Winter training on the Elite Avanti Smart Trainer
An all-around athlete perspective
by Teodora Sabina
Working in the mountain sports industry, and being a mountain runner and ski instructor, fitness is key. That means even on the worst of days, I have to find some form of training, to maintain my necessary fitness levels. Cycling is great – yes – but in snowy Transylvania it’s not always possible. Thankfully, Elite sent me a solution – their latest Avanti interactive cycle trainer!
The Elite Avanti smart trainer is an advanced interactive indoor cycling trainer designed to help athletes maintain and improve their physical condition during the winter season, when outdoor riding is often limited by cold temperatures, poor weather, and reduced daylight. By bringing the realism of outdoor cycling indoors, Avanti allows consistent, effective, and motivating training sessions regardless of external conditions. For me, physical activity in winter is totally different, since the days spent on the slopes are numerous, so it takes up a lot of my free time that I normally have to train, in summer days, for example. So, after a day spent in the cold, the trainer is the ideal partner to maintain my shape and continue my aerobic training for the following period.
Accuracy & reliability
One of the key strengths of the Elite Avanti is its high level of accuracy and reliability. It features an integrated Optical Torque Sensor (OTS) power meter with an accuracy of ±1%, enabling precise measurement of power output. This accuracy is essential for structured training, as it allows riders to monitor effort, follow training plans based on power zones, and track performance improvements over time. Such precision makes winter workouts purposeful and comparable to outdoor riding data, ensuring continuity in training progression.
The trainer’s direct-drive design contributes significantly to a realistic riding feel. Avanti is capable of simulating gradients of up to approximately 18%, which recreates the sensation of climbing and variable terrain. This realistic resistance helps maintain cycling-specific muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance throughout the winter months, preventing fitness loss and making the transition back to outdoor riding smoother when the season changes. I can hardly feel the difference between climbing on the trainer and real, outdoor steep climbing in Transylvania!
Another important advantage of the Elite Avanti is its quiet and smooth operation.
Thanks to its balanced flywheel and optimized resistance system, the trainer produces minimal noise, making it ideal for home use, even in apartments or shared living spaces. This allows riders to train early in the morning or late in the evening without disturbance, adding flexibility and convenience to winter training routines. So no more worries about disturbing while you are training.
Connectivity is key
Connectivity is a major highlight of the Avanti trainer. It supports ANT+, Bluetooth FTMS, and Wi-Fi connections, making it fully compatible with popular indoor cycling platforms such as Zwift, Trainer Road, Rouvy, and Elite’s My E-Training app. Through these platforms, riders can access structured workouts, virtual routes, group rides, and races, which significantly increase motivation and engagement during long winter periods. The interactive nature of these applications transforms indoor training from a repetitive task into an immersive and enjoyable experience.
Ease of use is another factor that makes the Elite Avanti particularly suitable for winter training. The trainer offers automatic calibration, reducing setup time and eliminating the need for frequent manual adjustments. Its sturdy construction ensures stability during intense efforts, while practical details such as foldable feet and an integrated carrying handle make storage and transport simple when space is limited. In terms of compatibility, the Elite Avanti works with a wide range of bicycles, including road, gravel, and mountain bikes, and supports various axle standards and cassette options. This flexibility allows riders to train on their own bike throughout the winter, maintaining proper riding position and muscle memory – small things, but essential for optimal preparation.
Indoor cycling with an outdoor feeling
Overall, the Elite Avanti smart trainer is an effective and reliable solution for maintaining physical condition during the winter months, for a person with an active lifestyle, as well as a high-performance athlete. By combining precise power measurement, realistic resistance, quiet operation, smart connectivity, and ease of use, it enables consistent, data-driven, and engaging training sessions indoors. As a result, cyclists and athletes in general can preserve their fitness, build strength and endurance, and remain motivated all winter long, ready to return to outdoor training at full potential when conditions improve.
Living in the mountains of Transylvania, it’s not easy to replicate the terrain accurately with an interactive trainer. However, thanks to the Avanti, it is now possible to train on routes from the Carpathian Mountains without leaving the warmth of my apartment. Now, that’s got to be good for winter training! Coffee and a well calibrated and reliably realistic cycling trainer!
