Note: Images and information in this post were provided by Wahoo Fitness.
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| Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM |
Recently Wahoo Fitness released its new flagship GPS unit called "ACE", but the rest of their GPS range was left as is. Rumors began to spread recently saying Wahoo was going to upgrade its ROAM and BOLT GPS units, and as it turns out, those rumors are true. Today Wahoo Fitness announces the next generation ROAM and BOLT and introduces its first foray into a rear light/radar detection device. That new device is called the TRACKR RADAR
ELEMNT ROAM: The biggest change here will be the addition of a touchscreen. The ACE's voice navigation feature is also carried over to this new ROAM model. Here following is a feature set for the ROAM v3:
- Enhanced navigation and route management: Detailed maps with points of interest, elevation data and road types, combined with voice turn-by-turn directions.
- Larger, 2.8” high-contrast display: A 22% larger screen than BOLT with a higher-resolution, anti-glare and enhanced contrast, along with glove-friendly multi-touch capabilities (pinch, zoom, swipe).
- Intuitive connected experience: Connect to more third-party apps and services than ever before with expanded functionality and data sharing
- Wahoo’s "Ready to Ride"dashboard ensures that loading routes, syncing workouts, and checking battery or sensor status takes seconds—not minutes—so you can focus on the ride, not the setup."
- Up to 25 Hours of Battery Life: Enough power for long adventures and back-to-back rides.
- Modern design: A completely revamped user interface provides a clean, modern look and feel.
Pricing and Availability: ELEMNT ROAM 3: US$449.99 / CA$679.99 / EU€ 449.99/ UK£ 399.99/ AU$ 749.95/ JP¥78,000 - on sale Tuesday May 6th 2025
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| The new ELEMNT BOLT |
ELEMNT BOLT: Wahoo's entry-level GPS device gets a crisper, slightly larger screen at 2.3". The feature set is as follows:
- High-Resolution Display: The new 2.3” screen is optimised for clarity, especially in bright sunlight.
- Intuitive connected experience: Connect to more third-party apps and services than ever before with expanded functionality and data sharing
- Wahoo’s "Ready to Ride" dashboard for setup makes setup of activity type, routes, and workouts instant.
- Up to 20 Hours of Battery Life: Enough power for race day and beyond.
- Lightweight speed: Compact design minimises weight for speed without losing performance and functionality.
Pricing and Availability: ELEMNT BOLT 3: US$329.99 / CA$529.99 / EU€329.99 / UK£299.99 / AU$549.99 / JP¥ 658,000 - on sale Tuesday May 6th 2025
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| The new TRACKR RADAR |
TRACKR RADAR:
TRACKR RADAR is Wahoo Fitness' first foray into the bike radar and rear light category. The TRACKR RADAR pairs with the Wahoo Fitness' other front GPS units via Bluetooth or ANT+ and will do so with GPS units that support those protocols.
TRACKR RADAR also has a built-in accelerometer which allows the unit to act as a brake light. Following are the features of this new unit:
- Vehicle warning: the radar system detects approaching cars behind, increasing the flash pattern.
- Innovative safety: a built-in accelerometer allows the unit to function as a brake light, getting brighter when slowing down
- Simple connection: The TRACKR RADAR is an extension of the Wahoo eco-system, pairing with the ELEMNT head unit for the ultimate user experience, as well as other compatible Bluetooth or ANT+ bike computers.
- Ease of use: The dual mounting system also allows the TRACKR RADAR to be attached to any bike and removed with ease.
- Battery Extender Mode: Reduces luminosity to conserve battery when no vehicles are detected and can provide up to 20 hours of use.
Pricing and Availability: TRACKR RADAR: US$199.99 / CA$ 299.99 / EU€ 199.99/ UK£ 179.99 / AU$349.95 / JP¥33,000 - coming soon.
Comments: The introduction of the ACE kind of tipped everyone off that something like this was coming soon. As far as the introduction goes, I think the touchscreen and voice navigation functions on the ROAM are probably reasonable upgrades to a well proven unit. The BOLT was largely left alone, and I think this was a good decision. Simplicity of function is pretty much why you'd want a BOLT anyway and loading it up with more features would only muck up a good thing.
The radar unit is a catch-up to Garmin and timely since the Taipei Cycle Show had several vendors showing new rear radar units. There are going to be a lot of those hitting shelves from several brands in the near future.
4 comments:
I wonder if the new Wahoo prices are already Taiwan Tariff adjusted ?
Or will the price go up when the units start shipping ?
@scottg - Excellent question! I've not noticed in any press release I've seen so far where any mention of tariff price adjustments are mentioned. My guess is all this was in motion too far in advance to pivot to accommodate any increases in price induced by tariffs.
That isn't to say prices will not increase. My feeling is most brands will try to absorb as much as they can before making changes. At any rate, it is not a great situation for these companies.
There’s lots of reports that the software on the Ace is buggy. That same software core is running on these new units. So that’s concerning.
They completely got rid of the LED lights that I like and set Wahoo apart from the competition.
Also, the larger battery has resulted in these units being quite thick and the included mount has gotten thicker as well.
I currently have a OG Wahoo Elemnt and when it’s time to replace it in the next year or so, I’m not likely to go for these new units.
Yeah, that is concerning. Not good news.
I'm kind of torn as far as the LED lights go, whether I'd miss those or not. Sometimes they are distracting, sometimes they are useful. (I have an ELEMNT ROAM for reference)
But I also think I'm more of a BOLT guy. Simple and less deep in features is best for me.
I'm sure you watched some of the Taipei show coverage and if you did, you probably saw several competitors to Wahoo/Garmin/Hammerhead which might prove interesting if their software is up to snuff. I knew a guy several years ago that had a Bryton GPS and it looked really nice and he said, at the time, it blew Garmin out of the water.
Things will likely get real interesting in the near future.
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