickr core when they were on sale a few months ago. I’ve had no problems with it BUT I’m TR only user. Is it worth returning for the H3? It would $100 more plus the hassle of the return.
Nah, honestly I wouldn’t go through that hassle. Yes, the H3 nails ERG mode better than anything, but I don’t think it’s such a vast difference over the CORE to want to deal with returning trainers (or, maybe I’m just lazy). Removal of cassettes, disassembling the CORE, packaging it up, then getting the new one, adding a cassette, etc… Plus costing $100.
If you had said it was $100 cheaper somehow – then maybe to deal with it all.
Plus, your trainer is quieter. :)
Cheers!
Thanks as always Ray!
Does anyone have any thoughts on gopro hero7 black sale potential on black Friday? Costco has a 30 off their bundle but haven’t see anything else last I looked a couple of days ago. Wondering if I should go the 20%. Thoughts?
Best Buy has it for $299 on Black Friday, which would be more than the 20% coupon. I haven’t finished going through all the adds though.
But I believe the Hero 7 is still under MAP, which means that everyone would be on the same field in terms of deals (just like Garmin items under map).
*MAP = Minimum Advertised Price, a practice that only exists in the US (and I think Canada) whereby companies have to adhere to specific prices set by a manufacturer. The rest of the world considers it illegal. However, it does at least generally make figuring out sales mostly easy. If one company has it, everyone else does too. Most items stay ‘on MAP’ for at least 1-2 years, or until a successor is there. Garmin products typically stay on MAP until at least 6-12 months after the successor product is named, if not years longer. There’s no hard and fast rule there.
Wow CT charges tax–NO thanks. Very sad as I was waiting for this… not throwing $120 away for the old 2018 Kickr. Any of these 20% not have tax in IL?
Yeah, tough awakening, huh? :). Unfortunate fact for about 6 months now.
Yeah, tough awakening, huh? :). Unfortunate fact for about 6 months now.
You could use the REI link, Illinois tax rate is ‘only’ 6.3%, so that works out to be about $66 in tax.
Here’s an REI link that supports the site: link to bit.ly
Also, you can save the shipping cost by picking up for free at an REI near you.
Hmm, CT is charging $96 using my billing, but then $126 for my shipping (Chicago). REI is estimating ‘just’ $75 in taxes for Chicago pickup. I don’t have a membership either so that would be another $20… Ugh, I feel like a chump paying this much for a 2018 model (they should be discounted already imo). Plus, it would be difficult to pickup as my bicycle is just about my only form of transit. May just wait for a Wahoo clearout / refurbished sale.
The 2018 model is the most current model of the KICKR though, and I wouldn’t expect any new units till next Eurobike. Wahoo does sell refurbs though on their site from time to time.
But I don’t actually understand the $126 in tax. Florida sales tax is 6%, and Illinois is basically the same. The KICKR would be $969 after discount (and free shipping) from CT. So that’d be some ~$58 in tax. Do you have a screenshot by chance?
Happy to dig into it with the CT folks to get it sorted!
I believe they are supposed to charge tax based on pre discount price and at the rate of the address/state the item is shipped. Though REI changed tax amount for the cassette I purchased locally once they applied the discount, so I might be quite
wrong. I had quite the WTF!? moment when I was charged tax for an auction site purchase I made for the first time in ages.
A quick Google says that roughly speaking sales tax should be post-discount, except in rare circumstances (which don’t apply in this scenario to the best of my knowledge).
Taxes are definitely post discount. Yes IL is 6.25%, but then the crooks in Cook County & Chicago add another 4% making it nutzo 10.25%. That’s enough that I have to just look for non taxed sales in other states often.
That’s good to know. The taxes being post discount, I mean.
Was surprised why CT and REI taxes were different, but with your latest comment, realized you (cleverly) must have opted for a pickup location outside your county!
Dang – that is officially notes. Maybe you can find an REI in a different county, and pick it up there?
is the discount gone for the Wahoo Kickr Core? I am a VIP and saw the discount over the weekend but now at checkout today there is no discount?
Sorry nate – missed this!
There was a brief technical issue that prevented it. However, REI does still have the CORE at 20% off through the end of *today*. Links up above that help support the site.
Hi Ray,
for a first trainer is there a point of getting Tacx Neo over Flux S?
That’s sorta like asking whether or not there’s any need to get the extra large Sundae with extra chocolate sauce and cherry’s on top. Technically no…but…ya know.
Look – the Flux S is a really solid little trainer. The NEO is simply a better trainer with more features. Both will make you strong, no questions. The NEO will do so quietly, the Flux a bit less so. The NEO gives you road feel, which I like quite a bit. And the NEO folds up nicely.
There are more technical reasons around resistance power and such, but my guess is you’d never encounter those issues either way.
Enjoy!
Hi Ray,
Will you create a new post for the European Black Friday deals once they come up?
Also, unfortunately I don’t think the Wahoo manufacturing issues are behind us. I ordered a trainer 2 weeks ago which was defective, and then, wait for it, the replacement they sent me was also defective!
Thanks for all your great work!
George
Yup, you’ll start to see Euro deals probably later tonight in their own section on the main deals page link to dcrainmaker.com
Just gotta knock out this Apple Watch Series 5 Review I’m cooking on now, and then it’ll be back to surfing Amazon and other sites.
Sigh on Wahoo, sucks to hear. I just fail to understand how this continues to be an issue – nearly a year on. Especially the doubling-down, you’re far from the first.
ok great thanks!
Yeah, the doubling down is completely unacceptable…the problem is that I don’t know what the alternative to the Kickr Core is! Seems to be the best trainer for the price (when it works)! :)
Having issues with VIP20 to get the Vivoactive 4 at 20% per the guide. Am I the only one?
Never mind. I realize it expired 2 days ago. I was till looking at the black Friday article thinking it applied.
I am having the same issue right this moment with applying code vip20 as well even though Ray’s new post says there is a special 20% on Thanksgiving day.
Hey Ray,
What would you get Elite Drivo 2 or Wahoo KICKR Core for the same price of $720 (plus tax) or maybe say Saris H3 for $800? You don’t have to waste your time with details just one or the other would suffice.
Thanks for all that you do here and all your amazing articles!
You can also update the price for Elite Drivo 2 to $719.20 because the SPRING20 code works for this trainer on clever training even though it is on discount.