Gear News

Wahoo introduce £79.99 ELEMNT Mini bike computer

Tech firm's latest computer provides essential ride data, call/text notifications and live tracking

Having launched the aero-optimised ELEMNT Bolt earlier this year, Wahoo have introduced the ELEMNT Mini – the tech firm’s most affordable and smallest smart computer to date.

Wahoo say the ELEMNT Mini is designed to offer the same user-friendly, smartphone-controlled interface as the company’s more expensive computers, while providing a range of ride data, call/text alerts and live tracking.

On paper, the ELEMNT Mini looks to take aim at Garmin’s Edge 20 and Edge 25 computers, though with an RRP of £79.99, it undercuts both. Where the Mini differs, is that the computer itself doesn’t specifically utilise GPS but instead relies on your smartphone’s satellite signal. That means the Mini offers an impressive claimed battery life of around 12 months, though it’s powered by a replaceable coin cell battery so can’t be charged by USB.

The ELEMNT Mini is Wahoo’s most affordable smart computer to date at £79.99

Like both the original ELEMNT and ELEMNT Bolt, the Mini is designed to pair with the rider’s smartphone (iPhonw or Android) via Bluetooth and the Wahoo app, which then allows customisation of the data fields displayed by the computer’s 1.8″ (diagonal) black-and-white screen. The sleek unit has a claimed weight of 31g we actually weighed ours at 30g) and a IPX7 rating, so it should be waterproof up to five feet.

Wahoo's new ELEMNT Mini bike computer is a sleek little unit – and it weighs only 30g. Impressive ???????? . . . #wahoo #wahoofitness #wahooelemntmini #bikecomputer #newgear #cycling #roadcycling #roadcyclinguk #roadbike

A post shared by RoadCyclingUK (@roadcyclinguk) on Aug 2, 2017 at 1:20am PDT

As well as displaying a range of basic ride data such as time, speed and distance, the unit is also Ant+ compatible, so is able to record heart rate or cadence if paired with the appropriate sensors. The ELEMNT Mini is supplied with Wahoo’s speed sensor, so it’s also able to able to record speed, distance and time without being connected to a smartphone. You also get a quarter-turn handlebar/stem mount in the box.

Other features include ride tracking, which allows friends and family members to follow your ride in real-time. Pop-up notifications also display call and text alerts when the computer is paired with a phone. Once you’ve completed your ride, the ELEMNT Mini is able to auto-sync with third-party apps including Strava and Training Peaks.

– Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt review –

Unlike Wahoo’s more expensive computers, the ELEMNT Mini has no navigational functionality, nor is it compatible with Strava Live segments or able to control the Wahoo Kickr smart turbo trainer.

We’ve just received the Mini to review. In the box you get the computer, mount and a Wahoo speed sensor

“The new MINI is a key piece in the Wahoo ELEMNT bike computer portfolio,” said Jose Mendez, Wahoo’s director of product management for cycling. “Thanks to the Wahoo ELEMNT companion app we are bringing the powerful, yet simple Wahoo Fitness experience, to a whole new category of economy-minded cyclists while delivering much of the same data that our professional athletes demand.”

We’ve just received an ELEMNT Mini to test and will come back with our first impressions soon.

Website: Wahoo Fitness