Video: First look at Wahoo Elemnt Mini and comparison with Elemnt Bolt

The new Wahoo Elemnt Mini has a very affordable RRP of £79.99. it's a budget computer with a very simple interface, and to get GPS you have to pair it with your smartphone.

Wahoo’s selling point here is Simple Cycling Essentials, so you miss out on a lot of the data heavy features you get on their Bolt and Elemnt computers, but it’s a much smaller and affordable unit that does the basics like speed and distance as a stand-alone unit. For that you just bung the Wahoo speed sensor around your hub. As outlined in the video the Mini really is quite mini: considerably smaller than the Elemnt Bolt and also Polar's M460 as a further comparison,  but granted the latter is also a more advanced unit with built-in GPS and wireless syncing capabilities. 
The Elemnt Mini is ready to go in seconds if you just want to record your average speed, and then phone connectivity doesn’t take a great deal longer. You just need to download the app and pair by scanning the QR code. 

You get a nice sturdy quarter turn mount included that mounts onto your stem or handlebars using cable ties, which could pose a problem if you regularly want to switch the unit between bikes; however, Wahoo do sell out-front mounts that the Mini will clip onto for around £20 if you don't want to waste valuable cable ties.
 

At 80 quid the Elemnt Mini does appear to be a bargain, but if you want cadence and a quicker mounting solution that will push it past the £100 mark – and it goes without saying if you’re not smartphone savvy, this probably isn’t the device for you as pretty much everything is done via the app bar the very basics in conjunction with the speed sensor. It also won't work with power meters, as there's no ANT+ connectivity.  

Check out our first look article for a more in-depth written breakdown of the Elemnt Mini's features. We'll be bringing you a full review soon, so check our reviews section over the coming weeks...