Wahoo Elemnt BOLT

[Solocle]

Old news. Ironically, I announced the thing exactly a year ago to this day. On another forum.
 

[toontra]

beep volume should be automatically adjusted depending on speed, ideally.

Speed isn't the only issue though.  Traffic can be a bigger problem, and wind.

[zigzag]

beep volume should be automatically adjusted depending on speed, ideally.

Speed isn't the only issue though.  Traffic can be a bigger problem, and wind.

valid points, but not something i've come across much, strange as it may sound. most if not all of my rides are on (mostly) quiet roads and traffic noise isn't that loud these days anyway with modern quiet cars. wind needs to be reeeeaaaaly strong to interfere with hearing gps beeps - i tend to stay indoors during such weather spinning on a turbo, going out for a run or just having a "recovery".

[toontra]

beep volume should be automatically adjusted depending on speed, ideally.

Speed isn't the only issue though.  Traffic can be a bigger problem, and wind.

valid points, but not something i've come across much, strange as it may sound. most if not all of my rides are on (mostly) quiet roads and traffic noise isn't that loud these days anyway with modern quiet cars. wind needs to be reeeeaaaaly strong to interfere with hearing gps beeps - i tend to stay indoors during such weather spinning on a turbo, going out for a run or just having a "recovery".

Indeed.  I'm in central London so it's a 10 miles in heavy traffic before I reach any quiet lanes 

[zigzag]

Indeed.  I'm in central London so it's a 10 miles in heavy traffic before I reach any quiet lanes 

likewise, but i can ride to the lanes with my eyes closed, so to speak. i'm sure you can too.

[toontra]

Ordered - couldn't resist.  I'll keep the V1 for Kickr sessions to preserve battery cycle life on the V2. 

Other reviewers haven't had the problems of DCR.  Hopefully updates will sort things out regardless.

[Horizon]

Ha, me too! Had V1 since March 2017, figured it had earned its keep in that time without too many issues (other than syncing, which is a pain, but it's near faultless out on the road). Wiggle sold out immediately (how many did they have!), no more for 2-4 weeks, went to Sigma.

[Horizon]

Bolt V2 arrived today. Initial set up worked very well, usual scan of the qr screen and it was away, except it took minutes to find the wifi, despite sitting on top of the router. Once that was done, there was a 10 minute software update and reboot and then it was down to setting up the pages to duplicate Bolt V1, and this was a bit tedious. It really needs a way to sync pages between units, in the way that you just sit a new iPhone next to the old one and it all just syncs. That said, it found my Strava, RideWith GPS and Komoot connections and joined those automatically, downloading 167 routes in the background. Anyway, once done, it all looks very nice. The colours are low key but certainly help fields stand out and the mapping is much better for it. The face of the unit looks a whole lot better, with a flush, matte screen and the front buttons feel good, although you do have press the centre rather than off centre to get a good click. There is an auto option for screen brightness now, with the sensor to the LH side of the top led's. The temp is 5º C higher than Bolt 1 and altitude 200m+ higher - both known issues apparently which Wahoo are working on. Currently charging via USB-C for a ride tomorrow.
Issues: 1. the backlight is nowhere near as bright as Bolt V1 and, with the condensed font, the screen doesn't seem as readable (on a desktop at least). 2. Sound is different, possibly not as loud. 3. GPS issues - Bolt V1 is far, far quicker and better at getting a signal. Bolt V2 sitting in the garden unable to get a signal, whilst Bolt V1 is away in seconds. This is worrying.

[toontra]

Been using the V2 for a few days.  Absolutely faultless so far.  Really liking the brighter colour screen and rerouting.  Very happy 

Updates are coming fast - three this week - so hopefully some of the problems others are having will be resolved.

[Horizon]

Well, just to give balance, I have returned mine. For a so called premium product, I find implementation to be very poor. As well as the bad temperature and altitude reporting (which also afflicted my Bolt 1, as they both use the same software), the gps accuracy never got better than 50 or so, whilst my Bolt 1 next to it (both facing open sky) hovers at about 3-5. I wonder if they're using a different gps chip. Battery reporting is either faulty or (unlikely) the battery is bad. I took both Bolts on a short ride, fully charged, Bolt 1 dropped 6% (a 4 year old battery), Bolt 2, 22%. Map rendering is really slow (presumably linked to the poor gps) and there is a noticeable lag when switchng to the map page before anything happens. Overall, although the screen was brighter even in bright sun, and the led's were actually visible, for me legibility is slightly poorer due to the odd new font. I really liked the colour strip for my Varia Radar though. Colour on the maps is ok and it does make them a little clearer. Sound is quieter (but way better than Garmin, which is mouse quiet). I see another update (11606) has been pushed out today, but too late for me. I've downloaded it onto Bolt 1 and elevation is better, now only 6m adrift, rather than 200m. Given the issues Wahoo have had trying to deal with syncing issues over the last two years, it may be some time before Bolt 2 is as it should be.

[Tynan2]

I have a horrible noob question, have done the inital setup and got a route setup for a ride this weekend

I need the app on my phone to add a route but after that the bolt runs on its own unless I want to do the Live Track?

And unless I want the phone connected by bluetoothto see texts and email notifications?

[toontra]

Yes - correct on all points 

I only leave the phone connected to the Bolt if I want to see email/text messages, but as I can see them on my watch anyway I rarely do this.

Once the route(s) are synced to the Bolt it works independently for the ride.  If you want to upload the tracklog to a 3rd party apps post-ride then you need to launch the Elemnts app so it can sync.

[quixoticgeek]

If you sync with Strava or komoot or ridewithgps, then the route menu on the map page will list all your routes. You can then select one. No need to have you phone on. I only tend to sync to my phone if I want to upload a ride away from home. Rest of the time I have the wahoo do it direct via WiFi.

J

[Peat]

My original BOLT seems to have gone a bit crap. I haven't used the turn-by-turn for ages, but at the weekend it was hopeless. It would frequently tell me I was off-course, putting the arrow 10/20m off the side of the road.  When It was 'working' the map seemed to be lagging about 10s, so I would regularly miss the turnings as the screen appeared to suggest I needed the next one.

I can't help but be cynical that the screen says 'updating' or 'installing' at least once a week when i switch it off that they are messing with it to try and make me buy a new one....

[toontra]

I wonder if the flood of updates is due to fixes for the V2.  If the V1 & V2 share updates then possibly the ones that fix problems in the V2 screw things up on the V1?

BTW V2 working flawlessly here.  Tested on a long ride yesterday with much re-routing needed and never missed a beat.  Battery life promising too - 60% battery left after 8 hours with Vario connected and backlight on auto.

[FifeingEejit]

As far as I can tell regular updates have always been a thing for wahoo.

As for gps accuracy, you don't live in the south of England do you? Might be external reasons for a 10m/20m shift...

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

[Tynan2]

Thanks, did 80km with it on Saturday and it worked beautifully bar beeping like a slot machine for reasons unknown, especially annoying for instructions to carry on straight ahead. I've turned of turn by turn beeps now so will see. I don't mind a beep for an actual turning and I liked the way it deal with my one navigational error, is that there level of control over navigation beeps?

If not then there should be becuase the default on was ridiculous.

Have to say it's a very neat box of tricks.

[FifeingEejit]

Mapping generally doesn't have the priorities as seen on the ground in them, so technically every field entry that's on the map is a junction with instruction.
Can be a bit dangerous I'd people translate straight on as you've got priority of way.

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

[Tynan2]

The turn by turn data comes from whichever mapping website you use? I used Komoot because I liked the route it came up with. or does the Bolt simply treat every change or road name and or junction as a turn?

[FifeingEejit]

Yes, whether komoot or rwgps the data behind it is likely from OSM
Suspect wahoos on-board mapping is also OSM.


Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

[eckagain]

Non techy question if I may?
Does the new V2 Elemnt Bolt fit the older Bolt mounting bracket?
Over the few years I've had the original Bolt, I've acquired enough mounting brackets to fit one on all my bikes.
It would be nice* if I could continue to use them if I bought a V2 head unit, rather than have the added expense of replacing them all or the added faff of swapping one every time I rode a different bike.

It would be nice* in the sense it would be a nice surprise if it was still the same fitting. 

[toontra]

Yes, the V2 fits the V1 (and adapted Garmin) mounts.  Not the other way around though - V1 won't fit V2.

[Tynan2]

I have had another long ride with the bolt and loved it, I get the red leds flashing when I missed a turn and the green ones when I was back on track.

But once right near the end when I got into a silly off track situation on a very busy rode where it endlessly tried to make me turn right onto mtb trails in Epping Forest, the leds all flashed blue, does that mean I am now on a corrected route to take me back to the regular planned route?

[Sergeant Pluck]

It's working now. I just repeated the process of reauthorisation and this time it stuck.

For the past few weeks I have been having problems with syncing again. Two things happening:
- occasional failure to completely sync from device to Elemnt app - numbers are there, but map will not load. However, even if this happens, the ride can still upload to Strava.
- failure to sync with Strava (or RidewithGPS) from app, as if rides are simply not “seen”.

Most annoying.

I have contacted Wahoo support. I’m at the stage where they advise me to do all the things that I have already told them I did but didn’t work. Plus the usual “is your internet working” stuff.

[quixoticgeek]

It's working now. I just repeated the process of reauthorisation and this time it stuck.

For the past few weeks I have been having problems with syncing again. Two things happening:
- occasional failure to completely sync from device to Elemnt app - numbers are there, but map will not load. However, even if this happens, the ride can still upload to Strava.
- failure to sync with Strava (or RidewithGPS) from app, as if rides are simply not “seen”.

Most annoying.

I have contacted Wahoo support. I’m at the stage where they advise me to do all the things that I have already told them I did but didn’t work. Plus the usual “is your internet working” stuff.

I've noticed issues with syncing not happening some times too. I usually get it to sync eventually but it often takes a very long time.

J