Hi,
I just ordered (should be arriving soon) the Sterzo Steering Block. From what I saw when I ordered it, it supposedly works with a Wahoo kicker. We liked the idea of being able to turn the handlebars. Has anyone used these two together or did I make a mistake? We use an iPad/ iPhone or MacBook Air.
I’ve reached out to Support and haven’t hear back with an answer. I looked in the forum for an answer and don’t see it. Soon I’m posting a question directly.
Hi @Maria_Saiz
I have a Sterzo Smart. The steering works just fine with a different brand of trainer. I personally have a Saris Hammer S3.
These are the instructions for using the Sterzo Smart with Zwift.
Depending on when your Sterzo was manufactured - you may have to update the Sterzo to the current firmware version before you use it with Zwift. Here is info from June 2021 when Elite made a change to that process. One of the important steps is that you must create a (free) user account on Elite’s support site to register yourself.
Thank you. Very helpful. How doe you like the steering?
It adds a fun dimension. I’d like to think that choosing the shortest line when free-riding a twisty route like Alpe du Zwift will make the suffering stop a little sooner, lol.
Honest question on this idea… is there actually a distance-traveled benefit cutting a corner in Zwift, or is it just appearances?
Yes, there is. Zwift Insider published this article in 2020: Steering vs Distance: Testing the Sterzo On Alpe du Zwift | Zwift Insider
I’ve noticed when riding in a group that allows steering that my cumulative distance will be shorter than that ridden by others on the same ride.
Very cool! Thanks for providing the link.
So on a related question, how would the Sterzo work with a Wahoo Climb? I don’t see how it could work. Seems like the Sterzo would need a different front plate because the plate to hold a front wheel, would not work with a wahoo climb.
It wouldn’t work, unfortunately.
I had a Wahoo Climb (before it self-destructed on a steep downhill in NY) and now use the Sterzo Smart (though I rarely switch it on).
Basically, they’re physically incompatible.
The Climb is pretty heavy as a unit and only works thanks to high-friction contact with the floor surface. (It has a curved, rubber-coated foot to ensure permanent contact while changing angles.)
The Sterzo isn’t that tough a unit/mechanism, and needs to have a tyre in its yoke.
(As a side note, the Sterzo/Sterzo Smart’s simplistic design works by ‘fudging’ some forces and tensions, so when you turn the bars fully left and right you feel it pulling and pushing in the direction of the length of the bike. Nothing major, really, but it’s there – and audible when the Sterzo tries to pull/push itself in relation to the trainer on a rubber mat.)
Elite designed their Rizer - which covers all bases - to incorporate both steering movement, climbing movement, and deal with that small front-back movement that their Sterzos fudge. However, it’s way too expensive for me to justify acquiring, having never felt the Wahoo Climb to be all that transformational to my indoor riding experience.
Thanks for your detailed response. I a guess I find the Climb experience more engaging than you did, mostly on rollers. Fortunately, my climb is still working like a champ.