At Wiggle: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wahoo-elemnt-bolt-cycling-computer/

5 at present.

Back in stock if anyone’s interested! Got mine today, done my first ride on it. Absolutely great, kicks Garmin’s behind as far as I’m concerned, very happy 🙂

what are you finding is better about it? Do like the look of them

what are you finding is better about it? Do like the look of them

Early days, but…

– Set up is via Smartphone app as opposed to convoluted button pressing on the device (you pair with your phone via a QR code on the device, instant, brilliant)
– Created routes on Strava (or RidewithGPS) are immediately synced onto the device, ditto Live Segments
– No need to ever ever use the Garmin Connect website (or run the gauntlet of a Garmin firmware update) ever ever again (this is a big one)
– Quite cheap (relatively speaking, YMMV)
– Mapping is all built in and can be added to or taken away on the fly via the app
– Screen is very sharp/crisp
– Very responsive support, the original Elemnt had loads of update and tweaks that the Bolt has now benefitted from
– Nice way of zooming in and out of the “detail” on the ride page so that you can hone in on the stats/numbers you want to see the most (again configurable from the app)
– Line of LEDs across the top of the thing that can be configured for most fields: I have it showing me what power zone I am in but when following a course it will flash left or right to indicate which way you are about to need to go
– Live Tracking that actually works

I’m sure there are other things but I have waiting for a creditable alternative to Garmin ever since I got my first Edge 205 over 10 years ago (?) and now here it is…

That sounds pretty interesting.
It’ll be interesting to see how it fares when DC Rainmaker reviews it, if he hasn’t already.

Ahem… 😉

And yeah, he likes it. To be honest, it’s basically an Elemnt in a smaller package, so it’s pretty tried and tested.

Also, a video…

Have they made the live track better? Before it was just showing a dot, no record of where you have been and if you are moving.

Have they made the live track better? Before it was just showing a dot, no record of where you have been and if you are moving.

Only used it once and obviously I was riding but my mate who had a look said it was pretty much as you say. I never got Garmin’s Live Track to work (on my 810 or my 1000) so if it works at all is a bonus. In the event I will probably continue to use RoadID for actual “beacon” tracking so its implementation is not a deal breaker for me anyway.

And yeah, he likes it. To be honest, it’s basically an Elemnt in a smaller package, so it’s pretty tried and tested.

I’ll have a quick read of that.
It would be nice to find something without all of the glitches that Garmins seem to have.

Good Garmin have been fobbing us off with third rate software for years.

Hope this gives them the kick they need.

What’s the bolt like for offroad navigation / routes? Decent built in map with bridleways and paths etc?

i have an element, and the maps have all footpaths and bridle ways. If you load them via Ride with GPS the navigation is excellent

Does anyone know where I can find the Bolt bundle (this one) without having to go direct through Wahoo? Don’t fancy waiting until 18th April for it to be delivered…

How are these for offroad routing?

I use breadcrumb routing on my old garmin edge 200, looking for something that will show a map too and allow re routing.

Do the maps in these wahoo devices show footpaths and bridleways?

Does the routing software on the phone cope with setting a route via anything but roads?

Also the garmin breadcrumb routing really works by beeping at me iff I go off route, then I can look at the breadcrumb and work out where I should be. Does the wahoo?

Any other offroad specific info on these units?

Also the garmin breadcrumb routing really works by beeping at me iff I go off route, then I can look at the breadcrumb and work out where I should be. Does the wahoo?

I can answer this bit (!) – if you go off a route that you have uploaded to it the Wahoo will give you an audible ticking off I think three times with a bit of a gap between each one and then it just gives up and assumes you have it under control. It doesn’t route you back on…

Having navigated around the XC trails of Morzine with nothing more than an Edge 205 breadcrumb trail I reckon the Wahoo is night and day better in terms of being able to tell where you are. You won’t just be seeing the breadcrumb trail on a blank screen, you have the mapping detail to help too. I’ve not used it offroad but you can see various tracks and trails off the side of the roads so presume offroad detail is there.

One thing: if you create a route with Strava it’s not turn-by-turn (which I’m not fussed about), however it is with RideWithGPS created routes.

and then it just gives up and assumes you have it under control. It doesn’t route you back on…

Does it give up on the navigation at that point or will it continue if/when you find your way back to the route?

I was using my Garmin Edge Touring yesterday and it’s such a poor experience. Has anyone gone from navigating on a Garmin with mapping to the Wahoo? How do they compare?

Does it give up on the navigation at that point or will it continue if/when you find your way back to the route?

Unless I’ve misremembered when I re-joined the route again it picked it up again so it hadn’t abandoned it completely. Don’t hold me to that however, it may have been a strava segment actually, but similar principle.

Has anyone gone from navigating on a Garmin with mapping to the Wahoo? How do they compare?

Yep, me. Garmin 205 -> 705 -> Dakota 20 -> 800 -> 810 -> 1000… I have to say that when I navigated on a map-enabled Garmin I just turned off the “turn-by-turn” found it too intrusive. The Wahoo is much less so I find, and the LED indicator thing is quite nice meaning you don’t have to be straining to look at a map the whole time. I’ve only done three rides on it though. Have to say I am not missing OS maps as much as I thought I would, but then I haven’t had to use it to find my way “out in the wild” as yet.

Does anyone know if these fit on the normal Garmin quarter turn mounts?

Does anyone know if these fit on the normal Garmin quarter turn mounts?

Not officially I don’t think, but DC Rainmaker says it does sort of work. I use a K-Edge outfront and bought Wahoo inserts (LBS ordered from Madison) for £5 each…

You get the aero out front in the box and a regular stem one too.

Great, thank for the reply munkster sounds like what I’m after. I have all UK OS maps on my phone anyway as a backup.

I like they way they are continuously delivering product updates that work too.

you on the dev team munkster?

you on the dev team munkster?

Ha! No. Maybe I should be on the payroll eh? I do think that aside from the early adopters most people will default to Garmin out of habit though so will need a bit of convincing it’s a viable alternative. I’m happy to give my thoughts on it, as a long time Garmin user and satisfied convert.

So is the bolt essentially a smaller elemnt with all the latest software updates installed

For balance it’s not *all* plain sailing by the way…

The wifi syncing/upload mechanism is a bit borked at the moment but they’re onto it: https://twitter.com/wahoofitness/status/845970882342326272

“Wahooligans, we are sorry for the difficulty with syncing data & routes in the current app update. We are working to resolve the issue.”

Unless I’ve misremembered when I re-joined the route again it picked it up again so it hadn’t abandoned it completely. Don’t hold me to that however, it may have been a strava segment actually, but similar principle.

It rejoins the route once you’re physically back on it and carries on navigating turn by turn.

The wifi syncing/upload mechanism is a bit borked at the moment but they’re onto it:

Worked fine about an hour ago. That was on Android.

Very tempted to order one of these having read dcrainmakers review. Currently have a garmin 800 and would like some of the more geekery add ons that newer units have.

The Wahoo Elemnt is excellent for anyone that’s considering one. Very happy with mine.

the elemnt is excellent excellnt. Love mine.

Out of stock again now 🙁

How easy is it to read the mapping in black and white, compared to a colour screen on an 820 or 1000?

Also if you load a route you create from strava, will it give you a profile of upcoming hills?

How easy is it to read the mapping in black and white, compared to a colour screen on an 820 or 1000?

+1.

It’s not easy to read a colour screen in sunlight – I’m wondering whether B&W might actually be better.

I used it in bright sunshine yesterday and it was totally readable and crisp. I’m sure it’s not the same tech but it’s sort of kindle-esque in terms of sharpness no complaints.

Mate of mine who has had an Elemnt for a few months now reckons the backlight doesn’t compromise the battery much either for when it’s a bit murkier maybe.

Apparently the syncing is fixed now…

Any in stock anywhere now I’ve decided I want one?

Nope….some places reporting stock by back end of next week though.

Now in stock at Sigma Sport.

Now in stock at Bike Shed:

Wahoo Elemnt Bolt

Argh really annoying I’m massively tempted by this unit but Wiggle are doing it for £20 less than the few places that are showing stock!

…Wiggle are doing it for £20 less…

Keep returning to the site, it was showing out of stock 2-4 week wait too when I lucked out and found they’d got a small number in stock… Ordered it quicker than a quick thing!

Am I right in thinking the Bolt can’t be stem mounted?

Fairly sure one of the mounts in the box is a stem one, with zip ties supplied too. I use a K-Edge mount so haven’t used it.