6.1.2019

Often our judgment of products begin with the packaging (as do our reviews...) The Elemnt Bolt ticks all of the right boxes in that respect (except perhaps the box for "minimal packaging is an environmental vote winner" - but Wahoo are certainly not alone in that respect.) Within the box you have the Element Bolt itself, a USB charging cable, two options for handle bar mounting and a very brief quickstart/guide - which is really not going to be enough. You are pointed to the Wahoo Fitness "instructions" online - which IS also probably a nod to the environment - rather than pages of multi-language text,most of which goes unread.The two mounting options allow firstly for an "aero" mount which fixes to your handle bars and pushes the Bolt forwards of the handlebars and secondly a cable tie mechanism which attaches more directly to handlebars or the top of the handle bar stem. I opted for the former - which fits very neatly and easily. My current experience with the Bolt is mountain bike based - and fitting onto the slightly thicker handle bars was no problem at all. Once the mount is fixed in place the Bolt can be placed on it and turned/locked into place. For the aero mount it is also possible to screw the Bolt to the mount via a small bolt (you'll need a small alan key for the job). I'm not 100% sure if this is theft or loss protection - possibly both. Either way it negates quick/easy removal of the Bolt - and I have not used it. The aero mount is excellent in terms of robustness - even over rough terrain (as in rough downhill or cross country) - it holds the Bolt neatly and firmly in place. I was surprised at how good it is.The Bolt itself really is a neat device. It is charged via USB/micro USB (cable supplied). Setup with a phone is easy (and a phone is a necessity) - my experience being with iPhone/iOS - Android devices also fully supported but not tried by me. Having installed the Wahoo Elemnt app - initial setup uses the phone camera and a QR code displayed on the Bolt. Once a Bluetooth connection is established, a wifi connection is also be setup (for example for download maps - I think!) The Bolt can be linked with e.g. a Strava account so that workouts, routes etc. can be used. Note that whilst a phone is required for setting up and adjusting many things on the Bolt - it is not necessary to have it whilst riding. That said it can be present and connected - in which case calls/messages etc. can be notified on the Bolt (though I've not had the chance to try this). After a software update on the Bolt my phone seemed to have trouble connecting to it - despite a phone symbol being present. I "forgot" the phone on the Bolt, ran setup again and it's been fine since.In use the Bolt is really good. Well, for someone without a bike computer it is easy to use and gives me everything I want - actually more. And there're plenty of options and settings I've not had a chance to use. Functions such as auto-pause (which can be turned off) are useful if you're with a group of people and frequent pauses are likely (especially off road). Tracking your stats for a ride are quite comprehensive - once loaded to your phone and viewed via the app these show neatly your route, a summary (distance, active time, average speed and ascent) a graph of speed overlaid across ascents and descents and temperatures (in degree blocks) again laid across time and climbs/descents. Using Strava presumably shows you even more information as well as allowing links to fellow riders routes and performance. I have for now stuck with default pages and these are easily accessible via the Page button. The main page displays all the obvious/useful information (for me) distance, speed, time, ride time, average speed, max speed and level climbed. Using the page button it is easy to cycle through the three default pages. Page two displays stats from climbing and page three displays mapping. I must say that the mapping seems to me to be quite impressive - even off road most paths and bridleways seem to be marked. I am yet to plot a route and load it - but I am looking forward to trying this out.Adjusting the pages - i.e. what is displayed etc. is done via the companion application. Changes are reflected instantly - for example switching between miles and kilometers. Other sensors (e.g. heart monitor) can be connected as long as they are compatible (check online for further information).Personally I think this is a great bike computer. The companion application is absolutely necessary - in particular for setting things up - it offloads a lot of work from the computer itself. This benefits from the power of the phone's interface without putting that cost on the computer. As mentioned the Bolt can then be used independently of the phone (I use them together). In a 20 mile off road ride, active time about two hours ten minutes - the Bolt went from 100% to 80% - so it's likely it can do the best part of a day's riding without a problem.[Update - Dec 2019]Having used this more in Summer and recently on a weekend off-road ride - I think it's really a fantastic addition to riding. Loading gpx routing (created on OS Online, easily loaded via RideWithGPS) provides a fantastic guide to your ride. Friends using other devices (perhaps with bigger screens, or colour or whatever) did not have a better experience. This starts up quickly and is ready to go. Whilst the screen is small - it's sufficient to keep you on track.[Update - June 2020]Whilst the Bolt itself is still an excellent piece of kit - it seems - like so many things - to have become a victim of software updates. Where syncing used to be seamless - between Bolt and phone - and then Strava etc. it is now a real headache. Multiple attempts to manually sync, pair/re-pair devices make little or no difference. Very frustrating. Online comments seem to suggest lack of help/input from support. If the device itself was not so excellent - it would be moving to 4 stars...

28.12.2018

As a long time Garmin user I was intrigued to see if the rave reviews for the Wahoo GPS units were justified. As most reviews point out, the Bolt is incredibly easy to set up out of the box - just bluetooth to a phone, download the app and scan the QR code that appears on the device to pair, and then set up a wifi connection. It's then super easy to customise the data screens that you use on the device using the app. Much quicker and easier than setting up a Garmin edge on the device and fiddling with the counter-intuitive menus. Sensors connect really quickly and easily through the app too, both ANT and bluetooth (I connected two heart rate monitors - one for training, one for commuting,

13.2.2019

I'm a long time Garmin user, so was keen to try a device from another manufacturer. When I've branched out of Garmin family (in the running space), the result has been disappointing - but Wahoo has an excellent reputation, so hopes were high.I've been really pleased with the unit, with a couple of caveats. Initial setup was a bit of a pain - though Wifi picked up very quickly, it was very flaky. I eventually fixed it when I was (coincidentally) switching my Virgin Media router to a different router - it seems it's something to do with WiFi banding.Once that was sorted, it was painless. The App allows setup and configuration from your phone - a lot easier than doing it on the device, however,

16.2.2019

FIrst things first. I've never had a Garmin. Never used one, never ridden with one. So I cannot compare this ELEMNT to its main competitor.So, with that in mind: I think this is terrific.It's very easy to attach to your bars or stem. It comes with a mount that is a doddle to fit, and the unit itself connects very easily. The set up is also very easy - download the app and pairing takes no time at allI like the fact it's physical buttons on the side and front of the unit. The screen is small so a touch screen would be fiddly.Apparently Garmins have colour screens. This doesn't - but I never had any issues with black and white. It's easy to see in bright sunlight (even though we have had precious little of that,

26.4.2019

We wanted something simple to work that me and my wife could both use, as there was no reason to purchase one for both of us. After a little niggling it is quite simple to set up for either of our phones. After one user has paired with the device and someone else needs to use it, go to the setting on the Elemnt device (tap the power button)and select "forget device". And then just repair it to the other phone. If you both have the Elemnt app on our phone it's so simple to use. The only thing i would say would be to delete the rides your element app history before the device is paired to someone elses phone, otherwise your rides will upload to their Strava as well.

17.7.2019

I am a commuter cyclist with an approx. daily commute of 30 miles. I don’t race or ride for pleasure, but I have an interest in recording the stats of my rides. For me one of the most important things about these types of gadget is ease of setup and usability. On these criteria the Bolt scores very highly, within 10mins of opening the box I had the unit connected to my iphone and synced with my strava account. Doing this was all very intuitive. Also I subsequently bought a cadence senor and this connected up with zero fuss. The interface between the unit, the iphone app and other apps eg strava is very slick and worked seamlesslyThe unit itself feels very well made and robust and has already stood up to being dropped on hard floors,

14.1.2019

I haven’t cycled in some time but had to dust off my bike and pump the tires up and go for a ride to test this gadget. It was very easy to setup by downloading an iPhone app. The web link they gave didn’t seem to work, so just did it directly through App Store. It’s a nice clean, modern interface and pretty easy to use. You Bluetooth to the unit to setup the WiFi connection and this was easy and worked first time. It then automatically syncs your ride data when it gets near your WiFi after a ride, then you can view your route in the app, as well as times, distance, speeds, temp, etc... really everything you need. The bike mount was nice quality and easy to fit with one screw, but you need an Allen key.

26.3.2019

Brilliant little computer. Having used Garmins for the last 3 years I was worried about the switch. Safe to say the worry went out of the window immediately. Lovely boxed product which comes complete with 2 types of mount. Out front type and a simple bar mount version. Set up was as easy as downloading the app and scanning a qr code on the unit then its all done.Love being able to change the layout of the screens makes training rides much easier by getting rid of items I dont need.Gps routes are a little more fiddly I use Komoot to plan a ride and then it automatically syncs in the app and then onto the computer. By using this app you get turn by turn instructions with road names.

27.12.2018

I had never heard of Wahoo before and thought Garmin had the bike GPS market wrapped up. I've been using a non-GPS basic Cateye cycle computer for some time and, whilst eyeing up the Garmin GPS models I've never bitten due to the poor battery life and often lack of the most basic of features - a clock on the front page. As a commuter, dashing to get the train, a clock is essential for me.This Wahoo Elemnt Bolt has been a revelation and is simply perfect for me:- it has a clock as standard on the main screen- it is simple and intuitive to use the basics (but can get very complex if you want that)- the battery life is very good, lasting over 10 hours,

12.10.2019

****UPDATE**** After 3 months my bolt failed, screen started flickering and it got stuck in an endless boot up sequence. Wahoo replaced under warranty without any problem. Hopefully this one lasts better! Still impressed with it when it worked.This is a great product! My first cycle computer and it's been just about perfect, easy to set up using your mobile phone, simple to mount on the bike and the bundled sensors where just as straight forward to install, battery life is good I seem to be getting well over 10 hours between charges and it hasn't gone below 40% yet.. I've done several long rides out using it to navigate and it's worked a treat. Only minor issue is an occasional junction missing from the maps on some smaller roads.

12.2.2020

For checking speeds and times it works great. The app works well to check where you have travelled and to see your speeds, times, and even heartbeat if you have the additional monitor. It uses GPS so speeds on slopes etc won't be correct but its good enough. The b/w display is very clear and there is a back light for nights or when it gets dark. The included plastic attachment to the handle bars is good. Water resistance is good and and I've had it on in some attrocious rain. There are additional silicone covers if needed which I'm pondering on getting. I've used it for several weeks now for my daily commute and it helps to keep track on how late or early I am arriving at work.

5.11.2019

I debated whether i needed a bike computer at all, but having decided to take the plunge and looked at various options and reviews I settled on the Bolt. It provides far more facilities than i actually use, but what i want it provides accurately and without fuss. Simple to set up and use via the app, works flawlessly, option to automatically upload all your rides to Strava, supplied with two mounting options - just what i wanted( I went for the package that includes the cadence, speed and heart rate sensors). The only thing that had me scratching my head was when using it after the initial set up you dont pair the Bolt with your phone, you pair the Bolt with the Wahoo app. In practical turns turn on the bolt,

14.1.2019

TIP 1. This unit only supports 2.4Gz wifi and crucially needs to be channels 1-9 (for EU & UK). I had set my Virgin Hub to channel 14 so did not connect (until changed the Hub channel). TIP 2. Disable 'app power saving' for the ELEMNT app (to avoid bluetooth disconnects etc (for Android - settings> battery> app power saving - disable ELEMNT app). Tip 3. Don't expect turn by turn navigation to work if you use Strava to plan your routes (not implemented yet). You can export the gpx file from Strava and load it into Komoot, that works. Tip 4. This will not fit Garmin mounts (90 degrees out) however you can buy adapters for some mounts. Finally this really is strong competition for the Garmins out there!

26.8.2019

As a beginner cyclist, I needed the speed/distance, heart rate and cadence monitoring capability. There are so many on the market that I eventually found myself bouncing between the Garmin 830 Edge and Wahoo Bolt for some time, debating with myself and trying to convince myself the huge price difference of the Garmin justified the features. I finally settled on the Wahoo Bolt with Sensors package and must say that I am very happy. It has everything that I need and for what you get it is well worth it, over the almost 200 quid more cost to the Garmin for things like colour and touch screen. I found the Wahoo Bolt accurate, easy to learn, and ideally customisable via linked mobile app.

21.10.2019

All the sensors work well and are accurately reported via the Bolt. The Wahoo app provides pretty good analysis but the ability to seamlessly pass the data to Strava is brilliant. Route building with Strava does not support turn by turn notification in the Bolt - I get round this by building a route on RidewithGPS and use Strava for the post ride analysis. If you just want a map to show you where you are going then a route built on Strava works just fine. I have linked the Bolt to the Garmin radar rear light which is excellent. I also link the Wahoo Tickr to the Watt Bike when I'm down the gym. The stem attachment seems sturdy and secure. I like that the screens are customisable (controlled by the Wahoo phone app).

Wahoo Elemnt Bolt - Reviews

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