It might just be an unwanted mistake on Wahoo’s part. But to me, it looks more like they’re deliberately discouraging users from keeping an old head unit by limiting the pairing options.
Every now and then I’ve had issues to connect the ELEMNT-App on my phone to Wahoo Bolt v2. In the past I would sometimes simply delete the bluetooth pairing on my phone and then redo the pairing-process. If QR-code reading failed there used to be fallback option to display a alphanumeric code on the headunit that I could enter manually within the app. I don’t remember if I always had to use this fallback option or not, but I remember using it a handful of times.
A month ago I had issues again, deleted the pairing and wanted to reconfigure. Only to find that this fallback-option of alphanumeric code is not available anymore on the device. And the ELEMNT-App is not able to read the QR code no matter how hard I try. Reading this QR-code on other apps is possible (but fails to create a connection), so this clearly is not an issue of my phone but an issue of the ELEMNT-App.
As a workaround I’ve tried the new Wahoo-App that is supposed to replace the ELEMNT-App. The Wahoo-App can read the QR-code from the headunit but then the app tells me that these older devices are not supported “yet”.
Quite a bummer when old devices stop working just because the producer cripples important features via firmware “updates”! (deliberatly? )
I’ve asked Wahoo customer service about this issue, no answer for several weeks now.
So if you’re running an older Wahoo device, I suggest:
if your device still shows connection-codes, dont do firmware “updates”
be careful about removing the old app or old connections before you are sure you can pair on another device/app, you might not be able to reconnect.
be aware that passing the device on to a new user might not be possible.
Luckily I can still sync data (new routes, workouts) using the route-sync option on wifi. But I cannot change any configurations on the headunit any longer.
Your post caught my attention because I occasionally have the same issues with my Element Roam, which is maybe 2-3 years old at most. I wouldn’t discount the possibility of planned obsolescence, but given the problems I’ve experienced with relatively new hardware I suspect bad software/firmware is at play. Their app crashes a lot for me, too, which reinforces my hunch about Wahoo’s code management challenges. Whatever the cause, it’s frustrating. I got into Wahoo’s ecosystem a decade ago primarily for their user-friendliness, so I dearly hope we’re not experiencing yet more enshi**ification of formerly good products and services.
Wahoo was very clear about this when the Ace came out b/c the Ace is an entirely new platform from the previous Wahoo devices.
This isnt planned obsolescence though. Wahoo’s software and firmware has progressively gotten worse and I suspect its just now finally catching up to you.
No problem with my bolt 2. I have a new computer and only sometimes use the bolt 2, and every time i come to the conclusion that the bolt 2 is the best computer ive had. Hope it keeps on working.
Same problems for me. I have a bolt 2 that I quit using because I got the Roam a couple of years ago. I thought I would use the bolt on one of my other bikes but have nothing but confusing problems trying to get the rides downloaded to the app and training peaks. It will show in the history on the bolt but it takes me 2 hours to get it to download and by then, due to my lack of technology prowess, I can’t remember exactly what I did to finally get the ride to download. This has happened on at least three occasions. I’m ready to throw the bolt in the trash.
To slightly modify Hanlon’s razor: “never attribute to a conspiracy what can be explained by a bike tech company’s mistake, incompetence, or systemic error."
@Roy_Hoyt: when I come home from a ride syncing post ride data works best by navigating to “routes” and then move down to the sync item (last synced x days ago), then press sync. The Bolt will then try to connect to wifi, check for new routes and send off all new ride-data to wahoo.
(If you already started an exercise one needs to stop it first, no wifi connections possible)
Had a bolt V1 that progressively got worse and worse to use. Slower to connect to gps, slower to get rides loaded. I switch to a garmin edge 540 and I should have done that sooner. Syncing routes and workouts is flawless unless the 3rd parties have issues. To load a route all I have to do is pin it on ride with gps and it shows up on my garmin. Unpin and the route is gone.
Wahoo has dropped the ball a lot with the firmware side of the older products.
To clarify: syncing routes still works flawless on my device as it still remebers old wifi settungs. Just connecting to the app to configure screens/settings is not possible anymore…
I have a roam V2, since about a year I sometimes have issues connecting it to the app, it’s sporadic, no time pattern. A smartphone reboot usually fixes it. It’s annoying when you’re ready to go and you can’t load a route. I learned to sync my routes the evening before.
This is normal with older technology. The developers at Wahoo focus their work on the new units, the ones they actually sell and pay their salary. That doesn’t mean they brick backwards compatibility on purpose though.
Ok, now I have been able to connect that bolt with the iphone of my wife. This means the connection issue on my own phone is most likely due to some android upgrade… At least I am able to load maps of new countries again.
Pairing is fine but some routes that I had stored with strava will just not load. Also reversing routes doesn’t work (I tried one route that didn’t load in one direction, redid it in the other and wanted to reverse so I get what I actually wanted - it did load but not in reverse as specified, then I checked an no routes work in reverse.
My garmin rearvue 820 via Ant+ disconnects and reconnects often - usually starts out fine then does that after a while. It was especially bad in a group ride.
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