The query is whether or not the large Wahoo ELEMNT ACE head unit and its distinctive additional options could be truthful for in-competition use. Nicely, the UCI, the world biking governing physique, has simply rubber-stamped the ACE as truthful recreation within the peloton.
The UCI appears to be additional beneficiant (and petty) this 12 months. They’ve additionally authorized the NIX Biosensor for in-competition use, and ended their world champ stripes settlement with Ritchey after three many years.
Will this give Wahoo ELEMNT ACE customers an unfair benefit? Within the ACE’s present state, in all probability not. Nevertheless, that is the primary time Wahoo and World Tour groups can get their palms on these numbers from each group member in intense, high-stakes racing.
For these unfamiliar, the all-new ELEMNT ACE is the most important biking pc we’ve examined (until you contemplate a telephone a pc) and Wahoo’s most superior bike pc thus far. The brand new ELEMNT ACE pc boasts many updates and Wahoo ecosystem integrations. Nevertheless it’s giant, heavy, and I don’t suppose the professionals want the mapping assist — but it surely does have a fairly cool additional characteristic: an built-in wind sensor. (You’ll be able to learn our ideas in regards to the tech of Wahoo ELEMNT ACE right here.)
Does the ELEMNT ACE Provide an Unfair Benefit?
The Wahoo ELEMNT ACE has a singular sensor that others (as of proper now) lack, an built-in wind sensor with Wahoo Wind Dynamics. This information doesn’t simply give cyclists a quantity; it might assist them modify their drafting place and optimize aero effectivity. Publish-ride, the group can sit down and quantify the results of wind and wattage in real-time. Verify the very restricted instance beneath from a private trip with the Wahoo ELEMNT ACE.
Wahoo believes that over time, its Wind Dynamics system will generate the most important real-world biking wind dataset, enhancing efficiency evaluation.
What Do Riders See Utilizing Wahoo Wind Dynamics?
Proper now, riders see two key insights:
AirDrag: How a lot their groundspeed is hindered by headwinds
AirBoost: How a lot their groundspeed is aided by tailwinds or drafting
Who’s Driving the ELEMNT ACE?
The ELEMNT ACE has already been deployed to Wahoo-supported groups for testing and coaching, and with the UCI’s latest approval, it’s now set to make an affect in race-day situations for:
UAE Group Emirates
LIDL-TREK
EF Professional Biking
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Group
Plus greater than 25 different UCI-registered groups in 2025.
Professional Groups Weigh In
Professional groups are already seeing the potential of the ELEMNT ACE, with key efficiency heads praising its greater display screen, prolonged battery life, and next-level information monitoring. Bear in mind, although, these are groups sponsored by Wahoo…
Jeroen Swart, Head of Efficiency at UAE Group Emirates, says:“The brand new ELEMNT ACE is a good addition to the present Wahoo ecosystem. The bigger format, the colourful contact display screen, and the for much longer battery life are all nice options that make this system a pleasure to make use of day-after-day. Nevertheless, the ACE is just not solely an enormous step up by way of software program and {hardware}, however the further metric of wind velocity units it aside from different gadgets within the recreation. Our riders can use real-time information to optimize their place on the bike or within the bunch to avoid wasting power—offering them with invaluable insights that translate into efficiency good points.”
Peter Schep, Head of Efficiency at EF Professional Biking, provides:“The brand new ELEMNT ACE brings wind velocity information in real-time, which we expect could possibly be a game-changer in drafting dynamics. It’s such an enormous think about how a race performs out, so we’re very excited to be working carefully with Wahoo to get essentially the most out of the ACE’s wind sensor for coaching and acceptable races.”
With UCI approval locked in, count on to see the ELEMNT ACE entrance and middle within the largest races of 2025.
WahooFitness.com
