Wahoo Elemnt Bolt question
#1
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Wahoo Elemnt Bolt question
My garmin 800 is getting old, beat up and starting to fail more regularly. Looking at the Elemnt.
Does anyone know if it can show "future elevation" like the Garmin? What I'm trying to describe is the screen on the Garmin that, when riding a preloaded course, future mountains. I use this feature a lot on mountain cookie rides when I'm not overly familiar with the route.
Does anyone know if it can show "future elevation" like the Garmin? What I'm trying to describe is the screen on the Garmin that, when riding a preloaded course, future mountains. I use this feature a lot on mountain cookie rides when I'm not overly familiar with the route.
#4
junior
Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Fresno, Calif.
Bikes: 2020 Surly ECR / 2018 Norco Search XR steel gravel bike with GRX / 1983 Bianchi Campione D'Italia / Gary Fisher Wingra / Motobecane Nomade mixte (daughter's)
The Elemnt Bolt as an elevation profile section at the bottom of one of the default pages for a preloaded route from Ride with GPS. You can zoom in and zoom out of the profile as well, changing thee scale.
eric/fresno, ca.
eric/fresno, ca.
#5
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Joined: Apr 2016
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It does, but it's almost useless because it doesn't show either horizontal or vertical scale, and it doesn't show what's behind you, so you can't look at it and say "oh, I'm half way up the hill now." It's one of very few things I really don't like about my bolt.
#7
Yep, I agree with this. I don't use the climbing page very much at all though so it doesn't bother me at all. I still love my Bolt.
#8
Can you expand on inaccuracies? I too am running a PM and a Bolt, but have not noticed anything out of the ordinary.
#9
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#11
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I'm just going to keep it until it completely breaks. I don't want the Bolt due to the elevation page issues noted above as that singular feature is very important to me. And all my buddies constantly complain about the newer garmins when it rains. The touchscreen is useless at that point they say - even sweat messes with it.
#12
Mine is very accurate on all metrics. I train on a CompuTrainer which measures speed, cadence and power separately, and the trainer and the Bolt match almost perfectly.
#13
Rubber side down

Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Teh Quickie Mart
Bikes: are fun! :-)
My Bolt provides very consistent metrics with my Powertap G3 powermeter. I like my bolt a lot. But, I don't use the navigation/elevation features much.
Last edited by Clipped_in; 12-01-18 at 09:14 AM.
#14

#16
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From: Walnut Creek, CA
Bikes: 2023 Canyon Aeoroad CF SL, 2015 Trek Emonda SLR, 2002 Litespeed Classic, 2005 Bianchi Pista, Some BikesDirect MTB I never ride.
My Bolt handles cadence just fine from my 4iiii PM.
The one issue that I wish they'd fix is setting a known elevation. Hate it that some days I start out from my house, it can be a few hundred feet off, usually depending on weather. Cold/wet/cloudy/windy days it never gets the elevation right. Seems like a ridiculously easy thing to implement.
The one issue that I wish they'd fix is setting a known elevation. Hate it that some days I start out from my house, it can be a few hundred feet off, usually depending on weather. Cold/wet/cloudy/windy days it never gets the elevation right. Seems like a ridiculously easy thing to implement.
#17

5 minute Function test in front of my house just to make sure everything was working.

Corresponding cadence data from the 5 minute function test which appear to be correct.

Power numbers from last Saturday’s ride.

Corresponding cadence data from last Saturday’s ride which also appears correct.
So you are saying yours does it all the time? See mine was just that once on a harder effort. I will need to go hard and see if it still does it because as you see above my cadence appears to be correct on the 5 min test and last Saturday's ride which was 52 miles.
Last edited by jadocs; 12-03-18 at 12:29 PM.
#18
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From: Washington, DC
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#19
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It's not apparently.
Better units use a barometer, which is sensitive to temperature and humidity, not to mention is the sensor port obstructed (moisture ?).
All GPS can do a very rough altitude calculation, but they are know to have significant errors in elevation as opposed to horizontal position. Good quick article here that is still pertinent.
Altitude Accuracy
Better units use a barometer, which is sensitive to temperature and humidity, not to mention is the sensor port obstructed (moisture ?).
All GPS can do a very rough altitude calculation, but they are know to have significant errors in elevation as opposed to horizontal position. Good quick article here that is still pertinent.
Altitude Accuracy
#20
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Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Walnut Creek, CA
Bikes: 2023 Canyon Aeoroad CF SL, 2015 Trek Emonda SLR, 2002 Litespeed Classic, 2005 Bianchi Pista, Some BikesDirect MTB I never ride.
It's not apparently.
Better units use a barometer, which is sensitive to temperature and humidity, not to mention is the sensor port obstructed (moisture ?).
All GPS can do a very rough altitude calculation, but they are know to have significant errors in elevation as opposed to horizontal position. Good quick article here that is still pertinent.
Altitude Accuracy
Better units use a barometer, which is sensitive to temperature and humidity, not to mention is the sensor port obstructed (moisture ?).
All GPS can do a very rough altitude calculation, but they are know to have significant errors in elevation as opposed to horizontal position. Good quick article here that is still pertinent.
Altitude Accuracy
#21
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Joined: Sep 2012
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From: Los Angeles
Bikes: 2019 CAAD12, 2015 Specialized Sirrus Comp
I just got my Bolt, with the kit (cadence, speed and HR). Still learning how to use it.
I'd appreciate knowing more about the speed sensor and how the Bolt unit uses the data. For instance does Bolt rely on the sensor to calculate distance? Also, is there a way to compare the speed sensor to GPS readings to check for sensor calibration differences?
I'd appreciate knowing more about the speed sensor and how the Bolt unit uses the data. For instance does Bolt rely on the sensor to calculate distance? Also, is there a way to compare the speed sensor to GPS readings to check for sensor calibration differences?
#22
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Joined: Dec 2012
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I'm on my second Bolt, and just like the first one, the climbing is overstated by 15% to 20% on every-single-ride. (It's the only real negative aspect of the Bolt for me.)
I know this because I use a second computer (Specialized Elite) as well...In the past, my Elite matched my Garmin 500 (often within 10's of feet, sometimes less) over hilly 30 to 100 mile routes.
Similarly, my Elite and Garmin data were usually very close to the data recorded by others on my rides and that predicted by RWGPS.
Now--I'm consistently the outlier with the Bolt returning higher climbing data than my Elite, my fellow riders, and the climbing predicted/expected by RWGPS.
I know this because I use a second computer (Specialized Elite) as well...In the past, my Elite matched my Garmin 500 (often within 10's of feet, sometimes less) over hilly 30 to 100 mile routes.
Similarly, my Elite and Garmin data were usually very close to the data recorded by others on my rides and that predicted by RWGPS.
Now--I'm consistently the outlier with the Bolt returning higher climbing data than my Elite, my fellow riders, and the climbing predicted/expected by RWGPS.
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johngwheeler
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03-02-18 09:01 PM






