Wahoo ELEMNT Ace (on Specialized E-Bikes)

[Aushiker]

Bending Spoons are a scourge on humanity. Right cnuts. They just bought Vimeo and promptly sacked everybody.

I agree with you. I also feel sorry for the staff who were fired when the takeover took place. My ethics are such that I can not support such a business model. Each to their own, of course.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

As a fan of maps in general, very happy with the map layers I get with RideWithGPS Premium. Being heavily into the geology and pre-development physical geography of the places I ride, favorites include the satellite, USGS topo, and offroad layers.

The USGS topo layer is great for old place names (like Evans Point or Saddleback Ridge or Cottonwood Creek) that you never see on newer maps.

 

[DaveMatthews]

As a fan of maps in general,

I'm not a fan of maps spelled backwards...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Andrew, I'd like to clarify some matters.

• For me, it doesn't matter what route planner app a person chooses. All major sports trackers work equally well with Wahoo.
• I plan my routes in Komoot but save my ride recordings to Strava (only that service matters to me) and to RWGPS as well to Komoot. Of these services, only Strava presents the full information including the activity name given in Wahoo app
• I actively used RWGPS during my early gravel cycling days. I had to heavily modify the routes provided by ride organisers to make my own. RWGPS was very good in that role.
• However, I realised you could only select paved/unpaved in RWGPS and changing the map didn't modify the route according to the sport. Komoot makes a big difference between General Cycling, Road, Gravel, and MTB. I'm surprised how safe routes Komoot offers while RWGPS can easily get you somewhere you are not able to continue your ride.
• RWGPS has no idea you are riding an e-bike. Komoot and Strava are e-bike aware.

I could have more comments for the comparison between the apps but it is rather pointless. As I said: 'All major sports trackers work equally well with Wahoo'.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

So... as really sunny days have become a daily reality, I started experiencing some readability issues with my Wahoo ELEMNT ACE. That is, riding into the direct sunshine makes the display hardly readable even at the Auto MAX brightness setting. While my Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 2 was always clearly readable even with a direct sunlight! (Photochromic glasses do not help, either).

I will probably need to live with it. No chance going back to the older Wahoo (mine has found a good home). Perhaps I should invest in a Garmin Edge 1050, at least for the big Vado?

 

[Darth_Vado]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but any update on this? Did you get the Edge, and if so, how is the visibility.

I'm debating between a Garmin 850/1050 or Wahoo Ace...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but any update on this? Did you get the Edge, and if so, how is the visibility.

I'm debating between a Garmin 850/1050 or Wahoo Ace...

I've settled on a Wahoo ACE.

 

[Darth_Vado]

I've settled on a Wahoo ACE.

So the visibility is doable? That's really my main concern with the Ace, if the display washes out at high noon on a sunny summer day

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but any update on this? Did you get the Edge, and if so, how is the visibility.

I'm debating between a Garmin 850/1050 or Wahoo Ace...

Welcome aboard!

Don't know about the Garmin, but my Wahoo ACE has good screen visibility in all lighting, including bright sun. To my surprise, the daytime visibility's a good bit better in light mode (white background) than in dark mode (black background).

 

[Darth_Vado]

Welcome aboard!

Don't know about the Garmin, but my Wahoo ACE has good screen visibility in all lighting, including bright sun. To my surprise, the daytime visibility's a good bit better in light mode (white background) than in dark mode (black background).

Thank you!

And you being just down the 5 from me, knowing you have no issue with visibility is a big help!
Still not sure which way i'm going, I was leaning towards the Ace, but currently Amazon has the Garmin 1050 on sale @599.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I would say ACE screen is not the best visible as I ride towards the Sun but it could be also caused by my photochromic glasses Still, I can see everything I need to see on the screen. Garmin users also complain a little for the direct sunlight visibility.

Anecdotally, Wahoo 2 screen is better visible under direct sunlight conditions than the version 3; and Garmin -30 has a better visible screen that the -40 or -50 (it is what either I could observe myself or what Garmin users told me). This is the price paid for gorgeously colourful screens! My brother who uses a Garmin 530 got a slightly damaged 540 from me as a gift. After he replaced the screen on the 540, he refused using it because of "poor visibility in the sunlight"!

According to my own observations, the way Wahoo navigates you is a way better than I could ever achieve on a Garmin. The course is a solid red line with occasional arrows on Garmin while it is a continuous series of black arrows, turning green for climbs or to blue for re-routing on Wahoo. Regarding the re-routing, Wahoo really aces it, which is not that good for Garmin.

It is all down to what Vado you own. If it is an SL, Wahoo is the only computer to report the Range Extender. Also, Wahoo displays OFF, ECO, SPORT, TURBO, MICRO and SMART while Garmin shows meaningless and confusing numbers for Assist Mode.

I'm setting off for rides this Saturday and Sunday. Sunday's going to be a sunny day. If you're patient, I'll bring some photos of the ACE screen from actual rides.

 

[Darth_Vado]

I would say ACE screen is not the best visible as I ride towards the Sun but it could be also caused by my photochromic glasses Still, I can see everything I need to see on the screen. Garmin users also complain a little for the direct sunlight visibility.

Anecdotally, Wahoo 2 screen is better visible under direct sunlight conditions than the version 3; and Garmin -30 has a better visible screen that the -40 or -50 (it is what either I could observe myself or what Garmin users told me). This is the price paid for gorgeously colourful screens! My brother who uses a Garmin 530 got a slightly damaged 540 from me as a gift. After he replaced the screen on the 540, he refused using it because of "poor visibility in the sunlight"!

According to my own observations, the way Wahoo navigates you is a way better than I could ever achieve on a Garmin. The course is a solid red line with occasional arrows on Garmin while it is a continuous series of black arrows, turning green for climbs or to blue for re-routing on Wahoo. Regarding the re-routing, Wahoo really aces it, which is not that good for Garmin.

It is all down to what Vado you own. If it is an SL, Wahoo is the only computer to report the Range Extender. Also, Wahoo displays OFF, ECO, SPORT, TURBO, MICRO and SMART while Garmin shows meaningless and confusing numbers for Assist Mode.

I'm setting off for rides this Saturday and Sunday. Sunday's going to be a sunny day. If you're patient, I'll bring some photos of the ACE screen from actual rides.

Thank you for the added input! I can definitely wait a few days if you wanted to post a few pictures.

I have a "big" Vado, 5.0 so I don't have a need for any range extender details (oh how i wish we could use them though).

Mainly it would just be used for navigation. Though nice, I'm not concerned with Assist Mode display, it would be mounted next to the Mastermind, so may as well just look there. And of course it would also tie into the Specialized app and as well as Kamoot.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have a "big" Vado, 5.0 so I don't have a need for any range extender details (oh how i wish we could use them though).

Mainly it would just be used for navigation. Though nice, I'm not concerned with Assist Mode display, it would be mounted next to the Mastermind, so may as well just look there. And of course it would also tie into the Specialized app and as well as Kamoot.

Sure you need no e-bike data on your Garmin or Wahoo Still, I also use the ACE on my big Vado 6.0 as I prefer seeing everything on a single Workout screen, including the battery level, assist mode, cadence, leg power (I use all 11 available data fields).

I had a fair chance to use both Wahoo and Garmin, and my heart is with Wahoo. First of all, Garmin is overly complicated and greatly illogical (which is the outcome of too many years of development). It is bombing you with hundreds of irrelevant messages, such as: "A pothole! Is it still there? Yes or No?" or "An animal used to be spotted here. Can you still see the animal? Yes or No?" You can turn most of annoying messages off but that will take a very long while...

Also, I could never really master Re-Routing on the Garmin, which once cost me a 10 km extra. Get yourself really off course, and Garmin will never find the course again (Wahoo ACE will warn you with the aural "ROUTE!" and immediately create a re-route course in a different colour).

A thing that was missing on Wahoo computers until Version 3 were Activity Profiles, now added. So for instance, I display Average Speed for Vado 6.0 profile but Current Gear Number for my Vado SL. Also, Wahoo made the possibility of adding extra data screens, exactly as it is on Garmin.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Thank you!

And you being just down the 5 from me, knowing you have no issue with visibility is a big help!
Still not sure which way i'm going, I was leaning towards the Ace, but currently Amazon has the Garmin 1050 on sale @599.

I use the ACE on my bars just for its GPS-based services like mapping, ground speed, elevation gain, gradient, etc. Also to display real-time heart rate and (just out of curiosity) air speed. And it's very good at all of that.

Here's my custom ACE startup page. Haven't tried the turn-by-turn navigation yet, as I seldom need it.

Just so you know it's an option: My ACE isn't paired with my Vado SL on purpose, as I much prefer the way the Specialized app (SA) records and analyzes bike-based data like assist settings, rider and motor power, and battery remaining.

So the SA runs concurrently in a pocket during rides. My 2-channel Wahoo HRM pairs with the ACE and SA simultaneously.

Together, the ACE and my custom TCU pages show me everything I want to see in the saddle. Above is the TCU page I have up at least 90% of the time. It complements the ACE quite nicely.

 

[Darth_Vado]

Sure you need no e-bike data on your Garmin or Wahoo Still, I also use the ACE on my big Vado 6.0 as I prefer seeing everything on a single Workout screen, including the battery level, assist mode, cadence, leg power (I use all 11 available data fields).

I had a fair chance to use both Wahoo and Garmin, and my heart is with Wahoo. First of all, Garmin is overly complicated and greatly illogical (which is the outcome of too many years of development). It is bombing you with hundreds of irrelevant messages, such as: "A pothole! Is it still there? Yes or No?" or "An animal used to be spotted here. Can you still see the animal? Yes or No?" You can turn most of annoying messages off but that will take a very long while...

Also, I could never really master Re-Routing on the Garmin, which once cost me a 10 km extra. Get yourself really off course, and Garmin will never find the course again (Wahoo ACE will warn you with the aural "ROUTE!" and immediately create a re-route course in a different colour).

A thing that was missing on Wahoo computers until Version 3 were Activity Profiles, now added. So for instance, I display Average Speed for Vado 6.0 profile but Current Gear Number for my Vado SL. Also, Wahoo made the possibility of adding extra data screens, exactly as it is on Garmin.

Interesting experiences, and helpful to know!

Frankly, the last GPS I owned (not including smartphones) was a Garmin handheld way back in the 90's and early 00's. Used for hiking, geocaching and also had a mount for my bike. So in some ways, I think my brain is still wired to view it as "just a map". However, that's certainly not set in stone and in time, I may gravitate to seeing all my data on one screen, as you do.

Again, thank you for the insight and experiences!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Interesting experiences, and helpful to know!

Frankly, the last GPS I owned (not including smartphones) was a Garmin handheld way back in the 90's and early 00's. Used for hiking, geocaching and also had a mount for my bike. So in some ways, I think my brain is still wired to view it as "just a map". However, that's certainly not set in stone and in time, I may gravitate to seeing all my data on one screen, as you do.

Again, thank you for the insight and experiences!

BTW, great screen name!

 

[Darth_Vado]

I use the ACE on my bars just for its GPS-based services like mapping, ground speed, elevation gain, gradient, etc. Also to display real-time heart rate and (just out of curiosity) air speed. And it's very good at all of that.

View attachment 209741
Here's my custom ACE startup page. Haven't tried the turn-by-turn navigation yet, as I seldom need it.

Just so you know it's an option: My ACE isn't paired with my Vado SL on purpose, as I much prefer the way the Specialized app (SA) records and analyzes bike-based data like assist settings, rider and motor power, and battery remaining.

So the SA runs concurrently in a pocket during rides. My 2-channel Wahoo HRM pairs with the ACE and SA simultaneously.

View attachment 209740
Together, the ACE and my custom TCU pages show me everything I want to see in the saddle. Above is the TCU page I have up at least 90% of the time. It complements the ACE quite nicely.

Your use case somewhat aligns with my intentions. Mapping, and elevation mainly. I have an Apple Watch that records heart rate.
Turn by turn navigation would be a case-by-case basis. I don't need it for my 2.5 mile round trip to work and back, and my recreational rides (so far) are mainly local and though i may have a destination in mind, getting there just depends on if I want wait at this light, or go down this street...maybe i feel like stopping around the corner for coffee...ohhh, shiny object over there, etc The only time I would need turn by turn instructions would be for unfamiliar areas, which i hope to do at some point in the future. I'd love to take a road trip down your way, but would definitely need a 2nd battery, and not sure if there is a continuous route from Huntington Beach, specifically through Pendleton.

Thanks Jeremy!

 

[Darth_Vado]

BTW, great screen name!

Thank you. It's what I named my bike. Being a black Vado, it just sort of fit.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

maybe i feel like stopping around the corner for coffee...ohhh, shiny object over there, etc

Pretty much my approach to navigation.

Neighbors tell me that you can get through Pendleton by bike, largely on the old Pacific Highway through the base. But you'll need a gate pass in advance from their website, and even then you might get turned back on the day of.

But neighbors also say that the route through the base has some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in all of SoCal. And that's saying something! So I also hope to try it one day.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Just a remark: It is to some extent a waste of an expensive device (I respect Jeremy's choice, though) not to make it a central device that is connected to the e-bike and a HRM. E-bike can be connected both to Wahoo and the Specialized app... (Wahoo is connected by ANT+ while the smartphone is Bluetooth).
Horses for courses. I record any of my activities on a Wahoo with transfer to Strava with all available information. One of the features I need the most is the Maintenance Log in Strava, which measures the use of the components such as the chains, cassettes, chainrings, brake pads and rotors, and tyres on my two e-bikes. Having my average and max leg power, cadence and calories for each ride is also important to me. Eventually, all these data come to Strava through my Wahoo. (I only don't use a HRM as the medications control my heart rate).

On the other hand (differently to Jeremy) I'm not interested at all how much assistance the e-bike gave me.

Here's the Komoot map of my tomorrow's ride I already have on my ACE.