Wahoo has announced the release of a new climbing feature for use across its range of Elemnt GPS bike computers.
Named ‘Summit Freeride’ it’s described by the US brand as a “major enhancement” on the existing Summit features, meaning that “essential climb data is now automatically available on every ride, without following a planned route”.
The feature will be available for use on the latest versions of the Elemnt Roam and Elemnt Bolt computers from May 2nd onwards.
Wahoo’s computers already have a Summit Segments feature which provides essential details of climbs from pre-loaded routes, however Summit Freeride will do the same for ascents not already loaded on to your head unit.
The new feature detects climbs automatically, displaying information on the computer screen of in-progress climbs as well as those that are upcoming and ones that have already been completed. For those upcoming climbs, Wahoo says riders can filter them according to their level of difficulty, enabling them to “conserve energy for the climbs that will require the most effort”.
So how does Summit Freeride work? Wahoo says it utilises pre-installed maps and elevation data, detecting and calculating climbs up the road. Once a climb has been detected, the rider will be alerted as well as being shown an upcoming ‘climb list’ on the screen. If you choose to leave a climb or join another, the feature enables the computer to adjust ‘on the fly’ to provide recalculated data.
Certainly the feature would seem to have plenty of appeal for those who just like to get out and ride but still prefer a little warning of what’s ahead. It's also probably a case of Wahoo needing to play catch up with its rivals.
Garmin tweaked its ClimbPro feature recently for its newest Edge 540 and 840 units, enabling climbs to be automatically detected without a pre-loaded route. Likewise Hammerhead updated its Climber feature back in 2022, enabling users to receive climb data without having to load a route.
“Summit Freeride is a fantastic new feature for cyclists who like to ride without using a pre-planned route,” says Mike Saturnia, Wahoo CEO. “Getting out and exploring is at the heart of what cycling is all about, so we are extremely excited to have this update go live this Spring, as part of our continued commitment to add regular updates to our suite of ELEMNT Bike Computers.”
Wahoo says it developed the new feature alongside the recently released Elemnt Roam bike computer, which is designed to be a ‘navigation first’ tool and boasts a claimed 17 hour battery life. We reviewed the new Bolt and found that it has more 'horsepower under the hood' than the previous model.
For more information on Wahoo’s Summit Freeride feature visit wahoofitness.com
