Most of us use some sort of GPS based device when out on the bike, and most of us have experienced signal dropouts, whether they be in steep-sided valleys, tunnels or densely wooded areas. Even if your device is picking up your heart rate and power, if your device loses sight of the satellites, large chunks of your ride can go missing.
To remedy this, Swiss wheel manufacturer DT Swiss has partnered with Wahoo to release its own hub based speed sensor, the Trackr Speed.
Designed to ensure your ride is recorded wherever you ride, the DT Swiss Trackr Speed by Wahoo - to give it its full moniker - is designed to clip around the brand's SPLINE and DICUT hubs. Fully encompassing the hub housing, it looks like an integrated part, not an add on and also works with the company’s recently launched 1800 series wheels, ensuring it works with the majority of the gravel and road range of wheels.
Using both ANT+ and Bluetooth, the hub connects to your phone, bike computer or smartwatch, and though we’ve not yet had our hands on the Trackr Hub, DT Swiss assures us it’s quick and easy to connect to your device, and more importantly, install on your rear wheel hub. The device uses its own internal battery, the company claiming up to 94 hours life, when it can be recharged in situ using the magnetic charger.
"When the mountains swallow your signal or tunnels block your connection, this sleek rear‑hub‑optimized sidekick keeps counting," the company’s press release reads, rather poetically. "In partnership with Wahoo, we’ve built a speed sensor that translates every wheel rotation into pure accuracy, even where satellites tap out. No drops. No excuses."
According to DT Swiss’s press material, the Trackr Hub uses a "3-axis accelerometer" to measure each rotation of your wheel to accurately measure your speed, though obviously not your precise location. So, while your ride may still appear as a straight line on Strava, at least you’ll know how far you travelled and how fast you were going when the GPS signal was lost, and, in conjunction with power and heart rate data, you’ll know every inch of your ride.
You can buy the DT Swiss Trackr Speed either on its own or as part of a bundle with the company’s G1800 SPLINE rear wheel. The device on its own will set you back $89.80 (€59.90 / £54.99), while the wheel bundle will cost you $427.90 (€280.90), with no UK pricing available.
It’s certainly a good looking bit of kit and will integrate perfectly with your DT Swiss wheels, and if you ride only their wheels or have a speed sensor for each wheel set you own, its certainly the most elegant and best looking speed sensor we’ve seen.
There is a but. Not only is Wahoo’s own speed sensor called the Trackr Speed - formerly known as the 'Wahoo RPM Speed' - it’s waterproof to the same level, uses the same accelerometer technology, works with all wheel brands and looks like it’s easier to swap between bikes, it’s even 10g lighter. It also retails at £29.99, it just doesn’t look as neatly integrated.
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