Wahoo Elemnt Bolt GPS cycling computer

The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is a compact and aero GPS bike computer that offers a vast amount of useable information, navigational capability and an excellent battery life at a reasonable price.

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Aerodynamics

To begin with, though, Wahoo says that the Elemnt Bolt is the first GPS cycling computer and mount developed as an integrated system to reduce drag.

The head unit itself fits almost seamlessly onto a smooth-edged mount that sits directly in front of, and level with, your stem (a non-aero mount that you can fit to the top of your stem is included in the pack too).

Wahoo claims, 'When tested against leading competitors using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the Elemnt Bolt system reduced air resistance by over 50 percent – equating to a 12.6 second time reduction over a 40km (25 mile) time trial course for a rider traveling at 21mph.'

Yes, before anyone points it out, a rider traveling at 21mph is going to cover 40km (25 miles) in the same time whatever bike computer is fitted. What Wahoo means is that the reduced air resistance will result in the rider actually going a little faster than 21mph with the Elemnt Bolt fitted for the same power output, or that they'll be able to hold 21mph at a slightly lower power.

Wahoo collaborated with cycling aerodynamics expert Dimitris Katsanis to develop and test the Elemnt Bolt. Katsanis played a major role in designs used by British Cycling and the Team Sky road and time trial bikes ridden to victory in the Tour de France in 2015 and 2016.

We're not able to test Wahoo's claims in the wind tunnel and 12.6 seconds over an hour isn't the sort of thing you can isolate out on the road, so you can decide for yourself whether or not you're convinced.

Compatibility

The Elemnt Bolt can communicate via ANT+, Bluetooth Smart and WiFi and is compatible with both iPhone and Android and with popular apps like Strava.

It can speak to most heart rate, speed, cadence, power and muscle oxygen sensors, so you can have that information displayed on the screen.

You can set it so that phone calls, messages and email alerts pop up on the display as you ride, or you can switch alerts off so that you're not disturbed (there's no way in a million years I'm having emails ping at me while I'm riding; one of the reasons for going out on the bike is to get away from them).

The Elemnt Bolt can also talk to electronic shifting systems. If you have Shimano Di2, SRAM Red eTap or Campagnolo EPS, you can get a visual and numerical indication on screen of the gear you're currently using along with the amount of the system's battery that remains. Di2 also allows you to skip between the Elemnt's various display pages via buttons in the hoods (see more here).

If you own a Wahoo Kickr indoor trainer, the Elemnt Bolt can control that too (but not other trainers). I won't go into detail on that here because most people don't own a Kickr, so check out the Wahoo website for more info on that.

Configuration

The Elemnt Bolt works alongside Wahoo's existing companion app on your smartphone. You don't necessarily need to ride with your smartphone in your pocket but the app is a central part of the system, allowing you to set up your profile, customise the computer display pages, choose routes, review past rides, and more. You'll probably only actually touch the Elemnt Bolt when you're on the bike, doing everything else when you're off the bike via the app.

Customising the Elemnt Bolt's screens is simple via the app. Once it's paired up to the head unit, you just go into the app, select the page you want to configure, and drag and drop the various data fields into the order you want to see them.

The amount of data fields you can choose from is vast. When it comes to speed, for example, you can have your current, average and maximum speed, your average and maximum for your current lap, your speed compared to your workout average, and so on.

Then you get to choose what info you want to see relating to distance, navigation, climbing, and so on. Plus, as long as you have the relevant sensors connected, you can display all kinds of stats on heart rate, power and muscle oxygen (from Moxy sensors).

This might sound overwhelming but it could hardly be easier. I'd far rather do all this via an app than through the computer itself because a smartphone is larger and less fiddly. You just flick through the app until you find the data fields that interest you, drop them in place and you're done. You can add completely new custom pages if you want. It can all be synced automatically to the Elemnt Bolt.

When you're out on the bike you can scroll through the individual screens you've prepared via the Elemnt Bolt's buttons (it isn't touchscreen) and also zoom in on the most important information information that you've prioritised at the top of each page.

Navigation

The Elemnt Bolt comes with maps for loads of countries already loaded. I can't see myself ever going for a ride on Clipperton Island, but there's a map for it should the opportunity ever arise. You never know. If you want to add maps for Africa, Asia or even Antarctica, you can just go and download them.

The Elemnt Bolt's screen measures 55.9mm diagonally (roughly 45mm x 33mm) and its black and white maps aren't the clearest ever, especially when roads are densely woven, but they're certainly useable.

You can automatically sync routes you have put together on third party sites like Ride with GPS and Komoot via WiFi or Bluetooth Smart (you need a USB cable to do this with a Garmin Edge computer), and you'll get instructions telling you when you need to turn and distance remaining, or a map and the distance until your next turn.

Strava Routes can be imported too, although you won't get turn-by-turn instructions. You will, though, get a thick line on the map to show your route, and flashing LEDs to alert you if you go off course.

When turn-by-turn instructions are possible, the Elemnt Bolt usually gives you plenty of warning about when you need to make a change, but I found that occasionally it would chuck something at me at the last second, seemingly just to keep me on my toes. It never let me down, though. The only real issue to bear in mind is that there's no ability to recalculate a route if you go off course or a particular road is closed. That's your route scuppered.

> Buyer's Guide: Cycling GPS units

In that situation you can use the Take Me Anywhere feature on the Wahoo app (it has to be via the app rather than on the Elemnt Bolt unit itself) that allows you to input any destination on a Google map (a single destination rather than multiple destinations) and receive turn-by-turn navigation to get you there.

If you're not using turn-by-turn instructions and you get lost, you can't scroll around the map on the Elemnt Bolt to help you get back to more familiar territory (you can just zoom out) but there is a 'Back to Start' function that'll get you home.

A live tracking feature allows you to send a link (via text message, email, Twitter, Facebook, Skype and so on) whereby others can see your current location on a map. That's all they can see, though. They don't get the route you've ridden, your speed or data from any sensors that you might have connected. Wahoo really needs to do more with this feature because it's a bit limited, to say the least. Still, dot watching might provide some reassurance to your family when you're out on a ride, I guess.

Strava Live Segments

If you're a Strava Live Segments user (or want to be), the Elemnt Bolt has a lot to offer (you need to subscribe as a Strava Premium member to use Live Segments).

You star your favourite segments online and these are synced automatically to the system. Then, the Elemnt Bolt tells you when you are approaching a starred segment, and flashes 'Go!' when it starts.

LEDs along the top of the head unit tell you if you're up or down on your target, which could be a PR or a KOM/QOM, and the display gives the distance remaining and projected end time.

Your provisional segment time is displayed instantly when you complete the segment, along with whether you got a KOM/QOM or PR.

Unlike a Garmin Edge (at the moment), the Elemnt Bolt does allow you to use Live Segments when you're following a course.

The whole Strava Live integration is an aspect of the design that works really well.

Reviewing your ride

Your ride information is stored on the Wahoo app on your smartphone. This gives you a map of the route you've just done along with duration, distance, average time, amount of climbing, temperature, plus all that info for each of your laps. You'd expect all that. You can also check out info sent by any sensors you have linked up, such as heart rate and power. Little graphs show you how key variables changed over time.

This is all interesting and useful stuff, but if you want to analyse your training performance in depth you need to have all this info sent over to something like Strava or Training Peaks where you can really get down and dirty with it.

Speaking of training, one weakness of the Elemnt Bolt is that it doesn't have structured workout support yet. In other words, you can't download a training session and then have instructions for following it flash up on screen when you're out on the road, although this is promised for the future.

Size

According to our vernier callipers, the Elemnt Bolt measures 75mm x 47.5mm x 19mm. It has a screen size (as usual, measured diagonally) of 55.9mm. We weighed ours at 61g (Wahoo claims 60g – so near enough!).

This makes it smaller than the existing Elemnt which has a screen size of 68.6mm. Of the Garmin Edge bike computers, it's most similar in size to the 520 and 820 which each measure 73mm x 49mm x 21mm. Our Garmin Edge 820 weighed 64g.

Battery life

Wahoo claims a battery life of 15hrs and that reflects my experience with power and heart rate sensors linked up.

Price

The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt GPS bike computer is priced £199.99. The box contains the head unit itself, a charging lead and two mounts: the integrated, aero, out-front one and a stem-top one.

You can also get the Elemnt Bolt with Whoo's Tickr heart rate monitor and RPM speed and cadence sensor for £259.99. Personally, I wouldn't be tempted to link a speed sensor to a computer that already measures speed via GPS, but it's there as an option.

For comparison, a Garmin Edge 520 is priced £279.99 and the 820 is £369.99.

Overall

The Elemnt Bolt is a highly capable bike computer that, along with Wahoo's companion app, is simple to set up and use. I didn't find the mapping the clearest ever, but you get good turn-by-turn navigation and an extensive battery life at a reasonable price. Oh, and if Wahoo's claims are to be believed, the design is more aerodynamically efficient than anything else out there.

Verdict

Compact, clever and simple-to-use GPS bike computer with impressive battery life and aero credentials