Oh damn, that's one hell of a nice shirt you got there. Looks beautiful next those sharp watch tan lines. Those are the marks of a great sports tech reviewer. 👀
I agree, the tan lines are on-point. But, for those that want the much sharper shirt, you can find it here: cottonbureau.com/p/2ZF9YQ/shirt/swim-bike-run-rinse-repeat#/10059368/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s
I got the Zwift hub when it was first offered. It’s worked great so far. My biggest issue with the standard cassette was tuning the shift steps so it would shift smoothly, the Hub solved that problem and now I can use my old 11 speed road, my 12 speed road and 12 speed gravel on the trainer without worry. Just saved me a lot of time and headaches.
I purchased the Hub One, not because I will use it with different bikes, but because I like the idea of the virtual shifting. I like that I don't have to change constantly the front chain rings together with the rear cog position all the time... At least in Zwift what I remember as an experience from my old trainer (Tacx Flow Samart) is that it was little annoying. I also get less fatigue on the drive train. I tried to use it with my alu city bike (7 speed) and it also worked without a problem, so this is another option I have in case for any reason I can't or don't want to use my main bike on it. And as stated as well in this video, I can always put a cassette and use it as a normal smart trainer without any issues. That's why I decided to get the Hub One and so far I don't regret.
I passionately hate gears and my bikes are converted to single speed with a chain tensioner. Would I be able to use the Tacx or any of these other smart trainers okay with my single speed bikes or will I have issues trying to do Zwift and so on?
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
I like the concept, makes it a lot easier to build up a dedicated trainer bike. As long as the contact points are made the same you could easily set up a crappy old hybrid using the single speed cog and shoft buttons.
Campagnolo is often over-looked and YES, this system is seamless with a Campy drivetrain. This package is spot on.. best indoor training investment ever!
Especially given that the more elaborate Play controllers don't work well with Campy Ergo shifters. People have made it work but it's not optimal in terms of placement.
I bought the cog / click to add to my Zwift hub as virtual gearing appeals. Gives me a lower gear than I would otherwise have for the virtual hills. Incidentally, Zwift recommend using the small chainring as the hub give better power accuracy at lower flywheel speed. Hub calculates your physical gearing then programs the virtual shifting to suit.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
I came to the same conclusion. I have a canyon Endurace, this is my main bike and I ordered the Hub classic with a 11-cassette. I found the idea of the cog interesting, but more for people with several bikes who want to use them with the trainer. With a cassette, I can use Zwift but also Fulgaz, Rouvy, etc. Definitely a plus for me. Thanks for the review Ray!
I think it's quite innovative and opens things up to a larger market. I have bikes with 11 & 12 speed drive trains, this solution makes it way more flexible to swap bikes on the trainer
I am already sick of the winter weather so am looking at getting my first smart trainer and have been looking at the Zwift Hub One as it is reasonably budget friendly. I also like the idea that I can simply replace the hub with a regular cassette should I find out that I prefer that but the ability to seamlessly swap bikes on the trainer sounds like a great idea if you have several bikes and/or users in your household.
A question about compatibility. In my opinion, there is the following option: Since the complete freehub is replaced when upgrading to the Cog, there is "additionally" the option of fitting a freehub with cassette, so that classic shifting could be used again. Of course this costs extra, but it would be a very quick swap. 😊
Its the same shimano freehub. Think of it like a cassette with only 1 gear and some plastic spacers to take the place of the other gears. But you can take the one cog off and fit a standard cassette, no need to buy another freehub.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
I think the solution with the cog is a great idea to use with a cheap 8 speed bike. I have a 200€ Shimano Claris bike with a 1x 46T chainring on the front and this would allow me to use it like a fully geared road bike for Zwift riding. Also consumables are way cheaper, an 8 speed chain is 10€ and a replacement front chainring 20€ compared to the more expensive 11- or 12 speed drivetrain components. Plus no wear on my "nice" road bikes
As a Kickr owner this makes me jealous. Living in an apartment, having a more or less silent drivetrain and totally silent shifting would be a big bonus - enough to make me consider switching trainers totally. So what I’d love to see is the cog/virtual shifting coming to wahoo as well…but failing that, a Hub is in my future.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
I just bought the zwift hub one and I love it. The virtual shifting becomes intuitive really quickly, plus race mode and being able to swap bikes with different gearing is awesome!
I love it! the fact I can just remove the rear wheel of my bike put it on my hub one smash out miles of riding when the weather is horrible which (in the UK) it is most of the time then when I do get decent weather use the same bike to go out with practically no messing around. Sure the shifting feels a little different but adapting to different shifting imho makes you a better all round rider. Haters will always hate so if anyone doesn’t like it good for you, but for me it’s solved all my winter cycling problems.
I got the Zwift hub one as my first trainer. Thought to myself "huh, this indoor cycling thing is louder than I expected". Had a listen near the hub and it was the chain being picked up by the oversize cog teeth making all the noise. Swapped for a cassette and it was instantly 5x quieter. The virtual shifting works exactly the same too - Zwift calibrates the gear range for whatever gear your bike happened to be in. Virtual gears = amazing, the cog itself = not good.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
Did you try adjusting your derailleur? In rays video it doesn’t seem loud at all. Or are you using a smaller width chain? Something doesn’t seem right considering many claim it’s quiet and the cog should just be like a normal cassette 14t cog.
I disagree regarding the noise level. I found the hollow plastic casing of the cog amplified the chain noise. I put my sprocket back on which I found to be quieter.
I got the Hub One without waiting for your review! I know, right? Anyway, my use case scenario is that I want to be able to use the Hub by myself, or ride with my kids who would be on the hub, and I would be on my kickr snap. I don't use any other apps besides zwift so cassettes are not an issue. The hub was nice and quiet with my kids bike, not as quiet with mine because it's a really stretched out chain, soon to be remedied. My son rode the jungle loop this past weekend, and was able to figure out the click shifting really easily.
I had issues with my cassette not working absolutely perfectly with the Zwift Hub. The cog solved all that and haven't any trouble since. Works seamlessly. I'm sure the shifting will become compatible with other software down the line.
brilliant review man... I have one question as im looking at buying one right now. If you click the shifter does it increase resistance on the trainer as if it is real life conditions or is it just a virtual gear, meaning that you then have to just pedal faster on the bike to simulate the same wattage?
Ordered mine a while back, and . . . after 5 weeks of waiting I just now got a working unit after my initial unit failed horribly on me, which from my research is from QC failure which others have reported. So far the replacement unit seems like it will be a great unit to use from my brief experience of it so far and I expect it to last for a long time similar to how other trainers have lasted for a long time. The big thing at the end of the day is that it is a direct drive smart trainer which given the state of the market and platforms is more than acceptable. While most of the options to upgrade are there like cassette swapping or external rocker plate there is still some extra limitations that aren't as easy to solve like not being compatible with climb simulators or no carry handles exist on other units that are not present on the Zwift hubs.
Thanks for the detailed review, Ray. I'm trying to find out if the Elite Rizer is compatible? I did a few Google searches but i couldnt find a conclusibe answer. Do you happen to know this by any chance?
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free!
Is this any different to staying in a fixed gear on an actual cassette and Zwift just providing gear-step-equivalent changes in resistance on the press of a button? Could you even use your cassette (without physical shifting) and just the remote to change virtual gears or is there any detection/pairing with the cog itself that enables the feature? Still thinking about the benefits of doing that but you could still run a perfect chainline and shift all the time. ;)
I like the concept, I hope Wahoo, Tacx and others follow suit and you can retrofit existing trainers. I have 4 trainers for my wife and me (we have a vacation home, I know 1st world problem) and wouldn’t buy new trainers but add-ons are fine. Minimizing blue tooth connections is very desirable since we use ATV.
I have communicated with JetBlack about the Volt. They will be releasing a firmware update in December, so this too will be able to use virtual gears and just one cog. Besides I would wish the Tacx Neo would also work with virtual gearing in Zwift. We have a Zwift Hub One and a Tacx Neo and several bikes with different cassettes. Changing the bikes on the Neo is a no go because of the different cassettes. So I am pretty much stuck with my triathlon bike on the Neo. And since my spouse and I train together, I can not put my road bike on the Hub One because it is occupied by my spouse’s road bike. So I wish the other brands would make it possible to do exactly the same.
I've had my Hub one now for exactly a month and suddenly it developed, under power, a mad clicking/scraping noise. At first I thought it was inside the unit, maybe the drive belt. But I finally discovered that it was the Zwift Cog, which wasn't tightened properly. It appeared to be tight enough, but when I took it off there was virtually no resistance! Gave it a clean, tightened it up properly and problem is solved ... for now. Would be interested to know if other people experienced this too. I may look for a single speed conversion kid to replace this plastic thing. I wonder how long it will really hold up for.
I'm contemplating getting this because I have a cheap bike with only 8 gears at the back, and the jumps between them are nuts when I'm trying to do a free ride at a given wattage and rpm. Would this be beneficial for solving that?
Yes, but in non-Zwift apps, you can only use it for ERG mode (structured workouts), because otherwise there isn't a way to shift. Or, you can always swap-out the cassette for a regular cassette (roughly $50 or so), and then use it normally.
There's no hard/set rule when it comes to cadence. The current industry cadence is "self-selected", so, what feels right to you. That said, most people would argue (righly or wrongly) that if you're in the 70's or below 100% of the time, that's probably getting a bit low.
The biggest PRO in my eyes is the smooth shifting in the middle of the final sprint. No more chonk-chug-ugh, just smooth shift up. But the design of the shifter needs to be redesigned. Looks/Feels like it could be designed smarter, but since I have the Play, it's a non-issue :-)
What about using an existing setup with just the buttons? I'm running a NEO 2t with an 11 speed cassette. Would it be possible to just keep using that, but switch to virtual shifting with the buttons? Reason being, that the trainer runs much smoother and more silent in the easier gears.
You can absolutely switch to virtual shifting with a normal casette. But since the clicker isn't sold seperately (only with the cog) I'd consider going for the Zwift Play controllers. Due to the position of the controllers the shifting feels a lot more natural to me and you get additional functionality. There is a price difference of 60€ vs 100€ though.
⁉️⁉️⁉️ Virtual shifting currently only works with the Zwift Hub (no matter which one). The Smart Trainer manufacturers have to adapt the Trainer firmware. Apparently Zwift provides help. Then virtual shifting works with the Play Controller and also with the Click.
I just set mine up and had my first ride yesterday. It went well, except that Zwift couldn't "see" my Garmin HRM (which has both BT and ANT+). Also, although my Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar detected the Hub One, it didn't record the workout as an Activity, so at this point, I'm not able to integrate Zwift rides into my overall fitness tracking via Garmin Connect. Surely others have this same issue, so I'm hoping there's a solution (maybe using alternative BT/ANT+ pairing). I also wish they'd enable custom gearing, as I stayed in the same range you did so the very highest and most of the lower gears went unused (we'll see how that expands when I try some of the more extreme climbs), so I'd rather have closer spacing to optimize cadence.
If I were to replace the 14t cog with an 18t cog, so it matches my SS gravel bike, what would the gear range be like? Is there an adjustment to set the high or low range of the shifting? Since you said you can run out of gear in the small ring, I'm concerned that 40x18 will end up to low for faster rides/races in Zwift? I'm currently using an old Kickr with a single cog, but that's limited to erg mode and structured workouts (well, I could use it in Zwift sim mode, but the hills would SUCK).
Do you think the zwift hub will ever be compatible with for example wahoo kikr? I'd love that as my gear changes are very noisy and clunky.... I've got a cheap bike!
I love the idea, but my question is when will single cog/virtual shifting in Zwift be compatible with other trainers? This would save having to adjust the derailleur when going from trainer to rear wheel.
When other trainers release a single cog setup and Zwift click is compatible or the other trainers release their own virtual gearing for a cog setup Prob won’t happen with hub tho cross brands as Zwift are trying to lock you into their eco system like you need an iPhone to use an Iwatch I’m fine with this love my Zwift hub no more fucking around with gear indexing to get everything smooth when I put my wheel back on which I hated about trainers almost bought a bike just for the trainer so I didn’t have to mess with my outdoor setup Now I got my cake and eat it 👍
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍👍👍👍
I think I will wait until after the holidays - see what shows up in the Zwift Sale area. I hope there are a few returns on sale at that time. I wonder if Zwift will offer the Zwift Cog on their higher end trainers. Looks great for being able to use my old Raleigh Mt bike from 1996 - 7 speed, hard tail, hard fork, with the Zwift app. The rear shifter has stopped working. Right now I'm using an H3, 8 speed cassette with Trainer Road in ERG mode.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍
As someone who only has 1 bike (that I'd want to put on a trainer) and won't be swapping cassettes/bikes (as my wife is not a fan), should I go for the Wahoo Core or Zwift Hub One?
One addition from my personal experience - the Cog works well with the original JetBlack Volt version of this HT, however, the Click does not, I can't pair it. I expected that the Click is not related on the hardware, but rather just a software thing. I was wrong :D
Funktioniert die Virtuelle Schaltung auch mit dem Jetblack Volt? Es scheint ja eigentlich nur ein weiterer Erg Mode zu sein, der zusätzlich zu der Steigung den Wiederstand regelt.?
I got Zwift Hub (poor timing or not, idk) a month or so before Hub One got released. Having ridden the original Hub for a few months now, I realized I often find myself in an awkward situation in terms of gears. With my 50/34 chainring and 10-speed cassette that came with the Hub, sweet spot for me (candence and power wise) is 34T front and 2nd smallest sprocket on the cassette. Not only this is nearly as bad as it gets in terms of crosschain (literally grinding down drivetrain), but also whenever I want to sprint I have to fiddle with gears - change both front and rear sprockets, which is awkward, kills pacing, wastes time, you name it. I am really considering replacing the cassette on my Hub with the Cog so I could eliminate this awkward mechanical shifting, as well as preserve chain and chainring by removing crosschain scenarios.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍👍👍
U dont need to replace the cassette u just need the virtuell shifter for the handlebar. The Cog is just a cheap shit product which makes the chain quite loud. The just replaced the cassette for the Cog to save costs.
I've got my remote positioned on the outside of my right STI. Now I easily shift when having my hands in the regular riding position on the hoods. Though, I feel it would be a better experience with the Play Controllers. What are your thoughts here?
I have it and really like the virtual shifting but I have replaced the single cog with a cassette. The tooth profile is horrible on the cog so it makes a ton of noise. I just don’t shift with my bike and rely on the virtual button supplied
I have this, i cannot shift road bike due to injury. Was stuck always riding in erg mode, eith this im finslly able to just ride. Love mine. Only thing dont really like when switching to harder gear there is half pedal push wears on the legs after awhile.
I think it’s not really geared to your typical audience - beyond novice in the sport and the technology of the sport. It’s geared toward the novice who has one bike, typically an older bike, they are not tech savvy nor mechanically inclined. For Zwift, the easier they can make it for those people to get onto Zwift the better. If I was in the market for a smart trainer (I’m not, my Elite Directo DR is serving me well) and unsure of which trainer app to use (I’m not tied to one, as I use both Zwift and Trainer Road), I’d probably go for this setup. The price point is right, and the ease of entry is there. Nice tee shirt …
I wanna see the day we can open app and pick setup of ride like avatar. Something like 2x 50/34 and 11 speed 11/34 OR 1x 42 and 12 speed 10/45... Then trainer adjust gears/click for it. To be able to test diff gearing options or ride with the same we have on bike would be awesome
Presumably the teeth on the cog will wear if you're regularly swapping bikes with different speed chains. Is there a way to change the individual cog if that was the case, or would you need to replace the whole zwift cog? Could the Zwift Cog be used on other trainers, such as a Neo?
I believe GPLAMA took it apart, but I’m a bit behind on that video. It can’t yet be used on other trainers, but it sounds like it’s something being considered.
What happens when the sprocket gets worn from chain wear? Can you get a replacement? Or could you take one off a typical cassette and fit that inside the zwift cog instead?
Both. You could buy a new replacement kit, or swap out a cog. They don’t have replacement cogs from Zwift yet, likely cause it’s only been out four months. I’m sure long term they will. Also note, this trainer just got discontinued two days ago. Check out my replacement video I just published though.
@@Dcrainmaker Good to hear. Had my Zwift hub classic for about a year now. Concerning its been discontinued so quickly, but hopefully they will continue to support it with firmware updates etc. Been on the fence regarding virtual shifting but I think I'll give it a go :)
Yes, yes, yes! Only drawback, requires a subscription. This is the future, as soon as it's available at the "budget" end of the spectrum, by a manufacturer that also offers a free app.
I always allow them, as well as often manually update/edit them to be cleaner. The way it works is that when I first upload a video to TH-cam, it can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 24 hours for subtitles to automatically generate. In this case, I uploaded and hit publish - thus, it's up to TH-cam as to when they show up.
I love the box of box parts! 😂 I might just be too much of a curmudgeon to embrace virtual cassettes, but the tech is very cool. The app as a carrier is not particularly elegant, but that can always change. Regardless, it opens up doors to throw a cheap bike on a trainer as a dedicated setup. Lots of potential here, I will be interesred to see what the other manufacturers do in response! Like the video people, do it now!
I agree, the parts unboxing is super well done - espcially the color-coded cards to make it easier for folks to figure out exactly which adapters they have/need.
For Canadians, who have been allowed to subscribe to Zwift since the Beta days, but still cannot purchase a Zwift Hub, does the Jet Black Volt have this same option? Is the Zwift hub just a white lavel version of the Volt?
Never used Zwift before. When you say "need the zwift app" to use the clicker to shift gears, is that the same thing as the membership? Would this thing basically cease to function (shift) if the membership was not renewed? Thanks!
@@solarlive_cc so 150 bucks a year to make sure the trainer has the ability to shift. okay. I guess you gotta like zwift if you're gonna use one of these things... makes it a hard sell for someone who has never used zwift before. Thanks for the clarification.
This is really useful thanks! I have an old Tacx flow and want to upgrade I’m always on and off the trainer as have one bike I take on the road whenever dry I’m comparing this to the wahoo kickr rollr What are your thoughts Both look great? I had a direct drive recently and just couldn’t get on with it needing little adjustments every time I used it? Any help would be great
Does anyone know why the upgrade kit to convert a Hub to a Hub One comes not only with the Zwift Cog "cassette" but also with a new freehub body onto which you install the Cog, that replaces the freehub body of the original Hub? What is it about the latter that makes it incompatible with the Cog, considering that it accepted standard Shimano splined cassettes and that the Cog is also Shimano splined?
I often times disconnect my wahoo kicker from zwift, and control it with the wahoo app in ERG mode, while still in zwift. Is this possible given the zwift app is all in game activities? Or better question... how do you just do ERG mode with the zwift hub, without TR, or any other application, like I do with wahoo?
I don't get why people feel that cog solves any problem. Just put your chain sort of in the middle on any cassette and adjust it a tad so it's not noisy. Then use the electronic shifting and you have the same result 🤷♂
No, without Zwift in ERG mode, nothing changes as there's no app telling it do do anything. With Zwift in ERG mode, you can adjust the load bias (e.g. increase/decrease slightly each click).
@@Dcrainmaker That would then actually be yes to my question, right? 😊 I would like to be able to run a manual exercise where i switch Watts. That means hopefully → ERG mode and shift Watts with the Clicks. All without the Zwift sims or app or subscription.
@@renebaretta Sorry, wasn't sure if you were trying to use the clicks. In short, the clicks themselves ONLY work with Zwift. But if you're in ERG mode with any other app, then you're totally fine, as the trainer is just following trainer standards and changing resistance accordingly.
@@Dcrainmaker Ah, I think I understand now. Sorry, I have no experience with Zwift software yet. - Do I need a paid subscription to run this manual exercise on the Zwift app? That is actuall the correct question ;] I don't mind the Zwift app, but I do mind having to pay a fee if I am not interested in the SIMs so to speak. But I do want to be able to shift watts from the remote (Clicks). Sorry, the many follow-up queries 🙈
@@renebaretta No worries! No, no subscription needed. You can have the Zwift Hub One, with ERG mode (structured workouts) and never once open up the Zwift app. However, without Zwift, at this point you CANNOT shift from the remote/clicks, because that does require the Zwift App (and subscription). That said, in ERG mode, nobody actually shifts, because the trainer is automatically doing it for you (going from say 125w to 250w), and holding it. You only need to shift in SIM mode (e.g. following a course/route). And yes, in that case you have to have the Zwift app. And remember, you can always just buy a $50 cassette and swap it on there, and use it like any other trainer (without the clicks) with any other app.
![ค้างคืนโรงเก็บกระสวยอวกาศร้างกลางทะเลทราย [Around The World Ep. 3]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E5bWZQhABJE/mqdefault.jpg)
![เปิดบ้าน นาราเครปกระเทย 1 ไร่ ขายขาดทุนหลัก10ล้าน เอามาใช้หนี้!!! l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0jz84VFWVP4/mqdefault.jpg)
Oh damn, that's one hell of a nice shirt you got there. Looks beautiful next those sharp watch tan lines. Those are the marks of a great sports tech reviewer. 👀
I agree, the tan lines are on-point. But, for those that want the much sharper shirt, you can find it here: cottonbureau.com/p/2ZF9YQ/shirt/swim-bike-run-rinse-repeat#/10059368/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s
@@Dcrainmaker 😆 - Thanks for the plug Ray!
@@Dcrainmakerokay Ray, since we on topic of shirts. I’m in love with yours other one “eat pasta run fasta” any links for that one?
I got the Zwift hub when it was first offered. It’s worked great so far. My biggest issue with the standard cassette was tuning the shift steps so it would shift smoothly, the Hub solved that problem and now I can use my old 11 speed road, my 12 speed road and 12 speed gravel on the trainer without worry. Just saved me a lot of time and headaches.
I purchased the Hub One, not because I will use it with different bikes, but because I like the idea of the virtual shifting. I like that I don't have to change constantly the front chain rings together with the rear cog position all the time... At least in Zwift what I remember as an experience from my old trainer (Tacx Flow Samart) is that it was little annoying. I also get less fatigue on the drive train. I tried to use it with my alu city bike (7 speed) and it also worked without a problem, so this is another option I have in case for any reason I can't or don't want to use my main bike on it. And as stated as well in this video, I can always put a cassette and use it as a normal smart trainer without any issues. That's why I decided to get the Hub One and so far I don't regret.
I passionately hate gears and my bikes are converted to single speed with a chain tensioner. Would I be able to use the Tacx or any of these other smart trainers okay with my single speed bikes or will I have issues trying to do Zwift and so on?
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
I like the concept, makes it a lot easier to build up a dedicated trainer bike. As long as the contact points are made the same you could easily set up a crappy old hybrid using the single speed cog and shoft buttons.
Campagnolo is often over-looked and YES, this system is seamless with a Campy drivetrain. This package is spot on.. best indoor training investment ever!
Especially given that the more elaborate Play controllers don't work well with Campy Ergo shifters. People have made it work but it's not optimal in terms of placement.
I bought the cog / click to add to my Zwift hub as virtual gearing appeals. Gives me a lower gear than I would otherwise have for the virtual hills. Incidentally, Zwift recommend using the small chainring as the hub give better power accuracy at lower flywheel speed. Hub calculates your physical gearing then programs the virtual shifting to suit.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
I came to the same conclusion. I have a canyon Endurace, this is my main bike and I ordered the Hub classic with a 11-cassette. I found the idea of the cog interesting, but more for people with several bikes who want to use them with the trainer. With a cassette, I can use Zwift but also Fulgaz, Rouvy, etc. Definitely a plus for me. Thanks for the review Ray!
You can always buy the Classic and add the Play Controllers and use virtual shifting. Best of both worlds!!!
Indievelo has virtual shifting by software, just the keyboard and its free..
I think it's quite innovative and opens things up to a larger market. I have bikes with 11 & 12 speed drive trains, this solution makes it way more flexible to swap bikes on the trainer
I love using my track bike with my trainer, with the velobike adapter. This is a gamechanger for me!
I am already sick of the winter weather so am looking at getting my first smart trainer and have been looking at the Zwift Hub One as it is reasonably budget friendly. I also like the idea that I can simply replace the hub with a regular cassette should I find out that I prefer that but the ability to seamlessly swap bikes on the trainer sounds like a great idea if you have several bikes and/or users in your household.
Indievelo has virtual shifting by software, just the keyboard...
A question about compatibility.
In my opinion, there is the following option:
Since the complete freehub is replaced when upgrading to the Cog, there is "additionally" the option of fitting a freehub with cassette, so that classic shifting could be used again.
Of course this costs extra, but it would be a very quick swap. 😊
Its the same shimano freehub. Think of it like a cassette with only 1 gear and some plastic spacers to take the place of the other gears.
But you can take the one cog off and fit a standard cassette, no need to buy another freehub.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
I think the solution with the cog is a great idea to use with a cheap 8 speed bike. I have a 200€ Shimano Claris bike with a 1x 46T chainring on the front and this would allow me to use it like a fully geared road bike for Zwift riding. Also consumables are way cheaper, an 8 speed chain is 10€ and a replacement front chainring 20€ compared to the more expensive 11- or 12 speed drivetrain components. Plus no wear on my "nice" road bikes
As a Kickr owner this makes me jealous. Living in an apartment, having a more or less silent drivetrain and totally silent shifting would be a big bonus - enough to make me consider switching trainers totally. So what I’d love to see is the cog/virtual shifting coming to wahoo as well…but failing that, a Hub is in my future.
I bought the hub one and it is so loud with the cog that I put a normal cassette on to make it silent
It's only compatible with Zwift and that is something i don't support. Until that changes i'am happy with my kickr.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
Stick with the kickr. The click and hub one are having many disconnection issues.
@@raginganarchist Not necessary product
I just bought the zwift hub one and I love it. The virtual shifting becomes intuitive really quickly, plus race mode and being able to swap bikes with different gearing is awesome!
I love it! the fact I can just remove the rear wheel of my bike put it on my hub one smash out miles of riding when the weather is horrible which (in the UK) it is most of the time then when I do get decent weather use the same bike to go out with practically no messing around. Sure the shifting feels a little different but adapting to different shifting imho makes you a better all round rider. Haters will always hate so if anyone doesn’t like it good for you, but for me it’s solved all my winter cycling problems.
I got the Zwift hub one as my first trainer. Thought to myself "huh, this indoor cycling thing is louder than I expected". Had a listen near the hub and it was the chain being picked up by the oversize cog teeth making all the noise. Swapped for a cassette and it was instantly 5x quieter. The virtual shifting works exactly the same too - Zwift calibrates the gear range for whatever gear your bike happened to be in.
Virtual gears = amazing, the cog itself = not good.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍
It's a shame they are not able to supply parts either. What happens when your click wears out?
@@raginganarchist We use just the Keyboard, not need for any parts
Did you try adjusting your derailleur? In rays video it doesn’t seem loud at all. Or are you using a smaller width chain? Something doesn’t seem right considering many claim it’s quiet and the cog should just be like a normal cassette 14t cog.
The keys +/- in keyboard in Indievelo... are a virtual shifter... No need for nothing else...
I disagree regarding the noise level. I found the hollow plastic casing of the cog amplified the chain noise. I put my sprocket back on which I found to be quieter.
I got the Hub One without waiting for your review! I know, right? Anyway, my use case scenario is that I want to be able to use the Hub by myself, or ride with my kids who would be on the hub, and I would be on my kickr snap. I don't use any other apps besides zwift so cassettes are not an issue. The hub was nice and quiet with my kids bike, not as quiet with mine because it's a really stretched out chain, soon to be remedied. My son rode the jungle loop this past weekend, and was able to figure out the click shifting really easily.
I had issues with my cassette not working absolutely perfectly with the Zwift Hub. The cog solved all that and haven't any trouble since. Works seamlessly. I'm sure the shifting will become compatible with other software down the line.
brilliant review man... I have one question as im looking at buying one right now. If you click the shifter does it increase resistance on the trainer as if it is real life conditions or is it just a virtual gear, meaning that you then have to just pedal faster on the bike to simulate the same wattage?
Ordered mine a while back, and . . . after 5 weeks of waiting I just now got a working unit after my initial unit failed horribly on me, which from my research is from QC failure which others have reported. So far the replacement unit seems like it will be a great unit to use from my brief experience of it so far and I expect it to last for a long time similar to how other trainers have lasted for a long time.
The big thing at the end of the day is that it is a direct drive smart trainer which given the state of the market and platforms is more than acceptable. While most of the options to upgrade are there like cassette swapping or external rocker plate there is still some extra limitations that aren't as easy to solve like not being compatible with climb simulators or no carry handles exist on other units that are not present on the Zwift hubs.
Thanks for the detailed review, Ray. I'm trying to find out if the Elite Rizer is compatible? I did a few Google searches but i couldnt find a conclusibe answer. Do you happen to know this by any chance?
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free!
you can still use the Zwift play and the Zwift classic set up with a cassette and take advantage of using the virtual shifting.
Is this any different to staying in a fixed gear on an actual cassette and Zwift just providing gear-step-equivalent changes in resistance on the press of a button? Could you even use your cassette (without physical shifting) and just the remote to change virtual gears or is there any detection/pairing with the cog itself that enables the feature? Still thinking about the benefits of doing that but you could still run a perfect chainline and shift all the time. ;)
I like the concept, I hope Wahoo, Tacx and others follow suit and you can retrofit existing trainers. I have 4 trainers for my wife and me (we have a vacation home, I know 1st world problem) and wouldn’t buy new trainers but add-ons are fine. Minimizing blue tooth connections is very desirable since we use ATV.
Is it possible to use this without any derailleur? So lets say a 1x crankset with no rear derailleur, like a single speed. And only shift virtually?
Assuming the cog compatibility is resolved, there might be a need to install a chain tensioner.
This what I did. I use a chain tensioner.
I have communicated with JetBlack about the Volt. They will be releasing a firmware update in December, so this too will be able to use virtual gears and just one cog. Besides I would wish the Tacx Neo would also work with virtual gearing in Zwift. We have a Zwift Hub One and a Tacx Neo and several bikes with different cassettes. Changing the bikes on the Neo is a no go because of the different cassettes. So I am pretty much stuck with my triathlon bike on the Neo. And since my spouse and I train together, I can not put my road bike on the Hub One because it is occupied by my spouse’s road bike. So I wish the other brands would make it possible to do exactly the same.
Nice- does it need the Zwift kit to convert it or are JB planning their own branded kit?
It's a shame Zwift stopped shipping to Canada, i probably would've been very interested in this.
I've had my Hub one now for exactly a month and suddenly it developed, under power, a mad clicking/scraping noise. At first I thought it was inside the unit, maybe the drive belt. But I finally discovered that it was the Zwift Cog, which wasn't tightened properly. It appeared to be tight enough, but when I took it off there was virtually no resistance! Gave it a clean, tightened it up properly and problem is solved ... for now. Would be interested to know if other people experienced this too. I may look for a single speed conversion kid to replace this plastic thing. I wonder how long it will really hold up for.
I'm contemplating getting this because I have a cheap bike with only 8 gears at the back, and the jumps between them are nuts when I'm trying to do a free ride at a given wattage and rpm. Would this be beneficial for solving that?
Can I get all the Garmin Tacx challenges done whilst using this thing instead of the Neo 2t?
Can I use the swift hub one (non-virtual riding) without the swift-membership?
Thanks for answering!
Yes, but in non-Zwift apps, you can only use it for ERG mode (structured workouts), because otherwise there isn't a way to shift. Or, you can always swap-out the cassette for a regular cassette (roughly $50 or so), and then use it normally.
Any informations about noise level compared to cog/no cog setup?
I have bikes with 7, 9, and 10 speed cassettes, so for me the Cog resolves a big issue that had kept me from buying a wheel-off trainer.
I will do an FTP test this weekend. Your cadance (rpm) is higher than my normal cadance. What cadance should I aim for when doing FTP test? Thanks.
There's no hard/set rule when it comes to cadence. The current industry cadence is "self-selected", so, what feels right to you. That said, most people would argue (righly or wrongly) that if you're in the 70's or below 100% of the time, that's probably getting a bit low.
I love my zwift hub cog click. Means i can run a stripped down bike on it, with minimal drivechain wear.
The biggest PRO in my eyes is the smooth shifting in the middle of the final sprint. No more chonk-chug-ugh, just smooth shift up. But the design of the shifter needs to be redesigned. Looks/Feels like it could be designed smarter, but since I have the Play, it's a non-issue :-)
What about using an existing setup with just the buttons? I'm running a NEO 2t with an 11 speed cassette. Would it be possible to just keep using that, but switch to virtual shifting with the buttons? Reason being, that the trainer runs much smoother and more silent in the easier gears.
You can absolutely switch to virtual shifting with a normal casette. But since the clicker isn't sold seperately (only with the cog) I'd consider going for the Zwift Play controllers. Due to the position of the controllers the shifting feels a lot more natural to me and you get additional functionality. There is a price difference of 60€ vs 100€ though.
⁉️⁉️⁉️ Virtual shifting currently only works with the Zwift Hub (no matter which one).
The Smart Trainer manufacturers have to adapt the Trainer firmware. Apparently Zwift provides help.
Then virtual shifting works with the Play Controller and also with the Click.
I just set mine up and had my first ride yesterday. It went well, except that Zwift couldn't "see" my Garmin HRM (which has both BT and ANT+). Also, although my Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar detected the Hub One, it didn't record the workout as an Activity, so at this point, I'm not able to integrate Zwift rides into my overall fitness tracking via Garmin Connect. Surely others have this same issue, so I'm hoping there's a solution (maybe using alternative BT/ANT+ pairing). I also wish they'd enable custom gearing, as I stayed in the same range you did so the very highest and most of the lower gears went unused (we'll see how that expands when I try some of the more extreme climbs), so I'd rather have closer spacing to optimize cadence.
If I were to replace the 14t cog with an 18t cog, so it matches my SS gravel bike, what would the gear range be like? Is there an adjustment to set the high or low range of the shifting? Since you said you can run out of gear in the small ring, I'm concerned that 40x18 will end up to low for faster rides/races in Zwift? I'm currently using an old Kickr with a single cog, but that's limited to erg mode and structured workouts (well, I could use it in Zwift sim mode, but the hills would SUCK).
Is this the solution to having Campagnolo 13-speed Ekar where the Zwift Hub didn't have a N3W freehub to fit a cassette?
Hi can you use a garmin fenix watch as your heart rate monitor?
Yup!
Do you think the zwift hub will ever be compatible with for example wahoo kikr? I'd love that as my gear changes are very noisy and clunky.... I've got a cheap bike!
I love the idea, but my question is when will single cog/virtual shifting in Zwift be compatible with other trainers? This would save having to adjust the derailleur when going from trainer to rear wheel.
I was just going to ask the same question. I want to be able to train outdoors and indoors on the same bike.
When other trainers release a single cog setup and Zwift click is compatible or the other trainers release their own virtual gearing for a cog setup
Prob won’t happen with hub tho cross brands as Zwift are trying to lock you into their eco system like you need an iPhone to use an Iwatch
I’m fine with this love my Zwift hub no more fucking around with gear indexing to get everything smooth when I put my wheel back on which I hated about trainers almost bought a bike just for the trainer so I didn’t have to mess with my outdoor setup
Now I got my cake and eat it 👍
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍👍👍👍
I think I will wait until after the holidays - see what shows up in the Zwift Sale area. I hope there are a few returns on sale at that time.
I wonder if Zwift will offer the Zwift Cog on their higher end trainers.
Looks great for being able to use my old Raleigh Mt bike from 1996 - 7 speed, hard tail, hard fork, with the Zwift app. The rear shifter has stopped working. Right now I'm using an H3, 8 speed cassette with Trainer Road in ERG mode.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍
As someone who only has 1 bike (that I'd want to put on a trainer) and won't be swapping cassettes/bikes (as my wife is not a fan), should I go for the Wahoo Core or Zwift Hub One?
Interesting but is it possible and easy to change the cog? What happen after 5k km, do we have to buy a new zwift cog?
One addition from my personal experience - the Cog works well with the original JetBlack Volt version of this HT, however, the Click does not, I can't pair it. I expected that the Click is not related on the hardware, but rather just a software thing. I was wrong :D
Funktioniert die Virtuelle Schaltung auch mit dem Jetblack Volt? Es scheint ja eigentlich nur ein weiterer Erg Mode zu sein, der zusätzlich zu der Steigung den Wiederstand regelt.?
I got Zwift Hub (poor timing or not, idk) a month or so before Hub One got released. Having ridden the original Hub for a few months now, I realized I often find myself in an awkward situation in terms of gears. With my 50/34 chainring and 10-speed cassette that came with the Hub, sweet spot for me (candence and power wise) is 34T front and 2nd smallest sprocket on the cassette. Not only this is nearly as bad as it gets in terms of crosschain (literally grinding down drivetrain), but also whenever I want to sprint I have to fiddle with gears - change both front and rear sprockets, which is awkward, kills pacing, wastes time, you name it.
I am really considering replacing the cassette on my Hub with the Cog so I could eliminate this awkward mechanical shifting, as well as preserve chain and chainring by removing crosschain scenarios.
Virtual shifting is free in Indievelo (Zwift free oponent)! There's no need to all that hardware! Just the keyboard! Keep that in mind! And it's for free! 😉👍👍👍👍
U dont need to replace the cassette u just need the virtuell shifter for the handlebar. The Cog is just a cheap shit product which makes the chain quite loud. The just replaced the cassette for the Cog to save costs.
Can you say how the noise is with this?? Thinking about getting it for my apartment, but live on the second floor
I’m here with the same question! 🤞🏼hope some can give us an answer.
I've got my remote positioned on the outside of my right STI. Now I easily shift when having my hands in the regular riding position on the hoods. Though, I feel it would be a better experience with the Play Controllers. What are your thoughts here?
I've done the same. It seems to work well, but... I am also considering a Play Controller upgrade too
I have it and really like the virtual shifting but I have replaced the single cog with a cassette. The tooth profile is horrible on the cog so it makes a ton of noise. I just don’t shift with my bike and rely on the virtual button supplied
Can I put my son’s 7 speed 24” Precaliber on it? It comes with a freewheel, so not many direct-drive options out there.
I have this, i cannot shift road bike due to injury. Was stuck always riding in erg mode, eith this im finslly able to just ride. Love mine. Only thing dont really like when switching to harder gear there is half pedal push wears on the legs after awhile.
I think it’s not really geared to your typical audience - beyond novice in the sport and the technology of the sport. It’s geared toward the novice who has one bike, typically an older bike, they are not tech savvy nor mechanically inclined. For Zwift, the easier they can make it for those people to get onto Zwift the better. If I was in the market for a smart trainer (I’m not, my Elite Directo DR is serving me well) and unsure of which trainer app to use (I’m not tied to one, as I use both Zwift and Trainer Road), I’d probably go for this setup. The price point is right, and the ease of entry is there.
Nice tee shirt …
Sorry if I missed it, can the hub be mounted onto other cassette based trainers (eg Garmin Tacx Neo 2T)?
Is it compatible with the e-bike I use for races?
I wanna see the day we can open app and pick setup of ride like avatar. Something like 2x 50/34 and 11 speed 11/34 OR 1x 42 and 12 speed 10/45... Then trainer adjust gears/click for it. To be able to test diff gearing options or ride with the same we have on bike would be awesome
Can you race on Zwift cog?
Presumably the teeth on the cog will wear if you're regularly swapping bikes with different speed chains. Is there a way to change the individual cog if that was the case, or would you need to replace the whole zwift cog?
Could the Zwift Cog be used on other trainers, such as a Neo?
I believe GPLAMA took it apart, but I’m a bit behind on that video. It can’t yet be used on other trainers, but it sounds like it’s something being considered.
Does the wahoo kicker bike show the virtual gears on screen like the Zwift hub?
What about the Kicker Move with the lateral and forward/aft movement?
Remove the rear battery when everything is setup correctly, no issues with pressing the shifters.
…goes out on ride outside, swears immensely.
Would the Cog upgrade function with a Jetblack volt?
so can the play controllers be used to change gear too? or do you need the click mounted for that.
Great stuff. Thanks for this useful information.
Hoping that they can link the Clickr to the Kickr so i dint need to upgrade, but thats not gonna happen lol
What kind of windmachine / ventilator is this? Are there more than the one from Wahoo?
What happens when the sprocket gets worn from chain wear? Can you get a replacement? Or could you take one off a typical cassette and fit that inside the zwift cog instead?
Both. You could buy a new replacement kit, or swap out a cog. They don’t have replacement cogs from Zwift yet, likely cause it’s only been out four months. I’m sure long term they will. Also note, this trainer just got discontinued two days ago. Check out my replacement video I just published though.
@@Dcrainmaker Good to hear. Had my Zwift hub classic for about a year now. Concerning its been discontinued so quickly, but hopefully they will continue to support it with firmware updates etc. Been on the fence regarding virtual shifting but I think I'll give it a go :)
I would like to have virtual shifting on my Kickr V5.
Yes, yes, yes! Only drawback, requires a subscription. This is the future, as soon as it's available at the "budget" end of the spectrum, by a manufacturer that also offers a free app.
consider allowing subtitles so folks with hearing impairment can enjoy your content
I always allow them, as well as often manually update/edit them to be cleaner. The way it works is that when I first upload a video to TH-cam, it can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 24 hours for subtitles to automatically generate. In this case, I uploaded and hit publish - thus, it's up to TH-cam as to when they show up.
They’re on now
Thanks for letting me know! I appreciate everything you do for the sports tech community.@@Dcrainmaker
I love the box of box parts! 😂 I might just be too much of a curmudgeon to embrace virtual cassettes, but the tech is very cool. The app as a carrier is not particularly elegant, but that can always change. Regardless, it opens up doors to throw a cheap bike on a trainer as a dedicated setup.
Lots of potential here, I will be interesred to see what the other manufacturers do in response!
Like the video people, do it now!
I agree, the parts unboxing is super well done - espcially the color-coded cards to make it easier for folks to figure out exactly which adapters they have/need.
is shifting possible with tt bikes? where do you put the shifter?
For Canadians, who have been allowed to subscribe to Zwift since the Beta days, but still cannot purchase a Zwift Hub, does the Jet Black Volt have this same option? Is the Zwift hub just a white lavel version of the Volt?
Never used Zwift before. When you say "need the zwift app" to use the clicker to shift gears, is that the same thing as the membership? Would this thing basically cease to function (shift) if the membership was not renewed? Thanks!
Yes. Zwift app means using zwift in general. Only this particular "game" supports virtual gears at the moment.
@@solarlive_cc so 150 bucks a year to make sure the trainer has the ability to shift. okay. I guess you gotta like zwift if you're gonna use one of these things... makes it a hard sell for someone who has never used zwift before. Thanks for the clarification.
Ideal for me it seems. I ride 90%+ in erg mode
This is really useful thanks!
I have an old Tacx flow and want to upgrade
I’m always on and off the trainer as have one bike I take on the road whenever dry
I’m comparing this to the wahoo kickr rollr
What are your thoughts
Both look great?
I had a direct drive recently and just couldn’t get on with it needing little adjustments every time I used it?
Any help would be great
Does anyone know why the upgrade kit to convert a Hub to a Hub One comes not only with the Zwift Cog "cassette" but also with a new freehub body onto which you install the Cog, that replaces the freehub body of the original Hub? What is it about the latter that makes it incompatible with the Cog, considering that it accepted standard Shimano splined cassettes and that the Cog is also Shimano splined?
Can a kid 20inch Guardian bike with a 6 speed drivetrain work with the Zwift trainer??
I often times disconnect my wahoo kicker from zwift, and control it with the wahoo app in ERG mode, while still in zwift. Is this possible given the zwift app is all in game activities? Or better question... how do you just do ERG mode with the zwift hub, without TR, or any other application, like I do with wahoo?
it is compatible with garmin edge? or i can only use it with zwift platform?
What’s your favorite trainer? Do you prefer a trainer like this or a smart bike?
Great review! Thank You
Good butStarted having some connection drop out problems frustrating noise also seems more noticeable now
Could you please do ah test about the Van Rysel D900?
Can you put a traditional cassette on the Zwift hub one
My elite trainer is much more silent in the small ring than the big one. That would bum me out to have to use the big ring with that thing?
how about my belt drive bike... will it fit there?
Can I put the hub on jetblack smart trainer?
Why it depends which chainring i use if its virtual gearing?
Stylin with that tshirt 👌
I don't get why people feel that cog solves any problem. Just put your chain sort of in the middle on any cassette and adjust it a tad so it's not noisy. Then use the electronic shifting and you have the same result 🤷♂
Why is the Zwift Cog only compatible with Zwift trainers? For instance why can't I use it on my Kickr?
I discuss it a bit in the video, around 3rd party app compatibility (see that TH-cam Chapter).
Anxiously watching this after spending $1,600 on my 3rd Wahoo Kickr and still struggling with the derailleur.
Can it be used without zwift subscription?
Can you 'shift' the Watts in ERG mode with the Zwift Clicks? So, without the Zwift subscription, can I adjust the load with those buttons in ERG?
No, without Zwift in ERG mode, nothing changes as there's no app telling it do do anything. With Zwift in ERG mode, you can adjust the load bias (e.g. increase/decrease slightly each click).
@@Dcrainmaker That would then actually be yes to my question, right? 😊 I would like to be able to run a manual exercise where i switch Watts. That means hopefully → ERG mode and shift Watts with the Clicks. All without the Zwift sims or app or subscription.
@@renebaretta Sorry, wasn't sure if you were trying to use the clicks. In short, the clicks themselves ONLY work with Zwift. But if you're in ERG mode with any other app, then you're totally fine, as the trainer is just following trainer standards and changing resistance accordingly.
@@Dcrainmaker Ah, I think I understand now. Sorry, I have no experience with Zwift software yet. - Do I need a paid subscription to run this manual exercise on the Zwift app? That is actuall the correct question ;] I don't mind the Zwift app, but I do mind having to pay a fee if I am not interested in the SIMs so to speak. But I do want to be able to shift watts from the remote (Clicks).
Sorry, the many follow-up queries 🙈
@@renebaretta No worries! No, no subscription needed. You can have the Zwift Hub One, with ERG mode (structured workouts) and never once open up the Zwift app. However, without Zwift, at this point you CANNOT shift from the remote/clicks, because that does require the Zwift App (and subscription). That said, in ERG mode, nobody actually shifts, because the trainer is automatically doing it for you (going from say 125w to 250w), and holding it. You only need to shift in SIM mode (e.g. following a course/route). And yes, in that case you have to have the Zwift app. And remember, you can always just buy a $50 cassette and swap it on there, and use it like any other trainer (without the clicks) with any other app.
Re: accidental shifts - why not just take the battery out of your Di2?
Anyone have a link for this in Australia? I can't find a supplier ...