The Crosstech XTR Trainer is an electro-magnetic resistant, German-made cross-trainer. It includes a range of 16 difficulties and 12 strain profiles. There are heart-rate sensors which off 4 different heart-rate controlled programmes.
This is a relatively simple version of a cross-trainer. There is no app-integration via the device, competitors JTX seem to have this nailed down. What the Crosstech XTR does offer is a solid built design. Hammer is a German brand with over 100 years experience in making fitness equipment.
The electro-magnetic flywheel offers silent and finely graded resistance for your work-outs. The flywheel itself weighs 16kg, which is quite heavy but not as heavy as some other offerings.
The thing doesn't weigh too much, at 43kg it can take a sturdy 130kg user. But the fact that there are no wheels means
The Crosstech XTR is on the small side for a cross-trainer. It measures 120cm in length, 53cm in width and 157cm in height. I wouldn't recommend this product for those taller than 6'3" or 190cm.
The Q Factor, or distance between the footplates, is 21cm. This is a decent running position for most. The footplates are adjustable to offer some slight variation on this, and they are coating in non-slip material too.
The stride length is 28cm, give or take some 5cm for the adjustable footplates. It is the stride length that is one of the reasons I wouldn't recommend it for the especially tall or long-legged.
Furthermore on this point, the handlebars, the stationary ones especially feel low. As the stationary handlebars are the ones holding the pulse sensors, this can affect the ease and comfort of doing pulse-rate dictated workouts.
However, the fact you can set pulse rate dictated workouts is a good feature. You can increase the higher pulse limit to help you improve things like your VO2 max and general fitness.
The LCD screen lets you navigate through 12 different programmes of difficulty. You can also just set one of the 'strains' and manually alter the difficulty. In total there are 16 different 'strains' you can train through.
Also on the screen, aside from heart-rate, is the distance you have run, the time you have taken, the speed at which you're moving, and your calorie consumption.
I wore a Fitbit whilst testing this and found that there was not a match. But given that Fitbit accuracy needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, it seems obvious that tech like the Hammer, without even a backlit screen, will not produce immensely accurate statistics.
For a long-established company, there are several features which seem to be of poor quality or design. For starters the cross-trainer does not have non-stick feet. This can lead to sliding around if on a hard floor, and I do worry about the potential for damage to carpets if used on those.
Hammer recommended buying further protective floor mats. Unfortunately, this is not a minor expense. If you go for Hammer's own brand mat that can add approximately 20-25% to the initial price. I'm sure you could imagine a cheaper third-party manufacturer alternative if you tried.
Next up, the screen is not backlit. This is rather strange, perhaps Hammer have become accustomed to designing for brightly lit gyms. If you want to use this bike through dusk, early in the morning, or even just in the slightly dingy box room - you'll need some sort of lighting.
Irritatingly this can then create screen glare problems. Once you're able to see the screen, the menu navigation is not incredibly easy to do. There is no app integration as is the case with many JTX machines such as the Zenith or the Tri-Fit. If we're comparing the Hammer to JTX, the closest in terms of features is the Strider X-7.
There is no way to sync up directly from the Hammer Crosstech XTR to a wearable you might use. Although I think most Fitbit devices are able to detect cross-train exercise automatically.
The Hammer Crosstech XTR cross-trainer has a simple computer and a simple design. I would say this cross-trainer is worth buying for the build quality and the resistance in training.
Although there are several caveats to consider. The screen is dark, a backlit monitor seems essential and inexpensive or at least not difficult to include. The hand pulse sensors were a little low to the ground for me, and the stride length isn't great for tall people. But, on the flip side of this, the machine is compact, easily fitting into my tiny flat, if not with my large frame.
All in all the Hammer Crosstech XTR could do with a few improvements, but as a standard cross-trainer, it holds its own against the wave of newer, tech-y models.
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