Purchase
Nearly everyone I ride with has a Garmin. Whether that’s a watch or an Edge cycle computer, that’s the norm.
I, too, have a Garmin watch – Forerunner 35. But when I got back into proper riding I wanted more information and to be able to view that information without veering into a ditch as I checked my wrist.
I was loath to pay the premium for a Garmin computer even though I was locked in to Garmin Connect already. I read many Wahoo Element reviews, and noted that the GCN guys also ran them (perhaps sponsored).
I liked the idea of a non-touchscreen display, non-colour display and the battery life claimed up to 16 hours. It seemed simpler and better made, and there are a lot of people winging about Garmin Edge devices knocking around Twitter.
In the box
I bought the Bolt Bundle from my old LBS (RIP, Freedom) at the same price I could get online, which meant I got the heart rate monitor (HRM), cadence sensor and speed sensor. All the stats I could ever want without power.
It also came with a handlebar mount that sticks the Wahoo out in front and goes on a standard size handlebar. The mount has some small allen key screws to hold it in but works very well, is engineered to a high standard and holds the Wahoo at whatever angle you want.
Use
The Bolt itself is great. I am a very happy customer. I have had the unit crash twice in one ride, however. Not entirely sure what the issue was but I was super impressed it had a crash mode where it rebooted itself and preserved the ride so my all important GPX file wasn’t messed up.
You need to have your phone on you to get the full use out of it, but I can’t recall meeting anyone who doesn’t ride with a smartphone these days. It still works without one, by the way, absolutely fine.
The app is only ok itself. It is a little clunky, and if you want to use the Livetrack feature on my old phone (Samsung S7) it drained the battery life like a stage winner collapsed at the barriers clutching a can of Fanta. On my new phone (Realme 5i) which has a massive battery, it’s absolutely fine but that also could be because the phone’s OS seems to kill the app talking to the Wahoo to conserve battery life even though I think I’ve enabled all the right settings.
Getting routes into the app to use on the device is also very easy. On my phone someone can send me a GPX file on Whatsapp, I can open it in the Wahoo app and boom, it’s there. I can make a route in Komoot or Wahoo and the device can sync with those.
The one annoyance that I have to upload my rides manually to Garmin Connect, but that’s my choice and you can understand why Garmin won’t let Wahoo API in to let it all happen automatically.
Accessories, Sensors
Speed Sensor
A speed sensor is a great idea. It’s not until I was using one I realised how jumpy GPS speed really is. Suddenly my speed profiles were smoothed out and when I tucked into a shaded area just north of the Downs ridgeline, the speed didn’t jump around. The sensor itself is a little clunky, it fits around the hub of one of your wheels. I think the manual suggests using the rear but I’ve seen people with speed sensors on the front hub, probably due to differences in hub sizes. The strap held it in securely but makes it a little tricky to clean your hub well if you like that kind of thing.
Heart Rate Monitor (HRM)
This is good, it’s comfy and I’ve just replaced the battery inside after two years of use. I wash the strap fairly regularly as I don’t want it to stink or start degrading and it wears well. Always do it up a little tighter than you might think, though. The little electronic bit pops off with some basic poppers.
Cadence Sensor
Again, this is a little clunky as I guess it’s designed to be almost a universal fit. I ended up taking it off my bike as I realised I didn’t actually care that much about my cadence and it is a little black unit on a silver crank. But it worked absolutely fine and fitted well with the included electrical ties.
Conclusion
It’s great. If like me you don’t want to spring for a Garmin and aren’t that locked into their ecosystem, go for the Wahoo. The battery life is great, it’s reliable and is easy to use. I know the new Roam version is out but I’ve no desire to upgrade, I want to use the Bolt for years. I think it’s available with the HRM for around £180 now and that’s seriously competitive.
Comentarios