Important points of ZDNET
- The Wahoo Elemnt Ace is currently available for $599.99.
- The display is large with easy-to-read text, the user interface is easy to navigate, the electronic bell is large, and the positioning is accurate.
- The bike computer is heavy, the display is a bit dim, the battery life is not advertised and it is expensive.
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When I first heard it, I was intrigued wahoo elemnt ace Back in December 2024, the addition of wind sensors caught my attention. It attracted my attention as well as the fact that it was Wahoo’s first bike computer that combines touchscreen controls with traditional hardware buttons.
Over the past few weeks, I have been riding an Elemnt Ace mounted on a classic 1994 Bridgestone XO-3. For the most part, it was a great experience.
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Inside the box is an ELEMNT ACE, an external mount, a USB-C cable, a strap, and a manual. The setup was quick – I put it on power, paired it with my phone using the Wahoo app, and connected it to the Wahoo TrackR heart rate monitor along with the Garmin Speed and Cadence sensors. This gave me full access to all my ride data from the start.
I’ve tested some Garmin and Coros bike computers, so the Elemnt Ace was my first experience with a Wahoo device. It’s a little harder than expected, weighing 4.9 x 2.8 x 0.8 inches and weighing 7.4 oz (208 grams). I ride mainly for exercise so I’m not too worried about weight or size as long as everything fits.
Luckily, the out-front mount worked perfectly with the sweep back arc handlebars on my vintage bike, and the setup was quick and easy.
The Elemnt Ace has a large 3.8 inch display that is perfect for my aging eyes. This is one of the biggest displays you can see on any bike computer and is one of the reasons why I am an Ace fan. I also love the ability to press the up and down buttons on the right. This will quickly change the number and size of data elements that are displayed when riding.
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The LCD display is less vibrant and brilliant than AMOLED displays in low-light environments, but I had no problems looking at the data on the display.
I started using my bike computer with my older Garmin models. I don’t ride my bike computer every day, so I always seem confused about the button I push to control the user experience. The Wahoo Elemnt Ace has three buttons on the side and three buttons at the bottom, but it’s much more intuitive than a Garmin computer and has never pressed the wrong button.
It helps that the display on the Wahoo Elemnt ACE shows the action to take when the button below is pressed.
With the touchscreen, if you prefer to use the buttons, you can tap and swipe on the interface. It works well when wet – I ride in Washington, so it’s important to me.
I still have a physical bell on my bike, but I mainly use the electric bell feature by double tapping the display. It’s big enough to attract attention and frees up handlebar space. I’ve also read that I can customize the Bell Sound so I’m currently looking for a good cow mu or something fun to let people know that I’m on the trail.
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One of the unique new features of the ELEMNT ACE, touted as a differentiator, is the front-mounted wind sensor. Wind sensors measure air speed and compare it to the speed of your bike to determine whether the airflow is helping or blocking you. Airspeed is classified from heavy air drag to heavy air enhancement at five levels. Data seems interesting enough for data enthusiasts, but I don’t know if there is any current practical use for it or useful guidance on what to do with the information.
Wahoo advertises battery life of up to 30 hours or more, but only in the mode where the backlight will turn off after 5 seconds. The display is difficult to read without a backlight unless I was in direct sunlight, and given that it’s not the typical environment I ride, I measured a battery life of about 15-16 hours on the ELEMNT Ace.
It’s still enough power for the way I ride personally, but please understand that you should expect much less than you’re advertised.
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One of my favorite features on Garmin Bike Computers is ClimbPro. This provides hill data even if no route is entered. I spent a lot of time riding the hills and was impressed to see the Wahoo Summit feature automatically appearing at the bottom of the display as I started climbing the hills.
Ace provided us with data on the main hills, including gradients, distance to top, and estimated time to reach the top. You can also customize the summit experience with the Wahoo smartphone application and sync it to the ACE.
ZDNET purchase advice
If you’re looking for one of the biggest displays on your bike computer, you’ll need an easy-to-use interface and love the idea of a big digital bell. wahoo elemnt ace It may be just for you. The battery won’t last as long as it’s a bit expensive and advertised in commonly used terms.
I’ve already seen some improvements through the update, but there’s no doubt that Wahoo will continue to complete the Elemnt Ace, which has lots of feedback from current users on various cycling forums.
