E-Bike Computer?

[Cybersnow]

I recommended buying a proper bike GPS computer, such as a Wahoo ELEMNT or Garmin EDGE (no experience with Hammerhead Karoo 2) because the batteries in such computers hold for many hours, these devices are water resistant, take a small footprint on the bars, and are very difficult to get damaged in case of any crash.

I had my Wahoo ELEMNT Roam on for 9 hours and 20 minutes on a long racing day, and I still had 45% of the remaining battery charge in the device.

That is a great idea! I have had wahoo and garmin bike computers on my pre e-bike road and gravel bikes. It is one of the reasons I purchased both HR and cadence sensors from Wahoo. The two concerns I have about the iPhone setup is the need to take the phone off whenever I park the bike and the real estate required on the handlebars. I will give my son‘s recommendation a shot, but am prepared to buy the Wahoo Element if it doesn’t work.

 

[Cybersnow]

Any preference between Garmin Edge and Wahoo Element? I took a ride (25 miles) today and was using my iPhone as a bike computer until I started getting important calls…screwed everything up. (Or maybe it was operator error).

 

[mschwett]

Any preference between Garmin Edge and Wahoo Element? I took a ride (25 miles) today and was using my iPhone as a bike computer until I started getting important calls…screwed everything up. (Or maybe it was operator error).

how did it screw everything up? i get calls on the bike all the time, typically just ignore them or tap the red icon. when i do take one on a ride, every ride app i’ve used just continues in the background.

i’ve even done a zoom while on a ride, works just fine lol

 

[Prairie Dog]

Any preference between Garmin Edge and Wahoo Element? I took a ride (25 miles) today and was using my iPhone as a bike computer until I started getting important calls…screwed everything up. (Or maybe it was operator error).

I receive notifications on my Garmin 530 when paired with my phone and I simply ignore them and let them go to voice mail. A buddy of mine takes calls on his Apple watch during rides and it irritates me to no end.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I receive notifications on my Wahoo, then take the phone out of my jersey pocket and receive the call

Any preference between Garmin Edge and Wahoo Element?

Four greatest features of Wahoo ELEMNT:

• Fully configurable from a smartphone. (Garmin is configurable from the device itself).
• Allows loading any new route while the ride is still being recorded (not possible with Garmin; you have to end recording before loading a new route).
• A non-glossy screen (perfectly visible even in direct sunshine). Garmin EDGE computers have glossy screens.
• Any version is equipped with large, reliable buttons. (Only Garmin 530, 540, and the future 550 have buttons; all other models are touch-screen).

Wahoo has a special feature for riders of Specialized SL e-bikes (or other e-bikes with LEV ANT+ and a Range Extender battery) but it is not relevant in your case?

 

[Cybersnow]

how did it screw everything up? i get calls on the bike all the time, typically just ignore them or tap the red icon. when i do take one on a ride, every ride app i’ve used just continues in the background.

i’ve even done a zoom while on a ride, works just fine lol

The app did continue to run in the background but when I hung up it took me back to the main menu and since I was moving, I guess, it didn’t want to go back to the app and the screen shut off. What a PITA.

 

[Cybersnow]

I receive notifications on my Wahoo, then take the phone out of my jersey pocket and receive the call


Four greatest features of Wahoo ELEMNT:

• Fully configurable from a smartphone. (Garmin is configurable from the device itself).
• Allows loading any new route while the ride is still being recorded (not possible with Garmin; you have to end recording before loading a new route).
• A non-glossy screen (perfectly visible even in direct sunshine). Garmin EDGE computers have glossy screens.
• Any version is equipped with large, reliable buttons. (Only Garmin 530, 540, and the future 550 have buttons; all other models are touch-screen).

Wahoo has a special feature for riders of Specialized SL e-bikes (or other e-bikes with LEV ANT+ and a Range Extender battery) but it is not relevant in your case?

Which element are you using?

 

[PCeBiker]

I receive notifications on my Wahoo, then take the phone out of my jersey pocket and receive the call

That's Cool !!!

How does your pet fish receive notifications, and how does it tell your phone to ring ??

You've got a pretty smart fish !!!

 

[Cybersnow]

LOL, I lived in Florida for a few years and caught a few Wahoo. None of them had bike computers! But all of them tasted excellent!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Which element are you using?

Had used Roam 1 then Bolt 2, and now I am with Roam 2.

 

[jabberwocky]

Dedicated unit is much better than tracking on a phone (though the latter does work). Battery life is superior while recording, accuracy is better, and phones are considerably less durable (and more expensive). Plus, I consider my phone to be a piece of safety gear and don't want to risk damaging it in a crash or running the battery down.

I've used Garmin Edge units for almost 20 years (starting with the Edge 305 in ~2007 or so). I currently run an Edge 530. It records super accurately and reliably, syncs with all my sensors as well as my Shimao e8000 emtb and Yamaha powered Giant to display and record ebike data. Also does routing as necessary. I have activity profiles setup for emtb, egravel, normal gravel and normal mtb with different fields for each. Auto uploads to garmin connect/strava under the correct activity type. All in all, once its setup you probably aren't going to touch anything.

The place to go for reviews of cycling tech is DC Rainmaker.

 

[Cybersnow]

My bike has a huge battery and the display has a USB port. I tried it with my phone and it kept the phone at 100% for the 2 hour ride. Does either the Edge or Element have a port that I can plug into while it is on the bike? What I really want to monitor (for now) is cadence and HR. Can I configure either to just show that data?

 

[jabberwocky]

They take USB power and can be powered while riding. I have friends who do ultra long endurance rides (think 12-18 hours) and they generally have an external battery to plug in, though some of the Garmin units will record for about that long (my 530 is rated for ~20 hours of recording). Garmin also makes an external battery you can use with their out front mounts if you really want something integrated (the unit goes on top of the mount and the battery goes underneath and transfers power to the unit through the mount).

For normal riding you really don't need to power the unit though, the battery is more than adequate for anyone who isn't doing ultra endurance. If I'm riding regularly I charge every week or two.

You can configure to show whatever data you want. They way the Garmins work is you can specify how many screens of data you want (you can arrow between them) then how many fields on each screen (1-10 for my 530), then you can display whatever data you want in each field as long as its something the Garmin is recording internally or from external sensors. For example, on my e-gravel activity the main screen has the usual fields (distance ridden, ride time, current speed, time of day, elevation climbed) and some external data fields (heart rate from my HR strap, battery percentage and assist mode from the ebike).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My bike has a huge battery and the display has a USB port. I tried it with my phone and it kept the phone at 100% for the 2 hour ride. Does either the Edge or Element have a port that I can plug into while it is on the bike?

Wahoo Roam battery capacity is 17 hours. Why should you want to recharge it during the ride (even if that's doable)?
If you are concerned about even longer use a day, you can switch Wahoo off for not longer than two hours at a time for a stop. After restarting the device, your current ride will be recovered and continued.

What I really want to monitor (for now) is cadence and HR. Can I configure either to just show that data?

Of course. You could, for example, only have these two fields on the Wahoo screen if you wanted.

Wahoo with only two data fields visible (fully configurable from smartphone, you can put RPM and HR there)

 

[CanNik]

My Zen e-bike provides a lot of information but I want to ensure I am getting a decent workout whenever I ride. I am looking for a bike computer that will monitor cadence and heart rate. Mapping is provided by my iPhone and GPS. It seems I cant get this data without spending a lot of money and getting a lot of redundant data. Any idea?

That's novel, a workout on an E BIKE LOL

 

[Cybersnow]

That's novel, a workout on an E BIKE LOL

I live in the mountains in an area with some very steep hills. One of them is over 30 degrees. While on the flats, we tend to ride at about 18mph. Rides tend to exceed 1-2 hour runs. Yep, we do get work outs.

 

[Prairie Dog]

You can also add additional pages to further increase your data requirements if required. Rearranging data fields the way you want to view them on the display is easy enough too. The number of features available on the 530 is pretty decent not that you would make use of them all. There is even data to track your MTB dynamics (grit/flow, jump metrics). I also use my 530 for use on several different bikes (road/mtb) both powered and analog. If you have wireless shifting such as Di2 or SRAM or even a separate power meter it can display those configurations as well on a separate page.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Allows loading any new route while the ride is still being recorded (not possible with Garmin; you have to end recording before loading a new route).

DC Rainmaker was as kind as to answer my question immediately. New Garmin Edge computers allow uploading a new route while continuing to record the ride

That's novel, a workout on an E BIKE LOL

Disconnect the throttle, and you'll have a workout. I rode e-bike for 100 miles on last Sunday and burned around 1,700 kcal. Sure, it is not the same as pedalling a traditional bike but 8 hours of pedalling is the same, assisted or unassisted.

 

[Cybersnow]

Ok, am convinced to buy a real bike computer. Now to choose between the edge and element. It appears that the element is easier to configure but the garmin has a longer battery. I think easier to configure wins. Is there any big difference in the two versions of element other than screensize?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

You can also add additional pages to further increase your data requirements if required. Rearranging data fields the way you want to view them on the display is easy enough too. The number of features available on the 530 is pretty decent not that you would make use of them all. There is even data to track your MTB dynamics (grit/flow, jump metrics). I also use my 530 for use on several different bikes (road/mtb) both powered and analog. If you have wireless shifting such as Di2 or SRAM or even a separate power meter it can display those configurations as well on a separate page.

Just looked at the 530 product page out of curiosity. Amazing array of things measured and tracked but no metric for the urge to buy a new ebike when a much nicer one goes by.

Really need to work on keeping that metric down for marital reasons.