# I just unboxed my Wahoo Bolt - Garmin is so screwed.



## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

I just unboxed my Wahoo Bolt... and Garmin is screwed! It's only a matter of time. 

I scanned the QR code on the device, got it on Wifi within seconds, updated system software. I then download the companion app and was up and running within minutes. No wires, no reboots. It's amazing how much more responsive, legible and in depth this is over those tired Garmin products. Maps preloaded, 313MB free data.... I can't wait to use this on a ride this evening. The text is so crisp, the display is very much like a kindle where the display is on the surface and not the usual LCD below a plastic coating. Everything I hated about the Garmin is not present on this unit. 

Sometimes, throwing money at a situation does make it all better 









and the companion iPhone apps is CRAAAAAZY! No wires, no mess. Garmin, you had this coming. Then again, cycling was always an afterthought as avionics paid the bills and bonuses.


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

I am thoroughly impressed with the wahoo unit. It offers seamless integration of trainingpeaks, strava, and ridewithgps. Just get the free ridewithgps account and anywhere you phone has mobile data you can synch it to the elemnt in seconds. No exporting of tcx into new rides folder then turning it off then on. 



9W9W said:


> I just unboxed my Wahoo Bolt... and Garmin is screwed! It's only a matter of time.
> 
> I scanned the QR code on the device, got it on Wifi within seconds, updated system software. I then download the companion app and was up and running within minutes. No wires, no reboots. It's amazing how much more responsive, legible and in depth this is over those tired Garmin products. Maps preloaded, 313MB free data.... I can't wait to use this on a ride this evening. The text is so crisp, the display is very much like a kindle where the display is on the surface and not the usual LCD below a plastic coating. Everything I hated about the Garmin is not present on this unit.
> 
> ...


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

Yup, it's a terrific unit. Even with the early growing pains of the ELEMNT, I knew I had made the right decision.


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## taodemon (Mar 17, 2014)

Which garmins use wires? Mine always uploads automatically to garmin connect/strava through my cellphone (or wifi when I start and end at home) as soon as the ride is over. 

Companion apps other than the dedicated garmin connect app will be the same for most devices (strava app, ride with gps app or map my ride app), so what is the difference there?


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

I'm thinking once my E1000 goes kaput it'll be replaced by a Wahoo....probably whatever successor they have to the ELEMNT.

Was wanting to not have to buy a computer again and use a smartphone...but that is looking unrealistic in the visible future. None of the phones I want are waterproof, nvm battery life with screen on.


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

I'll definitely be replacing my 520 with an Element. I really hate Garmin. Just that before nothing could really compete with it. No longer the case!


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## arai_speed (Aug 19, 2003)

I have a Bolt and really like it.

My old computer was a Garmin 500, while it was not wireless it was also flawless. Did everything I wanted.

I don't get the "hate" thing.


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## cobra_kai (Jul 22, 2014)

I look forward to the Bolt 2 vs Edge 530/830 battle in a couple years when my 810 is ready to be replaced.


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

taodemon said:


> Which garmins use wires? Mine always uploads automatically to garmin connect/strava through my cellphone (or wifi when I start and end at home) as soon as the ride is over.
> 
> Companion apps other than the dedicated garmin connect app will be the same for most devices (strava app, ride with gps app or map my ride app), so what is the difference there?



The difference here is that I tried both and apparently you did not. Garmin is well known to release buggy software which lead to rides being eaten, rides not being saved, every time I pressed that end ride button... it was like 50/50 on whether it would save or crash. Yeah, no. Done with all that. Done with multiple bike profiles being eaten, done with "memory full" messages. Done with file export acrobatics. Believe it: Garmin "hate" is a real thing among legions of its dissatisfied followers. Pedalbiker put it well, there was no competition until now and Garmin got lazy.

I purchased the Bolt mainly because of the clarity and crispness of its screen, ease of data point manipulation on the fly, and the configurable LED "in range out of range" display. I am very impressed with the overall package. Come towards the light!! Two hundred fifty bucks, probably less as you'll be able to net out the sale of your used Garmin unit.


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

Can't wait to get my Bolt


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Just so everyone knows, the only difference between the Bolt and the Original Elemnt is the size the screen and fewer LED's on the Bolt.

The original Elemnt is a little heavier and larger, but it has a larger screen (and displays a few more fields) and is a little cheaper than the bolt ($50 I think). Otherwise they both have the exact same functionality.

I have both units (Original Elemnt and Bolt). I have relegated my Elemnt to trainer duty (it works *great* with my Smart Trainer), and have put the new aero Bolt mounts on all of my 'outside' bikes.


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

arai_speed said:


> I don't get the "hate" thing.


It's an elusive concept for some.


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## arai_speed (Aug 19, 2003)

pedalbiker said:


> It's an elusive concept for some.


#FirstWorldProblem


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

Migen21 said:


> Just so everyone knows, the only difference between the Bolt and the Original Elemnt is the size the screen and fewer LED's on the Bolt.


Uhh, and it's all integrated and aero!?! Like, free watts, dude. 

You just got a computer to tell you how much faster your computer makes you. Win/Win.


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

arai_speed said:


> #FirstWorldProblem


Is that, like, supposed to be profound or something?


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## arai_speed (Aug 19, 2003)

pedalbiker said:


> Uhh, and it's all integrated and aero!?! Like, free watts, dude.
> 
> You just got a computer to tell you how much faster your computer makes you. Win/Win.


I've gotten numerous PRs since mounting the Bolt. My old Garmin was really holding me back.


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## arai_speed (Aug 19, 2003)

pedalbiker said:


> Is that, like, supposed to be profound or something?


It's an elusive concept for some.


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## ddave12000 (Aug 16, 2013)

Eh, maybe a wahoo product will be the next computer I buy, but I haven't had any issues with either of the two garmins I've owned. I had a 500 and had no issues for several years. Updated to a 520 for the bluetooth connectivity and haven't had any issues with that either. I'm sure Wahoo is great but I really doubt they'll be putting Garmin out of business or anything.


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## shermes (Jul 26, 2008)

arai_speed said:


> It's an elusive concept for some.


#FirstWorldProblem


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

9W9W said:


> The difference here is that I tried both and apparently you did not. Garmin is well known to release buggy software which lead to rides being eaten, rides not being saved, every time I pressed that end ride button... it was like 50/50 on whether it would save or crash.


Yeah, the Element was flawless when it hit the market! 

Personally I don't see getting passionate about a bike computer (love/hate) - it's a thing. If it does what you need then good. Both companies are good at creating new needs for people with digital addictions in a passionately connected world.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Srode said:


> Yeah, the Element was flawless when it hit the market!


I've owned several Garmin units in the past, and won't own one again. Edge 500, 820, and 1000. The reason I owned three is because I was so frustrated with the previous model that I bought a new one hoping it would be better. I learned an expensive lesson. How many years has Garmin been doing this? You would think they would be better at it, but being the only serious player for so many years, they apparently didn't have much motivation to provide a customer friendly support service.

The difference between Wahoo's update cycles and Garmins are night and day, and their support is fantastic too compared to Garmin's. I had an Edge 1000 that had bluetooth issues. I opened three separate support cases that were ignored and closed without even so much as contacting me. By the time I finally got them to respond the warranty had expired and they told me the unit needed to be refurbished (at my cost) or replaced.

Hello Elemnt!

I was a day one owner of the original Elemnt, and it did have some sensor drop out issues, but they they put out fairly frequent updates, improving the connectivity each time, until the issues were completely resolved. Every time I opened a support case, I dealt with a real human being, either via email, or over the phone. They acknowledged the problem and gave me some tips on how to work around the issues, and even gave me access to a beta firmware to try until they released the firmware that resolved the issue. 

The Elemnt app is a breath of fresh air compared to Garmin Connect. All of the features of the head unit, including the data fields, page layouts and sensor pairing can all be configured from the phone. Once setup, the unit can operate completely independently of phone to save battery (unless you want to utilize the Live Track or Phone/SMS notifications). 

I'm done with Garmin and couldn't be happier about it.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

You were much more patient with Wahoo than I would have been, I would have returned it. Garmin has bugs when they hit the market but of the 3 I have (500,510,820), I have *never* had an issue that I would consider a critical functionality issue like dropping sensors all the time. The most serious issue I have had on any of the Garmins was the 820 touch screen changing by itself when in the rain, and there was an easy work around with 2 quick actions to lock the screen in a downpour, took all of about 15 seconds to execute. That issue was fixed much faster than the sensor dropping issue with the Element. 

I'm not knocking the Element or Bolt, both great units I'm sure. My point is lets not try to kid anyone by making it sound like Wahoo's computers have a history of flawless execution when they hit the market. Making a claim like that is not only incorrect but clearly draws into question the objectivity of the person making the claim. Great they communicate well, but that didn't result in a quick fix to what I would consider a non-functional unit based on what I read in your thread.


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

So this computer is connected via Bluetooth to a phone. If I decide not to take my phone along, what features do I lose? Can I still use the GPS navigation? Last question: do you guys ever have issues with the Bluetooth connection? I've only ever used a simple GPS (Bryton 100), but the Bolt looks interesting. Thx


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## mfdemicco (Nov 8, 2002)

To what extent does the Wahoo need a smartphone?


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## Chader09 (Jun 10, 2014)

The phone is used to setup your data screens, upload rides to Strava and such, and make routes.. It is not needed for normal riding use.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

You need the phone to configure some functions of the head unit. 

If you don't take a phone with you, the only functionality you lose is live notifications of phone calls and text messages, the "Live Tracking" feature. You also wouldn't be able to use the 'route me anywhere' feature, which requires the map on the phone to select your destination and map the route, which is then sent to the head unit. 

It's absolutely not necessary to have your phone with you. of, if you take it with you, but prefer to leave it turned off, or just leave bluetooth turned off to save battery, the Elemnt/Bolt still performs fine, with the exceptions I noted above.

Edit to add: I'm pretty sure you *must* use a phone for the initial setup, so it's not an optional thing, but it's not necessary to take it on a ride.


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

Thank you for the info!


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

Migen21 said:


> You need the phone to configure some functions of the head unit.
> 
> If you don't take a phone with you, the only functionality you lose is live notifications of phone calls and text messages, the "Live Tracking" feature. You also wouldn't be able to use the 'route me anywhere' feature, which requires the map on the phone to select your destination and map the route, which is then sent to the head unit.
> 
> ...


This is confusing. 

I think you mean you need the phone to do initial setup only, but do not need a functioning phone for basic device functions, only for calls, text and re-routing.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Let me state more definitively then.

You definitely need the phone to do the initial setup of the device. 

You definitely don't have to take the phone with you on rides. You will lose a few features (Live Track, Route Me Anywhere, and Phone/Text notifications), but everything else works fine.


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## Jupamaso (Apr 12, 2015)

I had the RFLKT for a couple of months. The connection always (and I mean always) dropped. I lost a lot of rides with that. Was in contact with customer service (great by the way) - they where never able to fix the problem. I bought garmins unit (500 & 800). Never had a problem. I Will never buy from Wahoo again, it is unreliable.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

The RELFKT was a piece of junk, and they admitted defeat with it and stopped making it.

The ELEMNT and BOLT do not suffer from similar problems. You don't have to take my word for it. Read any reviews you can find online. I don't think you'll find anyone saying much bad about them.


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## Aadub (May 30, 2015)

Ive owned a garmin 500, currently a 820, varia radar, fenix 3 and a couple hand-held GPS units. Maybe I should also buy a lotto ticked as I have never lost a ride, nary a problem that the OP speaks of.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

To add to the chorus, I am still using my Edge 705, which I bought pretty much when it came out roughly 10 years ago. Never a single hiccup, of any kind. Survived a hard crash without a scratch, rides in all sorts of weather including pouring rain. Even the battery life doesn't seem to have changed much, but then I never needed to test the limits (all of my rides have been less than 7 hours). The cadence sensor and heart rate strap it came with are just fine likewise.

Bottom line, Garmin makes perfectly competent hardware, but I am aware of the fact that their software can be iffy for some releases, exclusively from hearsay, though. It's quite possible that their newer units have more problems now, I just don't know.

Having said all of the above, I might be willing to take a look at the ELEMNT, despite the fact that I dislike their stupid naming style... I like the fairly big display, which seems to be well readable (it's monochrome though), which is a godsend for my aging eyes coupled with the fact that I'm too cheap to buy prescription cycling glasses, for now.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

I got my Bolt the day they launched it. It was funny, I sat down to set it up - had a beer, the box, my laptop, my phone... expecting to be there a while... After 5 min, I was done. It was comically simple. The companion app is very cool. 

I came from the Garmin line - a 500 and a 510. The 500 was fine - just more like a PalmPilot if the new ones are like smartphones. The 510 felt like a jump forward from the 500, but the touch screen was very finicky - worked, didn't work... and eventually was the reason it went in the trash.

I'm a big fan of the Wahoo stuff right now.


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## aintskeerd (Jun 20, 2016)

I've been riding for a few years and now I'm looking to pick up my first computer. I've been leaning toward the BOLT but ill be honest, I've not looked much into the competition. I have a HR monitor from ELEMNT so I naturally looked into their line of products. Looking forward to accessing my data in the fly vice post ride.

Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk


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## pedalbiker (Nov 23, 2014)

Pirx said:


> Bottom line, Garmin makes perfectly competent hardware, but I am aware of the fact that their software can be iffy for some releases, exclusively from hearsay, though. It's quite possible that their newer units have more problems now, I just don't know.


Their 510/810s were not competent in the least. And probably why they didn't use touch screens in the 520/820.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

pedalbiker said:


> Their 510/810s were not competent in the least. And probably why they didn't use touch screens in the 520/820.


The 820 uses a touch screen. The early OS had TS issues with water droplets causing the screen to swap around. Since fixed supposedly.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/543199


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## Aadub (May 30, 2015)

It's easy to join the hate parade for anything, but consider that Garmin likely sells 1000x more of their units than Wahoo. I'd be curious on the per capita failure/incident rate comparing the two?


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

I'm happy with my 810. But competition is a wonderful thing. It just means prices come down and units from all manufacturers get better. Always been a little surprised that Google doesn't get in the game.

Would not surprise me if some but no all of these posts are plants. Can only help Wahoo if hey can convince other there's mas discontent out there. Seen it with restaurant and product reviews where the business likes or fakes positive reviews.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

Trek_5200 said:


> Would no surprise me if some but no all of these posts are plants.


Would no surprise me if you're wearing a tinfoil hat.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Trek_5200 said:


> I'm happy with my 810. But competition is a wonderful thing. It just means prices come down and units from all manufacturers get better. Always been a little surprised that Google doesn't get in the game.
> 
> Would no surprise me if some but no all of these posts are plants. Can only help Wahoo if hey can convince other there's mas discontent out there. Seen it with restaurant and product reviews where the business likes or fakes positive reviews.



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[gasp]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Read up on Edge Narcolepsy...or how about the Edge 1000 update that broke Garmin's own HRM straps...or...or...or....

Garmin has for a decade been producing crap software (running on decent if not good hardware) and expecting consumers to beta test it, and then *maybe *they'll fix it. This long predates Wahoo even existing as a blip on the map. As someone on their 3rd and hopefully last Garmin unit (E305, E705, E1K), I sincerely hope Garmin goes bust. They've earned it.


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## aintskeerd (Jun 20, 2016)

OldZaskar said:


> Would no surprise me if you're wearing a tinfoil hat.


Haha lmao.

Sent from my LG-K425 using Tapatalk


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

I just use a iphone, but my wife is loking for a superior more reliable products than her total PITA garbage Garmin 810. The thing crashes, locks up, and loses connection with her Garmin power pedals fairly frequently. Which is about exactly what I would expect from Garmin, having used various of their awful GPS units for hiking and boating.


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## ljvb (Dec 10, 2014)

Marc said:


> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
> 
> [gasp]
> 
> ...


There is absolutely zero chance of that happening. Consumer, and specifically sports devices are not even a blip in their earnings when compared to marine, vehicle and aircraft device earnings. 

Yes they have a tendency to release buggy firmware, but that is not limited to Garmin anymore, that seems to be a trend of trying to beat the competitor to market, and not intentionally trying to use users as beta testers. 

Side note, I have never had functional problems with my 810, and forerunners that my wife used (except for the one with the crappy touch bezel that went crazy). I have had build quality issues though in the forerunner 200 and 250 series (both had their screens off center inside the case... drove me nuts, and same problem in two different ranges too)


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

Did a Garmin update about 4 weeks ago, it will not longer sync with my computer base connect... keeps giving me an error message. Ugh... my last three rides have not been captured


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

ljvb said:


> There is absolutely zero chance of that happening. Consumer, and specifically sports devices are not even a blip in their earnings when compared to marine, vehicle and aircraft device earnings.
> 
> Yes they have a tendency to release buggy firmware, but that is not limited to Garmin anymore,_* that seems to be a trend of trying to beat the competitor to market, and not intentionally trying to use users as beta testers. *_
> 
> Side note, I have never had functional problems with my 810, and forerunners that my wife used (except for the one with the crappy touch bezel that went crazy). I have had build quality issues though in the forerunner 200 and 250 series (both had their screens off center inside the case... drove me nuts, and same problem in two different ranges too)



Thing is....for all the years Garmin has been doing this they had no GPS cycle-computer competitors at all. They've been doing this since the Edge 205 days. AKA a decade+.

They honestly don't seem to give a crap.


Wahoo had some teething problems....but they got their ducks in a row fast (their 3rd unit released retail). As opposed to Garmin who 12+ (IIRC) athletic GPS units released later, and they're only now starting to worry about decent firmware.


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## n2deep (Mar 23, 2014)

BCSaltchucker said:


> Which is about exactly what I would expect from Garmin, having used various of their awful GPS units for hiking and boating.


To be completely fair, on the boat/ocean, Garmin GPS-Chart Plotters are simply the best,, I have used others but Garmin on the water is the best of the best!!!

My Edge 1000 has some weird kinks like the power on when charging and the heart rate strap sucks but other than those two issues, its worked flawlessly. But I also admit that I do not connect my 1000 to the phone/strava/mapmyride/etc. (Apparently the root of most issues identified above)


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## BlazingPedals (Apr 4, 2013)

Hmm... My Garmin 500 does everything I got it to do, and never lost a ride. Maybe I don't expect enough out of it. The Wahoo looks nice, though.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

BlazingPedals said:


> Hmm... My Garmin 500 does everything I got it to do, and never lost a ride. Maybe I don't expect enough out of it. The Wahoo looks nice, though.


After the first few years of bugs, my 500 worked really well too. But I kept reading about all the cool things the newer computers could do. I had no rational reason to upgrade. Once I got the Bolt, it made my 500 feel really (!) outdated. 

Most of what I use the Bolt for, the 500 did just fine. But there are some cool things the newer computers do that just make life easier...

- On the ride to a ride last week, a text message from a club-mate popped up on the Bolt "Running 5 min. late". 
- My family knows I don't answer my phone when I'm riding. Now, they know they can get in touch with me by texting "CALL NOW" or "Emergency" - because the Bolt (and newer Garmins too... I think) will display the first line or so of a text or email. It also rings when a call come in. All of those alerts have on/off settings
- At any point on or before a ride (lost? just want a route?) you can open the Wahoo app, enter an address or place name - and a route (bike friendly) will appear on the Bolt - turn-by-turn with alerts

It really was like moving from a PalmPilot to an iPhone
(and no Trek_5200... I still don't work for Wahoo)


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

ROAD&DIRT said:


> Did a Garmin update about 4 weeks ago, it will not longer sync with my computer base connect... keeps giving me an error message. Ugh... my last three rides have not been captured


I updated an 810 to the latest OS, 6.1, a few weeks ago, no issues with the unit, syncs to Connect just fine. 

Knocking, knocking...... with Garmin, it's like saying"haven't had a flat in years"....


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## ljvb (Dec 10, 2014)

Marc said:


> Thing is....for all the years Garmin has been doing this they had no GPS cycle-computer competitors at all. They've been doing this since the Edge 205 days. AKA a decade+.
> 
> They honestly don't seem to give a crap.
> 
> ...



That s the problem with not having competition. You get complacent, you no longer innovate. Garmin definitely fell victim to that. 

Garmin really does need to get off its ass if it wants to remain competitive. Buggy and all, I have enjoyed various Garmin devices in the last 15 to 20 years, and while I have not really had any major problems with my Forerunner 350 (original giant sized wrist one), 500 and 810, I am not considering any more Garmin devices unless they come up with something innovative. The fact that they still use legacy hardware, still using old BT specs, and their iphone app kinda sucks. Not to mention I hate.. absolutely hate the chest strap HR monitors. Today, we are starting to have choices. I am not saying those choices are great, some are, some bomb, but at least we have choices.

I feel that Garmin will have to innovate in the consumer sports segment, or they will have to leave the segment and stop bothering.


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## radripperaj (Mar 7, 2015)

Pirx said:


> To add to the chorus, I am still using my Edge 705, which I bought pretty much when it came out roughly 10 years ago. Never a single hiccup, of any kind. Survived a hard crash without a scratch, rides in all sorts of weather including pouring rain. Even the battery life doesn't seem to have changed much, but then I never needed to test the limits (all of my rides have been less than 7 hours). The cadence sensor and heart rate strap it came with are just fine likewise.


How I miss my 705, It was my first bike computer that I bought refurbished because it was cheaper. I never had a single problem with it ever. The 705 did exactly what I wanted it to do without fail. I accidentally crushed the screen putting stuff in my car one day. I got a 510 from Garmin and HATED it. Nothing worked the way it was suppose to. It wouldnt sync wirelessly, The live track never worked, the touch screen sucked. I eventually sold it and got an 800. The 800 is pretty good although I wish I had the joystick of a 705 and not the touch screen. It seems the newer model Garmins get worse and worse instead of better.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

ljvb said:


> That s the problem with not having competition. You get complacent, you no longer innovate. Garmin definitely fell victim to that.
> 
> Garmin really does need to get off its ass if it wants to remain competitive. Buggy and all, I have enjoyed various Garmin devices in the last 15 to 20 years, and while I have not really had any major problems with my Forerunner 350 (original giant sized wrist one), 500 and 810, I am not considering any more Garmin devices unless they come up with something innovative. The fact that they still use legacy hardware, still using old BT specs, and their iphone app kinda sucks. Not to mention I hate.. absolutely hate the chest strap HR monitors. Today, we are starting to have choices. I am not saying those choices are great, some are, some bomb, but at least we have choices.
> 
> I feel that Garmin will have to innovate in the consumer sports segment, or they will have to leave the segment and stop bothering.



Garmin made the market...which is the frustrating thing. My Edge 1000 is about 95% stable. Last night's ride (May 1 2017) was one of the other 5%. Got home, it synced to Connect just fine-but Strava refused to take the ride. Grumbling I fired up Fit File Repair Tool that I bought way back when E1K was much less stable...Funny thing. My Edge is basically a nanosecond-accuracy atomic clock. How the hell does it manage to therefore stamp my last night's ride (and all datapoint entries in the FIT file) as _*April 6th 2019*_? I mean seriously? 10 seconds in FFRT and the file's date stamps were fixed en masse with 1 mouse click.


Which brings up the other thing. Fit File Repair Tool is in no way an officially licensed Garmin-produced toolset so far as I know. It is a Microsoft Access application made by a random brilliant cycling enthusiast software developer in Germany. Indeed all the riding tools people use like FFRT and MapMyRide and so on are 3rd party tools that were garage cobbled together at home and refined into something respectable. Garmin made a broken ecosystem, and left the community to step up and fix it. FFRT is one of those things that Garmin themselves should have released Day 1 to fix corrupt ride files....instead they never have released such a tool.


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## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

There are things I hate about Garmin as a company. Some of their devices have had pretty bad design flaws from a UX and functionality perspective that could easily have been fixed and they often choose not to when they've moved onto the next generation of product. (2 examples... with the old FR60/FR70 watches, you could not choose between using speed sensor and HRM to calculate calories burned, it defaulted to speed sensor if one was attached. So if you biked down a mountain even though you didn't even pedal it'd say you burned like 3000 calories.... and then with the Fenix 2 watch you could not choose between zero and non-zero average cadence and it defaulted to zero).

That said, the Edge 500 and 520 units are great products they deserve some kudos for. 

Keep in mind the Edge 500 is technology from 2009, with firmware last updated in 2013, and people are still using the thing! In fact, you can still buy it new. Yes, it had kinks that were worked out in production instead of pre-release, but ultimately most people have gotten years of good use out of their 500s. When you are comparing the 500 to an ELEMNT, you are comparing 2009 tech to 2016/2017.

For me personally, the Edge 520 is perfect. I like the size, the features, the GPS/GLONASS accuracy, the Varia Radar compatibility, and have had very few technical issues with it. I also like that it does NOT have a touchscreen. The reason I switched from the 500 to the 520 was GPS inaccuracy in a couple local canyons was driving me nuts and there was a sale... ultimately it's been among my favorite bike-related products.

From all the reviews and comments I gather Wahoo's ELEMNT line including the BOLT are great. But I wouldn't knock Garmin if you haven't tried an up-to-date 520 yet.


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

OldZaskar said:


> and eventually was the reason it went in the trash. I'm a big fan of the Wahoo stuff right now.


You should try selling your old cycling stuff on eBay instead of junking it. Definitely helps to fund a continuous stream of new toys with money recycling of old toys.




n2deep said:


> To be completely fair, on the boat/ocean, Garmin GPS-Chart Plotters are simply the best,, I have used others but Garmin on the water is the best of the best!!!
> 
> My Edge 1000 has some weird kinks like the power on when charging and the heart rate strap sucks but other than those two issues, its worked flawlessly. But I also admit that I do not connect my 1000 to the phone/strava/mapmyride/etc. (Apparently the root of most issues identified above)



Oh, I believe that without a doubt. Garmin makes fantastic oceanic and avionics equipment and software. It's a shame that it's cycling division was always seemingly ran as an afterthought. You're telling me a company that makes equipment for most airlines and ships on this planet can't release a better product than the pipeline of turds?

Wahoo deserves the market share in this space.


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

BTW, the row of LED's on top of the Bolt unit is by far my favorite feature. I set it to HR and I can always see the LED's and their color out of the corner of my eye to see which HR Zone I'm in. As you make your way through zones more LED"s light up and the bar changes colors from Blue--> Green ---> Orange ---> Red.

You can set this LED strip to represent HR, power, average speed, cadence or other fields. It provides a great way to glance down and immediately assess your exertion level or desired metric without glancing at the numbers.


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## Al B (Aug 18, 2015)

I am glad to see the Wahoo Bolt as new competition to Garmin. Garmin has dominated the market for too long. Although their products are good, they are not great and their user interface setup and use is almost as bad as it was to program an old school "time blinking" VCR. Wahoo has made huge strides with their programming app to make the job easy. They have a good display and the Bolt has a much better size than the original Wahoos. I can only expect them to get better over time. They have made more improvements in a couple years than Garmin has over a decade. I have a Garmin 520 right now, and have owned a 705 and a 500, but I think the Wahoo Bolt or its successor will be my next computer.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

If you are in the 'more competition is more better' camp, then this will be good news.

Hammerhead Karoo - Android based
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/05/hammerhead-karoo-gps-bike-computer.html

My initial impression is that I'm not a fan of the formfactor (it's pretty large), and I don't want to deal with a touchscreen (sweaty hands, Seattle rain, gloves in cold weather, etc...). I like that it's android based though, and that it has it's own connectivity (it has a SIM slot), so it doesn't need a separate phone or wifi for route sharing, updates, etc...

Due out in August or so.


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## gzim (Mar 31, 2017)

My Bolt is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. My bike has 2016 Di2 Ultegra. I understand I will need to buy and install a D Fly unit for the Bolt to bve able to display my gearing and battery level, but my concern is that people have written that I would also need to update the firmware on my Shimano... how does one do this?


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

You update the firmware on your Di2 components by plugging in the USB interface from your PC and run the E-Tube Software. You use the same SM-BCR2 unit you are probably already using to charge your Di2 (unless you have an external battery/charger). 

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of the firmware update yourself, your LBS should be able to do it for you for a reasonable price.

If all you want to do is add an ANT+ connection to your BOLT, all you need is the old D-Fly SM-EWW01 ANT+ (only) wireless unit.

If you get the new generation of bluetooth/ANT+ combo Wireless units (EW-WU111 for internal or EW-WU101 for internal or external), you can pair them via bluetooth to an IPAD and use the IPAD Etube software do all of your updates and configuration wirelessly. This also requires you to replace your battery/master unit with the new Bluetooth battery/master unit. (BT-DN110) assuming you don't already have it. The old battery is no longer available. 

The new bluetooth units will give you some additional functionality in the form of sync style shifting, along with the same multi-shift and button function programming.


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## gzim (Mar 31, 2017)

Migen21 said:


> You update the firmware on your Di2 components by plugging in the USB interface from your PC and run the E-Tube Software. You use the same SM-BCR2 unit you are probably already using to charge your Di2 (unless you have an external battery/charger).
> 
> If you don't want to deal with the hassle of the firmware update yourself, your LBS should be able to do it for you for a reasonable price.
> 
> ...


Wow, thanks. Lots of great info. The bike is here;
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/tarmac/tarmac-pro-disc-race-udi2/106250
its a 2016, with the battery in the seatpost, but the spec is not on the website... I guess that is the newer type. If it is in the seatpost does it mean it is? 
If one goes for the internal version EW-WU111 D Fly, where do they typically put it? seems like it would be a better option, with less chance of knocking a wire out while taking my bike on and off bike racks etc.

I do not think I will be messing around with customized shifting just yet, as I have only ridden the bike twice so far... but am really loving it.

Psyched to try out the Bolt this weekend... it'll be my first bike computer. I have been using my phone, with either RidewithGPS and/Or Strava.

I do have the battery charger you mention, so at least I can update from my laptop using it.

Thanks again for all the great info!

G


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

gzim said:


> Wow, thanks. Lots of great info. The bike is here;
> https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/tarmac/tarmac-pro-disc-race-udi2/106250
> its a 2016, with the battery in the seatpost, so I guess that is the newer type. If one goes for the internial EW-WU111 D Fly, where do they typically put it? seems like it would be a better option, with less chance of knocking a wire out while taking my bike on and off bike racks etc.
> 
> ...



On a CF bike, the wireless unit can go basically anywhere inside the frame. The WU111 is nice since it is an inline and can effectively splice in between other components in the Di2 network. The WU101 is less versatile since both ETube ports are one side.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Most people put the internal unit either in the top tube or the head tube. You have to have to pull the fork/headset to get in there. Wrap it loosely in some foam or bubble wrap so it doesn't rattle around.

I've posted pics of this on this forum, and you can do an internet search to find some examples.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Here is the link to download the ETube Software. Make sure you keep the latest version, as the older versions don't work with the newer hardware.
http://e-tubeproject.shimano.com/

it's Windows PC Only, unless you have a tablet. I see looking at the link that there is an android version now. I didn't realize this. I've only used the IPAD for the wireless stuff.

Prepare yourself to be underwhelmed by the software interface (PC or Wireless). Shimano is pretty good at making components, but their software leaves a lot of room for improvement.


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## ljvb (Dec 10, 2014)

Migen21 said:


> If you are in the 'more competition is more better' camp, then this will be good news.
> 
> Hammerhead Karoo - Android based
> https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/05/hammerhead-karoo-gps-bike-computer.html
> ...



This one has peaked my interest, although the 3G connectivity is dumb. 4g chipsets are smaller, and more efficient from a power usage perspective. Also, 3G frequencies will eventually (very soon) be reused in 4G and in a few years once the spec is finalized, 5G, leaving this device with no cell service if you chose to use that. Also not noted is whether the cost of teh device will include service from a cell provider or reseller (MVNO).

Also, the version of Android was not specified (or I missed it), this is a problem with a lot of low end android (and even some stupid rediculously priced dumbass high end phones.. Vertu comes to mind.. as in $20k for a phone with specs from 5 years ago dumb)..


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

Steve B. said:


> I updated an 810 to the latest OS, 6.1, a few weeks ago, no issues with the unit, syncs to Connect just fine.
> 
> Knocking, knocking...... with Garmin, it's like saying"haven't had a flat in years"....


Finally spoke with Garmin Support, end result I need to remove Garmin Connect from computer and re-install... everything works fine now, even my last three ride have been update.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Ok. Right now, the replacement for my current Garmin 510 will not be a 520, but a Wahoo Bolt. Please 510 don't die before Wahoo has come up with integration for my Garmin Varia Radar, which I happen to like a lot.


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## Chader09 (Jun 10, 2014)

kbwh said:


> Ok. Right now, the replacement for my current Garmin 510 will not be a 520, but a Wahoo Bolt. Please 510 don't die before Wahoo has come up with integration for my Garmin Varia Radar, which I happen to like a lot.


I'm curious to see if the so that as well.


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## RL7836 (Jun 17, 2014)

kbwh said:


> Please 510 don't die before Wahoo has come up with integration for my Garmin Varia Radar, which I happen to like a lot.


I thought I read somewhere that they have no plans for this (maybe in comments after DCR review?)


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

I finally got to use the 'Route Me Anywhere' feature today. I was exploring some back roads in the Cascade foothills, and didn't really know where I was going, so I pulled out the phone, tapped where I wanted to go, and it routed me there no problem. Great feature, simple to use.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

Migen21 said:


> I finally got to use the 'Route Me Anywhere' feature today. Great feature, simple to use.


I saw that in a Wahoo "Tips" email. Haven't had a chance to use it, but looks cool. I wonder though - why Garmin and the Wahoo (and the others?) have the "Return to Start" feature, but not "Route to Start"?

I can't (realistically) envision being on a ride - long enough that I'd need directions back to the start - that would A) necessitate a re-route to the start and B) I/we wouldn't want the shortest bike friendly route possible. 

The "Return to Start" features just reverse the route, a.k.a. bread crumb route. So, if our group is on a 75-mile ride, and at mile 50, someone has an issue and needs to return... the Return to Start makes it a 100-mile ride. "Route Me Anywhere" would work here. But, I'll admit, I rarely know the address of ride start points (other than my house). They're usually "The Church", "The Bank on ___", "XYX Elementary School"

I know, I know... first world problems - just Google it. Just seems like an easy and overlooked (for now) feature.


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## KleinMan (Mar 10, 2004)

So, if you just purchase the Bolt, not the bundle, you only get the head unit and not even the speed sensor? Is this correct?


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

If you just purchase the Bolt, you just get the Bolt. You have to purchase the combo, or buy sensors separately.


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## arai_speed (Aug 19, 2003)

KleinMan said:


> So, if you just purchase the Bolt, not the bundle, you only get the head unit and not even the speed sensor? Is this correct?


That is correct.

$250 for just the head unit.


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## KleinMan (Mar 10, 2004)

arai_speed said:


> That is correct.
> 
> $250 for just the head unit.


That's pretty petty not to at least include the speed sensor. 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

KleinMan said:


> That's pretty petty not to at least include the speed sensor.
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


It's not. You technically don't need a speed sensor, the unit can navigate and generate speed just fine by itself, no sensor. Garmin is the same way, as BTW.

You might only ever need a speed sensor if you are always riding where there's a lot of tree cover, mt. biking as example, or gravel grinding in Oregon.


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## KleinMan (Mar 10, 2004)

Steve B. said:


> It's not. You technically don't need a speed sensor, the unit can navigate and generate speed just fine by itself, no sensor. Garmin is the same way, as BTW.
> 
> You might only ever need a speed sensor if you are always riding where there's a lot of tree cover, mt. biking as example, or gravel grinding in Oregon.


Lol, oh yeah, I forgot about the gps part. Thanks. 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Steve B. said:


> It's not. You technically don't need a speed sensor, the unit can navigate and generate speed just fine by itself, no sensor. Garmin is the same way, as BTW.
> 
> You might only ever need a speed sensor if you are always riding where there's a lot of tree cover, mt. biking as example, or gravel grinding in Oregon.


To be fair, speed sensor is better. GPS is quite laggy in response to acceleration. Which bicycles do lots of.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

Marc said:


> To be fair, speed sensor is better. GPS is quite laggy in response to acceleration. Which bicycles do lots of.


True. My experience with and without, on Garmin units, was about a 5 sec. lag with just GPS, maybe 2 sec. with a speed sensor. Probably unit processing lag. Thus speed sensors are useful on the road if doing group rides and pulling a group while trying to maintain a steady pace. If solo, doesn't matter (in my world).


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Steve B. said:


> True. My experience with and without, on Garmin units, was about a 5 sec. lag with just GPS, maybe 2 sec. with a speed sensor. Probably unit processing lag. Thus speed sensors are useful on the road if doing group rides and pulling a group while trying to maintain a steady pace. If solo, doesn't matter (in my world).


climbing Teide the speed from gps was all over the place. Does it matter? well depends on the person but speed measured halved and doubled on a regular basis for most of the climb.


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## smokersteve (May 22, 2016)

What cadence sensor do you need for the Wahoo Bolt?


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

smokersteve said:


> What cadence sensor do you need for the Wahoo Bolt?


Any ANT+ or BlueTooth cadence sensor will work.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

Migen21 said:


> Any ANT+ or BlueTooth cadence sensor will work.


or any power meter with Bluetooth or ANT+


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

den bakker said:


> climbing Teide the speed from gps was all over the place. Does it matter? well depends on the person but speed measured halved and doubled on a regular basis for most of the climb.


A good post from a member - njkayaker, over on Bike Forums stated this: 

"GPS (even "more advanced" ones) are weak for speed for low speeds.

The issue is that the error in GPS position is about the same as a couple of wheel rotations. Counting wheel rotations is very accurate.. With a properly calibrated circumference, it's much more accurate over short distances to count wheel rotations. The limitation is inherent in GPS units that are cheap (and small and that are moving at slow speeds and in places where signals are blocked)."


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## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

After some initial issues with altitude/climb recording that was fixed by a firmware upgrade, I gotta say that the Bolt is a pretty solid unit with a lot of good features. 

I have constant power drop-out problems on a couple of my bikes with an Edge 1000, but the Bolt has no problems. 

I'd prefer if the display was a tiny bit larger, but it's reasonably readable even for my old eyes (that used to be 20/10 in my youth <sigh>). It would also be nice it there was a better manual with example graphics for things like the Segment screen (I can't read the smaller print that comes up while I'm riding)

I'll probably continue to use the 1000 for things like Europe trips or other places I need to rely on the mapping (due to the larger screen), but for day-to-day use, it's likely to be the Bolt for me.


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## skhan007 (May 18, 2012)

I am literally just learning of this new Bolt unit from Wahoo. I had, a few years ago, the Wahoo RFLCT (can't remember it's exact name), but it was lousy, kept dropping signal, and ultimately got returned. This new Bolt unit looks like a huge leap forward and I'm intrigued. Curious if it syncs well with Garmin Vector 2 power meter? Can't seem to find much info, but nonetheless, I'm intrigued. My Garmin 510 is a headache, clumsy to scroll/respond on the touch screen, and very slow to upload.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

skhan007 said:


> I am literally just learning of this new Bolt unit from Wahoo. I had, a few years ago, the Wahoo RFLCT (can't remember it's exact name), but it was lousy, kept dropping signal, and ultimately got returned. This new Bolt unit looks like a huge leap forward and I'm intrigued. Curious if it syncs well with Garmin Vector 2 power meter? Can't seem to find much info, but nonetheless, I'm intrigued. My Garmin 510 is a headache, clumsy to scroll/respond on the touch screen, and very slow to upload.


The Wahoo Elemnt (~2 years ago) and the Elemnt Bolt (~2 months ago) are both amazing pieces of kit. Light years ahead of the REFLKT in terms of build quality, functionalty and ease of use (via the awesome mobile app).

To answer your question, yes, it's compatible with any ANT+ or BTLE power meter, and almost any other kind of sensor you can imagine (HR, Cadence, Speed, etc...)


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## KleinMan (Mar 10, 2004)

Just ordered the bundle. Can't wait to use it.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## MercRidnMike (Dec 19, 2006)

I'm on my second Garmin cycle computer...I have an Edge 305 that still works (though the battery is getting old so run time is limited) and an Edge 800. I've never experienced dropped rides or sensors (shy of batteries going) on either unit. I will agree that Garmin needs to look at where the GPS enabled cycle computer is going and re-vamp the Edge line to keep pace with the competition...their system works, but it was "ported" from what worked for hand held and aviational units and you can certainly tell. 

I will agree that Garmin's customer service and firmware updates were (and sometimes still are) poor...poor enough to have had me less than pleased with them on several occasions. Hardware is great, firmware not so much....reminds me a lot of ASUS routers (awesome hardware, but the firmware is a joke). The nice thing about legacy devices like mine, I'm not fighting with firmware updates anymore (and the final versions were pretty reasonable).

When (it's not an if) I next upgrade, I think all the GPS cycling computers are fair game for consideration. I don't see myself going for CatEye (too many issues with their non-GPS cyclocomputers with my wife's bike), but Wahoo, Garmin, Mio/Magellan, Lezyne, Bryton and Polar are all up for consideration. I like Garmin stuff, but in this day and age, it's innovate or die and you need to have decent customer support and firmware to go with your units. Garmin had a monopoly, but now there are some really good competitors on the market and I think Garmin needs to wake up and pay attention to what's going on.


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## Teuthis (Jul 29, 2015)

Gotta add my $0.02: I got my Bolt two weeks ago, and I just found a feature that makes me love it even more.

I left the house this morning and got twenty feet from the front door when the Bolt went "dingle dingle." I looked down, and it was asking, "Start Ride?" I had forgotten to push "start," something I've done with my Garmin, usually chopping off a mile or two before realizing it.

Not a huge deal, of course, but a nice little feature that I'm glad the Wahoo guys included.


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## marathonrunner (Sep 7, 2016)

Teuthis said:


> Gotta add my $0.02: I got my Bolt two weeks ago, and I just found a feature that makes me love it even more.
> 
> I left the house this morning and got twenty feet from the front door when the Bolt went "dingle dingle." I looked down, and it was asking, "Start Ride?" I had forgotten to push "start," something I've done with my Garmin, usually chopping off a mile or two before realizing it.
> 
> Not a huge deal, of course, but a nice little feature that I'm glad the Wahoo guys included.


My Lezyne super gps does this too. Of course, not really comparable to the bolt, since it's half the price.


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## Teuthis (Jul 29, 2015)

marathonrunner said:


> My Lezyne super gps does this too. Of course, not really comparable to the bolt, since it's half the price.


I didn't mention that my Garmin was the 25, which is also half the price of the Bolt. I had assumed the lack of features on the 25 was a price thing, but now I wonder how many other conveniences Garmin didn't think to include that other manufacturers do.

Well, I wonder but idly, since I'm no longer Garmining.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

Its on every Garmin I've ever had, 500, 510, 820


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

^my 1000 too...


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## KleinMan (Mar 10, 2004)

I have the speed sensor. Anyone know whether the avg speed reported is from the sensor or gps? I notice the cycle computer reports a different average then when I go to review my ride in Strava

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

KleinMan said:


> I have the speed sensor. Anyone know whether the avg speed reported is from the sensor or gps? I notice the cycle computer reports a different average then when I go to review my ride in Strava
> 
> Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


Most of the devices, if finding a speed sensor, let that override the GPS. The speed sensor is always more accurate and timely. 

Possibly the report to Strava is the GPS only


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## deepakvrao (Dec 18, 2008)

Love my Bolt. Used it for 2 months or so, and now looking at a bigger screen. Have a friend who wants the Bolt, so ordering the Elemnt.

Will I lose anything? Forget the weight and size. Is the Elemnt more laggy, or does it have more dropouts or issues than the Bolt?


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

deepakvrao said:


> Love my Bolt. Used it for 2 months or so, and now looking at a bigger screen. Have a friend who wants the Bolt, so ordering the Elemnt.
> 
> Will I lose anything? Forget the weight and size. Is the Elemnt more laggy, or does it have more dropouts or issues than the Bolt?


The elment and bolt are running same internals and software. There is no "loss" and no dropouts. You do gain another set of leds, for menu activation and navigation. I think you also get another data field, i have taken my element on long 5+ hour rides and have had no issues. There was a firmware update that messed with sensors when i would cross into a strava segment, that has since been corrected.


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## Mckdaddy (Feb 8, 2014)

Teuthis said:


> Gotta add my $0.02: I got my Bolt two weeks ago, and I just found a feature that makes me love it even more.
> 
> I left the house this morning and got twenty feet from the front door when the Bolt went "dingle dingle." I looked down, and it was asking, "Start Ride?" I had forgotten to push "start," something I've done with my Garmin, usually chopping off a mile or two before realizing it.
> 
> Not a huge deal, of course, but a nice little feature that I'm glad the Wahoo guys included.



All of my Garmin devices have had this feature. Useful, no doubt.


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## fronesis (Jan 22, 2014)

deepakvrao said:


> Love my Bolt. Used it for 2 months or so, and now looking at a bigger screen. Have a friend who wants the Bolt, so ordering the Elemnt.
> 
> Will I lose anything? Forget the weight and size. Is the Elemnt more laggy, or does it have more dropouts or issues than the Bolt?


You will lose one thing: the bolt has louder sound. It's a hardware issue, and something they improved with the ELEMNT. May not matter to you at all, but I have a friend with an ELEMNT and I have a BOLT and he finds the notification sounds for turn-by-turn direction to be too quiet on his. The BOLT is loud.


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## fronesis (Jan 22, 2014)

One small note to add to this thread: I think they have improved the battery life in recent firmware. 

Rode the civil war century yesterday: ride time was 6:40, total time was 7:17, and when I finished the ride I had 59% battery remaining. This was with turn-by-turn on the entire time, but without any sensors attached.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

An annoying thing about the Bolt or maybe I'm missing something

I have my completed rides set to automatically upload to RWGPS. The Bolt/Elemnt will not do this unless it has a WiFi connection. It seems to not be able to send the ride data to the smartphone app then use cell data to upload. Must have WiFi, even says so in the manual. My vintage Garmin 810 can do this via the Garmin Mobile App. 

Am I missing something ?


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## fronesis (Jan 22, 2014)

Steve B. said:


> An annoying thing about the Bolt or maybe I'm missing something
> 
> I have my completed rides set to automatically upload to RWGPS. The Bolt/Elemnt will not do this unless it has a WiFi connection. It seems to not be able to send the ride data to the smartphone app then use cell data to upload. Must have WiFi, even says so in the manual. My vintage Garmin 810 can do this via the Garmin Mobile App.
> 
> Am I missing something ?


Yes, it can do what you want it to do (upload to RWGPS without a wifi connection), but you are also correct that it doesn't quite do this as seamlessly as you would like. 

If I finish a ride at a location with wifi that my Bolt knows, then the ride is uploaded without my having to do anything. It's truly seamless.

If I finish a ride at a remote location with no known wifi, then I often** have to do the following:

1. Complete ride (hit stop on Bolt/Elemnt) and ride is saved).
2. Keep the Bolt turned on, and launch the companion app on your phone.
3. Make sure the phone can "see" the bolt (this is not 100% reliable, so sometimes I have to quit and relaunch the app). 
4. Wait a bit, and it will sync the ride from the Bolt to the device (you can to go "results" and watch this happening). 
5. Wait a bit more, and it will process and and send the ride to the external sites you have turned on in settings. (Again, on the results tab of the app it will show this process at the top, and for a long ride, it take a bit of time).

**The catch to all of this is that when you finish a ride away from wifi, your Bolt/elemnt and your companion app have to be connected so they can do the sync. I've occassionally had this happen automatically, but most of the time I have to launch the app (and once in a while relaunch it) and wait for the device and the app to sync. 

The issue, I'm guessing, is that you'd love the app and device to sync immediately after the ride, but you may not want them to be connected througout the entire ride (as that drains the battery on your phone). In my experience, the bluetooth connection between the phone and the device is usually dropped during a ride (and I'm OK with that, because I don't want my phone battery to drain that much), and that's why you need to re-establish that connection. And there's no way for the device to TELL the app, "hey, the ride is over, let's reconnect." The bluetooth connection process can only be initiated from the app.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

Thx Fronesis, good advice

I too have noticed that the companion app sometimes will not readily connect to the Bolt, even though my iPhone BT says it's connected, I cannot see the device settings on the app. So that's one problem that I probably need to report to Wahoo.

It's have not as yet seen a severe battery drain on the phone as a result of the app running and, in theory, being connected to the Bolt during the ride, and I never really check or care. Thus at the end of a remote ride, the app should be running and I should then be able to proceed as you've suggested, or I'll relaunch the app. As I tend to not close apps in the iOS, I'll maybe get in the habit of stopping Wahoo and launching when I need it. 

I'll check tomorrow. 

I admit to being spoiled by Garmin in this respect in that my 810 seamlessly dumped the ride up to the app and then onward via cell data to connect and RWGPS. It worked every time for me in 18 mos. of use, though I've read many issues of this being a function that doesn't work on older Garmin units.


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## Buckwheat987 (Jul 13, 2012)

I have no issues dropping or connectivity issues with my Garmin 520. 

One feature I have really come to use this after getting it is the ability to download a workout and power zones for my interval workouts quite easily with Garmin Connect. 

I like that I can set a range for the interval (unlike in Training Peaks where u set only a single value).

Is this possible to set power or HR ranges with the Elemnt Bolt? Or is it a single value with a set percentage warning signal like in training peaks. 

thanks


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## LiquidCooled (Jun 9, 2017)

Buckwheat987 said:


> Is this possible to set power or HR ranges with the Elemnt Bolt? Or is it a single value with a set percentage warning signal like in training peaks.


You can set both the power and HR ranges.


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

LiquidCooled said:


> You can set both the power and HR ranges.


You can set both, but the LED indicators on top (bolt) on side (fat version), can only do one or the other.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

can the Bolt use the same mount as the Garmin?


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

aclinjury said:


> can the Bolt use the same mount as the Garmin?


No, it uses it's own mounts. Both come with their own out in front mount in the box and with a simple rubber banded stem/handlebar mount.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

pittcanna said:


> No, it uses it's own mounts. Both come with their own out in front mount in the box and with a simple rubber banded stem/handlebar mount.


Bolt uses zip ties on the stem mount.

Wahoo is also selling a non-aero out-front mount. Both the aero and standard out front mounts are cheaper then when I last looked, the aero out front was $39, it's now down to $20, same price as the non-aero. Stem mounts remain at $15.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

If you have a third party out front mount with a replaceable insert (i.e. K-Edge) you can just replace the insert for about 6$.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

Fronesis and Wahoo are correct, 

Close the companion app, start it, device will send saved ride to app, with the app then sending the ride on to wherever you have set. No WiFi needed.

Thx

SB


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## TDFbound (Jul 11, 2017)

I've had a Garmin Edge 500 for years and it has been absolutely flawless. Every Garmin accessory I've tried with it has also worked perfectly. I just yesterday got the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt and am already pissed off at how hard it is to set up the speed/cadence sensor. Why would they make a product that can't be adjusted to fit more than a handful of bike frames?


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

TDFbound said:


> I've had a Garmin Edge 500 for years and it has been absolutely flawless. Every Garmin accessory I've tried with it has also worked perfectly. I just yesterday got the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt and am already pissed off at how hard it is to set up the speed/cadence sensor. Why would they make a product that can't be adjusted to fit more than a handful of bike frames?


Heres my 2 cents.

The s/c speed sensor you are referring to works on about 95% of frame and wheelset combinations. That being said i would have opted for the rpm and speed combo package. Easier setup and portabilty
https://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-Sensor...TF8&qid=1505396565&sr=8-4&keywords=wahoo&th=1

wahoo fitness is great with there customer support. you should send them a message, and see if they can help you out.


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## dcorn (Sep 1, 2011)

TDFbound said:


> I've had a Garmin Edge 500 for years and it has been absolutely flawless. Every Garmin accessory I've tried with it has also worked perfectly. I just yesterday got the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt and am already pissed off at how hard it is to set up the speed/cadence sensor. Why would they make a product that can't be adjusted to fit more than a handful of bike frames?


Why would you change your speed/cadence sensor? Did you not have one before? I fully intend on leaving my Garmin ANT+ speed/cadence sensor alone when I get a Bolt.


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## TDFbound (Jul 11, 2017)

dcorn said:


> Why would you change your speed/cadence sensor? Did you not have one before? I fully intend on leaving my Garmin ANT+ speed/cadence sensor alone when I get a Bolt.


I wanted the Bluetooth capabilities to easily send data to my iPhone while using the TrainerRoad app.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

dcorn said:


> Why would you change your speed/cadence sensor? Did you not have one before? I fully intend on leaving my Garmin ANT+ speed/cadence sensor alone when I get a Bolt.


My read on this is he had the sensors and they worked with the Garmin, but not now with the new Bolt.

@TDF, what sensors and have you researched if there are the issues, or have you e-mailed Wahoo ?. Wahoo is pretty good at trying to resolve issues.

My Garmin speed sensors paired immediately with the Bolt and I've had no issues. One nice thing about the Wahoo method is once it's paired, it always knows to pair. On my Garmin 810 I had to manually change bike profiles to get the device to pair with a different Garmin speed sensor. I did more then a few mt. bike rides before I discovered this, it's a PITA. In Garmin's defence, I believe they've changed this with the 820 and 1030 as they've done away with bike profiles.


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