All sensors are pretty much optional based on what you want. It will record speed based on GPS, so IMO, that is likely the least useful sensor as the gains in accuracy are pretty marginal. Cadence and HR if they are important to you. Power is also an option.

Both Strava and RidewithGPS will link with your bolt (through the wahoo smartphone app) and you can build your routes in either of these and import them into your bolt (ridewithgps routes will also have turn by turn navigation, Strava just breadcrumb). So, I wouldn't bother with Wahoo's route planning software.

With Ridewithgps, can you get sufficient route planning options with the free version, and does it sync easily with the Bolt?

Yes. Any route you create in Ridewithgps will upload to your device automatically once you link your account to the unit via the Wahoo app and sync the device when connected to wifi. Ridewithgps free route planning is all I need since it allows me to create and upload routes to the bolt with turn by turn directions. You can also pin routes your friends create and make public to your RWGPS account and they will show up on your bolt with turn by turn if your friend's route included cue sheet. RWGPS does offer some more advanced route planning features that require a pay subscription. For example, you can save a ride you already did as a route via the free subscription, but if you want RWGPS to automatically generate a cue sheet so you can have turn by directions next time you want to do that ride, you need a pay subscription. There are also some advanced route editing features that are only available via pay subscription..

Very easily. Sync your accounts and the routes will sync with your phone's Wahoo app. You then just pair the phone with your computer (which you generally will do for any ride anyway) and pick the route in your phone. It gets transferred to the computer automatically and you're good to go. It's very easy to do.

Just an example of my last ride, two days ago, and the differences between Strava and the Bolt's readings... The calories burned is the biggest difference. And the elevation. The ride's organizers, using Ride with GPS, listed it as 2,800.



eric/fresno, ca.

Do both system have access to your riding weight and actual heart rate?

The Bolt is connected to my Apple Health app with my physical stats. I thought the Strava app was too, but dang it, I am wrong about that (it is now). So maybe I shouldn't have had those two big cheeeburgers afterwards lol

Neither can monitor my heart rate, i have no HR monitor, though that's a planned purchase at some point.

-eric/fresno, ca.

I think the Wahoo HR monitor is a fairly modest $39.

$49, though i have found one from an individual seller for $22, plus shipping. Not sure if i want to chance that. $49 is still fairly modest in the overall scheme of things.

I stand corrected. But do you go with the $49 monitor that wraps around your chest, or the $79 unit that you wear on your wrist?

Strava's calorie estimates are sometimes messed up. The relationship between kj and calories should be close to 1:1 (the ratio from the Bolt is pretty reasonable). Strava seems to have some bugs when it comes to this. I can ride in, then a couple minutes later switch the bike from the default one to the one I actually rode, and the kj will be updated but the calories won't despite the fact that they are both measurements of the same thing - energy used.

FYI, the Wahoo Tickr is a great HR monitor - very comfortable. I like it better than the Garmin HR monitor I had used previously.