Wahoo ELEMNT Bike Head Unit – What’s to be excited about?

The WAHOO ELEMNT is shipping around about now as this image from @TeamHincapie shows. But what is special about the ELEMNT and why should we cyclists be excited? Is it more than just another cycling computer?

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcjeYT-UsAEnrFR.jpg

First off we should be excited that a company of WAHOO’s great reputation should be trying to further (RFLKT) muscle into this market, Garmin have a stranglehold on it so far. From my personal experience and that of others WAHOO’s products are usually at least GOOD and often EXCELLENT and always novel/innovative.

Here are some people who might be excited

• WAHOO KICKR owners – the ELEMNT offers great training integration facilities with the KICKR
• Frustrated purchasers – you buy a new device only to find it doesn’t fit your handle/aero-bars. The ELEMNT comes with 3 mounting options. Simple.
• The Free-spirited – if you don’t want to be tied into Bluetooth, ANT, Android, iOS  or whatever else then the ELEMNT is both OPENtastic and STRAVAtastic (and RideWithGPStastic).
• Those needing clarity of vision – it’s got a big, screen that’s EASY to read both for the metrics and the directional stuff. There are also quite clever-looking ways to enlarge certain display metrics easily in-ride as well as other important metrics being flagged up through coloured LEDs.
• Those needing smaller hands – The ELEMNT has nice to use ergonomic buttons and all the setup is done via your smartphone or tablet. There’s no fiddly USB cables to transfer data…all wireless (apart from charging).
• The social – you’ve got great on-screen ways to track fellow group riders. Handy. We ALWAYS lose someone or other on our Sunday long rides. Not any more.
• The Sports Techy – Inbuilt support for Muscle Oxygenation (BSXInsight)

There’s more. Watch this space.

https://geni.us/Wahoo