Wahoo ACE Review | The Largest and Most Advanced ELEMNT Yet

Wahoo’s ELEMNT ACE marks a massive change for the company. The size is new, the app is kinda new, the cloud system is new, the interface looks new, and the internals are new. Oh, the map is new, and so are the wind sensor, buttons and battery life.

US$599.99, CA$799.99, EU€599.99,  UK£549.99, AU$999.95 and JP¥9,900

With all the changes, existing Wahoo ELEMNT owners will be surprised to find the ACE remarkably easy to use as the core way of interacting with the device is highly similar to existing ELEMNTs.

I’ve used the beta and production versions of Wahoo ACE, and the one I have is a media loaner.

The detailed Wahoo ELEMNT Ace review starts here! Skip to the sections that most interest you.

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE In-Depth Review: Features, Performance, and More

Let’s take a deep dive into select features, target customers and uses comparisons, and more

Understanding the Wahoo ELEMNT Series: From BOLT to ACE

Wahoo’s ELEMNT is its GPS bike computer sub-brand complementing its indoor KICKR trainer range and various sports accessories like TICKR (heart rate).

The two existing 2nd generation ELEMNT models share the same features. The only difference is the size: BOLT (the small one) and ROAM (the medium-sized one). ELEMNT ACE is the large format of the 3rd generation, boasting new features, looks, and capabilities.

Historically, Wahoo ELEMNTs have been button-based performance bike computers with colour/B&W screens designed for readability. Later models had maps, but perhaps better options existed for riders seeking out-and-out bikenav.

The new ELEMNT ACE fills the gap in its range. The larger format, transformed maps, touchscreen and battery life make it a seriously useful contender for bike navigators.

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Specifications: Innovations and Upgrades

The Wahoo ELEMNT ACE ushers in a new generation of technology, not only in the device itself but also in the accompanying smartphone app and cloud ecosystem. While the core usability remains consistent, the ACE brings a host of significant upgrades, including improved hardware, enhanced mapping capabilities, and expanded functionality with AIRFLOW metrics.

In the context of “everything has changed,” I’ll highlight the essential product differences in bold compared to ROAM 2. TL;DR – It’s bigger, heavier, faster, more colourful, more expensive and improved battery life.

User Interface & Screen: What’s New in the Wahoo ACE

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE features a redesigned interface that enhances visual appeal and usability. Despite wholesale changes, the intuitive six-button layout remains a familiar and efficient way to navigate the device.

The ‘settings’ area accessed with the left-side button still contains the same core abilities but now works differently. The settings features are spread over three screens (Ride|Device|Sensors). Two new features worth pointing out are BIKE PROFILES and POWER SAVE abilities, the former being a long-requested feature for those wanting different screen layouts for different bikes and riding styles.

The map is transformed. Wahoo uses the same raw data sets for the map but has created wholly new imagery for the map.

Wahoo’s App and Cloud Ecosystem: A Major Overhaul

Wahoo is transitioning its bike computer support from the ELEMNT app to the all-encompassing WAHOO app and cloud ecosystem, streamlining functionality and improving third-party integrations.

Previously, there were ongoing issues with 3rd party authentication – for example, you might have had to repeatedly re-authorise your connections with Dropbox, Strava and TrainingPeaks on your smartphone. I understand authorisations will be effectively stored on the web (cloud); FinalSurge was the first partner to use that connection type. The new architecture makes it easier for 3rd parties to integrate into the Wahoo ecosystem.

A further benefit of the new cloud infrastructure is that your device settings and bike profiles will be stored remotely. Thus, a replaced ELEMNT ACE can be quickly restored.

The Evolution of Wahoo ELEMNT: From RFLKT to ACE

Over the past decade, Wahoo Fitness and Garmin have established themselves as cycling and fitness technology leaders, Wahoo excelling with its KICKR smart trainers, sensors, and ELEMNT bike computers. The launch of the ELEMNT ACE marks a step-change in technological evolution on the bike computer side.

Wahoo initially gained traction with its KICKR smart trainer line, transforming indoor cycling. The company later expanded its ecosystem of heart rate monitors, speed/cadence sensors, and the ELEMNT series of bike computers. Each successive release, from the original ELEMNT to the ROAM, improved functionality and cemented Wahoo as a favourite among endurance athletes and data-driven cyclists. Its ethos appears to be advanced usability coupled with an open ecosystem.

• Wahoo RFLKT: January 2013 – mirrors phone app
• Wahoo RFLKT+: August 2013 – adds ANT+ direct connection
• Wahoo ELEMNT original: March 2016 – autonomous GPS bike computer
• Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT 1: March 2017 – compact version
• Wahoo ELEMNT MINI: June 2017 – connected-GPS via smartphone
• Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 1: May 2019 – colour screen with TBT
• Wahoo ELEMNT RIVAL (Watch): November 2020 – touchless transitions
• Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT 2: May 2021 – next-gen components
• Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 2: October 2022 – next-gen components
• Wahoo ELEMNT ACE: December 2024 – next-gen components, wind sensor

ELEMNT ACE addresses earlier gaps with battery life and map display, innovating with Wind Dynamics and audio-TBT directions. Interestingly, the company has also recently filled niche gaps with support for music, GoPro control, and novel sensor types like GreenTEG’s CORE, which have all carried forward to ACE.

Comparing the Wahoo ELEMNT Range: ACE, ROAM, and BOLT

The Wahoo ELEMNT ACE, ROAM, and BOLT share a similar feature set, with primary differences in form factor, display size, and battery life. The ACE stands out as the flagship model, introducing a larger screen, enhanced navigation, and extended battery life. There are many detailed comparisons beyond that complicated by the fact that ACE represents the next generation of Wahoo’s products. The more sensible, detailed comparison will be to BOLT 3 and ROAM 3 (if they ever come to be).

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE: Is It Time to Upgrade from BOLT or ROAM?

I only recommend an upgrade if you need the larger format (eyesight/map) or longer battery life. Perhaps your battery on your current bike computer has degraded?

For those who are broadly happy with your BOLT or ROAM (v1 or v2), I would wait to see if 2025 brings a version of ACE in your preferred size. If so, the experience of Wahoo’s next-generation bike tech will probably be something most of you will love. ELEMNT ACE now feels more like a polished tool, whereas ROAM/BOLT are excellent cycling workhorses.

Many readers here love the latest, greatest tech. I know you will already have that VISA card, twitching with excitement. Usually, I’d say “go for it”. For once, I’ll refer you back to the size and weight of this thing, plus the omission of some old features from the launch (see feature rollout plans below).

Competitor Analysis: Garmin Edge 1050, Karoo 3, and Wahoo ELEMNT ACE

I’ve used all three of these bike computers a lot this year, and here is my take on the material differences between the three

On that basis, Karoo 3 appears to be the best, but for me, usability trumps all. Here are the detailed specs and comparisons. As you can see, they are highly similar.

As bikenavs, Karoo 3, Edge 1050 and ELEMNT ACE are in a completely different league than Coros Dura, Lezyne, MIO Cyclo, Bryton, Magene and others. The top three are great bike computers with little to choose between them on paper. If you’re faced with a choice, you’d probably decide on a relatively spurious factor but end up happy, whatever your choice. Whether you are about to be a first-time Bike computer owner or considering switching from any other platform, these three options are eminently sensible.

• When to Choose Karoo – Hammerhead states explicitly that it wants to provide the best navigating experience. They probably achieve that and represent a win for anyone looking for beauty on their handlebars. Even with the new battery save mode, battery life will remain a concern on super-long rides. The Karoo also doesn’t have a post-ride analysis app, although you can use the Suunto app. Karoo’s new 3rd party app ecosystem has just been announced, so we shall see how that grows in 2025.
• When to Choose Garmin: Garmin’s Edge 1050 combines impressive touchscreen responsiveness with vivid display quality, backed by a rich third-party app ecosystem. While premium pricing might deter some, Garmin’s integration with its watches for recovery and physiology metrics makes it ideal for those already in its ecosystem. However, Edge-only users may find competitors like the Hammerhead Karoo or Wahoo ELEMNT ACE more tempting for their more usable devices.
• When to Choose Wahoo – Wahoo’s customers are a loyal bunch. As either performance cyclists or navigators, they love the “just-works” factor and high levels of usability. Now mostly resolved, they remember all those lost rides they experienced on older Garmins in pre-Wahoo days. Garmin does have more navigation features, but ELEMNT ACE offers a consistently better experience.

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Design Review: Usability Meets Functionality

From a glance, existing Wahooligans will immediately recognise the three top buttons and then be taken aback by the large size.

When navigating, the new maps will get the attention of an existing Wahoo owner—superb colours, superb details, excellent map visuals, responsive enough and nicely visible in any light. If you liked the simplicity and clarity of the old map (me!), you might find the new maps unwelcome. Still, any other rider from other bike computers will recognise what Wahoo has delivered with mapping as visually excellent.

The data screens are unremarkable other than to say that some data fields can have dynamic backgrounds whose colour signifies some other aspect of performance, e.g. a heart rate might show as a number, but the background colour changes according to the current zone. That spoils the looks but aids usability.

Some aspects of the bottom of the screen are confusing to me. I expect the words ‘Start’ and ‘Page’ to correspond to a touchscreen action; instead, they are used as labels for the buttons immediately below them.

If you are new to Wahoo, the six-button design is initially unfamiliar and odd. I still remember my first experiences many years ago. Be assured that the Wahoo design is more efficient and usable. If you think about it, usability is THE key feature. Wahoo has the most usable bike computers.

Di2 top buttons mimic the current action of the top left and right screen buttons, and the new touchscreen makes some more niche elements of the design even more usable, especially when replacing some of the actions of the right side up/down slider buttons.

With improved haptics, the left and right side buttons could be better. I have used more responsive touchscreens on other bikenavs, though ACE is fine.

The mount is not directly compatible with a rotated Garmin mount, although it might fit. This has led to mount breakages in the past. The new mounting lugs are replaceable in the worst-case scenario.

The physics of heavier bike computers like this mean that long, inferior mounts can (will!) break, so you’ll need to use the right mount type and a tether, whose position has now been nicely moved away from the USB-C port cover.

Whilst the screen looks great, the overall case design is unobtrusively bland. I’m unsure if that is a compliment!

The user interface maxes out on usability and beats Garmin. However, Hammerhead’s clever use of top/bottom ‘trays’ works well and overall is easier-on-the-eye.

Wahoo ELEMNT Ace Display: Big Enough And Bright Enough

Note: some reviewers are confused about backlight. It’s often not needed at all outdoors and when backlight is off the battery life becomes better.

The new transflective display aids readability by reflecting a portion of the light it receives, unlike the Edge 1050’s AMOLED-like (LCD) screen, which becomes a lighthouse shining into your eyes. I don’t have any ‘nit’ figures for ACE’s brightness, but Edge 1050 is notably brighter and more colourful. Having used the 1050 a lot recently, I like its screen and notice the difference in brightness coming back to ELEMNT ACE. Whatever your preference, ACE’s screen does the job. I am delighted with the overall display quality.

ACE is the largest mainstream bike computer, but its display isn’t much bigger than that of Edge 1050 (4″ vs. 3.8″  diagonal). Garmin’s proportionately taller display might favour heading-up navigation as more of the upcoming route will be shown.

A few display settings worth summarising

• Mode: Light or Dark theme
• Backlight Off, On or on for 5 seconds
• Backlight brightness: 3 levels of backlighting (i.e. ‘off’ plus three levels)

I like the light theme and find the display unusable indoors when the backlight is off, but fine most days. Only the lowest backlight level is needed at night, and I’ve yet to need the max backlight setting in daylight. Wahoo recommends the 5-second mode for those seeking to maximise their battery life.

Display Takeout: If you like Bright Screens. This isn’t one. I have zero issues with ACE’s TFT screen; you need to be mindful of the hit on the battery with backlighting, especially with no timeout enabled.

Wahoo ELEMNT Ace Sensors + Connections: Highly Capable and Supremely Connected

You can connect to everything, everywhere, all at once. Well, not quite everything. If you need to link to a weird sweat sensor or Heads-Up Display, you’ll need a CIQ app on a Garmin Edge. For the 99.9% of the rest of you reading this…all is good.

ACE’s GPS sensor is among the latest and greatest dual-frequency GNSS chipsets. This is overkill and more accurate than 99.5% of you will need (me included).

The inclinometer (i.e. the thing that measures the grade) seems to have quite a noticeable lag. Similar to Edge 1050.  3D-GPS is probably the source data, and any lag or inaccuracy will come from the inherent features of that raw data. AFAIK no GPS device has an internal, analogue ‘spirit level.’

Grade responsiveness can be improved; recent testing against the Coros DURA (pretty rubbish at many things) beat the Edge 1050 and ACE at responsiveness to grade change. The point here is that more accurate reporting of grades is possible.

When it comes to cadence sensors, dual-sided power meters, speed sensors, Varia lights, indoor smart trainers, heart rate monitors, Bluetooth, FTMS, ANT+, ANT+ FE-C, LEV, Wahoo Headwind smart fan, Wahoo CLIMB grade simulator, and Di2, all is Hunky Dory.

It would be nice to be able to program the Di2 top button to sound the digital bell, and there isn’t complete control of Varia light networks.

Is the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Right for Your Cycling Style?

Wahoo’s platform is designed to co-exist with route planning sites like RwGPS/Strava and training sites like FinalSurge and TrainingPeaks. It links and syncs to everything to give you the in-ride experience you need, brief post-ride stats you might want, and the ability to share files everywhere.

Q: Is Wahoo ELEMNT ACE suitable for Adventure cycling?

Yes. that is probably the primary target market. The claimed battery life, excellent navigational aids, great maps and links to route-planning platforms mean that all the boxes are ticked.

Q: Is Wahoo ELEMNT ACE an all-round bike computer

Yes. It should keep most people happy for most kinds of cycling activities. It perhaps differs from other all-rounders in that on the infrequent occasions you need to follow a route; it will do it well.

Q: Is Wahoo ELEMNT ACE suitable for performance cyclists?

Yes, with reservations. ACE’s size will likely deter the keenest of cyclists. On the other hand, performance cyclists with deteriorating eyesight will love the size. Sure, you can enlarge the fonts on smaller devices, but the size of ELEMNT ACE’s screen means you can still cram onboard many metrics. Performance cyclists might like the idea of the new WIND dynamics.

Q: Is Wahoo ELEMNT ACE suitable for MTB and trail riding?

It depends on the exact nature of your riding. If you’re pootling along a gravel trail, all is good. But a larger, heavier and more expensive bike computer bouncing downhill over rocks is perhaps not the best choice.

Q: is Wahoo ELEMNT ACE suitable for commuting?

The battery life must be attractive to those who neglect their charging routines. I can’t see how a commuter needs an excellent navigation tool when they presumably know their routes to work. It’s probably overkill.

Q: is Wahoo ELEMNT ACE suitable for triathlon?

It’s suitable for casual triathletes and benefits from additional features it shares with Wahoo’s old triathlon watch (ELEMNT RIVAL). Bike computers this size are challenging to locate between aerobars.

Q: Is Wahoo ELEMNT ACE suitable for Zwift and Indoor cycling?

Yes, it’s a great device to control smart indoor cycling gear, especially Wahoo’s, but it will work well with others, too. Bike computers tend to produce duplicate workouts in your post-ride stats on indoor setups that co-exist with Zwift and MyWhoosh.

Wahoo Wind Dynamics: Revolutionizing Real-Time Data?

It’s interesting but…

I’ve looked at the initial release of Wahoo Wind Dynamics in some detail here. Wahoo acknowledges that they will develop this new headline feature further.

My takeout on the new pressure sensor is best summarised as “It’s interesting, but…”. The sensor appears to work as intended, but I’m unsure of the in-ride benefit of today’s metrics.

• ACE seems to detect a draft effect at about 10m behind someone.
• ACE confirms that drafting someone and going downwind is faster
• It’s interesting to see the wind effect of a close-passing lorry

I kinda knew that already. #Shrug.

The post-ride map view of the data is more insightful and gives evidence to support my views on the best wind directions for certain of my regular faster routes and loops. However, it seems slightly generous when identifying wind boost conditions.

Further points and criticisms

• It’s not a CdA drag sensor; even if it was, that data is complex and time-consuming to interpret and utilise.
• I’d rather have forecast wind strength and direction available as a data metric, updated in near real-time.
• I’d be interested in knowing the air pressure for the start and end of my ride (as part of the ride conditions)
• I don’t see any point in the data metric showing wind speed over the ELEMNT bike computer. I would rather see the calculated SPEED BOOST/DRAG from the wind as a number (5km/h); even then, I’m not sure what to do with that, as I almost exclusively work on power numbers.

Smart Radar Integration: Enhanced Rider Awareness

Smart Radar Support remains primarily unchanged. I use the excellent Garmin Varia RTL515, a must-buy lifesaver for anyone reading this.

Wahoo ACE nicely displays a coloured graphic of traffic approaching me from the rear. It works as before, but with a new car icon!

You can see in this image that the map screen with wind dynamics, road names and Varia side display is becoming visually busy. The wind data field and street names are removable, which simplifies the screen somewhat.

Enhanced Audio Features: Speaker and Digital Bell

The Wahoo ELEMNT ACE features an upgraded speaker, offering three adjustable volume levels for clear and audible alerts. It has spoken instructions, a digital bell, and tone notifications to enhance functionality for urban and adventure cyclists.

Audio alerts are used for turn-by-turn navigation, segment updates, training milestones, and elsewhere. The vibration intensity is light.

My experience was that the maximum volume setting was too loud and quickly became annoying. That volume might, however, be needed in a noisy city centre.

Conversely, the minimum setting was only loud enough if you were listening out for it – i.e. not great as an alert.

The digital bell is sufficiently loud and highly similar to the one on the Edge 1050. ACE more easily allows you to sound the bell on the touchscreen, but Garmin wins here for me as it will enable a Di2/AXS button to be set up to sound the bell. Wahoo have said they might also do this. Wahoo also pointed out that changing the audio file for the bell is possible…I looked into the file system to see how to do that but couldn’t figure it out; if anyone knows, please comment below.

Other Existing Features – Plus Impacts Of The UI Change

Everything looks and sounds different. It’s all tweaked to some degree. But it FEELS the same when you use it (which is good).

Training Plans: Execute and Customise Your Workouts

Executing structured workouts follows the same workflow as before – despite a few annoying bugs, like a missing progress bar. Hopefully, Wahoo will get everything addressed in the December 2024 scheduled firmware.

The new audio tones are more precise, the next workout step pops up nicely from the bottom of the screen with a new animation, and skipping back or over workout steps is more manageable and clearer.

Unlike Garmin, having a one-press skip to the next step is still impossible. However, Wahoo balances that omission with the three or so presses required to skip to the step of your choice.

I would also like to be able to curate and permanently store a series of my commonly used workouts on the device, e.g. a warmup workout or a 2×20′.

Route Management: Plan and Sync

You can curate a rich library of routes from your chosen platforms like Strava. The new way of syncing to the ACE seems slightly faster than before, and your routes are nicely presented with map overviews, route sources, and summary stats. Going to the route detail doesn’t add much info other than a nice route elevation profile and the ability to ride the route in reverse (unlike Garmin Edge devices!).

Other routing preferences include routing to a saved location or ad-hoc map position over whichever surface type you prefer.

This all works well enough for the occasional route follower like me. My criticisms would be twofold. Firstly, on startup, I would expect to be immediately presented with a route I’d just synced on the first screen I come to (like Garmin), but it’s 3 or 4 taps away on Wahoo, so it’s not too bad. Secondly, a few previously available options are missing linked to organising and sorting long lists of routes.

I understand that Wahoo will soon add functionality to help reduce route clutter.

Route Following: Navigation Made Simple

Wahoo beats Garmin when presenting your route on a map and helping you follow it. Sure, I might criticise the three extra taps to get a Wahoo route to the start point, but after that, you potentially spend hours looking at your map and following a route, and that’s where Wahoo easily wins. #Usability

Wahoo’s directional chevrons indicate where to go when following a route. The colour changes based on context and whether you are on-course or off-course. The colour of the route chevrons also changes nicely to indicate an upcoming hill.

The map intelligence is on the ELEMNT, meaning you are intelligently re-routed back on course should you make a wrong turn. A nice TBT notification at the bottom of the screen gives a graphical and numerical countdown to the next turn.

There’s a nice series of map overlays that are easily accessed from the map, where you can enable street names, wind, summit segments, and other extras. There’s scope to add more layers, and it wouldn’t surprise it if Wahoo added a HEATMAP layer at some point, which would be cool so long as they could be used for impromptu route creation.

Future Features – Roadmap and thoughts

In my mind, ELEMNT ACE signals Wahoo’s intent to move beyond the types of loyal riders it currently attracts. The new format is partial evidence of that.

In the specs provided to the media, Wahoo specifically noted some of the features ACE lacked, which are listed below. It would be reasonable to assume those were the ones the company will work on in 2025.

• Weather
• Group LiveTrack
• Rider-to-Rider Messaging
• Incident Detection
• Weather Alerts
• Recovery Advisor
• Virtual Partner
• Race an Activity
• Compatible with ANGi
• Device to Device Route Sharing

Thus, Wahoo will expand its Wind Dynamics further, incorporating weather data. Wahoo will then fill gaps in its feature set as a catch-up to Garmin, but it also looks like Wahoo is going to bolster its group ride features.

There are several small interface changes to tweak and minor feature omissions to add back and add in, such as the ability to control the digital bell with a Di2 top button. Other than Strava Live Segments (since added), there was no glaring, large-scale omission at launch. Officially, Wahoo is giving this update expectation.

Accuracy Test Results: How Does the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Perform?

ELEMNT ACE is accurate for its traditional sensor data; I have no concerns. No doubt Wahoo can still tweak accuracy a little more.

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Air Boost Tests

Wahoo’s AIR BOOST stats go some way to explaining the effects of wind on real-world cycling. From looking at these tests covering loop rides totalling over 300km, I feel that the light green (moderate) air boost scenarios seem to be created too generously. Indeed, repeating one loop on two further days with different wind directions showed many parts of the route with matching air boost values. The 7th image shows an uncomfortable 34kmh Westerly headwind, which hardly shows a headwind on the Wahoo chart.

More detailed information on the new Air Boost feature and test is here.

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Airspeed Test

I only performed one comparative wind speed recording test with my Velocomp Aeropod. The results were inconclusive, and I’ll need to spend more time on it later.

In the absence of that, here’s what Wahoo says.

Q: How has Wahoo validated the data from the Wind Sensor?

A: The ELEMNT ACE aero sensor technology was one of the most resource-intensive parts of developing the bike computer, with extensive investments in technical development, user interface design, and technical validation. Wahoo’s Sports and Data Science team conducted comparison benchmark testing versus similar devices in the market to confirm our initial results. In addition, we constructed a one-cubic-meter miniature wind tunnel at Wahoo HQ that could provide a consistent, laminar airflow. This wind tunnel allowed us to further validate the measured airspeed against both cycling-specific and non-cycling-specific devices. Finally, our analytics teams conducted real-world testing sessions by renting a velodrome in Europe to test the sensor’s accuracy in a controlled setting. [Wahoo Press Communication, paraphrased – aka Grammarly, got its hand on the quote]

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE GPS GNSS Accuracy Test Results

The GPS test results show that Wahoo ELEMNT ACE is mostly very accurate, with the occasional wobble of a few metres or so, compared to the Edge 1050.

Surrey Hills GPS Test Result

Windsor GPS Accuracy Test Result

Richmond Park GPS Accuracy Test Result

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Elevation Accuracy Test Results

The elevation test results show that Wahoo ELEMNT ACE sometimes deviates from actual readings but follows the correct trend.

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Grade Test

ELEMNT ACE was better at showing a more responsive, live grade metric (as a data field) when compared to Edge 1050. However, Coros DURA had the most responsive grade shown on my test.

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Battery Test

I am now on firmware WG29; Wahoo tells me I was on the earlier version for my initial tests. It’s tricky to give precise battery performance claims as the recorded battery charge information in the FIT files is inconsistent.

The battery life feels more like 20 hours than 30 hours. The burn rate seems to be 5% per hour on minimum backlight, sometimes more.

Wahoo recommends: “…configuring backlight timeout to “5 sec”. This can be adjusted in the “Device Settings” menu by tapping the “Backlight” button.”

That setting noticeably improved battery burn, giving a projected battery life of at least 22 hours, perhaps quite a bit more.

Entirely turning off the backlight can look bad indoors before your ride, but the nature of the TFT display technology improves out on the road ie you can see it!

Incorrectly recorded battery data

Almost all of my recordings show incorrect battery data, probably due to how ACE writes to the FIT file. The recorded data comes out like this:

The recorded battery usage data isn’t reliable. Sometimes, the calculations come out with a 30-minute battery life, which is patently wrong.

As an example of a ‘normal’ indicative ride without the 5-sec backlight enabled and making notes of the battery charge old school style: My last ride consumed 15% of my battery in a 3:02:00.0 hour ride following a route with many sensors paired, and the map displayed periodically (e.g. totalling 30 minutes). If you do the math and assume equal discharge rates are correctly reported through a device’s full discharge cycle, that’s about a 20-hour battery life. It looks like a mess on a chart and incorrectly calculates 12 hours of battery life…like this.

Other reviewers report similar (lower) battery levels in the beta and initial production firmware. DCR reports that coloured data fields are adversely affecting the battery. I repeated the same 3-hour ride above (but faster on my own!), without coloured data fields, following a route and using the minimum backlight…it was still a 5%/hour burn rate.

More: For an indoor workout with no GPS and the backlight disabled, the battery drain was less than 2% per hour! (50-hour life). Unsurprisingly, the display and maybe the GPS consume the juice!

ACE must deliver 20-25 hours in ‘normal’ use and maybe ‘up to 30 hours’ with various features turned off. If this can’t be tweaked, the battery life becomes less of a winning feature but still a good battery life compared to almost every bike computer.

Other Tests

There appeared to be no issue with sensor dropouts, and the data captured was consistently plausible.

Transitioning to the Wahoo App: What All ELEMNT Owners Need to Know

Wahoo’s official comments on its ecosystem and core software changes are here.

Wahoo App: With ACE, Wahoo is actively consolidating the ELEMNT app into Wahoo app to create a singular, seamless experience for all things Wahoo. ACE marks a significant milestone towards this goal, and is the first Wahoo bike computer to pair with the new Wahoo app. This integration allows for advanced features such as Workout profiles, removes the requirement to have the device connected to change settings and plan a ride, and provides easier connectivity to 3rd party applications through our connected apps and public API. In 2025, Wahoo devices both past and future will be supported in the Wahoo App to provide users with a one-stop-shop to manage their devices, training, and connections. [Wahoo Press Communication]

US$599.99, CA$799.99, EU€599.99,  UK£549.99, AU$999.95 and JP¥9,900

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE – bugs At Launch

Not-quite-ready devices seem par for the course – recent examples are Garmin’s bucketful of Fenix 8 bugs and the rather sorry saga of Coros Dura.

IMHO, a reviewer’s job isn’t an unpaid beta tester – a pleasure normally reserved for paying customers! I tend to comment if some sneakiness is involved or a piece of hardware doesn’t work, as that can’t be easily fixed.

I hope software developers do their job for the inevitable glitches, which are generally less serious, albeit annoying as a purchaser.

Thus, the implemented feature sets generally work on ACE, but some aspects from earlier ELEMNTs are missing and are planned to be included – Wahoo ACE is quite usable as-is. Still, it might grate if a particular way of working you had on the ELEMNT you upgraded from is missing. For example, the ability to follow a route works, but if you want to sort and select from a long list of routes, you must sort using the Wahoo app or search on ACE by name. #Shrug.

Features that rely on external data, like RwGPS routes or TR training plans, require third-party integration into Wahoo’s new cloud platform.

I need to point out two issues: 1) the side buttons are hard to press (hardware issue), and 2) Battery life is a key selling point for the product to certain customer groups and falls short of expectations as at launch.

Would I use Wahoo ELEMNT ACE as my daily driver?

It’s too big for me and the kind of cycling I usually do.

If I had ELEMNT ACE last summer when I did Chase the Sun (200-miler), I definitely would have used it. I would probably also use it on any cycling weekends or holidays next year – anything where the battery or long navigation comes in. But not for regular weekly riding. I prefer Bolt or Roam. If I raced a triathlon/duathlon, I’d use a Bolt.

That said, I’m assuming a smaller version of ACE will materialise next year, and if I had to replace my Bolt or Roam with a smaller ACE, I’d be pleased with the new interface and everything that comes with it. I don’t especially need the excellent map, but, as it’s fantastic, it’d be nice to have 🙂

Wahoo ELEMNT ACE Review: Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

CRITICS: Wahoo is dead

WAHOO: Here’s a completely revamped, next-generation platform, next-gen device, and the first-ever step toward wind dynamics.

ELEMNT ACE represents a significant strategic investment for the company’s future over the next 5 years and was a pleasant surprise to me. Most of us imagined Wahoo’s next bike computer would be a ROAM 3 or BOLT 3 with slightly improved components – screen, GNSS/GPS and BATTERY.

Instead, Wahoo took on the large format product category at a significant discount to Edge 1050. The large format is not simply about making a more oversized product; what comes with the size is an acknowledgement that the target buyer will be keenly interested in navigation and perhaps also in long-duration adventure riding. So, the battery life, screen quality and map quality all needed a notable bump from Wahoo’s previous position. Wahoo has done that.

But the company went further.

The entire cloud ecosystem and on-device software are rebuilt. We have prettier maps, a nicer flowing settings interface and more robust connections with 3rd party platforms. Even that wasn’t enough, and Wahoo improved the speaker quality (added a bell) and introduced a category-first sensor type – air pressure/wind sensor. However, Wahoo needs to add more value and actionability to this new sensor.

The elephant in the room is the ELEMNT ACE’s size and weight. While those characteristics are indirectly necessary to please the navigators, they might deter performance cyclists from upgrading.

Looking forward as a platform for the future, Wahoo’s ELEMNT bike computers are in a good place, with a relatively obvious route ahead, starting with a few bug fixes and adding in features present on ROAM/BOLT.

ELEMNT ACE generally works well at launch – unlike every new Garmin I’ve ever had, ELEMNT ACE *NEVER* once crashed. Considering it’s a completely re-imagined and re-engineered product, that’s impressive, but there are a few annoyances for Wahoo to sort out like the touchscreen bell not working on some screens.

ACE presents cyclists who want the best with a dilemma; Edge 1050, Karoo 3 and ELEMNT ACE together probably represent the best three bike computers for 2025.

I like them all. They are all good in different ways.

Buy Wahoo ELEMNT ACE – Pricing and Availability

ELEMNT ACE is widely available.

Expect Garmin to drop the price of Edge 1050. Wahoo only infrequently offers discounts at major annual sales events.

US$599.99, CA$799.99, EU€599.99,  UK£549.99, AU$999.95 and JP¥9,900