Cyclist
New Wahoo Elemnt Ace computer has a 3.8-inch touchscreen and a wind pressure sensor
Wahoo has launched a new flagship bike computer called the Elemnt Ace, which incorporates a 3.8-inch diagonal touchscreen and is priced at £549.99.
The other major new feature is a wind pressure sensor built into the front of the unit. Wahoo translates the data into a frontal wind speed reading, which it displays on the device, colour-coding the field green when you’re getting a significant push from a tailwind and red when you’re riding into a headwind. There’s more analysis post-ride, with the Elemnt Ace working with an enhanced Wahoo app, rather than the Elemnt app used by its older model cycling computers.
Larger screen than competitors
The Elemnt Ace is Wahoo’s first bike computer with a touchscreen and it has the largest screen among the major bike computer players, bettering that on the Garmin Edge 1050, which is 3.5in, and the Hammerhead Karoo, which is 3.2in.
Screen resolution has also been increased over the Elemnt Roam and is now 720×480 pixels, comparable to its competitors. The screen is anti-glare treated for better readability in sunlight, and transflective, so it reflects sunlight back through the display to enhance brightness.
Rather than the long and narrowish screen typical of larger format cycling computers, the Elemnt Ace’s screen is wider for its length, with a 3:2 aspect ratio. which should make navigation easier and also offers more real estate for larger format data fields.
The new screen has 16 million colours, up from 64 colours for the Elemnt Roam, which Wahoo has used in particular to rework its maps for a richer palette and greater detail. That’s supplemented with new voice-based navigation instructions via a built-in speaker, which also provides a digital bike bell when you tap the bottom of the screen.
If you liked Wahoo’s button operation, you’ll be pleased to know that the array of three convex buttons has been retained on the base of the Wahoo Ace’s face, as well as the one left-side and two right-side buttons, so that you can control the Elemnt Ace using them and use Wahoo’s Perfect Zoom to zoom maps in or out and change the number of data fields displayed on data screens. Wahoo uses the same easy-to-read font as on its previous cycling computers as well.
Wind pressure sensor
Wahoo’s wind pressure sensor is a first for a bike computer. It’s behind one of two apertures in the lower front of the unit, the other housing a temperature sensor for more accurate temperature readings. Wahoo says that the wind pressure sensor will allow riders to gain an insight into one of the least-understood factors to have an impact on a cyclist’s performance.
It allows Wahoo to display colour-coded air speed data on how much headwind you’re riding into or the boost you’re getting from a tailwind. It also means that you can gauge the effect of drafting on your effort levels.
Wahoo has built wind pressure analysis functionality into the Wahoo app, which replaces the Elemnt app as the post-ride repository for ride data. At present, you can see a summary of the boost or drag you received from the wind on a ride, as well as a map with segments of a ride, so you can trace where a tailwind enhanced or a headwind impacted your performance.
It points out that previous devices to measure the effect of the wind on cyclists have been expensive and their take-up has been limited. Wahoo reckons it will quickly have the largest wind data set available, which it plans to use to power deeper analysis for riders, expanding what it has branded Wahoo Wind Dynamics functionality in future.
The Elemnt Ace is IPX7 water resistant despite the front slots, although Wahoo says that you shouldn’t poke anything sharp into them or point a pressure washer directly at them to avoid damaging the sensors.
Big format, big weight
The downside of the large screen and added sensors is a pretty hefty unit. It weighs 208g, which is significantly weightier than the Garmin Edge 1050 at a claimed 161g or the Hammerhead Karoo at 118g. The included alloy mount adds another 60g.
Although that weight seems large for a cycling computer, it’s worth considering that large-format premium smartphones such as the iPhone 16 Pro Max (227g) and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (232g) weigh more.
The Elemnt Ace can be a tight fit on some fancy aero bars as well, although it’s compatible with most third party out-front mounts designed for larger units.
Part of the additional weight is from the battery, which Wahoo has doubled in size from the Elemnt Roam. This does, however, lead to a long battery life, claimed at 30 hours, and there’s the now-standard USB-C charging.
New software generation
Rather than just being a super-sized Elemnt Roam, Wahoo has used the launch of the Elemnt Ace to re-engineer its complete cycling computer software platform to a third generation (the V2 Roam and Bolt being its second generation). Whereas user data was previously scattered between the Roam/Bolt, the Elemnt app and the cloud, data from the Elemnt Ace resides totally in the cloud.
This means that there’s one version of reality and avoids data duplication and potential inconsistencies. It has resulted in a few teething problems for pre-launch users though and Wahoo will have a rolling programme of updates post-launch to add functionality.
In December, this includes enhanced Strava Live support and custom alerts, while full LiveTrack functionality is slated for January 2025. Wahoo says that the new architecture will make future updates easier to implement and its update programme will continue to add and enhance functionality into 2025 and beyond.
Wahoo has also redesigned its user interface on the Elemnt Ace, aiming to make menu navigation and unit parameterisation easier. As with its older computers, tight smartphone integration allows you to change things on the Elemnt Ace via the app too.
The Elemnt Ace is the first Wahoo device that provides workout profiles, so you can set up different screen clusters and data fields for different types of riding. Wahoo has also streamlined its connections to devices such as power meters and heart rate monitors and provides data on their connection and battery status.
January will also see custom bezels offered, so you can colour your Elemnt Ace to match your bike.
Considering its premium billing, the Elemnt Ace’s £550 list price looks reasonable, splitting the difference between Garmin’s flagship Edge 1050, which is priced at £650, and the updated Hammerhead Karoo at £450. We’ve got an Elemnt Ace out for testing at the moment, so look out for a detailed review in the next couple of weeks.
Wahoo Elemnt Ace specs
- Unit weight: 208g
- Mount weight: 60g
- Unit size: 126 x 71 x 24mm
- Screen size: 3.8in / 96.7mm
- Screen resolution: 480 x 720 pixels
- GPS: Dual band GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
- Connectivity: BLE, ANT+, Wi-Fi
- Storage: 64GB, 2GB RAM
- Claimed battery life: 30 hours
- Waterproof: IPX7
- Price: £549.99 / $599.99 / €599.99
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