Could This New Cycling Accessory’s Unprecedented Feature Revolutionize How You Ride?

Wahoo’s Elemnt Ace bike computer is packed with awesome traits, but the one that accounts for an actual element really, ahem, blows us away.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published December 3, 2024

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Updated December 3, 2024

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Pop quiz, hotshot: Can you name the “classical” elements of nature? In Indo-European culture, the most commonly shared ones are earth, water, air (aka wind), fire and aether (aka space).

While each of these plays a role in how we interact with the physical world, the one that has the most outsized impact on we hard-pedaling outdoor cyclists is, yeah, wind.

Aerodynamics play a huge role in cycling performance, but unless happen to have a wind tunnel in your backyard, measuring them is incredibly difficult. The Ace effectively lowers the barrier to entry with a built-in pressure sensor that gives riders live insights into AeroBoost (when their speed is aided by tailwinds or drafting) and AeroDrag (when it is hindered by headwinds).

That’s what has me stoked about Wahoo’s just-launched bike computer, the Elemnt Ace. To be fair, this thing is loaded with great stuff, including a best-in-class 3.8-inch TFT display, interactive touchscreen, enhanced navigation (with voice turn-by-turn directions), cloud-based syncing, 30+ hours of battery life and even a digital bell.

But one particular feature is the first of its kind, and it has the makings of a game changer: an integrated wind sensor that enables riders to measure the effects of air resistance in real-time, both when it works in our favor and in, well, our faces.

wahoo elemnt ace hero — Wahoo has managed to pack in even more tech while keeping the Ace’s profile reliably streamlined.

Winds of change

So what exactly is this feature, and why does it matter? As any serious cyclist will tell you, aerodynamics play a huge role in cycling performance, but unless you are a member of a pro team, own expensive proprietary equipment or happen to have a wind tunnel in your backyard, measuring them is incredibly difficult.

The Ace effectively lowers the barrier to entry, tackling that challenge head-on with a built-in pressure sensor that enables the device to give riders live insights into AeroBoost (when their speed is aided by tailwinds or drafting) and AeroDrag (when it is hindered by headwinds). This info can help with draft positioning and potentially help you pinpoint the cause of a slower-than-average day. (You weren’t hungover, it was the wind!)

wahoo elemnt ace wind sensor data — Wahoo Wind Dynamics can track and display new metrics, including AirBoost and AirDrag, to the rider.

As a counterpart, the Wahoo app now features Wahoo Wind Dynamics (WWD), which can be used to more deeply analyze the impact of wind on performance. You can literally see the amount of time spent in AirBoost, AirDrag and neutral air — and even turn on a map visualization that colorizes your route based on those varying wind conditions.

This capability is so packed with possibilities, Wahoo’s reps actually sent the inquiring minds of the media a follow-up note about it with additional details. For the hard-core among you, here are two big follow-up questions they addressed.

How has Wahoo validated the data from the Wind Sensor?

The Elemnt Ace aero sensor technology was one of the most resource intensive portions of developing the bike computer, with extensive investments in technical development, user interface design, and technical validation. Wahoo’s Sports and Data Science team conducted comparison benchmark testing versus other similar devices in the market to confirm our initial results.

In addition, we constructed a 1 cubic meter miniature wind tunnel at Wahoo HQ which is capable of providing a consistent, laminar airflow. This wind tunnel allowed us to further validate the measured airspeed against both cycling-specific and non-cycling-specific devices. Finally, our analytics teams conducted real-world testing sessions by renting a velodrome in Europe to test the sensor’s accuracy in a controlled setting.

wahoo element ace with smartphone — Closer in size to a smartphone, the Ace boasts a significantly bigger and more colorful screen than those possessed by its predecessors, the Roam and Bolt.

Does the wind sensor measure CdA or other “traditional aero” metrics?

Wahoo is committed to improving rider experience through regular software updates — examples of this in the past include our support for GoPro control, light control, and music control released earlier this year.

We plan for this groundbreaking feature to be a major focus for development in the coming years, unlocking new levels of performance and data-driven insights. The hardware capabilities included in the device will support a range of increased functionality in the years to come.

Safe to say, the brand is heavily invested not only in the development of the tech up to this point, but also in its future potential. Not to get hyperbolic, but it feels like it could become as indispensable to competitive cyclists as, say, a power meter. We’ll just have to wait and see which way the wind blows.