Wahoo Elemnt Bolt review

[mcteague]

After years of just using a basic cyclometer I wanted something to assist with navigation when riding in unfamiliar areas. I downloaded a route sheet from some website and printed it out for the ride. Other than the pain of having to keep pulling it out of my pocket to check for the next turn I found it a really nice change to be exploring new areas. So, what GPS to get?

Over the years I would check out the reviews of the latest Garmin but was put off by all the complaints. This time, the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt (http://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/bike-computers/gps-elemnt-bolt) got my attention. The reviews (https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/03/wahoo-elemnt-bolt-in-depth-review.html) were very positive, of course there are always some minor nits with any product, so I picked one up at my local REI.

Setup was a breeze but you do need a smartphone to do so. These days that is not much of a hindrance though. The Bolt has a really sleek design that integrates the unit with its mount to make it very aerodynamic. While the gain of a watt matters little to me I do like the sleek design.

What at first seemed like drawbacks actually turned out to be features. The B&W screen is actually much more readable in the sunlight as opposed to Garmin’s color one. The Bolt comes with global maps but very few street names. However, when you use RideWithGPS or Komoot to create maps you get turn-by-turn directions that pop up just prior to each turn. It also beeps to remind you and has different tones for a correct turn as opposed to a wrong one. It does not re-route you though. It also uses buttons instead of a touchscreen but they work in the wet or dry, gloves or bare fingers. You can easily scroll through pages of data or customize what you want to see. Zoom buttons on the right side let you show 9 data fields all the way down to one. It pairs with all sorts of sensors but I don’t track power/heart rate/cadence etc. When back from a ride it automatically downloads your data to the Wahoo phone app, on your home wireless, and uploads to RideWithGPS, or any other site you link it with using the phone app.

So, I am really impressed with this device. It has way more data that I really need, or want, but it makes riding in new areas so much more fun. I know some enjoy getting lost but I’ve been there and have little appetite for going back. Running out of food and energy and not sure how many hills and miles are left in the ride. Thank you technology!

Tim

[ANAO]

But does it work with Stray-Va?

[joosttx]

But does it work with Stray-Va?

Yes. No issues. But if you download a route from strava there are no turn by turn directions just a map. I think this is a Strava issue ans not a whaoo issue. The only minus I see with the element is the battery life is not as long and the 510 garmin. I can get about 6hrs with mapping using the wahoo.

[ANAO]

Yes. No issues. But if you download a route from strava there are no turn by turn directions just a map. I think this is a Strava issue ans not a whaoo issue. The only minus I see with the element is the battery life is not as long and the 510 garmin. I can get about 6hrs with mapping using the wahoo.

I've had the opposite experience. I generally get about 12 hours on a ride, or closer to 10 hours if I'm mapping. But I have a slim battery pack that I'll bring with me if I know I'll be out sun up to sun down, or close to it.

[shovelhd]

A riding buddy has one paired to a Quarq. I get a kick out of making him light up the red lights.

[joosttx]

I've had the opposite experience. I generally get about 12 hours on a ride, or closer to 10 hours if I'm mapping. But I have a slim battery pack that I'll bring with me if I know I'll be out sun up to sun down, or close to it.

Hmmm. definitely not the case with me. Its no big deal since if I am on A lone ride like that I bring an external battery pack. Wonder if I have my setting on battery drain mode.

[RobJ]

I echo Tim's comments above. I dumped my Garmin's after reading DCR's review of the Bolt and a few other sites. Having setup via an app at first seemed a little clumsy, but once you start playing around with it the device/app it's a pretty slick and easy way to accomplish the tasks. Setting up the Stages PM took all of 5 seconds. The display is excellent and the data field configuration is very flexible. Turn by turn directions and mapping is a huge plus. I would imagine the other features will be easily added/integrated due to the way the device is configured.

[pjmsj21]

I am a fan as well and very similar to the OP, this is my first GPS computer. We just bought the Mini for my wife and it's ok as an alternative to just a basic bike computer but I have to say that I like the size and functionality of the Bolt.

[gospastic]

I also have excellent battery life. Something might be wrong with yours. I can easily get 12 hours when using navigation.

[Bwana]

I so want to switch to a Bolt from my 510, but there's not support for the Garmin Varia radar light, which I can't ride without anymore. :o

[joosttx]

I also have excellent battery life. Something might be wrong with yours. I can easily get 12 hours when using navigation.

Going to know. I must have something wrong with my settings

[pncguy]

Going to know. I must have something wrong with my settings

I don't know - I had pretty short battery life, too, when I was mapping. I did an 86 mile ride (Bike MS: Colorado) and my battery died after just 2/3 of the ride. I even only have data from the first 50 minutes!

Maybe I'll ask Wahoo what drains the battery quickly...

But, like the OP, I really like my Bolt. Now that they have added workouts via TrainingPeaks and Today's Plan I like it even more.

[FlashUNC]

Just picked one up. Setup is already light years ahead of Garmin.

[vqdriver]

these are my primary reasons to go to wahoo from my garmin



The B&W screen is actually much more readable in the sunlight as opposed to Garmin’s color one. ....

It also uses buttons instead of a touchscreen but they work in the wet or dry, gloves or bare fingers. .....

Tim

[berserk87]

What a timely thread! I just bought one and received it last week. I got mine for "free" using attaboy points through my employer to purchase REI gift cards, and ordered online via REI's website.

Like a doofus, I actually ordered the wrong device. I added the Wahoo to my cart, and had intended to buy a Garmin 520. My wife did the final checkout because she wanted something via REI as well. I didn't notice the error until I got a shipping confirmation from REI. The units were identically priced, and both were the same shape - so it just happened.

I did some more research before I received the Wahoo and it had such good reviews that I decided not to exchange it when it arrived.

I got it to use with a power meter, which is also new to me. I'm one of the last guys around to have been using a old, wired computer up until now. The most advanced data that it displayed was average speed.

Setup via the cel phone was probably easier than fooling around with the head unit itself. The setup process and connection was easy. I'm still fiddling with the data fields that I want displayed. Power output seems consistent based on my effort, so far. I don't have too much of a baseline (some computrainer work).

I doubt that I will use the mapping function. I'm pretty familiar with the roads around here, so I have it turned off. I've ridden about 7 hours with the unit and last night it said that I sill have 55% battery life. I can't complain about that.

There are a lot of things that I am still learning. I synced it to TrainingPeaks today. That is also new to me. It was super easy.

The purpose for all of this stuff for me is to do workouts with power as a factor. I like doing structured workouts, and ride a lot on my own, so I think I will like it. Now I just need to figure out the basics (what my FTP is, how to base workouts on it,, what the numbers can tell me about my training progress). I hope that my TT's next season can benefit from this.

[makoti]

Mapping & turn by turn...
Do you have to load maps if you go to a different area? Or does it have enough storage to cover, say, the US? My Garmin will give me TBT, but I have to load a new base map if I leave the area, such as go to Norfolk to ride from DC. That's not a huge distance.

[FlashUNC]

Mapping & turn by turn...
Do you have to load maps if you go to a different area? Or does it have enough storage to cover, say, the US? My Garmin will give me TBT, but I have to load a new base map if I leave the area, such as go to Norfolk to ride from DC. That's not a huge distance.

One global map. You load continents.

[mcteague]

Mapping & turn by turn...
Do you have to load maps if you go to a different area? Or does it have enough storage to cover, say, the US? My Garmin will give me TBT, but I have to load a new base map if I leave the area, such as go to Norfolk to ride from DC. That's not a huge distance.

The Bolt has pretty much the whole world loaded but lacks the meta data for all the street names. That comes along with routes created in RidewithGPS and Komoot. I searched RidewithGPS for routes others had already mapped out for an area I wanted to ride but did not know all the roads. Synched several with my Bolt and picked a 38mile one to test it out. Worked perfectly and never missed a turn. Really cool to push a button to show the elevation and percent grade while on the climb. It does seem to take a few seconds to respond though. Every so often I would glance down while standing on the pedals only to see 2% on the display before it jumped to 8%!

Tim

[rnhood]

Garmin units have been showing elevation and grade ever since the 703 came out years ago. The electronic altimeters in these units are very sensitive, but when you're pedaling uphill it takes about 10-20 feet before they can reliably register a difference in elevation. So a little lag is pretty normal. I think Garmin now uses a little feedforward compensation on their units to more quickly respond, although the accuracy will be slightly better after a short bit of lag.

[makoti]

The Bolt has pretty much the whole world loaded but lacks the meta data for all the street names. That comes along with routes created in RidewithGPS and Komoot. I searched RidewithGPS for routes others had already mapped out for an area I wanted to ride but did not know all the roads. Synched several with my Bolt and picked a 38mile one to test it out. Worked perfectly and never missed a turn. Really cool to push a button to show the elevation and percent grade while on the climb. It does seem to take a few seconds to respond though. Every so often I would glance down while standing on the pedals only to see 2% on the display before it jumped to 8%!

Tim

My 520 works great, but the storage is so small, I can't even store all of VA in it at one time. A bit annoying (even if really easy) to have to create a map, delete a map, install a map.

[mcteague]

Interesting article about Wahoo gaining on Garmin.

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/09/wahoo-fitness-challenging-garmins-gps-cycling-computer-supremacy/

Tim

[jruhlen1980]

Interesting article about Wahoo gaining on Garmin.

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/09/wahoo-fitness-challenging-garmins-gps-cycling-computer-supremacy/

Tim

Had my Bolt for about 2 months. Even though I live ~30 miles from Garmin's HQ and regularly ride with garmin employees, I've always hesitated to pull the trigger on a Garmin because EVERYONE seems to have a random issue with their garmin at some point, and I didn't want to spend that much for something that may fail at a critical moment.

Zero problems so far and it's a breeze to use and set up. I don't use navigation much, but it was pretty vital a couple weeks ago when I did a 120+ gravel race in unfamiliar territory and realized I left my cue sheets at home. Navigation worked flawlessly all day.

That was a 9 hour ride and the battery probably would have lasted that long, but I had a spare battery pack and I was getting jumpy when the battery dipped below 50% so I plugged it in.

Plus at $250 I think a lot of people (myself included) are a little more willing to take a chance on the new technology, and given that the user reviews are overwhelmingly positive, not so much of a gamble (like, say, the Lezyne super GPS I used for 2 years.)

[wasfast]

I've been following the early adopters and finally bought one last weekend. I have a Garmin Edge 500 that I bough in 2010. Overall, I'm very happy with the Bolt. The display is easy to read in full sun which was one of my main requirements. I don't use mapping functions but like the data display. If bug list remains low compared to the Garmin 520 I considered, I'm totally happy. Recommended at this early point.

[dem]

I'm 9 months (~4000 miles) into my ELEMNT, and it has been rock solid. Not a single incident of "grage" (garmin rage - that glitch that makes you swear endlessly at Garmin.)

I've owned several Garmin nav products (Zumo 665, etc) in addition to the sporting products: Forerunner 305, 910XT, 920XT, Edge 500, 510, and 520.

The 520 was the last straw for me - worse power meter data reception than the 510 (dropouts) hard to read displays, UI and of course the random freeze or eating a ride. Garmin's reaction was basically a disinterested shrug.

I hope to never have to use a Garmin product again.

[Likes2ridefar]

I have a bolt and it works fine but the navigation could be better. I have missed a number of turns and am sometimes unsure where it is wanting me to go. It also does not get optimal albeit longer cycling routes that google maps finds that uses bike lanes, etc.

It will sometimes want me to cut corners going through parking lots.

When off route it does not help guide back to route or recalculate.

[Gummee]

I hope to never have to use a Garmin product again.My 500, then 510, now 520 have been flawless.

Ditto with my running GPSes

I don't need another GPS computer, so until I do, I'm sticking with what I know.

The O-Sync head unit that came with my Verve Infocrank is configurable via laptop too if someone wants to try something different

M

[mcteague]

My 500, then 510, now 520 have been flawless.

Ditto with my running GPSes

I don't need another GPS computer, so until I do, I'm sticking with what I know.

The O-Sync head unit that came with my Verve Infocrank is configurable via laptop too if someone wants to try something different

M

Get an 820 and then get back to us. :D How are the pre-loaded maps on your 520?

Tim

[shovelhd]

I just picked up an ELEMNT for my overseas trip. It took a while to set it up similar to my PC8, but it's all sorted now. If I like it over time, bye bye PC8.

[b3pkay]

My bolt seems to hold a charge for so long that I threw away the charger—who needs it!



Okay, not really. But seriously, it has great battery life.