For those who’re a Wahoo fan, you’ve undoubtedly seen the leaked pictures and hypothesis of their unreleased “prime secret” biking laptop. The pc in query is the all-new Wahoo ELEMNT ACE, and it’s a agency step exterior the field for Wahoo. The massive head unit separates itself from the ELEMNT line with a contact display screen (together with basic buttons), wind sensor, up to date mapping, turn-by-turn voice instructions, and rather more. So, if a brand new biking laptop is in your reward listing this season, maintain studying as a result of the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE has exceeded our expectations.
What’s the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE?
The Wahoo ELEMNT ACE is the brand new flagship laptop from Wahoo. It indicators Wahoo’s entrance into the touchscreen (cell phone-size) head unit market — becoming a member of gamers like Garmin, Hammerhead, Polar, and Bryton. However in contrast to that format, the brand new ELEMNT ACE comes with a couple of class first, together with a wind sensor.
The ELEMNT ACE is a brand new design in a well-recognized bundle. For these aware of Wahoo, you’ll discover that the ELEMNT ACE “feels” like a Wahoo laptop however is far bigger. It comes with a sturdy aluminum mount and tether to verify it doesn’t take flight over bumps or off street.
Greater and Brighter Display
Wahoo retains its basic three-button design however updates to a 3.8-inch transflective contact display screen, the most important at school. The display screen is anti-glare and helps with high-contrast visuals, and studying in direct daylight with a vast coloration palette for less difficult readability. Don’t fear if you happen to’re not a touchscreen fan. The unit additionally has conventional buttons on the underside and sides for operation.
Lengthy Battery Life
With the up to date display screen comes an up to date battery life, 30+ hours to be actual. The up to date battery life comes with dual-band GPS and real-time information monitoring. Since Wahoo envisioned the ELEMNT ACE as a touring companion, extra important battery life was non-negotiable.
Is {That a} Wind Sensor?
One of many essential “is that?” questions with the ELEMNT ACE is the brand new wind sensor. This characteristic isn’t new to biking, however it’s often a stand-alone system and has by no means graced a biking head unit. The brand new Wahoo Wind Dynamics™ (WWD) measures real-time air resistance. So riders can see if they’ve a headwind or tailwind or are in “impartial air.” The WWD will present post-ride insights into wind results, drafting advantages, and aerodynamic effectivity. Extra on this later in my experience impressions.
Enhanced Navigation
One of many extra important updates the ELEMNT ACE tackles is navigation, which Brings Flip-by-Flip voice instructions for security and comfort. The up to date mapping dashboard is made higher by the brand new contact display screen and up to date Wahoo person interface. Riders can use the contact display screen alone or when exploring routes and the buttons en route.
Digital Bike Bell
The characteristic we’ve all been ready for is the Digital Bell. It appears trivial, nevertheless it’s efficient, and while you don’t have a bell in your bike, typically you would like you had one. I take advantage of this characteristic on the Garmin 1050, and it’s a pleasant bonus when on the rails-to-trails and within the metropolis.
Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Specs
- Weight: 208g
- Dimensions: 126mm x 71mm x 24mm; 4.9mm x 2.75in x .78in
- Show Measurement: 96.7mm // 3.8in
- Decision: 480 x 720
- Battery Sort: Lithium-ion
- Water Score: IPX7
- Charging: USB-C
Trip Impressions and Characteristic Breakdown
I’ve had many rides on our demo unit Wahoo ELEMNT ACE laptop, sufficient to present my ideas. Nonetheless, Wahoo additionally assures us that many updates are coming, so these impressions are restricted to the present firmware model. We do see good issues on the horizon, particularly for the WWD options.
Unboxing
The Wahoo ELEMNT ACE is a giant unit—it’s almost cellular phone dimension. Wahoo does make good use of all of the area and doesn’t have a lot (if any) extra across the display screen. It’s barely thicker than different ELEMNT models, however I attribute that to the bigger battery dimension.
There may be little extra contained in the field. The unit arrives with an alloy laptop mount and an elastic tie to safe it to the bars. The mount doesn’t arrive with shims or rubber grommets. Once you mount it, it’s alloy to carbon—barely scary if you happen to worth the carbon end in your bars.
Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Setup
I want there was extra to elaborate on, however the setup is uneventful and straightforward. Like different Wahoo models, you scan the QR code, which pulls up the Wahoo app. In case you have the app, then all of your info is able to switch to the brand new unit. After dialing in a number of preliminary setup questions, you’re good to pair your sensors.
Pairing sensors for the ELEMNT ACE is finished from the unit, not the app. A house display screen permits the person so as to add sensors by hitting the ‘+’ button. The ACE scans for the sensor after which experiences again with the findings. To date, I’ve had zero hassle pairing energy meters, trainers (TACX and Wahoo), shifting, and coronary heart fee displays. The one piece I’ve had a slight problem with is the Trek Carback Radar, however I think about it is going to clear up after the preliminary wave of updates.
First Trip
My first rides on the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE had been very nice. When I’ve a brand new head unit, I often have to maneuver issues round and add/delete screens and outputs. The ACE was plug-and-play. I’m often a Garmin person, so this got here as a shock to me as nicely. I’ve examined and ridden plenty of Wahoo gear however by no means most well-liked their head models till the ACE.
Trip Profiles
As of proper now, there are two experience profiles to choose from: Biking and Indoor Biking. It’s easy and straightforward, although I do like the choice of getting a ‘mountain biking’ setting on my Garmin, however I not often use it.
Information Screens
The info screens are laid out equally to the opposite Wahoo head models. There’s a zoom-in/out for the varied metrics you’d prefer to see. Once you add a sensor, the Wahoo ACE asks you if you happen to’d like so as to add the information to the display screen. Then, it provides the information to the grid of outputs. Not like Garmin, it doesn’t dedicate a full display screen to the brand new information; it provides a small output on the grid, which I desire.
There are various information outputs; you possibly can customise what you’d like. Nonetheless, the default ones are fairly intensive. If there’s an excessive amount of information for you, merely zoom in, and also you’ll have much less to fret about.
Although the coloured LED lights on the facet of the unit are gone, they’re there in spirit. Once you’re in a particular zone, be it energy or coronary heart fee, the field across the information will seem in a corresponding coloration. This coloration corresponds to the zone you’re in, and it’s a good way to see in case your energy and coronary heart fee are decoupling.
Lap Abstract
Once you hit the lap button (all buttons are labeled as nicely—tremendous useful), a display screen populates with the earlier lap output. This offers you a small breakdown of the information, however no additional.
Indoor Using
Using indoors with the ELEMNT ACE is pleasurable (or as pleasurable as using indoors could be). I chosen “Indoor Biking” as my experience exercise profile, and aded the TACX NEO2 coach and off I went. I used to be in a position to simply management my Wahoo KICKR Headwind Unit velocity and NEO2 resistance from the ACE, which is a pleasant added comfort.
App Integration: Getting my Coaching Peaks, Strava, and different apps all arrange was straightforward sufficient. The listing of Built-in Apps is brief proper now, however it is going to probably develop.
Strava Segments and Routes
For those who’re on the lookout for segments or need to discover the closest route on the map, it’s fairly straightforward. I didn’t go for any, nevertheless it didn’t take me lengthy to drag up some that had been close by.
Wind and Aero Information
I haven’t carried out a deep dive into the wind information, nevertheless it appears promising. As of proper now, you possibly can see Airboost (tailwind) and Airdrag (headwind) after which a proportion of your experience’s quantity spent the place.
Very similar to the colour change energy and coronary heart fee information, the WWD will show a coloration akin to your present standing within the wind.
Wahoo, tell us precisely what these colours imply:
- Darkish Inexperienced: The Airspeed information area will spotlight darkish inexperienced when you find yourself in a “Heavy Airboost” situation. This may happen when your floor velocity is considerably larger than your Airspeed, resembling in a heavy tailwind or if the rider is in an excellent drafting place.
- Gentle Inexperienced: The Airspeed information area will spotlight gentle inexperienced when you find yourself in a “Gentle Airboost” situation. This may happen when your floor velocity is reasonably extra important than your Airspeed. This happens in a lightweight tailwind or reasonably good drafting place.
- Blue: The Airspeed information area will spotlight blue when your floor velocity and Airspeed are comparatively the identical.
- Orange: The Airspeed information area will spotlight orange when you find yourself in a “Gentle Airdrag” situation. This may happen when your floor velocity is reasonably lower than your Airspeed. This usually happens in a lightweight headwind.
- Crimson: The Airspeed information area will spotlight crimson when you find yourself in a “Heavy Airdrag” situation. This may happen when your floor velocity is considerably lower than your Airspeed. This usually happens in a heavy headwind.
Beneath is the output from a 2:00 hour gravel experience on the Montour Rail Path with output from the Wahoo App.
How does Wahoo validate its WWD claims? To substantiate their preliminary outcomes, Wahoo’s Sports activities and Information Science workforce performed comparability benchmark testing versus different comparable gadgets available in the market. As well as, they constructed a one-cubic-meter miniature wind tunnel at Wahoo HQ able to offering constant, laminar (easy and orderly) airflow. Lastly, the Wahoo analytics groups performed real-world testing periods by renting a velodrome in Europe to check the sensor’s accuracy in a managed setting.
What about CdA and different aero-metrics? Wahoo says, “The {hardware} capabilities included within the system will help a variety of elevated performance within the years to come back.” Sooner or later, you’ll have a method to measure which helmet is quicker and which skinsuit is admittedly price $1K, and so forth., however till then, you’ll need to accept how a lot time you’re within the draft and the way a lot time you’re within the wind.
Navigation
The navigation and mapping screens are easy to learn. It’s much like the ELEMNT ROAM and makes use of routes and the “take me to” fashion navigation. The display screen is tremendous delicate, and while you’re attempting to see extra of the map, there’s an opportunity you’re going to a unique web page. The pinching to zoom out is barely sophisticated and might make desirous to navigate much less interesting. As of proper now, I haven’t absolutely taken benefit of the navigation options and solely used the route creation. It’s pretty for following routes, although it might be good to have in-ride routing.
Battery Life
The ACE’s battery life is excellent thus far. I haven’t wanted a recharge. Wahoo claims 30+ hours, although I can’t absolutely attest to that. I can say it’s ticking down battery life slowly.
Bell-Yeah!
Did I point out there’s a bell? It’s a pleasant contact, although I’m unsure if customers will know that it’s a characteristic till they by accident occur upon it. Not like the newer Garmin models, the bell isn’t simply known as out. Nonetheless, while you discover it (a double faucet on the display screen), you’ll be joyful you probably did.
Ultimate Impressions
My expertise with the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE has been very pleasurable to date. The ACE will want quite a few updates to dwell as much as its billed potential, however that appears increasingly more frequent industry-wide as over-the-air updates grew to become commonplace. It’s a heavy piece of substances, and I don’t see it flying off the cabinets as an XC race laptop. Nonetheless, I do see many riders discovering it to be a top-notch coaching accomplice and race companion.
Search for a long-term evaluation as we’ve got extra time on the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE.
Pricing and Availability
- US: $599.99, CA: $849.99, EU: €599.99, UK: £549.99, AU: $999.
For extra info, go to WahooFitness.com.
