Wahoo Fitness
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Atlanta maker of indoor bike trainers and bike computers.
There's no proof Wahoo Fitness pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Malaysia, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Traces its cobalt, gold and other conflict minerals to the mine
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From press and retailer reports; Wahoo Fitness doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: cobalt, tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold mining carry child and forced labour risk (DR Congo, Indonesia), and assembly overtime is widespread.
- Relies on metals such as cobalt, gold and tin from artisanal mines where miners, including children, face toxic dust, mercury exposure and deadly tunnel collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Wahoo uses contract manufacturers and publishes no supplier list, supplier code, modern slavery statement or audit results. Press reports name China for its TRACKR radar and Taiwan for the ELEMNT BOLT 3, and contract maker East West + Vexos built its Headwind fan in Vietnam; no production shares are disclosed. No labour abuse findings about the brand were found.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | Not graded in Baptist World Aid's 2016 Electronics Industry Report, the last edition of the series. View |
| KnowTheChain | Not covered | The 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark covers large listed technology companies, not a private firm of Wahoo's size. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No reports about Wahoo Fitness or its suppliers are recorded. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Wahoo founder buys fitness company back from banks (SGI Europe) · search the archive · Founder Chip Hawkins led a recapitalisation with investors including Rhône, eliminating Wahoo's debt
- Tech firms accused of child labour and exploitation (TechPartner News, 2016) · search the archive · 2016 Electronics Industry Report grade table has no Wahoo entry
- Wahoo raises prices on all US products due to tariffs (BikeRadar, 2025) · search the archive · TRACKR Radar is made in China; ELEMNT BOLT 3 made in Taiwan
- Smart Fitness (East West + Vexos) · search the archive · Contract manufacturer took Wahoo's Headwind fan to full-scale production at its facility in Vietnam
- Wahoo collection (99 Bikes) · search the archive · KICKR trainers and ELEMNT computers sold by Australian chain 99 Bikes with store pickup
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Wahoo Fitness ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/wahoo, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded laptops and computers
No laptops and computers brand selling new goods is Good yet. This is the strongest so far. Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Wahoo Fitness.