When you’re a Wahoo fan, you’ve undoubtedly seen the leaked photographs and hypothesis of their unreleased “high secret” biking laptop. The pc in query is the all-new Wahoo ELEMNT ACE, and it’s a agency step outdoors the field for Wahoo. The big head unit separates itself from the ELEMNT line with a contact display (together with traditional buttons), wind sensor, up to date mapping, turn-by-turn voice instructions, and far more. So, if a brand new biking laptop is in your reward record 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-known package deal. For these conversant in 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.
Larger and Brighter Display screen
Wahoo retains its traditional three-button design however updates to a 3.8-inch transflective contact display, the biggest at school. The display is anti-glare and helps with high-contrast visuals, and studying in direct daylight with a limiteless shade palette for easier readability. Don’t fear in case you’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 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 vital battery life was non-negotiable.
Is {That a} Wind Sensor?
One of many most important “is that?” questions with the ELEMNT ACE is the brand new wind sensor. This characteristic isn’t new to biking, however it’s normally a stand-alone gadget 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 journey impressions.
Enhanced Navigation
One of many extra vital 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 and up to date Wahoo person interface. Riders can use the contact display 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, however it’s efficient, and whenever you don’t have a bell in your bike, typically you want you had one. I exploit 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 Dimension: 96.7mm // 3.8in
- Decision: 480 x 720
- Battery Kind: 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 offer my ideas. Nevertheless, 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 an enormous unit—it’s practically cellphone dimension. Wahoo does make good use of all of the house and doesn’t have a lot (if any) extra across the display. It’s barely thicker than different ELEMNT items, however I attribute that to the bigger battery dimension.
There’s 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 in case you 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 items, you scan the QR code, which pulls up the Wahoo app. You probably have the app, then all of your data is able to switch to the brand new unit. After dialing in a couple 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 permits the person so as to add sensors by hitting the ‘+’ button. The ACE scans for the sensor after which studies again with the findings. To date, I’ve had zero hassle pairing energy meters, trainers (TACX and Wahoo), shifting, and coronary heart charge displays. The one piece I’ve had a slight subject 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 normally have to maneuver issues round and add/delete screens and outputs. The ACE was plug-and-play. I’m normally a Garmin person, so this got here as a shock to me as properly. I’ve examined and ridden a number of Wahoo gear however by no means most well-liked their head items till the ACE.
Trip Profiles
As of proper now, there are two journey profiles to select 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 hardly ever use it.
Information Screens
The info screens are laid out equally to the opposite Wahoo head items. There’s a zoom-in/out for the assorted metrics you’d prefer to see. Once you add a sensor, the Wahoo ACE asks you in case you’d like so as to add the information to the display. Then, it provides the information to the grid of outputs. In contrast to Garmin, it doesn’t dedicate a full display to the brand new information; it provides a small output on the grid, which I favor.
There are lots of information outputs; you possibly can customise what you’d like. Nevertheless, 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 charge, the field across the information will seem in a corresponding shade. This shade corresponds to the zone you’re in, and it’s an effective way to see in case your energy and coronary heart charge are decoupling.
Lap Abstract
Once you hit the lap button (all buttons are labeled as properly—tremendous useful), a display 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 gratifying (or as gratifying as driving indoors might be). I chosen “Indoor Biking” as my journey 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 simple sufficient. The record of Built-in Apps is brief proper now, however it is going to doubtless develop.
Strava Segments and Routes
When you’re in search of segments or wish to discover the closest route on the map, it’s fairly simple. I didn’t go for any, however it didn’t take me lengthy to tug up some that had been close by.
Wind and Aero Information
I haven’t finished a deep dive into the wind information, however it appears promising. As of proper now, you possibly can see Airboost (tailwind) and Airdrag (headwind) after which a share of your journey’s quantity spent the place.
Very similar to the colour change energy and coronary heart charge information, the WWD will show a shade akin to your present standing within the wind.
Wahoo, tell us precisely what these colours imply:
- Darkish Inexperienced: The Airspeed information subject will spotlight darkish inexperienced when you’re in a “Heavy Airboost” situation. It will happen when your floor velocity is considerably better than your Airspeed, comparable to in a heavy tailwind or if the rider is in an excellent drafting place.
- Mild Inexperienced: The Airspeed information subject will spotlight mild inexperienced when you’re in a “Mild Airboost” situation. It will happen when your floor velocity is reasonably extra vital than your Airspeed. This happens in a light-weight tailwind or reasonably good drafting place.
- Blue: The Airspeed information subject will spotlight blue when your floor velocity and Airspeed are comparatively the identical.
- Orange: The Airspeed information subject will spotlight orange when you’re in a “Mild Airdrag” situation. It will happen when your floor velocity is reasonably lower than your Airspeed. This sometimes happens in a light-weight headwind.
- Crimson: The Airspeed information subject will spotlight purple when you’re in a “Heavy Airdrag” situation. It will happen when your floor velocity is considerably lower than your Airspeed. This sometimes happens in a heavy headwind.
Under is the output from a 2:00 hour gravel journey 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 crew carried out comparability benchmark testing versus different comparable units 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 carried out 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 gadget will help a spread of elevated performance within the years to return.” Sooner or later, you’ll have a strategy to measure which helmet is quicker and which skinsuit is absolutely value $1K, and many others., however till then, you’ll must 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 simple to learn. It’s much like the ELEMNT ROAM and makes use of routes and the “take me to” fashion navigation. The display is tremendous delicate, and whenever you’re making an attempt 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 totally taken benefit of the navigation options and solely used the route creation. It’s beautiful for following routes, although it might be good to have in-ride routing.
Battery Life
The ACE’s battery life is superb to this point. I haven’t wanted a recharge. Wahoo claims 30+ hours, although I can’t totally 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 undecided if customers will know that it’s a characteristic till they by chance occur upon it. In contrast to the newer Garmin items, the bell isn’t simply known as out. Nevertheless, whenever you discover it (a double faucet on the display), you’ll be completely satisfied you probably did.
Last Impressions
My expertise with the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE has been very gratifying so far. The ACE will want quite a lot of updates to stay as much as its billed potential, however that appears increasingly more frequent industry-wide as over-the-air updates turned commonplace. It’s a heavy piece of drugs, and I don’t see it flying off the cabinets as an XC race laptop. Nevertheless, I do see many riders discovering it to be a top-notch coaching companion and race companion.
Search for a long-term assessment as now we have 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 data, go to WahooFitness.com.
