Zwift Hub One turbo trainer
Performance is good, but Zwift’s user-friendliness steals the show
It wasn’t meant to be like this. Prepandemic, Zwift had plans to launch a high-end trainer and smart bike, but the change in audience demographic prompted by Covid – new cyclists looking for low-cost ways into training – caused the brand to reassess how to best serve the market. The result was the Hub, a solid direct-drive trainer at a disruptively low price.
Zwift has now superseded that with the Hub One, a smart trainer that aims to simplify indoor riding even further. The already competitive hardware price is sweetened with a one-year
Zwift app subscription, while the inclusion of the Zwift Cog – a single sprocket that enables virtual shifting – means most 8-12 speed bikes can be used without the need to switch out cassettes or freehub bodies. Yet although there’s a lot to be said for Zwift’s latest trainer, the design isn’t perfect.
The Cog and the Click
The Hub One weighs 15kg, with a maximum user weight limit of 120kg. It’s compatible with most quick-release and thru-axle standards, plus most wheel sizes. It uses a belt-driven electromagnetic resistance unit, and the flywheel weighs 4.7kg, allowing the trainer to generate a maximum 1,800 watts resistance and simulate gradients up to 16%. Accuracy is claimed at +/-2.5% with data transmitted via Bluetooth and ANT+ FE-C.
The trainer requires zero manual calibration. Once the bike is installed and the unit is up to temperature, the Hub One will calibrate gearing, which is adjusted virtually using the Zwift Click, a simple up/down button that attaches to your handlebars and which has a claimed battery life of over 100 hours using a CR2032 battery. The Zwift Click can only be used with Zwift, though, so virtual gears are not compatible with other indoor training programs.