Ever since I got started in this wonderful world of bikepacking and exploring our beautiful planet by bike. I have been trying to figure out the best way to navigate it. After using my phone for some years. I finally went out and invested in a GPS or cycling computer. After some research I really liked the sound of the features that the Wahoo Elemnt Roam has.
It has some rather smart navigation features, including the on-device navigation which allows you to navigate turn by turn as you ride a forever curling maze of trails. This also has the Back on Track feature which if you veer off course it will re-route.
Also it includes a color screen, which is cool but not really that much of a game changer when it comes to function. Honestly some other options out there that are black and white only, are cheaper. But that is not the main reason why I purchased this one over the others. Although it is nice to see blue as you approach the coast. Not sure about you, but upon approaching the seaside I get rather motivated to continue riding if I am tired.
But on the display I am rather pleased with how easy it is to view the crystal clear 2.7″ Gorilla Glass display. Even in some of the most bright direct sunlight. And also depending on how bright it is outside the unit has an ambient light sensor. Meaning that it will adjust brightness depending on the brightness outside, making it easier on the eyes. And it is not really noticeable at all. i know sometimes for example on my macbook it has this feature and at times it dims too much and the screen is too reflective. But it is not like this for the Elemnt Roam.
Okay so you might be wanting to know about battery life? This was one of the more important aspects of a device like this for me. As my main purpose was for multi day and month long bikepacking trips. So having charged gear just makes life easier. And if you plan to spend most your time out in the wilderness camping, the longest battery life you can get for a device like this the better. If you have something like a Dynamo setup then there is no worries here. But with this unit it is advertised to give you up to 17 hours before you need to recharge. And this is about spot on from my own personal testing. For example I went on a weekender bikepacking trip, along the Great Ocean Road. And I started in Geelong at 2pm on a friday and road for the next couple days getting to Warrnambool on Sunday. And the device went flat about 10km out of my final destination that Sunday. I would be using the unit all day till sunset each night at like 6pm and turn it back on from about 7 to 8 am the next morning. So after doing some rough calculations I would say I might have go around 20 hours of use. With the device constantly on a using for turn by turn navigation. In total for this trip I rode about 280 km in total over 2.5 days! And it lasted for almost all the trip. So if you plan to use it for anything longer than 2 days you will have to take some backup portable battery packs to charge it overnight.
It has really made navigation for me so much easier. No need to stop every time I am confused with what direction to travel and find it again pinching my phone for the right trail. Just set and forget! And also if you use your phone for navigation you need to charge it daily or even worse it is unable to get through a full day when using navigation constantly.
At first I found the ability to download GPX files and pre-load routes a little troublesome. I had downloaded a route from strava onto the unit for the 2020 Victoria Divide Race and as I began to ride the route I discovered that it didn’t give me the exact course. And I was taking some slightly altered turns, which was not ideal. And had to just end up tagging along with some others to make sure I was striking to the route exactly. But par of this was my fault. I later realised that it is best to download routes from Ride With GPS. It is very easy to setup and all done through linking your phone, the Roam all to each other through the companion app. And then whatever routes you download through Ride With GPS with populate on the Roam. Just make sure that when you download the route the start is where you want to start from and not be flipped. (ie, starting from the finish and finish at the start that is predetermined by the route.) As I found this can not be changed once out on the road. (From what i could tell anyway). But there is a Retrace Route option which might have been what I need here.
If you are a world traveller they have you covered as you will have pre-loaded maps of North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and South America. While maps for Russia, Asia, and Africa can be downloaded over WiFi.
Again as you sync up any of the platforms (Strava, Ride With GPS, Best Bike Split, Komoot, MTB Project, SingleTracks) your routes will load to the Roam. But also any completed rides will automatically upload to all authorized third party accounts. So once you finish for a day of riding your Strava buddies will be able to see the epic km’s you have covered! Kudos!
There is also a route to start option which allows just that. If you are heading off to the start of an event from your AirBnB there is that option for stress free navigation.
And there is a number of other cool features that would take a while to get through here. But if you are interested to read more, check out what else the Roam can do for you here.
Specs
| Physical Dimensions: | 3.5″ x 2.3″ x 0.7” (89mm x 54.4mm x 17.8 mm) |
| Display Size: | 2.7″ (68.58mm) |
| Screen Resolution: | 240×400 |
| Weight: | 3.3 oz / 93.55 grams |
| Battery: | USB rechargeable |
| Battery Life: | 17 hours |
| Waterproof Rating: | IPX7 (waterproof up to 5 ft) |
| Operating Temperature: | -4°F to 122°F / -20°C to 50°C |
Okay so now you have an idea about the product. What about my overall experience and is it any good to be the one for all your on bike navigational needs?
Things to consider about the Roam
Well first I am going to touch on some of the things I think need improving or are points you need to consider before committing to purchasing. Lets face it, we are honest here and want to make sure you get the best GPS for you get out there explore the world on your bike.
The buttons at times are a little difficult to use. And there could be a improvement to make them more responsive. Also while wearing gloves this made it even harder to press the front facing buttons.
Then you have the speed. Which at times seemed inaccurate in the moment. Like it would display rather high speeds when I was climbing and vice versa. But one thing I like is the auto stop feature that will stop recording the activity once you get to a very low speed, not sure exactly but around half the speed of average walking say about 2 to 3 km/h. But this was annoying if you are hike a biking up very steep sections and have the beeping sound activated. It constantly would start and stop the activity.
Not a issue with me personally but some users have said how it is annoying how many updates they have received. Which results in disconnecting the unit from your phone. Which causes you to “unpair”, “forget phone” and “pair” again.
This point could be considered on the line of pro and con, but in the beginning like most products like the Roam. it was a little complicated to understand and know how to use properly. But once you get past that learning curve it is rather easy.
Then you have a little issue with the memory. Maybe it will be updated as it comes with new update installs? But you are limited with the amount of region maps you can download to the device.
What I like about the Roam
I did mention some of the features of the Roam earlier but let’s finish by looking at some of the reasons why I like this device and think it is one of the better choices when it comes to GPS units for bikepacking or bicycle touring. Also if you are looking for other devices here are some of the best options out there.
The re-routing feature is great. It can be annoying having to stop and look back at the maps fiddling with the device to find the turn you missed. The ability to pick up from where you missed a turn is so amazing.
Also that auto dimming of the backlight helps for making the battery life last as long as possible for those multi day trips. And makes it easy to view the screen.
Also the ease of useability once you figure it out is perfect. Along with the screen size it is also spot on. It is definitely one of the better cycling computers on the market. And if a go to for any keen cyclists out there. Oh and the price it comes in at $380.00 at REI.com, a bit on the more expensive side but you get what you pay for here.
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