Wahoo has been in the bike computer game a while now, but its latest model is bursting with firsts. Although the Ace retains the usual array of three face buttons and side buttons from previous Elemnt designs, it’s the first Wahoo head unit to feature a touchscreen as well as the first with a speaker for voice navigation instructions.
The debuts don’t stop there. There are two openings on the front face of the ELEMNT ACE, the first to service a more accurate temperature reading, the second for a dynamic pressure sensor that provides quantification of air drag from a headwind or drag reduction from a tailwind or drafting. This air pressure data is displayed as a colour-coded graph as you ride and, paired with Wahoo’s overhauled app, it allows you to analyse the effect of wind on ride segments, which is a first for any cycling computer, let alone Wahoo.
We got our hands on the Wahoo Elemnt Ace. Read our full review below!
Words Jack Lynch
Wahoo is a name synonymous with pushing tech boundaries to improve data availability and user experience. Its latest computer, the Elemnt Ace, continues these themes in a reworked and supersized chassis, and with a brand new metric to boot.
The Ace joins the Elemnt Bolt and Elemnt Roam in Wahoo’s computer catalogue as its new flagship. It’s done away with the brand’s trademark lights around the border of the unit, preferring to bulk up the display, which now sits at an imperious 3.8 inches (9.7cm). For context, the screen of an iPhone 4 was 3.5 inches and an iPhone 16 is 6.1 inches. The Ace is 20% larger than the Garmin 1050, which appears to be the computer Wahoo considers its sole competition. It’s big.
When first opening the product, I was struck by its size. Then I reminded myself that I’ve had this reaction to just about every bike computer I’ve used since the first GPS-equipped head units came out. Play on.
The Ace weighs 208 grams, which is 70 grams heavier than my regular computer. This weight penalty isn’t a direct performance enhancer but it’s a game of preferences and the Ace can certainly help a rider be their best through its crystal-clear display and multiple data fields.
Booting up
Firing up the Ace is easy. The Wahoo app knows all my preferences and the head unit connected to my Sram AXS components, power meter and heart rate monitor without any complaints. It was great to see that, when paired and connected to these devices, it told me the charge levels of my batteries and displayed my heart rate on the boot-up screen.
With the sizeable data pages loaded and ready to go, GPS satellites found without fuss and Ace charged at 100 per cent out of the box, I was ready to ride. The Ace is Wahoo’s first foray into a touchscreen and it was responsive, like a smart phone. It retains the familiar buttons (three on the bottom, one on the left, two on the right) which are intuitive and user-friendly.
Everyone’s talking about wind
The new metric Wahoo will be keen for everyone to talk about is the wind sensor built into the front of the Ace. The wind sensor compares the air speed going into the Ace with the bike’s moving speed to determine how favourable the tailwind or how severe the headwind. It also gives the rider a chance to evaluate their sit in the bunch and if they’re getting the best possible draft.
I enjoyed the metric as a novelty and can see how people will get around it. For example, a big tailwind means you can go extra hard at the local KOM, that sort of thing (Strava integration is also improved in the Ace). Time will tell if this becomes a universal data point but I suspect it will require more people to get an Ace (or more computers to adopt the tech) and could be a push when deciding between a Wahoo or another computer.
Mapping a clearer path
Wahoo is also proud of its reworked map clarity. I was impressed with the busier roads being wider than smaller streets and I’d like to see Wahoo explore this further by suggesting which routes are most popular for cyclists. On the Ace, a busy road is clearly visible, but that road could be a freeway where no bike rider would dare tread. No doubt this will be something Wahoo is looking at and I’m sure it will come in a future update.
The screen is anti-glare coated for improved readability, and battery life is claimed at up to 30 hours. And although still pricy at $999.95, it undercuts its main competitor, the Garmin Edge 1050, by around $200.
If you’re a data junkie who is unfazed by a large computer on your bike (which also has an in-built speaker and bell! Ding ding), the Wahoo Ace is for you. If the size and scope is a little much in the Ace, Wahoo has two other computers for you to try, but I’d definitely recommend taking a look at this one first. You may not know what you’re missing.
The spec
Model Wahoo Elemnt Ace
Price $999.95
Claimed runtime Up to 30 h0urs
Weight 208g
Dimensions 125 x 70 x 20mm
Display size 9.7cm
Display type TFT
Pre-loaded maps Yes
Connectivity WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, ANT+
Water resistance IPX7 (1M for 30 minutes)
Contact au.wahoofitness.com or fesports.com
