Elite Direto X or Wahoo Kickr Core

cemmac

Hi

I'm in struglle, curently and finally upgrade my old Vortex to get better Zwift machine.
Decission between Elite Direto X and Wahoo Core...

Elite has better wattage 2100w and 18% of slope...Wahoo 1800 and 16
Road feel may be in Wahoo better as I read...flywheel reality.
Wahoo is not able to adjust to the required power outputs as quick as the higher end trainers
Elite simulation of slopes really matters of cyclist weight, you couldn't even use 18% if you are heavier

Thanks
Andrei

super_davo

The top end resistance is meaningless because assuming you're not a track sprinter, you're not going to reach 1800 watts. The slope is meaningful to a limited extent, because some routes will reach over 16% but then all that happens is that the resistance tops out and you don't notice it getting harder beyond that. Any app worth its salt will base progress on power to weight, so you'll still slow on the screen, the pedalling just won't get any harder (and at 16% it will already be pretty hard!). In practice, on my Direto (not X) which tops out at 14% it means on the hardest climbs I'm on 36/28, whereas if I had the newer model I'd probably need to use a 30 or 32 cassette. It's not worth sweating over.

Personally I'd go for the Core because of road feel, reaction time and general reliability. Not sure where you've heard the Core is slow; under the hood is it a 2018 Kickr with different legs, and Kickrs are generally regarded as second only to the Neo in reaction time; and reaction time definitely isn't one of the Direto's strong points. They have improved it in the X over the version I have, so they are probably making a fuss about it in marketing but it was a pretty low base to start with. Where the Direto is better is that it has a proper built in power meter so if you don't have a power meter on the bike you're using on it might swing the decision the other way (you can get power figures off the core, they are just derived by algorythm so not quite as trustworthy).

cemmac

Ok, currently more on a side of Kickr then. I don't have PM on my bike, but as I check test with garmin vector, it's not that false. Or maybe if i had good day take Neo 2T...
Thanks

StillGoing

Go for the Elite Suito. It's cheaper and better than the Direto and Kickr Core.

cemmac

I was looking for Suito, but could not bet, if it's better then more expensive Direto, hardware should be the same in general, just harder brake with Direto.
Maybe Tacx Flux2 could be good too..