Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2
£264.99 Easy-to-use all-rounder for navigation and ride data
Dimensions 77 x 47 x 21 mm Weight 68g Screen 2.2” colour screen Screen resolution 320 x 240 pixels Battery life 15hrs
Wahoo’s secondgeneration Elemnt Bolt is an excellent bike computer that now offers a colour screen, smart navigation, USB-C charging and better battery life, in what is otherwise ostensibly the same aero-profiled package as the original version.
The Bolt’s 2.2in colour screen is a marked step up from its predecessor. Wahoo has used colour relatively sparingly, but to good effect by improving clarity where it matters, whether that be road designations – main roads are orange, secondary roads are yellow, minor roads are grey and cycle paths are blue – or the heart rate zone you’re in during threshold intervals.
The colour screen is most useful when navigating – and, if you’re thinking about upgrading from the firstgeneration computer, a significant step up. However, the new Bolt’s usefulness as a navigation aid is somewhat limited by the screen size. The 2.2in (5.59cm) display has a large bezel and, while the screen is excellent for following preloaded routes, you’re better off with a bigger computer more focused on mapping if you want to navigate on the fly. The Bolt’s ‘smart navigation’ will reroute you if you stray off track when following a route. Take a wrong turn and the unit’s LEDs flash, you’ll hear the tell-tale ‘bleep’ and, within a few seconds, the Bolt will send you back on track.
The Bolt is controlled by six buttons – there’s no touch screen – but all (simple) set-up and data-screen customisation happens through the Elemnt app.
There are the usual integrations with third-party apps – Strava and Komoot, for example – to download maps and upload data, along with live tracking, call and text notifications and so on. Everything just works as it should. Wahoo claims 15 hours of runtime and our testing suggests that’s about right, while the USB-C charging keeps things updated, too.
All things considered, the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt balances the demands of ride data, navigation and useability in a sleek and sensibly-sized package that’s near perfect for everyday riding. An edgeless display would make the most of the real estate that’s on offer.
Verdict Excellent for everyday riding in a sleek, sensibly-sized unit