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The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt GPS bike computer is Wahoo’s next smaller model after the Wahoo Elemnt. The properties and thus the description differ only slightly from the Wahoo Elemnt.

Differences to the Wahoo Elemnt

The display size of the Wohoo Elemnt Bolt is 2.2 inches. The battery is enough according to the manufacturer for 15 hours.

The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is smaller and lighter than it’s bigger brother. The design should bring a “considerable aerodynamic advantage” over the Garmin Edge 1030. The aerodynamic difference to the Wahoo Elemnt is not mentioned.

The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt has seven programmable light indicators. These can be used to set warnings or alarms.

The Wahoo concept

Wahoo’s strategy is different from the competition: Wahoo does not include color displays or touchscreens in its GPS bike computers. In addition, the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt GPS bike computer is set via the Elemnt companion app on the smartphone. A similar concept pursued Lezyne (Mega C, Mega XL)

Advantages of the Wahoo Elmnt Bolt GPS bike computer

  • Very good readability of the display
  • Enlarge data fields by pressing a button
  • Live tracking
  • Strava live segments
  • Programmable light indicators
  • No touch screen (depending on personal assessment)
  • No menu on the device (depending on personal assessment)

Disadvantages of the Wahoo Elmnt Bolt GPS bike computer

  • No color display
  • Routing functions
  • Routing on the go depending on the internet
  • No touch screen (depending on personal assessment)
  • No menu on the device (depending on personal assessment)

My evaluation

Waiver of a touch screen

In my view, the abandonment of a touchscreen is not a bad idea. Because the advantage of a touchscreen is only in the direct selection of a menu item. The display size of the display is small anyway. That’s why you have to scroll on the touch screen. The advantage is thus relativized. The advantage of operation with buttons in the rain, with gloves or wet fingers, however, is essential.

Menu at the Smartphone

Menu navigation with a small display is always a challenge for the manufacturer. I think it’s a good idea to use the phone for that. Everyone is used to the operation of the smartphone. The handling is known and therefore easier. Since smartphones have touchscreens, the missing touch screen on the device is further relativised.

But: What matters is how reliable the connection between GPS bike computer and smartphone works. And whether the smartphone runtime is claimed by the Wahoo app.

Cross references

An extensive test can be found in English dcrainmaker.com.