JetBlack Volt EMS Direct Drive Smart Turbo Trainer

Product Information

Smart trainers at the lower end of the price scale tend to compromise on things such as power accuracy and noise levels, but should still offer an immersive experience. High maximum power outputs or leg-breakingly steep gradients are nice to have, but far from essential, so don’t be swayed by on-paper spec alone. Do you really need a trainer capable of handling a 2,000-watt sprint? Basically, as Garmin started taking over things, COVID hit, and I think a lot of people conflate those two in terms of availability. When in reality, there were no trainers from any company.

As usual, I put the trainer up against a number of power meters to see how well it handled everything from resistance control accuracy, to speed of change, to any other weird quirks along the way. Now between this and the Elite Suito, it’s a tough call. It’s basically a wash price-wise once you factor in the required cassette. Form-factor the Suito wins because it can fold its legs for storage (and it actually has a handle, versus carrying around the Flux is miserable). Though the Flux is a bit beefier in terms of stability. Also, I feel like the Flux has slightly better inertia than the Suito, though I also think the Flux sounds a bit more ‘rough’ than the Suito does (a bit more gravelly, if that makes sense). But again, minor differences one way or another.With that, Tacx got rid of the low-speed slip-sprint problem of the NEO 1/2. That sub-second issue was rare for most people, but basically occurred if you were at very low speeds (like going up a steep hill, or just easy pedaling on the flats waiting for your buddy) – and then instantly sprinted hard. It would feel like the trainer ‘slipped’ for a fraction of a second. It never really bothered that many people with the NEO 1/2, but either way, it’s gone now. And…that’s it in terms of end-user differences. Zwift includes a cassette of your choosing – an essential you often need to buy separately for other smart trainers. I have posted this in Tuo review, but thought will drop this also here as it might be useful for some folks. Easy to set up both hardware and software. You need to fit the legs, but that's easy and tools are included. Unlike its competition, you don't need to fit the cassette.

Next, for control there are basically two semi-standards that allow trainers to be controlled via apps: It comes ready to use straight out of the box, so there’s minimal fuss involved in setting it up and getting riding. It’s a great plug-and-play solution. Although the Zwift Hub runs quietly, the accuracy of cadence and power data isn’t spot on when the flywheel is spinning fast.Also, I’d say I’m honestly surprised that *ANY* US bike shop would ever say that service/support was better for Tacx pre-Garmin. There’s just no way. In the trainer realm, that means trainers tend to support two types of things over these protocols. The first is simple broadcasting (one-way) from the trainer to the app/device that you’re using. This is done for the following on trainers: Pinnacle’s HC Turbo Home Trainer is a cheaper direct-drive trainer with impressive specs. Simon von Bromley / Immediate Media Moving along to the entire group, there are also very minor differences in how you mount your bike to each one in terms of the clasp/lever, but that’s too a wash. About the only notable difference here is that the Saris Magnus/M2 has a nifty resistance knob that makes it easy to ensure your bike is at the same resistance setting each time. It’s actually kinda brilliant. Just like the Elite Tuo with the toaster lever getting you to the same exact point each time is.

And again, as always don’t forget you can mix and match your own trainer product comparison tables using the database here. Summary:Trainers have different maximum power figures that correspond to the amount of resistance they’re able to generate. They typically range from around 1,500 watts to over 3,500 watts. At 14.8kg, it's portable enough, but with no carry handle or folding legs, it's best left in situ if you can. When it arrives, the legs of the trainer are fitted, but the feet – the two metal bars that fit horizontally – aren't. Unlike the Elite Zumo and many of the more premium products on the market, the legs cannot be folded in, so they need to be bolted into place before you start. To make this simple - fool-proof even - the bottom of the legs and the tops of the feet are colour-coded. Simply match blue with blue and orange with orange, and you can't go wrong. It even shows a warning if you have it the wrong way around. If you are totally new to indoor training, our beginner's guide to indoor cycling has everything you need to get you up and running. Now, if you’re riding race wheels with expensive race tires – you’ll have to balance the much higher cost of most race tires.

So far so good, but the flipside to this is that when riding in erg mode and doing a session such as 20/40s or 10x1min – anything where there’s a big power differential – you can quietly easily end up in something of a ‘death spiral’ of ever increasing resistance as you struggle to spin your legs up to speed. With a relatively narrow profile once the legs are folded away, finding a home for it between sessions isn’t much of a challenge, although being a little taller and longer than the other turbos on test does make it a touch more imposing. The placement of the carry handle isn’t a natural feel for its centre of gravity, however, so lifting the turbo does feel more awkward than its (relatively) light weight would suggest. The gradient figures relate to the maximum incline a trainer can simulate – given in per cent, like on the road. Again, a lower figure isn’t going to hinder your training, it simply means those trainers won’t be able to simulate the virtual world perfectly whenever the gradients go beyond what the trainer is capable of.

Read more: Elite Direto XR-T smart trainer full review Buyer's guide to smart indoor trainers What are the different types of turbo trainer? The VOLT uses smart trainer app compatibility standards you’d need and expect by following the industry norms. As you probably know, apps like Zwift, TrainerRoad, The Sufferfest, RGT, Rouvy, Kinomap, Xert, and many more all support most of these industry standards, making it easy to use whatever app you’d like. If trainers or apps don’t support these standards, then it makes it far more difficult for you as the end user.