Elite Suito Review
Cons: Requires calibration, annoying power drops and slower responsiveness, unit may wobble slightly
Manufacturer: Elite
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
![]() This Product
Elite Suito | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Price | $938.99 at Amazon | $1,400 List | $1,200 List | $999.99 at Competitive Cyclist Compare at 2 sellers | $550 List |
Overall Score ![]() |
|||||
Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Simple setup, lightweight, 11-speed cassette pre-installed | Does not require calibration, realistic road-feel, broad compatibility, wider support for 3rd party apps | Good road feel, accurate power, easy to carry | Lower price range for a premium trainer, good responsiveness, smooth, high power accuracy | Affordable, simple to set up, easy to take on the road, great control for a tire drive trainer |
Cons | Requires calibration, annoying power drops and slower responsiveness, unit may wobble slightly | Power output/response can lag, pricey, heavy, somewhat of a pain to move around and set up | Heavy, expensive | Requires calibration, heavy, slightly aggressive in ERG mode | Resistance unit is just a bit bulky and heavy, manual drum adjustment, lower responsiveness |
Bottom Line | If you need to travel with your bike trainer but still want high-end performance, this lightweight model with easy setup is a good call | You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better bike trainer | A top of the line direct drive smart trainer that narrowly missed out on our Editors' Choice Award | Everything you want in a premium trainer for way less | One of the easiest smart control trainers to set up and get rolling without sacrificing performance |
Rating Categories | Elite Suito | Tacx Neo 2T Smart | Wahoo Fitness Kickr | Saris H3 Direct Drive | Kinetic Road Machine Control |
Connectivity And Power Accuracy (25%) | |||||
Road Feel (25%) | |||||
Design (20%) | |||||
Setup (20%) | |||||
Portability (10%) | |||||
Specs | Elite Suito | Tacx Neo 2T Smart | Wahoo Fitness Kickr | Saris H3 Direct... | Kinetic Road... |
Type | Direct drive | Direct drive | Direct drive | Direct drive | Tire drive |
Weight (lbs) | 32 lbs | 47 lbs | 45 lbs | 47 lbs | 28 lbs |
Compatible Platforms-TrainerRoad, Zwift | Zwift, TrainerRoad, Kinomap, Rouvy, The Sufferfest and Bikevo | Yes, both. Also Tacx Films, Rouvy, Sufferfest, Kinomap, FulGaz, BKool, and Road Grand Tours. | Yes, both. Also Wahoo Smartphone App, Rouvy, and The Sufferfest. | Yes, both. Also Rouvy. | Yes, both. Also Kinetic Fit, Rouvy, Kinomap, The Sufferfest and FulGaz. |
Communication Protocol | ANT+ FE-C or Bluetooth FTMS | ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth FTMS | ANT+ FEC, Bluetooth Smart | ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth FTMS | ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth FTMS |
Dimensions L-H-W (inches) | 30 x 22 x 20 | 22.6" x 29.5" x 21.7" | 20.25" x 18" x 28.25" | 31” x 18.5” x 19.5” | 32"x22.4"x16" |
Storage Dimensions LxHxW (inches) | 26 x 22 x 20 | 24.4" × 10.2" × 17.3" | 20.5" x 18.25" x 8.75" | 8.5” x 18.5” x 19.5” | 20.75"x8.25"x21.5" |
Power Comparison | 2-4 watts, 2% | 1-3 watts, 1% | 3 watts, 1% | 1-3 watts, 1% | 10 watts, 5% |
Decibel @ 230 Watts | 62.7 dB | 57.8 dB | 64.6 dB | 55.3 dB | 55.9 dB |
Roll Out Time @ 200 watts | 17 seconds | 26 seconds | 53 seconds | 58 seconds | 17 seconds |
Flywheel | 7.7 lbs | Virtual | 12.5 lbs | 20 lbs | 12 lbs |
Additonal | Cassette included | No Cassette included | Cassette Sram 11spd included, Campy freehub option available | No Cassette included | Skewer included |
Axel compatibility | 130–135x5mm QR and 142x12mm thru axle | 130mm, 135mm || Adaptors for 142mm and 148mm available through Tacx. | 130mm and 135mm compatible only. | 130mm, 135mm compatible || Thru-axle available for 142mm and 148mm through CycleOps. | 130mm, 135mm || 142mm and 148mm adaptors available through Kinetic. |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Connectivity and Power Accuracy
This trainer uses ANT+ FE-C and Bluetooth FTMS wireless to connect to your device for control and communication. This is an area we spend a lot of time on because you're paying a premium to get this high-tech functionality specifically, and it's a real bummer when it falls short. For that reason, we were a little grumpy with the Suito. We were frustrated at the power drops and lag in responsiveness.
Most of us are data nerds training to the numbers, and seeing frequent drops and spikes in your data can be infuriating. It can also come out in ERG training where you're required to put out a specific wattage over a timed segment, and drops or spikes can screw that up too. To the point on responsiveness, you notice it in the virtual training programs when terrain shifts or resistance levels quickly change, and the trainer lags behind your output a bit. No, it's not the end of the world, but it could be better.
Road Feel
With the Suito, you get smart control, which is the biggest selling point of the trainer. That automatically bumps it up into the high-immersion world of virtual training. This is what techy indoor trainers are all about. That said, you're not getting the best immersion here. The Suito uses a 7.7-pound flywheel that is best described as serviceable. You're not getting the inertia you get with more robust trainers with heavier flywheels, so letting off the pedals or changing terrain is going to feel a little hollow compared to the road.
Design
What we really like about this trainer is its practicality. It's 10-15 lbs lighter than other direct drive trainers, easy to setup and put away, compatible with all the major training programs, uses both Bluetooth and ANT+, and can even take 1,900 watts and simulate 15% grades. It checks all the important boxes for training. Maybe the only structural issue we found was that the base was a bit wobbly no matter how we adjusted the legs or knobs.
Setup
The Suito is really close to plug and play, and for that reason, it's among our favorites regarding setup. Nothing wins the heart quite like requiring no effort. It comes with an 11-speed Shimano (or equivalent generic) already installed, so that will save what for many is the most tedious step. Here, the caveat is that some folks won't have a drivetrain that's compatible with an 11-speed Shimano cassette (or don't want to use that). In that case, your specific setup experience is going to be less convenient.
The rest of setup is quick and easy. Pull the legs out, lock them in place, yank your wheel out, throw the bike on, tighten the skewer. Then you just need to calibrate the trainer. That's mostly universal across smart trainers. Your training programs will give you an option to calibrate at the beginning of workouts. It's a brief process that typically requires you to ride at 20mph for a few moments and then let the trainer roll out to zero. This is among the easiest direct drive trainers to get rolling.
Portability
So far as smart trainers go, this is one of the lightest and easiest to grab and move around. It collapses nice and tight to slip into corners or under beds. The legs are sensible in their breakdown and lock into place. And, of course, the handle is super practical. You really only need to worry about the wheel block and power cord, but they will easily fit into a bag or corner. If you're out on the road a lot and need a trainer for your bike, the Suito is your friend.
Value
The Suito comes with a hefty price tag. It has some frustrating hiccups and performance gaps relative to the other expensive trainers that might justify spending the extra money for a nicer trainer. However, those who want to travel with a direct drive trainer will likely find the most value in this lightweight model that sets up quickly.
Conclusion
All things considered, the Elite Suito is a solid smart trainer. It's not the best smart trainer, but it gets you into the higher-end of training by bringing you all the basic functionality you need to get an excellent workout. It's quick and easy, with an 11-speed Shimano (or equivalent generic) cassette pre-installed, which should work for most cyclists. We even got a good fit with more recent Campy drivetrains. While you can find better performance at this same price level (or even less), this model is a favorite direct drive model for taking on the road.
— Ryan Baham