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The Elite Rivo Smarttrainer impresses with its lightness and manageability and offers enough power for effective endurance training despite its favourable price. How does the Elite device fare in the comprehensive TOUR test?
The Rivo is a back-friendly trainer. The 10.7 kilogrammes feel very manageable when carrying and setting up compared to the heavier devices in the test. If the trainer is to be moved around a lot, this could be a strong argument in favour of the Rivo. The folding mechanism is not very smooth, but it works. Despite its low weight, the small Italian has a good ride and the brakes can be applied firmly when required. The control is somewhat slow; too slow, for example, to reproduce intervals such as 30/30 seconds in ergometer mode at more than 300 watts. At high power levels, the deviation from the target watt value is also somewhat higher than with the more expensive devices, with around five per cent too little power being displayed. The Rivo also does not measure the power, but calculates it from the state of the brake.
Good mobility of the Elite Rivo
However, the set-up is sufficient for typical endurance training, especially if there is a power meter on the bike anyway to measure the power output accurately. Despite the high internal gear ratio of the small flywheel mass, the trainer works quietly by means of a belt. The sound of the chain dominates during operation. Without mains power, the trainer works as a speed-dependent brake with a pre-selected resistance value. This also enables the small device to be used for warm-ups before races and suits its good mobility. The fact that the lightweight also has a carrying handle rounds off this application. In terms of connectivity, Elite offers ANT+ and Bluetooth as well as WLAN. The trainer is supplied without a cassette. Twelve months' use of the My-E-Training app is included.
Elite Rivo: Facts, figures and data
- Price: 499 Euro >> available here
- Maximum braking power: Not specified
- Simulatable gradient: 18 per cent
- Accuracy class (manufacturer's specification): plus/minus 2.5 per cent
- Measured accuracy: +plus/minus 2.5 per cent
- Weight: 10.7 kg
- Floor space: 53 x 70 cm
- Volume (27/40/66 km/h): 58/65/73 dBA
Advantages and disadvantages of the Smarttrainer
Advantages
- Light and handy
- Quiet
Disadvantages
- not very accurate (no real measurement)
- Slow control
