Test: A GPS computer that can do too much and confuses the user with excessive complexity can be quite annoying - but so far the not great alternative was only a device with absolutely basic functions. With the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, a bike computer is now available that combines clear usability with the option of simply hiding unimportant and unused items.
When it comes to bike computers, minimalism and sticking to the tried and tested can come together in the most disadvantageous way. It looks something like this: A self-confessed navigation muffle, who basically only wants to see, record and save exact driving data, drives around for years with a GPS computer that is visibly oversized for its purposes, but now for lack of a better solution have to stay on the bike. Eventually you got used to the controls and learned to accept the disadvantages - so why look for something more suitable, especially since the existing device was expensive enough?
With the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, however, there is now a GPS computer that is tantalizingly well-balanced: it is feature-rich enough to appeal to even the most demanding user, yet is so easy to use and highly customizable that that said minimalist only gets to see what interests him. In addition, it is not overly expensive at 239,99 euros.
Unboxing is now the first step in any product presentation, and in the case of the Wahoo, it means opening up a fairly massive box, revealing a window under the flap through which to admire the device. If you lift it out with its shell, you can see the usual tangle of accessories underneath, here consisting of handlebar mounts, cable ties, a speed sensor, a heart rate monitor (although the last two cost a total of 90 euros extra) and a tiny screw – more on that later. The printed graphics provide information about the main functions of the computer, and a colored symbol indicates that you can't just click the Wahoo on the wheel and start riding: First of all, the configuration via smartphone app has to be done.
“Does that have to be the case?” sighs the minimalist, expecting a time-consuming and complicated procedure. Yes, it has to, but it doesn't hurt at all. The app loads quickly, and after two unsuccessful attempts, the QR code advertised in the quick start guide appears on the switched-on Wahoo screen. This is now scanned with the cell phone camera and the phone and bike computer are already connected. The next step is to create a user profile, which nowadays is probably only a problem for the very least tech-savvy, as well as linking it to a platform on which the recorded data is to be stored – Strava today for most cyclists. Oh, one thing is still missing: configuring the display of the Elemnt.
In the factory state, the display shows nine data fields, each of which is quite small given the small display. Can you read the almost 5 mm high digits on the display with tears in your eyes and raindrops on the descent? With the top right button you can switch to the second data page, which shows cadence, power and right/left balance - if you pair the appropriate devices. The third page shows the map, and if you want, you can activate a fourth page showing various altitude functions (VAM, ascent, descent, etc.). The set-up is done via smartphone, on whose screen you can set the order of the displayed data - for example speed at the top, then climbing meters and average, distance and time, etc. It's worth thinking about this, because now the two are coming Buttons on the right side of the case come into play: If you press the front one, the number of fields displayed is gradually reduced – to seven, four, three, two and one, with the digits becoming larger and easier to read. And depending on how you have arranged the fields, the four-view shows, for example, speed, climbing meters, average and distance - exactly the data that the minimalist mentioned at the beginning wants to have permanently in view.
That alone is a property that makes the Elemnt Bolt extremely interesting, since the constant abundance of information is a problem with many devices in terms of quick readability. Here you can switch back and forth between different data displays as you wish; In addition, there is the advantage of a very clear display, which is easy to see even in unfavorable light.
The third or fourth of the pages shown, which can be switched through with the button at the top right, is the map, without which a GPS device naturally cannot do. The map can be enlarged or reduced in nine steps; it shows an ever more detailed street network and place (part) names, but nothing else - in the most detailed view, by the way, no street names either. Since the section cannot be moved due to the lack of a touchscreen, the use of the map itself is limited - but that's what the app is for. Routes can be created with it, and pop-up messages on the Elemnt's screen then guide you to your destination. In view of the fact that an extremely detailed map can be found on every smartphone today, one is pleased about the restraint that Wahoo is showing here.
Above the screen is a bar of seven LEDs that help with navigation and show when you're going above or below average values, such as speed and heart rate. If you use Strava Summit, you can also display segments on the go. Otherwise, the LEDs flash when changing the displayed page, when starting a journey and when switching on and off.
The device itself is quite small at just under 7,5 x 5 cm and weighs 60 grams; the screen – not a touchscreen! - Measures approximately 43 x 32 mm. There are a total of six buttons on the case, which is unusual in the smartphone age - one on the left front side for switching on, three on the top and two on the right. There is also a USB socket with a blue rubber cover. The housing seems quite high, but this is due to the fact that it is integrated very smoothly into the handlebar bracket supplied - from this the manufacturer derives the claim for superior aerodynamics, which, however, does not play a role on the test bike with cables, forward-facing stem screws, etc. In any case, the computer and holder look very chic and harmonious together.
Wahoo Elemnt Bolt: Successful operation
To turn on the Elemnt Bolt, press the button on the left for a good two seconds until a green LED lights up. The first thing you see on the display is the product name, including a little cyclist and “Warming up”, which indicates that the device is booting up. Then the display page appears with the selected data fields. Until the Elemnt Bolt has GPS reception, "n/a" is displayed at km/h, i.e. "no answer" equals "no answer". Depending on the location, it only takes a few seconds, then the display jumps to zeros - now you can start a journey with the middle button. On the go, the first thing that catches the eye is the display, which is very easy to read even in unfavorable light. The included holder places the Wahoo in front of the handlebars; In this position, the two buttons on the right side of the case are a bit difficult to reach. Otherwise, the controls convince with good tactility and a pleasant pressure point. The absence of the touchscreen is a good thing, especially in bad weather: It cannot happen that you want to wipe raindrops off the display and change the view in the process.
Otherwise, the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt does everything that non-navigating users want: It displays all relevant data, quickly restores GPS reception after tight bends and shows relatively reliable km/h values even in dense forest albeit with strong fluctuations from time to time. When you end a ride, it's automatically saved to your chosen platform for immediate viewing (and sharing) - essential in the Strava age. However, sometimes the automatic upload didn't work; then Wahoo and phone had to be paired manually. Perhaps there is a time window within which the two devices must have found each other. There are also a few interesting extra functions: You can be followed via live tracking so that you can be found in an emergency.
Incidentally, as far as speed measurement is concerned, we decided not to use the speed sensor included in the bundle. This is easy to connect and enables speed measurement that is independent of GPS reception, which, as already mentioned, is practical in the forest and on hairpin bends because the data display is then not interrupted. However, if you don't want to rely on an automatic roll circumference measurement (which can potentially provide incorrect data), you have to enter the roll circumference manually, and that's a bit cumbersome, especially since the speed measurement via GPS is very reliable overall. So you can do without the speed sensor, and since Wahoo offers a modern bracelet for heart rate measurement as an alternative to the chest strap (79,99 euros), actually also on the entire bundle.
That leaves the little screw on the handlebar holder: This fixes the Elemnt to the holder so that it cannot be stolen, but it can also be weighed on racing machines, for which the UCI 6,8-kilo rule applies . Unfortunately, you can't charge the device when it's in the holder - but that's the only point that doesn't seem quite well thought out. Of course, you won't have to reload the Elemnt Bolt all that often. The stated operating time of 17 hours seems realistic based on initial experience; If the device is switched on, you can check the charge level at any time via the app.
In the end, the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt proves to be clearly superior to its predecessor in all respects, and since the simple operation does not require any major adjustment, the change is easier than expected other providers have to compete.
