S Rower Review: Turn Your Smart Trainer Into a Rowing Machine

Introduction

Not many fitness products try to squeeze value out of gear you already own. The S Rower does exactly that: it is a rowing machine built on top of an existing smart trainer, rather than a dedicated rower you need to find space and budget for. Shown publicly at Eurobike, it converts the trainer you may already have bolted to your bike into a full rowing setup, and it does so at a planned price of $695.

What the S Rower Actually Does

The concept is straightforward. The unit attaches to your smart trainer and engages the cassette cog, then uses the trainer’s own resistance system to power the rowing experience. Control happens over FTMS, the standard Bluetooth protocol used for smart trainer control, which means the S Rower can drive resistance the same way cycling apps do.

Because it leans on standard protocols rather than proprietary hardware, the rower can follow structured workouts at a set wattage or resistance level, just like a smart trainer would in a cycling workout. That flexibility is the core appeal here.

Setup and Compatibility

The design uses a through-axle engagement that goes out the side of the trainer, so you can mount the unit and remove it again without fuss. As long as your trainer supports a through axle, you are good to go, and essentially every smart trainer made in the last eight-plus years does. The cassette cog acts as the connection point where the head unit engages.

The unit consists of two core pieces: a main beam and a head unit. Inside the head unit, a belt drive transfers to a wheel connected to the rowing handle and strap, which is where the resistance you pull against comes from. The prototype shown is a single longer piece, but the plan is for the production version to come apart into more pieces for easier shipping and storage.

App and Structured Workouts

The demo ran with a provisional app to explain the concept, and the developers expect dedicated apps to work with it down the road. Since the rower speaks FTMS, apps already built for smart trainer control are plausible pairing candidates. The limitation is realistic: in a virtual road-cycling app, your rowing wattage translates to very slow movement, slower than running speeds, so rowing-specific training apps make more sense than virtual riding.

The big win is structure. Because the trainer underneath is a genuinely smart device, you can set a given wattage or resistance level and have the rower automatically follow a structured workout. Note that no screen is included: the prototype ships with a simple tablet holder, so you bring your own device for whatever app or training platform you prefer.

Build Quality and Feel

The frame is made of aluminum, and the plan is for production units to be manufactured in Italy. On first impressions, the rowing feel was described as pretty good overall, though a dedicated rower’s assessment is still the better barometer for that particular question.

One small note on the prototype: the tablet holder was a quick provisional design, and the production version may refine it. That is normal for an early-stage product, and it does not change the fundamentals of how the system works.

Price, Availability, and Buying Advice

The S Rower was just launching at Eurobike at the time of this announcement, with availability planned for Q2 of next year. The price is set at $695, which is reasonable for a product that pairs with a trainer you may already own.

The compatibility story is generous. The trainer shown alongside the unit was a 2018-2019 era model, nothing exotic, and there are plenty of capable smart trainers on the market today in the $300-$500 range. You also do not need a high-end trainer: rowing wattage is significantly lower than cycling wattage, so a modest smart trainer handles the job fine. If you already have a through-axle smart trainer, this is one of the cheaper routes into rowing without buying a dedicated rowing machine.

Conclusion

The S Rower is an appealing idea executed simply: reuse a smart trainer you already own, add an aluminum beam and a belt-driven handle, and control everything through the standard FTMS Bluetooth protocol. With structured workouts, app flexibility, and a $695 planned price, it is a practical entry point for cyclists and athletes curious about rowing. Just plan around the Q2 availability window and make sure your trainer supports a through axle.