Indoor cycling has changed a lot from what it used to be. Gone are the days of hefty exercise bikes and staring at the wall while you ride. Now, thanks to smart trainers and cycling apps like Zwift, your living room can become your local group ride or a mountain pass in the Alps. And with Elite’s new Zwift Ready bike trainers, it’s easier than ever to jump in.

Elite’s Rivo and Avanti trainers are Zwift Ready, coming pre-equipped with the Zwift Cog and Click, meaning it’s now even easier to fix the bike onto the home trainer and ride.

What Does “Zwift Ready” Actually Mean?

So, before we jump into Elite’s Zwift Ready trainers, let’s unpack what “Zwift Ready” actually means. It essentially means your trainer will arrive set up with Zwift Cog and Click, making for an optimal Zwift experience straight out of the box. There’s no need to hunt for compatible cassettes since the Zwift Cog simplifies everything down to one gear with virtual shifting.

Zwift Cog is exactly what it says, a single sprocket that replaces your traditional cassette and works with virtually any bike setup from 8 to 13 speeds. Zwift Click is a handlebar-mounted controller that allows you to shift, with the newest version adding all of Zwift’s functionality at your fingertips.

Previously, setting up a traditional bike trainer would require you to install a  cassette that matches your bike’s gearing. Often, this meant purchasing the cassette, and tools needed to fit it, seperately. With Zwift Ready trainers, you simply attach your bike to the pre-installed Zwift Cog and go. 

There are a whole load of other benefits in having a Zwift Cog and Click installed on your smart trainer, including easier bike swapping, less chain wear and tear, reduced noise, and instant shifting. But before we dive deeper into the latest Zwift Cog and Click let’s spin through Elite’s latest Zwift Ready trainers.

Meet the New Elite Rivo: Performance & Accessibility Combined

The Elite Rivo with Zwift Cog and Click is the new accessible trainer option from Elite. The RRP of the Elite Rivo with the Cog and Click is £449.99 / $499.99 / €499.99. While this trainer comes in at a lower price than the Avanti model, don’t be fooled, it packs serious performance into a user-friendly package.

Elite says it is a silent trainer, meaning early morning or late night sessions should be possible without waking the household. Other key features include being able to calculate power up to ±2.5% accuracy making it a super reliable turbo trainer option. Your indoor trainer’s power meter allows your trainer to accurately measure how much force you’re producing while pedalling and translating this into how fast you ride in Zwift. It’s a crucial part of your smart trainer.

Similarly being able to simulate climbs is important too. The Elite Rivo can simulate climbs up to 18% gradient, meaning you’ll be able to feel the full burn on Zwift’s virtual inclines.

Storage and portability were clearly priorities in the Rivo’s design too. It weighs 10kg, the legs fold up for compact storage, there’s an integrated carrying handle, and the overall footprint is smaller than many traditional trainers.

The Rivo also includes Wi-Fi connectivity alongside the Bluetooth connection. This dual connectivity approach means faster, more stable data transmission during Zwift group rides or races where a reliable connection is essential. The Wi-Fi connection also enables automatic firmware updates, keeping your trainer up to date without any effort on your part.

The Elite Avanti: Performance Is Priority

Stepping up to the Elite Avanti with Zwift Cog and Click which is priced at £649.99. This trainer is trusted by WorldTour cycling teams – the same equipment used by riders preparing for the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.

The Avanti includes an integrated Optical Torque Sensor (OTS) power meter, delivering ±1% accuracy. This level of precision puts it on par with the best standalone power meters that cost hundreds of pounds on their own. 

Like the Rivo, the Avanti simulates gradients up to 18%, but it does so with additional refinement. The resistance changes feel more natural and immediate, better replicating the sensation of real-world climbing where gradient changes are rarely perfectly smooth.

The Avanti comes with black Flex Feet as standard, these allow for 4.5 degrees of micro-oscillation that mimics your bike’s natural movement. Biomechanical testing shows this small movement improves muscle engagement across your shoulders, back, glutes, and quads. It’s a subtle difference, but one that becomes noticeable during longer sessions.

Easy to Connect and Ride

The bicycle trainers support both Bluetooth and ANT+ protocols, ensuring compatibility with virtually any device. Whether you’re using an iPhone, Android tablet, Apple TV, or PC, connection is straightforward. The dual-channel Bluetooth support means you can connect to your training app while simultaneously linking to a cycling computer or other device.

Both trainers include bridge functionality for heart rate monitors and cadence sensors. This is particularly useful for Apple TV users, who are limited to two Bluetooth connections at a time. The trainer can receive data from these sensors and relay it to your training app through a single connection.

The Sustainability Factor

Elite has incorporated environmental considerations into both trainers’ designs. The Rivo uses 22% pre-consumer recycled plastic in its construction, while the Avanti ups this to 50%. This is a genuine commitment to circular manufacturing principles without compromising performance.

The Game-Changing New Zwift Cog and Click 

Both trainers feature the latest Zwift Cog and Click, which is a whole new approach to cycling at home and virtual shifting. Traditional setups require you to shift your actual bike gears, with all the mechanical complexity that entails. The Zwift Cog and Click eliminates this entirely.

The Zwift Cog is a single sprocket that replaces your cassette. Your chain sits on Zwift Cog, but with Zwift Click the trainer gives you 24 virtual gears which can be further customised for the terrain you are riding – flat, rolling, or hilly.. When you “shift” using Zwift Click controller, the trainer adjusts resistance to mimic the feel of changing gears, but your chain never moves.

This comes with three main advantages: 

1. Quieter than the previous setup by removing mechanical shifting noise. 
2. Eliminates chain wear from constant shifting during virtual rides. 
3. Consistent shifting regardless of your bike’s condition or adjustment.

Zwift Click mounts easily to any handlebar and provides full control of Zwift. Beyond shifting through those 24 virtual gears, you can steer your avatar, navigate menus, give “Ride Ons” to other riders, and access power-ups. It’s like having a game controller built into your bike.

Setup involves 10 different sprocket positions so you can achieve perfect chain alignment with your specific bike. This adjustability means compatibility with virtually any bike setup, eliminating the trial-and-error process that sometimes accompanies traditional trainer installations.

If you already own a Zwift Cog Compatible Elite trainer, you can refit your cassette with Zwift Cog and Click separately. 

What This Means for Zwift Users

For existing Zwift users, these trainers represent an upgrade in convenience and performance. The virtual shifting system eliminates mechanical wear on your bike’s drivetrain during virtual rides, while the improved connectivity and data transmission create a more responsive experience.

For newcomers to Zwift, these trainers remove significant barriers to entry. The plug-and-play nature means you can be riding virtual roads within minutes of unboxing, rather than spending hours researching cassette compatibility and fine-tuning derailleur adjustments.

The pre-installed Zwift integration also means you’re immediately eligible for any special offers or initiatives Zwift provides to new users, helping you get the most value from your investment right from the start.

Elite’s Zwift Ready Options

Elite offers two excellent Zwift Ready trainers, each designed to deliver an exceptional indoor cycling experience. Both the Rivo and Avanti come pre-equipped with Zwift’s innovative Cog and Click, providing everything you need for seamless virtual cycling right from the start. If you’re looking to pick up a Rivo or Avanti trainer, they’re available globally through Elite’s list of distributors.