KIT ZONE

WATTBIKE ATOM NEXT GEN

£1,899 Will the next generation Atom supersede its celebrated sibling?

Even with the general easing of lockdown, the popularity of indoor cycling is set to stay thanks to stimulating apps such as Sufferfest and Zwift, and incredibly smart trainers from Tacx, Wahoo and WattBike. And it’s Brit brand WattBike who are immediately looking to capitalise on this growing audience with the launch of its next-gen Atom – first released in 2017. It’s a refinement rather than overhaul of the original.

“This isn’t an Atom 2.0 but it’s also not a stopgap. It was always the plan to launch in 2020 and wasn’t driven by lockdown,” WattBike tell us. “Following the 2017 launch, we identified some enhancements and improvements and integrated them into the new model.”

Atom chapter 1 was generally lauded for its performance insights, seamless connectivity and accurate data, but experienced criticism for the crispness and slight delay of its shifting compared to a real bike, especially when chasing that flashy new clubmate up Alpe de Zwift.

So, what’s changed? First up, the magnetic resistance unit has been upgraded to electromagnetic for swifter resistance changes that successfully produce a more precise and swift