Hello everyone,
I am experiencing resistance issues when using Zwift, and I am not sure if the problem is with application or maybe with my trainer device. I am using Elite Direto XR via ant+ with my laptop with Win10.
1.When starting the application, I can see that the power source is properly connected.
It wouldn’t be a problem but during my rides the resistance behaves unpredictably. On a flat road sometime the resistance is suddenly realy high and after a while low. On ERG mode the same.
Has anyone had a similar problem?
A similar problem developed on my Direto back in spring this year.
It began with some inflated power readings of up to ~18% higher than my 4iiii crank power meter. Instead of connecting by ANT+ as usual, I used Bluetooth, which gave the option of calibrating inside Zwift which I did. Sometime soon after, I then at least two instances of Zwift reporting 2000W while I was really doing something like ~150W.
Then the long term issue began, namely feeling like I was riding through treacle, the flywheel resistance increased massively and has remained so since, leading to my getting a Saris H3. The increased resistance, while using my 4iiii for power source, resulted in easiest gear (34/34) being ~140W at <60rpm cadence (and up to ~220W at my normal cadence near 90rpm), I lost really easy recovery riding completely. But at the opposite power end, 4th largest sprocket (25t) with 34t ring would do ~400W+, so four gears covered my riding from z2 to z6.
I used the Direto yesterday for the first time in months, to take part in the Zwift Insider Tiny Race quartet, it was just about tolerable for short sub 15min races but I’d rather have use of far more of the 22 gears to get power at a comfortable cadence.
I don’t know what broke on the Direto, but it has been used an awful lot since being bought soon after initial release just before Xmas '18. It still kind of works, but far more limitting than it was for just over four years of use.
Amazon have literally just delivered a replacement mech hanger nut/bolt for my hybrid that has been fitted, so I’m about to set it up on my H3 for a gentle session, it was a bit of a shock having the hanger pop out of the frame the other day!
I was having the same problem with an Elite Suito. I don’t think that it’s a hardware problem, as restarting the Suito by cutting and reconnecting the power solves the problem - although only temporarily.
I have the same issue with my Direto XR. Also on Rouvy I experienced the same issue, résistance changed whilst I was in the same gear and no change in elevation. Was any of you able to solve it yet? Thx!
I thought i read on DC rainmakers review of direto that if you use a crank power meter as well as the internal power meter it could cause problems. He recommended just using the trainers internal power meter as it is very accurate anyway
I have merged a few open threads with a similar topic related to ERG difficulties on Elite Direto trainers into this thread. Please feel free to read through to confirm whether the experience you’re having matches with what is on the thread. If you think you’re experiencing a different issue, don’t hesitate to reach out to Zwift Support.
In most cases when you reach out to Support regarding resistance issues, we will confirm the following:
that your trainer is paired correctly to Controllable over bluetooth/Zwift Companion bridge or over ANT+ FE-C.
that your Trainer Difficulty setting is adjusted appropriately (for SIM mode activities)
that ERG mode is enabled (for ERG mode workouts)
If you’re paired correctly and feeling resistance, but it’s slow to change or feels off, we’ll want to confirm how the trainer behaves in an identical workout in the trainer’s first party app (for Elite, this would be My E-Training). If the issue is intermittent in Zwift, we may want to run several activities in the trainer’s app to make sure whether it can occur in both. At this step, if the resistance issue occurs in both apps, it’s likely due to a hardware-related problem that the Zwift app won’t be able to solve.
Just noticed that there’s a new firmware release out for the Direto XR - firmware version 80. Suito updated too, but thought this was especially relevant here.
There was a news article published on Friday on the Elite site, and newsletter update today, confirming this: Elite
Of note, there is a mention of “easy start” where the ERG push necessary before when you stopped pedalling is less of a thing, a bridge function for HRM and cadence, Zwift supertuck adjustments, power smoothing options, and “improved ERG mode brake management” which appears to deal with power data stability.
Won’t have a chance to put it through its paces until tomorrow, but thought people would like to know!
Sooooo… I just completed this week’s ZRacing route and found the resistance a lot easier to deal with.
I think I have been gaining some fitness again recently, so I don’t really have any bearing on whether the effort is anomalous in its easiness. Will report back again, particularly with a more bumpy route.
I experienced exactly this on my Direto XR, starting last year. Tried a lot of things, but nothing solved it - untill I found these messages here. Super! Thanks a lot for solving this. Really awesome. The ERG mode works normal again
