Today, JetBlack Cycling unveiled the VICTORY Frame, their first-ever smartbike frame. Available as a standalone frame or bundled with JetBlack’s popular VICTORY trainer, it’s a direct competitor to Zwift’s Ride, and at a tempting price!
Key Features
- Approximately 48–62 cm equivalent frame sizing (approximate rider heights: 5’1″ to 6’4″)
- Extensive saddle, stack and reach adjustment
- Adjustable crank length (165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm)
- Aerobar compatible
- Road, endurance, time trial and triathlon positioning
- Designed to replicate real-bike fit
- Suitable for multiple riders
- Compatible with Zwift Ready smart trainers
- Integrated fit for Zwift Click 1 and Click 2 controllers
- Designed for Zwift and ROUVY experiences
- Indoor Cycling Ergonomics Guide included
- Free bike setup guidance in JetBlack App
- Two bottle cages and integrated removable trainer tray for ride essentials
- Stable steel construction
Pricing and Availability
- Standalone Victory FRAME: $649USD, €799, £599, $1,099AU
- Victory Frame Bundled with VICTORY Trainer: $999USD, €999, £899, $1,699AU
You can currently register your VICTORY Frame interest on JetBlack’s site. Presales will begin in October for end-of-November deliveries.
VICTORY vs Zwift Ride
Of course, the VICTORY Frame will draw direct comparisons to the wildly popular Zwift Ride. The frames share more similarities than differences, since they’re both made to be durable, affordable frames that pair nicely with Zwift Ready smart trainers.
But how are they different? We don’t have the VICTORY frame yet in-house, so we can’t yet make a complete comparison to the Zwift Ride frame. But there are several clear differences:
- Controllers: the Zwift Ride uses Play-like controllers integrated into the handlebar, while the VICTORY Frame is made to fit nicely with Zwift’s Click v1 and v2 controllers, which aren’t included in the purchase of the standalone frame.
- Handlebar Options: the difference in controllers means Zwift Ride users are stuck with a standard handlebar setup, although clip on TT bars could be added. VICTORY Frame users could swap in any bars they’d like, since the Click controllers can be used in almost any configuration.
- Saddle Setback Adjustability: the VICTORY Frame wins here, with a dedicated rail allowing major saddle setback adjustments.
- Bottom Bracket: another VICTORY Frame win, as it uses a standard threaded Shimano external bottom bracket interface, allowing owners to service the BB and swap in their own cranks if desired. (The VICTORY frame uses 16-notch bearing cups and a 44mm outside diameter compatible with Park Tool BBT-9, BBT-19.2 and BBT-69 / BBT69.2 installation tools. Cranks are press fit.)
- Adjustable Crank Length: the VICTORY Frame ships with a 3-position bear claw crank, while the Zwift Ride ships with a 170mm cranks. (Zwift sells 5-position adjustable crank arms for $99.)
- Stated Rider Size Range: this is an approximation, of course, but the Zwift Ride comes out ahead with a stated rider size of 5′-6’6″, while JetBlack tells me the VICTORY Frame fits 5’1″-6’4″.
- Rocker Feet: the VICTORY Frame is compatible with JetBlack’s Freedom Rocker Feet, allowing for some side-to-side movement.
- Pricing: the VICTORY Frame is priced lower than the Zwift Ride, both as a standalone frame and a frame+trainer bundle.
- Standalone Victory FRAME: $649USD, €799, £599, $1,099AU
- Standalone Zwift Ride: $799.99USD, €799, £749, $1,400AU
- Victory Frame Bundled with VICTORY Trainer: $999USD, €999, £899, $1,699AU
- Zwift Ride bundled with Wahoo KICKR CORE v2 Trainer: USA: $1299USD, €1199, £1099, $2,299AU
VICTORY vs the Rest
While the VICTORY Frame’s biggest competitor will be the Zwift Ride, it’s also work comparing it to other indoor-only frames and smart bikes.
In the indoor-only frames sector, the only two competitors apart from the Zwift Ride are the Caveworks RIVET and Elite Square. The VICTORY Frame beats both on price and aesthetics, although the Elite Square has more features, and the RIVET may be a bit more accomodating to smaller riders or those wanting custom setups.
Compare the VICTORY Frame + Trainer bundle to a full smart bike setup, and you’ll see why smart bike sales have dropped substantially since the Zwift Ride’s release. Many riders find it difficult to justify dropping $4000US on a Wahoo KICKR Bike Pro or Tacx NEO Bike Plus when the Zwift Ride offers most of the same features for 1/3 the price. And now the VICTORY bundle is selling for even less? It’s a good time to be an indoor rider, friends. Especially in Australia and New Zealand, where the VICTORY bundle is priced $600AU lower than the Zwift Ride through Wahoo.
Development Timeline
According to JetBlack, the VICTORY Frame has been in the company’s product pipeline and design phase since 2020. The original idea was encouraged by JetBlack founder Tony Simmonds’ father, Victor “Vic” Simmonds, who questioned why riders should have to keep moving their outdoor bike on and off a trainer. That simple idea stayed with Tony.
Questions or comments?
You may want to see JetBlack’s VICTORY Frame page for more info. Share your questions and comments below!
First! I like the standard bottom bracket, don’t know why Zwift Ride went with a goofy one. How does the Victory deal with steering control?
“Zwift Ride ships with a 170mm cranks”
This is outdated. Demi Vollering who is 5′ 8″ uses 165mm
Not sure what you mean… the Zwift Ride ships with 170 mm cranks.
The “technology” is outdated, 170mm is no longer “average”, or correctly matched with the current frame sizes on the market.
In addition to the “one size fits all” with Zwift Ride as it ships.
Watch next week for news on this front… 👀
Zwift Ride v2 for TSOZ next Tuesday? Is that why there’s no update today?
Dont do that to me… i just ordered a Zwift ride frame…
I’m 5′ 8 1/2″ and have 170mm cranks that came with my 54 frame size bike.
Like a lot of cyclists in the same boat, I’ve moved my cleats all the way back to sort of compensate for that until I can get 165’s on it.
And are people holding up the zwift ride as an example of how to do it? Hell no! They were ridiculed the world over for selling the adjustable cranks as an aftermarket purchase only when they should have been updating the stock zwift ride sku to include them.
£200 cheaper for the frame and trainer combo seems like a zwift ride killer
Standalone Victory FRAME: €799
Standalone Zwift Ride: €799
Is that correct? It’s the only currency that has no differences.
Yes, that is the pricing JetBlack supplied. 🤷♂️
Ok thanks for checking!
Glad I didn’t purchase a Ride frame yet. I was considering finally switching to one this fall. This JetBlack version looks like a way better deal than Zwift and is more adjustable. Sign me up.
I know they’re no longer sold, but I wonder if the Zwift Play would fit on these bars. Maybe I’m the only one who uses the brakes, but I do use them (bike swaps, positioning in packs for FTS sprints, trying to let the bot pack catch back up to me when I accidentally get a little “over exuberant” on Z1-only days and accidentally drop them, etc.
I also like brakes at times! Seems like Play would mount just fine on the Victory’s bars with its dummy hoods.
Kickr Climb? Or any of the other brand of climes? I would really like to get something that I can still use the Kickr Climb, without having to spend the price of the Kickr Pro
As far as I can tell it’s not compatible… but with the two part leg design it sure seems like JetBlack could make an optional accessory leg that can attach to the Climb…
While currently I’m not able to have a semi-permanent set up, it’s nice to see more choices for when I’m ready to make the move. Looking forward to some reviews, short and medium term.
Do you think Zwift or Jetblack will ever make their frames fit the Wahoo KICKR Climb? Seems a shame to not use it anymore.
I like it, but having to buy the controllers separately makes it come out to the same price as the zwift ride frame…is nobody realizing this?
The Click v2 ships with every Zwift Ready trainer, so many folks won’t need to buy controllers separately.
I currently have a road bike frame mounted on a Jet Black Victory trainer. And just added the JB rocker feet to replace the tennis ball feet. I like my setup but still tempted by the JBV frame assuming it’ll be available in Canada. I have added 165mn crank arms to my current set-up because of knee replacement, I assume I could move them to the new HBV frame? But it comes with bear claw adapters too? I guess I could go 165mm either way?
Correct me if I’m wrong but the Victory frame has no internal motherboards, integrated batteries, or proprietary electronic harnesses in the hoods. Because it relies entirely on removable, modular third-party controllers (like the click), there is virtually zero onboard electronics that can brick the frame down the road. That is what worries me about the Zwift Ride, which I’ve owned for over a year now. I suppose, if the electronics of my Ride fail, could I simply use a set of click controllers? Anyways, glad there is another option as the Ride seems to be hard to find in Canada according to what I’ve heard.
Yes, you could always just use Click v2.
I wonder if the dropouts could be modified to accept a derailleur hanger, making it potentially able to be used if the trainer or software doesn’t do virtual shifting.