In the fall of 2022, Zwift made headlines with a new smart trainer. The Zwift Hub was less expensive and easier to use than any previous smart trainer with little little-known brand JetBlack handling production. As we head into the spring of 2024, the brand is making headlines again with the introduction of a new trainer. This time it’s called the Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One and, as is obvious, there’s a new manufacturing partner.
Today’s news brings to a close a rift between Zwift and Wahoo that opened almost immediately after the Zwift Hub announcement. Looking back, it only took Wahoo a month to file multiple copyright infringement claims against Zwift after the company’s launch of the original Zwift Hub. Then, after a year of litigation, the news came that both Zwift and Wahoo were adjusting the two brands’ respective turbo trainer ranges.
For a brief few months, consumers had the option of a Zwift Hub One with only virtual shifting or a Wahoo Kickr Core with a cassette and included Zwift membership. As these different options have shifted over the past two years, so has our coverage of the best smart trainers. With today’s announcement, Zwift and Wahoo are coming back together in partnership by launching a new Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One and our list will likely need adjustment again.
JetBlack and Zwift partnership ends
There has always been a great deal of overlap between the Zwift Hub and the Wahoo Kickr Core. Initially, that meant there was little reason to purchase a Kickr Core for more money than a Zwift Hub but over time, the two brands carved out distinctions. As we entered this year’s Zwift season you had the choice of a Zwift Hub One or a Wahoo Kickr Core. The Kickr Core had a standard cassette that you’d need to match to your drivetrain while the Zwift Hub One used virtual shifting and the Zwift ‘cog’ single sprocket. The Zwift Hub One offered shifting via included buttons or the Zwift Play controller but only worked inside of Zwift.
With this arrangement, the two brands had similar but unique offerings. The Price sat at £549.99 / $599.99 / €599.99 for either piece of hardware and both included a 1-year subscription to Zwift in the purchase price. The Zwift Hub One was the simpler option but you could only shift in Zwift and there was no ability to tune your gearing. The Kickr Core on the other hand offered a more traditional approach to gearing while…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CyclingNews RSS Feed…