Zwift just announced a 20% off closeout sale on the Zwift Hub One direct-drive smart trainer. While supplies last, you can score a very capable trainer for just $480, including 1 year of Zwift (a $130 value).
This means you’re getting a direct drive smart trainer with auto calibration, virtual shifting, 10Hz race mode, and +/-2.5% accuracy for an effective price of $350… making this, perhaps, the most smoking smart trainer deal we’ve ever seen.
The Big Question: What About Support?
Some Zwift Hub owners have been concerned about Zwift’s support of the trainer ever since it was announced that the new Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One would replace the Zwift Hub One moving forward.
But Zwift has said all along that they will continue to support the Zwift Hub with firmware updates and warranty service. In fact, today, when asked about Zwift’s support of the Hub, they told us, “Absolutely yes, full support is expected for the lifetime of the product. Zwift remains committed to hardware and will continue to invest to bring increasing value and innovation to our customers.”
Plus, as many Zwifters have recently pointed out, the Zwift Hub is already a super-capable trainer. Even if Zwift didn’t issue another firmware update, its capabilities rival smart trainers costing 2-3x as much. We have no reservations in recommending the Zwift Hub… especially at this closeout price.
Virtual Shifting Basics and Benefits
Hub One is built for virtual shifting. What is that exactly, and is it even something you want?
Virtual shifting means your chain isn’t moving between different physical cassette cogs when you shift. Instead, a virtual shift changes the resistance of your smart trainer so it feels like you’ve changed cogs. This is how smart bikes like the Wahoo KICKR Bike, Wattbike, StagesBike, and Tacx NEO Bike have always worked.
There are many benefits to virtual shifting, including:
- Fast, smooth, quiet: with no chains skipping between cogs, your shifts are completely silent, perfectly smooth, and lightning-fast.
- Less wear and tear: your chain won’t wear out as quickly, and neither will the Zwift Cog, since it is built beefy because weight is not a concern.
- Shift under full load: no need to ease off the pedal when shifting under power, as your chain isn’t going to “skip” when virtual shifting like it can with mechanical shifting.
- Compatible across many bikes: no more spinning out on your low-geared mountain bike, or needing to swap cassettes if you swap bikes. The Hub One works with virtually any 8-12 speed bike and auto-calibrates to your physical gearing.
- No more fine-tuning: many riders find they have to fine-tune their physical shifting when they move between outdoor riding and a direct-drive trainer, since the cassettes aren’t lined up exactly the same. The Zwift Cog doesn’t require any such fine-tuning… just shift to a physical gear that has your chain lined up straight on the Cog and you’re ready to ride.
- Expanded shifting: at launch the Hub One supports a virtual 24-speed setup, which is more gears than most riders have on their outdoor setups. Additionally, the gear ratio range is very wide (from .75 to 5.49), meaning everyone should find that virtual shifting offers more easy gears and more hard gears than your mechanical gearing.
- In-game gear visualization: with Zwift’s virtual shifting, you can always see what gear you’re in on screen.
More About Hub One
Zwift’s Hub One is the same smart trainer as the Zwift Hub Classic but ships with a Zwift Cog instead of a standard cassette plus the handle-bar mounted Zwift Click to enable virtual shifting.
Hub One Specifications
- Accuracy: +-2.5%
- Flywheel: 4.7kg
- Max Wattage: 1800 W
- Max Incline: 16%
- Calibration: automatic
- Axle Compatibility: 142/148 thru axle + 130/135mm QR
- Weight: 16.5kg
- Cadence: built in
- Communication: ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth FTMS
- Cassette Included: Yes (Zwift Cog)
- Physical Dimensions: 49.7 cm length x 61.2 cm width x 46.1 cm height
Learn more about the Zwift Hub One by reading our detailed post, which includes a full review.
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