TESTED: JetBlack WhisperDrive Trainer

The dreaded trainer – they are an item that crosses the whole spectrum of cycling. A tool used by those who ride only for fitness, people who are injured who need non-impact exercise, time pushed enthusiasts who want to stay fit despite the weather or season, racers who have specific sessions to complete, and even downhill racers who need to use them for a structured warm up. In an ever-expanding market, they might be one of a few accessories that cross many disciplines.

You can get a trainer very cheaply, or you can invest in one that turns your bike into part of a video game, riding on courses against other riders, complete with a bike that rises and falls, and tips left to right as the programmed course does the same. Every indoor trainer aims to provide more of a realistic feel. From how the wheel turns as if you had momentum, to creating an artificial environment around you.

The JetBlack WhisperDrive is a direct mount trainer, which is the best option for mountain bikers as it completely takes away the need to discriminate by wheelsize, or wear out knobby tyres. You simply remove your rear wheel, put a chock in your disc caliper so you don’t squeeze the pads together, and secure the frame over the freewheel. The trainer comes with a regular cassette body that will accept 8/9/10 speed from SRAM or Shimano, or even an 11sp Shimano cassette. XD drivers are available for 11sp SRAM drivetrains. Where the trainer becomes even more MTB specific is the axle compatibility. You can use a 135mm QR, or 142×12 through axle. This is the only trainer on the market that works with that axle standard.

Being direct mount, you do away with a lot of the factors that make trainers noisy. There’s no hum of a tyre on a roller (or the fine black rubber dust sprayed off it), no squeeking as the tyre slips around before warming up, and no need to clamp your expensive frame into the trainer. Your frame clamps the trainer instead, just like a wheel.

The resistance unit is magnetic, with a quick release handlebar mounted thumb shifter that offers seven different resistance settings. It’s a very basic piece of kit, but all it really needs to do is adjust resistance to add options along with your gears. It can offer upto 1200W of resistance. By changing the load, you can really focus on your effort, and not get stuck “between” gears or on a cadence that doesn’t feel natural. The heavy flywheel and the very stable nature of the unit also add up to make the WhisperDrive feel a lot more like you’re out riding your bike, not pedalling through mud in your living room or garage.

In use I found the WhisperDrive very easy to get along with. I don’t enjoy using trainers, especially at the times I need to the most, such as when I’m unfit. But with a heavy flywheel that keeps spinning, there is a real road (or trail) like feel to the pedalling action, something that is very hard to replicate when riding on a stationary bike or trainer. Best of all, the magnetic resistance doesn’t heat up like a fluid based trainer, nor make the same amount of noise that a fan does.

The WhisperDrive’s legs fold in for storage or transport, and beyond that it’s low on the need for other bits and pieces. No need for a “trainer” wheel to put in that has a slick tyre on it. No need for a chock under your front wheel either, as the WhisperDrive doesn’t raise the height of your bike. Once you have a compatible cassette on it, you’re set.

Buying a trainer doesn’t make you fit. And while you might have all the recent copies of AMB with great sessions outlined by Jenni King, it’s still up to you to get on and do the work. Need more persuasion? Well when you buy the WhisperDrive you also get a QR code to download their app, for either Android or iOS. It will pair with your heart rate monitor and power meter (depending on the hardware you have) and has set sessions to guide you through. With commands and music as well! This is a fantastic move by JetBlack, to help you get the most out of your investment, and your time.

The WhisperDrive has been the best trainer I have used to date. It has a realistic feel, is solid under sprints or other hard efforts, and can be used at home for training, or in the carpark or pits for a race warm-up or cool down.

Hits:

• Solid feel under power
• Excellent support with the free app
• Broad power range for many uses
• Fits any size MTB

Misses:

• Still no downhills when on a trainer

From: JetBlack Australia

Price: $699