Elite Direto XR Smart Trainer
As recent global regulations have resulted in our increased awareness of, if not need for, smart cycling trainers, Elite introduces the Direto XR Interactive Trainer, a direct-drive, quiet, and highly-effective companion for when outside riding may not be an option. Elite handles the data communication between the trainer and your preferred training app via ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth for reliable and precise measurements and an outside-like riding simulation. The heart of the Directo XR is its integrated power meter, which uses an Optical Torque Sensor, offering accuracy readings of +/-1. 5% -- an improvement of 0. 5% over the original Direto. Resistance is controlled with electromagnetic braking on the 11. 24-pound flywheel. The trainer responds to virtual courses and riding situations to give an immersive training experience that conditions you well for a return to outside competition. If you're concerned about whether the Directo XR can handle your sprint efforts, the trainer boasts a stellar 2300 maximum watt resistance.The Direto XR is keen to accommodate your road and mountain bike setups. The trainer comes equipped with a Shimano 105, 11-speed, 11-28 tooth cassette, but can fit long-cage derailleurs with large 12-speed gearing. Adapters to fit standard 12x142mm and boost thru-axles are available, as are specific freehubs to match your Campagnolo, SRAM XD/XDR, and Shimano microSpline cassettes.To ensure you are up and riding quickly, Elite designs the Direto XR to unfold and get connected to within a short five-minute initial setup. Adjustable, scratch-free feet ensure a stable and level training platform on hardwood floors. The included front-wheel training block supports your ideal riding position to mimic your natural terrain. Elite includes subscriptions to Zwift and its My E-Training software as well to get your training underway.
As recent global regulations have resulted in our increased awareness of, if not need for, smart cycling trainers, Elite introduces the Direto XR Interactive Trainer, a direct-drive, quiet, and highly-effective companion for when outside riding may not be an option. Elite handles the data communication between the trainer and your preferred training app via ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth for reliable and precise measurements and an outside-like riding simulation. The heart of the Directo XR is its integrated power meter, which uses an Optical Torque Sensor, offering accuracy readings of +/-1. 5% -- an improvement of 0. 5% over the original Direto. Resistance is controlled with electromagnetic braking on the 11. 24-pound flywheel. The trainer responds to virtual courses and riding situations to give an immersive training experience that conditions you well for a return to outside competition. If you're concerned about whether the Directo XR can handle your sprint efforts, the trainer boasts a stellar 2300 maximum watt resistance.The Direto XR is keen to accommodate your road and mountain bike setups. The trainer comes equipped with a Shimano 105, 11-speed, 11-28 tooth cassette, but can fit long-cage derailleurs with large 12-speed gearing. Adapters to fit standard 12x142mm and boost thru-axles are available, as are specific freehubs to match your Campagnolo, SRAM XD/XDR, and Shimano microSpline cassettes.To ensure you are up and riding quickly, Elite designs the Direto XR to unfold and get connected to within a short five-minute initial setup. Adjustable, scratch-free feet ensure a stable and level training platform on hardwood floors. The included front-wheel training block supports your ideal riding position to mimic your natural terrain. Elite includes subscriptions to Zwift and its My E-Training software as well to get your training underway.
As recent global regulations have resulted in our increased awareness of, if not need for, smart cycling trainers, Elite introduces the Direto XR Interactive Trainer, a direct-drive, quiet, and highly-effective companion for when outside riding may not be an option. Elite handles the data communication between the trainer and your preferred training app via ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth for reliable and precise measurements and an outside-like riding simulation. The heart of the Directo XR is its integrated power meter, which uses an Optical Torque Sensor, offering accuracy readings of +/-1. 5% -- an improvement of 0. 5% over the original Direto. Resistance is controlled with electromagnetic braking on the 11. 24-pound flywheel. The trainer responds to virtual courses and riding situations to give an immersive training experience that conditions you well for a return to outside competition. If you're concerned about whether the Directo XR can handle your sprint efforts, the trainer boasts a stellar 2300 maximum watt resistance.The Direto XR is keen to accommodate your road and mountain bike setups. The trainer comes equipped with a Shimano 105, 11-speed, 11-28 tooth cassette, but can fit long-cage derailleurs with large 12-speed gearing. Adapters to fit standard 12x142mm and boost thru-axles are available, as are specific freehubs to match your Campagnolo, SRAM XD/XDR, and Shimano microSpline cassettes.To ensure you are up and riding quickly, Elite designs the Direto XR to unfold and get connected to within a short five-minute initial setup. Adjustable, scratch-free feet ensure a stable and level training platform on hardwood floors. The included front-wheel training block supports your ideal riding position to mimic your natural terrain. Elite includes subscriptions to Zwift and its My E-Training software as well to get your training underway.
As recent global regulations have resulted in our increased awareness of, if not need for, smart cycling trainers, Elite introduces the Direto XR Interactive Trainer, a direct-drive, quiet, and highly-effective companion for when outside riding may not be an option. Elite handles the data communication between the trainer and your preferred training app via ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth for reliable and precise measurements and an outside-like riding simulation. The heart of the Directo XR is its integrated power meter, which uses an Optical Torque Sensor, offering accuracy readings of +/-1. 5% -- an improvement of 0. 5% over the original Direto. Resistance is controlled with electromagnetic braking on the 11. 24-pound flywheel. The trainer responds to virtual courses and riding situations to give an immersive training experience that conditions you well for a return to outside competition. If you're concerned about whether the Directo XR can handle your sprint efforts, the trainer boasts a stellar 2300 maximum watt resistance.The Direto XR is keen to accommodate your road and mountain bike setups. The trainer comes equipped with a Shimano 105, 11-speed, 11-28 tooth cassette, but can fit long-cage derailleurs with large 12-speed gearing. Adapters to fit standard 12x142mm and boost thru-axles are available, as are specific freehubs to match your Campagnolo, SRAM XD/XDR, and Shimano microSpline cassettes.To ensure you are up and riding quickly, Elite designs the Direto XR to unfold and get connected to within a short five-minute initial setup. Adjustable, scratch-free feet ensure a stable and level training platform on hardwood floors. The included front-wheel training block supports your ideal riding position to mimic your natural terrain. Elite includes subscriptions to Zwift and its My E-Training software as well to get your training underway.
in 2 offers
The lowest price for Elite Direto XR Smart Trainer right now is $1,052.00 at Ubuy Australia, compared across 2 retailers.
The all-time low was $863.42 on 5 June 2026 — today's price is 22% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 30 June 2026.
Last updated at 30/06/2026 05:14:40
Elite Direto XR Interactive Smart Trainer Available in Standard or Zwift Cog and Click
Delivery between 4–8 July $15.52
Elite Direto XR-T Smart Trainer
Free delivery between 6–14 July
originally posted on REI
I live in a cold location and, instead of taking the winter off from cycling, decided to invest in a smart trainer this year. I'm guessing I'm not the only one that made this decision as all the gyms in my state are closed due to covid and inventory for pretty much any home gym stuff is non-existent. After researching trainers I settled on Elite's Direto XR because it was compatible with my 10 speed Shimamoto bike out of the box (so they claimed), had some decent reviews, and was available at REI for pickup in 5 days.First issue after receiving my Directo XR was hardware setup. I am proficient at basic bike repair (and am handy), but not a bike mechanic and don't own specialized bike tools. Dispute claiming 'out of the box' compatibility with my Shimano 10 speed, ... MoreI live in a cold location and, instead of taking the winter off from cycling, decided to invest in a smart trainer this year. I'm guessing I'm not the only one that made this decision as all the gyms in my state are closed due to covid and inventory for pretty much any home gym stuff is non-existent. After researching trainers I settled on Elite's Direto XR because it was compatible with my 10 speed Shimamoto bike out of the box (so they claimed), had some decent reviews, and was available at REI for pickup in 5 days.First issue after receiving my Directo XR was hardware setup. I am proficient at basic bike repair (and am handy), but not a bike mechanic and don't own specialized bike tools. Dispute claiming 'out of the box' compatibility with my Shimano 10 speed, in reality setup required pulling off the pre-installed 11 speed cassette, installing a spacer, and putting everything back together. I only was able to figure this out due to a YouTube unboxing, the instructions that come with this thing stink - bad drawings, broken translations, and just off. Still, once I figured out what to do, I had to buy a chain whip and casette lock tool. Minor inconvenience cost wise ($30 bucks), but had to wait a few extra days for these to come. Again, not 'out of the box' ready to ride.Thinks were pretty smooth after I finally got everything swapped out and bike hooked up. I used the Zwift trial and everything was ok. For some reason the trainer always 'locked' at the start of a ride (ERG auto resistance would go to max) and I'd have to pause, pedal, pause, pedal, to get the trainer to sync. Finicky, but only took about 10 seconds once I figured out what to do, so I figured I could live with it.After putting in some miles and 17 rides the Direto went all whacky. Lights on the bike (there's three, I think they are bluetooth, power, and ANT+) would go on and off like the power was flickering, but all the connections were solid. Even if by luck I got the thing to stay on the ERG no longer adjusted automaticly, cadence sensor would bounce all over (wild swings from 40 all the way to 200 when I was cruising at about 80), and watt reading would be way off. I tried to calibrate the Diecto using Zwift and Elite's app (which almost sucks as much as their written instructions BTW), but several tries made no difference.Credit to REI for stellar return policy. I'm taking this piece of junk back. I only wish they had other trainers in stock - everything is sold out - so will probably buy a replacement elsewhere so I can get it asap (though it looks like there are few retailers with any options ready to ship).
originally posted on REI
So you buy a smart trainer so you can do smart/power training, right? That's the whole point. ERG mode. Or maybe Zwift, if that's what you're into, but I got this specifically for power training so I'll have more fun when I'm riding outside.Regular, non-ERG mode seems to work fine. You have to divide your wheel circumference by 12.1 on any non-Elite app, or you'll get absurdly high speeds - this is an Elite-specific bug that's been present across multiple product lines for years, so I doubt it's ever getting fixed.It drops connections all the time. Constantly. For no reason! The Elite app doesn't have a way to check connection, you'll just know because it doesn't show up. There's no way to "forget" the device to try and reconnect.ERG mode is extremely ... MoreSo you buy a smart trainer so you can do smart/power training, right? That's the whole point. ERG mode. Or maybe Zwift, if that's what you're into, but I got this specifically for power training so I'll have more fun when I'm riding outside.Regular, non-ERG mode seems to work fine. You have to divide your wheel circumference by 12.1 on any non-Elite app, or you'll get absurdly high speeds - this is an Elite-specific bug that's been present across multiple product lines for years, so I doubt it's ever getting fixed.It drops connections all the time. Constantly. For no reason! The Elite app doesn't have a way to check connection, you'll just know because it doesn't show up. There's no way to "forget" the device to try and reconnect.ERG mode is extremely peculiar. Doesn't matter if it's being controlled from my Wahoo Elemnt, the Elite iOS app, or the TrainerRoad app. It seems to want me to be pedaling around 15-25rpm to hit the power target, meaning a ton of resistance. This is true regardless of what gear I put the bike in. The resistance oscillates wildly, so it's impossible to maintain a steady cadence. It's like the precise opposite of what I'd expect ERG mode to be like on a smart trainer.I'm going to open a support ticket with Elite to get this resolved. It feels like a software bug, which isn't surprising given how poorly designed the rest of their software seems to be. This is almost certainly going back, though. I knew I should have waited on the KICKR Core to come back in stock.
originally posted on sigmasports.com
We've been using this on a daily basis for about a month now and it worked faultlessly straight from the box. Set up was easy... the 11 speed cassette that is provided is only lightly attached so is easy to remove although some bike knowledge and tools are required if you need to change it. Instructions are very sparse in common with a lot of products these days but there are only a couple of spacers that need fitting. However, if you've never set up a turbotrainer before I would definitely phone a friend.Connectivity was instant via bluetooth, I think it does a quick firmware update to start with and it works perfectly with the provided Elite software or Zwift (and probably all the other packages as well). Runs fine with mobile phone or laptop but you will need a ... MoreWe've been using this on a daily basis for about a month now and it worked faultlessly straight from the box. Set up was easy... the 11 speed cassette that is provided is only lightly attached so is easy to remove although some bike knowledge and tools are required if you need to change it. Instructions are very sparse in common with a lot of products these days but there are only a couple of spacers that need fitting. However, if you've never set up a turbotrainer before I would definitely phone a friend.Connectivity was instant via bluetooth, I think it does a quick firmware update to start with and it works perfectly with the provided Elite software or Zwift (and probably all the other packages as well). Runs fine with mobile phone or laptop but you will need a bluetooth heart rate monitor if you want to get the full performance data from the software packages. It does start on full resistance which is a bit unnerving but this clears after one pedal stroke and other than that the resistance feels accurate and the ride experience is great. Its very quiet.... much quieter than our fan. If you just want performance figures stick with the elite software but if you really want to enjoy indoor cycling go for Zwift or Rouvy both of which have a months free trial with the trainer.
| Power meter | Integrated OTS (Optical Torque System) power meter |
| Accuracy | ± 1.5% |
| Max slope simulated | 24% |
| Max power | 1100 Watt (20km/h) - 2300 Watt (0km/h) |
| Flywheel | 5.1 kg |
Elite Direto XR Interactive Smart Trainer Available in Standard or Zwift Cog and Click
Delivery between 4–8 July $15.52
Elite Direto XR-T Smart Trainer
Free delivery between 6–14 July
I live in a cold location and, instead of taking the winter off from cycling, decided to invest in a smart trainer this year. I'm guessing I'm not the only one that made this decision as all the gyms in my state are closed due to covid and inventory for pretty much any home gym stuff is non-existent. After researching trainers I settled on Elite's Direto XR because it was compatible with my 10 speed Shimamoto bike out of the box (so they claimed), had some decent reviews, and was available at REI for pickup in 5 days.First issue after receiving my Directo XR was hardware setup. I am proficient at basic bike repair (and am handy), but not a bike mechanic and don't own specialized bike tools. Dispute claiming 'out of the box' compatibility with my Shimano 10 speed, ... MoreI live in a cold location and, instead of taking the winter off from cycling, decided to invest in a smart trainer this year. I'm guessing I'm not the only one that made this decision as all the gyms in my state are closed due to covid and inventory for pretty much any home gym stuff is non-existent. After researching trainers I settled on Elite's Direto XR because it was compatible with my 10 speed Shimamoto bike out of the box (so they claimed), had some decent reviews, and was available at REI for pickup in 5 days.First issue after receiving my Directo XR was hardware setup. I am proficient at basic bike repair (and am handy), but not a bike mechanic and don't own specialized bike tools. Dispute claiming 'out of the box' compatibility with my Shimano 10 speed, in reality setup required pulling off the pre-installed 11 speed cassette, installing a spacer, and putting everything back together. I only was able to figure this out due to a YouTube unboxing, the instructions that come with this thing stink - bad drawings, broken translations, and just off. Still, once I figured out what to do, I had to buy a chain whip and casette lock tool. Minor inconvenience cost wise ($30 bucks), but had to wait a few extra days for these to come. Again, not 'out of the box' ready to ride.Thinks were pretty smooth after I finally got everything swapped out and bike hooked up. I used the Zwift trial and everything was ok. For some reason the trainer always 'locked' at the start of a ride (ERG auto resistance would go to max) and I'd have to pause, pedal, pause, pedal, to get the trainer to sync. Finicky, but only took about 10 seconds once I figured out what to do, so I figured I could live with it.After putting in some miles and 17 rides the Direto went all whacky. Lights on the bike (there's three, I think they are bluetooth, power, and ANT+) would go on and off like the power was flickering, but all the connections were solid. Even if by luck I got the thing to stay on the ERG no longer adjusted automaticly, cadence sensor would bounce all over (wild swings from 40 all the way to 200 when I was cruising at about 80), and watt reading would be way off. I tried to calibrate the Diecto using Zwift and Elite's app (which almost sucks as much as their written instructions BTW), but several tries made no difference.Credit to REI for stellar return policy. I'm taking this piece of junk back. I only wish they had other trainers in stock - everything is sold out - so will probably buy a replacement elsewhere so I can get it asap (though it looks like there are few retailers with any options ready to ship).
So you buy a smart trainer so you can do smart/power training, right? That's the whole point. ERG mode. Or maybe Zwift, if that's what you're into, but I got this specifically for power training so I'll have more fun when I'm riding outside.Regular, non-ERG mode seems to work fine. You have to divide your wheel circumference by 12.1 on any non-Elite app, or you'll get absurdly high speeds - this is an Elite-specific bug that's been present across multiple product lines for years, so I doubt it's ever getting fixed.It drops connections all the time. Constantly. For no reason! The Elite app doesn't have a way to check connection, you'll just know because it doesn't show up. There's no way to "forget" the device to try and reconnect.ERG mode is extremely ... MoreSo you buy a smart trainer so you can do smart/power training, right? That's the whole point. ERG mode. Or maybe Zwift, if that's what you're into, but I got this specifically for power training so I'll have more fun when I'm riding outside.Regular, non-ERG mode seems to work fine. You have to divide your wheel circumference by 12.1 on any non-Elite app, or you'll get absurdly high speeds - this is an Elite-specific bug that's been present across multiple product lines for years, so I doubt it's ever getting fixed.It drops connections all the time. Constantly. For no reason! The Elite app doesn't have a way to check connection, you'll just know because it doesn't show up. There's no way to "forget" the device to try and reconnect.ERG mode is extremely peculiar. Doesn't matter if it's being controlled from my Wahoo Elemnt, the Elite iOS app, or the TrainerRoad app. It seems to want me to be pedaling around 15-25rpm to hit the power target, meaning a ton of resistance. This is true regardless of what gear I put the bike in. The resistance oscillates wildly, so it's impossible to maintain a steady cadence. It's like the precise opposite of what I'd expect ERG mode to be like on a smart trainer.I'm going to open a support ticket with Elite to get this resolved. It feels like a software bug, which isn't surprising given how poorly designed the rest of their software seems to be. This is almost certainly going back, though. I knew I should have waited on the KICKR Core to come back in stock.
We've been using this on a daily basis for about a month now and it worked faultlessly straight from the box. Set up was easy... the 11 speed cassette that is provided is only lightly attached so is easy to remove although some bike knowledge and tools are required if you need to change it. Instructions are very sparse in common with a lot of products these days but there are only a couple of spacers that need fitting. However, if you've never set up a turbotrainer before I would definitely phone a friend.Connectivity was instant via bluetooth, I think it does a quick firmware update to start with and it works perfectly with the provided Elite software or Zwift (and probably all the other packages as well). Runs fine with mobile phone or laptop but you will need a ... MoreWe've been using this on a daily basis for about a month now and it worked faultlessly straight from the box. Set up was easy... the 11 speed cassette that is provided is only lightly attached so is easy to remove although some bike knowledge and tools are required if you need to change it. Instructions are very sparse in common with a lot of products these days but there are only a couple of spacers that need fitting. However, if you've never set up a turbotrainer before I would definitely phone a friend.Connectivity was instant via bluetooth, I think it does a quick firmware update to start with and it works perfectly with the provided Elite software or Zwift (and probably all the other packages as well). Runs fine with mobile phone or laptop but you will need a bluetooth heart rate monitor if you want to get the full performance data from the software packages. It does start on full resistance which is a bit unnerving but this clears after one pedal stroke and other than that the resistance feels accurate and the ride experience is great. Its very quiet.... much quieter than our fan. If you just want performance figures stick with the elite software but if you really want to enjoy indoor cycling go for Zwift or Rouvy both of which have a months free trial with the trainer.
I use a Wattbike in the gym for intervals and warm ups, but this is the first turbo trainer that I have used. My girlfriend suggested the Direto XR as a Christmas present to provide some respite from the British wet and windy winter rides. I was unsure how much I would enjoy the ride experience as I could only last 20 min max on the Wattbike before boredom broke me.The Direto XR is hooked up to my Mac Air in my flat and it is fantastic. I have joined Zwift on the free 7 day promo and am enjoying easing myself in with 40min gentle rides. It is incredible how time flies with the GCI scenery.The trainer is simple to set up with no faffing around. It was paired to my iPhone and Mac Air within seconds. From unboxing to starting my first Zwift ride took 30 min at a ... MoreI use a Wattbike in the gym for intervals and warm ups, but this is the first turbo trainer that I have used. My girlfriend suggested the Direto XR as a Christmas present to provide some respite from the British wet and windy winter rides. I was unsure how much I would enjoy the ride experience as I could only last 20 min max on the Wattbike before boredom broke me.The Direto XR is hooked up to my Mac Air in my flat and it is fantastic. I have joined Zwift on the free 7 day promo and am enjoying easing myself in with 40min gentle rides. It is incredible how time flies with the GCI scenery.The trainer is simple to set up with no faffing around. It was paired to my iPhone and Mac Air within seconds. From unboxing to starting my first Zwift ride took 30 min at a relaxed pace incl. a coffee break. A far cry from the Ikea experience.Highly recommend the unit and Sigma got this out and delivered within 2 working days.Key learnings:- Clean your bike before setting up. In my excitement I neglected this- My cranks are nosier than the Direto XR- I have just ordered a mat because I sweat a lot and am concerned about my neighbours being disturbed by the crank noise
After a summer of cycling, I wanted to ensure I could keep up the fitness and experience of cycling in the darker, colder months. Having looked across all the brands available, value and performance, the Elite range stood out. I looked first at the older Suito, because I like the fact it was useable straight away, with a cassette fitted etc, but the Direto was a more advanced option / with more features. Having a cadence and power sensor all built in as well seemed to be a real one stop solution for my needs. Then I saw there were rumours of the up and coming Dirteto XR, which also came with a pre-fitted, decent brand cassette, so I pre-ordered with Sigma Sports to make sure I got one of the first.No regrets, absolutely brilliant - no other words needed. From ... MoreAfter a summer of cycling, I wanted to ensure I could keep up the fitness and experience of cycling in the darker, colder months. Having looked across all the brands available, value and performance, the Elite range stood out. I looked first at the older Suito, because I like the fact it was useable straight away, with a cassette fitted etc, but the Direto was a more advanced option / with more features. Having a cadence and power sensor all built in as well seemed to be a real one stop solution for my needs. Then I saw there were rumours of the up and coming Dirteto XR, which also came with a pre-fitted, decent brand cassette, so I pre-ordered with Sigma Sports to make sure I got one of the first.No regrets, absolutely brilliant - no other words needed. From unboxing to actually linked into Zwift on Apple TV and riding was a total of 9 minutes! The cassette matches my road bike (Shimano 105), the sensitivity and response to the gradients onscreen is smooth, and it is very quiet - the main noise is the chainset on the bike. Legs fold away for storage, it is stable even under "high sprint pressure". I would have to say that friends who have other smart trainers have been jealous of how it rides, looks, stores and the value for money it represents.
The service from Pushys has been excellent as always.The trainer, however, is a disappointment.For context, I have purchased the trainer mainly for Zwift. For riding around it works flawlessly and the experience is immersive as mentioned in other reviews.Just do not try to use the training sessions, where ERG mode is required.Essentially Zwift will ask you to reach and stick to a certain power threshold. The power reading on this trainer unfortunately oscilates wildly which makes this guided training impossible.You will essentially be constantly over or under by 20+ watts, which will invalidate the training. The cadence reading is also less than ideal.This is not an isolated incident, there are plenty of complaints on Elite forums (214 messages as of now, link ... MoreThe service from Pushys has been excellent as always.The trainer, however, is a disappointment.For context, I have purchased the trainer mainly for Zwift. For riding around it works flawlessly and the experience is immersive as mentioned in other reviews.Just do not try to use the training sessions, where ERG mode is required.Essentially Zwift will ask you to reach and stick to a certain power threshold. The power reading on this trainer unfortunately oscilates wildly which makes this guided training impossible.You will essentially be constantly over or under by 20+ watts, which will invalidate the training. The cadence reading is also less than ideal.This is not an isolated incident, there are plenty of complaints on Elite forums (214 messages as of now, link below)http://52.212.236.181/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2530&start=10&sid=5529822b0d089b7fc6a6cd25c94d1ddeThe customer support from Elite chalks it up to "extreme accuracy" of the trainer.The question is - do you care, or do you just want to be able to use your $1k+ trainer in all modes in Zwift?If I was aware of this issue upfront, I'd go for another brand.
The service from Pushys was excellent as usual.The trainer, however, left me disappointed.For context, I have purchased the Direto XR to ride and train on the Zwift platform.I'm a seasoned cyclist & I intended to use the trainer for power-based training to improve my fitness and performance following a short break.I have updated the firmware using Upgrado app to latest version with no issues.The trainer is quick to setup, Zwift recognises the sensors for power and cadence immediatelyThe riding in the basic Ride mode is impressive and immersive, the trainer responds quickly to changes of gradients and the whole experience is very good.The problem with Direto XR appears in the Training (ERG) mode.The training programs are based on intervals where Zwift expects ... MoreThe service from Pushys was excellent as usual.The trainer, however, left me disappointed.For context, I have purchased the Direto XR to ride and train on the Zwift platform.I'm a seasoned cyclist & I intended to use the trainer for power-based training to improve my fitness and performance following a short break.I have updated the firmware using Upgrado app to latest version with no issues.The trainer is quick to setup, Zwift recognises the sensors for power and cadence immediatelyThe riding in the basic Ride mode is impressive and immersive, the trainer responds quickly to changes of gradients and the whole experience is very good.The problem with Direto XR appears in the Training (ERG) mode.The training programs are based on intervals where Zwift expects the cyclist to reach and sustain specific power thresholds within a small tolerance.Unfortunately, the power readings being sent from Direto to Zwift are erratic and oscillate wildly by +-20W despite pedaling with stable cadence and effort.I have tried to change multiple settings in both Direto's my etraining app and Zwift however the result is the same.A quick search on the Elite forums (which you cannot access unless you are an owner of the trainer) discovers that this is a common issue with this specific trainer. There are more than 200 messages with no clear resolution. The Elite support usually explains this behaviour by the extreme accuracy of the trainer.That very well may be the case, however it makes the trainer unusable in the Zwift training mode. You will fail the training and the whole experience is extremely frustrating.The trainer can be enjoyable exploring the virtual world of Watopia, however is not suitable for the ERG based training in Zwift.
Really impressed with this trainer. Purchased as changed work commitments also impacted when and how often I was able to ride. Decided to go down the trainer route for the convenience of being able squeeze some rides in at odd hours fitting around work, family, etc.I wasn’t expecting to enjoy using the trainer as much as I have during the first month of ownership.The Direto XR is super easy to setup. No assembly is required and an 11 speed cassette is already mounted to the trainer. Fold out the legs and plug in and it’s ready to pair with your device.I have used the trainer with Elite’s own training software and mainly with Zwift. I have found it to pair with Zwift almost immediately and have not experienced any dropouts once connected.The ‘feel’ from the ... MoreReally impressed with this trainer. Purchased as changed work commitments also impacted when and how often I was able to ride. Decided to go down the trainer route for the convenience of being able squeeze some rides in at odd hours fitting around work, family, etc.I wasn’t expecting to enjoy using the trainer as much as I have during the first month of ownership.The Direto XR is super easy to setup. No assembly is required and an 11 speed cassette is already mounted to the trainer. Fold out the legs and plug in and it’s ready to pair with your device.I have used the trainer with Elite’s own training software and mainly with Zwift. I have found it to pair with Zwift almost immediately and have not experienced any dropouts once connected.The ‘feel’ from the trainer is somewhat realistic and there is very little lag between gradient increases on Zwift and the trainer adding resistance.The Direto XR is considered one of the quieter direct drive trainers. Whilst it’s not silent, have had no complaints from the family when using and they are in the adjacent room.So far I’m just really impressed with everything about this trainer. Ease of use and great connectivity are big pluses.Did not expect to enjoy virtual training but so this has ticked the boxes for me.
Read Matt's review below as this sums the trainer up pretty well.The physical unit itself is fine and folds up nice and small. But the power adapter they included is junk, something you would get if you purchased a $10 toy.But, to state again what Matt said, the software that runs this thing simply terrible. Super hard to figure out and then when you do figure it out you realize it doesn't work: Here are some details- Fluctuating power readings. Sometimes as much as 40 to 80 watts.- Inconsistent system calibration. For unknown reasons, sometimes the calibration functions and other times not- Drops the signal a lot- A new problem for me, as of this week, which is what prompted me I am writing this review is that there is very little resistance from the ... MoreRead Matt's review below as this sums the trainer up pretty well.The physical unit itself is fine and folds up nice and small. But the power adapter they included is junk, something you would get if you purchased a $10 toy.But, to state again what Matt said, the software that runs this thing simply terrible. Super hard to figure out and then when you do figure it out you realize it doesn't work: Here are some details- Fluctuating power readings. Sometimes as much as 40 to 80 watts.- Inconsistent system calibration. For unknown reasons, sometimes the calibration functions and other times not- Drops the signal a lot- A new problem for me, as of this week, which is what prompted me I am writing this review is that there is very little resistance from the unit. As an example, normally when I am doing intervals (max efforts) I do not need to go into smaller cogs. But now, even in the hardest cog I get maybe a 1/4 of resistance making it useless. And no matter what I try as a fix still the problem exists. I use Zwift and thought it was maybe a Zwift, but Zwift is working fine.Except for the new issue I tried to resolve this directly with Elite, via email, on many occasions without success and finally gave up and have just lived with the issues, but without resistance it is nothing more than a giant paper weight.$800 for this thing and I can’t tell you how many times I went to work out and wasted time getting it to work.Do yourself a favor and get something else.
Do not buy this trainer. I only give it two stars because it is well made. I needed to return it to REI after two months, thankfully they took it back - be careful, because trainers can only be returned within a 3 month window. I also feel pretty terrible about returning it, as it's super expensive and hard for the staff to deal with, but as it was my first smart trainer I was unaware of some of the major issues with this trainer when buying it, as I didn't really know what to look for. I was suckered in by the promise of a good deal, with it being 40% off!If you are looking for your first smart trainer, either get the Zwift official one, or buy the Wahoo Kickr Core.This trainer is not suitable for use in 'road simulation mode' or 'erg mode', especially when ... MoreDo not buy this trainer. I only give it two stars because it is well made. I needed to return it to REI after two months, thankfully they took it back - be careful, because trainers can only be returned within a 3 month window. I also feel pretty terrible about returning it, as it's super expensive and hard for the staff to deal with, but as it was my first smart trainer I was unaware of some of the major issues with this trainer when buying it, as I didn't really know what to look for. I was suckered in by the promise of a good deal, with it being 40% off!If you are looking for your first smart trainer, either get the Zwift official one, or buy the Wahoo Kickr Core.This trainer is not suitable for use in 'road simulation mode' or 'erg mode', especially when using Zwift. For the road simulation, the resistance changes are laggy, and often unpredictable. When attempting to race in Zwift, or really do any kind of workout, there is a significant delay (5-10 seconds) between stopping pedaling and the trainer registering zero power. This causes issues when trying to 'supertuck' on Zwift, and in workouts where you are trying to do intervals.For erg mode, the trainer is very time-sensitive, making it hard to hold a consistent power for beginners. It's not clear whether or not this is an issue with the trainer (though lots of people report this online on forums), or maybe people with super strong legs and lots of experience can hold exactly a fixed power number better. Either way, compared to other trainers that I know people use, the power numbers on the Elite fluctuate by about 5-10% on short time intervals (e.g. 1-2 s). The aforementioned power change when pedaling comes back here, where changes between zones can leave you yo-yoing as the trainer changes the resistance faster than the power output from the trainer can adapt.There are internal settings within the trainer that you can access using their (truly awful) app to attempt to time-smooth power more or less. You must choose a balance between large smoothing values (that are unexplained, it is just an integer you enter into the app) which make erg mode a bit more palatable, but make changes between zones harder, or a lower number which makes the power curve drop when stopping pedaling a bit quicker.My trainer also came with another fun issue. The casette was held on with extreme torque (i.e. much more than 40 Nm), making it impossible to change. The freehub body once came off in my hand, as the little freehub nut that was part of it became semi-siezed to the through axle adaptor. When removing the through axle adaptor to access the lockring, it unscrewed the whole freehub, which was really hard to figure out. So this part was clearly torqued on correctly, with this being a pretty serious safety issue. To torque on the freehub body correctly, I would have had to buy a proprietary wrench from Italy. I am not sure why this is not included in the package.All around, this trainer is not fit for purpose. It looks good, the flywheel is pretty and heavy, but I would not recommend anyone buys it. To make things worse, support is unresponsive, and replies in broken english. The forums are full of non-responses to the major issues with the trainer, claiming fixing the above issues are impossible (though I will note they are not an issue with any other smart trainer).
| Power meter | Integrated OTS (Optical Torque System) power meter |
| Accuracy | ± 1.5% |
| Max slope simulated | 24% |
| Max power | 1100 Watt (20km/h) - 2300 Watt (0km/h) |
| Flywheel | 5.1 kg |
