CycleOps The Hammer Bike Trainer
This product is not available.
The Hammer direct-drive, electromagnetic-resistance bike trainer by CycleOps is the perfect addition to any cyclist's training.
Shop similar products- USA-made, direct-drive bike trainer eliminates tire-to-roller contact, and is capable of replicating any outdoor ride, from spinning to rolling hills to 20%-grade Tour climbs
- All of this is done with a smooth, roadlike feel thanks to a massive 20 lb. precision-balanced flywheel that replicates real world inertia
- The flywheel is paired with the innovative, rapid-response CycleOps electromagnetic resistance system to create nothing louder than 64 decibels
- Noise level at 20 MPH is 64 decibels, which is quiet enough to ride in a library
- Fast response electromagnetic resistance ensures the most responsive resistance and maximum power available
- Add a cassette, pop off your rear wheel, connect to your favorite virtual training software and prepare to Hammer away (cassette and software not included)
- Integrated dual ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth 4.0 technologies
- Axle compatibility gives you the freedom to choose any thru-axle or quick-release bike now and for years to come
- Thru-axle compatible for bike frames with fork widths of 142mm or 148mm
- Quick-release compatible for bike frames with fork widths of 130mm or 135mm
- Robust design is capable of handling up to 2,000 watts at 20 MPH and can simulate up to a 20% climbing grade
- Direct-drive design connects bicycle directly to resistance unit, eliminating tire wear
- Internally cooling technology ensures accurate ride data even during the hardest of workouts
- Integrated front wheel tray adds stability to ride and nests within the trainer when not in use
- Folding legs provide the widest footprint of direct-drive indoor bicycle trainers on the market for added stability and easy storage
- Includes a Shimano splined free hub for compatibility with Shimano 8- to 11-speed cassettes
- Accessible and balanced handle allows for smooth, anyone-can-carry transit of the trainer
- Over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates via Bluetooth 4.0 devices ensure the Hammer is up to date
- 300 lb. (136kg) maximum load, excluding bicycle
- Cassette not included
- Weighs in at 47 lbs. (21.3 kg)
- Compatible with a wide variety of devices and virtual training applications, including CycleOps VirtualTraining, TrainerRoad and many more (software not included)
- This Zwift Certified product is compatible with the Zwift online platform so you can track, train and compete in a virtual environment
- Made in Madison, WI
| Best Use | Cycling |
|---|---|
| Resistance Type | Magnet |
| Dimensions | Open: 31 x 19.5 x 18.5; folded: 19.5 x 18.5 x 3 inches |
| Foldable | Yes |
| Software Controlled | Yes |
| Weight | 47 pounds |
Review this Product
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
Customer Images
great trainer, accurate power readings, high limit
Upgraded from the Cycleops Magnus trainer that I bought last year as a smart trainer trial / test. It worked fine but this is worth the upgrade. I can easily do 2+ hours with zwift, fans, towels and music. Direct drive is much quieter, power accuracy is greater, the power limits are very high (1k+ watts) and no wheel slippage. Zwift integration is seamless.
Trainer has "new-product issues"
The trainer is not yet supported by Trainer Road, but CycleOps indicates that the trainer is compatible. I wasted a lot of time with this because the Trainer Road calibration was not working right, and when I finally called Trainer Road, they said it was not supported. Trainer Road is working on support right now. The trainer does work with the Virtual Training APP that is provided by CycleOps. I did connect it for a test, and it did work. However the power output numbers seemed a bit erratic +/- 15 W from target power. I also had an issue with how the spacer caps were installed in the rear hub. Cycleops apparently installed the non-drive side cap on the drive side. Thus, I could not install the cassette. Cycleops customer service was not helpful, but this may be due to lack of experience with the trainer since it is new. I returned the product.
Heavy and Solid build, electronics not so much
I purchased one of these machines a little less then a year ago from REI. It seemed to function well but being the lazy exerciser that I am I didn't use it all that often. This year I've been doing well and as the season got cooler I transitioned to the hammer. I immediately started having issues with it coming on line with an unusable tension on the pedals. After attempting a few power cycles I now only get an indication of radio overheat. I must emphasize that these are marketed as professional grade pieces of equipment and for the money I would expect that of these. Currently I would NOT recommend the purchase of one of these units for less then 12 months and maybe 10 hours of use total.
Great on paper, failed execution
I did some serious homework before jumping into the smart trainer market and settled on this unit. Primary reason for choosing this over other units was the significant thru axle compatibility, decent accuracy specs, slick package, and relative quiet. On first use with the CVT app noticed the smart functionality was poor in the resistance unit such that a 10% downgrade would not even allow for use of the large chainring as resistance was unexplainably hard. Multiple calibrations and a firmware update never remedied the situation. Figured their app was defective and moved on. Switching to zwift the smart trainer parts functioned far better, grade matched real world resistance within reason although sluggish to respond and jumpy. When using the trainer in ERG mode there remained serious problems. For initial intervals, the resistance was held extremely well. As the unit warmed up, not only would intervals be held at increasingly harder wattage, as measured by the unit and a stages power meter, but the forward absolute first difference became increasingly erratic. E.g. If you were supposed to hold 250W, on the first interval it would be 250W and would bounce around that by +/- 10W. By the 5th interval it would try to hold 310 +/- 70W. Calibration both warm and cold never fixed the problem firmware was up to date. Contacted both zwift and cycleops support. Had a significant back and forth with zwift where we determined it wasn't a coms issue, app issue, computer hardware issue and had to be related to the trainer. Weeks after contacting both companies and doing a full diagnostic analysis with zwift, cycleops finally got back to me. They asked if I had tried calibration, replied yes within minutes, as I stated in first email, weeks until they replied have you tried a firmware update. Agian this was in my initial email, gave up with the defective unit and cycleops support and returned the item to REI. Only good experience with this entire ordeal was that REI took the unit back with any real hassle other than schlepping the thing to their store. Thank goodness for REI being a stand up company.
True Road Feel
I've used a CycleOps Fluid2 for almost 10 years al loved it. But with advancements in apps like Zwift having a Smart Trainer really changes the indoor riding game. I love that it's controllable by the software to increase resistance on climbs. Plus it offers power output! By far the best trainer I've ever used.
Awesome for Zwift and other apps.
I spent countless hours deciding which smart trainer I should buy. In the end I settled on the "Hammer". The direct drive is quiet so I can zwift late at night when everyone is asleep. The freewheel hub is not however, it's loud like you find on expensive wheels. While training however I don't spend much time freewheeling. The other downside and this has nothing to do with the Hammer but all direct drives. I have a 11speed bike and my wife has a 10 speed. That means I'm having to swap out cassettes. It's annoying enough that I will probably upgrade her bike to 11 speed. As for smart apps I paired this up with Zwift and Rouvy (Trainer Road) and it works flawless. Once or twice the unit locked up and I had to remove the power to resync. Also the Rouvy app calibration needs to be adjusted. It required a 20-25mph pace for 4 minutes at around 100RPM. That was enough to get my heart rate into high zone 2 almost into 3. Compared to zwift which is around 10-20 seconds. One last thing to upgrade the firmware install the rouvy app on your phone and perform the update from there via bluetooth. You don't need the bluegiga dongle unless you want to update it from your PC.
"The best of the best of the best"
I have been using trainers for many years now and decided to go ‘smart’. The thing with dumb trainers is that the simulation, that is, “supposed to get harder now, supposed to get easier now…” is all in your head. If your head does not cooperate, it’s not the best workout. The next logical step is a software controlled trainer which modifies resistance profiles based on what the landscape looks like, virtually. I use Zwift, which is a virtual cycling world with many courses and types of workouts. A sort of World of Warcraft for cyclists, except you only get to kill yourself… not other cyclists. I initially tried a Wahoo Kickr but found too many manufacturing issues which made the experience disappointing to say the least. The Hammer is a no-nonsense, no-compromise tank of a machine which seems as though it would potentially outlast your bike many times over. It is robust, and that is what I was looking for. People do note that it is heavy, but it is within ± 2 pounds of all the other direct drive trainers. You wanted exercise, right? I just have a dedicated exercise room, so it never needs to move. Just sayin. If you are thinking Direct drive trainers are too expensive, compared to wheel on trainers… well, they are certainly more expensive. The difference is Direct drive is quieter, no tire slippage, no tire wear, more responsive and smoother in my opinion. The price of these things is something you will have to weigh for yourself. Good, fast, cheap. Pick any two. Right? I always try to opt for the product that will be the last one I will ever need to buy. Hard to read the future, but given the current choices, this seemed to fit that personal buyer policy. In terms of noise level, the thing I hear over the sound of my fan which is in front and to the right, is my chain in all but the most ‘hammer down’ moments. So I think that’s perfectly above and beyond quiet. As for how accurate compared to a dedicated power meter, considering the number of variables, I’m satisifed. If I wanted an exact 100% match all the time, I’d just take the bike outside and ride the roads. That said, I would be happy with plus or minus 5%. CycleOps Hammer claims ± 3%. As always, numbers and testing are situational, which you would know, if you’ve done any testing of anything, so YMMV, no pun. Customer support is reported as being exceptionally excellent, though I have not needed to contact them for anything at all. I did experience some bluetooth issues with connecting to Zwift, but figured out the culprit was my Wahoo Tickr heart monitor. The workaround was log in to Zwift without the heart monitor on, pair up, then put the heart montor on and pair that. Good to go. In my opinion, you have a great chance of loving this trainer. My 2 cents. In my opinion, you have a great chance of loving this trainer. My 2 cents.