Wattbike Introduces Customizable Virtual Gearing for Enhanced Ride Experience
Early this week Wattbike released a virtual gearing customisation tool on the Wattbike Hub app, allowing riders to personalise the virtual gearing and shifting on Wattbike Atom (Next Generation) and Wattbike AtomX.
I am delighted, as the gearing was one of the areas that I struggled with when I tested the Wattbike Atom (Next Generation). Although I no longer have the trainer, it’s nice to see enhancements being made to the functionality of these popular smartbikes.
Let’s look at the details of these (and more!) new features…
Virtual Gearset
The Wattbike Hub app now gives users five preset gearing options to choose from: 11 speed, 22 speed, compact, semi-compact, and climbing.
Best for: gliding up the toughest climbs with ease
Users will be able to ride their preferred Wattbike bike setup on Zwift or other 3rd party simulation apps. The last used setup is saved to the user’s account so it will intelligently follow you around your devices (especially useful for commercial users or those moving between home and commercial environments).
Custom Shifters
Your shifting experience can also be customized, as Wattbike explains: “Users can configure their own shifter setup and switch between ‘Dual’ and ‘Standard’ modes. Dual mode sees the left shifter used to change front chainring and the right shifter used to change rear cassette like on a real bike. Whereas, Standard mode uses existing linear shifting functionality where the right shifter moves gears up and down. If preset gears are chosen and linear shifting, the gears will automatically be moved from the lowest gear ratio to the highest.”
Erg Mode Smoothing
Lastly, Wattbike have released a new beta feature in the latest version of Wattbike Hub (version 5.1.0): Erg Mode Power Smoothing! This is similar to the feature automatically enabled for Wahoo KICKR trainers, providing users with a more stable power output without affecting the actual resistance of your sessions.
Turning Erg Mode Smoothing (Beta) on/off:
Launch the Wattbike Hub app
Before you start your ride, head to ‘Settings’, then ‘Ride Settings’
Toggle ‘Erg Mode Smoothing (beta)’ on or off
Further Reading
Duncan Bradley (Chief Product Officer at Wattbike) told me, “We’re continually listening to feedback from our community of Wattbikers ensuring we’re developing the right features to enhance ride experience and performance gains. We’re delighted to be able to bring customisation to users’ virtual gearing setup through the Wattbike Hub. We know how important realism to outdoor riding is to our Wattbikers and digital product development is an area we continue to grow and we pride ourselves in offering new performance-led features.”
If you’re a Wattbike owner looking for help with these new features, check out these Wattbike support posts:
Pace partners have gone exploring, and two of this week’s Top 5 Zwift Videos go with them! You can also learn some tips for racing a time trial, get a glimpse of the WTRL Duathlon League, and hop into the action of a B category race.
Can I beat my Alpe du Zwift best time using the new pace partners?
Recently, Zwift ran some test events led by pace partners on Alpe du Zwift. Trevor Holdsworth (The Musette) joined one of them to try to beat his best time up the mountain.
Zwift climbing pace bot (C) Christopher
Tim Keffer (FATRIDE) joined another Alpe du Zwift pace partner for a couple of test events and shared what the rides were like.
How to Execute a Zwift Time Trial // HERD HEries Race 1 (B)
ZRace Central brings you tips on how to ride your best time trial, using footage from a recent race.
Zwift WTRL Duathlon Series Race 1 Highlights
Multisport athlete Powerkarma shows his efforts in the WTRL Duathlon League.
Just How Quick are Cat B Zwift Racers?
It’s been a few months since Jourdain Coleman joined a Zwift race. When he jumps back in with the B category, he doesn’t have an easy time!
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Pace Partner Updates: Chase Races, Smarter Power Modulation, France Bots
James Bailey and friends have continued with their weekly testing and tweaking of Pace Partners to dial in the best mix of bots, paces, routes, and events.
This week Pace Partners are modulating their wattage a bit better than before, all while heading to France for le Tour and leading Chase Races! Let’s dig into the latest Pace Partner news…
This Week’s Ride Routes
Riding routes for each Pace Partner have been changed this week, and Makuri Island Pace Partners have moved to France to watch le Tour:
Before this week, Pace Partners were modulating their power on inclines and declines to help keep the pace more natural; increasing power by 10% when the gradient hit 3% or more, and decreasing power by 20% on a negative gradient.
Power modulation will be a bit more “fine-grained” beginning this week, which will hopefully make the bot-driven pacing feel even more natural:
Uphill
1% gradient = 3% more power
2% gradient = 6% more power
3% gradient or more = 10% more power
Downhill
-1% gradient = 6% less power
-2% gradient = 12% less power
-3% gradient or more = 20% less power
Pace Partner-Led Chase Races
Zwift has been testing Pace Partner-led events for the past few weeks, and this week we’re seeing something novel – Chase Races where each category is “led” by a Pace Partner!
Pace Partner Chase Races are scheduled for multiple timeslots Tuesday to Thursday on France’s R.G.V. route. A Pace Partner will appear as the beacon in each of the 4 categories, riding at 4.59w/kg, 3.99 w/kg, 3.19w/kg, and 2.49w/kg.
Group D (2.49 w/kg) will take off first, on the hour
Zwift Insider reader Jim Haysom sent us this live stream recording of his first Pace Partner Chase Race. He wrote “… great concept, you and fellow category riders play domestique to get your pacer bot to the finish before the others. Our Cat Bs tonight (10pm BST) we’re about 31s from the win I think.”
Running Bots on the Volcano Circuit
Run bots are warming up on laps of Watopia’s Volcano Circuit (and Volcano Circuit CCW) this week, with plans to change the featured route each week. There are 11 run bots at a wide range of paces, so if runners want a bit of company, there’s a bot available:
Michael Midsole: 10:00/km
David Doubles: 9:00/km
Tracey Trot: 8:00/km
Albert Amble: 7:30/km
Sarah Stride: 7:00/km
Benito Bounder: 6:30/km
Hettie Hare: 6:00/km
Brendan Bolter: 5:30/km
Rebecca Rocket: 5:00/km
Stuart Speedster: 4:30/km
Patricia Pacemaker: 4:00/km
Share Feedback
James is looking for feedback on all things Pace Partner. He requests that you share feedback (and any questions) in one of these spots:
Coming back from a week of holidays with some friends, I found myself in a situation where, on my way to Madrid, I had a 5-hour stop at…. Bologna Airport. That same Bologna, Italy, which is the place of my favorite Zwift circuit.
As you can imagine, I nearly wet my pants in excitement. This immediate incontinence reminded me of when I received the Guns’n’Roses “Appetite for Destruction” CD for my birthday. (Unfortunately, I did not own a CD player yet, nor have the money to buy one, making this CD something as useful as an anvil powerup on Tempus Fugit.)
A Pilgrimage to IRL Bologna TT circuit
Without thinking twice, I decided that I would go and try to do the TT circuit IRL. I am as compulsive and innocent as that.
Since I am a recce freak (when you see Sherpa Dave or Si Bradeley Youtube Recces with 6,000 views, half of them are mine), I needed to visualize the challenge. Which led me up many steps, to learn that this is how the marvel of a circuit looks from the top of the Asinelli tower, the highest in town:
Via Rizzoli and Via Ugo Bassi
San Luca Sanctuary at the top of the climb
Once at the starting point next to Neptune fountain, I began to think if I would go TT Bike or Climbing bike…. which is always the dilemma when you are about to start the Bologna TT. I am totally convinced that a TT bike is better, the data is there, however I can’t prevent myself from thinking I am the dumbest guy in the world when I climb Via di San Luca at 14% gradient with a Speedmax.
There Is No Bike Garage IRL
It took me a good 30 seconds to acknowledge that I had no choice. This was IRL and whatever my preference might be, the only thing I would be able to ride is the following beauty:
Dolly, the Bike
Without further ado, let me introduce Dolly, a glowing partially electric 27kg bike-sharing treasure, that I would rent for 3 Euros per hour to the city of Bologna. All it took was the time to sign up in the ride-sharing app, scan the QR code, and put my 8kg backpack in the bike. Then Dolly said through her speaker “La bicicletta è sbloccata”, meaning it was unlocked and we were ready for the adventure.
The Ride of My Dreams
Dolly immediately showed she was up for it. As soon as I was pedaling a little bit she would deliver a comparable amount of watts which made it almost effortless to go really fast. At that time I thought maybe I would be able to beat my 15 minutes 54 seconds mark on the TT. What a delusional human being I am…
Three minutes into my ride, arriving at the end of Via Ugo Bassi, I was ready to jump into Via San Felice when the first incident occurred… Via San Felice is a one-way street in the opposite direction of the Bologna TT. ARRRRRRRRGHHHHHH!!!!!!
End of Via Ugo Bassi
According to psychologists, discovering that most of your dreams and wishes cannot come true is something human beings usually integrate into their thinking process when they are 6-8 years old. For me it took 45 years, 10 months, and 17 days. Performing the exact Zwift Bologna TT circuit riding Dolly will be, forever, the last magical thought I had.
I stopped Dolly and grabbed my phone to create a different itinerary to match as closely as possible the virtual TT Zwift Insider Verified segment. I managed it more or less, but overall what I wanted was to arrive at Via di San Luca from Via Porretana, and have that almost u-turn to start the climb.
Normally on Zwift I have a certain kind of apprehension 500 meters before the start of the climb, but this time I was really excited. When Arco del Meloncello showed up I was as impressed and emotional as the day I had Bernard Hinault next to me and I could not pronounce a single word (me remaining silent on any occasion is something that was believed scientifically impossible before that event).
Via di San Luca: Fighting with Dolly
When I turned right and Via di San Luca was there, standing in front of me, I had the same automatism as in Zwift. I stepped up on the pedals and started pushing as hard as possible. I could see that Dolly did not expect that one. Certainly it was the first time she had ever been brought to Via di San Luca. To my disappointment, it was obvious she did not like it. Her battery dramatically depleted almost immediately: “La batteria è scarica”.
The Starting point of Via di San Luca
Dolly was totally aligned with my way of racing – she gave it all without really calculating and now was dying slowly but surely, not even one-fifth through the climb. But she was not aligned at all with my resilience. NEVER SURRENDER!
As I was preparing myself to lose the additional watts provided by the battery, what I could not anticipate under any circumstance was that Dolly would react super badly to the fact I was voicing my disappointment to her. So when the battery reached 0%, not only did she no longer help, but she decided to simply and definitely lock herself: “Si prega di parcheggiare la bicicletta.”
I was being told to park the bike, and I reacted as any mature adult would do, pushing even harder on the pedals in pure denial. “Si prega di parcheggiare la bicicletta! Si prega di parcheggiare la bicicletta! Si prega di parcheggiare la bicicletta!”. The resistance was becoming stronger and stronger and I was at almost 170 BPM HR, advancing at 7 km/h max.At one point Dolly stopped shouting “Si prega di parcheggiare la bicicletta.”
I felt relieved. The resistance was super strong but at least I was not being snitched by Dolly in front of other people (suggesting I was stealing her). So I told myself that it was now a fight between Dolly and myself. And I would not let her win… I thought.
Thirty seconds after she stopped shouting “Si prega di parcheggiare la bicicletta” the alarm of the bike was triggered. An awfully loud and strident alarm attempting to make it clear I was showing inappropriate behavior towards Dolly.
I suddenly felt like a criminal, all eyes pointing at me. So I stopped pedaling – and Dolly’s alarm stopped – and I took my phone to end the ride and park Dolly almost halfway the climb.
But, as one disaster never occurs in isolation, I was not in a designated parking area, so the app would not let me park Dolly there, indicating that the closest place to park her was… at the start of the climb. I waved a white flag and started to believe that I was cursed, that I would never be able to finish the climb.
But as mentioned a few lines ago… I never surrender. I would not leave without seeing the Sanctuary of San Luca.
You are here
The Bike Ride Turned Duathlon
I brought Dolly almost a kilometer down – it shows in the Strava data of the activity – and decided I would climb San Luca walking.
I can say without any doubt that Zwift did a great job visually reproducing the circuit.
However, I could not prevent myself from shedding a tear being in such a magnificent environment. The views and the scenery were incredible. The smell and the noises are things that are virtually unreplicable and were giving my climb this particular feeling of being fully alive. Sorry if I am becoming a bit metaphysical here, but I live for those moments which remain engraved in your memory forever. I cherish them even more now, after 2 years in which I have not traveled at all. I remember Petra (Jordania), Kyoto Temples (Japan), Yosemite Park (USA), the Alhambra in Granada (Spain), Mont Saint-Michel (France), and some other unique moments which will be joined by the climb of Via di San Luca.
There is no other way to explain the sound of Via di San Luca in June than actually recording and playing it:
I assume that what we are hearing are cicadas from there, and you would not believe how loud it was. It sounded like they were celebrating and encouraging all those almost to the top of the climb and cheering them up to get it done!
The Holy Grail
When the church of San Luca appeared at the end of the road, I was so dehydrated that I was no longer sweating. My t-shirt was half wet and half white because of the dried salt, but I was the happiest man on earth.
The last two hundred meters of the climb were full celebration, as I was exchanging messages with my former teammates from Jerbos and especially Alberto, who shares my devotion to Bologna Circuit.
Once on the top, I stayed for 15 minutes in silence. I could not get myself to leave. I felt at home. Home…. S**T! With all these bumps in the road I was arriving late to my flight! I grabbed a cab and before I could say anything I understood I would not have to encourage the driver to go faster as the guy was a reincarnation of Juan Manuel Fangio.
End to End Positivism Doctrine
On the plane to Madrid, I could not prevent myself from smiling like an idiot thinking about what I had done. It was totally unplanned, it was chaotic, and I was totally overwhelmed by joy.
This wave of positivism was so huge that it showed also in my Covid auto-test arriving at home.
For the few that made it through the entire post, I am almost asymptomatic so far. Just a little headache, and some muscular fatigue.
I leave you with a few other pictures of Via di San Luca and send you all a big big Ride On!
Another bit of the IRL climb…And a shot from a nearby section in Zwift.Sanctuary of San Luca
Zwift Classics Series 2022 Announced for July-August
Zwift has just unveiled the 2022 edition of their “Zwift Classics” race series. Beginning July 11, this series of races is always popular among racers of all abilities. Here are all the details!
Series Basics
7 races, each featured on the calendar for 1 week, making series a total of 7 weeks long (July 11 thru August 28).
Week 1: The Apple Lap (July 11-17) 2 laps of New York’s Astoria Line 8 (23km, 282m elevation) Powerups: Anvil, Draft, Feather
Week 2: Watopia Cup (July 18-24) 3 laps of Watopia’s Two Bridges Loop (22km, 240m elevation) Powerups: Anvil, Ghost, Feather
Week 3: Watch the Femmes Takeover! (July 25-31) 1 lap of France’s Casse-Pattes (23.9km long, 145m elevation) Powerups: Anvil, Draft, Burrito
Week 4: Yorkshire Grand Prix (August 1-7) 2/3 lap of Yorkshire’s Royal Pump Room 8 (18.8km, 343m elevation), ending atop Reverse KOM Powerups: Anvil, Draft, Ghost
Week 5: London International (August 8-14) 1.5 laps of London 8 (27.8km, 262m elevation), finishing at the Mall sprint Powerups: Anvil, Burrito, Draft
Week 6: Rund um Innsbruck (August 15-21) 2.5 laps of Innsbruck’s Innsbrucking (23km, 213m elevation), finishing atop the Leg Snapper Powerups: Aero, Feather, Ghost
Week 7: Trofeo Bologna (August 22-28) 1 lap of Bologna Time Trial Lap (8.05km, 236m elevation) Powerups: none This is a mass start, non-drafting TT where riders will be required to use a TT frame. We recommend using one of the two new frames Zwift recently released (the Felt IA 2.0 or Scott Plasma RC Ultimate) due to their strong mix of aero and climbing performance.
Thanks to ZwiftPower, riders can compete in three different ways in this series:
Race Position: first across the line wins, of course. But you can race each event more than once if you’d like, and ZwiftPower will save your best finish for ranking purposes.
Global Position for Each Race: see your results vs. all other racers for each week’s event on ZwiftPower. (You may filter results by gender and ZwiftPower category.)
Zwift Classics races are using Zwift’s newish category enforcement scheme, which sets a minimum category for each racer based on their 60-day power history in Zwift.
Live Broadcast
Streaming coverage will be provided by Nathan Guerra of Zwift Community Live, with a special focus on Wednesday’s races at 5:10pm BST/2:10pm EST/11:10am PST when Nathan will race the A category and live-stream his efforts on his personal YouTube channel. Details to follow…
I had the unique opportunity to catch up with recently retired sprint superstar and Zwift Ambassador Andre Greipel at the Global Bike Festival presented by Zwift, where we discussed his retirement from racing and the next chapter in his remarkable journey.
For those that are not familiar with Andre, he amassed a total of 158 career victories over a remarkable 16 years riding with some of the world’s top teams. He won stages in all the Grand Tours, with 11 at the Tour de France, 7 at the Giro d’Italia, and 4 at the Vuelta a España, which also included winning the Points Categorisation in 2009. In addition, he was the German Road Race Champion on no less than three occasions.
Memories
With a life spent on the bike and a wealth of experiences to draw upon, I asked what one of his favourite memories was on a bike, from his professional career and outside. Andre’s response was one that really resonated: “I wouldn’t put it down to professional cycling life, for me cycling is just about creating memories, of course you can create them at a race, but for me the best memory you can create on a bike is when you start your ride early and watch the sun come up, that is the best memory you can create, that is what I really enjoy when I ride my bike. From time to time I start riding my bike before the sun comes up and I come back to all the important things in life. These are the memories you won’t forget.”
Teams and Friendships
As noted, Andre rode for some of the leading teams in the pro peloton, including T-Mobile, Omega Pharma-Lotto/Lotto-Belisol, and Israel Start-Up Nation. He commented that the best team was Lotto-Belisol: “Off the bike, we all had real good friendships. Therefore, it was also hard to leave the team, but I am still connected with these guys, and this is what was important to me, to have these friendships in the team, as I always knew I would do more for a friend than for a teammate. That is why it was always important to have a good team, to create those friendships.”
Retirement
I asked about Andre’s decision to retire at the end of the 2021 season and he explained that he was actually supposed to stop at the end of 2019! He said. “I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone, but I had to prove something to myself. Of course the 2020 season with Coronavirus was not a good season, I broke my collarbone and it wasn’t really a season. The 2021 season I won two bike races and it didn’t mean anything, I didn’t have the feeling of achieving anything anymore, so I told myself, ‘OK, that is the moment I should stop.’ Everyone told me that you will find the moment you want to stop and that moment came.”
Following his injury, I wondered how he managed to keep himself motivated and he explained, “I was always 100% professional and it was never a problem to keep myself motivated. No matter what, I wanted to be in good shape when the racing picked up, I was already overtrained and too fit for when the season started.”
Dedication to Fitness
This dedication to fitness continues now. Despite retiring, Andre is still in remarkable condition and I can personally testify as I was fortunate to ride with him as we tackled the Grossglockner, a 21.4km climb that topped off at 2400 meters, in the heart of the Austrian Alps.
I could only manage to stay with him on the climb until 1700 meters and watched in awe as he pulled away. Appreciating that Andre is a sprinter, this further highlighted the gap between an enthusiastic amateur and a trained professional, a gap that was further emphasised on the descent! As I descended at 70kph, at the top end of my comfort level, Andre overtook me on the outside and disappeared down the mountain. It was impressive to see.
I asked about his ability to maintain his form and he explained that, “Being a cyclist is a lifestyle, so when I was a professional, I never had to force myself to train, I just enjoyed every day on the bike. You hear a lot of ex-professionals never touching the bike again, this was never the case with me, so that makes it easy for me to go training. I don’t call it training, I just call it riding the bike. And cycling is about creating moments with others and to do that you have to ride your bike. This is the lifestyle I want to give back which is why I join a lot of rides, because these rides are important to keep cyclists in the sport. It connects generations and also different sport levels.”
Zwift
I was impressed with Andre’s desire to foster people’s enthusiasm with the sport and asked if this is what inspired him to get involved with Zwift. For those that are unaware, Andre is an accomplished Zwifter, with close to 10,000km logged on the platform. He is also currently a Zwift Ambassador.
However, it’s only recently his pleasure for training inside has developed. He explained, “I hated training on the rollers, which has to do with my childhood, we had indoor trainers which was an old frame connected to resistance. It was so loud, in a small room with no fan, every time we did the training on the indoor training, we were suffering. I think that is why I always hated training indoors and in the winter, I always went out. Then Zwift came along. It totally changed my training in the winter time. I knew efforts were important for me so I started to do more intervals in the winter and it totally changed my training and I also liked the community. It’s a bubble of cyclists and so nice to see that I can ride with someone in New Zealand on the same parcours. It was a game changer. Also seeing yourself going up in the levels, I also was one of the first professionals on Zwift. I didn’t get it for free, I paid for it. I just liked it.”
He went on to say that “Riding on Zwift distracted you from thinking you are riding indoors, you just want to finish the parcour. Even now when I get the feeling I want to race, I just go on Zwift. I do a crit session. I don’t need to do it anymore but I just like to suffer.”
In terms of Zwift, Andre is certainly serious and is well kitted out on the tech side, where he rides a Wahoo KICKR V5 with the Wahoo CLIMB, rounded off with a rocker plate.
Ambassadorial Role
I asked how his Ambassadorial role came about. “We did a lot before, we did charity rides. My mother passed away from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), she was always happy to find out more about this disease so it was important to keep up the awareness of this disease. The Zwift charity ride was one of the highest numbers combining all the group rides. It was nice that the cycling community helped each other, and so it was nothing to think about becoming an Ambassador, I am proud and hopefully I can create some more things with them.”
About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
For those not familiar with ALS, it is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. There is currently no cure for ALS. For more information visit als.org/understanding-als.
The Future
Given Andre’s sprinting skills, I am hoping he will host a masterclass in that field on Zwift, something many of us would benefit from. Apparently, this is something that is being considered.
Given Andre’s pedigree, I asked if he fancied competing for the indoor world championships, and by his own admission, “You have to get good at racing, and race, race, race. You can’t do it alone and you have to train well.”
It’s also doubtful if Andre would have the time as he is busy working with some of the industry’s leading brands. He mentioned that he is working with uvex helmets and glasses as well as clothing manufacturer Ryzon, so despite retiring from cycling, life is not slowing down!
*Special thanks to Andre for agreeing to the interview and Lizzie Dunthorne for facilitating.
Elite’s Best Gets Better: Justo Direct Drive Trainer Review
Elite have just announced their newest trainer, called the “Justo” (pronounced “joosto”).
I am in the privileged position to have tested the new trainer extensively even though it will not be available in Europe and the UK until the 3rd quarter of 2022 and the rest of the world in Q4 2022.
Origins of the Trainer
The origins of the Justo are simple: after releasing the Direto XR, Elite stepped back and analysed where improvements could be made, adopting the approach of “marginal gains” that is now prevalent across the cycling industry. As their Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Gaetano Mercante explained, “We wanted to make an even better trainer than the previous top-of-the-line (Direto XR). As you can see from the specification, we basically improved it in every aspect.”
The Justo doesn’t just take the key functionality of the Direto XR and repackage it. There are substantial enhancements.
New Design
Those who have the Direto XR will notice that the design of this new machine is noticeably changed. This is because one of the key drivers for Elite as a company is the “planet.” Elite wants to reduce pollution and waste and use renewably sourced materials and one way to help achieve these targets is to reduce the material used in production. This is a large contributing factor to the slimmed-down Justo’s design. The slimmed design is inspired by the more compact form of the Suito. In total there is a 40% weight reduction in plastic in the Justo compared to the Direto XR.
The styling was influenced by their very elegant RIZER, the only combined climbing and steering device on the market. The Justo is designed to match it and is fully compatible with it. This can be seen in the aluminium base that mirrors that of the RIZER, and a further small detail is the leather handle that has been used.
The handle is the same and has been used to create symmetry between the two products. Some may observe that it would have been better for the handle to have been positioned flat against the unit, however, this has been a point that was discussed in detail by Elite and it was not possible, as their CTO explained “we have tried many different positions and layouts. With a flat layout, the hand would have touched the big pulley.” It was also explained that due to the compact design, there was limited space under the bolt and because the trainer has some weight (as all trainers do), a bolt was used to assure a strong fix of the handle since a screw threaded on the aluminum body would have not had sufficient strength to hold the weight of the unit.
A focal point of the design is the partially exposed flywheel, which weighs 6.2kg and is 22% heavier than that used in the Direto XR to provide a smoother riding feel. This exposed flywheel also helps reduce the noise of the trainer (the plastic on Direto XR acted as a soundboard, even though the Direto XR is not noisy compared to other trainers).
In addition, the pulley and belt are visible. I personally find this feature very interesting but this is purely a personal preference as I like to see the moving, mechanical parts and it’s also a nice design attribute.
The foldable legs and compact nature of the design means it takes up less storage space when packed away. The Justo is only 20cm wide, which is 33% less than the Direto.
The foldable legs include flexible feet to help mimic the side-to-side movement of the bike outdoors, making it a more natural ride and reducing fatigue. There are different stiffnesses of feet depending on your preference, and they are easily exchangeable.
Testing and Release
Elite’s testing of this new trainer was been extensive, using specifically designed equipment to test the trainer’s mechanical ability to bear loads. Elite explained, “it is tested on motorized equipment to test its strength, heat, and other aspects under boundary conditions that cannot be reached by a cyclist.”
The Justo has also been trailed by cyclists of various performance levels to ensure that this is suitable for all abilities.
Technical Specifications
It’s important to realise that there were many good features about the Direto XR and this trainer builds upon them. It can be considered more “evolution” than “revolution.” For example, the following key features from the Direto XR remain:
Max Gradient Simulation: 24%
Max Wattage: 2300w
Power Meter: OTS power sensor
Transmission Protocols: BLE FTMS, BLE POWER, BLE S&C, ANT+ FE-C, ANT+ Power, ANT+ S&C
Max Power: 1100w (at 20km/h) / 2400w (at 40km/h)
Weight: 17kg
Extras:
Die-casting body with folding legs
Compatible with the RIZER
24 points pedal analysis
Die-casting body with folding legs
New features include:
New Elite Flex Feet: Flexible feet that replicate the side-to-side movement experienced while riding outdoors.
Power Reading Accuracy: A new more sensitive sensor that improves the overall accuracy by 33% compared to Direto XR-T (from +/- 1.5% to +/-1%), especially in low torque conditions (low power at high speeds). This allows the trainer to also simulate lower slope gradients at high speed.
Auto Calibration: Justo detects the right conditions for calibration during your training and automatically performs the calibration, eliminating the need for manual intervention by the user.
Redesigned and Heavier Flywheel: The new flywheel is 6.2kg (22% heavier compared to Direto XR-T) for a smoother riding feel.
Lower noise level.
Improved Erg mode power stability: The improved brake control algorithm has reduced the power fluctuations in Erg mode.
Double Bluetooth Connection: 2 Bluetooth devices can connect simultaneously to the Justo.
Heart rate/Cadence Sensor Bridge Connection: The user can connect an HR and/or a cadence sensor to the trainer (both in ANT and BLE) and the value is rebroadcasted to the training software through ANT+ FE-C and BLE FTMS. “Justo” can also create a virtual HR sensor. This allows the user to use an HR sensor with a different protocol from the app. (For example, using an ANT HR sensor with a Bluetooth-only iPhone).
Erg Mode Easy Start: Due to the high resistance that the trainer can deliver, starting in Erg mode from zero watts on a high-power segment can be very challenging. It waits a few seconds before increasing the brake, to let the user gain enough speed momentum to handle much easier the high power requested.
Wired Connection Ready: A separate accessory (similar to the Wahoo Direct Connect) will allow the user to connect Justo to the home network using a wired connection. This will be available Q4 2022. Here are two images of the device:
One important point is that as previously mentioned, the Justo is smaller than the Direto XR. The dimensions when closed are 57cm x 19.5cm x 52cm, in contrast to the Direto XR-T of 65cm x 30cm x 56cm.
Setting Up
The trainer is simple to set up. Simply remove from the box, remove the protective foam that is wrapped around the flywheel and install the plastic cover using the two screws that come included. Open the feet, adjust the feet to ensure the trainer is level, and click into position, which is easy to do and simpler than its predecessor.
Once it is stable, install your cassette (the Justo does not ship with a cassette), insert the power cord and you are ready to go.
You are probably wondering “Is it that simple?” Yes, it really is.
I did observe that the trainer did feel high up off the ground and when I measured the position, the cassette sits 37.5cm from the ground, in comparison to 31.5cm of the Wahoo KICKR v5 and 37cm of the Tacx NEO 2T.
I do recommend installing Elite’s myETraining app. Although the trainer auto-calibrates, I like to make sure everything is set up correctly. Elite have informed me that their app sends relevant parameters to the trainer upon connection, so if any parameter has been wrongly set, this fixes it. It will also be useful for detecting and installing available firmware updates in the future. So I would advise connecting the trainer via the app before launching into Zwift.
Ride Experience
How does the trainer feel?
The trainer is smooth. The large pulley which is connected to the flywheel via the belt means there is a bit more force required in acceleration to build the required momentum, but overall, it’s a really smooth and steady ride.
The rubber feet, which can be changed, ensure that there is a bit of natural movement when cycling, which makes for a more comfortable ride and provides that natural feel.
Accuracy and responsiveness
The accuracy of the trainer is impressive. The below table shows how closely the Justo compares to my Garmin Vector 2S pedals in various tests. We are literally talking the difference of a single watt in many cases!
To detail this further, I have highlighted the percentage difference when I raced the Bologna TT. The variance is less than 1%.
Justo
Garmin Vector 2S pedals
Difference %
5 Seconds
425w
424w
-0.24
15 Seconds
396w
394w
-0.51
30 Seconds
387w
386w
-0.26
1 Minute
378w
377w
-0.27
5 Minutes
336w
336w
0
10 Minutes
325w
325w
0
In terms of responsiveness, due to the size of the pulley/flywheel, there is higher resistance in acceleration. You need to develop more power to increase the speed of the flywheel. The challenge I had was being able to do this. I am sure with more time testing, I would get used to this feel, but my initial impression is that this trainer certainly lends itself more to powerful riders and not sprightly climbers like myself.
One observation, which I am unable to explain was that when I tested the “Justo” when climbing on the Volcano climb in Zwift, my times were 7:38 and 7:35 respectively. This is 40 seconds slower than what I have achieved recently.
Noise
The noise of the trainer is very much reduced from the Direto XR, making it one of the quietest trainers I have heard. The reason for this is the new, more aerodynamic profile of the elements connected with the flywheel, the reduced flywheel rotation speed, and a modified belt.
Erg mode
Erg mode is very precise. When I started using Erg mode, initial resistance was applied but it immediately relaxed, allowing me to start pedaling. As the session continued, resistance was applied as expected.
Compatibility with the RIZER
The trainer is fully compatible with the RIZER and is even manufactured in the same styling. A complete Justo-RIZER combination is not just the complete training package, but its elegant and uniform design would make it a conversation piece.
Pricing
This is a top-end product and retails for £999 / Euro 990 /US $1,199.
It is available in Europe Q3 2022 and the rest of world in Q4 2022.
Summing Up
When I reviewed the Direto-XR I noted “Italy is famed for beautifully designed buildings and machinery, marrying form and function, the Coliseum and Ferrari being examples, and it would be nice to see the next version having that Italian design flare applied.” The “Justo” certainly is an aesthetically pleasing trainer, with details that tie it to the RIZER, creating a complete training platform when coupled together.
More than just looking nice, this trainer is packed full of upgrades from the Direto XR and the ability to hardwire this into a network will be welcomed by those looking for that extra stability when racing on Zwift.
One noticeable improvement is the reduction in noise. This trainer is quiet! Probably one of the quietest I have tried, so certainly no risk of waking anyone if you fancy an early morning training session.
The overall ride feel is smooth and steady and with the newly designed feet, there is a more natural feel when using the trainer, my only point to note was the responsiveness. When accelerating you do feel the flywheel resistance and this may not suit some riders, however when you have reached your speed, this trainer just goes.
When analysing the data from the trainer, I was impressed at how closely the power corresponded to that recorded on my pedals, with it being less than 1% difference. Extremely impressive.
All-in-all, the Justo is packed with new features, offers a nice ride, and is comparable to the trainers in the top end of the market. As Elite says, with the Justo, “Elite’s best just go better.” (“Justo”, by the way, is Italian for right/correct, referring to the trainer’s power accuracy.)
With the Tour de France beginning this weekend, I am calling out all events that tie in with the main event on pro cycling’s annual calendar!
SISU Racing Tour Men’s/Mixed – Stage 1
This looks a fun event to take part in! SISU Racing’s 2022 Men’s/Mixed Tour replicates some of the classic 2022 TDF stages in Zwifty fashion. This first stage (on Friday) is an Individual time trial (no drafting) on the Beach Island Loop in Watopia.
Following the completion of the Tour de France at the end of July, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will commence.
Join this 50-minute timed ride in France, listen to an informative podcast while you spin with friends, and unlock the Watch the Femmes cap and socks. Sign up for the Watch the Femmes Mission in game and ride 8 WtF events to unlock the Watch the Femmes kit!
CYCLO FRANCE TOUR 2022 by Frenchy Fuzion & TEAM ARRODA ÉTAPE 9
The event description is written in French, however I have been able to translate with the aid of technology, and it says “In the spirit of a Cyclo-sportive ride of 9 stages, come and ride on all the French maps (Paris, France, the Alps…) with Team ARRODA and Frenchy Fuzion. Depart all together.”
The event is on the “Chasing the Sun” route in Makuri Islands and totals 35.1km
L’Equipe Provence’s badge hunter rides are some of the best in the game, and this weekend they’re riding on France’s long Petit Boucle route (61.8km) as a nod to the start of the TdF, also known as “La Grande Boucle” (The Great Loop).
This ride uses doubledraft mode to help riders stay together, and includes a LEQP jersey unlock for finishers!
The folks at Nowhere Fast don’t always ride inside. After Mike’s successful completion of Unbound in 2021, Kevin and Zach signed up to join him in 2022. After a year of excitement, we all … didn’t do Unbound. Kevin got sick and bought a house, Zach got sick and got a new job, and Mike decided 200 miles of Kansas gravel isn’t fun without some company. Needless to say, the much-anticipated follow-up to last year’s Unbound recap was a dud.
While Unbound was a flop, Kevin is making a splash in a new discipline–the home triathlon. With his fitness down to near zero after the rough spring, Kevin has turned to Zwift duathlons in a search for whatever fitness he can find. He also added in a home swimming portion to make it a triathlon, for no good reason. If you enjoy Storytime with KBH, you’ll definitely want to tune in for his tale of turning his home saltwater pool into the Dead Sea and trying to coax it back to something suitable for swimming.
SwimBikeRun
The Nowhere Fast crew also catches up on the latest Zwift news and talks about Zwift racing during the summer. Spoiler alert: there’s still a lot of cheating.
The Wide Angle Podium is currently in its annual donor drive. If you enjoy the fake bikes, real racing content of Nowhere Fast, head to wideanglepodium.com/donate to make a one-time or monthly donation. Monthly subscribers get a free WAP beanie for the duration of the donor drive. If enough folks sign up to support the show, we will get to work on Nowhere Fast-branded ice vests and see-through jerseys.
About the Podcast
Nowhere Fast is a part of the Wide Angle Podium network and focuses on virtual bike racing. It includes Zwift commentary, interviews, and coverage of real races on fake bikes. Get it on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, or anywhere else fine podcasts are shared.
Although group rides on Zwift vary in terms of pacing and route selection, they are remarkably consistent in many ways. Here we’ve constructed a sort of “Ride Pyramid” illustrating the essential elements which make up all group rides on Zwift.
When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. If you don’t make it to the top of the Zwift race podium, it can be helpful to spend some time analyzing your race to determine what kept you from a win. This may help you spot areas of necessary improvement. It may also help you explain away the loss so you feel better about yourself.
Zwiftcast’s Simon Schofield was the first non-Zwift employee to ride on Zwift. But he famously neglected to opt into the “Climb Mt. Everest” challenge, placing him amidst the hordes of Zwifters who have accumulated thousands of meters of elevation which will never be applied to the coveted Tron bike.
The best part of the story is how, in very British fashion, Simon doubled down after realizing his error. He has repeatedly vowed to stay far from the slopes of Mt. Everest, having convinced himself that he has no need for a Tron bike. Note: unlike most of our charts, this one uses accurate data.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of this first set of Zwift charts? Got an idea for a useful chart we could put together? Share below!
