Wahoo ELEMNT – significant updates

Wahoo has just jumped in line behind Garmin, seemingly to increase the annoyances brought by the heightening of supposed security necessities. Against those annoyances, several other updates are now live, including some meaningful ones for MAPS.

You can check out the details from the links below. Here is a summary and my thoughts.

What’s New

All Gen 3 devices, including ACE, get the same updates with slight differences in implementation – for example, Bolt 3 lacks a touchscreen and hence needs buttons to use the passcode.

• During Setup, you must confirm a Bluetooth pairing code on the app and the ELEMNT.
• An optional passcode has been added – this is required to restart or reset the device, including if you intentionally lock the ELEMNT for a mid-ride coffee.
• FIT files can no longer be directly accessed on ELEMNT- GPLAMA’s comment on this was ‘hmmm’, mine is ‘WTF!’. This change is not the end of the world for me, as it was when Garmin did a similar thing a while back, as Wahoo still supports Dropbox sync as an excellent way to get your FIT files back to your computer. However, on rare occasions, that does not work, and the only easy way for me is to get the FIT File from the ELEMNT – I use that feature about once a month. I guess I won’t be using it anymore.
• In fact, direct USB access is entirely disabled, but you can partly enable it (see previous point) here in the Wahoo app > Devices > element computer > Settings
• When paired with CORE, skin temperature can now be displayed as a data field in addition to CORE temperature. Why? I don’t know. CORE temp is the one you almost always need.
• Bike lanes are a new optional map layer – a nice addition for many, although of little use to me.

Updated: Map theme has been adjusted to increase contrast, improve colour variance, and remove visual clutter at certain zoom levels

• Maps are now more colourful. Personally, I was happy with how it was. The entire image does look better with the new colours. However, I am far from convinced that the improvements translate to helping me follow a route or take in the CLIMB chevrons.

• ELEMNT ACE (2024) Product Information
• ELEMNT BOLT 3 (2025) Product Information
• ELEMNT ROAM 3 (2025) Product Information
• ELEMNT ACE (2024) Firmware Release Notes
• ELEMNT BOLT 3 (2025) Firmware Release Notes
• ELEMNT ROAM 3 (2025) Firmware Release Notes
• Wahoo internet-connected devices’ factory default network interfaces and services