Wahoo’s largest bike computer is the fitness accessory I didn’t know I needed

I was intrigued when I first heard about the Wahoo Elemnt Ace back in December 2024. The addition of a wind sensor caught my attention, as did the fact that it’s Wahoo’s first bike computer to combine touchscreen controls with traditional hardware buttons.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been riding with the Elemnt Ace mounted to my classic 1994 Bridgestone XO-3. For the most part, it’s been a great experience.

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Inside the box, you get the Elemnt Ace, an out-front mount, a USB-C cable, a lanyard, and a manual. Setup was quick—I powered it on, paired it with my phone using the Wahoo app, and connected it to a Wahoo Trackr heart rate monitor, along with Garmin speed and cadence sensors. That gave me full access to all my ride data right from the start.

I’ve only tested a few bike computers from Garmin and Coros, so the Elemnt Ace was my first experience with a Wahoo device. It’s a bit chunkier than I expected, measuring 4.9 x 2.8 x 0.8 inches and weighing 7.4 ounces (208 grams). Since I ride mainly for exercise, I’m not too concerned about weight or size — as long as everything fits. 

Fortunately, the out-front mount worked perfectly with the swept-back arc handlebars on my vintage bike, andthe  setup was quick and easy.

The Elemnt Ace has a large 3.8-inch display that is perfect for my aging eyes. This is one of the largest displays found on any bike computer, and it’s one reason I’m a fan of the Ace. I also love the ability to press the right-side up and down buttons, which quickly change the number and size of data elements that appear on the display as you ride.

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I never had an issue seeing any of the data on the display, although the LCD display is not as vibrant and brilliant as an AMOLED display in environments with less light.

I started using bike computers with an older Garmin model. Since I don’t ride with a bike computer on a daily basis, I seem to always be confused about which buttons to press to control the user experience. The Wahoo Elemnt Ace has three buttons on the sides and three buttons on the lower front, but it is much more intuitive than Garmin computers, and I never once pressed the wrong button. 

It helps that the display on the Wahoo Elemnt Ace indicates the action that the button below it will take when pressed.

The touchscreen lets you tap and swipe through the interface if you prefer that over using the buttons. It even works well when wet — which matters to me, since I ride in Washington, where light drizzle is a daily occurrence.

While I still have a physical bell on my bike, I’ve mostly been using the electric bell feature by double-tapping the display. It’s loud enough to get attention and frees up some space on my handlebars. I also read that you can customize the bell sound, so now I’m on the hunt for a good cow moo or something fun to let people know I’m coming up the trail.

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One unique new feature of the Elemnt Ace that is being promoted as a differentiator is the front-mounted wind sensor. The wind sensor measures air speed and compares that to your bike speed to determine whether the flow of air is assisting or deterring you. Airspeed is categorized from heavy air drag to heavy air boost in five levels. The data seems interesting enough for data lovers, but I’m not sure there is any current practical use for it or useful guidance on what to do with the information.

Wahoo advertises up to 30 or more hours of battery life, but that is only in the mode where the backlight turns off after five seconds. The display is tough to read without backlighting unless you are in direct sun, and given that is not a common environment where I ride, I measured about 15-16 hours of battery life with the Elemnt Ace. 

That is still plenty of power for the way I personally ride, but understand you should expect far less than advertised.

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One feature I love about Garmin bike computers is ClimbPro, which provides hill data even when no route is entered. I spend a lot of time riding on hills and was impressed to see Wahoo’s Summit functionality appear right on the lower part of the display automatically as I start climbing a hill.

The Ace provided me with key hill data such as gradient, distance to the top, and estimated time to reach the top. You can even customize the Summit experience in the Wahoo smartphone application to sync to the Ace.

ZDNET’s buying advice

If you are looking for one of the largest displays on a bike computer, want an easy-to-use interface, and love the idea of a loud digital bell, then the Wahoo Elemnt Ace may be just for you. It’s a bit pricey, and the battery doesn’t last as long as advertised in commonly used conditions. 

I have already seen several improvements through updates, and Wahoo is sure to continue perfecting the Elemnt Ace with plenty of feedback being provided from current users on various cycling forums.