The Wahoo Elemnt Rival is a slick and smart new multi-sport smartwatch
(Image credit: Wahoo)
Wahoo has today launched its first-ever smartwatch, and with it, the Atlanta, Georgia-based brand has entered itself into the race for the best smartwatch for cycling.
Technologists and industrial designers at the outdoor activity brand were given a product goal of transferring the attributes of its best cycling computers to a wearable device. The result is the Wahoo Elemnt Rival.
Housed in a slick exterior design, the Elemnt Rival promises meticulous data tracking and battery life. Wahoo desired to deliver a multi-sport wrist device that would be unobtrusive to wear, yet notably potent in its ability to track and signal athlete data.
As a design, the Rival is distinguished by its ceramic bezel and an autonomous ambient illumination function, adjusting the watch’s backlighting to the environmental ambience. That means no more annoying squinting in low-light conditions.
Meticulous power and software integration allows the Rival to boast battery endurance of up to 14 days when used as a conventional watch.
Operating in its fully ‘active’ role, it lasts 24 hours, which should be adequate for even the most brutal Ironman event. With full-functionality employed, the Rival tracks with accurate GPS, calculates your altitude gains on a barometric altimeter and pulses an optical heart rate sensor.
Elemnt Rival has good data portability (Image credit: Wahoo)
Cross-compatibility
Convergence is a crucial element of any wearable fitness tracking device and Wahoo’s Rival fits neatly into its entire ecosystem. It uses the same app that Wahoo Elemnt cycling computer owners will be familiar with.
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Equipped with Wahoo’s Touchless Transition technology the Rival can track a run, bike and swim leg of any multi-sport event, without any adjustment from the users. This allows an athlete to concentrate on their transition, instead of having to be mindful of logging a change in activity.
Advanced data dynamics can be harvested when pairing the Rival activity watch with Wahoo’s Tickr X heart rate monitor. Data portability is good, allowing easy output to Wahoo’s companion app, feeding virtual fitness tracking platforms such as TrainingPeaks or Strava.
With both ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity sensors, the Rival effortlessly pairs with Wahoo Kickr turbo trainers, too.
Wahoo is launching the Rival multi-sport watch at £349.99 / US$379.99.
Lance Branquinho is a Namibian born media professional, with 15-years of experience in technology and engineering journalism covering anything with wheels. Being from Namibia, he knows a good gravel road when he sees one, and he has raced some of Africa’s best-known mountain bike stage races, such as Wines2Wales and Berg&Bush.
