At first glance, the Elite Direto X does not necessarily impress. The plastic housing with uneven gaps looks cheap. But there is good technology under the bonnet of the Elite roller trainer, which becomes clear after just a few pedals. The pedalling feel of the Elite Direto X is full, the power display is very accurate thanks to the torque sensor, the pack size and moderate weight make it easy to handle. The volume of the Successor model to the Elite Direto is low at low to medium speeds, but increases significantly when sprinting. If you don't sprint, the Elite Direto X Smarttrainer is suitable for indoor use.
How the Elite Direto X performs in the ride test
The driving experience in Zwift ERG mode is excellent. The system controls very quickly and you can see what you are doing. Elite offers its own app, but this suffers from the sometimes cryptic translation and weak user interface. In ergometer mode, it is noticeable that the brake of the Elite Direto X regulates imprecisely during power surges and demands too much power. The control range also clearly depends on the selected gear. A 12-month subscription for extended functions such as pedalling analysis is included in the purchase price. Without the app, the brake of the Elite roller trainer functions as a progressive resistance.
Technical data for the Elite Direto X
- Price: 729 Euro
- Weight 14.8 kilogrammes
- Footprint W x L: 85 x 56 cm
- Storage dimensions W x L x H: 31 x 56 x 65 cm
- max. power: 2100 watts
- max. gradient: 18 per cent
- Volume at 27/40/66 km/h: 44/59/87 decibels
- Average deviation: 3 watts
Test summary of the Elite Direto X
- PLUS: Very accurate power display, very real in Zwift, lightweight and transportable
- MINUS: Slow control in ergometer mode
How TOUR tests roller trainers & smart trainers
We all used the roller trainers in a normally furnished living room measuring just under 20 square metres. Firstly, the manufacturer-specific app was set up on a Samsung S7 under Android, if available, and the firmware of the smart trainer was updated to the latest version. The app was then used to carry out a calibration ride ("spindown") after warming up. We used the app in ergometer mode with Bluetooth to complete an interval programme. We also checked the accuracy of the power display.
An SRM system was used as a reference, which in turn was synchronised with other power meters. We limited ourselves to endurance performances in the range of 150 to 350 watts and also tested the control speed of the trainers during power jumps in interval mode.
Finally, we completed various undulating courses on Zwift and tested the response behaviour of the brakes - the reaction time to changes in terrain - and evaluated the ride feel. We used ANT+ as the connection to the PC. The sound level was measured at a distance of one metre from the device at three speeds: 27, 40 and 66 km/h; at cadences between 90 and 120 rpm. It should be noted that the sound level has a logarithmic scale. An increase of 10 decibels corresponds to a doubling of the perceived volume. Low frequencies are not adequately recorded by the level measurement, which is why we also describe these in the text.
