Wahoo’s 2006 bug spreads to Polar?

A date-related bug resetting devices to the year 2006, first identified in Wahoo’s first-generation bike computers, has now been reported in Polar’s V650 and possibly older Lezyne models, pointing to a potential issue in a shared GPS component.

Polar’s Response Mirrors Wahoo’s Issue

Polar’s customer support communicated the issue directly, stating:

We write to inform you that we have recently noticed an annoying issue with the Polar V650 as it resets the date to year 2006. This is due to a limitation in the system tracking the GPS time. [Letter sent to the author]

Polar then suggested a workaround and attributed the bug to a limitation in the GPS time-tracking system. It advises owners to disable the “Use GPS Time” setting to mitigate the issue.

This very closely resembles a bug Wahoo addressed in its first-generation bike computers, which also reverted to 2006.

A Shared Component at Fault?

The similarities between the Polar and Wahoo issues, alongside a few reports of similar behaviour in older Lezyne bike computers, suggest the bug may originate in a common component—likely the GPS chipset used across these devices. This would likely affect other legacy fitness trackers or equipment using the same hardware.

Implications for Users

Despite its solid performance, the V650 never gained widespread market traction, meaning fewer users may be impacted.

A significant number of Wahoo customers still rely on its first-generation devices. Wahoo thus rolled out a physical firmware update. On the other hand, Polar has a smaller active V650 user base and deems an advisory note sufficient.

What’s Next?

The bug highlights further issues may remain in older GPS-enabled devices beyond those reported by Polar and Wahoo.

I suspect this one is going to keep rolling on.

Last Updated on 22 January 2026 by the5krunner

the5krunner

tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors.