Sorry to bring up again the old Garmin vs. Wahoo debate, but all previous ones seem quite dated (2019).
I’ve had a Wahoo Bolt 1 since 2018, which is showing evident signs of breaking down. Still… its battery is still quite good, and it “just” works. Frankly, I have no complaints about it, which is why I was solidly convinced to get a Bolt 3, especially since Wahoo offered a coupon with a heavy discount to buy a new one.
However, I find annoying that Wahoo did not discounted it one bit ($349), considering the reviews don’t seem to be great compared to the original bolt and the bolt 2 (in general, and on the screen visibility in particular), and especially given their main competitor offers the Solar Edge 540 at $250. Yet… I’m not sure I’m convinced by Garmin.
My Garmin Varia is nice, but after 3 years the battery seems to struggle to make it to 4 hours.
Last summer I helped a neighbor with his old edge, and didn’t look easy to use at all.
About me: I use the head unit to drive the trainer with self made training session (when I’m off TR). I’m perfectly fine with buttons (don’t care for touchscreen). I’m ok taking out the phone to re-route, if need to be (but I usually plan ahead of time so this is rarely a need). Most of my friends seem to be using Garmin, but I did love the straight-forwardness of the Bolt.
What would you recommend? I could get the Wahoo with my discount coupon, but I could also get a heavily discounted Garmin, even more so if I get it from Amazon.
I’m a current OG Elemnt user and I’m going to be buying Garmin next. My main motivations are custom data fields (Connect IQ apps) and the computer recording all data instead of throwing out a lot of it.
Then you may be annoyed by Garmin. In a Bolt 1, Roam 2 and now Roam 3 user. Happy and no complaints. Just using my Garmin watch (received as a gift) I’m annoyed by the ecosystem and complexity. It does everything, but I don want everything. I want a few things done well. You may also miss some of the key features of Wahoo like zooming in and out of maps, reducing/expanding data fields with the zoom in/out buttons and a few other features. It comes down to personal preference.
I had a bolt v1 since 2019? and was hesitant to get the bolt v3 from the slightly negative software and screen reviews. I waited for a bolt v3 on eBay new for ~20% off which was the best I could find. I think I made the right choice (I was also considering the coros dura)
The pros of being familiar with the headunit, not having to switch all my mounts and getting color screen was really nice. I didn’t notice any of the screen issues. I did have to reset the unit after trying to set it up the first time because I couldn’t edit any screens. No clue why
The cons was that it felt expensive (was only willing to buy on discount) and my current headunit is technically still working although battery is pretty bad now.
I recommend staying with wahoo especially if you like the interface. It’s a good upgrade from v1 if you can get a discount on it imo
I recently upgraded from a Bolt v1 to a Roam v3. While not exactly the same device, I reckon a lot carries over.
Regarding data fields even the Bolt v1 was plenty. I don’t miss anything and hence, there is no pull to go to Garmin or some other manufacturer.
The Zoom feature still rules. This is the reason why I have decided to stick with Wahoo.
The Roam v3 feels more computer-y with lots more settings. So much so, I felt it was a bit off-putting. I don’t want to imagine what Garmin devices are like.
Everything works well. My favorite features are colored heart rate and power fields where the background color changes according to the zone. That works a lot better in sunlight than the Bolt v1’s LEDs at the top.
Zoom still works.
I went for the Roam v3 as it has 6 data fields in map view. Compared to my old Bolt, the Roam still feels huge. I don’t want to imagine what the Ace would have been like.
Yes I agree with you. I hesitated, but based on everything I’ve heard I think it makes sense for me to stick with with wahoo. I’ll wait a few months, if I can. Maybe the price will go down a bit. And if not, so be it.
And you’re liking the screen? I went Karoo this upgrade cycle because I got it for the price of a ROAM2, but I have friends that are curious about the ROAM3.
I’m the only person I know with a Wahoo computer. I never had a problem with my Bolt 1 but when the screen failed, Wahoo’s customer service was faultless, and it was replaced under warranty for a Bolt 2. I’ve never had a problem the Bolt 2.
From my Strava feed I often see of my friends complaining about their Garmin’s, not tracking, batteries running out etc. Oddly the majority of them are using Garmin watches to track their cycling and don’t have a Garmin bike computer, whereas I have a wrist mount for my Bolt and use that to track my runs.
In very bright sunlight the screen is harder to read than that of the Bolt v1. In every other situation it is equal or better. E. g. I kept the backlight on with my Bolt v1 so that it was always readable. In bright daylight that was a waste of energy.
Wahoo gave me a 40 % discount code, because I had trouble getting a quick GPS lock with my Bolt v1 after their upgrade. Otherwise, I would have waited until the Bolt v1 broke and then looked at alternatives. I don’t think I would have gotten a Garmin, but instead either a Karoo or a Coros Dura.
Wow, you all got 40% off? A bit back I messaged Wahoo support because my v1 wasn’t syncing rides reliably. They gave me 15% which was nice. Would have loved a 40% though haha