ray.garza

Anyone having problems with Wahoo's RFLKT+ smart computer locking up during a ride or losing ANT+ sensor data? Or how about the screen not turning on?

I've been using the RFLKT+ for a while now and encountered many if not all of the problems listed above but I finally got them resolved. How? For me it was fixed by moving my phone from the back to the anywhere in front of your body. Doesn't matter if you use an arm band, handlebar mount or taped to the top tube as long as it was in front of me. Back pocket, side pocket or saddle bag didn't cut it for me. My personal opinion is that the RFLKT+ units have a weak Bluetooth signal.

Battery life for the internal battery is ok. Within 5 months I have had to replace the battery in order for it to power up.

One last thing that gets to me is that Wahoo censors what you post on their Facebook page. I've had my postings removed and another persons has had their negative comments or frustrating experience with the RFLKT+ removed. Sure it's their page and they can do what ever they want with it but it really doesn't foster any community feeling from them. Maybe they want to shine a bright light on their product, but come on. Engage us in dialog, conversation and understanding.

Comments, thoughts, experience (good or bad) on the RFLKT+ bike computer from Wahoo??

estasnyc

Interesting.

I like the idea of behind the RFLKT+ but I guess that you've experienced being at the bleeding edge with a first-generation device.

So, would you say that having better bluetooth connectivity will fix all of the problems that you've had? Might the ideal way for using this, in the meanwhile, be to keep your iPhone or iPad in a handlebar bag?

Wiscijim

Hey Ray,

I really like the idea of the rflkt+. Have your experiences improved? I read on wahoos website that BT connectivity works well if you put phone in saddle bag. Have you tried that?

Has your experience with sensor connectivity improved? I also read with version update there were improvements. Is that what you've experienced?

I'm very curious as I'm in the market for a bike computer. I have a bontrager duotrap sensor but was warned off the node from bontrager by lbs and reviews substantiate. I thought the garmin 510 would be awesome based on features but their forum seems packed with frustrated users.

Do you or anyone on thread have advice? Thanks!!

mstraus

I recently got a Wahoo RFLKT+ but to date have only used it a few times. I haven't had any problems with it on rides, but so far have only used it with BT sensors, not ANT. The only issue I had was with initial setup firmware upgrade taking a couple of tries.

I have had it in my side jersey pocket one time but typically have it in a front pouch on a backpack strap that I use while commuting. Didn't have different performance either way so far.

This was with an iPhone 5S and a fairly light weight/slim case on the phone. I wonder if different phones or cases have an impact on the signal performance.

JohnJ80

I don't use the RFKT+ but was looking to get one for the barometric sensor and temp sensor. I use an iPhone 5 with Cyclemeter to the Wahoo fitness Speed and Cadence sensor. i'd have to say that that package is really great and is better than the Garmin units or dedicated units I've used and own. I would go with straight low power BT sensors and I think the WF ones are really good.

J.

rjdennis

J.[/QUOTE]

I have had good luck with the device since I put my phone in a frame bag, battery life shorter than advertised, maybe two months or so...I use cyclemeter, others like the wahoo app better

OhioSam

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ChargerDawg

ANT+ I have found to be unreliable as the software is less supported than BT.

BT on the other hand integrates more easily.

ElectroDeviant

I'm on my second RFLKT+ unit and the main issue I've come across is battery life. The first unit I purchased back in June 2014 lasted only 1 month before I had to swap out battery. For the next three months I had to replace the battery like clockwork.

By October 2014 I was fed up and contacted Wahoo Fitness for a solution. They replied promptly, but stated it was firmware issue. So they sent me a beta firmware and nothing changed. Then, they ended up sending me a new unit free of charge. But to my dismay, the device died today Jan 5th 2014. It's not like use the darn thing everyday... I only ride on the weekends!

I just sent them an email asking for help so I'll let you know what comes from round 2.

sergeyklenov

Please answer what firmware version installed?

estasnyc

Do you now regret switching to the RFLKT+?

(Although it wasn't my idea to revive this thread, I'd also like to know what is the latest consensus about the RFLKT+ one year later.)

Having read what I can about the RFLKT and RFLKT+, I find it mystifying that opinions can be so drastically different about these two models. I get the impression that the RFLKT is fantastic while the RFLKT+ is crap. What I don't understand about this is that these two are essentially identical except for the RFLKT+ having an additional chip for handling ANT+ and barometric pressure measurements.

I've been procrastinating about this for sure. (I guess that I just don't need it that badly just yet.)

The way I would think that I would use this will be on a touring bike where a tablet will be kept nearby in a handlebar bag where it will remain protected. This should deal with any bluetooth issue.

One month of heavy daily usage before the battery drains would be acceptable.

How can the RFLKT+ be so much worse than the RFLKT? Is it that users are disappointed that ANT+ devices don't work as well with the RFLKT+ as these should? Or does that single additional ANT+ chip put so much of an extra strain on the battery that it dies so much sooner?

Oh, and what's the latest status for Android tablet support?

OhioSam

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estasnyc

Were you riding long enough that you could attribute this jumping around to changes in the air pressure because of changing weather such as an approaching storm? Or is there no if, but or maybe about the altimeter not working as advertised?

OhioSam

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JohnJ80

You may find this interesting.

I recently also bought a Garmin Edge 1000 (partly for business reasons - another story) to be able to connect to my bike's Di2 system. I then also bought the newest Blue SC Speed and Cadence sensor from Wahoo Fitness. It simultaneously transmit on both Bluetooth LE and ANT+ so I was able to run the Edge 1000 side by side with the Cyclemeter/RFLKT+ systems using the exact same simultaneous data. A happy coincidence - it is now possible to get a very good look at performance side by side.

What I found was that the Edge 1000 and the RFLKT+ data was almost always exactly the same. In some instances the Edge 1000 was showing a slight lag, in some places the RFKLT+ was - but it was a toss up and very short lag (<1s). I'd attribute the differences to using different algorithms in the different units, but it was really minor and at best inconsequential. This was true for speed changes, cadence changes and grade changes. Big picture: they matched very well.

With respect to grade then, I'd have to say that the RFLKT+ altimeter data is handled well with Cyclemeter and it is just as stable as Garmin's and just as accurate. Any inaccuracy is going to be attributable to the known accuracy issues with GPS in altitude measurement and the variances of air pressure changes that occur naturally.

I did notice that the speed and cadence data coming from the newer Wahoo Fitness sensor seems to be smoother than it was from the old one I have. So that may be part of the equation too. My speed jumped around a bit using the old sensor and since that was the only thing that changed in the Cyclemeter/iPhone/RFLKT+ side of things, that would have to be it.

Turns out, I believe that some of the software guys are working on Di2 integration into the iPhone apps and that there will also be new bluetooth sensors out that rival or exceed the cool new accelerometer (i.e. no magnet) sensors that Garmin has out now for cadence and speed. I also just bought the accelerometer based cadence sensor from Wahoo (getting rid of one damn magnet and alignment issue) and can't believe that they won't be offering it as a speed sensor - it's the same hardware just needs a mount it to your hub and minimally different software.

Based on those pieces of information - my test with the exact same data and my study of the bike sensor business, I don't see any particular benefit to the standalone GPS market on bikes. Also, if you want some of the positional and tracking capability offered by the Edge 1000, you need to have a smartphone with you anyhow.

J.

estasnyc

I do find this very interesting but you haven't said anything about the battery issue.

JohnJ80

My last RFLKT+ lasted most of the summer on the same battery. The one that came with the RFLKT+ had a short life, the replacement did not. That's using it almost daily or at least 5-6 times per week for several hours at a time.

My wife's has had similar performance.

My original RFLKT+ had a warranty related to the battery keeping contact with the contacts. The new one is exhibiting the same or better battery performance. Wahoo came through with excellent customer service and sent me a new one on my word that it wasn't working well. I sent the old one back to them.

When you're using Cyclemeter, after it's been running for a while, you can look in the devices screen and see the remaining battery voltage/percentage to see how it's doing. So it's not like you get surprised by it running out of gas all of a sudden.

J.

LuckySailor

Appreciate the info here, as I finally pulled the pin and bought a RFLKT+, and waiting for its delivery. I was not intending on buying one, as I had altered my iPhone 5S Otterbox to attach to my handlebars. Although, after riding in the rain a couple times, I decided that my phone was not meant to be on my handlebars, even though that is where it has been for a year now. Hopefully all will go well with my new RFLKT+.

bassplyr

Same boat as you sailor, just won a bid for one on ebay. I'll post my experience after a few rides.

Roger

SynapseRider

Great info! I was on the fence about the RFLK+ until finding this thread. I think I'm going to go on and order one now.

bassplyr

I purchased an RFLKT off of Ebay a couple of weeks ago and have made probably 8 rides with it so far. Once the firmware was updated it worked well, connected to everything, etc. Turns out you get a month of upgraded service when you pair via RideWithGPS and the turn-by-turn works really well.

The only problem is maintaining the HRM connection. I ride with my phone in my jersey pocket and the connection is intermittent at best. The phone has to be as far to one side as possible for the connection to be any good at all. For the last 45 minutes of my ride today it was a constant HRM connect, HRM disconnected. I am going to try carrying it in my seat bag and see if that improves the connectivity.

Overall, I am satisfied.

Seattle Forrest

This is a very misleading statement. If you want all of the positional capability in the Edge, you don't need a cell phone. A cell phone is only required for other people who aren't there to track you. The way you put it implies that your phone has something to do with the GPS or routing features in your Edge unit.

Your test showed that standalone GPS is of no use in recording cadence. You didn't really need a test to know that, it's like saying a photo of the Great Pyramid doesn't really help you do your laundry.

Seattle Forrest

There are four main ways these kinds of computers work out elevation gain:

2. GPS
3. DEM by GPS
4. Barometric altimeter
5. Accelerometer (Only fitbit does this as far as I know.)

All of these approaches have their pros and cons but the long and short of it is that a barometer is the most accurate by far.

Most phone apps use GPS alone, which is the worst option out of the bunch for accuracy. But all smartphones have GPS and few have a barometer. Many apps that have a cloud portion, like Strava, correct your elevation profile by looking up the altitude in a database for every point you rode through. Strava and Garmin Connect both do this automatically for any ride that was recorded on a device without a barometer, because GPS is so inaccurate for elevation.

To the best of my knowledge, nobody really uses GPS and a barometer for elevation. Think of yourself as a programmer, the barometer says you're going uphill and GPS says you're going down hill, what code do you write to deal with it? And: if you have a barometer, what use is a GPS to tell you what elevation you're at? Only for calibrating the barometer. (Which Suunto and Garmin do.)

The grade % field works pretty well on my Edge 800, it takes a moment to stabilize but it's very close to figures Seattle DOT publishes.

JohnJ80

Why is this misleading? I don't think I implied any such thing and if I did, I did not intend to. To be clear, an Edge doesn't need a phone for GPS support. The converse is true as well. The point is that they are pretty much equivalent and have similar standalone gps capability, charting, data collection, sensor performance, etc....

An Edge as a bike computer needs a phone to do the tracking. A phone as a bike computer doesn't need anything else to do tracking and has pretty much equivalent capabilities. Neither tracking method will work in the absence of cellular signals (obviously) because they both use the phone.

What? My point was that they both were displaying the data pretty much equivalently indicating that there was no significant difference in data handling algorithms in each unit (that isn't always the case with tests like these). They weren't exactly in phase all the time but they were close so there was some data massaging differences inherent in each device. My point was that it wasn't significant. Both of them record all the data they collect.

Great analogy vis a vis Great Pyramid/Laundry but it doesn't fit here.

Looks to me like the standalone GPS bike computer market is likely going to be yet another product category hit by smartphones as a disruptive technology.

J.

bassplyr

I continue to have unreliable connection issues with the BT 4.0 HRM. I have changed the battery in the HRM and RFLKT although both were practically new. It is very slow to connect on start up after an hour it essentially drops the HRM connection. I am carrying the phone in an under seat bag. Frustrating.