JetBlack Victory Trainer Announced

July 3, 2024

LAST UPDATED July 8, 2024

Eurobike kicks off today in Frankfurt, and as usual, hardware manufacturers are announcing soon-to-be-released products at the show! The first we saw was from Australia-based JetBlack, who announced their new VICTORY trainer as a successor to the VOLT.

Looking at the trainer’s specs and pricing, this is a substantial evolution of JetBlack’s flagship trainer. While we don’t have a VICTORY in house to test (yet), JetBlack claims VICTORY is more accurate, more innovative, and more integrated with Zwift than the VOLT. It certainly boasts more features… at a significantly reduced price!

The VICTORY is priced affordably at $399 US, $749 AUD, €449, and £399. It’s also the first trainer to be publicly announced as “Zwift Ready” (more on that below).

JetBlack Founder and CEO Tony Simmonds says, “Riders are going to love some of the new features of the VICTORY, like the portability with the handle, its super sleek looks, WiFi, and USB-C connectivity. Its features and performance are next level, and it rides like a dream.”

“Zwift Ready”

JetBlack says VICTORY is “among the first ‘Zwift Ready’ trainers, making it easier than ever to use the trainer out of the box on Zwift.”

As far as I know, no other trainer has been publicly announced as “Zwift Ready”, although there are certainly trainers on the market that would qualify. The Zwift Ready program is a new certification protocol Zwift is rolling out to ensure trainers work well with the game, perform to spec, and are easy to set up. As I understand it, the “Zwift Ready” label will only be applied to trainers that support the Zwift Cog cassette and Zwift virtual shifting.

This is a welcome development. (Details of the program will be available soon, I’m told. Watch this space for more news on that front.)

Zwift Virtual Shifting Enabled

The VICTORY comes with the newest Zwift Cog pre-installed and includes the simple Zwift Click controller. JetBlack says this combination provides a simple, effective, and reliable virtual shifting experience within the Zwift game. It also means the VICTORY is compatible with Zwift’s new smart frame, the Zwift Ride.

JetBlack is careful to mention in their press release that the VICTORY is also compatible with other indoor trainer apps by simply removing Zwift Cog and replacing with your cassette of choice.

The New Adjustable Zwift Cog

Flying under the radar but visible in JetBlack’s product shots is a new version of the Zwift Cog. It’s easily recognizable by its orange outer cover, but the real magic is inside!

Looking at the photo above, you can see the number “1” on the inner body of the Cog. You can also see the outer edge of the inner body has three low-profile finger grips around its edge. What’s going on here?

Here’s how it works: twisting the outer half of the Cog while holding the inner half in place shifts the center metal cog from left to right. There are 10 positions available, and that number 1 changes to 2, 3, 4 etc to show which setting you are on.

This lets you easily adapt the cog’s position to your bike’s chain line for maximum smoothness. As someone who loves a smooth drivetrain, I think it’s pure, simple genius.

I’ve got one of these orange Zwift Cogs sitting here on my desk, in fact, and have been clicking it through its settings for weeks, just for fun. We’ll probably do an article all about it soon, but really, the explanation above tells you all you need to know. It’s the next iteration of the Zwift Cog, and allows you to easily dial in your setup just a bit more.

Features and Specifications

Connectivity: ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and (potentially) USB-C (see below)
Power Accuracy: +/-2%
Max Wattage: 1800W
Max Gradient Simulation: 16%
Auto calibration
Odometer (via JetBlack app) records total distance VICTORY has ridden
Smart Turn Relay Bluetooth bridge allows HR monitor and JetBlack’s smart turn block to be connected through the trainer, saving on Bluetooth connections, which is especially helpful for connection-limited Apple TV users
10Hz Race Mode for maximum responsiveness
Handle for easy carrying
Cassette:
- Adjustable Zwift Cog works with almost any 8-12 speed bike
- 11-speed and 12-speed cassette versions will also be available for the same price as the Zwift Cog version (according to DC Rainmaker)
Zwift Virtual Shifting enabled
Flywheel/Disc: 4.5kg

Flywheel/Disc

You may notice that the Victory’s “flywheel” appears much larger than the Volt’s. This is because JetBlack has moved away from the flywheel design due to Wahoo patents, and instead is using a disc with weight evenly spread. While lighter than the Volt’s flywheel, this disc, JetBlack says, delivers the same inertial feel.

USB-C Connectivity?

The VICTORY includes a USB-C port for hardwired connectivity to devices like PC, Mac, and certain tablets that support the USB-C standard. While hardwired USB connectivity has been discussed for years, this isn’t a feature currently enabled on any smart trainer. So it’s big news!

I asked JetBlack’s Murray Healey if hardwired connections via USB-C are currently functional on Zwift, and he told me that they are not. However, Zwift and JetBlack hope to implement this in-game when the VICTORY goes on sale in September. Fingers crossed.

What’s In a Name?

JetBlack’s new smart trainer was named after the JetBlack founder’s father – VICTOR Simmonds. Vic, as he was called, sadly passed in late 2023. JetBlack says, “He was a visionary and inspired much of the JetBlack innovation story, always encouraging the team to push the boundaries on what is possible.”

Pricing and Availability

The VICTORY is priced at $399 US, $749 AUD, €449, and £399. It will be available in the US, EU, Canada, Australia, and UK beginning September 2024.

Wrapping It Up

JetBlack claims the VICTORY provides “the best performance and most complete feature set
of any trainer on the market today.” This may be overstepping a bit: Wahoo’s flagship KICKR offers more accuracy and a larger flywheel, for instance.

That said, the VICTORY, at least on paper, is very impressive. It meets the specs of the industry-leading Wahoo KICKR CORE while adding Wi-Fi connectivity, a Bluetooth Bridge, and 10Hz race mode, all for $100 less. That’s compelling! Well done JetBlack.

I look forward to seeing real-world reviews of the VICTORY in the coming months.