While cyclists harp on about "Rule V" and N+1, in the tech sphere Moore's Law is often cited to describe the rate of progress; roughly speaking, it predicts that performance will double (and size reduce by half) every two years.
The recently launched Elemnt Mini from Wahoo Fitness may be seen as a case in point. A feather-light cycling computer barely half the size (and one-third the weight) of the original Elemnt, the Mini is pitched as Wahoo's entry-level computer; it slots into Wahoo's line-up beneath its bigger brother rather than superceding it. But does the Elemnt Mini's pared-back feature set pack enough punch to interest a data-hungry cyclist? We've been taking a look to find out...
As the name suggests, the Elemnt Mini is a slimmed down version of the Wahoo Elemnt. While the Elemnt is very much a standalone device, the Mini is designed to be used alongside a smartphone. With the accompanying app, it offers a core set of features including current and average speed, ride time and distance, and GPS tracking - and quite a bit more.
Out of the box, the first thing that strikes you is the Mini's compact size. Sit it alongside an average sized cycle computer like the Garmin Edge 520, and it looks almost comically small. However, the mono LCD screen is crisp and bright, and although it's lightweight at just 31g the Mini feels solid and beautifully put together.
Two chunky buttons below the screen control operations - no touchscreen here - and when you turn the Mini on, the pleasing simplicity of its appearance continues in use.
The left button powers the Mini on, and once in use serves as a start/pause button, while the righthand button is used to scroll through data display pages.
The Mini can display three data functions on screen in a single page, along with the time of day which appears by default in the top left corner of every page. While the compact screen size means less information is viewable at any one time, you can create unlimited custom pages showing whatever combination of data you like.
For an entry-level device, the range of data served up by the Mini is actually fairly impressive; out of the box you can choose from ride distance (workout/lap), speed (max/average/current) and time (total/active/paused/lap). A sensor comes bundled with the Mini, which straps to your wheel hub and adds cadence data to the mix. The Mini is also compatible with heart rate monitors (Ant+ or Bluetooth) if you have one, although not with power meters.
All of this customisation is done on your phone using the accompanying ELEMNT app, which offers a very slick, intuitive and appealing interface.
What the Mini doesn't have is GPS capabilities, so if you want to upload your ride to Strava or similar it relies on your smartphone to do the heavy lifting - albeit in a very user-friendly, seamless way. A free Wahoo app, available for iPhone or Android, allows you to link your Wahoo account to third-party services including Apple Health, Strava and TrainingPeaks among others.
I only tested it with Strava and the interaction is flawless, with rides being automatically uploaded within seconds of completion. It's always a delight when things just work, and the Wahoo Elemnt Mini hits the mark in that respect.
Pairing the Mini with your smartphone opens up other nice features too, including the ability to receive phone and text message notifications on screen, and share a live tracking link with anyone who may wish to track your whereabouts while you're out on a ride.
Both these functions work as expected, and are nice to have. Although using them in combination may result in undesirable side effects; if your rides tend to involve protracted cafe stops, you can bet they won't go undetected.
Features like this contribute to an overall impression of well considered and executed integration between hardware and software. It's easy to imagine the Mini holding strong appeal for cyclists looking to buy their first cycling computer, or simply requiring a straightforward device to track basic metrics on short or medium length rides.
For cyclists doing longer rides and wanting a full feature set, there's always the Wahoo Elemnt - and I can imagine plenty of Elemnt Mini users making that upgrade when the time comes.
So what about the downsides? One minor quibble is the lack of a rechargeable battery; the Mini is powered by a single coin cell battery. You can keep tabs on the remaining charge through the app, but I would prefer to see a USB-chargeable battery rather than disposables.
Wahoo claim a battery life of 12 months, although that will obviously depend on usage. Of more relevance may be the battery life of your smartphone, given the Mini's reliance on it for key functionality. I found my iPhone battery drained noticeably faster than usual while paired to the Mini over Bluetooth, and while this might not be an issue on rides of a few hours it's certainly something to be aware of if you're planning a longer sportive. Finding yourself with a dead phone - and worse, no Strava record! - 5 hours into the Etape would be fairly vexing.
My only other gripe concerns the mounting system. The Mini locks securely into a Garmin-style mount, but rather than the chunky, reusable rubber bands familiar to any Garmin user, Wahoo have decided the mount itself should attach to your stem or handlebars by means of...sad trombone... two plastic cable ties. In what is otherwise an exceptionally slick package, this feels like a bodge - and it makes switching the Elemnt Mini between bikes a hassle too.
It's also worth noting that the supplied mount, although it looks similar to the Garmin equivalent, is a slightly different size and oriented at right angles to Garmin's version - so don't expect compatibility between the two. I managed to wedge the Mini into a Canyon Garmin mount, albeit at a 45-degree angle, but I'd no luck fitting it into an official Garmin mount.
Then again, why should a challenger brand like Wahoo design their mounts to play nicely with the market leaders? You could see it as a signal of intent; to paraphrase another chippy upstart, Wahoo "aren't here to take part; they're here to take over."
But that's all for the future. Right now, if you're looking for a relatively affordable cycling computer with a solid feature set and first-rate usability, the Elemnt Mini may be just what you need.
Wahoo Elemnt Mini, £79.99 from uk.wahoofitness.com
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