Elite Sterzo Smart paired, but not steering in Zwift | Windows 11 [September 2024]

Known Issues
42

Here is the zwiftalizer thingamajiggy link Zwiftalizer 2.0

You will see 2 connections for HRM and Sterzo, after the initial steering no response, I connected through phone to test after my ride.

@shooj

43

New pairing behavior yesterday.

No steering again. Went into the pairing screen to try disconnecting and reconnecting.
Usually what happens is you click on the blue Steering button from the pairing screen, and the small window opens showing the Sterzo connected, with a white check mark in the box on the right. If you click that box, the check mark goes away, and the box is then empty (unchecked) but the Sterzo remains visible in the list.

Yesterday, clicking the white checkmark in the box made the Sterzo disappear from the list. It would reappear after another 5-10 seconds of searching. But the disappearing act immediately on unchecking the box is new behavior. See gif.


It connected at one point across multiple attempts, but only to steer me right this time–and I only knew because the red force field showed up for a few seconds, then went away. No actual steering at any time. But as always, Sterzo showing as connected in Pairing.

44

No steering again yesterday, any update on this @Rowdy

45

Hello all,

I’ve been attempting to recreate this issue on my Windows 11 PC and my Sterzo and still have not managed to experience it. It seems to be pretty intermittent for folks and we may need to find a reliable way to trigger this in order to find the root cause and fix it.

I haven’t received any other reports of this issue outside of this thread, so this may be caused by something outside of Zwift or the result of a unique variable being added to the equation. I’ve reached out to the Zwifters who have posted recently on this thread in order to start tracking this via support tickets, and I encourage anyone else experiencing this to reach out to Support as well.

For anyone who sees this and has not opened a support ticket, please:

  • Confirm which model/manufacturer PC you use to Zwift
  • Confirm which bluetooth driver version is installed on your device? (Visit this support.microsoft page​ to details on how to check)
  • If your bluetooth driver is not fully up to date, please update to the latest version.
  • Navigate to Documents/Zwift, then delete KnownDevices.xml and Prefs.xml to restore your Zwift setting back to default
  • Confirm that your Sterzo has fresh batteries and is on the latest firmware available from the Elite Upgrado app.

After taking the measures outlined, please let us know if the issue continues or improves for you.

1 Like
46

Hi Rody, I have updated the Bluetooth version 23.60.01 to 80.0.3 and everything else in your email. You also have my activity in Repack Rush in Watopia. I deleted the knowndevices.xml files that said invalid and prefs.xml. I hope it works now

47

Today the sterzo tells me he keeps looking and can’t find it. It doesn’t work and I have done all the noisy steps

48

I sent this to Rowdy for my ticket yesterday, but I’ll post here for others.

Update from tonight.

I didn’t get a chance to check the BT version on Win11, but I’ve previously confirmed that the drivers are up to date. I can get that info for you, I was just running late and needing to get my workout in.

I did, however, delete the Docs/Zwift two files before firing it all up. And the Sterzo has fresh batteries, less than a week old now, and the door was closed properly. From there, here’s the order of operations:

  1. I fired up Zwift on my phone (new Samsung S24+). All devices connected, worked fine, including Sterzo. Exited that app (did not ride more than 100m or so).

  2. Fired up Zwift on PC, connecting everything via BT. No steering. Logged a ride on Repack Rush.

  3. I tried to switch over (trainer & Sterzo) to the Comp App on my tablet. Sterzo wouldn’t connect.

  4. I then tried to switch back to PC, but couldn’t get the Sterzo to connect anymore. Wouldn’t connect to Comp App either–the blue light was solid, but it was like it was locked up, or one of the devices wouldn’t let it go.

  5. Removed batteries from Sterzo, reinserted, closed door. NOW it connected

  6. Restarted Repack, Sterzo (through Comp App) worked fine.

  7. Reconnected through BT on Win11, Repack a third time–Steering was back again. Did Repack, and a free ride, switching between WIn11 and Comp App on two devices, Steering worked the whole time.

I did realize this–when it was originally connected to my PC and not working, the Sterzo blue light was flashing, not solid. After removing/replacing the batteries, it was solid.

I honestly don’t remember in the past if it’s been solid or blinking when it was connected–working or not working. Just not something I paid attention to when it was working.

Not sure if it’s as simple as batteries reinstalled though, because it was also ‘locked up’ between devices at that point. And even before all that, it worked right out of the gate tonight with my phone. So it worked–didn’t work–worked.

I’m going to do some more variations tomorrow.

2 Likes
49

Here to update on my issue with Sterzo. I figured out that the problem was my laptop which, due to its position on the desk with things on it, was not allowed to receive the bluetooth signal.

I also noticed that Sterzo doesn’t work with my ant+ antenna.

Solution: I’m using the zwift companion app and my phone’s bluetooth to connect Sterzo to the zwift software on the laptop. The smart trainer and HR monitor are being connected to the laptop with ant+.

Everything works great now.

50

sounds like your laptop needs a Bluetooth dongle on an extension cable, and disable the internal Bluetooth adapter

51

The steering worked again last night after update to the latest Zwift version.

I’m not sure if the new version fixed it or if it was something else. My setup has been the same for years, with only Windows and Zwift updated on my Zwift PC.

52

My steering has worked for the last 2 rides, not sure if it was the update or deleting the knowndevices file.

53

group ride right now, no steering, getting $%%$$ing ridiculous

54

I haven’t gotten steering back yet. Had to do my WTRL TTT paired through phone tonight. HRM only half works when connected this way, this time it cut out 3/4 way through my race and wouldn’t reconnect.

I once again deleted knowdevices AND pref files earlier, but that didn’t work this time. This steering issue wasn’t a problem until VERSION 1.73

1 Like
55

So I did another ride tonight, and I had some results that maybe seemed to indicate that it was my Android-running Companion App that was interfering. Maybe.

  1. Start Zwift, sterzo connects.
  2. No steering. Sterzo light is blinking blue.
  3. Unpair during ride, repair.
  4. Steering works. Sterzo light is solid blue.
  5. Steering stops working during ride. EDIT: I forgot–I had a brief BT connection outage on my laptop! I used to have those, intermittently. 10sec or so with no connection to trainer or anything. That happened again tonight, and THAT is when steering stopped working, and the below happened.
  6. Disconnect and reconnect…no steering.
  7. But…Companion App has switched from map to ‘Searching for Devices’
  8. Turned off BT on Companion App device.
  9. Disconnect/Reconnect sterzo on Win11
  10. Steering works.

During the rest of the ride, if I would randomly turn the Comp App device BT back on…and the Sterzo light would go to blinking blue again. Each time then steering kept working. If I turned Comp App BT off and disconnect/reconnect Sterzo in Win, the blue light would go back to solid. EDIT: Each time I would try this, my HR strap also disconnected from Zwift/Win11 too.

I never connected the Sterzo through the Comp App until just the other day, well after this all started. But it looked tonight like Comp App/Tablet was messing with the signal. When I lost the BT signal from the Win11 machine for those few seconds…did Comp App try to take over the Sterzo signal?

When I was having the BT dropouts, I solved that problem by buying a new BT dongle, and I now turn off Wifi and use a LAN connection when Zwifting. I’ve only had two BT dropouts since doing that, and one was tonight. So that’s an old issue, mostly fixed. But it played a role tonight, I think.

56

Having had no steering for a few weeks although Sterzo paired as usual, I can confirm this issue is still current as of today: 11 October 2024.

I tried re-pairing mid ride and this is the result: re-pair. Steer left; the Avatar moves left to limit, the limit marker disappears but the Avatar refuses to move in either direction.

Re-pair again. Steer right; the Avatar moves to the right, the limit marker disappears but the Avatar refuses to move in either direction.

All this after deleting my knowndevices and prefs files AND checking my Bluetooth adapter had the correct up to date driver. Even though Windows Device Manager said I had the most up to date version I downloaded and reinstalled the latest version from ACER (I have a Nitro 5).

Edit to add: I also changed the batteries - twice.

1 Like
57

Last night’s process:

  1. Turned off BT on all devices that have Comp App installed. (tablet, which I usually use, and phone)
  2. Everything connected on Win11 as usual.
  3. Started ride, no steering.
  4. This time, I tried several times going into pairing and disconnecting, then leaving pairing, re-entering pairing, and reconnecting.
  5. Didn’t work–would show as connected, but no steering. Comp App popped to the ‘pairing/searching for devices’ screen at one point…(note that it did that while BT was off on that device, and I hadn’t told it to pair through phone/Comp App)
  6. Each time, the Sterzo blue light would go solid upon connection, and then blink green/blue (like it was unpaired) about 5-10 seconds later…and then go solid blue again. And no steering at any point.
  7. I actually uninstalled Comp App from both tablet and phone, just to make sure. No difference.
  8. I reinstalled Comp App on tablet. No steering.

However…I then did two things. Both at the same time, which…bad scientific method. But I did the following:

  1. Turned on BT on the tablet that was now running the fresh install of Comp App. And
  2. Went into pairing, disconnected, and reconnected without closing the ‘Searching’ window.
  3. Sterzo light went solid blue.
  4. Stayed solid blue.
  5. Had steering for the rest of the activity.

The Sterzo was paired via the Win11 laptop in that final part when steering worked, it was not paired via the Comp App tablet.

:person_shrugging: Plugging away at diagnosing. (Working with Rowdy via email, sent him the above last night too)

58

The problem is back. No steering again. :frowning:

59

Another ride tonight. I have two devices with Comp App installed (phone and tablet). Phone was not running Comp App, tablet was. BT turned off for both to start.

  1. Started, connected to everything on the Win11 machine.
  2. No steering.
  3. Discon/Recon several times, no steering. Each time, the Sterzo would show solid blue light on connecting, but then after 5 seconds would blink green/blue (unconnected blinking pattern), then go back to solid but steering wouldn’t work.
  4. Turned on BT on the tablet with Comp App…
  5. Steering worked.

I tried a bunch of combos after that, disconnecting and reconnecting a bunch of times (just a pace partner ride, easy to keep the pace), with variations on BT or Comp App running.

Nothing at that point made the steering not work.

So it might have been coincidence, the steering finally working when BT was turned on for the Comp App tablet, but that’s what happened.

I will try the same procedure again for my next ride, see if it does the same thing.

60

Same issue here. And yes, have changed the batteries.

61

Tonight: fired up Zwift on Win11, no BT on any devices running Comp App.

Connected right away, as usual…and steering right away, from the gun, for the whole ride. :person_shrugging: