Wahoo Elemnt Bolt

The updated Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is more expensive than previously, but the addition of colour to the screen improves clarity and a couple of neat navigation features improve the user experience and justify the extra cash.

Navigation

Let's start with navigation. The new version of the Elemnt Bolt features Smart Navigation previously found only on the Elemnt Roam. Say you're following a route and you miss a turn or the road you want to go down is closed, Smart Navigation means that the software will re-route you (you can turn this feature off if you're not keen).

When you go off course, rather than having a meltdown about it, the Elemnt Bolt just beeps, the LEDs along the top of the screen flash red, and you get an amended route – usually within seconds, sometimes a little longer. This has always worked well for me, giving me a sensible alternative.

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You can also get instructions for retracing your ride and routing back to the start from the Elemnt Bolt itself rather than needing to go via Wahoo's Elemnt smartphone app (you can retrace your current ride directly on the first generation Elemnt Bolt now too).

The 'Take Me To...' feature – which works out the route and navigates you to a place of your choosing with turn-by-turn directions – is also now available on the device whereas it was just a feature of the app previously. You can either ask the Elemnt Bolt to take you to a saved location or use the buttons to move around the map and select a target destination visually. These navigation features worked exactly as advertised.

The advantage is that you can now do all this stuff on the fly (if you're careful, obviously; don't go blaming me if you ride into a ditch) rather than needing to pull over and use the app. Lost and want to get home? You just scroll to the maps page, select 'home', and you'll get the directions. Granted, you could have hooked your phone out of your pocket previously and done this while riding along, but it's easier and safer to do it via the device itself.

You can also use the app to create routes to follow, as with the first generation Elemnt Bolt, syncing from Strava, Komoot, and other third-party apps, or selecting .fit, .gpx, or .tcx files on a website, email, and so on.

The mapping is clear, while the chevrons showing your route and the turn-by-turn instructions are easy enough to follow, but I haven't found the navigation to be perfect. I've missed turns because the Elemnt Bolt hasn't kept up with my true position. It has told me it's 100m until the next right turn, for instance, when in reality I've just passed it.

When this happens, the LEDs flash within a few seconds to alert you to the error. You can either spin around and go back to the turning, or wait for the Elemnt Bolt to re-route you (see above) – sub-optimal, but usually not the end of the world.

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I've also been routed on gravel tracks a few times when I've specified that I want to stay on roads. This is because the Elemnt Bolt uses OpenStreetMap and any errors on there are carried over. Other units that use OpenStreetMap do the same thing. On the whole, though, the Elemnt Bolt's navigational capabilities are very good.

Other features

The previous Wahoo Elemnt Bolt had 4GB of memory but that has increased to 16GB on the new version so it can hold mapping data for much larger areas. The device didn't come with mapping for Italy, for instance, so I went to the app, selected the relevant maps (774MB), and downloaded them before a recent trip. You could do this previously, it's just that there's much more space now. If you're travelling abroad, make sure you get the relevant maps while you have a good wifi connection.

As mentioned above, you still get a series of LEDs along the top of the display that you can customise to indicate your speed, power or heart rate. Some people find them useful but you can turn them off if you're not a fan.

You control the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt via six buttons, the same as previously, but once up and running most things are handled by the three that sit just below the display.

Wahoo is excited that these buttons are now convex, raised a fraction above the level of the screen, while they were previously slightly recessed. The idea is that it's now easier to select actions and scroll through workout pages, even in long-fingered gloves.

I must say, though, I disagree with Wahoo (and some other reviewers) here. Previously, I found it quite easy to distinguish between the buttons by feel alone. I find the new design marginally more difficult. The buttons are less convex on the new model than they were concave on the previous one. It's not a deal-breaker, I just don't feel this is the step forward that Wahoo thinks it is.

One of the best things about the Elemnt Bolt – and other Wahoo devices – has always been the ability to customise the data screens easily through the Elemnt app, and that remains the case. You open the app, select the data fields you want to see and remove the ones you don't; you can move them into any order you like, and your setup is reflected on the device.

Another is ease of integration with third-party apps, such as Strava. Wahoo is the best in the business as far as app setup and integration is concerned.

As before, the Elemnt Bolt has an IPX7 waterproof rating – I've never had any worries in the past – and the best-case scenario run-time is up to about 15 hours, although that'll depend on what you ask it to do.

Display

The updated Elemnt Bolt still has a 240x320 pixel screen but the big change is that whereas the previous model was black and white – well, black and grey to be more accurate – the new one is 64 colour. The existing Wahoo Elemnt Roam is eight colour.

> Read our review of the Wahoo Elemnt Roam here

Wahoo hasn't splashed colour all over the place, though. The Elemnt Bolt is nothing like an Apple Watch, say, where pretty much everything is Disneyland-bright. Rather, colour is used to aid clarity and little more. It gives you zone colouring for your heart rate and power – in other words, the background colour tells you which of your preset zones you're currently in – and, not surprisingly, makes the biggest difference to the mapping.

If you used the old Wahoo Elemnt Bolt you'll know that there are only so many ways to make black lines look different from one another on a map, and that can be even more of an issue when vibration from the road makes things blurry. Life's a whole lot easier when maps feature coloured roads, rivers that are blue, parks that are green, and so on. It's just better. That said, I think that colour could be used more extensively to make navigation clearer on the new Elemnt Bolt – there's still a whole lot of black used on the mapping.

The size of the screen limits the mapping to some extent – 55.9mm is pretty small – but zooming in/out is a one-button operation. You also get an ambient light sensor and if you flick to the 'auto' setting the Elemnt Bolt will adjust the backlight to suit the conditions. The Wahoo Elemnt Roam already has this feature. It works well and is especially handy on evening rides when daylight gradually diminishes.

Size

The new Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is slightly larger than the old version – which I've been using regularly for years – but you probably wouldn't notice that unless you put them alongside one another.

The second-generation model measures 3.05in x 1.86in x 0.84in. That's 77mm x 47mm x 21mm in new money.

The display is 2.2in, or 55.9mm (measured diagonally), which is the same as previously, and the weight on the road.cc scales (device only, not including the mount) is 70g. The previous model was 61g so... pfft! That's not the sort of weight increase that's going to keep you up at night.

In the box

As well as the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt itself, in the box you get a bolt-on out-front mount, a stem/handlebar mount and zip-ties to hold it in place, and a USB-C charging cable. You also get some Important Product Information, which isn't that important (unless you're the sort of person who actually would eat batteries or unquestioningly follow navigation instructions if the road has been dug up) and a Quick Start Guide, which is handy.

The first generation Wahoo Elemnt Bolt used a Micro USB connection, which is sooooo last decade. The USB-C connector is much more robust.

The quarter-turn device/mount attachment system hasn't changed but the out-front mount is slightly larger than previously – although still 27g. This means you can use a new Elemnt Bolt on an old out-front mount – although the integration isn't particularly neat – but a first-generation device won't fit on the new out-front mount.

Price

The price of the Elemnt Bolt has increased considerably from £184.99 to £249.99. That's a rise of £65 or 35%.

For comparison, Garmin's Edge 530 is £259.99 – so a tenner more expensive at full RRP (although you might find it cheaper). This is the Elemnt Bolt's obvious rival and discussions about the merits of each can get quite emotive. We've put together a video comparing them.

> 11 of the best cheap GPS cycling computers

There's a lot that's very similar about the two units. They're about the same size and weight (the Garmin 530 has a slightly larger screen), both have an IPX7 waterproof rating and support things like Strava Live. The navigation features are broadly similar too.

> 13 of the best GPS cycling computers

The Garmin has a longer battery life and a greater number of features – such as built-in suggested workouts, dynamic performance monitoring and training status – but, like a lot of people, I find Wahoo's setup and use, a lot of it via the smartphone app, to be easier. Check out that video for a full analysis.

Overall

Version two of the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt marks a considerable step forward from the original, largely thanks to a colour screen – which makes for clearer mapping – and automatic re-routing if you go off your chosen course. The ability to access certain navigational features directly through the device rather than needing to go via Wahoo's smartphone app can also be handy, as can the increased storage capacity. The updated model is considerably more expensive than previously, but the significant improvements explain the price increase.

Verdict

Neat GPS bike computer now with a colour screen that improves clarity, and updated navigation features