When Zwift originally launched their steering feature on Repack Ridge, it meant that you needed to somehow strap your phone to your bars and get to a certain part of Watopia to try it out. We all knew using your phone wasn’t the best option, so brands like Elite started working on a better option. Elite’s first option was the Sterzo riser block let you freely turn your bars from side to side, but you still needed to use your phone as the sensor. The latest version, the Sterzo Smart, adds sensors that allow you to keep your phone as your companion app, and let the Sterzo Smart handle the steering input.
In a partnership with Zwift, you can now use steering across all eight worlds, as long as you have the Sterzo Smart. The new feature lets you steer throughout the course, which will add something new to the experience. For example, my avatar is probably one of the worst cornering avatars in the game and has no idea how to ride in a pack. He always picks the worst lines and gets behind the wrong riders when I’m trying to move through. With the Sterzo Smart, you can now steer your rider as you would in real life. This includes no longer being able to ride through other riders when they get in your way, just like in real life.
The Sterzo Smart steering plate works as a normal front wheel block. It is rated to handle tires up to 56mm wide, which is a hair over 2.2″ for the mountain bikers reading this. The cradle sits on the platform, and pivots 34 degrees to each side using two roller wheels, letting you steer with 0.1 degree accuracy. The base has bump stops on either side, and built-in spring helps bring you back to center. Sensors inside connect to your device through Bluetooth or ANT+ just like your trainer, cadence sensor and heart rate monitor. The Sterzo Smart runs off of three AAA batteries and is claimed to last 500 hours of use.
To use the Sterzo Smart, sign into Zwift as you normally would. With the Sterzo Smart turned on, select your sensors, and then click on the Sterzo button in the lower left of the screen. For now, the Sterzo Smart is the only steering plate that will work in all worlds. Other methods will only work for Repack Ridge.
At $109.99, adding the Sterzo to your indoor riding is a minor investment that will bring some new life to your experience and a new element to Zwift racing. We’ll update the article with more info on US availability when we can.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
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