Wahoo Elemnt Roam v2 review: The Bolt, but bigger

We all get the changes we asked for but is that enough?

Wahoo Roam v2
(Image: © Josh Ross)

Cyclingnews Verdict

If you want a cycling computer that just works, the best choice continues to be Wahoo. The latest update means you are now back to having a choice of the Roam v2 with a larger screen and two extra hours of battery life or the smaller Bolt v2 for a bit less money but a similar user experience.

Pros

  • +

    17-hour battery life

  • +

    High contrast screen

  • +

    Excellent implementation of upcoming navigation and Varia display

  • +

    Convex buttons and USB-C charging fix the two glaring issues of the previous Roam

  • +

    Pan and zoom finally comes to the Roam

  • +

    Simple to use

  • +

    High-quality companion app

Cons

  • -

    Updates don't push the brand forward

  • -

    Lacking street names on the maps

You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

One of the most important pieces of gear a cyclist has is their bike computer. For some people, it's the navigation that's important and the bike computer becomes a gateway to adventures. For others, the route is always the same and long since memorised but every ride is a new opportunity to train, from which the metrics and sensors tell a story that gets dissected and analysed later. There are also lots of people who look for a mix depending on their needs. Sometimes the metrics help with pacing, and sometimes they get ignored, while sometimes the navigation means riding places they've never been and sometimes it gets ignored. Whatever your need, we have options on our list of the best bike computers to cater to every price point and need. 

If you spend time studying that list, one thing you will find is that there are three major bike computer companies. Wahoo is a brand that finds itself in that top tier as one of the most well-known and widely used bike computers. Each time they release an update it makes a big splash in the market and they've just released a big one: the Wahoo Elemnt Roam v2, which is their most feature-rich, and most expensive bike computer to date. 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Testing scorecard and notes
Screen QualityExcellent in bright sun and easy to read quickly but the competition has better options.7/10
Navigation QualityWahoo has always been amazing at following a dot on a map. Adding panning makes it more useful when you don’t have mobile service. The fact that upcoming navigation doesn’t block other data is a joy. The only downside is there are no street names on the map.9/10
Smart phone connectionIt displays every notification I need it to, has a top-notch app, and makes it easy to share tracking.10/10
Battery LifeGarmin offers better battery life but 17 hours is enough to get through just about any ride.9/10
ValueIt perfectly matches the price of the relevant competition and Wahoo units tend to last a very long time. 10/10
OverallRow 5 - Cell 1 90%
Josh Ross

Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes. Height: 5'9" Weight: 140 lb. Rides: Salsa Warbird, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx