Review of the CycleOps H2 Smart Trainer

While some trainer options may come with some assembly required, the CycleOps H2 Smart Trainer comes ready out of the box. You only need to pop on a cassette before you start spinning away the miles in Watopia. As far as pairing the trainer to programs such as Zwift or TrainerRoad, it was frighteningly easy. The H2 instantly paired to my computer; I didn’t have to spend any time searching for the device in my Bluetooth settings. This easy setup is a big improvement compared with the first version of the CycleOps Hammer, which in my experience, had some issues with signal dropouts.

While the setup was easy, what impressed me was the machine’s ride feel, thanks largely to the massive 20-lb. flywheel within the unit. On Zwift, my experience is much better on a direct-drive trainer. Is there anything worse than climbing up the Innsbruck course and having your tire slip and squeak?

If you live in a small space, you’ll like how the H2 folds up into a compact package that is roughly the width of size 43 shoe. The unit is also quiet enough not to wake up the person in the next room or to carry on a conversation with someone standing beside you. CycleOps says the trainer only creates 64 decibels of noise when riding at 20 km/h. The company says it’s quiet enough to ride in a library, though most librarians I know would probably shush you regardless.