Elite Justo Smart Trainer In-Depth Review: An Impressive Slate of New Features

[@snaut2000]

Thanks for the great review. This thing reminds me of a Super 8 Movie projector from the 80's.

[@chrisobyrne5675]

This looks like a very compelling offer. Connections for Apple TV and that easy start in ERG mode are great additions. That BB is way over due for fixing! Great content as always.

[@Dcrainmaker]

Thanks!!!

[@eugendobric]

It reminds me of my Elite Suito trainer which is btw just great for it's price.

[@reginalb124]

@4:10 casual shade thrown at Whoop with that HR graph.

[@the_real_cansin]

For who is wondering the results of upgrading from older Direto X to Justo the answer is here. First of all the flex feet feature is sweet and you will definitely feel the difference and I think it helps on long sessions.. Second the noise is much much lower in Justo. Third Erg mode and slope simulation much better also. Fourth overall riding feel is improved, direto x feels very unnatural compared to Justo. Don't forget the auto calibration feature that justo has... I also tested the new easy erg start mode and it is very cool so you don't curse the programmers of the device anymore. Sensor bridging is here also but since I don't need it didn't test it. Bdw I see lots of people complaining about elite trainer's accuracy. I can easily say that elite trainers are seems very very accurate. I think some poeople is coming from very wonky trainers and complaining abuot elite's accuracy when they see lower numbers. Also please be careful about using the correct adapters for your bike on an elite trainer since I realized it can cause 50w+ offset in readings when you don't setup correctly....

[@genefrankle1]

Question is will it start making clicking noises after couple of months like my last two Direto Xrt's.

[@the_real_cansin]

@@genefrankle1 no… zero issues. I ride ~250 kms week sometimes 90 km single rides. No overheat, no noise, no wobbly parts it is rock solid… Only complaint maybe the flywheel weight. It is too heavy and it requires more power to keep flywheel spinning especially on sudden gradient changes. I think heavier flywheel doesn’t always mean better ride feel. Heavier flywheels better on time trial efforts but not so good for hilly & mountain routes because flywheel doesn’t reach high speeds and you feel this on your legs. I didn’t try tacx neo but not having a physical flywheel may prevent this kind of issues. No way to avoid it with trainers like justo & kickr since they all have heavy physical flywheels

[@genefrankle1]

@@the_real_cansin you know what, you're right. I replaced my XR with Justo and there is no big difference in ride feel. But when i ride in Rouvy and FulGaz I've noticed that it's more difficult. Almost every part of the ride i had to go gear down and didn't know why it's happening. I especially noticed that on flat and downhills when i feel way more resistance than before. Your explanation of flywheel weight makes sense. I didn't even thought about that but that explains it all.

[@xKillYourTVx]

@@genefrankle1 is it that bad? Im thinking ablut switching from kickr core to justo since i got a good offer for 500€ for a new one. Would you recommend the justo from your experience?

[@genefrankle1]

@@xKillYourTVx i left Elite brand behind 6 months ago and went for Tacx Neo 2T. For now it's better. You immediately feel that it's a better built product. Ride feel is better, no noises and issues so far. With Elite there was always something and judging from forums I'm not the only one. I had Direto XRT, had to send it back two times, last time i got Justo and immediately started hearing noises and flywheel wobbling issues. Maybe its ptsd, maybe other people wouldn't notice those things but I did and it bothered me. Sent it back and got Tacx. Listen, Direto was a good product while it worked. Ride quality was good etc. But obviously they have a big problem with quality control. Although I must say, customer service was always forthcoming and very nice. That being said, first they require you to try some repairs which they have instructions for and only after that you can send the device back. Ask yourself this, if they have all this instructions for repairing different things, maybe it's production fault not just issue here and there. One thing I actually miss about Elite is that they don't have proper downhill simulation so I never ran out of gears going downhill with it but on Tacx I do all the time. I mean it's more realistic but who wants to ride downhill on Rouvy for 5km with 100+ cadance and 90 watts, if you know what I mean. 😂

[@gonthar1]

No more Elite for me: ERG mode on my Direto XR never worked out of the box, always underreporting/underperforming the watts. Started to make terrible noise after almost a year. Performed the "pulley cleaning" procedure after which the trainer failed completely. Received and installed a new board from Elite, no go however. Returned it to the shop and switched it for a Wahoo KickR v5, very happy with this switch.

[@Cyclingismywholelife]

I purchased a smart trainer based on your reviews, keep up the good work and thank you for helping the world.

[@rayF4rio]

Good to see that Elite has resolved the responsiveness issues. My Direto XR is very slow to respond in erg mode on short intervals - like 45-60 secs to get from 120 watts to 300 watts.

[@JoeJoe-lq6bd]

Yeah, I think the Direto XR has pretty terrible responsiveness. Almost immediately regretted purchasing it.

[@luciouspontorro3741]

Great review. This trainer is really nice. I got the Saris H3 on a great sale and I'm super happy but this Elite Justo seems amazing. The auto calibration is such a nice feature!

[@philipp-christopherdeeke2210]

I'm in the market for a new smart trainer for the winter this year and this one ticks a lot of boxes. Let's see if Wahoo or Tacx has something up their sleeves for this year. If not or not interesting, this could be it.

[@kamikazeephi]

pretty loud trainer

[@MrTrebbor]

Wow, what a great trainer!

[@david.stachon]

I bought the Elite smart rollers (e-motion) a few years ago. Top dollar, but absolutely amazing piece of kit.

[@bobwatkins1271]

I'm almost looking forward to my KICKR breaking down again so that I can replace it with one of these.

[@MattSwain1]

Looks a good device and definitely one I’d consider if my gen 1 Neo was to pack in. I can’t say that I’m too bothered about the lack of cassette as I’d always want to put one on that exactly matched what I had on my rear wheel anyway but I suppose for people who’ve never changed cassettes before it’s an added cost and inconvenience

[@OFlick-en8yw]

Agreed, My gen 1 Neo still spinning as well.

[@jimjamthebananaman1]

It’s a two minute job though and would cost you about £5/$8 to buy a chain whip and cassette removing tool

[@richardgarrett3188]

Now that container prices are dropping (40% below its peak of $12,424 per FEU in late November 2021), I wonder if they will decrease the US price or if they will just pocket the extra money? I considered this as well as the Riser, but the combined cost puts it above the new Kickr V6 and Climb combo.

[@photography_by_henk_101]

Thanks again for another good video. I miss some more comparison with the Kickr and the Neo2. The Elite has some new features. But the others have features that the Elite does not have... So I wished more comparison. I, somehow, had the feeling there was more focus on emphasizing the good work of Elite than finding out which one is the best or which fits wo whom.

[@Dcrainmaker]

Yup, I'll probably tackle a comparison here soon.

[@drake29a]

​@@Dcrainmakerany progress on this one? Winter is comming

[@AB-fh9zh]

I wonder how quickly they'll drop support for older models this time.

[@matthewdray83]

I never worry about the accuracy use a power meter to log the power. I cannot Justo the price to upgrade from a Suito to this. One thing I will say is that Elite have top class after sales service, in the unlikely event that it fails they will fix it quickly.

[@prabhuwali9]

How has the suito been so far? Any major issues you've come across?

[@Eirikkinserdal]

Big drops in price on the kickr v5 atm. Something coming up? And when does this release?

[@johnshort4421]

Why are front wheel risers required for these new wheel off trainers! Seems to be a silly requirement when the height could be made right at the rear, correct?

[@WowRixter]

It would be nice if squishy was an upgrade option for the Direto

[@quintennn]

I think this is the first time I've seen stuff being priced higher in the US than in Europe. Normally it's the otherway around which doesn't even make sense. A $100 is not the same a €100 it's more like €80 but instead in europa we pay €120... Can't blame that all on shipping.

[@JoeJoe-lq6bd]

Would really like some longer-term reviews, though I know that's tricky since you review a lot of trainers. I bought a Direto XR a couple of years ago and I have not been super happy with it. It regularly goes to high resistance when you are not in a workout, or if you have to pause, while using Zwift.

[@hgiusdfajgfds]

The easy start erg mode sounds like what Zwift already tries to do. But their implementation is not quite perfect.

[@pumpz4]

Hi - great review as always concise and to the point and very easy to watch I own a Suito and hate the rigid feet - do Elite sell these new feet seperately and if so are they compatable with my Suito do you know? Thanks again for all your hard work

[@mss8322]

if you just consider ride feel, which would you pick? The justo or Neo 2T ?

[@samslichter3566]

I thought OTS stood for Optical Torque Sensor? Or is that something else?

[@Dcrainmaker]

Nope, that’s very valid! 🤣

[@AndrewL]

@dc Rainmaker , where can i buy your t-shirt?

[@sheilakwon2426]

I want to buy a trainer with hill climb accessory so I'm looking at either the Wahoo kickr or the Elite justo, suito or Direto with the Rizer. I want them to work with swift so it will my son competitive while the rain and snows keep him off the road. If money was no object, which would you go for? I need one with a built in power meter Thanks

[@Apostroph418]

Alright most important question. Elite Justo or Wahoo Kickr V5 for hard zwift racing almost all year long?

[@brunojuliao3687]

Great review. Between this one and the Elite Directo XR which one would you prefer? Does the Justo justify 200eur more?

[@the_real_cansin]

I have direto x and justo. I think paying 200 euros more definitely worth in this case. Please see my other comment here to read more details about their differences.

[@PedroPrego]

Do you know if anything changed regarding availability? I'm asking this because I can't find it anywhere online.

[@julietownsley2561]

Where can I purchae the elite justo

[@jareou]

Hey DC, you mentioned a power meter. Does the wahoo kickr5 have a power meter like the Justo?

[@the_real_cansin]

An out of the context question. Are you happy with those fizik tri shoes? There is a huge discount on them and couldn't find a good review :))

[@Dcrainmaker]

Pretty happy with them, no issues!

[@christopfrs]

Hey DC rmRainmaker, would you buy it instead of Wahoo Kickr V5? Just consider same price, or direto xr vs kickr core? Thx

[@jdlf79]

Hi, Which do you recommend, the direct elite or the justo elite?

[@dashie4yt]

hi, does it work also unplugged from electrical power?

[@Matthew25405]

Yes

[@think-islam-channel]

When doing zwift, does the trainer give more resistance when going uphill. Does it give the feeling of actually taking part in a race? What's the cheapest way to achieve that kind of training/experience of that is available?

[@oldtwinsna8347]

That's how these smart trainers work - they increase resistance based upon the gradient figure it's getting from the computer application (Zwift, or equivalent). This can, however, be manipulated by the application program. In Zwift this is the "trainer difficulty setting" which is sliding scale you set. At max, it will simulate hill effort very well, requiring a lot of gear changes for gradient differences. Some folks like to turn that down though, as then you need to shift gears less and instead focus on just delivering steady power output.

[@jamesheade8429]

Buyers beware of Elite support after their purchase. Just ask us who purchased expensive Drivo smart trainers in the past and received no corrective upgrades.

[@fezzafella]

I have an Elite Direto XR and the ERG Easy Start capability seems to be on it already. If I stop in ERG mode it drops off the load and spins easily for a few seconds before loading up again. Are you sure this is new for the Justo?

[@Dcrainmaker]

Interesting. It's supposedly new here. I don't have a Direto XR anymore, but I'll ask around to see if perhaps something is tweaked/different here.

[@AdamNowak534]

+1

[@JoeJoe-lq6bd]

I have a Direto XR and have never experienced it having that feature.

[@rogerphillips7067]

It is definitely on my Direto 2, using Bkool platfom, have owned for nearly 4 years and runs fautlessly

[@theoriginalrecycler]

Strangely booming volume

[@Carftymk]

i just want a smart trainer without a powermeter integrated... would it be possible for a trainer to read power from your bike's pm and then adjust from there or would there be too much delay?

[@magrinho69]

Of course it is, in trainer road i do exactly that The new Wahoo Rolle relies exactly in you having a PM on the bike

[@kidsafe]

Elite and Wahoo trainers can already bridge/passthrough a external power meter. The trainer is always going to apply resistance in the form of negative acceleration based on its own power curve, but if it uses an external power source, then at least the feedback loop will control those changes in ERG mode. It sometimes ends up not being perfect, and the app you're running can also introduce its own idiosyncracies. In sim mode, none of this matters too much.

[@leslie7922]

Yep easily

[@bet609]

will the easy erg mode be available in direto / suito?

[@Eirikkinserdal]

Seems like something that could be integrated through software?

[@crimper1690]

I just purchased the elite Justo trainer for $1K. It was for my son to use while i am working away from home. He has a 10 speed racing bike. I place the 10 speed cassette on the bike and mounted it on to the trainer. It had worked perfectly with my bike when I first tested it. We turned it on and my son tried to ride it but could barely move the pedals, We had a solid red light and flashing blue and green lights. I then tried it andI could barely move the pedals. It was like cycling up the hardest hill you could find. Elite are useless at replying to any emails or customer service requests i have sent. Any solutions?

[@karlschleifenbaum5793]

After a couple of days of testing, I have to tell you some letdowns about the Justo: - Loses connection with Zwift for a couple of seconds every other ride. Annyoing (Zwift Hub didn't have this problem) - One of the quick release adapters for 130mm width is insufficient in a way that the frame slips of the axle ... I kid you not. The problem is a spacer adapter that is knurled only on one side. The other is smooth steel so that there is no grip on the frame. DANGEROUS. YOU NEED TO KNURL IT YOURSELF (Zwift Hub didn't have this problem) - The descent simulation doesn't work as expected. With 0% incline you need to pedal with the same wattage as with -10%. In reality, it should get easier to pedal, but with Justo IT DOESN'T (Zwift Hub didn't have that problem) On the other side: - easy start is really nice (Zwift Hub sucks in that regard) - quieter than Zwift Hub, although freehub is ANNOYINGLY LOUD (Zwift Hub has louder flywheel, but quieter freehub) - together with the Rizer it's more realistic than Zwift Hub (apart from descents ...). Zwift Hub DOESN'T SUPPORT THE ELITE RIZER!!! I learned this the hard way ... - slight rocking prevents butt pain (Zwift Hub caused it after 30 mins, with Justo NO PAIN AT ALL) Overall: Justo is still my go-to choice because of no pain and incline simulation, but the Zwift Hub for 40% less is a good choice too if you're tight on budget

[@xKillYourTVx]

wie stehst inzwischen zum justo? Besteht das Problem immernoch mit den descends? Habe grade eine Angebot für nen neuen Justo für 500€ und frag mich ob es sich lohnt zu wechseln vom Kickr core den ich jetzt habe.

[@titaniumben9923]

Links for the data Ray? 👍

[@titaniumben9923]

Also, does it still suffer the "Elite effect" of delayed supertuck in zwift? Omg that's annoying.

[@Dcrainmaker]

Super tuck was actually addressed, I just forgot to mention it. Doh!

[@Dcrainmaker]

Oh, and here’s link, see accuracy section for links to each data set: www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/07/elite-justo-smart-trainer-in-depth-review.html

[@titaniumben9923]

@@Dcrainmaker cheers Ray!

[@leslie7922]

Cheaper than shimano 105 groupset 😂

[@Dcrainmaker]

Isn't everything? 😂

[@waynehiggins899]

😂 and probably lighter

[@mikebeattie976]

It should come with a cassette not having one put me off getting one

[@mister_ray]

I disagree. Users will have 9,10, 11 and 12 speed bikes. In my case I like an 11-30. You might need or want something else.

[@jesusgjchuza6491]

🤟🏼🤝😎

[@WowRixter]

I guess your baby isn't in the crib any longer so you can't do the noise test while he was sleeping 😆

[@st3ppenwolf]

Does it feel like a real bike? if not, then I am not interested.

[@borasumer]

Time to replace BB lol.

[@Dcrainmaker]

Not the only thing on that bike that needs to be taken out back and disposed of… 🤣

[@74aztlan]

Ugly & interesting. 🙂

[@thelmaviaduct]

I wouldn't touch an Elite product ever again, not even with yours. They should stick to making water bottles.

[@Ryezn5057]

Why?

[@thelmaviaduct]

@@Ryezn5057 because they're unreliable, they don't support the product moving forward, made of plastic, Kickr does everything you need with no drama.

[@Ryezn5057]

@@thelmaviaduct good to know, thanks for the feedback. I'm looking at the wahoo kickr

[@thelmaviaduct]

@@Ryezn5057 you won't be disappointed with the V5. Meant to be good deals on them too.

[@gourami7]

Had no issues at all with Elite Suito but can see on heard Directo has had problems for some